Just want to point out a nice little blog by Erik Kowalker:
http://kowalkerjourney.com/
This is what a blog looks like when the author actually cares.
Anyway, he has an interesting take on why people aren't bringing their Bible to Church.
"In visiting quite a bit of churches over the past several years, I can attest to what Oregonian journalist Nancy Haught observed. What ever happened to people bringing their Bibles to church?!?!I think their are two main reasons why people do not bring their Bible to church: The Bible verses for the sermon are either in the church bulletin or on the PowerPoint screen on the stage. My gut tells me that over the course of time, this practice of showing a verse here and there via somewhere else other than the context of the Bible book, just might hurt rather than help people in learning the Bible. So, next Sunday, keep your Bible home…you won’t need it."
My gut tells me that over the course of time, this practice of showing a verse here and there via somewhere else other than the context of the Bible book, just might hurt rather than help people in learning the Bible. So, next Sunday, keep your Bible home…you won’t need it.”
That is exactly why I stopped bringing mine a few years ago. I also got tired of being told to bring my bible, a pen, and paper so I could take notes. Trying to listen to a sermon, flip through my bible, take notes and “say it out loud to your neighbor”, stand up, sit down, shake hands with the person behind you, just added to my sense of being controlled.
L vs T – I’m with you. I visited a Calvary Chapel church once where the pastor told the congregation that because no one ever brought their Bible to church anymore, he was going to stop putting the scripture on screen.
wow, talk about control. seriously wtf – WHO do these pastors think they are?
You know the more I back away from church, the more I realize church is just filled with a bunch of inbreds who have NO clue about the outside world.
Jeremiah – let me chime in here – I did understand the context of this blog – that bringing your Bible to church is a good thing – my point and I think J vs T’s too is that why not let people decide for themselves? and not have the control freak behind the pulpit dictate what the congregation will do.
Of course it’s a great idea to search the scriptures instead of blindly listening to a sermon but it’s high time that pastors stop telling people what to do and point them to Jesus – Let the Holy Spirit guide us. Pastors need to have faith in God for their own congregations and trust that God is dealing with each individual as HE will – not the pastor’s will.
The funny thing about scriptures on Powerpoint is that it became popular for 3 primary reasons: helping people who don’t know the Bible follow the message, save time because people did not have to flip back and forth and so people could all read from the same version of the Bible. With these goals in mind, people are inadvertently encouraged not to bring their Bibles. When the logical results of the decision to put all of the scriptures on powerpoint happen pastors get upset.
Proof texting during the sermon is one of my favorite activities.
I dont see the pastor talking about not putting scriptures on the screen as arrogance or control. I see it as a good thing and the opposite. He wants people to know where the scriptures are for themselves. This is good for new believers. Many times new believers are taken “under someones wing” and not taught to search out scriptures for themselves.
As a new believer and when I was 16-17ish, I used to always ask people “What does the Bible say about…” One day, Jack Louman looks at me and says “What do you think your Bible says about it?” I was surprised and a bit ticked because I wanted a simple answer. He told me to go and search the scriptures and then tell him. That made me realize that I need to search for myself and not always depend on pastors. So I did and found the verses and got the answers. He could have just told me his perspective and the relevant biblical principles but he told me to pray and search the Bible for myself.
How many people can repeat the pastor’s phrases and common Christian cliches but cannot point out the scriptures or explain the scriptures to another in their own words? Or how many people can repeat hillsong lyrics and popular cliches but not sure if its in the Bible or where it is located. Why? Would you rather have people take the pastors word literally and equivalent to scripture. There are people like that.
Where I go to church, they barely use powerpoints. For those who dont have Bibles with them, they hand out Bibles if you request them. I think its a good thing.
Awesome. Great quote. I will probably use this in an upcoming post.
And I would agree that 99% of the churches out there fit this description. There are some good ones hiding in the woods though. You just got to look really hard and be willing to take the time to church hop to find them. I recommend finding one that does not have the typical pastor as king type structure. This is how abuse happens. Churches with team leadership are often more balanced. And find a church with elders who aren’t paid by the church or who have real jobs outside the church. This often helps to bring in a variety of outside opinions and avoids the whole inbred, clueless thing. Either way finding a decent church is a chore, but if you’re up for the hunt you will eventually find your match.
Damn, your right Cat, this guy must really put in the time.
Nina said: As a new believer and when I was 16-17ish, I used to always ask people “What does the Bible say about…†One day, Jack Louman looks at me and says “What do you think your Bible says about it?†I was surprised and a bit ticked because I wanted a simple answer. He told me to go and search the scriptures and then tell him. That made me realize that I need to search for myself and not always depend on pastors. So I did and found the verses and got the answers. He could have just told me his perspective and the relevant biblical principles but he told me to pray and search the Bible for myself.
What Jack Louman said to you is what I would call “A word fitly spoken.” But just because it was something you needed to hear at that particular time does not mean it is some kind of hard and fast rule that applies to everyone that has questions about the bible.
Sometimes we do need to search out the scriptures for ourselves. Sometimes we need to have our questions answered. Sometimes I might want to just sit and listen to a sermon just for the sake of listening to a sermon. Sometimes I might want to jot down a few scripture references and look them up when I get home. Sometimes I might want to look something up at the time it is being said to help clarify something for me. Sometimes I might want to clean out my purse and plan my week because I’ve already heard that particular teaching or I’m not interested in what the pastor is saying at all.
Sometimes I might just want to spend a Sunday in church being treated like an intelligent adult that can think and make my own decisions about the information that is being presented to me. Being treated like some slacker that just wants to sit around and be spoon fed the bible every Sunday is insulting.
While attending college in Dallas, Texas I often drove across the city to listen to Chuck Swindoll, who at the time, was President of Dallas Theological Seminary. He made a statement to the seminarians one day that I’ve never forgot:
“There are many sermons that you can preach when you get behind a pulpit; there is the topical sermon, the expository (verse by verse) sermon, the biographical sermon, etc. However, stay away from the “longhorn sermon”: a point here, a point there, and a lot of bull in between.” – Chuck Swindoll
‘Powerpoint preaching’ which throws multiple verses on the screen without the benefit of the biblical context (6 verses up, 6 verses down) only causes the person in the pew to become more become biblically illiterate than we Evangelicals already are.
I think Bibles are unnecessary in the current “lecture” incarnation of church. It’s very different in churches that promote active discussion, ‘question and answer’ and corporate study rather than sermons – if you don’t have a Bible then it can be hard to follow.