Chapter 15: Deacons

extended periods of study is to take time to worship, praise, and pray and, I could add, to physically relax.

If you try to treat the Bible as you would any other written book, you will operate solely on the human level. You will never be fit or qualified to step into the ministry of a Bible teacher. We need a sound balance between biblical doctrine and spiritual life to be suited for the task and ministry of a mature, anointed, Bible teacher. An individual who has sound doctrine but is lacking in spiritual life or experience, produces in his Bible teaching a dead, powerless religion.

On the other end of the spectrum, one who has a powerful experience and a rich spiritual life, yet lacks good sound doctrine produces nothing but emotionalism in his ministry. We need a healthy blend of spiritual life and sounds doctrine and Bible study to produce a truly healthy , mature group of believers.

Most of us have a tendency to lean either toward excessive study or spiritual life in any particular stage of growth in our Christian walk. It is a good sign of maturity when we begin to find a balance. It is the Spirit dwelling within us who is able to bring this balance and give us the mind of Christ (I Corinthians 2:16). It is the in-working of the Holy Ghost that enables us to discern and know spiritual truths far above and beyond the sensual and natural level.

Paul's primary concern was that new converts would enter into the spiritual life. It wasn't the theologians he was encouraging, but rather the common, run-of-the-mill, Christian. He not only offers understanding and knowledge of the things of Christ as seen in Ephesians 1:15-18. He also expresses his desire to see them strengthened, rooted and grounded in Christ, and to be endowed with a comprehension of the deep things of God (Ephesians 3:16-19).

We can see from these portions of Scripture, as well as from I Corinthians 1:26-31, that spiritual insight and usefulness in the ministry is not dependent upon intellectual ability. In order for a man to fulfill the Biblical Ministry of Teacher, he must be one who is so in-dwelt by the Holy Ghost that he is capable of receiving spiritual truth and is able to impart this firsthand truth to others. He will only be effective in as much as he knows the truth, that he has an experiential knowledge. As the Scripture puts it, the husbandman must be the first partaker of the fruit. Even then, however, he must be able to organize this knowledge in a logical, intelligible manner as God infers:

Precept upon precept, Precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little and there a little. (Isaiah 28:10,13) He must be able to think, talk and write with logic and clarity. A good teacher is able to speak in a way that is easily understood and at the same time interesting to listen to.

I would like to close this chapter by saying that if you feel a definite call into the teaching ministry and have difficulty in presenting good teaching or building good messages, a study in Homiletics could be of help, but above all else don't eliminate the necessity of depending on the Holy Ghost to teach and empower you.