Original: November 16, 2007
8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Revelations 3:8
Let me tell you two stories.
A few weeks ago I was forwarded a disturbing e-mail from a fellow youth staff member. The e-mail was a response to a social network comment my youth staff person made to her friend about the church that he happened to attend. Knowing his church, its denomination, and history I knew what was coming my way before I read it.
His e-mail blasted our church and told my staff person that he never recommends our church to teenagers he meets in the community because as he put it we “do not teach the Word (apparently the way his church’s youth pastor teaches the Word)”. Apparently, our hermeneutically accurate, expository preaching of the Scriptures in an exegetical manner bases solely on the plenary inspiration of the Scriptures does not measure up to his style of Bible teaching! Admittedly, I have a little chip on my shoulder
He continued that our church tries too hard to conform to the culture of the world in order to reach the lost. Knowing this person’s eclectic style of dress, hairstyle (which was blue at the time), lifestyle, and reputation I had to laugh.
The second story occurred earlier this week as “big” Darby and I were processing our New Mexico bucks at his house. One of our other Christian buddies came by to check out our great bucks and shared about a local proselytizing scandal in the community where I used to live. Apparently, a pastor and his members (ironically from the same denomination as in the first story) are using the phrase “WE teach the word” to lure people away from other evangelical, Bible-believing congregations.
I wondered out loud if this was just the gossip mill circulating until he shared a story about two women who were watching their kids at a local park and enjoying fellowship together when the pastor in question happened to hear their godly conversations. He soon engaged them in conversation asking about their church of preference. When they told the curious pastor where they attended he began to invite them to his church as the happening church in town because, as he put it, “WE teach the Bible.” The women assured the over zealous pastor that they were perfectly content but when pressed more aggressively the one exasperated woman finally said, “Listen, I am happy at my church and besides I don’t think the pastor would be happy if I left since he is my husband!”
Wow!
I love teaching and preaching the Word. It is my life. As I write this entry I am leading and teaching four Bible studies a week, sending out this daily devotional, and am on our Sunday teaching team at church. People need to know the Word and be taught the Word but look at Revelation 3:8 for a moment.
According to most scholars the Revelation of John was written around 90 AD. During this period in church history preaching was really no more than reading apostolic letters in congregations that existed in local house churches.
Preaching was not as we know it today.
More important than teaching the Word of God was keeping the Word as expressed by the words of Christ in Revelation 3:8. He says, “You have kept my word and have not denied my name.” Even though weary (Galatians 6:9) and tired with “little strength,” God will bless those who keep his Word. Maybe the ignorant pastor and over zealous youth worker in the above stories should learn and understand were their strength really comes from before trying to take it away from others.
Maybe men should come to the understanding that being a “Christian” is something way more that head knowledge.
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22).
Do what it says.
