Lutherans and emphasis on regular Bible Study

[Music4Hym777]

Hi everyone,

I have been thinking about this quite a bit.

Is it just my church or does every Lutheran church not really put emphasis on Bible Reading.

I mean it seems that there are readings during church and stuff, but not alot of emphasis of carrying it through the rest of the week until the next Sunday. I have been doing Beth Moore books at times, but I wish there was more emphasis on readings through out the week.

We are the ones who laugh when guest pastors think that we would actually have our Bible's with us...

whats up with this?

[stumpjumper]

We do Bible reading every Wednesday night....

[BigNorsk]

Well, in my church, adults outnumber children in Sunday School by a wide margin. Most members go to at least one small group Bible study during the week. Some go to several a week.

Marv

[RayJGentry]

i think that all definately depends on your church. my church has several bible studies every week (led by lay persons) and when i help with youth group, i always have scripture and the kids don't seem thrown by it. i think it just comes down to your congregation. ultimately, if you don't think your church does it enough, get the movement started!

[ctay]

Right now all we have is an adult bible study sunday morning and the men meet saturday morning. Nothing else. We're trying to get a women's group going for this fall.

[C.F.W. Walther]

It's never been emphasized much in the churches I've been too in all the 60 years I've been lutheran. I've heard it mentioned that we should have daily readings but that has been sparse and sprinkled sparingly from the pulpit.

My opinion has been in all these years that the pastors would rather we rely on them for the hearing the word because they are the keeper of the keys and somehow they are the "true source" of the word. Kind of like keeping us in the dark so they have control over the situation. Allmost like the RCs.

The ministers have never been very good at "equiping the saints" and would rather have the laity be sheep and sort of "dumbed down".

All I know is that faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.




:scratch:

[Edial]

It's never been emphasized much in the churches I've been too in all the 60 years I've been lutheran. I've heard it mentioned that we should have daily readings but that has been sparse and sprinkled sparingly from the pulpit.

My opinion has been in all these years that the pastors would rather we rely on them for the hearing the word because they are the keeper of the keys and somehow they are the "true source" of the word. Kind of like keeping us in the dark so they have control over the situation. Allmost like the RCs.

The ministers have never been very good at "equiping the saints" and would rather have the laity be sheep and sort of "dumbed down".

All I know is that faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.




:scratch:
This is a really good post.

I would have never thought I would hear that from a long term Lutheran that openly.

Fascinating. :)

Thanks,
Ed

[LilLamb219]

I thought most, if not all, Lutheran churches encouraged the members to stay in God's Word. That includes reading the scriptures on a consistent basis. It's God's Word that brings us to faith and strengthens us and we find that in the Holy Bible.

My church has a Sunday Adult Bible study while the Sunday School takes place and then on Wednesday evenings there is the LifeLight study. Also, various groupings such as the Ladies Society, the Young-At-Heart (a group for the over 40 somethings), and the Next Generation have had their own mini-studies when they meet some times.

[C.F.W. Walther]

I guess it was just my luck of the draw lillamb. I'm not saying all Lutheran congregations are like that and at least at one church we had a lot of Bible studies but they usually were pushed by the laity to the pastor.

[Edial]

I guess it was just my luck of the draw lillamb. I'm not saying all Lutheran congregations are like that and at least at one church we had a lot of Bible studies but they usually were pushed by the laity to the pastor.
This is what's happening at my church.

If not for the people wanting Bible study, it simply would not be happening.

[C.F.W. Walther]

Usualy it has to be cleared by the pastor and/or the president of the congregation but in my experience it was usually someone in the church that brought the idea up.

Now I've seen many "home" Bible classes but those usually havn't been "ok'ed" by the church office and the pastor is usually neutral about it.

I finally got my pastor to do a Bible class with a lot of proding but it was suspended after awhile. It was kinda funny because it actualy wound up being no more than an hour sermon with very little discussion. :)

[SPALATIN]

As I have been involved in Bible Study Fellowship as well as other small group studies in a church, I find that the Pastor usually is not involved in the studies themselves, but he should have at least a knowledge of what is being studied and make sure that those leading the study are apt in their knowledge of how a Lutheran study should be taught.

