Brad and Debbie Ellgen

“How do we keep our faith from becoming academic”? This was a question which was asked of me Friday night at the Bible Study I was leading in Bamberg. I think it is a really good question. Although the question is asked often in Bible Schools and Seminaries where the temptation to turn our faith into a set of articulated statements is great, I think it is a trap that the devil would love us all to fall into. I think this is the trap the Pharisees and the teachers of the law fell into. Jesus said “These people honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me.” He is quoting Isaiah 29 which indicates that this problem has been around for as long as God has been. How do we avoid this “trap”? I think it is by always staying in the fight for God’s kingdom and souls of others. When our Christian faith becomes about going to church and holding the right doctrine (the very things that were important to the Pharisees) it is so easy to worship God with our lips but not our heart. But when we really care about other people, when we are involved in a fight for their soul our faith is not academic but must be real. Micah 6:8 reads, “The Lord has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” The Bible is filled with verses which tell us to take care of the poor and those in need. But when we move away from the need and hide our eyes to the poverty and injustice around us it is easy for our faith to become academic. When you really get involved with the poor and the suffering you get overwhelmed. You get to a place where you need God! I am working hard to love others here in the Baumholder community which feel like they are part of the poor and needy. It is probably impossible to explain in a way that makes any sense; but the families here feel very much alone and isolated. I am so glad that God has placed us here. It isn’t easy, but there is no doubt we are where we belong. And one thing is for sure, our faith is not close to becoming academic! Everyday we face real and hard questions about what it means to love God and love others.