Too many teachers and not enough truth
Too many preachers and not enough proof
You’ve got to find it …you’ve got to find it yourself
None of these people can give you any help
from the song, “Too Many Teachers” by John Fischer
I scare myself sometimes. It comes from having a prophetic gift. Mine is particularly related to my songwriting. I will be writing a song and a phrase or a couple of lines will come to mind that will cause me to pause and wonder “Where did that come from?” And then, because I don’t quite understand it, I will try to discard it and attempt something else, but then I have the strongest sense that it is right, and something prevents me from abandoning it. So I leave it in and soon it becomes part of the song that can’t be changed. And the reason I know it’s prophetic is that years later, that very statement takes on new significance that I couldn’t have known about when I wrote it.
The lines in question in this song I wrote in the ‘90s are the last two of the verse above, You’ve got to find it …you’ve got to find it yourself / None of these people can give you any help. Telling people that teachers and preachers can’t give them any help is a little out on a limb, but the more I lived with it, the more I knew it was right. Of course there will always be good teachers and preachers around whom you can trust, but when there is money, celebrity, and power — both political and otherwise — to be had in the ministry, it becomes hard not to be compromised in one’s faith and integrity.
I wrote this song at a time when there was so much Christianity floating around it was hard to tell the true from the false. And so my desire was to make each person responsible for their own understanding of the truth. This is, of course, the way it should always be, but even more so when Christianity is popular and it is possible to receive personal gain from ministry. Remember how Paul commended the believers in Berea because they checked the scriptures daily to confirm that what Paul was teaching was true (Acts 17:11)? They didn’t even trust Paul, and Paul commended them for it.
That’s what this song is all about, and its message is still just as relevant today as when it was first written. You have to find the truth yourself. You have to prove it to yourself. You have to do your own work. You have to make it your own. You can’t take someone else’s word for it.
John Fischer The Catch 
I’ve always tried to guide people as a teacher rather than tell them. Doesn’t always work. I had a bright idea about teaching prayer–as in actually learning various ways of prayer. But the class wanted me to just tell them about different types of prayer–confession, praise, intercession, and so forth. Oh, well…
You were on the right track by doing. Always better doing than telling, but people do resist that.
I have said this more times than I can count but true. Its all about the word following Jesus and nice to talk to preachers and teachers and what is even better is when we all realize this and each of us each day follows Jesus. He is always the way to the father and can never say this enough thank God for his son and thank God for the word for each of us to give our best to live by.
I find the same thing true of things I put to pen. I do a double take to things that come to mind, mostly because I know feathers will be ruffled and cages rattled. Like you, the Spirit keeps at me until I let it go and give it to Him.
As for teaching, I may have a particular point to make, but regardless, I always begin with a question. And another question…it gives me an idea of who my audience is and where they’re coming from. Sometimes it seems we’re so off-track I’ll never get back on topic. But I’ve learned to take the leap down these rabbit holes, and find the Holy Spirit is always waiting for me there. And, as I close my session, I find that I am back where I started and my point is delivered to willing ears and minds and hearts.
When I lead a study that is supposed to take 6 weeks (just an example) I don’t care if it takes 6 months to complete. As long as the questions keep coming, I keep helping find the answers.
Wonderful.
Thanks so much for this John, it is still so true.
Amen!
Ever since I left my engineering job with Hewlett-Packard after God called me into full-time ministry, I have verbally likened my role as a teaching pastor as being more like a Tour Guide. Going with the metaphor, it’s one thing to be a famous African explorer who travels the US giving lectures on the grandeur of what he has seen on the veld. And it’s another thing to beckon to his listeners, “Come with me on safari and I will point it out to you so you can see it for yourself!”
My job, by God’s design, is to point at God’s Word and say, “Look! Do you see it?”
And so, like Ray’s favorite adage about “adventuring” through the Bible, I beckon others to come along as we “explore” it together. Few of us consider ourselves “Bible Experts” but we can all sign up to be “Bible Explorers”.
I smiled Pastor John when I read this: “… Paul commended the believers in Berea because they checked the scriptures daily to confirm that what Paul was teaching was true (Acts 17:11)?” B/C the Church where I had accepted the Lord as my Savior once was called Westland Baptist (After the city it is in) yet before I had became a follower of Jesus they had changed the name to Berean Bible Church.
And that meant A LOT to me back then & now! Simply b/c I’d rather not play the “Denomination game” Also, the body of believes would often tell that I’m going to heaven.
A few months later, I was questioning my Salivation & one morning I read St. John 14: 6 Jesus said I am the way, the truth & the life. That verse spoke to my heart, so great point Pastor John “You have to make it your own. You can’t take someone else’s word for it.”
Search the Scriptures!
Around the mid-1800s a man known as the Great Blondin attempted to cross Niagara Falls on a tightrope. Five thousand people gathered to watch. In the middle of the walk Blondin suddenly stopped, backflipped into the air, landed on the rope, and then continued safely to the other side. Blondin would cross the Falls many more times – once blindfolded, once carrying a stove, once in chains, and once on a bicycle.
One time, he showed up with a wheelbarrow. Blondin turned to the crowd and shouted, “Who believes that I can cross pushing this wheelbarrow?” Every hand in the crowd went up. Blondin pointed at one man.
“Do you believe that I can do it?” he asked. “Yes, I believe you can,” said the man. “Are you sure?” said Blondin. “Yes,” said the man. “Absolutely certain?” “Yes, absolutely certain.” “Thank you,” said Blondin. “Then, sir, get into the wheelbarrow.”
Shalom, Peace…
🙂
All the comments made so far have in some way enhanced this message for me. The main one to have proof that you can believe in, has to come from the faith inside you as you go back to the Word. So God given faith.
