Gospel of John Reflection

Writing Assignment #1

For this assignment, you will be required to outline the Gospel of John and write a brief paper reflecting on the significance of this book to your life and ministry. This assignment gives you an opportunity to dig deeper into one New Testament book and consider how to apply what you are learning.

Section 1: Outline

The outline portion of this assignment must go down two “levels.” In other words, you will need to identify the main sections of John with I, II, III, etc., and the immediate subsections with A, B, C, etc. Also, next to each point/subpoint on your outline, please be sure to identify which section of Scripture the point/subpoint is referring to. For example:


EXAMPLE 1

EXAMPLE 2

I.  Prologue (1:1–18)

  1. The pre-incarnate Word (1:1–5)
  2. The witness of John the Baptist (1:6–8)
  3. The appearance of the Light (1:9–13)
  4. The incarnation of the Word (1:14–18)


II.  Jesus’ public ministry (1:19–12:50)

  1. The prelude to Jesus’ public ministry (1:19–51)
  2. Jesus’ early Galilean ministry (2:1–12)
  3. Jesus’ first visit to Jerusalem (2:13–3:36)
  4. [And so on…]








Example adapted from Thomas L. Constable, Tom Constable’s Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2022), “Notes on John: Outline.”

I.  The Prologue (1:1–18)

  1. The Word as he was in the beginning (1:1–5)
  2. The ministry of John (the Baptist) (1:6–8)
  3. The true light comes into the world (1:9–11)
  4. Those who receive the Word become children of God (1:12–13)
  5. The coming of the Word into the world (1:14)
  6. The testimony of John (the Baptist) (1:15)
  7. The Word makes the Father known (1:16–18)


II.  Jesus’ Work in the World: The Book of Signs (1:19–12:50)

  1. John (the Baptist) bears witness to Jesus (1:19–34)
  2. Early disciples follow Jesus (1:35–51)
  3. The wedding feast at Cana (2:1–12)
  4. Jesus goes up to Jerusalem for Passover (2:13–25)
  5. [And so on…]



Example adapted from Colin G. Kruse, John: An Introduction and Commentary, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, vol. 4 (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2017), 45-46.


Please note that there is not necessarily one right way to structure this outline. Yours might look a bit different from someone else’s (and it should, being your own original work). In reviewing your work, our graders will only check to ensure that you hit on the key sections and themes of the Gospel of John.

Section 2: Significance to Your Life and Ministry

After the outline section, you will need to write a brief reflection on the significance of John to your life and ministry. This reflection should have three main subsections, as listed below:

  1. Briefly describe the main purpose and argument of the Gospel of John. Give references to support your statements. The “purpose and argument” refers to the major themes, teachings, and goals of the book, as well as to how the author goes about accomplishing these goals. The intention behind this is that you learn to (1) discern the importance of what this book teaches well enough to remember it, and (2) discern how the author develops and accomplishes his purpose.
  1. Write a short paragraph discussing how this book fits into the overarching message, story, and argument of the Bible. Support your statements with passages and cross-references from both the Old Testament and the New Testament.
  1. Per the instructions below, address the significance of John in terms of knowing, doing, and being. The purpose of this section is to help you answer the following questions: What do I want my congregation, audience, or small group to apply after studying this book? What would I want them NOT to forget? And what does it do for me?
    • KNOWING: Describe three principles or key truths which you gleaned from this book and which you and your congregation will think of when the book is named. These should be based on the text, so please give references for each.
    • DOING: What will you lead others to do, based on or suggested by the text? Please name at least two items and give references from John for support. Clarify what you want to do, how you will implement it, and how you will determine if you have met your objective(s).
    • BEING: What is one thing which touched your heart as you were reading/studying this book? Specify what the insight was and which text(s) in John it came from. How might this change your life and the lives of those around you?


PLEASE NOTE: For this assignment, instead of submitting a written report, you may choose to submit an oral report recorded on audio if you wish. However, if you do this, all the same elements which are required for the written report must be covered thoroughly in your oral report. Also, at present our online platform can only take files less than 100 MB in size, so please ensure that any audio file is smaller than this. You can upload up to five files per assignment if needed, for a maximum of 500 MB per assignment, but they must all be submitted at the same time.

