The pastor's study

One of the serious problems in too many churches is the lack of biblical knowledge that exists within the congregation. In a recently shared message in the church I currently serve I gave some illustrations of how serious this problem is. I recently read that 82 percent of Americans today believe that "God helps those who help themselves" is in the Bible. 12 percent believe that Joan of Arc was Noah's wife, and 50% of graduating seniors thought Sodom and Gomorrah were married.

We are a nation of biblical illiterates, and this applies to many in our congregations. Studies consistently find that the lack of biblical knowledge among Christians is appalling. We don't live according to biblical teaching because we don't know what the Bible teaches about important issues that impact our lives. Part of this is due to people not studying the Scriptures. Too many might take their Bibles to church, but after the service ends they toss it in the back seat so they'll know where it is next Sunday. They never open it between Sundays. However, I place much of the blame on those of us who stand behind the pulpits.

In too many churches the Scriptures have been watered down in hopes to attract more people. Pastors avoid the difficult texts so they don't offend people. They avoid controversial sections of the Bible to be politically correct and appear "woke." Some simply do not take the time to dig deep into the Scriptures to prepare for a sermon each week.  This is most often found in those churches that have changed the Pastor's Study into the Pastor's Office.

Words have meaning. An office is the place where administration occurs, plans are made, issues are addressed. Each of these are necessary in a church, and the pastor needs to be available to help with each of these. However, the study is where the real work of a church pastor should occur. It is in the study where the pastor prepares his or her message for the coming week. It is here where the deep study of Scripture occurs that is necessary for a message to contain a life-transforming message. It is in the study where the pastor prays and seeks God's guidance both for the message and for the administration that is needed in a church. It is in the study where the pastor must be able to escape the demands for his or her attention in order to focus on studying the Scriptures.

The study should be a place where the pastor has access to the commentaries and other Bible study aids either on the bookshelves or in the computer. It is in the study where he or she will wrestle with the Scriptures to attempt to understand what God is saying and wants to say to this congregation. When the pastor leaves the study he or she should do so with a word from God for the congregation.

Pastors, we don't need mancaves and we don't need offices. We need to return to the study if we want to give our members the meat of God's word. Don't complain about the lack of biblical knowledge of your congregation if you are not doing the hard work of preparing biblically sound messages each week. If we will focus on doing that I'm convinced we will see growth in our churches and in the people who make up our congregations.