The Woman and Her Husband: Communication Over Authority

Early in my ministry a woman told me this story: She grew up in the church and her faith in Christ was an important part of her life. She married a man who had no Christian training. They talked about their differences and he said he would be willing to study her faith. She showed her husband a church bulletin that announced the beginning of a new class to study Christian doctrine.

He went to the first class. The pastor started the first class by holding up a Bible and saying, ‘This is God’s Word. It is inspired by God and is without error. Unless you believe that, there is no reason for you to be here.’ Her husband got up and walked out—and never went back to church.

He never learned the message in the Bible. Her story influenced my ministry—including this book. Those of us who preach and teach the Christian message must clearly see in our own minds the difference between the source of the message and the communication of the message. Our job is to teach the truth of the Bible, not that the Bible is true.