Teaching Restored

Discover how “bumper pads” in teaching can help every learner succeed! Kevin and Julie share gospel teaching strategies, focusing on breaking things down, engaging learners, and making gospel lessons stick. Perfect for teachers and anyone seeking to make learning the gospel more effective and enjoyable.

BYU professor Casey Griffiths joins the show to share his journey as a gospel teacher, practical tips for teaching by the Spirit, and wisdom from fellow gospel educators. Discover how to connect with your learners, teach with confidence, and be your authentic self—whether you’re teaching in church, at home, or one-on-one.

In this episode of Teaching Restored, Kevin and Julie dive into the concept of "reasoning together" from Doctrine & Covenants section 50. They explore how creating a truly edifying teaching environment requires active participation, flexibility, deep listening, and a willingness to let everyone’s perspective enrich the collective understanding. Discover practical strategies for involving every class member, fostering spiritual insights, and ensuring that "all may be edified of all.”

In this powerful episode of Teaching Restored, hosts Kevin Jones and Julie Hillyard sit down with special guest Kyle Smith to discuss the exciting new direction for their expanded teaching community. Learn how divine guidance brought Kyle and the Teaching Restored team together in their shared mission to elevate the teaching of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ across the Church.

Kyle talks about his deep passion for gospel teaching, sharing his origin story as a seminary and institute teacher and the important lesson he learned about always centering Jesus Christ in every aspect of teaching—regardless of the topic. The conversation dives into practical strategies for gospel teachers, including how to prepare lessons that truly connect students with Christ rather than simply covering doctrinal topics. Kyle demonstrates how the restored gospel, church programs, and even challenging life experiences become more meaningful when viewed through the lens of faith in Jesus Christ.

Explore the exciting new resources Teaching Restored is launching: a weekly blog, a monthly newsletter, dynamic social media, and the dream of building a supportive online community for gospel teachers around the world. The episode is rich with stories, actionable insights, and heartfelt testimonies about the transformative power of Christ-centered teaching.

Whether you're a Primary teacher, a seminary or institute instructor, or a parent teaching at home, this episode will inspire you to make your teaching a window that leads others to Jesus. Don’t forget to subscribe, like, and join the Teaching Restored newsletter to stay connected with this uplifting, growing movement!

In this episode we are going to focus on what teachers can do to prepare effective lessons. Julie dives in and explores very current examples of preparation. From understanding context, to asking yourself questions about the topic, to connecting it all back to Jesus Christ. We also talk about some fantastic resources to help you prepare your lessons. We should avoid merely ticking off boxes during our preparations; instead, we should ask ourselves questions and truly seek answers. There have been times when lessons were rushed due to unexpected circumstances but ideally, we aim for thorough preparation which aids personal growth as well as enabling us help others change, drawing them closer to Jesus Christ.

In this episode of Teaching Restored, we dive into the transformative power of empathic listening. Join us as we explore the difference between attentive and empathic listening and discover how being vulnerable to the Spirit's guidance can enhance our teaching. Through personal stories and practical insights, we learn the importance of actively listening, summarizing responses, and providing emotional air to create a safe and engaging classroom environment. Tune in to learn how to foster understanding, gain valuable insights from others, and truly connect with our students through empathic listening.

This episode teaches a powerful gospel point but winds up not being about that point at all - rather it is a lesson on HOW one might teach. We often hear how we should talk less and listen more, but actually how is that done? Kevin shows one way this might happen while bringing to light a powerful gospel point. Join us as we give in for a double feature - gospel learning and an example of how to teach talk less and teach more!

This is a throwback to one of our foundational episodes. In this question-provoking episode of Teaching Restored, we explore the profound impact of skillful questioning in the teaching process. Join us as we delve into the power of questioning assumptions and challenging beliefs, and discover how it can lead to growth and self-reflection. Through personal stories and examples, we learn how asking the right questions can foster engaging discussions, create transformative moments, and strengthen the connection between teacher and student. Elevate your teaching skills and unlock the potential for deeper learning by incorporating skillful questioning into your lessons.

This episode is FULL of those lightbulb moments we all crave when it comes to gospel learning and teaching. Why is church and lessons so boring? And why is it a good thing?

5 Keys You’ll Learn in This Episode

1. Plainness Isn’t Boring—It’s Powerful: Discover why Church settings are intentionally stripped of distraction and flash, and how that opens space for the Spirit to do its work.

2. Emotion vs. Spirit: Learn how to tell the difference between emotional moments and genuine spiritual experiences—especially when the band isn’t playing.

3. Reflective Questions Matter: Hear about how using simple, reflective questions with family can spark unexpected insights (and some laughs).

4. Teaching Isn’t About Entertainment: Julie and Kevin unpack why you don’t need to be a performer to be an effective gospel teacher—sometimes, less is more.

5. Learning is an Active Choice: Find out why being a great learner (not just a great teacher) means showing up ready to seek, ponder, and search for truth—even when it’s “boring”.

This episode is a heartfelt, practical look at how to navigate faith conversations with those of other faiths with grace, humility, and even a bit of humor. Whether you’re a seasoned teacher, just starting to connect with people of other beliefs, or simply want to strengthen your testimony, you’ll find something inspiring here.

Highlights:

1. Why Vocabulary Matters: Learn how words like “salvation,” “conversion,” and even “Christian” can mean wildly different things across faiths, and why understanding this can totally change your conversations.

2. Approaching with Curiosity, Not Agenda: Hear about Julie's meeting with a local pastor and why seeking first to understand (rather than just explain) made all the difference.

3. The Power of Asking Honest Questions: Get practical tips on how being genuinely curious can lead to deeper, more spiritual discussions—even when beliefs seriously differ.

4. Finding the Common Light: Discover how seemingly huge doctrinal gaps don’t have to divide us, and why shared love for the Savior can actually increase love and respect on both sides.

5. How Challenges Grow Our Testimonies: See why tough questions from others can push us to reflect, clarify, and deepen our own beliefs in beautiful ways.