Friday, November 5, 2010

INTRODUCTION:  HOW AND WHY THESE TEACHING LETTERS CAME TO BE


Dear fellow life travelers,
   
I had been struggling with my voice for many years and I eventually found that I could no longer use my voice to teach publicly.  I was asking God how I could teach His word without a voice, and I came across Acts 20:20 where it says that the apostle Paul “taught publicly and from house to house.”  Not being able to teach publicly, it suddenly dawned on me, undoubtedly by God’s Spirit answering my prayer, that I could visit and teach in many houses, and that writing and various sending options could give me a creative way to do that.  Not being an experienced writer, and never having considered writing, I prayed that God would help me be able to use this method to express His revealed teachings clearly.

As a teacher, my goal is to help us to better understand our faith by explaining the Scriptures.  When asked if he understood what he was reading, an Ethiopian replied, “How can I unless someone explains or guides me?” (Acts 8:30-31)  On some mission fields people are not able to get to the missionary schools and so the missionaries take the school to them.  Teaching by mail, email, or internet is one way I can teach house to house and cover many important truths that can help us grow in our faith.
                                                                                                                              
My son and daughter-in-law were blessed with twin baby girls.  They had been reading baby magazines and spent time doing considerable research on how to effectively raise their kids.  They care.  If you are working at a job, no doubt you had training on how to do it, and further training to help you do it better.  The point is that we need information and training in any area in which we hope to excel.  The same applies to the Christian faith.  The words and teachings of the Bible are needed training in how to experience life as God intended from the beginning of creation. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Pollsters’ research some years ago reported that only 4% of Christians in America have an accurate Christian, or Biblical view of the world.  Only 9% of Christians were reported to believe in the existence of absolute truth.  How can we live our lives to a more rewarding degree if we don’t accept and understand how our Creator has designed our lives to work?  Another poll revealed that the most committed believers will likely be absent one fourth of a year or more in attending their faith community.  A lot of Bible teaching is missed that might have had a vital impact in their spiritual development. I realize that there are many reasons in our culture that necessitate our frequent absences.  Valid circumstances require our absence, and although we may not like to miss, the point is that believers are missing much potentially helpful teaching.  I know that many add to their faith by participating in small groups or by doing personal reading and study, but many do not, and it is important to do as the believers in Acts 2:42 did by “devoting ourselves to the apostles’ teaching”.  To miss it is like missing training for our jobs – we don’t do as well at our spiritual formation if we neglect continual learning and the practicing of God’s teachings.

With your sanction, I would like to visit you in writing on a regular basis to share an understanding of Biblical truths with you and with members of your household.  I do not say you have to agree with them, but consider them.  Return with me to Acts 20:17-24.  Notice that Paul was teaching for their profit.  It is my earnest prayer that you will profit by these teachings and be better equipped to live your life more happily in Christ. They should be very encouraging to people who are struggling with some of the issues I will be writing about.  Whenever I struggle with an issue that I have written about, I re-read what I have written and I find that it encourages and strengthens me.  My prayer is that you will also find this to be so in your struggles.  Also, I pray that all of us will be better equipped to pass on the faith to our children, grandchildren, and others, especially by learning to live many of these teachings in their presence

Your feedback as a fellow traveler and learner is always welcome.

Sincerely,   Pastor Jay

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