Teaching the Bible

by Rex B13 12 Replies latest jw friends

Rex B13

Hi Gang,
Let me qualify this post before my usual detractors have a chance to blast me. I already know that the great majority here do not believe in the one, true God. So be it, this is simply information on actually teaching the Bible to Christians and others.
We do a 'mission trip' every summer and we have a mission in a poor neighborhood in our area. I've been honored to preach there as well as at our main church.
People wear what they want. No one is turned away, in fact, we often go out in tract work the day of an event to bring more people in. We had a Vacation Bible school this summer that included a multi-media show. Kids have their own activities during sermons. No screaming kids and butt whippings in the bathroom.
What we have going right now:
We run two services Sunday A.M. with Sunday school sandwiched in between. Each service has worship & praise, and a sermon worked up by our pastor done twice.
Various talented singers and musicians perform during services. No half-hearted singing that I used to cringe through in the WTS.
Sunday school teaches directly out of the Bible and on a book by book with commentaries and guides. We are free to use any other commentaries, any Bible and the teachers do their own research. (I teach adult classes and administrate as adult director.)
Sunday evening we have discipleship training in courses designed to improve our charity and service to others.
We also have a university level Bible word study course using Strong's concordance and Vine's hebrew/aramic/greek dictionary. About one third of the church members are taking these courses.
Sunday evening winds up with the Bible study/youth group, which are usually attended by about half the congo.
Wednesday night is the youth group and a Bible study for the parents bringing kids. We have sleepovers and activities for the various age groups. Church socials.
So why am I telling you this? I can do five hours of this stuff a week, standing on my head. It is interesting and it is challenging. When people learn what the Bible says and how to spot false interpreting they don't fall for cults. Christian freedom exists, no G.B. sending us outlines or word for word talks. A Southern Baptist church can range in size from a dozen to 25,000 (I think this is the largest membership, Jacksonville, Atlanta, Memphis; pastored by Jerry Vines, Charles Stanley and Adrian Rogers respectively).
Fred Luter (of New Orleans) is probably going to be our next President of the convention, he's a african-american brother.
Our congo can leave the convention at any time with a majority vote. We can fire a pastor with a majority vote. We don't sit on our hands expecting him to do all of the evangelism, that'w why training disciples is so important.
Real Christianity. Matthew 28.18-20 tells the tale and why it's done........
Rex
AGuest

Dearest Rex... may you have peace... and may I ask a question, please? Without 'blasting' you. Thank you.
You said:
"... this is simply information on actually teaching the Bible to Christians and others."
My question is (actually 'are'):
If a 'christian' is one who has been anointed and chosen by means of holy spirit (that is, after all, what the word 'christian' means, yes?), and holy spirit is to teach us ('christians') ALL things... why would we ('christians') need to have the Bible taught to us or teach the Bible to other 'christians' at all?
I mean, okay, I can see perhaps teaching it to 'others' (well, not really; I mean, I can see using it to build their faith and lead them to Christ, but once they've come to know HIM and received holy spirit... well...), but in light of my Lord's words at John 5:39, 40, I can't seem to 'get the sense' of what you are saying.
Can you help me out, please? Thank you.
A slave of Christ,
SJ
Thomas Poole

Aguest, you asked,

Why would Christians need to have the Bible taught to us or teach the Bible to other Christians? Then you answered a bit yourself: I can see using it to build their faith and lead them to Christ
Further, you chose to consider John 5:39, 40, as follows (Moffatt translation) as a point of inquiry, as follows:
"You search the scriptures, imagining you possess eternal life in their pages--and they do testify to me--but you refuse to come to for life."
The Holy Spirit might enable you to understand the point here, with God's grace, to open up your mind, to get the sense of it. So the H.S. that you have is a helper to you. It leads as you seek. You seek, pray, study, ask. Then it, as a counselor, will guide you in all things (that is the will of the Father for you.)
Do you suppose II Timothy 3:5 would answer it a bit?
"for though they keep up a form of religion, they will have nothing to do with it as a force."
I see this as people going to church, but they have not come to Christ as a real force in their lives. They would not have an experience of the H.S. impelling them to love Christ and the Word of God with great joy.
Perhaps a lot of the blasters here are in that position.
This is just a bit of a response. Actually it would be nice if we could share time in conversation over Tea and biscuits.
Love to you, In Christ Brother Thomas
Julie

Hi Rex my darling--
I was wondering, when you guys teach the children about the bible do you go into the gruesome stories or do you basically stick to the happy stories? How old does a child have to be to be kept in line with fear? Is it a never-to-young-to-start sort of mindset or more of a let's-not-damage-their-tender-minds-yet view?
I know the story of Joshua and his people slaughtering others was way too much for my own daughter at about age 8 so that's why I ask.
With love and devotion--
Julie
dubla

yippee!
aa
Rex B13

>why would we ('christians') need to have the Bible taught to us or teach the Bible to other 'christians' at all?
In answer, why do you advocate against 'gathering together' for a common cause? Are all Christians at the same level of understanding? Why indeed would the Holy Spirit NOT use more mature Christians to disciple new Christians?
Shelby, not everyone has the direct conduit to God that you claim to have.
Rex
Rex B13

