We Started a Blog...

by Brandon Byler

If you had asked me a few years ago about writing a blog, I would have told you that there are enough blogs in the internet-sphere that one more is not needed. I still believe that to a point, but this blog is written primarily for the local assembly known by Calvary Bible Church in Cortland, Ohio. That does not mean if you are not a part of our local assembly you can’t benefit from this blog; however it is intended to inform our people of important issues that I and other teachers don’t have opportunity to deal with in a sermon or Sunday school class.

I have a heart to preach God’s Word in its context and apply it appropriately. As a staff, we preach expositionally, verse by verse, chapter by chapter, book by book. I believe fully that God’s Word is sufficient to deal with every issue; however not every text deals with every issue and so this blog is a resource for me and Michael Matejka to address issues from a Biblical worldview when our text doesn’t speak to them. For instance, as I am preaching through the book of Acts, the text I am preaching through now (21-22) does not directly deal with how a Christian should responsibly vote for their leaders. However, because Scripture is sufficient to the issue, next week’s blog post will address this very issue.

It is not our desire or purpose to be controversial but to clearly exposit the Word of God and apply it to the issue we are discussing. We may repost this article from time to time to remind you of the principles I will lay out in how to read our blog posts.

Reading a theological blog post is not the same as reading a newspaper article, or even a blog post on DIY home improvement. Let me lay out five principles that will guide you in reading our blog posts.

1. Read the post with your Bible open.

Everything we will write is going to be based on and defended with God’s Word. We are writing what we do because we love God and His Word. When we work through the text, we will explain it in its original context. From this, we will make applications that invade our culture and our lives. This is accountability for us as pastors, that you read with your Bible open. We do not see ourselves as experts, gurus or professionals. We do see ourselves as students who strive to understand the Bible and have a burning passion to communicate its message clearly, that it is understood, believed, and lived out.

I love when the people at Calvary come to understand some basic principles of Bible interpretation. One of the negative consequences of higher education in the church is it can communicate an inability to properly study God’s Word if you don’t have degrees. While I believe education is a blessing, I do not believe it is necessary for God’s people to properly understand His Word. Reading the blog with your Bible open will help you in your own Bible study. It is our goal to help you see how we draw the conclusions we do from the text. By doing this, we are showing you how to think biblically, and you can take that skill and apply it to your own studies.

2. Read the post in its entirety before drawing conclusions.

Have you been in a situation where someone jumps to judgment before you have completed your whole thought process? If you have, it is a frustrating experience. Likewise, allow us to finish our thought process. There will be some issues that you may not agree with us on. We can disagree and remain friends. However, before you make your judgments about us, our position, or anything else, read the whole article. We may answer your objections or questions later in the post. If not, see principle #5.

3. Be a good Berean and see if what we say is true.

With your Bible open and having read the whole post, do your own study, think about the issue on your own, and pray about what you have read. Please, do not take our word for anything. Read commentaries, seek out what other trusted pastors have said about the issue, and even listen to sermons by trusted pastors and leaders on the passage.

I have to give a bit of a caveat here: do not type your question into Google and hope to find a biblically sound answer. That is a great way to begin the process of shipwrecking your faith. If you want some resources that are trustworthy, reach out to the elders. Ask me, ask Michael, ask a mature Christian friend. Christian literature is a minefield today, and we need to know who we can trust.

4. Meditate on the principles that are highlighted.

There will be something that we bring up that you have never thought about before. Take time to see how you can apply this to your own life. One of my favorite passages in Scripture is Psalm 1:1-3. Verse 2 reads, “His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.” To meditate means to think on, mull over, pray on, and work out how to accomplish the command. Sometimes we recognize we have to do something that is hard for us, that goes contrary to what we want to do, or is going to put us in a difficult situation. In all these situations, we need to use wisdom, seek wise counsel, but above all, we must obey what God has said.

5. Interact with us.

We are doing this for you. We plan to publish our articles once a week, alternating each week who writes. We want to know what issues you were helped by, what issues you are struggling with, and how God used this resource to strengthen you. Pastors are encouraged when their people are growing in grace.

Let me close with some instructions on how to disagree with someone. First, be charitable. Disagreements happen, and the discussions that ensue can be healthy and strengthen both parties. I have many examples of this in my own life, some where I have not communicated properly, other times when someone did not understand what was being said. Being charitable towards each other is a key to keeping peace with God’s people.

Second, give the benefit of the doubt. We are not perfect, and there may be some things that we say that we will need to correct. Rather than assuming we spoke out of turn, consider that every one of us is growing in our faith and we need time to develop; our thoughts, theological points, and maturity.

Finally, while we welcome disagreement, come with a biblical argument, not a political or personal one. It’s is a sad commentary on our society that we want to argue political issues without a foundation of faith. Our personal experience is not the standard of truth.

I hope this blog will be a blessing to you. I encourage you to exercise your mind as you read. Think hard. Ask questions. Search the Scriptures. Take notes. Seek God through His Word. Dream about what He would have you do. Seek to obey Him. It is a great joy to serve you. I look forward to what the Lord will do through this vehicle of communication.