“How did it go this morning?” Jeremy’s wife, Alice, asked as they sat in the church auditorium after Sunday School.

“I think I did fine,” Jeremy responded. “The class seemed interested in the topic. But I still struggle with challenging the learners to practice Bible truths. I have trouble connecting the truth of God’s Word to their day-to-day lives.”

“I guess that’s what the Holy Spirit is for,” Alice said as she patted Jeremy on the back.

“I know,” he sighed. “But I wonder if I could do something to help the process along.”

Consider the following questions, and answer them after you have read this article.

1. Are Jeremy’s concerns valid? Explain.

2. What might be the result of putting the burden for connecting truth with life totally on the Holy Spirit?

3. What advice might Christ give to Jeremy?

4. What would you do if you were in Jeremy’s place?

We cannot know for sure what Christ would tell Jeremy, but we can look at His teaching as recorded in Scripture. We find that Christ was not content to simply reveal truth. He took measures to connect the truth to life.

On one occasion a lawyer presented Christ with a question: “Who is my neighbour?” (Luke 10:25–37). The lawyer’s question stemmed from Christ’s command to the lawyer to love his neighbor as himself. How did Christ answer his question? He did so with a case study. Christ told a story that beautifully illustrated loving one’s neighbor. With His case study, Christ put truth into life.

Case Studies Defined

A case study is a real or fictional story that presents a conflict. The case study relates to a specific truth and challenges the reader to practically apply the truth. The conflict in the case study may or may not be solved by the character in the story. If the character does solve the conflict, he or she may do it positively or negatively. The reader is left to evaluate how the character solved the conflict or to suggest how the character might solve the problem.

By looking closely at Christ’s case study in Luke 10, we learn some guidelines for writing our own. His example will help us learn to connect truth with life.

Christ Kept It Simple

When Christ presented a case study, He kept it simple. He was a master storyteller, but He refrained from using flowery and superfluous descriptions. He knew that using unnecessary narrative would distract listeners. Enamored by the details, they would miss the purpose of the case study.

Consider the details that Christ did not include in His case study. He did not name the characters, tell why the man was traveling, reveal how many thieves attacked the man, disclose what time of day it was, or give the name and location of the inn. But none of these details are necessary. In fact, all of them would distract from the case study.

Also notice that all the details that Christ did include were necessary. The lawyer listening to the story needed to know the traveler was left nearly dead, that the passersby were a priest and a Levite, that the man who stopped to help was a Samaritan, and that the Samaritan went through a lot of trouble to help the man in need.

Keep your case studies simple. Half of a page is usually enough space for a case study. Details like the color of the character’s hair, the weather, or the outfit a character is wearing will diminish the effectiveness of your case study.

Before you use a case study, read it through, looking for details that are irrelevant. Take out the extra details until you have a story that helps people focus on the point rather than on the fluff. Your case study should be simple enough for a child to understand. Even a two-year-old can understand the story of the Good Samaritan!

Christ Made It Believable

Case studies are not the place for sensationalism. Christ didn’t use an outlandish story to answer the question, “Who is my neighbour?” His case study was believable. In fact, Christ did not raise any questions through His case study that would have kept His listeners from understanding the point He was trying to make.

Thieves attacking people on the road between Jericho and Jerusalem was a common occurrence. The road was also busy with temple workers. A priest and a Levite using the road was ordinary. Christ’s case study would have flopped if it was a far-fetched account. No one listening to Christ’s case study was thinking, Oh, come on! Like that would ever happen! They all believed the story could be true. In fact, Christ never said the story was fictional. It could have actually happened.

Your goal in writing a case study is to make it real. Your learners live in the real world. Don’t use case studies that cause doubt in the minds of your learners. An unbelievable case study is absolutely powerless in conveying truth.

Christ Kept It Relevant

You want to touch your learners where they live. Make your case studies reflect their lives. Christ touched a hot button in the life of the Jewish lawyer who questioned Him. Christ knew that the lawyer’s most difficult neighbor to love was a Samaritan. The lawyer hated Samaritans. Spending time and money, especially two days’ wages or more, on a Samaritan was something the lawyer would never think to do on his own. He needed the case study to open his narrow mind to the broader application of truth.

