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Moving Past the Quick Start Mode

I became a full time pastor three years ago after working as an electronics technician and electrical engineer for twenty eight years. The fast paced manufacturing environment in which I worked sometimes placed very heavy demands concerning project due dates and production requirements. One of my job responsibilities dealt with installing and upgrading equipment. Any time we received a new system, it came with installation, service and operating instructions in the form of manuals, often very long and highly detailed. However, more often than not there would be a section in the front of the manual or even as a separate book that contained “quick start” instructions that would enable us to get the system up and running in the shortest length of time. This same concept is used in many consumer products and systems as well. Any “do it yourselfer” who has upgraded a personal computer, or installed a home theater system has encountered these types of instructions. The idea is to get product functional with minimal time spent on performing the installation. When time allows I can come back to read in depth and become more familiar with the intricate technical details of the system.

In many respects when we attend Sunday worship service, we are getting the “quick start instructions” of our Christian walk. The sermon addresses a particular biblical principle and how to apply that principle in our lives. I am not minimizing the importance of corporate worship in the body of Christ. However the fine details of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and how God intends for us to serve Him can only be learned through in depth personal Bible study and prayer. That is how we move beyond a superficial understanding of His written word. If I am satisfied by only going to Sunday services and do not seek a fuller and richer knowledge of His plan I am susceptible to being blown away by the first crisis that I come up against. Bible study is one of the main tools I have to help equip me. Additionally, without personal Bible study, how I live day to day is not guided by His standards but by the world’s because that is all that I have to draw upon in my life. The general principles I learn on Sunday are powerful, but they do not provide the answers to all of the daily challenges I face.

When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is pray before I get out of bed. Once I am up and have the coffee started, I pick up my Bible and read. This personal Bible study time is the start of each day. What I read may be the passage I am preaching that week, or it may be something else. It might even be a Scripture I have read earlier in the week. I usually spend some time meditating on it and praying for understanding of the difficult passages. This is pretty much the routine I have followed for several years. Though my Bible study time is not limited to this, it is the way I kick start each day. On the rare occasions that I am unable to read, I feel out of sync for the remainder of the day, unless I back up and spend time in Bible study.

In addition to my personal study time, I also lead an adult Sunday school class and a midweek Bible study. I spend several hours a week in preparation for these classes. In these classes I am often the student as members pose questions and offer insights that I had not considered. Group Bible study is invaluable to the overall process of spiritual growth.

When I first began following my personal Bible study routine, I felt overwhelmed by much of what I read. I didn’t understand the relationship between the Old and New Testaments. I knew where to find the basics such as John 3:16, 1 Corinthians 13 and Philippians 3:14. As I have progressed over the years, I have a much broader understanding and grasp of God’s word and His plan for me. I have moved beyond the “quick start” instructions and toward engineer status as a disciple of Christ.

Submitted by Bob Schlessman