j j I believe it is of the utmost importance to be a theologically informed Christian. I
have come to understand that all of the various disciplines or areas of study in the
Christian life are necessarily intertwined and interdependent. The only stand alone,
self-sufficient factor is the Bible itself. To be a fully rounded and equipped pastor,
one must have a good grasp on theology, apologetics, Church history, and many
other areas of practical teaching and counseling. However, being a theologically
informed Christian is primary because if one’s theology is misinformed or
underdeveloped it will inevitably lead to misconceptions and misapplications of
what God has given us in Scripture.
j j j j j j j j j j The need to be theologically informed is even more crucial for the pastor. I
have come to greatly appreciate pastors who preach exegetically and methodically
through the books of the Bible and expound on the theological aspects of each
individual passage. This is contrasted by many pastors who develop messages
that are designed to meet temporary felt needs. Many times, this is accomplished
by compiling various Scripture verses out of their intended context in order to
prove a point. Dr. Smith speaks about this in the presentation when he mentions
that we need to let the Bible speak for itself.[1]
j j j j j j j j j j I do believe that Leithart is right on point when he discusses the need for
an ecclesial biblical theology. He brings the problem to the forefront that biblical
scholarship has largely shifted away from the church to academic scholarship.[2]
Theology, among other disciplines, has become too directly identified with formal
academic study and not with the practical needs of the church as addressed by
the pastors who serve them. In many ways, this has helped create the trend of
Christians not understanding how to view the Scriptures. Many Christians have not
been instructed in how to discern between the metaphorical and literal parts of
Scripture. This leaves them vulnerable when critics of Christianity attack with
arguments about taking the Bible literally. McLaughlin acknowledges that
Christians forget that the Bible is full of metaphors just as most things are in our
daily lives.[3] j
j j j j j j j j j A Christian cannot take theology for granted. Whether it is realized or not,
everyone has a theological understanding based on what they have been taught
from the pulpit and other discipleship aspects of the church. It is imperative that
the pastor inform and guide each congregation diligently to help them have the
best informed theology possible. This will be of great benefit to every aspect of the
church and the life of the congregation. Without it, Christians will be easily tossed
about by every new trend, crisis, need, or otherwise. Especially, if pastors use the
Scripture to prove their opinion rather than allowing Scripture to inform their
understanding.
Word Count - 534
j j j j j j j j j j j j j [1] Fred Smith, “Dimensions of Christian Ethics,” THEO 650- Ethics in
Christian Ministry Module 1 Presentation, Liberty University Online, accessed March
25, 2021, https://canvas.liberty.edu/courses/68950/pages/watch-dimensions-of-
christian-ethics?module_item_id=7734462.
j j j j j j j j j j j j j [2] Peter J. Leithart, “The Pastor Theologian as Biblical Theologian:
From the Church for the Church,” in Becoming a Pastor Theologian: New
Possibilities for Church Leadership, eds. Todd Wilson and Gerald Hiestand (Downers
Grove: IVP Academic, 2016), 7.
j j j j j j j j j j j j j [3] Rebecca McLaughlin, Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for
the World’s Largest Religion (Wheaton: Crossway, 2019), 96.
