Ragamuffin: A call

… for Bible preaching and teaching

R

emember this old song? The B I B L E – yes, that’s the book for me…

The need for a Biblically uninformed people to know more of God’s word is evident. As this website demonstrates, there are often efforts to know the Bible academically. Although this is good – it is not good enough. The average layperson in our churches knows little of the Bible’s teaching or does he/she have a Biblical worldview.

While I hear a few great preachers/teachers, there seems to be a shortage of quality preaching. By “quality” I specifically speak of content. God uses us with our various personalities so our presentation and delivery may vary but the quality must be there.

One of the greatest challenges is time. When can an officer/pastor find time for quality study? The Salvation Army drowns the average officer with paperwork, meetings, and reports. If it wasn’t for my lovely and capable wife I could not find the time for study.

Bible teaching is not an end to itself but rather the spiritual formation of the individual. The word of God must be a part of the formation.

I issue a call to corps officers to:

1. Invest time in studying and preaching/teaching the Bible.
2. allow God to use your talents, personality and style to effectively transfer, inspire and encourage the Biblical text.
3. To have a mission that will enhance others by teaching and living Biblical truths.

Both textual and expository sermons are effective in building-up believers. Look for life-long principles that can be assembled from the text. Teach within the context of the passage but also preach within the context of our world and culture. John Stott has written a wonderful book called Between Two Worlds that is very helpful.

In a society that is desperately in need of a foundation that is stable, we can preach the unshakable validity and applicable word of God.

Our first doctrine states: We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God, and that they only constitute the Divine rule of Christian faith and practice. This is first because everything doctrinally we adhere to rests on the Bible. We do not want to be accused of worshipping the Bible. The Bible has a high place in Christian living but it is not to be worshipped. Respected, taught, yes, but not worshipped.

How much is the Bible text read by the people in your church at home? How much is the Bible read audibly at a church service? How much do you read the Bible? That being said – we understand that time reading the Bible does not equal Christian growth. There is so much more involved. Generally the early church seemed to be a teaching center with the components of prayer and food. We do not read of much singing although there most likely were some songs sung.

What is the function of the Bible in your ministry? What is it’s purpose or role in your church?

Ragamuffin appears every Monday on theRubicon. Find past Ragamuffin posts and a bio of Capt. Jay Davis here.

7 Comments to Ragamuffin: A call

1. Pastor [Captain] Jay, Well said, but with all the information any lay person or preacher can pick up some real neat sermons from the inter net.[ most do] Yes they have to make it interesting and very clear to those who come to the meetings what the message is all about.I invite the world to come visit Southlands Community Church locted in Winnipeg Canada . A real mission Church of The Salvation Army where active bible reading takes place Sundays, weekdays and Pastor Justins e-messages.People are urged to bring their bibles and flip through, also on the screen and transted in 3 languages.Most officers take a special day to prepare for Sunday through prayer and study. Forget about paper work that day. Tell DHQ you are in the kingdom business, paper can wait your flock comes first. Oh how I know many officers are saved by the work of the wives. God bless the wives, God bless The Army and God bless all Officers around the world. Come join our Army. Encourage one another. Lets be builders and positive to one another.Henry Armstrong thanking my Father for another crack at the world.
Henry Armstrong on May 19th, 2008

2. I am not sure I agree with the statement, “Both textual and expository sermons are effective in building-up believers.” I spent seven years as a corps officer and I don’t have a high regard for the results of preaching, even though we spend so much time preparing and presenting it. I don’t consider myself a slouch when it comes to preaching, but I didn’t ever see a lot of growth result from it. I remember our Farewell Sunday in our last corps and listening to the testimonies being given in our last meeting and thinking: “Is it possible that most of these people have grown so little in 4 years?” The level of faith, experience, and knowledge had not progressed much at all for many of them. Also, I don’t know of too many people who, if asked what contributed most to their experience of sanctification, would say preaching. Perhaps reading, relationships, ministry or even small groups, but definitely not preaching.

   I know I may be treading in dangerous territory here, but it is not because I have a lack of respect for the Bible. It’s mainly because I question the efficiency of a process that used to take me 12-15 hours of work (per sermon) and that most people forgot 90% before they reached their vehicles after the meeting. Oh yes, I have heard all of the responses defenders of preaching give - how it slowly builds a Christian worldview; how sermons can be compared to our meals (while not being particularly memorable, they keep us alive); etc. But none have been able to overcome my own experience, as both a preacher and a listener (for the last 6 years), and convince me it was time well spent.

   Not only does traditional preaching not have much of an impact upon the building of the believers, I would also go so far as to say that in many ways it contributes to the passivity of our congregations. The weekly monologue puts a great deal of attention on the officer and there is no participation from the rest of God’s people. And, thus, the great divide. We do and they sit. And while we do, sitting becomes quite natural in the local corps.

   Learning is an active process. Discipleship is an active process and we have to find ways to engage our people in learning and living. I do agree that there are many believers who do not have much of a grasp of the Word. But I am not sure more sermons and sermon prep is the answer. If it is, why do I continually ask myself, now that my last corps has closed down, if my time served as a corps officer could have been better spent?
Juan Burry on May 19th, 2008

3. Oh yeah, one other thing - I, too, would like to give a “shout out” to our spouses. The best preachers I have ever heard in the Army likely owe a small debt to the support that their husbands gave them.
Juan Burry on May 19th, 2008

4. Preaching and teaching is only one ingredient to the growth of people. Put out a good meal…but people need to decide to partake…or not. Preaching/teaching is not the cure all answer to maturity but it is a part of the healthy life of the believer. Acts 2:42 talks about the early church with its “Teaching”. The hows or methods may vary. Prepare a meal - that is part of my task, my privilege and my responsibility. “Feed my sheep” in John’s Gospel speaks to this but certainly includes more that just teaching. It is worth thinking about. Something to ponder.
Jay Davis on May 20th, 2008

5. Juan,

   With you there. That’s one reason we don’t really preach all that much here. Our congregation does not really learn that way, does not have the attention span. But a cooperative, involved cell group with teaching as well as different activities and an opportunity to engage with the teaching does work for them, at least so far. We’ll do more involved and academic teaching for those that will learn that way, but a large majority of people just don’t. The important thing is not letting this be an excuse for poor theology or poor preparation - we still want all our activities informed by careful bible study, good exegesis and hermeunetics.

   Grace,

   Aaron
aaron on May 22nd, 2008

6. Hey Aaron… we agree on something. Cool.
   I totally agree - it’s not a cop out for theological grounding. On the contrary, a desire for a more intellectually equipped soldiery should cause leaders to think imaginatively of more effective and efficient methods.
Juan Burry on May 22nd, 2008

7. “Many pastors do not understand the power of the pulpit. Like a rudder on a ship, it will determine the direction of a church either intentionally or unintentionally.” - Rick Warren

   The teaching/preaching aspect of any community of faith must fit within its context and culture. Various methods and styles - change on the “how” we do it is okay…but the message of the Word remains consistent.
Jay Davis on May 23rd, 2008

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