welcome to real Christianity a weekly show designed to help Christians know their Bible defend their faith and truly understand what it means to follow Jesus the premise is simple the culture is getting louder the church is getting flash ear but few pastors are teaching on how to live a Biblical life my name is Dale Partridge along with my incredible wife Veronica join us as we start an important conversation about what it really means to be a Christian
 welcome to real Christianity today we are talking about like Christians should study their Bible and not just read it so cool conversation this is episode number 52 linear guys one year and the worst part about it is that we already recorded this episode once I actually deleted it on accident oh my goodness I was frustrated legitimately cried and I really need a nap she took a nap I take a nap and I feel so much better not guys the cool thing is you guys probably noticed if you saw on Instagram he falls in Instagram that we passed 1 million downloads so pretty much approximately fifty-two episodes and 1 million downloads 3000 + reviews guys we are
 super blast I think this is actually a good lesson to share here it's a lesson that I learned in my years as an entrepreneur in the business world what if we didn't what if we didn't start this podcast tens of thousands of people of Christians wouldn't have been encouraged if we had chosen to not start this podcast and what about you you don't have the Lord to the ministry on your heart to accomplish I'm have you allowed fear to prevent that calling to occur or our ministry to go out now there's only two reasons that should prevent you from starting a Ministry that the Lord has put on your heart the first is that it's your idea and it's not God's call so that's the first one and too many people in the church that I think are over called they they think they're called in reality they're they're disguising their own desires as God's call on their life
 I'm special with all these kind of purpose conferences and stuff that are happening in the church today the second reason is that you're not qualified or trained at we're ready for preparing something you know David was told that he was going to be king at a young age is a young man who knows specific age but he's a young man it wasn't until he was Thirty that he actually sat in that seat of a being King Jesus was impressing the Pharisees at 12 but he didn't walk into his ministry until the age of 30 as well Moses was chosen as a baby but he didn't start his ministry until he was a tea after sending 40 years in Minion that's my point is God's yes doesn't always mean God's go
 I just remember that one God yes does it mean God's go many people get themselves in a bind when they run ahead of God's plan their zealous but they're unprepared and that's a dangerous place to be in order called into an area that they have little authority and this is pretty common as well marriage Ministry started by newlyweds apparently Ministry started by parents of young children a pastor who maybe isn't even married yet and he wants to Shepherd at a church an addiction Ministry from someone who just got to clean these are examples of that we do we have to believe that God has far more to do in us then threw us oh yes we are called to start what God has put on our hearts and laid upon it is also align with scripture but to also do it in God's timing
 yeah I think that's a great point that you make Dale and it's at least I know that it's true for our story I know that we in our paths have ran ahead and end up paying the price for it but I think that this podcast actually seems to be an example of how fruitful something can be when it's done in God's timing and to be honest guys wyndale brought up the idea of starting a podcast of pretty hesitant I was not real excited to go and jump on this project and start the show together I am the total introvert over here I was not comfortable with talking on controversial topics because a biscuit 10 for the Target on your back but it was kind of one of those submit to your husband moments that paid off and I've learned to enjoy the experience as we've gone through it for the last 52 weeks
 and I love seeing the fruit in other people's lives who listen to her show or watched on YouTube or whatever it is and so just to hear the testimonials and the things that people share with us
 the fruit that his you know then developed in their lives just by listening to the podcast is really humbling and praise God that he's giving us this knowledge to share with other people so you think you guys so much for your support and for listening to the show thank you guys for those who've given donations to keep this ministry up and running and don't think it's it's not it doesn't go unnoticed it's definitely a huge blessing and we are very grateful for that and also thank you for all of us to all of you guys who've left reviews those really keep us going when you we have a lot of rupees on iTunes you know the algorithm with Apple iTunes Store makes it easier for people to find the show ya can you search Christianity and iTunes in the section we come up like in the top one or two or three
 pawn shops that's really cool because it's because of those refuse to thank you
 but on that note
 it is our 1-year episode I thought it'd be good to do a short review on some of the most popular topics we've covered most listened to episodes within the last year and then we'll go ahead and hit the topic titled why Christians must study the Bible and not just read it and then what we believe is the most important
