There is a book that I'm trying to get every teacher at MVBC to read. It's Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church by Michael Lawrence. It is crucial for pastors in particular and Christians in general to approach their lives with a passion for thinking theologically about everything. Lawrence put it this way:
If we are to faithfully give witness to Christ, the Lord of life, in this age, then we must recover not simply the ability to think theologically, but the commitment to do so together in the life of the local church. Until we recover theological vision in the church, the nerve that gives rich and profound biblical life to our worship and mission will remain cut. Our public worship will remain shallow and entertainment-driven. Our mission will either be indistinguishable from the methods and goals of any sales organization, or it will be co-opted by the agenda of an untimely hostile culture. This culture will encourage us to do good things like caring for the poor, but it will only applaud us if we agree to leave Christ out of it.
It is not just that we must think theologically but the fact that we must do so together. So, instead of shying away from theology with the misguided notion that it divides, it is the calling of the church to come together with a biblical theology at the center of all we do. Instead of simply asking, "What do we want?" we need to ask one another, "What does God's Word say?"
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