Eternal Approach

The contrast between the popular culture and Evangelicalism is interesting.

On the one hand, popular culture continues to polarize between Leftism and Conservatism. With people very vocal on both sides.

Meanwhile, in the Evangelical culture, there is this trend toward more and more fuzziness on truth. With many leaders carefully avoiding clarity at all cost.

Leaving the average guy in the pews wondering why the church’s grasp on biblical truth is slipping away.

While he watches everything in the church changing around him.

Distracted Away From the Word

This situation has developed because much of the church is moonwalking away from absolutes in doctrine. Which is evidenced by a decrease in biblical teaching from the pulpits and church classrooms.

This teaching is slowly being replaced by activities, programs, and a focus on becoming more “missional” in our churches.

Which are all distractions from the Prime Directive the Lord gave to the church.

After His resurrection, the Lord asked this question of Peter three times. “Lovest thou me?”

The Lord is asking the same question of us today.

A grieved Peter affirmed his love for the Lord three times. Therefore, the Lord gave Peter this command. “… Jesus said unto him, Feed my sheep.” (John 21: 15-17)

The Lord gives us the same command and priority today.

Believers are the sheep that need to be fed.  The seekers and the lost who attend our services are not the sheep.

Sadly, we have allowed many other things to replace the building of a biblical foundation in the lives of believers.

Such as in making evangelism the primary goal.

By focusing on evangelism, we have incorrectly presumed that getting people to become believers is the first priority. Which fills the churches with Christian babies.

We then take these babies through a denominational or membership course; avoiding the deeper training in doctrine. Leaving them with only a flimsy foundation to survive.

And then, putting them to work to help manage all the other babies and seekers.

A False Sense of Biblical Soundness

It seems as if most Evangelical churches think they are pretty solid these days. And that they no longer need to focus as much on biblical truth and doctrine.

They have presumed that enough time has been spent over the years focusing on biblical soundness. And that we don’t need theology or doctrine so much any more. There is even a denigration of such in-depth study and teaching. As if that is purely the individual’s duty and not the role of the church leadership.

At least that is the way that churches today practically behave. Even if they still give lip-service to the need for in-depth biblical teaching.

The reality is that Christians cannot stand upon truth unless they are very deeply taught about what the word of God says. And are also taught how to defend the faith once delivered unto the saints.

Not just taught with neat little surveys of this book or that. Or listening to preaching on some popular topic. Or going through a study series based on a book written by a popular Christian author.

But by thorough, in-depth exploration of the Bible itself. Even returning, to some extent, to the old, verse-by-verse teaching of the scriptures. Which is going out of style in an age where every Bible version has verses that say something different. Or eliminate verses altogether!

The primary goal must be to help every believer to become settled in truth and doctrine.

This is not done in a few months or a few years. And it is to be done primarily in the church classrooms rather than from the pulpit. And it must be the continual, primary focus of the church as long as it exists. Year after year until the Lord returns.

Without this, we will all become Christian weanies. With only a shallow, generalized belief of the truth. Unable to give an effective answer to those who ask us what and why we believe.

Becoming easy prey for those who wish to destroy our faith.

To Be Continued . . .