If you are a pastor/church leader then you have probably heard this statement before—and it just bothers you…I will admit it has always fired me up. BECAUSE…when a person makes a statement like this it is not an attack against you, although they mean for it to be, but rather an indication of their own spiritual condition—which would be both lazy and self serving.
My daughter is three months old…and I am confident that within the next year or so that we will not have to feed her…a part of her growing up and maturing is her being able to feed herself…and if she doesn’t learn to do that then we will have problems.
I’ve heard it…you have too…“Christians” saying, “I just want to be fed!” It blows my mind! This would be equal to you and I going to an all you can eat restaurant and crying because no one would bring us any food. Food is all around in this environment…but if the person is lazy and self centered, wanting to be waited on hand and foot, then they could possibly starve to death when food is merely a few feet away.
Today as Christians we have WAY more information than we could ever apply. However, I think many people use “going deep” as an excuse as to not actually apply any of the knowledge they claim to be soaking up. I believe it breaks the heart of God when arrogant people claim intellectual superiority out of pride and stupidity rather than just seeking Jesus and trying to honor Him on a daily basis.
I know some are going to take this as me speaking out against learning—please, don’t be stupid! I am all about knowing and learning more—the thing that bothers me is that when people think they are deep because they know a lot of information and they are able to confuse others about Christ rather than lead them to Him.
I have always said that deep is not what you know—but rather what you do. I have seen some of the deepest people I have ever known here at NewSpring Church…let me give you a few examples…
- DEEP is a single mother raising two kids and who has a full time job—yet finds the time to volunteer here at NewSpring every weekend.
- DEEP is the single dad who told me the other day that he works two jobs to support he and his daughter, but that he has gotten a third job so that he can contribute to the campaign, and every dollar he makes doing it over the next three years is going to Gametime.
- DEEP is the college student who refused to give up on her friend, kept inviting her to church, gave her a Bible, was available to her to talk and ask questions…and as a result her friend received Christ.
- DEEP are the parents who are watching a child go down a path that is destructive and is breaking their hearts, yet they claim that God is in control.
- DEEP is the guy in his 30’s who was diagnosed with cancer and only given a few months to live…and through it all his love for Jesus grew stronger and he told everyone how good God was…right up until the last minute of his life.
I could go on and on…but DEEP is NOT knowing a lot of information, but rather being able to apply what you do know to your everyday life…and at the end of the day the name of Jesus is lifted up…no matter what!
In reading through the Scriptures I have found that Jesus’ strongest words of rebuke were for the “deep,” the professional religious people of the day. If “deep” is being a part of the group that knows tons about the Bible but missed Jesus—then I don’t want to be affiliated with them. Give me Jesus Christ, crucified, risen and who will one day return…not another Bible study on the weight of the Ark of the Covenant.
I now tell people who tell me I’m not deep, “You’re right, and I never will be. I made a 790 on my SAT, I dropped out of seminary and have no plans of ever going back, and I refuse to use Sunday’s as a time where I try to impress people with how much I know about the Bible, thus making them feel stupid!”
I just want people to know Christ. I want people to see Scriptures NOT as a textbook—but rather as a letter from God that communicates who Jesus is and what He has done. I want to see people come to Christ. I want to see families healed. I want to see the poor served. I want to see the excluded included. I want to see people get out of debt. I want to see people discover their spiritual gift. I want to see people find God’s purpose. I want to see Jesus Christ lifted up!
Is that “deep?” Probably not—but it is what God has put on my heart and I am going to try my best to follow His vision Jesus Christ saved me…II Corinthians 5:17 came true in my life…and I honestly think I could think about that for the rest of my life and never truly grasp exactly what happened.
Deep is not merely knowing information…because…judging by that standard satan is actually deeper than most Christians…he KNOWS Scripture, but doesn’t apply it—which is dangerously similar to those in the camp of wanting to know more but not do anything…
Just a thought…