[Steve Myers] The Barna Group did an interesting survey that just came out recently, and they polled American pastors. And a couple of interesting things that they asked them – they started out by asking them if they believed the Bible was relevant to society. They asked them if it was relevant to morality. They asked them if it was relevant to political issues. And they asked them about their sermons in regard to those things. And do you know what Barna found?
Here's what he said: "What we're finding is that when we asked them about all the key issues of the day, 90% of the pastors tell us, ‘Yes, the Bible speaks to every one of these issues'. Then we asked them," now, this is Barna speaking , "'Are you teaching your people what the Bible says about those issues?'" Do you know what they found? He says the numbers dropped to less than 10% of the pastors who say they speak to it. So in other words, they believe the Bible speaks to all those things, it contains the answers to life, and yet when it comes to talking about those things, preaching about those things and teaching them, they don't. Ninety percent of them don't.
But, you see, the Bible is pretty clear when you talk about what pastors should be doing, and then what our response should be, our response to the instruction of the Bible. 2 Timothy has an interesting section of scripture that talks just to that very thing. 2 Timothy 4:2 – here is the apostle Paul giving a young minister instructions on how to preach and teach. And here's what he says in verse 2: "Timothy," he says, "preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season." In other words, at any time, whatever the circumstances are, preach the word. And he says, "Convince, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and teaching." So he says, turn to the Bible for the answers of life, do it out of love, and don't shy away from the truth. He says even that the time will come that they won't endure sound doctrine.
So the interesting thing is, if your pastor, your minister, isn't preaching the truth, isn't preaching from this word, isn't turning to the Bible for life's answers – don't just sit there. He says, you're going to end up like this person with itching ears, just listening to whatever comes along. But he tells Timothy in verse 5, "You be watchful in all things" (2 Timothy 4:5). So our response should be, what is the truth? What is right? What is good? What is biblical? And if what we're hearing doesn't match with the Bible, we better do something about that. And we better find the ones that are teaching the truth, that are relying on God, and not just listening to any old thing that comes out of a minister's mouth.
So check it out for yourself. God holds us personally responsible. So let's do just that and look to the truth of the Bible.
