SetApart1

A couple of weeks ago a friend of mine told me about a guy he knows who is considering starting a Bible study in His home.  Apparently this gentleman has a strong desire to explain the Scripture to people and to communicate Biblical truth.  My first question was whether this man is accountable to anyone and apparently this gentleman had some issues with what his pastor had been teaching at his church and was convinced that God was calling him to begin a Bible study.  After learning that this person was a new Christian and didn’t have a good understanding of Scripture I pointed my friend to the many references in the pastoral letters of Paul where he warns about the danger of putting an inexperienced person in position of leadership.  Now, I don’t doubt the sincerity of this man’s desire to teach the Bible nor am I against home Bible studies.  My concern is the danger of placing an inexperienced (or a person placing themselves)person in a position of leadership or in a position to teach the Bible.

For example, have you ever been to a small home Bible study where everybody goes around saying, “well, this verse means this to me” and it seems like no one has a clue as to what they’re doing? First of all let me say as kindly as I can, THAT IS NOT A BIBLE STUDY!!! A Bible study is when a person has taken time to study and has prepared to teach not when you go around a circle and say, “this means this to me.” I have been to many so called Bible studies like that and have found that it can be very dangerous because it creates confusion and ultimately can lead to serious deception.  For example, what happens when they reach  a scripture that is hard to interpret and everyone has a different view?  That is when you need an experienced, knowledgeable and wise person leading so they can provide clarity to the Word of God and to guide the group.  It’s important to remember that there is only one interpretation but several applications. If you go to a gathering and your have 10 different opinions and everyone is unclear then something is definitely wrong.  Also, the moral implications are very serious as well.  A young inexperienced person who is placed in a position of leadership will most likely lack the wisdom and discernment that a more seasoned, mature and experienced Christian will have.  Don’t get me wrong, both are vulnerable to falling and error but the latter will be more adequately prepared to deal with challenging situations should they arise.

Several years ago I knew a guy who started a gathering at his house with a bunch of people who wanted to study the Bible.  This guy was zealous, charismatic and had recently experienced a very dramatic conversion.  His intentions were good but eventually, because he was a young, inexperienced Christian, he ended up falling into sexual sin with a young woman who attended.  This situation created serious drama in the church (as all sins do) and harmed many people all because a young inexperienced person took it upon himself to lead a so-called Bible study.

You might be saying to yourself, why are you getting all worked up over this?  The reason I am getting all worked up is THIS IS GOD’S WORD and when God’s word is not being taught properly then we dishonor the very God who inspired it!!  God is truth and his word is truth and when the truth is not being taught then God is being misrepresented and this should anger us and hopefully motivate us to know his word so that we might know him!!

The reason I make the point about the dangers of putting an inexperienced person in the position of teaching the Bible is that the internet has given the opportunity and platform for anyone to state their opinion.  This can be good and it can be bad.  It has been good in that it has allowed access for many Christians to some really wonderful Bible teaching and resources that they wouldn’t have otherwise found.  It’s no wonder why people call the internet the, “information superhighway”.  My exposure to the ministry of  John Piper, a man who has a profound influence on my life, wasn’t through radio but through his books and the internet.  In fact as far as I can remember he wasn’t even on the radio here in the Los Angeles area.  As for the bad, it has allowed people to espouse their interpretation of the Bible without any form of accountability.  This is why the Bible places such a high demand on leaders in the church (especially those who teach the Bible) to live a life that is “above reproach” 2 Tim 3:2; a life that is consistent both within the church, home and outside the church 3:4 & 7 and to not be a recent convert 3:6.

All of us here at setapart1 are involved in our churches and are “under’ some sort of authority and accountability for we recognize that it is God who has established authority and accountability in the church for our spiritual safety and protection.  We are also accountable to each other as we endeavor to share our thoughts and insights through writing yet we are well aware of our tendency to error in our understanding of Scripture.  We are not above correction nor do we understand everything in the Bible fully but we do desire to have a clear understanding of of who God is as he revealed himself in the Bible so that we may apply it to our lives and to share it with others.  We acknowledge that at setapart1 that God has given us a platform to teach The Bible, share our experiences and to hopefully help and encourage others in their walk with Christ.  Please pray for us!!  Pray that we will be faithful in expounding the Scripture and that God will guard us from error.

So let me close by urging you to be discerning as you surf the web and to be like the Bereans in Acts 17:11 who, “examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” and to thank and praise God for all of the wonderful resources that are available to us to enrich our Christian life.

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