Kevin Bauder: It’s Not a Cadillac! Part Five

[rlvaughn]

Kevin Bauder's part five of the "It's Not a Cadillac" series in now online:

It’s Not a Cadillac! Part Five: A Personal Testimony

I accepted my first pastoral charge in 1979. I did not become a seminary professor until 1998. Pastoral ministry convinced me that American Christianity has fallen on very hard times. The causes are multiple, but many of them come back to a common denominator. Most American pastors cannot understand the Bible for themselves. If they care at all, they rely on what others tell them it means. Their grasp of the system of faith is tenuous at best. Consequently, they cannot apply biblical principles to the challenges that arise in contemporary ministry. They cannot see how their theology ought to affect their philosophy of ministry, partly because they hardly have a theology to begin with. They are prey to every new trend and fad.

 

[gb93433]

I would contend that the vast majority of church leaders and pastors are not making disciples and therefore are disqualified by their lack of action. That is the reason why pastors and church leaders follow trends. If they were teach as Jesus taught his disciples and as he commanded in Mt. 28:19, 20 to be teaching all he commanded. One cannot teach as Jesus commanded from the pulpit and Sunday School only. Reading through the Gospels it is clear what Jesus did to train his disciples for three years.

 

[Steven Yeadon]

I would contend that the vast majority of church leaders and pastors are not making disciples and therefore are disqualified by their lack of action. That is the reason why pastors and church leaders follow trends. If they were teach as Jesus taught his disciples and as he commanded in Mt. 28:19, 20 to be teaching all he commanded. One cannot teach as Jesus commanded from the pulpit and Sunday School only. Reading through the Gospels it is clear what Jesus did to train his disciples for three years.

You may want to start a thread on this if you feel so strongly about it. In order to get more people in discussion. Of course, the fur will fly when you do, I have no doubt.