Reading Assignment

Instructions

To successfully complete the New Testament Track with the DTS Global Institute, you must read all three items listed below. After reading everything listed, please submit your reading report. To do so, scroll to the bottom of this lesson, write up answers to the questions listed there, and submit your answers in a single file. This will allow you to reflect briefly on your reading and will affirm that you have in fact read all of the following:

  • All 27 books of the New Testament in any translation (we provided NIV, ESV, KJV, NET, and LEB in Logos, and here is a suggested Daily Reading Plan)
  • Exploring Christian Scripture by Kreider, Svigel, and Yarbrough
  • Insights on Acts (Swindoll’s Living Insights NT Commentary) by Charles Swindoll


We recommend reading the following resources as well, though they are not required for completing the program:

  • Surveying the Gospels and Acts (Learn the Word Bible Survey Series), edited by Paul Weaver
  • Surveying the Pauline Epistles (Learn the Word Bible Survey Series), edited by Paul Weaver
  • Surveying Hebrews through Revelation (Learn the Word Bible Survey Series), edited by Paul Weaver


NOTE: All the resources listed in this document are included in the free Logos package provided to you.


A Few Tips on How to Read Well

  • AFTER reading a chapter/section, make a few notes on what the main point was, what you learned or what intrigued you, what questions you have, how this might be helpful in your life/context/ministry, etc.
  • Schedule a regular time at a consistent set of locations to read
  • Read with good posture and with a good light
  • If possible, keep background noise to a minimum
  • Before beginning a reading, think about its purpose in your overall course/program
  • Survey the reading’s headers before doing the reading
  • Take a moment before and/or after reading to turn your heart to the Lord in prayer, asking for his guidance/wisdom and for an open heart to what he might have to teach you
  • It’s OK to scan through sections which are less relevant to you and to read in more detail the sections which are more relevant to you
  • If you get stuck, think about where and why you got stuck, and how you might break through
  • If reading a nonbiblical text, ask yourself how much of what you’re reading aligns with the teachings of Scripture
  • Ask yourself to what extent this reading does or does not align with the prevailing perspectives of your cultural context
  • When reading Scripture, be sure to engage in the three steps of “observe, interpret, apply,” and also ask yourself how this passage connects to the overall biblical story, the drama of redemption
  • It’s OK to reread a difficult section right away, but consider some other options: coming back to it later, taking a break, or talking about it with a friend. Try to read in faith that if something doesn’t make sense right away, clarity will come as you progress. Also, discussing your readings with friends is a good idea in general!
  • At the same time, take advantage of the opportunity to look up unfamiliar terms/concepts
  • Pace yourself, breaking long assignments/books into many shorter sittings (exception: we encourage you to read any book of the Bible through in one sitting if it’s your first time reading it)
  • Read prefaces and summaries, as these can provide important context for a work
  • C. S. Lewis wrote a short book on how to read well entitled An Experiment in Criticism, a helpful summary of which can be found at https://compassclassroom.com/blog/read-well-cslewis/. His main suggestions for those preparing to pick up a text are as follows:
  • Lay aside your skepticism
  • Be receptive
  • Read with your eyes, ears, and imagination
  • Look beyond the mere facts/events to encounter beauty, goodness, and truth
  • Surrender yourself to the experience of the text


Reading Reflection Questions

Once you have finished the assigned reading for your Track, please submit brief answers for the reflection questions listed below. Each “takeaway” can be just a sentence or two long. This will serve as confirmation that you have completed the reading assignment.

