WE MUST STOP SPOON FEEDING THE CHURCH
I have visited several churches. Many have a very nice
social atmosphere. There is coffee in the vestibule with a selection of cakes
or other snacks to help set the tone of a pleasant welcoming congregation. I
suppose there really is nothing wrong with this in and of itself. Except that
it helps to mask an underlying problem which has plagued our churches since my
youth. The Apostle Paul pointed it out in Hebrews 5:12 "For when for the
time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be
the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of
mild, and not of strong meat." We have become a church of infants.
There seems to be an innate fear within the leadership of
the churches. A fear that says, "If we teach the Word of God with
intensity, as we would in a college or seminary setting, the congregation would
get up and walk out. They would be overwhelmed and leave our
congregation." And so, in an attempt to cater to the immature and ensure
the pews are filled we opt for socializing the Word of God, keeping it on an
elementary level so as not to lose members. The result? We have many large
congregations starving for spiritual nutrition. Most are remaining infants, "For
everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is
a babe" (Heb. 5:13).
The Apostle Peter anticipated this problem as well. In II
Peter chapter one he lays out a lengthy description of the believer's current
position as well as his need to apply these truths and develop his character.
In verses 3-4b we read, "According as his divine power hath given unto us
all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him
that hath called us to glory and virtue: (v.4b) whereby are given unto us
exceeding great and precious promises...." He says, look at what we have.
God has already given us everything we need as believers. And in our modern
churches we stop here. We sing wonderful songs exalting this idea but we stop
there. What does this mean? How does it occur? How does it become mine? what
does it mean to me in my life? It makes for beautiful lyrics. But they become
vain repetitions until we study the Word of God and discover the origin and
purpose of these gifts.
And then in verses 4b-9 Peter makes a point of saying that
by these gifts and their application in our individual lives we become the
saints of God we were meant to be. We become temperate, virtuous,
knowledgeable, kind, and loving… but only as we learn what the Word of God
teaches. When we fail to study as we ought, when the preachers and
teachers fail to feed the flock, Peter says in verse nine that we become blind
and even forgetful of how our salvation was ever obtained. We simply must teach
the Word and stop entertaining in fear of losing members.
In II Peter the Apostle goes on to say something I find
fascinating. It seems to go against the prevailing wisdom of our day. In verse
twelve he says, "Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in
remembrance of these things, though you know them..." He says he is going
to continue to teach what they already know over and over again. Do you think
he was afraid of losing members? The remainder of verse 12 says that it is this
which will establish them in the truth, or provide them with a firm foundation.
But now look at verse 13, "Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this
tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance." As long as I am
alive, as long as I have flesh and in fact (v.15) until the day I die I will
continue teaching these same principles so that you will have them when I am
gone. I will teach them over again with my last breath in order to shore up
your faith.
Why does the church feel a need today to provide flashy
preaching, to find ways to entertain the congregation? Why are the preachers
not preaching and teaching with an eye toward establishing the believer in the
"faith once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3)? Is the gospel of
Jesus Christ no longer valid? Is the Word of God no longer a comfort (I Thes
4:18) to the soul? Does the preaching of the cross need enhancing to become
attractive to this new generation? NO! We are moving away from the Gospel of
Christ with every new idea we introduce. Our ideas and efforts are taking time
away from the actual teaching of the Word. If we were to take time, time that
is needed, to actually dig deep into the Bible and teach it as it was intended
to be taught, we would not have time for all the nonsense we see in the
churches today.
We need fire in the pulpit, fire produced by the preaching
of the Word empowered by the Holy Spirit of God. The church in America has
become anemic. With all of our activities and social emphasis we simply do not
have time for anything more than a gentle spoon feeding.
Christian, open the Book and study it. Church, Pastors and
teachers, stop spoon feeding the Church.
