Journal: Conservative Theological Journal
Volume: CTJ 08:24 (Aug 2004)
Article: God Speaks with Plain and Simple Language
Author: Mal Couch

CTJ 8:24 (August 2004) p. 153

God Speaks with Plain and Simple Language

Mal Couch

President, Tyndale Seminary

I am amazed at how complicated interpretation has become in our Evangelical world. The Word of God is not difficult to comprehend, yet it is made confusing by the continual efforts to come up with “new” thinking to satisfy the heart. The heart of the child of God is over and over fed gruel that cannot satisfy. Pastors are failing our people, but why? It must be remembered that they are the products of our seminaries.

It is no wonder that seminary and Bible college students, our future church leaders, are mixed up in their thinking. It should not surprise us then that the average layman throws up his hands and says: “Don’t confuse me about doctrine! I just can’t get it all figured out!” The poor believer in Christ thirsts to hear the uplifting truth of the Bible speak to his heart. He too often hears sermonettes, platitudes, jokes, and many other devices that are used to calm his soul but cannot create deep satisfaction in the inner man. The man in the pew hears an encyclopedia of information “about” and around the Scriptures, but the truth of the Word of God evades his mind. He rarely hears taught the Bible itself in all its power and majesty.

The growing absence of strong and powerful exegesis of God’s Word will further splinter the body of Christ. False teachings will sprout like weeds. Confusion will drive people away from the needed fellowship that churches should provide. Tyndale Seminary holds to the high commitment that it must follow in the steps of Lewis Sperry Chafer and train pastors to be able to teach men how to share the Bible with the flock. Chafer said it well in volume 1 of his systematic theology:

No substitute will ever be found for the knowledge of the Word of God. That Word alone deals with things eternal and infinite, and alone has power to convert the soul and to develop a God-honoring spiritual life. Acquiring the knowledge of the spiritual content of the Bible is a life task. The

CTJ 8:24 (August 2004) p. 154

great preachers who have moved the hearts of men with divine power have been saturated with Bible truths secured through a first-hand, daily study of its text.

Bible institutes may teach lay workers the Bible, but it is the prerogative of the theological seminary to produce authoritative and accurate exegetical expositors of the Scriptures. Regardless of the ideals held by many modern seminaries, the preacher is called to “preach the word,” to be “apt to teach,” to be one who avoids the “traditions of men,” and to be one who is a right divider of the truth. Since the attaining to the knowledge of the Word of God is a li...