Get a Bible, For Crying Out Loud…
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Mon, December 17, 2007
- Viewed 370
- (36) comments so far
David then shares some quotes on this subject from Steven Furtick, Perry Noble, and Ben Arment on this subject:
Steven Furtick says: “Churches are filled with those who have known Christ for decades, and still need a bib, a high chair, and want Daddy to do ‘open wide, here comes the airplane’ tricks with the fork before shoving it into their mouths.
I try to serve up the Word, hot and fresh every single Sunday. But if you refuse to apply it, study your Bible and pray some during the week, join a small group and dig deeper with others…if you refuse to bring it back to your mouth, I can’t help you.
Get your own fork, and learn to feed yourself. Stop burying your hand in the dish and spitting out every thing that doesn’t give you a spiritual sugar high. Eat some vegetables. Serve. Pray. Practically apply the Bible to your life.” Read more here.
Perry Noble says: “I’ve heard it…you have too…’Christians’ saying, ‘I just want to be fed!’ It blows my mind! This would be equal to you and I going to an all you can eat restaurant and crying because no one would bring us any food. Food is all around in this environment…but if the person is lazy and self centered, wanting to be waited on hand and foot, then they could possibly starve to death when food is merely a few feet away.
“Today as Christians we have WAY more information than we could ever apply. However, I think many people use ‘going deep’ as an excuse as to not actually apply any of the knowledge they claim to be soaking up. I believe it breaks the heart of God when arrogant people claim intellectual superiority out of pride and stupidity rather than just seeking Jesus and trying to honor Him on a daily basis.
“In reading through the Scriptures I have found that Jesus’ strongest words of rebuke were for the ‘deep,’ the professional religious people of the day. If ‘deep’ is being a part of the group that knows tons about the Bible but missed Jesus–then I don’t want to be affiliated with them. Give me Jesus Christ, crucified, risen and who will one day return…not another Bible study on the weight of the Ark of the Covenant.” Read more here.
Ben Arment says: “I’ve always felt troubled by phrases such as ‘I need to be fed’ or ‘I need meat’ when referring to spiritual growth. And not just because they’re usually meant to be critical of a pastor’s content… but I could never see this thinking in Scripture. Paul uses ‘feed’ and ‘meat’ in terms of where he expects Christians to be in their maturity, but it’s never used by people to demand something.” Read more here.
You can read David’s entire post here...
David is starting a new series specifically about how members of his church can do this.
How have you combatted the “I’m not being fed” cry at your church?
Pastor David Trotter says that in ten years of ministry at three different churches, he has heard hundreds of people say that they aren't being 'fed' enough -- they they are getting too much milk and not enough meat. But he makes the point that several other prominent pastors and bloggers have made recently: As followers of Jesus, we are called to feed ourselves and feed others who are new in the faith...
Comments
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don on Tue, December 18, 2007
Yepper, it will always be a problem… people want others to do everything for them…. especially the paid pastor who supposedly knows more and has the corner on spiritual stuffage. As a youth guy I would deal with this constantly—“Are our kids being fed?” Really, how do you as parents teach your kids how to worship, learn, grow and to love God… then I did the senior gig and hearing that same mantra from adults sitting in chairs on Sunday’s really made me nutty—like can you please pick up the scriptures or listen to some good music, or do something to feed yourselves? To a degree we in ministry are to blame. I think (my opinion) that there were and are today plenty of pastors that want to be the all knowing, grand pooba’s of spiritual insight (not cool) in truth wanting the people to be co-dependant on them for their “spiritual stuff” and that is where this whole thing comes from… leaders that love to be all that while never teaching people how to do it themselves and then empowering them to go and be dependent on God and not man.
Merry Christmas
Peter Hamm on Tue, December 18, 2007
Don,
also, too often we pastors and those who work in the church actually LIKE being put on some kind of spiritual pedestal… We have to tear that down and let people know we are ordinary folk. Rediscover the priesthood of all believers…
don on Tue, December 18, 2007
Peter, dude, I’m with you on this—I think it is much more valuable to allow people to fail so that they will not be dependent on anybody but the relationship they have with Christ. That ultimately is how the Lord has had to deal with me. If He is the Good Shepherd, then let Him be the Good Shepherd period. Many, many of the “faithful” have got to come to the place that He is “the Good Shepherd” period and many many pastors ( I haven’t arrived) but I work very hard at deflecting students and adults from me and “Try” to teach them in the midst of life’s stuff the how to get it on with Him and this is not easy. Just with my own kids, they have to come to terms with Christ and love Him and grow. If the mystery is Christ in us, then so be it. If He is in us then it is either true or ...
Peace!
