Falling On Deaf Ears? Why So Many Churches Hear So Little of the Bible

[Graybeard]

“It is well and good for the preacher to base his sermon on the Bible, but he better get to something relevant pretty quickly, or we start mentally to check out.”

Cutting down on the number of Bible verses “would save time and, it was strongly implied, would better hold people’s interest.”


Don’t spend a lot of time in the Bible, we tell our preachers, but be sure to get to personal illustrations, examples from daily life, and most importantly, an application that we can use.


.............many congregations expect the preacher to start from some text in the Bible, but then quickly move on “to things that really interest us.” Like . . . ourselves?




How can so many of today’s churches demonstrate what can only be described as an impatience with the Word of God?



In the end, an impatience with the Word of God can be explained only by an impatience with God



LINK

 

[Kerry]

Jesus said if I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me. The preacher needs to lift up Christ and Him crucified.

 

[crossnote]

More confidence in man's methods schemes programs so called science tricks tactics themselves than God's Word.
2 Timothy 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

 

[Delija]

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Ephesians 4:6
And I believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church ... The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed
And if ever you are sojourning in cities, inquire not simply where the Lord’s House is (for the other sects of the profane also attempt to call their own dens houses of the Lord), nor merely where the church is, but where is the Catholic* Church. St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures, XVIII
​

Protestant Christians around the world are steadily becoming more aware of the reality of the Church. This century has especially seen a tremendous reawakening to this aspect of Christianity. “What is the Church?” is often the question that drives Protestants to either Roman Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy. Many Protestants who begin reading the the writings of the early Church—especially works like Tertullian’s Prescription Against the Heretics, St. Cyprian’s Unity of the Catholic Church, or St. Irenaeus’s Against the Heresies—, or who begin to ponder the implications of 1 Timothy 3:15, [1] soon begin to realize that the concept of unity with the One Visible Church is central to Christianity. All other doctrinal issues and disagreements are downstream of the issue of the Church, for She is the “pillar and ground of the Truth.” Find the Church and one finds the fullness of Truth. [2]


*Catholic does not mean Roman Catholic, but denotes both wholeness (literally, “according to the whole”—fullness of the apostolic faith) and secondarily, universality (i.e., St. Vincent’s canon—'what is believed always, everywhere, and by all”). The Orthodox Church is often called The Holy Catholic Orthodox Church.

1. But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth (KJV, emphasis mine).

2. For the Orthodox,

Christianity is precisely the Church, in the fullness of her life and ‘existence.’ One may even ask, should a systematic exposition of the Christian Faith not start precisely with at least a preliminary ‘essay’ on the Church, because it is in the Church that the ‘deposit of Faith’ has been kept until now through all the ages of her historical existence, and it is by the authority of the Church that all Christian doctrines and beliefs have been, and still are, handed down and commended from generation to generation,and are again received precisely in obedience to the Church and in loyalty to her continuous and identical Tradition. Protestant theologians usually preface their systems with a treatise on the Word of God, i.e. on Scripture, and it seems to be a very logical move for them. “Catholics” sometimes follow the same plan, only, they would of course add “Tradition” to “Scripture.” In actual fact, it is nothing but a “treatise on the Church” in disguise, offered as an indispensable “Prolegomenon” to the theological system as such. (Richard Haugh, ed., The Collected Works of Georges Florovsky, vol. 14, Ecumenism II: A Historical Approach (Belmont, MA: Nordland, 1972-79, p. 10).
​

 

[Kerry]

Thats a lot of stuff to say. You could have just said the cross.

 

[Tintin]

Churches that want to minimize their use of God's Word? That's just silly. I'm glad my church spends most of its time in the Word.

 

[crossnote]

Delija,
Protestant Christianity is going East and Rome, Ecumenism AND pagan spirituality because she is leaving the moorings of the sure Word of God being seduced by false Spirits that whisper "Hath God said?".
We need to return to the practice of the Bereans...
Acts 17:10-11 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

The attack on the sufficiency of Scripture (Sola Scriptura) is as satanic as it gets.
And remember there are those greater than Ambrose,Ignatius, Chrysostom,Tertullian etc., and that is Peter,Paul, Jude,James, Luke and even Moses,Solomon, David and the other INSPIRED writers of HOLY WRIT!

 

[Cobus]

The Bible gives the answer... Just look rite here on CC... And here is the BIBLE answering your question. Remember the WORD OF GOD, the Bible is the TRUTH...
The WORLD CANNOT receive the Spirit of TRUTH so sinners need to be lightly stroked on the ears with FALSE DOCTRINE THAT is why... In stead of saying to sinners.... REPENT... they say... do not worry Jesus died on the cross, you do not have to REPENT... Repent means to STOP SINNING... To HATE what you loved before... and who does things he hates, but a slave to sin? Satan's children sin and they HATE the TRUTH...

That is what the Bible teach...John 14... The Spirit of Truth whom the WORLD CANNOT RECEIVE... The WORLD is the sinners. God's people is of GOD not of the World... Just as Jesus is not of the World so is ALL God's Children... WOW powerful TRUTH is it not. These people that did receive the Truth are FREE FROM SIN AND THE WORLD.... WOW!!!

