As a Bible teacher, I am absolutely convinced from Scripture that the only way to teach God’s Word is to do so through a verse by verse exposition. The majority of curriculums available for the average church class is nothing more than a glorified devotional taking two or three verses (usually out of context) to drive some life application down the throats of the class members. These curriculums are normally devoid of doctrine. Is it no surprise that our churches are filled with people who know so little about Scripture? That is no way to teach God’s Word. We must allow God’s Word to speak for itself by providing a faithful verse by verse exposition of the text with grammatical, historical and authorial intent in mind. I get so discouraged when I hear Bible teachers and preachers focus more on application than a solid exhortation that follows Biblical exposition and sound doctrine.
I was so excited to hear Dr. John MacArthur speak on this very issue. MacArthur regularly comes under question by the typical “life application and relevant obsessed” pastors of the day as to why he does not focus on application more. John’s answer is spot on. I pray God will raise up more men like Dr. MacArthur who boldly proclaim God’s truth one verse at a time without compromise. Take a listen to this six minute segment where John explains his reasonings for a focus on doctrine and exhortation while leaving application to the Holy Spirit…
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That is why we have so many uneducated people sitting in churches. They do not know the whole Word of God, they don’t hear it in church, they don’t read it at home, they don’t study it thoroughly. Funny that McArthur says that devotionals have a few verses pulled out because God led me to write women’s devotionals expositionally also.
Amen John M. So true. I have been given the opportunity to teach (my wife interpreting for me) to over 14 Pastors in Mexico for the next 3 yrs verse by verse and as I do my Masters in Divinity from Liberty U. Online. These are all great men of God that have little Biblical training. I follow his and Chuck Smith’s advice that if you teach the Word correctly, the Spirit will apply it personally to the listener…if they are listening. AND They will know where the teaching came from, in the correct context.
Admittedly I am coming to this blog late. So late in fact the video is no longer on the page.
But I will take exception to a statement posted here – not so much because I strongly disagree with JulieBeth; I do not. Yes, there are many people in churches today that are slothful in their Christian walk; they don’t read the Bible, preferring ‘Christian Books’ instead; they don’t pray to God daily, preferring instead to sit in ‘prayer circles’ etc., etc., etc.
Here’s my point – if people in church are ignorant, then I must ask, what has the church done to end it? The main reason we have Biblically ignorant and stilted Christians in our churches is because our churches will not teach strong doctrine, because they fear it ‘will divide’; they will not hold people accountable for their slothful living because they fear it will cause them to leave and go somewhere else.
When the church starts being the church, then there will be a strong base of disciples to do something with. But you don’t get a strong base of disciples without effort, without clear, uncompromising teaching and preaching and without making it clear to everyone who places membership that they will be expected to produce fruit.
I find it peculiar that people cannot understand that over the long course of Christianity’s history over the globe it is when men and women stand up and say without compromise – “thus saith the Lord”; this is where churches bloom and grow strong, and everywhere people start compromising and appeasing, that is where Christianity withers and is powerless.