 episodes from our perspective so the first most listened to episode is should women wear head covering while they pray or prophesied and that is going to be episode number 33 which we never expected to be the most popular episode but hey we actually totally expected to get a lot of flack for that episode in a lot of negative comments on it and we did not receive a single one everybody loved it and I actually got a ton of questions that people use to cover my head over there was one comment that I received and I wasn't sure if it was like a like a compliment or negative statement so I just want to thank you
 she's like in response to listen to know that that podcast because I just listen to your podcast wow Veronica I'll be praying for you and I'm like I don't know what tone she's saying that no matter how angry you like in a good way or bad way anyway that was a crazy popular episode 433 if you want to go search for episode number 2 was what is a Biblical woman part 1 and 2 episode number 36 and 37 number three was how to create or find biblical community in that is number 27 what is a Biblical Man part 1 in to number 38 and 39 and the last one number 5 out of the most-listened-to episodes is five sensitive questions most couples have never answered and that is episode number 10
 EcoBoost off one episode that you would recommend removal to listen to 42b stuff but I'm trying to be unbiased and what I think is really the most fruitful for like practical marriage and family in faith and I think the episode that we did it was titled three rules for creating an affair proof marriage that's the number 16. One is it's just super practical that's what lessons we've learned to protect our marriage and so if you haven't listened to that one it's back under the name ultimate married who started the first 30 episodes under the name ultimate marriage and then we moved it to real Christianity episode 31 so I would say I think that my
 favorite episode that I'd recommend is the role of a Biblical woman in the church which was one of those
 a different role in the church just figure out can we be pastors can we meet we teach what's the role of corn in the Bible that we had that hard in that episode so it's been a year and I'm about to stab you guys on the journey with us but let's jump into the topic today so that we can just talk with the difference from studying and reading I think it's important I don't think the church talk about it much
 play everyone thanks for listening to this episode we wanted to quickly tell you about our six-week online marriage Mentor program at our companion Ministry ultimate marriage ya Dylan design a powerful biblical curriculum with six teams one for each week here's how it works every seven days Dylan I release a 45-minute video Lesson on that week's theme plus a weekly marriage challenge PDF for you and your spouse to incorporate those teachings directly into your marriage a program where we cover everything from Sex and Money to children and biblical roles the more than that it's also an incredible Community you have access to our private online group and the ultimate marriage text message line where Veronica and I can send our regular encouragement and wisdom straight to your phone the catch is this we try to limit the number of couples in the program at one time to ensure a quality and intimate experience so if you're interested in joining the program
 enroll now at ultimate marriage.com again that's ultimate marriage.com
 I've already bought them once said if we don't know the Bible if we don't know Doctrine if we don't know if the ology it's virtually impossible to identify false teachers
 Apple's profits the enemy is taking advantage of this generation right now because of our Biblical ignorance and our Biblical illiteracy so preoccupied with the American dream that we've kind of forgotten the Christian call
 and I'm assuming that they're you know has not been more of a theologically illiterate Church in the western church of today I think we are so confused and lost we forgotten what a normal biblical Christianity is at large and we're not only literate in the illiterate in this generation we're also in many senses I've seen the church evangelist to the scripture into theology you know we don't just ignore the word of God we actually trying to alter it to fit our emotional
 experience our emotional desires Jeremiah 9:23 to 24 says
 let not the wise man glory in his wisdom let not the Mighty Man glory in his might nor let the rich man glory in his riches but let him who glories glory in this that he understands and knows me so I want to point out the difference in this episode between knowing god and understanding God but you different things so let him be glory glory understands and knows me and I related to reading and studying
 you know when we read God's word we know him
 when I pour over the scriptures and just read them I feel like I'm getting in a relationship knowing god when we study God's word and meditation understand the deeper meaning in a weird in prayer we start to understand him a quote that I hear you say often which is it's not meant not how many years you know about it how many hours and the same goes for I think even relationships with other people you know you can be a parent in
 I know your child but not understanding because you don't take the time in the effort to do to get to know them and understand them and spend the time with them in know how they think and feel about certain things and not just your child friendships it it kind of goes around with a lot of relationships like trying to understand who God is and his heart you know putting those things together a really important so many Christians no God but I think less Christians understand him and that's what we want to talk about today yeah and this was me for many years I think that the church today is just a focus on getting people to just pick up their Bibles and just read them do it. You barely did get into it read something reverse today that they all charges but a lot of churches just don't bother teaching people how to study I actually am and others
