The Theologically Informed Christian
For the sake of the gospel, churches seek an increasingly secular
society.[1]Therefore, it is important for ministers in every area of church
life to be able to provide accurate, biblically sound, and informative
answers on a variety of ethical matters, in their teaching and preaching,
and in one-on-one situations. Christian ethics considers all of God’s Word,
interprets it honestly and carefully, and recognizes it as the final authority
in all matters pertaining to life. In the Pastoral Epistles, Paul [2]
underscores five directives of the pastor theologian: (1) a call to guard
and protect the gospel; (2) a call to teach, exhort and pass on; (3) a call to
pursue godliness with exemplary living; (4) a call to share in suffering; and
(5) a call to provide active oversight for the church. Pastors are [3]
shepherds of the people of God and ecclesial biblical theology demands
the development of habits towards the attentive study of the unified
canon.[4]Ezra is described as the ideal priest in Israel whose task was to
lead God’s people in worship and holiness of life. The good hand of God
was upon him, “For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord,
and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel” (Ezra 7:10).
For much of church history, the pastorate has unleashed godly and
gifted leaders to declare and demonstrate the riches of God’s Word to
people.[5]However, some modern Christians and ministers do not feel it
is important to be informed or studied in scripture, philosophy, history,
etc. Rebecca McLaughlin posits, “We are inclined to assume that we are
more sophisticated than a text written thousands of years ago. But the
more we read the Bible, the more we will find we are not.” More than [6]
ever, Christians in the ministry and in general are lacking the theologica………..