Hook, Book, Look and Took are the four elements of a great lesson as shared in the book, Creative Bible Teaching by Lawrence O. Richards. Let’s take a look at the final component – Took. The “Took” is the last part of a classroom lesson. It is the personal application of what the student has learned in a particular lesson.
A meaningful classroom lesson “Took” provides opportunity to identify real-life application of the truths the students have learned; truth applications will result in Bible-centered, Christ-modeled, Spirit-breathed beliefs, attitudes and behavior changes. The “Took” is a clear call to action. This brings it down to a specific personal application for each individual student’s life. A good “Took” leads the student to a deeper repentance and surrender to God. There is true heart change and not just external compliance because, “The teacher said so.”
A good “Took” provides for the “aha!” moment when the student truly sees themselves in the light of the truth and a transformational work is done in their hearts. They see the personal application to their own lives and where they need to go from here to move in a positive direction. They clearly see the specific step or steps (goals) they need to take to move them forward in their lives and in their relationship with God. To be truly effective we need the anointing of the Holy Spirit to guide us, provide creativity and to work in the hearts of the students.
Surrendering our lesson plans and the students to God in prayer is our first priority. The Holy Spirit can do a “Took” work in a student’s heart much more effectively than I ever can! With that said, here are a few tips from the practical side for an effective Took. Often the ending of your session is what your students will remember about the presentation, and will set the point of focus for what you want them to reflect-on and remember. Because of this, the end of your class should be memorable and dynamic. Here are a few ideas to make it memorable:
- Use a relevant quote. It should be short and effectively encapsulate the main point of the lesson and inspire reflection and change.
- Provide, or have them create an object that encourages introspection and reflection. An index card with the goal, action step, or new idea. A small object they can easily carry. A piece of rope, a cross, a small chain link, a nail, or a small rock are just a few ideas.
- Tell a story. End your class with a compelling story. This can be your own personal story, or someone else’s. The story should effectively illustrate that the topic impacts real people in real situations. Practice, and tell it well. Don’t read it!
An effective “Took” is a call to action. It encourages the students to do what you’ve been talking about. A call to action is effective when you’re as clear and as specific as possible.
