Do Christians ever question their teachers?
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16,17
Some time ago I took a bible course offered by our church on video. There were some very excellent well known teachers from around the ‘evangelical universe’ if I can call it that. Most made their points very well.
There were however areas that I felt the instructor failed to make his point. Instructors that I could not agree with.
Now I know there is a lot of diversity within Christianity as a whole, even among evangelical Christians. That’s the nice thing about being Christians we hold the same core beliefs but many times agree to disagree on some other points.
In the case of those instructors that I felt failed to make their point it raised enough interest in me to want to know why I disagreed with them. Thus I began to dig deep into the bible.
I told my pastor what I was doing and he encouraged me.
The Apostle Paul when writing to Timothy said,
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16,17
My question is to the Christians that are reading this. Do you ever question your bible teachers, be they teachers, pastors, or evangelist?
It doesn’t matter who you listen to in the Christian world, be they the best known evangelist in the world or the lowly adult or Sunday School teacher in your church.
Sadly it has been my experience that most people do not question what they are taught. That is why there is so much bad, even false teaching out there.
People are easily led astray. If you wrap things up in a pretty package many people will buy into it.
I’m a professional clown and a magician by profession. I tell people I get paid to make people think I’m the dumbest person in the room.
I do slight of hand that seems like magic. When all I’m really doing is making them look one way while I move the other.
Like I said people are easily led astray. That’s why I believe every Christian should be reading the Bible daily as well as praying and being involved in a bible study once a week.
When it comes to Bible studies I really feel they work best when a lot of questions are being asked. When differences of opinion are exchanged.
In the bible study I lead at our church we encourage discussion.
Our study does not have a set amount of material to cover each session. We simply decide on what book of the Bible we are going to study and take it verse by verse or chapter by chapter. Using reference books and commentaries. I find I read a lot of support material before I start to teach anything.
Currently we are studying 1Corinthians for example. The other day we spent an hour and a half of what was suppose to be a one hour study just covering one point. We didn’t get through an entire chapter.
It was a good discussion that taught all of us who attended a lot of things. It sent us home with things to think about.
This is how I was taught to teach a bible study and I find it works best. Even the teachers point of view is questioned from time to time. Which is always a good thing.
I believe all bible teachers, pastors and evangelist should be able to answer questions you have.
You should be able to approach especially the pastor of the church you attend with questions you have.
A good pastor will always be willing to answer your questions. A good teacher, preacher, or evangelist will always be open for correction, particularly when it comes to the core values of the scriptures.
The only way however we as individual Christians can know we are not being led astray is to read the Bible and pray. Remembering the words of Paul to Timothy who said,
“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”
2Timothy 4:3,4
The writer of Jude stating,
“They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.”
These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.”
Jude 1:18-21
So my final question to you the reader is, Do you study the Bible and pray on your own?
Are you comfortable enough to approach preachers, teachers, and evangelist that you know with questions?
Think about it.
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