Last night I was sitting in at the Bible study for teenage guys that we started up a few weeks ago when I found something in the study material that reminded me of how irresponsible I used to be with the Bible. The person who wrote the study did something just like I would have done a few years ago. The argument went something like this:
-Ephesians 4:25 says "Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor..." (NIV)
-The Greek word for "falsehood" literally refers to the masks used in Greek theater.
-Therefore Paul is telling us to take off our masks.
-Therefore Paul's point is that we need to "be real" with each other.
As great as this may sound, it is a gross misuse of Scripture. First of all, whatever connection between theater masks and the Greek word pseudos there may ever have been is just not there in the New Testament. The meaning of a word is determined by its contextual usage, not by the history of how anyone has ever used it. If it meant "theater mask", then the Bible translators would have put that in the English--they weren't trying to hide anything. The person who wrote this study doesn't know Greek, or at least doesn't know how to use it responsibly. Secondly, it doesn't take very long to look at the whole chapter leading up to this verse and see why Paul started the verse with a "therefore". He was telling the Ephesian church what to do about divisions that had partly been caused by the spread of false teachings, particularly false teachings about sin. The person who wrote our study really wanted verse 25 to be about "being real", but it's not. It's about putting an end to lies that had spread about what true Christian beliefs and a godly lifestyle ought to look like and replacing them with loving conversations about the truth.
I'm not just ranting (although I am ranting a little). I really do have a useful point to make from all this. Here it is: all Christians must study the Bible responsibly, especially those who teach it. It's very easy to get away with teaching it irresponsibly, especially to children and youth. But someday every Sunday School teacher, small group leader, and preacher will have to give an account before God for what they taught.
To make this post helpful, here are a few tips for studying and teaching the Bible that I could have used back when I pulled stunts like the one I just told about:
1. The Bible should always be your primary source when you study and when you teach. Never focus your personal devotional time, your preparation, or the lessons you teach on any other book. If you do focus on a different book (such as The Purpose-Driven Life, etc.), call it a "book study" and not a "Bible study".
2. Responsible Bible studying means spending time studying the Bible. You can't prepare a faithful lesson in 20 minutes.
3. For any passage you teach, always try to figure out why the biblical author put it there and what he meant by it. That means you have to read the whole book, not just a few verses.
4. After you've decided what the biblical author meant, make your main point the same as his main point. I guarantee that whatever you want to say isn't as good as what he wants to say.
5. If you don't understand something the Bible says, look to the Bible itself for answers before you turn to other sources. 90% of the time you'll find the answer by reading the rest of the chapter or the book. 9% of the time you'll find the answer in other parts of the Bible. 1% of the time you'll have to look to notes in your study Bible or some other books to find the answer.
6. After you've studied your Bible for the answers, look at some commentaries. The best online resource for this point is Calvin's commentaries (which very rarely say anything about "Calvinism", so don't worry if you're not into that). Crosswalk.com has some good stuff, too. Think through the issues the commentaries bring up and adjust your lesson accordingly.
7. If you don't know Greek and Hebrew, trust your English Bible. English translations are by far the best resources we have for telling us what the Bible says in the original languages. Read several translations to get a good sense of the meaning.
8. If you don't know Greek and Hebrew, don't try to used them. The worst Christian book I ever bought was the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible. Here's why:
-Grammar is more important to meaning than vocabulary, and I didn't know Greek or Hebrew grammar.
-I only tried to use Greek and Hebrew when I wanted my Bible to say something different than what it said.
-I searched through every possible meaning of a word and picked out whichever one I liked best.
-I used it to make myself sound smart by mentioning Greek and Hebrew in Bible studies. People who actually know the languages usually don't do that.
9. If you don't know Greek and Hebrew, it's possible to learn them on your own if you're willing to work hard. Some preachers try to make it sound like you have to be a genius to learn them, but that's just their egos talking. All you really have to be able to do is memorize charts, rules, and vocabulary. If you're interested, leave me a comment and I'll point you to some resources.