 I said I want to see altered because of church that I have became Christian and actually had like a class you can go to and walk you through it for like a 60 class on learning how to study your Bible but her a lot of churches don't offer that and I always believed it the studying part for a long time I believed it was was just for the pastures and to the teachers because they're the ones that need you to know that information but as I live
 Chrome closer to the Lord over the years and gain some maturity Bible I know how to use it and I've been looking up commentaries if they're hard copy count comforters that we have here at home or looking things up on blueletterbible.com and it's helped me to realize that the Bible is more than the gospel Bible and everything in the Bible anticipates the gospel and Jesus is a central focus of the Bible but you can't fully understand the gospel unless you start to understand the rest of the story that's totally true it's not the more you understand the Old Testament the better you understand the New Testament and the New Testament you more you understand the part about both the Old and New Testament and New Testament constantly referring back to the Old Testament
 pointing towards pointing towards it's so good and so yeah I want to be clear studying scripture is not our idea it's not like I've been saying for my favorite scriptures of the kids to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of Truth
 and I'm going to break this down a bit for you guys or time be diligent to present yourself approved to God a worker who did not need to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of Truth so it seemed be diligent to present yourself approved that's the first thing it says this is talking about holy lies biblical living and I think I think of someone like his dying down like before the Lord presenting themselves like just like this is me Lord like presenting yourself approved
 I'm now we know that the gospel really approve through Christ but it's telling us to be diligent to present yourself approved we got to talk about something else it said to be diligent in doing so set an alarm talk about it be diligent to do that a purposeful you cannot know what is approved behavior and how to live if you don't know God and his word and you don't know it well
 I'm a worker who does not need to be ashamed we are each workers in his kingdom so want to remind you guys of that
 you're not like you not just like a nobody you're a worker in the kingdom and you have work to be done and mopping floors and doing the dishes at is your ministry right now I would God look at you
 in the state that you're in
 and and see your work that you presented to him in your own life and be proud well done good and faithful servant
 yeah I'm not saying again that your Works valid at you before the Lord that's not what I'm saying I don't think that's what the scriptures teaching but faith without works is dead that's weird that the Book of James I'm going to talk about that more that means that good works are the evidence of your face
 and if you don't have good works then you don't like we have faith. So that's passage of saying just go hand-in-hand causes true transformation in your heart and your mind you desire to have all my life and have it works did you good reason to go well maybe they don't have faith
 and then again to be clear we're not rushing about resting what you do we're resting and what's been done and so you got to balance that out so that's what are you guys working to know him and understand him are you hoping to be used by him are you seeking his kingdom first those are important questions to be asking yourself and when you do this when you know him at his word you're able to fulfill the last piece of this passage which were going to reread as it's rightly dividing the word of Truth
 and I believe this this means a few things first it's a call to know the difference between true and false Doctrine
 you got to know what's right and wrong wisdom as God says to sell them in his
 understand the difference between right and wrong and so can you pick out
 and see false Doctrine is being taught because you know the word so well and secondly and it probably more centrally it means properly interpret God's Doctrine which is kind of had an issue with the first one which is where we actually get false Doctrine is false interpretations and not like adding stuff as much as they're just like interpreting it incorrectly and so as a call to proper interpretation and not that art of interpretations of hermeneutics big word of all it means is the science and art of interpreting the Bible we should be looking at longing to understand that
 third it could also mean
 I like this principle but I don't know if you could print it could mean rightly divide the truth to others
 meaning that you do you are you are you know the word so well and it was a good worker
 that you can divide the truth the gospel to the Lost milk to the younger the baby's meat to the mature you know how to sparse out the truth to others rightly dividing it up and so I've heard some commentaries on that that I've actually really appreciate it but
 but again regardless none of it can occur unless you know the word and you know it well and you can't know the Bible by simply allowing other people to tell you what's in it
