Good theology vs. the wind

How do you feel about theology?

Probably not like this: “I love theology. I think there’s no subject in this world more important than theology.”

That’s our Entrust colleague Matthew. If you don’t feel as passionate as him just yet, keep reading!

Matthew came to faith in Jesus as an adult in the Middle East. After years of growth in his new faith, he married Sarah. Together with colleagues from Entrust, they founded a Bible Institute for people of his nationality. The church is growing exponentially in his home country even as Christians there are often persecuted for their faith.

In addition to overseeing the Bible Institute, teaching, traveling and speaking, Matthew is working hard on a degree in Old Testament at a North American seminary. It’s an overwhelming amount of work. He often feels beyond weary.

Why is he doing this? He ticks off some reasons:

• his nation lacks Bible scholars

• Christians of his nationality mainly read the New Testament

• many of those Christians have only been exposed to the prosperity gospel

Matthew desires to see all that reversed.

Many students have completed the 2- to 3-year certificate program and gone on to shepherd congregations of their own people. Some of those initial graduates are now taking advanced theological studies through the institute. A new class of 15 to 20 eager learners began their studies in June.

The two kinds of students at the school — new believers and longer-term Christ-followers — need to be grounded in good theology for the sake of all the Christians in their country, Matthew says. “If you don’t have scholars, if you don’t have people who can look at the text and help you understand different doctrines, you’ll go wherever the wind goes.”

He quotes from Ephesians 4:14-15, “…we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, but … we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ …”

“Theology is not an obscure thing,” Matthew says, referencing not only his people but all of us. “Every single thing that you do in your life has to do with your theology.”

Thank God for Matthew and his team. Thank God that through this Bible Institute in the Middle East, men and women are growing theologically strong and able to teach good doctrine to others!

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Surprised by grace

New believers of Matthew’s nationality are full of questions and often amazed by what they discover in their theology studies.

Marriage, for example. “They have a lot of marital issues when they become believers and they ask questions,” Matthew says. “Then their marriage is healed, and they are much better with their kids and their spouses. We teach them marriage and family and conflict resolution as part of our curriculum.”

Or grace. “They’ve never experienced a God that is so loving, because the previous god (of their former faith) was very harsh … so now that they see a God that is sacrificial and loving, for them it’s very encouraging.

“To know that all their sins are forgiven, that’s not the theology of their former faith. In that faith, our sin never gets forgiven.

“Grace is very, very encouraging for them.”