Hook, Line, and Sinker has been a lesson outlining method that we’ve been using for nearly 20 years. It’s simple and effective. It also leaves your Bible Study open for plenty of learning and discussion. The outline is based on some basic educational practices that you might find in almost any curriculum.
Let’s suppose for a moment that God leads you to provide a talk on a specific topic. The hook, line, and sinker outlining can help you create a lesson or speech that comes from your inspiration and not from someone else.
How To Prepare a Bible Study
Download the Hook, Line, & Sinker lesson template here.
Think About Your Purpose
One of the first things you want to do when preparing a Bible Study is to consider your purpose or final outcome. It seems strange, but you want to start be first thinking about the end. What do you want to accomplish with your lesson. Do you want to the person to change some sinful habits? Do you want a person to become more versed in the precepts of Bible scripture? Do you want someone to be able to do something new with what they learn? One must think deeply and spiritually about these things, especially if God is leading you to make a presentation.
Carefully Identify Relevant Scripture
With your purpose in mind, research Bible scripture carefully. Make sure you understand the meaning of the scriptures you choose to use by staying within the context of what God’s Word is saying. Trying to twist Bible verses into something they really don’t mean is spiritually dangerous and nothing but pure heresy. Maintain truth when you use scripture to back up what you are needing to say.
The Hook
Your lesson presentation should begin with an attention grabbing statement, story, or activity that lasts 5-10 minutes. Make sure you you engage the listener by giving them something relevant to consider. Make your hook personal in some way in order to peak the interest of the listeners. During this introduction, you’ve got to do something to pull people’s attention away from their day-to-day routines. You have to make them want to listen. Perhaps even tease them a bit to peak their interest for a later revelation.
The Line
Make your points in 20-40 minutes. People’s attention spans are short and you’ve got to do something to keep them engaged. Continuous monotone talking just won’t get the job done. Teach the idea or principle with Bible Verses, drama, storytelling, games, experiments, object lessons. Consider multiple ways to deliver the thrust of you message, by changing your approach every few minutes, with a new idea, story, game, etc. Many educators suggest using the listeners age to determine how much time to spend on a topic in your outline: 1 minute per year of age, with older people no more that 10-15 minutes. Then move on with your next point. When you make your points, support each one with reason, clarity, and always use scripture in the correct context.
The Sinker
This is perhaps the most important and least considered part of your presentation. Sometimes this is left out entirely, but that is a mistake. What good is what a person learns unless the person does something with it? Present a Call to Action. Offer an opportunity for a life change. Does the person see a need for Salvation as a result of the lesson? Does you lesson advocate a change in a habit? Did you just finish a lesson that encourages people to Spread the Gospel?
Whatever your purpose, use the Sinker to get the listeners to make some kind of commitment that brings a positive change that builds the Kingdom of Heaven.
The Lesson Template
Download the Hook, Line, & Sinker lesson template here.
Now that you have been introduced to planning your lesson, Get your lesson template ready to use as you develop your lesson.
This template provides everything we have discussed. Make the Bible Study yours by filling in each section of the template with your own outline.
There’s no need to be particular about how you organize it, or how it looks. Just make sure you can understand and carry out what you noted. ENJOY!