The Holy Spirit pushed you to leave lyrics in a song. When I told a Bible story, my opening prayer was to the Holy Spirit to touch the hearts of the kids. The Spirit knew the proof they needed, by what words would touch their hearts. The word of God finds some way into our hearts, in this case seeing is believing. Last year , I told the story of the blind beggar healed by the apostle Peter. I got a 14 year old helper to teach Grades 1-4 in one group. I asked him to be the beggar, and when he was pulled up and his legs were healed that he do a jig of happiness. He said do you mind if I do a couple of back flips instead. I agreed. When the story was told, the beggar was pulled up, and did a couple of back flips. A cry of WOW went up from a couple of newcomers. They were convinced that it was a real miracle. they found out differently but they found the Word touched there hearts and they kept coming to Sunday School. If the Holy Spirit is in it, the proof will come, in delightfully unexpected ways.
I get the point about faith tested to see if you actually mean it.
So did the man put his “money where his mouth is” and get into the wheelbarrow?
Sort of.
After some laughter the crowd realized Blondin wasn’t joking. Everyone stood around awkward and immobile, and there was silence for several moments until the man lifted his hat above the crowd to get Blondin’s attention.
The man who volunteered, though, was Blondin’s manager, Harry Colcord.
Blondin hadn’t really expected anyone to volunteer so he was greatly moved by his manager’s gesture of faith.
However, Blondin felt a little more preparation was needed for such a feat and returned a couple months later in an attempt to carry his manager on his shoulders across the falls.
Before stepping on the wire, Blondin gave his Colcord the following instructions: “Look up, Harry.… you are no longer Colcord, you are Blondin. Until I clear this place be a part of me, mind, body, and soul. If I sway, sway with me. Do not attempt to do any balancing yourself. If you do we will both go to our death.”
As they crossed – with Colcord clinging to his back and both me being almost of equal weight – a few of the guy wires snapped along the way.
However, they made it.
Shalom, Peace to you and Jane my friend…
🙂
I too loved reading everyone’s comments Peter & the video reminded me of seeing a Saturday afternoon movie about Blondin, so thx Bob!
That is the best part of the story. I love stories like that. It was noted that Colcord has to be “one” with Blondin, just as we are to be one with Christ. Good analogy!
Do you know the story of General George Washington during the French and Indian War, (1756-176)? He was asked many years later at a function to meet an Indigenous Chief, who said to him, “I wanted to meet the man that God would not let die”. The battle of Mononghela, I believe.
The natives noted how Washington and his men fought a guerilla style war like they did. They weren’t concerned about the British in red coats, who believed that such a style was cowardly. It was far braver to let yourself be shot at like a sitting duck.
Washington did his best to lead the troops, in the midst of devastating musket fire. The French allies decided to make Washington their prime target. The were ordered to shoot at him every chance they got. The majority of the British led regiment was down, the calvary had few horses still alive. Washington’s mount was shot out from under him twice. One warrior noted how he shot 17 times at Washington and didn’t hit him once.
After the battle the battle, Washington noticed four bullet holes in his clothing and concluded that God had saved him, he didn’t know the half of it.
Why is that story not in American history books?
If you want proof of what God can do there are many such stories in history, not just in the Bible.
I recall hearing that story about George Washington but I don’t remember the source. Pretty certain, though, as you said, it wasn’t through formal education or taught at school.
That historical account, however, is more verifiable than the stories that we heard in childhood about his cutting down a cherry tree and/or other folklore we’ve bought into about our forefathers and heroes.
In some ways something like that that could be good, though, if it causes people to, like the Bereans, investigate these stories for themselves, to differentiate fact from fiction, truth from lies.
Sadly, and even with so much information (and misinformation) so easily accessible as never before, too many people are simply accepting what comes in front of their eyeballs as factual… if it sounds good or aligns with their preconceptions or beliefs then it must be true.
Click bait? Sign me up!
I don’t know if it’s gullibility or plain laziness but it seems too few of us want to do any of our own digging for the truth or higher-minded wisdom. We’re content to ape Pontius Pilate and ask, “What is truth?” and, then, just leave it at that.
Go no further.
Wash our hands.
Qué será, será – whatever will be, will be.
I mentioned earlier last month a sign that I saw:
We are drowning in information while starving for wisdom.
I’ve always been resolute about recognizing the obvious signs signaling the End of Days: natural catastrophes; plagues and diseases; astronomical wonders in the skies; political upheaval; global unrest; everyone doing what was right in their own eyes; the mark of the beast; buying and selling requirements for sustenance and survival; etc.
I always wondered how anyone could miss any of that and not steel themselves to be prepared.
Then it dawned on me that the war being waged is a long engagement striving to take over the mind first instead of the heart and soul.
Despite what we see and hear (and seems obvious), if we allow enough mental distractions to mollycoddle us into think that everything will turn out just fine, then we’ll have lost the battle for our hearts and souls… and eternities also.
Well, on that happy note, have a wonderful Wednesday!!!
Hang in there, my friend!
Shalom, Peace…
🙂
Hallo Bob,
Before I answer your quote below, please explain what you mean with it. When I read Revelation 1:3,’ God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says for the time is near’. So if Revelation is filled with gloom and doom how does that bless us?
“Despite what we see and hear(and seems obvious), if we allow enough mental distractions to mollycoddle us into thinking that everything will turn out just fine, then we’ll have lost the battle for our hearts and souls….and eternities also.”
Awaiting your answer, in the meantime May God smile on you and Paula my friend,
Peter
I ask you all to pray for my brother Shane and hopefully somehow he will realize he needs to find his ways to Jesus and realize he is the best gift for all of us and not expecting to always be given something of this world especially from a Mom who is in her last days. Take care, God Bless, and thanks for great support.
Prayers & love set 4 Shane.