Look at the lives of your learners. Where are your learners likely to struggle in applying the truth you want to convey? Use their normal life settings as the backdrops for your case studies. Look at your own life. Where do you struggle to apply truth? Your life is probably a lot like your learners’ lives. Use your life as a good place to start when writing your case studies.

If you have a class with learners of varying ages, keep the settings generic enough to relate to all age groups. Your learners, no matter what their ages, will face common struggles and have common needs in applying truth.

Christ Made It Memorable

Christ questioned the lawyer at the end of His case study, “Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?” The lawyer answered, “He that shewed mercy on him.” Christ then gave a pointed command. Never again would the lawyer who questioned Jesus pass by a needy Jew or Samaritan without Christ’s words resounding in his heart, “Go, and do thou likewise.”

Always conclude your case study with questions that help the learner work through the study and come to the point of personal application. The last question should be a pointed question that asks the learner to personally apply the truth.

The questions make the case study memorable because the learner starts to see him- or herself in the situation. The learner identifies with the character in the case study. The story becomes the learner’s story. Then, when the learner faces an opportunity to apply the Biblical truth he or she learned, the Holy Spirit will bring that truth to mind and tug on his or her heart, asking the learner to obey.

Teaching without impacting lives is an exercise in futility. Why teach if we don’t expect to see results? Case studies will help you realize results. Never underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit to convict and convince your learners. But never relinquish your responsibility to give the Holy Spirit creative avenues through which He can work. Case studies are such an avenue. Use one this week!

Case Study Evaluation

Examining and evaluating a case study will help you learn how to write your own. Read through the following case study and evaluate it using the questions that follow it.

________

You’ve Crossed the Line!

“I can’t believe the audacity of Jerry!” Susan ranted to her husband, Jason, as they drove home from a get-together at Jerry and Vicki’s house. “He about went through the roof when I told him that I went to Roy’s Bar-B-Q with some friends from work. Who does he think he is, looking at me like I’m a sinner for going to a restaurant? I am free in Christ. I can do whatever I want as long as I believe Christ approves. Where I go is none of his business!” she concluded as she folded her arms in a huff.

“I think Susan has gone too far,” Jerry told his wife, Vicki, as they cleaned up their kitchen after the get-together. “Roy’s Bar-B-Q! Not exactly a place a Christian should go to eat. I’ve heard they have line dancing on Friday nights. I think I’ll have a talk with Jason and share my concerns with him. There are some places a good Christian should just not go. I hope this does not destroy our friendship, but I feel strongly about this issue,” he sighed as he started on the dishes.

1. Evaluate both Susan’s and Jerry’s approach to liberty in Christ (2 Corinthians 3:17).

2. Read Ephesians 5:21 and Philippians 2:3–5. What truths do these verses convey? How do they relate to your liberty in Christ?

3. How should Susan and Jerry react to each other according to the Ephesians and Philippians passages?

4. How do you use your freedom in Christ in relation to fellow believers? What adjustments, if any, do you need to make in order to live out the Ephesians and Philippians passages?

________

Evaluation

Evaluate the case study, using the following questions. Keep in mind that this case study is designed to follow lesson 3 of Abounding Grace (RBP1646), a study of 2 Corinthians. This case study is available on the Abounding Grace resource CD (RBP1648).

1. What details, if any, would you delete in order to streamline the case study?

2. List any part of the story that seems implausible or far-fetched.

3. How well do the questions lead the learner to a personal application?

4. How is the Bible used in the case study?

5. What are your overall impressions about the usefulness of the case study?

The resource CDs for Life Design Bible study courses include one case study per lesson. The case studies pertain to the main idea and key verses in the lessons. Consider obtaining the resource CD for each Life Design course you teach. You can use the case studies for an in-class review, as an e mail attachment to your learners, or as the focus for a midweek Bible study. You can also adapt the case studies to fit your lesson emphasis or your learners.