Let’s Raise the Bar on Biblical Literacy.

I frequent Christian circles on Facebook and other ministries outside of my own local church fairly often. It has become concerning, the amount of clergyman with limited biblical literacy. Now, let me say at the outset, I am not a bible encyclopedia, but I do have a grasp on some academic topics. But this brother asked me, “Is David and Goliath in the Old or New Testament?” This is disturbing. I asked Him, “Why do you stand up and preach if you lack the confidence in the scriptures?” His answer was essentially, they told him that God was calling him into ministry because He has interest in learning more about the bible.

Now I know this situation well. In many congregations throughout the country, biblical literacy is on the decline. Ligonier’s State of Theology study found that 30% of evangelicals do not believe that Jesus is God. This is one of, if not the most essential of Christian doctrine. But this is evidence of what can become a greater issue later as the United States in particular, becomes more hostile to the Christian faith. How can churches raise this bar?

Limit topical sermons

I read somewhere that the way the pastor uses the bible in the pulpit is how the congregation will use the bible in their personal study. I have witnessed some pastors that do not use the bible at all. But this point is also demonstrated in topical sermons that are not expositional. If pastors use the bible as allegories for moral value, then the bible becomes a morality book with the reader at the center. But the bible claims for itself to be far more than this. Consider 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work”. Scripture is meant to teach, convict, correct, and train so that we become complete. I love the KJV in this instance where instead of complete, the language is “thoroughly furnished”. As a young bachelor, I understand this language. Because it was a very different living experience once I placed furniture in my apartment. It allowed me to make more use of my space and it made my home more complete. Similarly, when I began going to churches that taught the bible expositionally, it was as if I were getting spiritual furnishing that I have never experienced before. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good inspirational sermon about having unshakable faith. However, I needed sermons about hospitality and how to suffer well.

Expositional preaching is typically done by preaching through entire books of the bible, line-by-line. This shelters the congregation from missing out on important truths. It also encourages the pastor-teacher to preach the whole counsel of God. It also gives some predictability to Sunday mornings and avoids pastors only speaking on topics they find comfortable.

Change the culture

Our lives as Christians are to be saturated in scripture. Deuteronomy 6:7-9 speaking on the commands of God, “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Now Moses was addressing regular people when he spoke these words. He was not talking to clergy only. There should be a culture among communities of faith that encourage lay people to get into theology and fall in love with God’s word. That is largely the point of this entire blog. I have no interest in having readership from the theological academic elites, though they are welcomed. I am interested in the everyday church folk. Let’s stop rushing people who have interest in theology into ministry, let that be the norm among Christians. Until next time!