Why is there such little training of Christians?

Dear Editor,

I’m interested to know why there is very little training of Christians in general. What do I mean? I cannot remember ever seeing a course on how to read the Bible well, that is open to everyone. There are many courses out there and they all seem to have the mantra – for ministry leaders and teachers. Why is there this unspoken belief that those who are going to teach are the only ones worth teaching? I, personally, would welcome a course on different methods of tackling the study of the Bible. I am never going to teach anyone, I'm not gifted that way. But I still wish to get as much from my Bible study as I can, so I can grow in my faith.

Please note, I am not saying that there should be no courses for the preachers and teachers amongst us. But how about a few courses for all and sundry, old and young, new or old believer?

Yours sincerely,

The writer wishes to remain anonymous

Responses

April 2025

Dear Editor,

I was particularly grateful for the letter in your April edition raising the question of training for ordinary Christians and church members. The concern raised was an entirely valid one that churches must take seriously. Failure to offer such training raises the spectre of creating a two-tiered religion with a caste of super-believers that require special training that is simply beyond the ken of the ordinary Christian. Or, to put it another way, runs the risk of a return to the errant clergy-laity divide of Roman Catholicism that fundamentally denied the existence of a priesthood of all believers.

For this reason, each week for an hour before our main service, my own church holds an hour’s theological Bible study. We have developed a syllabus that runs across two years and covers Systematic Theology, Biblical Theology, Historical Theology, Hermeneutics and Ecclesiology. These are accessibly delivered and open to all. It has been our experience that those who spend the time with us in these Bible studies benefit in a far greater way from the regular teaching in sermons and midweek Bible studies and are able to make theological connections that others sometimes miss.

The truth is that many of our churches have a theological deficit and it is a basic reality that sermons – though a vital and Biblically mandated part of our teaching and discipleship – are simply not enough on their own. Pastors and elders are called to teach and build up their flock. This is not something to outsource to Bible colleges and, even if it were, it is simply not credible to expect all, or even most, of our people to go to one. Churches must get serious about teaching our people and must provide ways and means – particularly for those like the letter writer – to access the Bible teaching and theological input that many of them rightly crave. Such should be an encouragement to us that the Spirit is moving in our people, not a problem at which we roll our eyes!

Yours sincerely,

Steve Kneale
Pastor, Oldham Bethel Church

Dear Editor,

I felt really sad to read the letter by the person in need of training on how to get the most out of their Bible reading. I imagine we in the UK are privileged to have more versions of [the Bible], and aids and commentaries on how to read it, than possibly anywhere in the world.

As someone who has relied upon Scripture as my handbook all my life, my personal help has been Scripture Union’s reading plan and notes, but there are masses of others.

May I suggest that you might get someone to research what is available which could be of help to our reader and others who similarly need help.

It is a failing in our churches if they are not helping their members in the habit of daily Bible reading.

Yours sincerely,

Rachel Cory
By email

May 2025

Dear Editor,

An en reader wrote recently: “I’m interested to know why there is very little training of Christians in general”. Great question! It hasn’t always been thus; in the church’s history there have been times when intensive training for all believers – not just for pastors and leaders – has been a high priority. Knowing God is an eternal and joyful task, and being learners and lovers of God is core to our identity as His people.But it can be hard for busy pastors to get around to working out who needs what training, let alone finding the resources, doing the prep and running courses. So here are two suggestions for ways to make training possible for all disciples, whether your church is large or small:

1. Identify someone in your congregation who could be a training co-ordinator. Many churches have someone co-ordinating pastoral care, or kids and youth ministry, or home groups. What about someone to coordinate training? Someone who could put in the time to build up a picture of who wants and needs what training, and find out what training resources are available. Someone who could work with the elders to create a schedule of congregational training activities and ways for people to sign up for them. Someone who can bring focus and momentum to training all year round
2. Use a ‘flipped classroom’ model for training. That involves finding accessible resources (like a book that a group can read together, or inexpensive online courses like the Crosslands Foundation ones), set out a schedule for people to work through the material over a term or so, and hold a few in-person discussion sessions along the way to help people to clarify and apply what they’ve been learning. Less preparation, but deeper learning.

I’m happy to acknowledge that I have skin in this game, because training in and for the local church is why Crosslands exists. We’d love to share with your readers some of the resources that we’ve created for the very purpose of equipping regular Christians for everyday mission and ministry, whoever and wherever they are.

Yours sincerely,

Jen Charteris
Executive Director, Crosslands hello@crosslands.training