  1. Please name ONE brief takeaway from each of the 27 books of the New Testament which you read. Make sure each insight listed is unique to the book in question and fits the book’s overall message/themes.
  2. Please name 3-4 brief takeaways which you found to be impactful in reading Exploring Christian Scripture by Kreider, Svigel, and Yarbrough.
  3. Please name 3-4 brief takeaways which you found to be impactful in reading Insights on Acts by Charles Swindoll.
  4. If you have any other thoughts about the readings which you’d like to share, please do so here. (Optional)


PLEASE NOTE: For this assignment, instead of submitting a written report, you may choose to submit an oral report recorded on audio if you wish. However, if you do this, all the same elements which are required for the written report must be covered thoroughly in your oral report. Also, at present our online platform can only take files less than 100 MB in size, so please ensure that any audio file is smaller than this. You can upload up to five files per assignment if needed, for a maximum of 500 MB per assignment, but they must all be submitted at the same time.

New Testament Integration

Writing Assignment #2

For this assignment, you will examine ways in which the Old and New Testaments are interconnected, especially in terms of comparison to Deuteronomy (the covenant summary of the Old Testament Torah). To do this, please use the chart provided below. Here, you will see a list of “Instruction” passages on the left and “Application” passages on the right. Look up the instruction passage and briefly summarize it. (It is not necessary to use any sources or commentaries.) Next, look up the application passage and briefly summarize it. Then explain why the instruction passage relates to and impacts the interpretation of the application passage.

Do this for any five rows. Each response need only be about two solid paragraphs in length.


PLEASE NOTE: For this assignment, instead of submitting a written report, you may choose to submit an oral report recorded on audio if you wish. However, if you do this, all the same elements which are required for the written report must be covered thoroughly in your oral report. Also, at present our online platform can only take files less than 100 MB in size, so please ensure that any audio file is smaller than this. You can upload up to five files per assignment if needed, for a maximum of 500 MB per assignment, but they must all be submitted at the same time.


Instruction Title

Instruction Passage

Application Title

Application Passage

Curses for Disobedience

Deut 28:13, 44

Israel’s Situation with Respect to Her Enemies

Gospels/Acts (e.g., Luke 3:1)

The Performance of the Law

Deut 5:18; 6:5-6

Jesus’ Explanation of the Law

Matt 5:20, 27-28

The Test of a Prophet

Deut 13:1-11; 18:20-22

The Test of a False Prophet

Matt 7:20-23

Blessings for Israel from Enemies

Deut 6:10-11; opposite Deut 28:30

The Talents: The Third Slave

Matt 25:24-25

God’s Heart Toward the Repentant Nation

Deut 30:1-6

The Lost Son

Luke 15:11-24

God’s One-way Gracious Love

Deut 10:18-19

Love of Others

1 Cor 13; Matt 5:43-48

Partiality in Judgment

Deut 1:17; 10:17; 24:17

Judgment of Others

Matt 7:1-2; Rom 2:1-11; James 2:1-16

Number of Eyewitnesses Required

Deut 19:15

Requirement for the Future Church

Matt 18:16, 20

Covenant Provision

Deut 8:10, 12; 11:15; 12:26

Provision

Mark 6:42; 8:8; Luke 9:17

Laws of Soldiers for Battle

Deut 20:1-9

The Invitation of the Feast

Luke 14:15-21

The Greater Prophet than Moses

Deut 18:15-19

Jesus’ Activities

John 1:21, 45; 5:46; 6:42; 7:40; 8:5

Requirement of Eyewitnesses for Trial

Deut 19:15

Claims Regarding Adulteress

John 8:3-4

Stoning for Adultery

Deut 22:22-24

Pharisees Presenting Law Requirement

John 8:5

Writing of the Law

Deut 9:10

Jesus Writing on the Ground

John 8:6, 8

Requirement of First Stone by Eyewitness

Deut 17:7

Identity of First to Cast Stone

John 8:7

Qualification for Eyewitnesses

Deut 19:16-20

Must be ‘without sin’