To sum up, the goal of studying the Bible for God to change our hearts and minds. Let His words work on you instead of you working on them.
Friday, April 21, 2006
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Youth ministry at its finest
Thanks to Josh Spilker for sending me a link to the following article from the Augusta Chronicle. Enjoy...
'RocHouse' host hopes work sets good example for youths
By Virginia Norton | Staff Writer
Friday, March 24, 2006
Jeremy Williamson's ministry to youths has taken a twist.
After seven years as a youth pastor and several seasons on the syndicated Christian youth cable show RocHouse Cafe, he has a new platform: modeling.
When people hear he's into modeling, they say he's going the way of the world, he said.
"(But) the entertainment industry has to be reached," he said. "We need people inside there."
He has to watch what he eats and work out more in the gym. With years in the ministry, though, and his own graphics design firm, Jmiah Design, "I am no kid."
"It is all for a purpose," said Mr. Williamson, 29. "God is not into vanity."
A graphics design friend recommended him as a clothing model to her client last fall.
"It was really wild," he said.
He sent the client his measurements and pictures from his portfolio, and was hired.
During a photo shoot, Mr. Williamson models several brands of clothing. The crew takes him to locations such as California beaches.
"Some are really cool, surfy," he said.
Though his work has not yet been published, the client is sending his pictures for movie casting.
"It is all coming together," Mr. Williamson said.
The work he did in television for RocHouse has given him a portfolio.
He says being a model has elevated him in the eyes of young people; they seem glued to everything he says.
"Young people look at the entertainers as the role models. It is a scary thing," he said. "We have to have people who are positive role models and who will not get caught up in the hype."
His modeling also ties into his wife 's interest in cosmetology. Nikki Williamson, also a co-host on RocHouse, is his partner in ELECT Ministries, a parachurch youth ministry. Together they can teach young people how to look their best but keep it balanced so they do not become insecure, Mr. Williamson said.
"Young people can still keep their fashion sense and be godly at the same time," he said.
Reach Virginia Norton at (706) 823-3336 or virginia.norton@augustachronicle.com.
From the Saturday, March 25, 2006 printed edition of the Augusta Chronicle
'RocHouse' host hopes work sets good example for youths
By Virginia Norton | Staff Writer
Friday, March 24, 2006
Jeremy Williamson's ministry to youths has taken a twist.
After seven years as a youth pastor and several seasons on the syndicated Christian youth cable show RocHouse Cafe, he has a new platform: modeling.
When people hear he's into modeling, they say he's going the way of the world, he said.
"(But) the entertainment industry has to be reached," he said. "We need people inside there."
He has to watch what he eats and work out more in the gym. With years in the ministry, though, and his own graphics design firm, Jmiah Design, "I am no kid."
"It is all for a purpose," said Mr. Williamson, 29. "God is not into vanity."
A graphics design friend recommended him as a clothing model to her client last fall.
"It was really wild," he said.
He sent the client his measurements and pictures from his portfolio, and was hired.
During a photo shoot, Mr. Williamson models several brands of clothing. The crew takes him to locations such as California beaches.
"Some are really cool, surfy," he said.
Though his work has not yet been published, the client is sending his pictures for movie casting.
"It is all coming together," Mr. Williamson said.
The work he did in television for RocHouse has given him a portfolio.
He says being a model has elevated him in the eyes of young people; they seem glued to everything he says.
"Young people look at the entertainers as the role models. It is a scary thing," he said. "We have to have people who are positive role models and who will not get caught up in the hype."
His modeling also ties into his wife 's interest in cosmetology. Nikki Williamson, also a co-host on RocHouse, is his partner in ELECT Ministries, a parachurch youth ministry. Together they can teach young people how to look their best but keep it balanced so they do not become insecure, Mr. Williamson said.
"Young people can still keep their fashion sense and be godly at the same time," he said.
Reach Virginia Norton at (706) 823-3336 or virginia.norton@augustachronicle.com.
From the Saturday, March 25, 2006 printed edition of the Augusta Chronicle
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