Pastors usually do the Sunday morning adult class as well as teach the Confirmation class during the school year. With all of the other things he has to do (visit the ill and infirm, prepare a sermon, etc he doesn't have that much more time to lead a legion of Bible Studies which is why it falls to the laity to organize such an effort. The Pastor, as I mentioned above should have knowledge of the specific studies being done and if one seems fishy he should make sure that what is being taught is truly Biblical and also agree with the Lutheran Confessions.

[Edial]

Usualy it has to be cleared by the pastor and/or the president of the congregation but in my experience it was usually someone in the church that brought the idea up.

Now I've seen many "home" Bible classes but those usually havn't been "ok'ed" by the church office and the pastor is usually neutral about it.

I finally got my pastor to do a Bible class with a lot of proding but it was suspended after awhile. It was kinda funny because it actualy wound up being no more than an hour sermon with very little discussion. :)
In our church we actually had more than 10 people once at Sunday morning's Pastor's Bible study. I did not see more than that amount of people before. People interacted. It was good.
But, ... now is the summer break coming up. :)

Break from what? :)

Keep the train on track ...

[Music4Hym777]

WOW! Lots of good discussion....I have often brought up the idea of like doing a women's Bible Study and accountability groups, but the one where I go to school is clueless. I know many good Bible Studies that keep you in the Word atleast five times a week. They are the Beth Moore Bible Studies for Women (although I have heard of men doing them, but they are geared towards women).

I just dont hear the pastors preaching about a need for a daily Christian life.....my ex-fiance (a pastors son) even has for his AIM away message every Sunday "getting my Jesus dose for the week".....shouldn't it be "getting my Jesus does for the day"?

[LilLamb219]

I just dont hear the pastors preaching about a need for a daily Christian life

Baptism isn't preached in your church?

[Edial]

Baptism isn't preached in your church?
She is not talking about sacramental worship, but Scriptural.

[LilLamb219]

The daily Christian life is about baptism, the drowning and renewal, yes?

[SPALATIN]

As a Seminarian, I go to Chapel daily. Once a week I receive Holy Communion in Chapel. Otherwise I am immersed in Greek. I look forward to Chapel, but do I have my own personal study? No mainly because I don't have much time for it. So my chapel time becomes my time with God. Some people have the ability to take time each day by doing a devotional. Some enjoy getting knee-deep in the word by doing a Bible Study, but not everyone.

One also has to be careful of joining Bible Study Fellowship or other organizations that perpetuate personal Bible Study because of the influence that organization may be putting out. BSF tends toward a Anglican/Reformed message rather than a Christ Crucified message.

Lutherans study the word kind of like how the Star Wars movies were presented. We start in the middle with the Gospels forward and occasionally look back to the beginning to understand how we got to this point in time. For us the word is centered on Christ and from that we learn about the sovereignty of God.

[KagomeShuko]

We've always been encouraged to read God's word. . .every pastor and interim pastor we've had has encoursaged that. . .

We even had "homework" in confirmation.

Stein Auf!
Bridget

[SPALATIN]

It's not about whether you should read God's word, that's a given. You definitely should read God's word. It is about the technique used in studying God's word that matters. That is where the Pastor comes in. He can teach you how you should read it.

[C.F.W. Walther]

Opening with a prayer that the Holy Spirit will guide us is allways a way to start a BIble study if the pastor isn't available. Since he isn't allways. The Holy Spirit is the instructor and interpretor and counselor.

"For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God" (1 Corinthians 2:11 (http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Corinthians+2:11)).
And we read about the will of the Holy Spirit: "But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills" (1 Corinthians 12:11 (http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1+Corinthians+12:11)).
And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever (John 14:16 (http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=John+14:16)).
The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you (John 14:26 (http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=John+14:16)).
When the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me (John 15:26 (http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=John+15:26)).

The Holy Spirit atributes are Helping, comforting, teaching, calling to remembrance, testifying, convicting. Relying on the Spirit is more advantageous that relying on a mortal man.






:scratch:

[KagomeShuko]

Read AND study. . .

Stein Auf!
Bridget

[Protoevangel]

We have a Sunday morning Bible study before Divine Liturgy, Bible translation into Braille on Monday, a Tuesday ladies Bible class, Wednesday Bible readings after Private Confession/Absolution and before Divine Liturgy, Bible translation into Braille again on Thursday, and a Saturday Prayer breakfast. In addition, daily Bible readings are printed in every bulletin, and encouraged.

