I don’t know when it started, but somewhere along the way, some well-intentioned pastors and church leaders embraced an idea that became detrimental to the very people they were trying to help in the church. It is the idea of pastors and church leaders dumbing down Biblical teachings to new believers because they feel or think the new believers are not mature enough for in-depth Bible study and doctrinal teachings. Instead, recommend watered-down Christian literature to new believers to “help them”.
The result has been devastating to the church to say the least. It has resulted in professing Christians who are unable to articulate what they believe and why. Most do not know what the gospel message entails or how to articulate it to others. They are ill-equipped to defend the gospel against secularism or any other false religion for that matter.
Dumbing down Biblical teaching has also led to a failure to teach new believers essential Christian doctrines. Some pastors even encourage their members to stay away from doctrine because, they say, “doctrine divides”. That is not necessarily a bad thing, doctrine is meant to divide and separate what is true from what is false.
Failure to teach new believers essential Christian doctrines has led to professing Christians who have very little or no Biblical understanding of the doctrines of God, man, sin, salvation, etc. They do not understand how the Old Testament relates to the New Testament (most have never even read the Old Testament) and most have no idea what true Biblical worship is, they have never been taught. Many fail to understand that Biblical worship is not about them “feeling the spirit”, but about giving homage and adoration to God through the reading of the Word, the preaching of the Word, prayer, and the singing of Biblical sound hymns/songs. Ask most professing Christians today what Biblical worship is and most will probably define it as some type of emotional music.
I believe it is wrong for any pastor and church leader to conclude that most new believers are unable to handle the teaching of Biblical doctrines straight out of the Bible. To think this way is to have a low view of the word of God and of the Holy Spirit who inspired the Bible. When you consider that most of the New Testament letters which were full of deep theology were written to new believers under the direction of the Holy Spirit.
The apostle Paul never shied away from teaching new converts the deep things of the Word. He told the young Ephesian Church:
for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. – Acts 20:27
He taught them all they needed to know about the gospel and how to live it out. The Book of Ephesians is a very doctrinal book, the Holy Spirit led the apostle Paul to write it and most of the other New Testament books to new converts! If the Lord sees fit to give His whole counsel to the new believers, why would anyone think they are not ready?
I believe it is wrong for any pastor or church leader to conclude that most new believers are unable to handle the teaching of Biblical doctrines straight out of the Bible. To think this way is to have a low view of the word of God and of the Holy Spirit who inspired the Bible. When you consider that most of the New Testament letters which were full of deep theology were written to new believers under the direction of the Holy Spirit. We undermine the power of the Holy Spirit to make the Word of God clear and understandable to the people of God when we take this view.
Most new converts are usually full zeal for the Lord. The best way pastors and church leaders can help them grow in their faith is not by dumbing down Biblical teaching, but by building on their zeal and creating a hunger and thirst for the things of God by giving them the whole counsel of God, while trusting the holy Spirit to enlighten their hearts and minds.
Let me know what you think.
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