Don
Camey on Tue, December 18, 2007
Don and Peter,
Totally agree. As in the story I was relating… individuals thought we were given the private room because of who we are.. Nope. We were given the private room because money talks. People had been throwing money at the club due my dad’s passing. We (hubby and I and our boys) would have prefered to not be in the private dining room at all. We would have prefered to be in the kitchen or serving those in the main room or eating along side of them. In fact, clubhouse dining is not my first choice on how to spend mother’s day lunch… but it was for other mothers in our family.
And Don…. great to hear how God continues to work in your life!
slw on Tue, December 18, 2007
Don,
Appreciate what you said. Amen. I think that when pastors have at least some sort of servant mentality and make the mistakes pointed out , they do want to be grand poobas, but when they are just control freaks, they’re just acting akin to soviet dictators. Either way the people are stunted and stifled.
don on Tue, December 18, 2007
Camey! Hey there.
I would agree, here is where real feeding takes place—get out and serve. Get out and be the hands and feet of Christ. Maybe the real problem is that many (not included any more if I may) is the intellectualizing of Jesus and the lack of any serving and living out His life. Really. I hate to pontificate on this thing… but… until “christians” get past the heady stuff…because they really think its all about what you “know” rather than what you do with what you know, we just have heady christians that want more head stuff in the meantime not much gets accomplished… i.e., serving, loving, social things (look out) and all that Jesus was about… it is so easy to be full of knowledge (puffs up) but that is what has happened over the years… just sit in a “pew” get more knowledge and watch the world go nuts. Complete opposite of what is important. Great read—Ray S. Anderson “Christo Praxis” The shape of practical Theology and Lead Like Jesus… get em. Finally, C.S. Lewis speaks about “men without chest” essentially people without the heart or passion, instead its all about the head… we need more followers committed to heart stuff, and let the head stuff come as they (same people) need more to keep living out their passions—then they will go to the LIving Water for their needs instead of paying some guy to feed them.
Peace and Joy
Don
Peter Hamm on Tue, December 18, 2007
Not that Bible study is a bad thing (on the contrary, it is a VERY good thing that we should all be passionately devoted to) but…
Did Jesus say “Study Me” or did he say “Follow Me”?
That’s where the rubber hits the road as it were.
Leonard on Tue, December 18, 2007
With all this agreeing going on I hope I don’t sound to negative ...but… Peter we must be careful not to create a power struggle between the words of Jesus and the words of Paul who did say to study the word. We need to understand that a good portion of Jesus commands to follow were physical as well as spiritual. “I am right here so leave your nets and follow me right now.”
Too many leaders spend too much time feeding instead of equipping. too many leaders spend too much time coddling sheep instead of leading sheep.
Too many sheep make themselves victims of their churches “lack of depth” and develop excuses for not growing, loving, sharing Christ, giviing, serving… and then say; “I am not being fed.”
Churches that have leaders who are leading usually are growing. Those that do not usually are not.
don on Tue, December 18, 2007
Leonard—Dude,
You are right about equipping— 1 more step—existential living is essential. Contray to those afraid of “experience”—one must experience Christ… The Pit produces people with passion, maybe not alot of book smarts but I would take 10 people that have experienced God’s daily grace far over those that can quote and love for others to do, while moaning that they need someone to put a fork in thier mouths for them. No thank you
Thanks
Don
Psalm 40
Steve Lamm on Tue, December 18, 2007
HOW HAVE YOU COMBATTED THE “I’M NOT BEING FED” CRY AT YOUR CHURCH?
I had this comment from a few people in the first church I pastored (some 20 years ago) after I changed the way I preached from sequential exposition to primarily a topical approach that focused on felt-needs.
I didn’t like the comment because it hurt my ego and I reacted much like a few of the pastors mentioned above in the article did. Because of my pride and insensitivity, I lost the ability to minister to many of the people in that church. I subsequently, and mistakenly resigned that pastorate and went off and planted a church where I could do things the way I wanted to.
I had a few very mature and loyal believers help me with the church-plant and we grew quite a bit in the first couple of years with many new converts. I preached on many “relevant topics” and people seemed satisfied. But, after about three years, we lost some really mature and capable people and guess what - I found out that they felt they were not being fed! These people were doing a lot of ministry in and out of the church. They were the teachers and leaders. But they were hungry for the deeper teaching that their I wasn’t giving them.
I was really devastated and since I knew these people were godly men and women, I really began to rethink my views. I spent the next half-year studying the Pastoral Epistles and many other relevant passages of Scripture and confirmed what I already knew - that it IS the job of the pastor to “feed the flock” Christ has given to him! Certainly, a good pastor will also teach the people under his care how to read, properly interpret and apply Scripture themselves (Eph 4:11-16). But if a pastor is a well-trained interpreter of the Bible, and he is growing deeper in his own understanding of God’s Word (and he ought to be), then he should share that deeper understanding with the rest of the church.
