3. Stop Telling Them They’re Stupid.
I once had a conversation with someone I respect greatly, Dr. Randy Millwood (Randy is one of the unknown geniuses in cell church and small group world. He was once a professor at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. More importantly he is very well studied in all aspects of group life and planted a successful cell church network.) We were discussing the preaching event. He said something that I have never forgotten. He said something like, “I no longer tell those I’m preaching to what a term means in the original language.” I was flabbergasted as oftentimes that enhances the teaching so much (and makes the preacher seem to be really intelligent). I asked him why he had made this choice. He reminded me that when those of us who teach God’s Word make it sound as though we are the only ones smart enough to know what the Bible is telling us some will conclude that there’s no reason for them to spend time reading it because they can’t understand it anyway.
I do believe those of us who teach need to be very careful. When it seems to the average person that they cannot learn what God is unveiling in the Bible unless they have a seminary education the average Joe may not spend time reading it for themselves. They just might consider it a waste of their time since they’re too stupid to understand it.
A few things to do so group members realize that they are capable of learning when reading…
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1. Senior pastors, please consider using less scholarly talk in the sermon time. The truth is this… It is not necessary to say, “the Hebrew means,” or “the Greek actually says,” in order to get more specific when describing what God is saying.
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2. Point out consistently that the Holy Spirit is the teacher and that the same Holy Spirit that is in her/his senior pastor is in them.
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3. Give them a list websites with free commentaries.