The biggest reason for biblical ignorance and misunderstanding in previous generations was lack of access to the Bible and/or good Bible study materials. Today, the problem may be the exact opposite. There are so many voices, it’s hard for most people to distinguish valid Bible teaching from fluff or outright heresy.
As pastors, we have a great responsibility to teach our church members, not just what the Bible says and how to apply it, but how to read it for themselves, so they can distinguish good biblical teaching from shallow or bad biblical teaching.
In short, it’s no longer enough just to preach and teach from the Bible, we need to teach about the Bible, too.
Author
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Karl produces resources for Helping Small Churches Thrive at KarlVaters.com.
He's the author of four books on church leadership. His fifth book, De-Sizing the Church: How Church Growth Became a Science, Then an Obsession, and What's Next, releases on April 2, 2024.
He also hosts a bi-weekly podcast,The Church Lobby: Conversations on Faith & Ministry. Episodes feature in-depth interviews about the topics that concern pastors, especially those who minister in a small church context.
Karl has served in small-church ministry for over 40 years, so he speaks and writes from decades of hands-on pastoral experience. He and his wife, Shelley have three children and two grandkids.