BIBLE STUDY

   One of the good things about a good, well managed, well-led Bible study is that it allows the students (and for that matter, the teacher) to explore what the Bible teaches and to change his views as further study develops.  My goal is that the Bible studies in the Mineral Springs church do just that.  

   A wise man many years ago asked the question: Are you attending a Bible Study or a Creed Rehearsal?   A creed rehearsal is where we start with our conclusions and then sure enough, we can find them in whatever passage we are reading.  Our preconceived ideas are confirmed, no surprise, and everyone goes home with a satisfied feeling.  A fellow Christian years ago told me of visiting a Jehovah's Witness assembly and attending their Bible class.  He was a bit surprised by their study methodology.  The teacher would read a question from the lesson book and then call on someone to read the answer out of the same book.  Word for word, question and pre-written answer, and the entire "study" (not the right word for it) was simply a rote recitation of the doctrines written for them by the book publisher.  No one was expected or allowed to discuss or to give an answer that wasn't the one written in the book.  I studied at home with some Witnesses years ago who tried to lead me into a "study" like that.  Not knowing they were dealing with an old debate coach, they were a bit surprised I did not buy in to it.

   It isn't required that every time I read the Bible I change my opinion about everything.  Surely I'm right about at least some of the things I believe and don't need to change them.  I don't have everything wrong... but I can't possibly know for sure that I have everything right.  The only way I can approach greater assurance of getting closer to 100% right is to be open to question what I believe when new information comes along. 

   One of the challenges I face as a debate coach and competitive policy debater is dealing with a situation where I or my students face an opponent who has evidence and arguments to which I can't find any good responses.  We muddle through by just doing the best we can, and we may or may not win the debate.  But the real world doesn't (shouldn't) work that way.  If I discover an analysis of a Bible passage that is different from my existing beliefs, but I can find no flaws in its reasoning and no contradiction to any other well-established Bible truths, I have a moral obligation to change my beliefs.  Even if I was comfortable with my old beliefs.