Thursday, April 17, 2008
Scripture...
One of the great strengths of the church of Christ as a fellowship is our elevation of Scripture to a place of high importance. One of the things I most cherish about my heritage is the Scripture I have learned. Yes, I know we have sometimes made Scripture a proof text. And sometimes we have been legalistic with it. But you cannot fight about the meaning of Scripture like we do unless you know the Word and place high value on what it says. If we didn't care what God said, we would not be so passionate about what it means.
Even our religious friends who thought we were narrow minded and exclusive acknowledged that we knew the Scripture. They would argue positions based on the teaching of their church or what they felt in their heart. We would argue from Scripture (whether we interpreted it rightly or not we still were in the text).
I love the fact that we had people in the pew who were Bible scholars. I love it that we had Bible class, not Sunday school. I love it that we were known as a people of the book. I love it that our preachers and youth ministers were mainly Bible majors at our colleges.
I worry that we may be losing this. I am concerned that most of the people who want to do ministry now, major in that ministry and not in the text. Will the next generation of preachers know the Word? Will we be known as a people of the book in twenty years?
The one thing that gives me great hope is the number of university students who bring their Bibles to church. And use them. I like the fact that in HIP they open the text with me. They like preaching out of the Word.
So I ask you... are we still a people of the Book?
Even our religious friends who thought we were narrow minded and exclusive acknowledged that we knew the Scripture. They would argue positions based on the teaching of their church or what they felt in their heart. We would argue from Scripture (whether we interpreted it rightly or not we still were in the text).
I love the fact that we had people in the pew who were Bible scholars. I love it that we had Bible class, not Sunday school. I love it that we were known as a people of the book. I love it that our preachers and youth ministers were mainly Bible majors at our colleges.
I worry that we may be losing this. I am concerned that most of the people who want to do ministry now, major in that ministry and not in the text. Will the next generation of preachers know the Word? Will we be known as a people of the book in twenty years?
The one thing that gives me great hope is the number of university students who bring their Bibles to church. And use them. I like the fact that in HIP they open the text with me. They like preaching out of the Word.
So I ask you... are we still a people of the Book?