 

[gb9]

the thing that bothers me the most is this: pastors preach the same thing and the same verses over and over. when so many people don't read their Bibles or just read the same verses over and over, and the pastors preach the same rehashed sermons, the result is people don't know the Word. and I won't even start on rightly dividing the Words of truth, or taking verses in CONTEXT.

 

[crossnote]

the thing that bothers me the most is this: pastors preach the same thing and the same verses over and over. when so many people don't read their Bibles or just read the same verses over and over, and the pastors preach the same rehashed sermons, the result is people don't know the Word. and I won't even start on rightly dividing the Words of truth, or taking verses in CONTEXT.

I agree, sermons should be expository as well as topical.

 

[notuptome]

Paul told Timothy to preach the word in season and out of season. 2 Tim 4:2 Everything that is going to be written in the newspaper has already been written in Gods word. God does not put a spin on anything. God only teaches the Truth.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

 

[p_rehbein]

“It is well and good for the preacher to base his sermon on the Bible, but he better get to something relevant pretty quickly, or we start mentally to check out.”

Cutting down on the number of Bible verses “would save time and, it was strongly implied, would better hold people’s interest.”


Don’t spend a lot of time in the Bible, we tell our preachers, but be sure to get to personal illustrations, examples from daily life, and most importantly, an application that we can use.


.............many congregations expect the preacher to start from some text in the Bible, but then quickly move on “to things that really interest us.” Like . . . ourselves?




How can so many of today’s churches demonstrate what can only be described as an impatience with the Word of God?



In the end, an impatience with the Word of God can be explained only by an impatience with God



LINK

........whew........glad my church doesn't mess with that sorta sermon outline........

 

[p_rehbein]

Thats a lot of stuff to say. You could have just said the cross.

......well, and you coulda just said "Just preach Jesus born and crucified, and risen from the dead, just preach Jesus and the price He paid for sin with the precious blood He shed, Lord and Savior, King of Kings, Son of God, and Son of Man, Just preach Jesus until Jesus comes again!"

butcha didn't

Jesus............Jesus.............JESUS!

 

[crossnote]

......well, and you coulda just said "Just preach Jesus born and crucified, and risen from the dead, just preach Jesus and the price He paid for sin with the precious blood He shed, Lord and Savior, King of Kings, Son of God, and Son of Man, Just preach Jesus until Jesus comes again!"

butcha didn't

Jesus............Jesus.............JESUS!

Is that like naw, naw, naw, naw, naww?

 

[Cobus]

the thing that bothers me the most is this: pastors preach the same thing and the same verses over and over. when so many people don't read their Bibles or just read the same verses over and over, and the pastors preach the same rehashed sermons, the result is people don't know the Word. and I won't even start on rightly dividing the Words of truth, or taking verses in CONTEXT.

Gb9 check out what happened in 1 Corinthians 14... when those people came together.... I magine a church where all those things DO HAPPEN... WOW!!!! And ALL the TIME ONLY THE HOLY SPIRIT IN CONTROL..... ALL THE TIME... WOW!

 

[crossnote]

Gb9 check out what happened in 1 Corinthians 14... when those people came together.... I magine a church where all those things DO HAPPEN... WOW!!!! And ALL the TIME ONLY THE HOLY SPIRIT IN CONTROL..... ALL THE TIME... WOW!

Are you kidding? The Corinthian Church got thoroughly rebuked by Paul and in many areas.
Read 1Cor 11:17-34, 1:11-17, ch.4, 5:1-5, 6:1-8,
I could go on but my work break is over and the list is near endless.

 

[Cobus]

Just read 1 Cor 14, Paul told us what should happen in a church, it is as relevant for us today as then... It is part of God's Word as to how GOD OPERATES in a meeting... It is GREAT! And that is what does happen in God's assemblies... Oh God is so FAITHFUL. He NEVER CHANGE...

 

[Cobus]

How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
1Co 14:27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
1Co 14:28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
1Co 14:29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
1Co 14:30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
1Co 14:31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
1Co 14:32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
1Co 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
1Co 14:34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.
1Co 14:35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
1Co 14:36 What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?
1Co 14:37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
1Co 14:38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.
1Co 14:39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
1Co 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

NOW THIS IS A CHURCH THAT GOD OPERATES WITH HIS SPIRIT....

 

[crossnote]

How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
1Co 14:27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
1Co 14:28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
1Co 14:29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
1Co 14:30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
1Co 14:31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
1Co 14:32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
1Co 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
1Co 14:34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.
1Co 14:35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
1Co 14:36 What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?
1Co 14:37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
1Co 14:38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.
1Co 14:39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
1Co 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

NOW THIS IS A CHURCH THAT GOD OPERATES WITH HIS SPIRIT....

1 Corinthians 11:18-22 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.
For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.
When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper.
For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.
What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.

NOW THIS IS THAT SAME CHURCH .

 

[p_rehbein]

John 3:3) esus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 .) Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 .) Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 .) That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 .) Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8 .) The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
9 .) Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
10 .) Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
11 .) Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
12 .) If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
13 .) And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
14 .) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 .) That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 .) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 .) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 .) He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 .) And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 .) For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 .) But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.


THIS IS MY CHURCH!

YEA GOD!