To teach us how to teach the book of James, Nancy Guthrie talked with Dan Doriani, vice president of strategic academic initiatives and professor of theology at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis. Doriani is the author of Getting the Message: A Plan for Interpreting and Applying the Bible, a book that is essential reading for every Bible teacher, as well as numerous commentaries. He also wrote the introduction and notes on the book of James in the Gospel Transformation Bible. Topics in this discussion include:

• the way Jesus is presented differently in James compared to other epistles
• the tree tests of James
• the nature of “true religion”
• the gospel according to James
• bringing a social justice framework to teaching James
• whether there’s conflict between James and Paul regarding faith and works
• praying for healing according to James

Here are some additional resources you may find helpful in preparing to teach James:

• Doriani’s class lectures on James at Covenant Theological Seminary (registration required)
• Sermons on James by Alistair Begg
• Sermons on James by Dick Lucas
• Let’s Get Real!  sermon series by various teachers at All Souls, Langham Place

For further study, here are some books you may find helpful, including titles from Crossway, the sponsor of Help Me Teach the Bible:

• James (Reformed Expository Commentary) by Dan Doriani
• The Letter of James (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Douglas J. Moo
• James: Faith that Works (Preaching the Word Commentary) by R. Kent Hughes
• James: a 12-Week Study by Greg Gilbert