At the center of every great civilization in human history are certain cultural values which work to further advancement and bring coherence within those societies. One of the values that consistently shows up throughout time is the need to develop language, writing, reading and the subsequent education of the masses. The history of our own great land confirms this. We have come to see that those people who read, understand and act on their knowledge lead the rest of the world. In recent years as our own public educational system has continued to melt down and fall behind the rest of the world, many are sounding the alarm that the USA is quickly becoming an illiterate nation.
I too am concerned with the issue of illiteracy, but as a pastor I find myself even more concerned with an illiteracy that is far worse; BIBLICAL ILLITERACY! It is interesting and perhaps ironic that as our government institutions continue to push the Christian heritage of our nation further out into the margins of society that our citizenry and especially our church folk become less knowledgeable of the Bible. I regularly ask the people of our congregation about their own Bible reading habits and find myself saddened by the apathy and indifference displayed by some. So, here I am sounding this trumpet and calling all followers of Jesus to take up the sword of the Word of God once again!
This ladies and gentlemen is a nation that once educated its children with the Bible as its main textbook! Again, I am not concerned so much with unchurched people as I am with those who claim to be followers of the One we call "THE WORD." Is it any wonder we are losing the battle for the moral high ground within culture? How can the people of God offer solutions for the age we live in if we do not know what the Scriptures teach about the ills and problems of our times? If being relevant means being biblically illiterate and ignorant, then you can have relevance! Of course I know it is possible to be both relevant and Scriptural, for, the only time we are truly relevant is when we are biblical.
Please understand, I am not talking about some kind of Bible thumping, dry as toast verse quoter, but a people impassioned for Jesus Christ and hungry to know Him in the pages of THE BOOK. In a desire to help those of you who read this blog, I offer this Back to the Bible link to a site that offers a variety of Bible reading plans and translations. I have also included this particular site in my personal link section on "IllumiNations!". You can now go to my site, read the Bible and then come back and read my newest post. ;) The time for excuses is over. It is time to reclaim our minds and hearts by bathing them in the only document ever proven to transform individuals and civilizations. It is time to stamp out "ILLITERACY OF THE WORST KIND!"
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