Now, I only wish I still had a local job where I could take advantage of the rich opportunities to fellowship, Worship, and study with them more than once every couple of months. :sigh:

[RayJGentry]

honestly, i think regular Bible study is something that should be especially pressed in Lutheran churches. Luther after all did risk his life to translate the Bbile into German vernacular. it was one of his strongest convictions that everyone could read the bible. it forces churches to be honest and open in their interpretation on everything in the bible and gives the individual stake in his own salvation, rather than just listening and assuming what they're being taught is true. obviously this is something every church should strongly advocate, however, due to the steep tradition in the lutheran church, it should be ingrained in every young lutheran's head that daily bible study is of the utmost importance. it is a gift that many of our ancestors never had.

[Edial]

honestly, i think regular Bible study is something that should be especially pressed in Lutheran churches. Luther after all did risk his life to translate the Bbile into German vernacular. it was one of his strongest convictions that everyone could read the bible. it forces churches to be honest and open in their interpretation on everything in the bible and gives the individual stake in his own salvation, rather than just listening and assuming what they're being taught is true. obviously this is something every church should strongly advocate, however, due to the steep tradition in the lutheran church, it should be ingrained in every young lutheran's head that daily bible study is of the utmost importance. it is a gift that many of our ancestors never had.
When the printing press was invented, first book that was printed was the Bible. :)

Good post. :)
Thanks,
Ed

[SPALATIN]

As I have been involved in Bible Study Fellowship as well as other small group studies in a church, I find that the Pastor usually is not involved in the studies themselves, but he should have at least a knowledge of what is being studied and make sure that those leading the study are apt in their knowledge of how a Lutheran study should be taught.

Pastors usually do the Sunday morning adult class as well as teach the Confirmation class during the school year. With all of the other things he has to do (visit the ill and infirm, prepare a sermon, etc he doesn't have that much more time to lead a legion of Bible Studies which is why it falls to the laity to organize such an effort. The Pastor, as I mentioned above should have knowledge of the specific studies being done and if one seems fishy he should make sure that what is being taught is truly Biblical and also agree with the Lutheran Confessions.

I want to add a little addendum to my previous post (above)

If a person wanted to do a personal bible study they could go to their pastor and ask him for some suggestions. It might also help if he had some background to go on. Pastors care for their sheep and want them to grow in their faith. You might also ask if they would agree to sit down with you weekly or bi-weekly to answer questions. In this modern day of computers you might just set it up as an Email correspondence when ?s arise. If the Pastor is worth his salt, he will gladly oblige you.

This is true of any synod.

[Edial]

In our church we actually had more than 10 people once at Sunday morning's Pastor's Bible study. I did not see more than that amount of people before. People interacted. It was good.
But, ... now is the summer break coming up. :)

Break from what? :)

Keep the train on track ...
I double-checked and the Bible study will continue.:blush:

I told the Pastor that I told someone that it will not and I'll need to correct it.

Thanks,:)
Ed

[Edial]

Agree with all. :)

Thanks,
Ed

[Edial]

...
Lutherans study the word kind of like how the Star Wars movies were presented. We start in the middle with the Gospels forward and occasionally look back to the beginning to understand how we got to this point in time. For us the word is centered on Christ and from that we learn about the sovereignty of God.
Interesting.

Even before I was a Lutheran I somehow naturally gravitated towards the Gospels as a foundation for the rest.

Thanks,
Ed

[Edial]

We have a Sunday morning Bible study before Divine Liturgy, Bible translation into Braille on Monday, a Tuesday ladies Bible class, Wednesday Bible readings after Private Confession/Absolution and before Divine Liturgy, Bible translation into Braille again on Thursday, and a Saturday Prayer breakfast. In addition, daily Bible readings are printed in every bulletin, and encouraged.

Now, I only wish I still had a local job where I could take advantage of the rich opportunities to fellowship, Worship, and study with them more than once every couple of months. :sigh:
Wow. :)

[C.F.W. Walther]

Wow. :)Yea really. Ours are weakly, very "weakly".