8/5 Sermon on Theology for Dummies, Part 1

Last week at The Family Church here in Gainesville, senior pastor Philip Griffin began a new sermon series that he humorously titles Theology for Dummies...not that we're all dummies, you see, but that sometimes a potentially cumbersome topic like theology needs to be broken down and simplified to its more basic elements so that all can understand.  In this message, Destructive Beliefs & Life-Changing Truths, Pastor Philip discussed the importance of using Biblical scripture as the authority guiding our lives.  Using 2 Timothy 3:1-5, 14-17 as his scriptural focus (click on the passage to read that whole chapter via Bible Gateway), he broke his message down into two sections: destructive beliefs and life-changing truths...

Pastor Philip provided three of the more pervasive destructive belief systems people face today: individualism ("I call the shots"), hedonism ("I do what feels good"), and relativism ("I decide what is right and true").  He pointed out that with individualism, it is okay and admirable for one take a personal responsibility for his or her own behavior as long as they don't make this philosophy the authority in their lives.  Hedonism in itself leads to moral numbness as well as a progressive lust for more while the fulfillment becomes progressively diminished, as our pastor pointed out.  And relativism may be the most insidious of the three as people may deceive themselves into believing they are living upright, moral lives in accordance with God's designs but refuse to accept any absolute standards...

As for life-changing truths, which supplant those negative beliefs, the overriding theme is the authority of scripture.  Philip stressed that the Bible is our authority, reliable, necessary and sufficient.  While the Old Testament stands as the original Jewish scripture, the New Testament was composed by those who lived during the "eyewitness" period of history when many around them had personally experienced Jesus's presence on Earth.  Philip added that scripture's authority cannot save...only God can do that...but it can give wisdom that leads to faith.  And he concluded that the Bible thoroughly equips us for every good work...

You can watch this message by clicking on the following link to the church's YouTube video website: [TFC Videos].  The Family Church, located at 2022 SW 122nd Street, holds its Sunday morning services at 9 and 10:30 am with praise and worship music, prayer, discipleship and learning opportunities...and of course the weekly message.  There's coffee in the hospitality room before and between services, too.  Let's see how Pastor Philip breaks down theology in simpler terms for us next week...