Bringing the Bible to Life

When Kenny Bechtel teaches a Bible class, you can expect the unexpected.

When he taught about Jonah, he brought a spray bottle and a Ziplock bag of stinky seaweed to help participants imagine what it was like to live in a big fish. When he spoke about fishers of men, participants reeled in the magnetic paper fish he had created and then scattered on the floor.

For Kenny the goal is simple: “Bring excitement back tothe Bible.”

Kenny first started at Lighthouse as a staff person in Strengthening Pathways, and there he discovered that he enjoys teaching.  While no longer employed at Lighthouse, he continues to serve as a volunteer on Mondays, sharing his teaching gifts and passion for the Bible .

As an author of several novels, Kenny is especially drawn to the stories and characters in the Bible. He will go through a book of the Bible and read it methodically to find the heart of the lesson. “I want them to understand the Bible and how it connects to Christ.”

Kenny’s class is interactive with many questions and colorful visual aids for different learning styles. He has a talent for taking complex concepts and unfamiliar words like “covenant” or “righteousness” and explaining them insimple terms.

Participants often ask questions about the Bible. Even if Kenny doesn’t have the answer, he is happy to research it and bring the answer back the following week. To prepare for the lesson, Kenny spends time poring through various versions of the Bible and study guides.

Kenny enjoys the participants. Before class, Kenny greets each individual one by one – something he believes is an important habit. He also teaches the books of the New Testament through a song. Many participants who also love music will excitedly chime in.

Kenny reflects, “Teaching at Lighthouse is one of my biggest joys.”

~Emily Bauman, Creative Marketing Specialist