What in the World is Bible Doctrine?

For one thing, it is a word not very popular with the church growth movement. For many, it is a word that might have once had purpose, but is no longer useful in today's church environment. For others, it is a completely foreign word.

The word doctrine, which literally means "teaching", when combined with the revealed truth of God's Word, means "God's teachings." In other words, these are the things God wants to teach His children, these are things that are important to God and by default should be important to Christians. It simply does not get more important than Bible doctrine. Yet, in some mysterious and perhaps subconscious manner, we have "moved past" these things in the church. To focus primarily on doctrine is to be wasting time, it is to be wading through the waters of "been there, done that" and "I learned this when I was 5." Why waste time on the obvious issues of The Trinity, The Incarnation and The Cross? Why bother with those little things like God's Sovereignty and the problem of sin? The church has made an error somehow in allowing our members to fall into the trap of thinking that doctrine no longer has any use or purpose. It appears that the focal point of a successful church vision involves community outreach projects, sermons on living a productive life and a foundational desire behind it all to make sure everyone goes home happy. I think offering community service opportunities is important. I think living a productive life is important. And I think it is all worthless if the church who is providing these things does not first meet its primary obligation to uphold and teach the doctrines of God.

I recently read this comment concerning the church growth mindset from an online secular encyclopedia called Wikipedia: "several large churches are resorting to using more secularized and occasionally-frowned upon methods in order to draw a larger crowd of youth and/or adolescents. These methods, while on the surface show promise, may or may not provide the framework for maturation of key spiritual foundations." That "framework" that the article refers to can only be provided through the regular teaching and adherence to sound Biblical doctrine. All other methods, no matter how helpful or well-intended, will eventually fall short and produce a flock of Christians who don't know the Bible from the Koran. We are well on our way already.

I am happy to receive weekly emails of sermons preached by a former pastor and co-employee of mine. I was able to sit under him on staff at a church and listen to his messages every week. He is not flashy. He does not provide antics and cool imagery effects from the pulpit. (he might be reading this and thinking I am not doing a very good job of painting a nice picture) But what he does offer is the correct combination of how to live a productive life laid upon the foundation of solid Bible teaching. He doesn't preach to get "amens" from the congregation and he certainly doesn't preach to make a name for himself. Although he and I do not always agree on issues, I respect the way he respects the pulpit and preaches with intelligence the doctrines of God.

So, there are some good role models out there. We must not think we are beyond the teachings of God. We must not become so concerned with divisive issues of doctrine that we completely ignore them. We must keep at heart the truth that the only positive church growth is the kind that produces biblically sound, maturing Christians. May God help us on our way.