Not long back I had a retired Pastor reprove me very sharply, for making some interesting points while preaching on the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. He was very old school, and he referred to 1 Tim 1.4 "nor to be taken up with with myths and never ending genealogies.. "
I quietly and respectfully asked him if I had said anything that was heretical or inappropriate to which he answered. "No". I explained that this Scripture was never meant to exclude genuine enquiry into the Bible, but rather it was targeting the false philosophy of Gnosticism. But he would not have it.
Gnosticism had been so influential in the new Testament times, and the new Testament writings, how could a pastor of 40 years experience not know this. It is important for pastors to know these things, and to teach their congregation in order that they might understand and interpret their Bible well.
If the many pastors persist in preaching, lightweight and shallow messages to the congregation, the results will always be a people, who do understand their Bible very well. Pastors preach again and again 'moral essays' and 'warming affirmations', for this is what good Christians do, if they truly 'love' each other.
It seems that the most important thing is, that we are very positive and 'nice' to everybody. It's just too bad, if God's people are falling through the cracks 'for a lack of knowledge' (oracle).
Think about it, the more 'relevant' Christians become, to the world, the less relevant christians are in reality, to the world. :-(
Why do Pastors get stuck in a rut of favorite topics and 'feel good' messages? Preachers preach on a verse from 1 John further a part about a victorious one from Luke; topical address from Matthew following on with the true faith of Mary Magdalene or the righteousness of Abraham.
After preaching portions from here and from there, through the Bible we need then to put it all together in a clear, understandable way for our congregation.
These days a flood of new ideas and publications come under various names that have a liberal bent. If we were to be taught the basics of Church history, we then would not be so doomed to repeat it.
Let's equip the Church in understanding God, His Great Plan and the Bible by sewing each piece together into a seamless beautiful tapestry.
This is not some gruelling, unachievable task, all it needs is study with prayer.
John 17:17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. (NIV)
I quietly and respectfully asked him if I had said anything that was heretical or inappropriate to which he answered. "No". I explained that this Scripture was never meant to exclude genuine enquiry into the Bible, but rather it was targeting the false philosophy of Gnosticism. But he would not have it.
Gnosticism had been so influential in the new Testament times, and the new Testament writings, how could a pastor of 40 years experience not know this. It is important for pastors to know these things, and to teach their congregation in order that they might understand and interpret their Bible well.
If the many pastors persist in preaching, lightweight and shallow messages to the congregation, the results will always be a people, who do understand their Bible very well. Pastors preach again and again 'moral essays' and 'warming affirmations', for this is what good Christians do, if they truly 'love' each other.
It seems that the most important thing is, that we are very positive and 'nice' to everybody. It's just too bad, if God's people are falling through the cracks 'for a lack of knowledge' (oracle).
Think about it, the more 'relevant' Christians become, to the world, the less relevant christians are in reality, to the world. :-(
Why do Pastors get stuck in a rut of favorite topics and 'feel good' messages? Preachers preach on a verse from 1 John further a part about a victorious one from Luke; topical address from Matthew following on with the true faith of Mary Magdalene or the righteousness of Abraham.
After preaching portions from here and from there, through the Bible we need then to put it all together in a clear, understandable way for our congregation.
These days a flood of new ideas and publications come under various names that have a liberal bent. If we were to be taught the basics of Church history, we then would not be so doomed to repeat it.
Let's equip the Church in understanding God, His Great Plan and the Bible by sewing each piece together into a seamless beautiful tapestry.
This is not some gruelling, unachievable task, all it needs is study with prayer.
John 17:17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. (NIV)
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