Cantankerous

[JM]

I’ve been attending new to me congregation for a bit now and found their Bible study evenings to be pretty weak. The source material is touchy feely stuff, not really heretical, but just very weak in terms of how it deals with scripture. I’m new to the congregation so I don’t want to rock the boat. I don’t see any doctrinal issues with the material itself but I do see how one can misunderstand it. If someone raises their hand and makes a silly, unbiblical comment, I’ve been able to add my 2 cents and get things back to scripture.

At what point do I complain about the source material that is causing the silly, unbiblical comments?

Yours in the Lord,

jm

 

[St_Worm2]

If someone raises their hand and makes a silly, unbiblical comment, I’ve been able to add my 2 cents and get things back to scripture.

At what point do I complain about the source material that is causing the silly, unbiblical comments?

Hi JM, your input should be welcomed as a brother in Christ, whether or not you are a new member (though I realize that's not how it often works). Maybe you should give it a little more time anyway, since the Lord appears to be giving you the opportunity to make a difference w/o saying a thing about the study material you all are using right now

Happy Thanksgiving!

--David

 

[TheOldWays]

You could try and offer to help with the Bible study? Might be a way to lead it in a way you think is more profitable. I'd frame it more as a suggestion then a complaint.

 

[Greg Merrill]

Nehemiah 8:8 comes to mind. You might tell them you have an honest question about how that verse relates to how this could be one of the ways the Bible should be taught today.

 

[Llleopard]

After about six months of having the Message and Passion used for home groups and the pulpit and recommended by our pastor, we met with our elders and talked frankly about the touchy feely etc stuff. They totally did not, and still don't understand the issue that it leads away from biblical truth, and continue to use it. We had made occasional comments before that too. We have no wish to cause division, so all we do now is, when we preach, we slip in a reference to something like running the race and knowing where the finish line is, so it's important to use the bible as your guide. Or Similar. We continue to mention it sometimes to the elders, but they still don't get it. We have looked for other fellowship, but they are all pretty much the same! Give it a go very gently maybe.

 

[Danielwright2311]

I’ve been attending new to me congregation for a bit now and found their Bible study evenings to be pretty weak. The source material is touchy feely stuff, not really heretical, but just very weak in terms of how it deals with scripture. I’m new to the congregation so I don’t want to rock the boat. I don’t see any doctrinal issues with the material itself but I do see how one can misunderstand it. If someone raises their hand and makes a silly, unbiblical comment, I’ve been able to add my 2 cents and get things back to scripture.

At what point do I complain about the source material that is causing the silly, unbiblical comments?

Yours in the Lord,

jm

What good is a lamp if it is hidden under the table? you can't see the light, its hidden, Don't waste your match on the lamp.

If you are not going to preach the true words of Jesus then why go to the service? or bible study, it is a study, right? to study the word of God. You know what I do in cases like this?

I pretend Jesus is sitting right next to me waiting for me to say something as if he was looking at me for the answers.

I don't want to disappoint Jesus, Then you know what? the strangest thing happens, The spirit of God takes over my speech and every word that is spoken is accepted and listened to and everyone starts in on the discussion.

 

[SkyWriting]

I’ve been attending new to me congregation for a bit now and found their Bible study evenings to be pretty weak. The source material is touchy feely stuff, not really heretical, but just very weak in terms of how it deals with scripture. I’m new to the congregation so I don’t want to rock the boat. I don’t see any doctrinal issues with the material itself but I do see how one can misunderstand it. If someone raises their hand and makes a silly, unbiblical comment, I’ve been able to add my 2 cents and get things back to scripture.

At what point do I complain about the source material that is causing the silly, unbiblical comments?

Yours in the Lord,

jm

Then don't rock the boat. Making friends will get you much further.

 

[Tolworth John]

At what point do I complain about the source material that is causing the silly, unbiblical comments?

As you are new to the church use the freshness of it to apraise it and feed that back to the pastor.
Do try to be as constructive as possible.

As others have comented it is unlikely to change so try to reveal some chunk of 'meat' at each bible study and a practical application to our lives today.

 

[JM]

Thanks folks the input. I will continue to assist in clarifying the scriptures for my brothers and sisters in Christ from my place in the pew. I get a sense that a couple of the people attending are in conflict and competition with each other - I just don't want to add to that. It's interesting to note that when I talked about the word of God being the final authority, not our feelings or inner locutions of the Spirit, the Pastor essentially quoted me in his sermon the following Lord's Day. I'll continue to make myself available to Pastor and congregants but I do not want to be cantankerous.

Yours in the Lord,

jm

 

[JM]

UPDATE:

I spoke with a brother from the church about the Bible study, just in passing and he noted my concerns. The leadership had another look at the material and decided to ditch it.

Yours in the Lord,

jm

 

[TheOldWays]

UPDATE:

I spoke with a brother from the church about the Bible study, just in passing and he noted my concerns. The leadership had another look at the material and decided to ditch it.

Yours in the Lord,

jm

Excellent. That's usually how stuff works out. If you don't put excessive force in trying to correct a situation, external forces working in your favor will do it for you. In your case, God/Holy Spirit, etc. Nicely handled!

 

[twin1954]

Thanks folks the input. I will continue to assist in clarifying the scriptures for my brothers and sisters in Christ from my place in the pew. I get a sense that a couple of the people attending are in conflict and competition with each other - I just don't want to add to that. It's interesting to note that when I talked about the word of God being the final authority, not our feelings or inner locutions of the Spirit, the Pastor essentially quoted me in his sermon the following Lord's Day. I'll continue to make myself available to Pastor and congregants but I do not want to be cantankerous.

Yours in the Lord,

jm

Sadly having a touchy feely view of Scripture reflects what has been coming from the pulpit over time. Try to make friends with the pastor and seek to expose him to true biblical preachers.

 

[JM]

Surprisingly, or not surprisingly, things are starting to look up.