Preaching the Word of God and A Bible Timeline Chart

Preaching the Word of God and A Bible Timeline Chart
A very active retired pastor of 40 years gave me quite a caning with this Scripture 1 Tim 1.4 "nor to be taken up with with myths and never ending genealogies.. ". After I had been preaching about the death burial and resurrection of Jesus had simply made some interesting observations.

by Neil J Baulch

A very active retired pastor of 40 years gave me quite a caning with this Scripture 1 Tim 1.4 “nor to be taken up with with myths and never ending genealogies.. “. After I had been preaching about the death burial and resurrection of Jesus had simply made some interesting observations.

He listened, as I asked them if I had said anything that was of heresy, and he said. “No”. He just would not accept it when I suggested that this Scripture was referring to the false teachings of Gnosticism and was in no way speaking of honest enquiry into Scripture.

This was a pastor who had laboured in the gospel of 40 years and yet he did not understand about Gnosticism and the problems that Paul spoke of in this passage. A congregation is not going to have much hope of understanding these things if the Pastor does not.

Tragically, a large proportion of pastors preach light weight messages, are so very shallow so that the congregation hardly grow in the Bible and interpretation skills. Pastors love to preach ‘moral essays’ and ‘warming affirmations’ because, if we truly ‘love’, others, this is what we will do.

It seems that the most important thing is, that we are very positive and ‘nice’ to everybody. It’s just too bad, if God’s people are falling through the cracks ‘for a lack of knowledge’ (oracle).

Let’s face it, the more ‘relevant’ we become, to the world, the less relevant we Christians are in point of fact, to the world. :o(

Our staple diet from pastors seems to be favorite topics and ‘feel good’ messages. Ministers preach on a verse from 1 Peter as well as a passage about a hero from 1 Kings; topical sermon from Hosea and then the belief in God of Aaron or the humanity of King David.

Bits from here and there, but we don’t put it all together, in a clear understandable, easy to remember perspective with a good Bible TimeLine including Church History.

These days a flood of new ideas and publications come under various names that have a liberal bent. If we were to be taught the basics of Church history, we then would not be so doomed to repeat it.

Our role as teachers of the flock is to take the fragments of God’s Word and plan certain together in a beautiful tapestry that the Church can draw on, helping them to understand God, the Bible and the Church.

This is not some gruelling, unachievable task, all it needs is study with prayer.

John 17:17 Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. (NAB)

About the Author:

Need a simple although comprehensive Bible events timeline? Check out our webpage and discover a great teaching chart and personal Bible study home resource.