d d 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.
d d d d d d d d d d 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]
d d d d d d d d d d 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] d
d d d d d d d d d d 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
d d d d d d d d d d d d d [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.
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d [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.
d d d d d d d d d d d d d [3] Rebecca McLaughlin, Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for
the World’s Largest Religion (Wheaton: Crossway, 2019), 96.