Good cheerleading, Jdubla. I am beginning to see the extent that you follow the pack and forget to think for yourself.
Hi Julie,
I am thrilled just to have the attention of such a confident and self-assured woman!
Bible stories are read to toddlers at the level their own minds are able to fathom. By the time a child reaches kindergarten age they know as much about scripture as many adults. We don't have any books that are as graphic as the old 'Paradise' book, if that is what you are asking. Detailed analysis of various passages would be useless until they are able to understand context.
>How old does a child have to be to be kept in line with fear? Is it a never-to-young-to-start sort of mindset or more of a let's-not-damage-their-tender-minds-yet view?
I know the story of Joshua and his people slaughtering others was way too much for my own daughter at about age 8 so that's why I ask.
As a New Testament church, we emphasize salvation and the work done on the cross by Christ. The whole key is to teach at the level of understanding. Some children are ready for this type of study, some are not. Naturally, we would not want to instil fear in children, in anyone really. Even 'fearing God' is in relation to 'respect' for the creator and His own awesome abilities. Those who are drawn to the Father are not drawn out of self-preservation, they are drawn out of love for Christ in his grace toward us.
BTW, those who died as the result of judgement by God were warned repeatedly and their deaths, (as well as the innocents deaths) are of their own responsibility for disobedience to God.
Fleeing to God in times of trouble is our shelter. Knowing that God is in ultimate control of all events (sovereignty) reassures us that all will work toward the good in the end.
Could you yourself understand this at 8, 12, 18 or even 38?
Let me go off on a tangent:
I came across a new approach to prophetic events as taught by David Chilton. Some of his message is part dominion theology: this teaches that the church will gradually convert the whole world without violence and that Jesus return will be the end result of this conversion. It may take thousands of years yet the results will be that God Himself will save humanity rather than have to destroy the majority who have sided with evil. According to Chilton, Revelation is a book that was really fullfilled during the Roman times. Either way, armageddon is not for the purpose of killing off 'those who do not believe as we do'. It's likened to a policeman gunning down thugs who are threatening innocents, and really, is that so bad? Imagine a whole world threatened by the likes of Hitler and his cronies; would you blame God for blasting them?
Context, context, context. ;-)
Rex
Julie

Hello my beloved--
In answer to your inquiry as to which children's book I refer to it wasn't a WT book, I never showed my kids any of that smut.
As to the rest of your reply, you just know how to make me swoon, don't you? You drive me mad with desire, I must confess.
Love-
Julie
AGuest

Dearest Rex... peace to you... and I'm sorry but:
... why do you advocate against 'gathering together' for a common cause?
Er? Me, "advocate against 'gathering together' for a common cause"? Am I not a poster on jw.com? Do we not 'gather' here... for a 'common cause'? How in the world did you get that out of my question as to why a 'christian' (i.e., someone supposedly anointed with holy spirit that is SUPPOSE to 'teach [us] all things', would need to be 'taught'... the Bible? I truly don't understand. Truly.
Are all Christians at the same level of understanding?
Most assuredly not. In fact, not all walk in the same level of 'freedom'. However, as a 'christian', am I not under obligation to LOVE my brother? And would directing him BACK to the Law written on stone tablets and reliance on the law written in delible ink, thus RE-enslaving him... rather than leading him to LIFE (John 14:6) and directing him to rely instead on the law written on his HEART, which law, holy spirit UNLOCKS, thus setting him FREE... be a true demonstration of that love?
Why indeed would the Holy Spirit NOT use more mature Christians to disciple new Christians?
The holy spirit would INDEED use such. But I did not know we were speaking of using 'mature' christians, as much as we were speaking of such 'mature' christians directing 'new' christians BACK to the law written on stone tablets, rather than to my Lord's and HIS voice... which is what we're SUPPOSED to listen to... and 'teach' others to listen to. Yes?
Shelby, not everyone has the direct conduit to God that you claim to have.
Uh, that's not entirely true. EVERYONE has the CAPABILITY to approach God by means of the SAME 'conduit' as I: His Son and Christ, my Lord, JAHESHUA MISCHAJAH. Not everyone chooses to USE that 'conduit', however, because not everyone KNOWS of it... or has been TAUGHT about it. And that is my point: rather than teaching the BIBLE as such 'conduit', are we not to teach my LORD as 'the Way' to approach God? Did he not say that NO ONE comes to God 'except through [him]'? Did he not say that if you knew HIM... you would know God and that if you saw HIM... you have seen God? Where, then, is the need for the Bible?
That's all I'm asking...
Again, I bid you peace.
YOUR servant and a slave of Christ,
SJ
Rex B13

Shelby,
So, this is what you are driving at!
>Where, then, is the need for the Bible?
That's all I'm asking...
There is NEED for the Bible when evaluating the assertions of various anointed, self appointed prophet-crack-pots who claim some 'new revelation'. Does that sound like anyone you know, sweets?
If your contentions don't line up with the valid exgesis of scripture then you are either a false prophet and/or a loonie.
BTW, 'you' 'use' 'the' ' ' 'too' 'much' 'and' 'it's' 'irritating'.
'Rex', someone who understands that 'prophet' means 'teacher'.

Teaching the Bible

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