BUILDING A BIBLICALLY LITERATE CHURCH

Jesus has stated categorically that he is coming for a glorious church. Eph.5:27. He doesnt want any rift-raft church, ut the one that is glorious in all ramifications. !nd one of the sure mar"s of a glorious church is grounded in the word of truth and sound doctrine. #he people that is called church, ride of $hrist and saints of %od must e those that are growing in the word and "nowledge of the &ord. #hey must e deeply saturated with the word of %od. #hey must e i lically literate. '!s new orn a es, desire the sincere mil" of the word, that ye may grow there y( ) * +et.2:2. The Berean church example *t is ,itally important that the people of %od e scripturally literate. -ental, financial and physical literacy are nothing, compared to i lical literacy. '#hy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light unto my path(. #he rethren in .erean were classic e/ample of i lical literacy. !cts 07:00-02 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few #hey ha,e more spiritual no ility than others simply ecause they not only recei,e the word of %od, they also search and study it consistently. #heir faith ecame strong and they were a lessing to others. #he church grew and many more people were added unto the &ord. *t is always the growth of the word that will result in the growth of the church. *t is when the word of %od grows in people that it can truly e said that the church is growing. '!nd the word of %od increased: and the num er of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly1( !cts 2:73 '4o mightily grew the word of %od and pre,ailed( 5!cts 06:278. Biblical Illiteracy !s * ha,e noted in the other article, *m alarmed that church leaders are uilding i lically illiterate churches today. #he word of %od is no longer of prime importance in many socalled churches we ha,e used dancing, singing, ceremonies, ,ideos and meetings to shut out the true and alanced word of %od from the church. 9e only use the i le to spice some of our moti,ational and success tal"s. #he indepth study, reading, searching and teaching of the undiluted word of %od has een relegated to the ac"ground. 4o many churches of today ha,e no tenets of faith. :ou dont "now their doctrinal stand in the word. #he preaching are shallow and they dwell much on success, health, usiness, finance and tra,ellings. 4o sad that many professing $hristians are i lically ignorant of %ods mind concerning marriage, wor", relationships, go,ernment and personal responsi ilities. #he more reason there are more ;church goers than true and godly $hristians today. Purpose of God
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#he &ord want a church that is i lically literate-grounded and rooted in the things of %od. '!s ye ha,e therefore recei,ed $hrist Jesus the &ord, so wal" ye in him. <ooted and uilt up in him, and sta ili=ed in the faith, as ye ha,e een taught, a ounding therein with than"sgi,ing( 5$ol.2:2-78. How else can people e rooted and uilt up in $hrist without eing properly taught in the word of %od> #he goal of %od for His people is that they are truly discipled and soldiers of the cross where,er they go. !nd that can only e reali=ed if they are deeply taught in the things of %od. *f you want to uild a church that will e pleasing to the &ord, then uild your people to e i lically literate a out sin, godly li,ing, marriage, family, prayer, gi,ing, money, wor" and free from their lood 'wherefore * ta"e you to record today that * am pure from the lood of all men( ?or * ha,e not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of %od( 5!cts 27:22-278. :ou cannot e free from the lood of your people if you fail to preach, teach and declare unto them all the counsel of %od. @ot Aust some part of it, ut all the cousel of %od. !llow me to enumerate steps that will help you to do thatB ) 0. You must be biblically literate yourself :ou can only gi,e what you ha,e. *f your i le "nowledge as a leader is shallow, then your people will suffer it. *f you ha,e to go to i le school, leadership school to learn the i le afresh, please do. 9hat you ha,e gained out of your personal study is what you will gi,e to your people. :ou must study, research and continue to grow in your i lical "nowledge. 2. Systematic Teaching Cont only preach, ut teach the word in a systematic and alanced way. 4tart from the "now to the un"nown. #each on life-situational and rele,ant issues. #each on topics, i le oo"s and issues that pertain to life and godliness. Co serial teaching and dont e afraid to repeat what you ha,e taught efore. &et them also see that you are li,ing what you are teaching. #hat will e a powerful tool to ma"e them o ey your teachings. D. Anointed Word #he teachings and preachings must not e li,eless, powerless and mere words. <ather they must e spirit-filled and anointed. #hey must not e ordinary letters of the word ut 4pirit and power par"ed. !nd that can only e so when the word has een saturated with prayers ) efore, during and after the teachings. *t is prayer ) intensi,e prayers that will ring the power of %od into the word. !nd the word can truly function as the sword of the 4pirit to touch, pierce the heart of the people until they ha,e no choice than to o ey the word of %od and li,e transformed li,es. E. Church as training centre &et your church e a training centre, not only a cele ration centre. &et it e a place that people are trained, taught, discipled and resourced as true $hristians and soldiers of the cross. :es, cele ration, winning and dining are not ad, yet people must e trained to fight
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the attles of life that will ine,ita ly come their ways. !nd you can only do that y ha,ing functional 4unday school classes, new con,erts classes, wor"ers and leaders classes. &et no ody ecome anything or do anything in the church without first eing taught. 5. Pro ide !esources :ou can only uild a i lically and spiritually literate church when you pro,ide resources for people. :ou must resource people with i les, study outlines, oo"s, materials and oo"lets. #apes of your sermons are not enough. :ou must gi,e out sermon outlines of your i le study, 4unday school, wor"ers seminars and speciali=ed teachings. +eople should ha,e them and they can study them at their own leisure. @ot gi,ing study and sermon outlines to people is one way of lea,ing them spiritually malnourished. @ot many people will listen to a tape ut the study outlines will stay with them. * still ha,e the study outlines * recei,ed when * was a new $hristian in our church then and those teachings are still with me till today. .ut the tapes ha,e got spoilt. 2. "ncourage !eading and Study ?rom the pulpit, encourage your people to read the i le regularly and do personal study of it. Encourage them to read other $hristian oo"s and study materials. <efuse to uild an illiterate church. 9or" on them in a systematic way. +ro,ide daily i le reading plan. *nstitute i le Fui=, 4unday school competition and whate,er will ma"e them to e a true lo,er of %ods word. *n summary, it is only when people read, o ey and li,e y His word that they can ha,e true peace with Him, with themsel,es and with others. '%reat peace ha,e they which lo,e thy law3 and nothing shall offend them( +salm 006:025. 4tart to uild a i lically literate church today. *t is then you can ha,e real peace in ministry and with your people.