WE MUST STOP SPOON FEEDING THE CHURCH

 

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.