A few weeks ago I made mention of an individual in Knoxville, Tennessee who visited over 40 churches before finding one that met his criteria of being a “teaching through the Bible” church.

After that Sunday Bible teaching when I mentioned that as an illustration to a point about the Bible, I began thinking that surely I read 20 some churches not 40 some churches. Well, I found the article where I read that and here it is…

It is from a post at http://calvarychurchplanting.org/2016/01/12/lessons-learned-mark-kirk/ and here is the specific testimony that was part of an interview with a Knoxville pastor:

“CCPN: “With so many churches in the southeast, is there a need for more?”

Mark: “In the south we have a lot of preaching but not teaching. The south has churches everywhere, and there are a lot of great churches, and some great preachers; but very few teachers. Teaching the Bible is rare. We have a guy in our fellowship that was seeking for a Bible teaching fellowship and told me that he kept a record of all the churches he visited. He said he visited forty-three churches in our area… we were number forty-four, but the 1^st that simply taught the Scriptures.”

I will be the first to point out some God-influenced Bible commitment churches in our area. I am of the opinion that the Kingdom of God on earth needs varying types of church structures, sizes, and styles in order to best reach the varying personalities, interests, and backgrounds of people seeking fellowship with like believers.

We have some great Bible preaching in Mobile, Alabama. We have some some great opportunities to go to any number of conservative Christian churches in our area and walk out with an inspiring encouraging spiritual uptick to face the week to come.

I’m sure CrossHope Chapel isn’t the only church in our area that teaches through the Bible, book-by-book. I really don’t know who or how many other churches in our area consistently teach through the Bible, chapter-by-chapter, Sunday and after Sunday, but I know that doing this has been the single greatest conviction on my heart for ministry since we started meeting at Ryan’s Restaurant on January 6, 2011 and it still is.

From the position of pastoral church ministry, it is easier to preach (lecture format) than it is to teach (facilitation format) the Bible, because there is more control for a minister in that. It is professionally easier to prepare and present a topical speech than to wait on the Spirit of God to use His word and convict the heart of a listener.

I am absolutely convinced that if a people will simply stick through the Scriptures the Spirit of God will speak to any topic, subject, or principle that one might need to hear or learn.

The bottom line for us is not to compare what God has called us to do with what God has called other churches to do, because CrossHope Chapel is in His hands, not mine or ours, but in Zechariah 4:6  “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.”