John 8:7

Repentance that Returns One to God

Deut 30:1-6

Repentance of Israel, Repentance of Gentiles

Acts 3 and 11

Circumcision of the Heart

Deut 10:16; 30:6

Circumcision of the Heart

Rom 2:18-29; Col 2:11

Vengeance

Deut 32:35

Judgment on Apostates

Heb 10:30

Discipline

Deut 8:5; 28:65-66

Discipline of Hebrews Christians

Heb 10:32-34; 12:5-11

God’s Love for the Hopeless

Deut 10:17-19

True Religion

James 1:27

Proper Response to the Poor

Deut 15:7-11

Proper Response to the Poor Man

James 2:14-17; 1 John 3:16-18

Curses

Deut 28:15-68

Horsemen #’s 2, 3, 4

Rev 6:3-8

God Dresses for Justice

Isaiah 59:16-17

The Armor of God

Eph 6:10-20

Joseph’s Second Dream

Gen 37:9-10

The Woman Who Gives Birth

Rev 12:1-2

David’s Lament

Psalm 22

Jesus’ Crucifixion

Matt 27:33-46


Teaching Assignment

Instructions

For this assignment, you will be required to teach through the New Testament book of Acts. Please feel free to do this in whatever way best fits your ministry context! To help you get started, we have provided you with a sample curriculum for three different settings—preaching, small group leadership, and one-on-one discipleship. We suggest you adapt these resources as needed for your ministerial and cultural contexts. You will find them all posted as downloadable files below.

The one stipulation for how to go about teaching this book is that you split it into at least four (4) lessons. This should be true whether these are four sermons, four small-group sessions, four one-on-one sessions, or something else. This will give you multiple instances of practice and will help you have more to reflect on for your final self-evaluation. See the curriculum provided for examples of how to do this—we suggest using Acts 1:8 as a four-part outline for the book, but feel free to focus on a smaller portion of the book in four lessons rather than attempting to cover the entire book in four lessons.

Once you have finished all four teachings on Acts, please complete and submit the “Self-Evaluation Report” outlined below. This will serve as confirmation that you have completed the teaching assignment.


A Few Tips:

  • In addition to the sample curriculum posted below, you will likely find it helpful as you prepare your lessons to review both the Acts course you took and Dr. Swindoll’s Insights on Acts commentary from your assigned reading.
  • You are welcome to teach these lessons in whatever language you like, so long as the final self-evaluation is submitted in English.
  • Read through the self-evaluation questions before beginning your teaching experience so that you have an idea of what to look out for.
  • It may help to keep a journal/notebook throughout your teaching experience so that you can recall your thoughts when you fill out the self-evaluation at the end.
  • Remember: Be “text-centered and audience-focused”!


Self-Evaluation and Reflection

Once you have finished teaching all four lessons on Acts, please submit your answers to the self-evaluation questions listed below (in a single file). This will serve as confirmation that you have completed the teaching assignment.

  1. Looking back on this experience, what were the strong points of my teaching? Weak points?
  2. What would I change if I taught this again?
  3. What did I find most interesting/exciting about this teaching experience? Most frustrating/challenging?
  4. What were my goals in teaching through this book of the Bible, and why were these chosen?
  5. How well did I meet these goals? Did I encounter any particular obstacles?
  6. Throughout this experience, did I witness any growth in those I was teaching? If so, what specifically?
  7. Throughout this experience, did I witness any growth in myself? If so, what specifically?
  8. Any additional thoughts? (Optional)


PLEASE NOTE: For this assignment, instead of submitting a written report, you may choose to submit an oral report recorded on audio if you wish. However, if you do this, all the same elements which are required for the written report must be covered thoroughly in your oral report. Also, at present our online platform can only take files less than 100 MB in size, so please ensure that any audio file is smaller than this. You can upload up to five files per assignment if needed, for a maximum of 500 MB per assignment, but they must all be submitted at the same time.


Please download and review the sample curriculum below. Although you may end up teaching in a different setting, we have provided curriculum for preaching, for small-group leadership, and for one-on-one discipleship sessions. Feel free to use any of these as they are, alter them as needed, or develop your own lesson plans. Regardless of which option you choose, however, we encourage you to adapt your four teachings to best serve the needs of your current cultural and ministerial context.

NT Sample Teaching Curriculum - Sermon Outlines.pdf

NT Sample Teaching Curriculum - Small Group Leadership.pdf

NT Sample Teaching Curriculum - One-on-One Discipleship.pdf