Timothy was a young pastor left by Paul in Ephesus to lead the church there. As such, Paul writes this first letter to him instructing him how the church should behave (1 Timothy 3:14-15). One of the things that he insists as a necessity and central to the life of the church, as captured by today’s text, is the ministry of God’s Word. The church is meant to continue in the public reading of Scripture, the teaching of Scripture, and exhortation through the Scriptures. For a church to thrive, the Word of God must be held as being authoritative in all matters pertaining to faith and life. The Bible, and it alone, must be the primary source of our teaching. Not personal experience or revelation, not practical advice, not emerging trends… the Bible alone.

Unfortunately, this is not the reality of many churches. The Scriptures have been relegated to the back, and other things have taken centre stage. As a result, the people wither off spiritually because they are deprived of the life-giving spring. Even worse, people are attracted to the kind of churches where what is taught is what appeases them. No wonder Paul, later in his second letter, exhorts Timothy to preach the Word. The reason for this was because:

Both the pastor and the people are responsible for what is taught. The pastor must labour to teach the Word even when what the Word says is unpalatable. On the other hand, the people must place a high premium on the Word and submit to it even when what is taught is sometimes unpleasant to hear. It is deviations from the Word that lead us into all manner of error and destruction, and we do well to humbly submit to it. Next time you consider a church to join, check first their teaching. Is it from the Bible, and accurately so?

1. How is your appetite for God’s Word?

2. Is the Bible central in all matters of faith and practice in your life and church? If not, what do you need to do?