I was raised in the country. We had no television, telephone or automobile, and I can remember when Dad purchased our first battery-operated radio. I imagine much was happening in the world at the time, but looking back, I cannot say that I am worse off because I did not know about it.
As I recall, the congregation I attended seldom had a preacher, except when holding a gospel meeting. I was very young but can remember the men taking turns reading from the Bible and leading prayers. The meetings consisted of some very plain preaching. I guess that is why, when I started preaching, I thought that was the way to preach. I was probably naive, but I don’t remember then all the controversy that exists in the church today.
Modern communication may make us more aware of problems in the church, or we may just have more problems. Liberal attitudes toward following the scriptures also could explain the apparent change. No matter what the reason, the church should not be plagued with so many controversial questions, divisions and fellowships based on compromise and worldly attitudes. "But if you bite and devour one another; take heed you be not consumed one of another" (Gal. 5:10).
I wonder, is the Bible that difficult to understand? Why are we rehashing some of the basics of scripture as if we have been wrong all these years? Why, in so many cases, do we accept practices and never ask where we can find them in the Bible? "Whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him" (Col. 3:17). If we spend all our time making and trying to solve divisive issues, we will be one unhappy group of people.
Not all problems can be avoided. False teachers always will be among us "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction" (II Pet. 2:1). We always need to study about the things we believe and practice. "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" (II Cor. 13:5)
However, many disagreements could be avoided, and doctrinal problems solved, if we were more willing to just take what the Bible says and forgo our desires. God is still God, and His ways are not our ways. (Isa. 55:8,9) It seems that we are not as willing as we used to be to "speak as the bible speaks, and be silent where the Bible is silent."
Jack