Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2.15

The Christian Ministry: Part III, chapter VII
Charles Bridges (1794-1869)
“But time must be found for the spiritual feeding upon Scriptural truths, as well as for a critical investigation of their meaning, or for a Ministerial application of their message. For if we should study the Bible more as Ministers than as Christians – more to find matter for the instruction of our people, than food for the nourishment of our own souls; we neglect to place ourselves at the feet of our Divine Teacher; our communion with him is cut off; and we become mere formalists in our sacred profession.”

Ministry that does not flow from a life of clinging to and abiding in Jesus will soon enough become pragmatic, tedious, and merely formal. Our sermons may soar and impress, by they will be little more than exercises in theological rhetoric unless they flow from transformed souls. We only “rightly divide” the Word of truth when we first submit to it for the daily renewal and feeding of our own soul. As the Word dwells richly in us, God’s glory will transform us into the very image of Jesus Christ, and His Word will light our daily path (Col. 3.16; 2 Cor. 3.12-18; Ps. 119.105). Then the instruction we offer the people in our charge will have the convincing power that comes from within, bolstered and confirmed by what they see in our daily lives.

What is your practice of placing yourself “at the feet of our Divine Teacher” each day? Can you see any ways you might improve this time?

T. M. Moore

A Hermeneutic of Convenience
C. S. Lewis wrote, “The right defence against false sentiments is to inculcate just sentiments.” And the right defense against a false hermeneutic of convenience is, first, to recognize how it operates and, second, to follow sound hermeneutical practices. Our brief study Scripture Twisting exposes the temptation to yield to a hermeneutic of convenience. Write to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and I’ll send you a free PDF copy. And our workbook Text to Transformation provides a refresher on the work of Biblical interpretation. Our course Introduction to Biblical Theology will help you to see the overall covenantal framework for a right understanding of Scripture. It’s available free online, to study on your own schedule and at your own pace, by clicking here.

Fan into Flame
As shepherds of the Lord’s flocks, we need to make sure we’re actually doing the work God has appointed to us, especially where the Word of God is concerned. Our handbook Fan into Flame provides a concise overview of the shepherd’s ministry of the Word, and includes helpful self-evaluation tools, so you can discover areas of needed improvement. Order your copy by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.