A very active retired pastor of 40 years gave me quite a caning with this Scripture 1 Tim 1.4 "nor to be taken up with with myths and never ending genealogies.. ". After I had been preaching about the death burial and resurrection of Jesus had simply made some interesting observations.
He answered "No", when I asked him if I had said anything that was heretical. I went on to quietly explain that that particular Scripture was referring to the false teachings and philosophy of Gnosticism, not of genuine enquiry. He could not accept 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.
Tragically, a large proportion of pastors preach light weight messages, are so very shallow so that the congregation hardly grow in the Bible and interpretation skills. Pastors love to preach 'moral essays' and 'warming affirmations' because, if we truly 'love', others, this is what we will do.
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).
The reality is, the more 'relevant' Christians become, to the world, the less relevant we all are in actuality, to the world. :(
Our staple diet from pastors seems to be favorite topics and 'feel good' messages. Ministers preach on a verse from 1 Peter as well as a passage about a hero from 1 Kings; topical sermon from Hosea and then the belief in God of Aaron or the humanity of King David.
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 us correctly prepare the Church to understand God and the Bible, but piecing together the fragments of his Word into a beautiful seamless mosaic.
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)
He answered "No", when I asked him if I had said anything that was heretical. I went on to quietly explain that that particular Scripture was referring to the false teachings and philosophy of Gnosticism, not of genuine enquiry. He could not accept 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.
Tragically, a large proportion of pastors preach light weight messages, are so very shallow so that the congregation hardly grow in the Bible and interpretation skills. Pastors love to preach 'moral essays' and 'warming affirmations' because, if we truly 'love', others, this is what we will do.
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).
The reality is, the more 'relevant' Christians become, to the world, the less relevant we all are in actuality, to the world. :(
Our staple diet from pastors seems to be favorite topics and 'feel good' messages. Ministers preach on a verse from 1 Peter as well as a passage about a hero from 1 Kings; topical sermon from Hosea and then the belief in God of Aaron or the humanity of King David.
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 us correctly prepare the Church to understand God and the Bible, but piecing together the fragments of his Word into a beautiful seamless mosaic.
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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