Reading Theology

Hat Tip to Barry Wallace for the following post.

I missed this article when it ran in the Baptist Press back in June. It’s extremely encouraging to me, though, so I wanted to pass it along.

The largest Southern Baptist Church in Alabama has over 800 members who’ve read and studied all 1290 pages of Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology. Over 800 members. They include the church staff, middle-aged men, college men and 10th-grade boys. 10th grade boys, for Pete’s sake. I find that amazing, humbling, and incredibly encouraging all at once.
Why?

Because theology is profoundly important. J.I. Packer defines theology as “the study of God.” When we understand that, we understand that there is no more important study that we could ever undertake. To see so many members of one church who understand the value of theology is heartening, to say the least.

Read the BP News release, and Grudem’s reaction to the report. Then just go somewhere and get down on your knees and pray and (1) thank God for churches like that; and (2) ask him to give every one of our Southern Baptist churches the same kind of intense longing to know Him in Spirit and in truth, to know him exactly as He has revealed Himself in his word.