Since that time I have dedicated myself to the clear, applicational exposition of Scripture from the pulpit in my present ministry and I have seen God bless that effort as the people have grown and have become more mature and better equipped to minister to each other and also to effectively share their faith with the lost.
Now let me balance this a bit. All criticism should be taken in context and measured carefully. If only a few people are gripping about the pastor’s preaching, he should probably not worry too much about it. But if SEVERAL people (or “hundreds”) begin to complain to him that they do not feel fed by his messages, then that warrants some close examination on his part, especially if several of those expressing dissatisfaction are some of the more mature believers in the church!
Dr. Steven Lawson has written a very good little book on this issue entitled FAMINE IN THE LAND which I believe every pastor who loves the Word of God should read. It addresses the lack of sound exposition in the modern church and the devastating effects this will have on the future health of the church.
don on Tue, December 18, 2007
Steve
I can relate hugely—I too did a church plant, (CMA) I came in after the church planter left, so the church plant had already morphed into a “church”. That being said, while I agree that the ‘pastor” teaches (right things) and helps facilitate followers to follow and the like, I am troubled with the whole shepherd flock ideal. While I am not into the pastor as a CEO either, I think the pastor gig is way out of whack. But that is for another day. I feel your anquish. I too went through the same thing. Only I left, headed into corporate world, enjoy leading a Saturday night thing and teaching High school kids on Sunday mornings. Without training leaders to catch the “right” vision of leadership and the role of the pastor we the church continue to grow very dysfunctional people that cry for food that they really can get. When I was in the pit over the past 3 years I had no one helping me to get nourishment—I was empty—but God had a purpose and still does… frankly some of the most needy people need to recognize that this life is brutal and that Jesus won’t fix every thing… He will help and guide and develop character and that is painful and for those that have ears to hear… they will. Again, with just head stuff, there are many many of the “flock” getting through life with simple head stuff, but when the time to grow comes they cry out for something to fill them up, while all along Jesus says that “He is the Bread of Life” “He is the Living water” All the stuff the people want He is.
Peace man.
Don
Jason Poling on Mon, December 24, 2007
Gotta take a contrarian view on this, folks…truth is, there’s plenty in the Bible that is not very easy to self-feed. Take a look at the first few chapters of Ezekiel from a new believer’s perspective…is the “take what you read and apply it to your life” going to work? Make sense? (more importantly) Be faithful to Scripture as inspired in its particular context? If we’re real evangelicals, then we believe the whole thing is inspired, which means that there’s a place for people called to the work of study in languages, interpretation, theology, history, pastoral care, etc. to teach people how to eat this stuff. Here in Baltimore we learn as kids to eat crabs, but it’s always fun to teach folks from elsewhere how to do it when they visit. I see myself as doing much the same thing when we hit stuff that’s obscure, difficult to understand, controversial, complicated, in tension with other passages, or just plain weird (as the first chapters of Ezekiel certainly are). Otherwise we end up sticking to a canon within a canon that yields a limited understanding of our faith, which ultimately leads to stunted spiritual growth.
My $.02.
don on Mon, December 24, 2007
No problem with your input—except—all those that follow Christ by faith have the spirit to illumin them—which means its time for “some” if not most to spend time in the Word and with the Word period. Not just a five minute devotion either… go get into the Word and the Living Word. The Scriptures will speak for themselves—there is no doubt that “we” in ministry have enabled some to be very “baby like” indeed. If you took away all the “preachers” and teachers what? Christianity folds up and goes away? No—it is time for “some” if not the majority to get involved, read and seek and go and do.
Peace and Merry Christmas
Peter Hamm on Tue, December 25, 2007
Jason,
Good thoughts. I don’t think anybody is really advocating abandoning biblical teaching. But the spoon-feeding that many seem to want (even, I’m sorry to say, very mature Christians who should by now understand what they can take from a book like Ezekiel), is what has to stop.
How do we measure Spiritual maturity anyway? by how able a believer is to exegete Scripture or by how much they are like Christ in their lives, leading others to know Him by their example? I’ll take the latter…
sarah on Tue, May 13, 2008
This doesn’t make any sense to me. Why are you complaining that your flock wants to be fed? Isn’t that your job? Let me ask you a question. Do you digging deep into the Word of God and to learn? If so, then why not teach that to your flock? Why keep it to yourself?...seems selfish to me which isn’t a sign of Christian charity. If you are not digging deep into the Word of God, then shouldn’t you start doing so or get a different job? If you feel that you are digging deep into the Word and are sharing that with your flock, then ask them what they mean when they state that they are not getting fed. Maybe you as the pastor have no idea what it really means to feed your flock. However, according to your own account you seem to know what it means for your own flock to dig deep into the Word you demand your flock to dig deep into the Word. Your flock probably does study their Bibles, but they need for you to either confirm what they studied or correct their misgivings by what you teach on Sunday morning.
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