 so I remember what month are we in June I remember back in January you and our friend Aaron Smith over at marriage after God hosted a Bible study here at our house I know it's like 6 weeks to 8 weeks study and you guys are trade off every week he was teaching and armor or you guys are going to 1st John and one weekend and brought a teaching on the Trinity and then he actually opened up with the definition of the of the Trinity from the Mormon church and he shared out to see if anyone would catch the false Doctrine in it in a few of the men in the group did but you know most of them didn't and they would have just kept listening
 so I thought that was really interesting to see it like played out in front of your eyes if you don't know I'm going to actually read a quick passage as an example from The Book of Mormon Moroni 10:32
 it says you come unto Christ and be perfected in him and deny yourselves of all ungodliness you can look at this is good this is like sounds like it's right and it does that so far
 and then it says and if you shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness and love God with all your might mind and strength then is his grace is sufficient for you that by his grace you may be perfect in Christ
 most people would just missed this this opportunity and what he's saying here is in this verse right here he said you coming to Christ we prefer yourselves of all of this is nothing to do and if you if you deny yourselves of all ungodliness
 and if you love your God with all your might as strength then is his grace is sufficient for you it means it's not sufficient for you if you don't do those things which is false Doctrine scripture Small Things is this the only reason Pastor standing offer an internet teaching is just because the congregation doesn't know what correct teaching is
 guys don't just read your Bible study your Bible know it inside and out
 memorize scripture study theology get a book on hermeneutics there's a book that I like titled For the Love of God's word, I'll put a link in the the show notes for that you buy a Study Bible ESV your new King James Study Bible King James version of your notes church.org for listen look for this episode oxy put a few trusted study Bibles and maybe study resources there for you guys cuz we want you guys to start studying I'm actually out we're working on something to work with some Publishers to start offering what we call real Christianity resources so it's coming later
 start offering some like books that we recommend you guys to read resources commentary things like that so we really want to help you guys in that really flipped before it closed out the show do you want to explain what your study time looks like and for me and Dale it's different because still works full-time and I'm a stay-at-home mom and my work is in the home but like I would use the morning is my study time do you watch the kids for 30 minutes so however no 30 minutes to an hour and I go on my little closet that he built a desk in there for me and I study my Bible then and then at night generally before I go to bed it's just my ringtone I just
 for me I read every day but I study usually
 two or three times a week Fridays are usually my day I do like 5 to 8 hours of studying and it's my favorite time is going in like the study of Pastor scripture deeply I just want the commentaries to study I read the ology books I just read a book on covenant theology from Thomas Schreiner like on her Pages it's called like covenants or something like that it's really good but it really does help me fill in the gaps and help me understand God more reading and studying the word that's you know it creates a physical culture in your home because you guys are just talking about it I'm asking you questions about what something means and you know if I didn't understand it or sharing what I learned and vice-versa you often will share what you've learned in teach me something that I didn't know
 I just got to relearn Church. Org forward slash listen last thing is if you guys haven't yet and your regular sitter to the show we should leave a review just go to iTunes to tap the Stars right thing and also if you guys want to start a bible plan I just to start going to the Bible that we have offered a free pdf bible plan download you just go to relearn Church. Org forward slash Bible thanks for listening work cited for the next 52 episodes of real Christianity and we'll see you guys next week
 hey Dale Partridge here I recently heard a disturbing statistic only 11% of Christians have read the entire Bible now we can't wonder why the church is being influenced by the culture more than the culture is being influenced by the church the vast majority of Christians don't know God's word because they've never read it we cannot live out what we do not understand so Veronica and I want to challenge you right now to read the Bible in one year we put together a basic 365-day reading plan that'll take you no longer than 20 minutes per day and you can download it for free at relearn church.org Bible again that's relearn Church. Org forward slash Bible
 thank you for joining us on this episode of real Christianity real Christianity is an audio Ministry of relearn church.org if you'd like more information on how to live out a Biblical life relearn church.org hosts a variety of Articles podcast sermons and videos to support your journey real Christianity is 100% listener-supported Ministry and if you'd like to support our efforts simply click the Donate tab at relearn church.org you can also connect with both Veronica and I on Instagram Facebook and Twitter for daily lessons and Bible teachings thank you for being with us today we hope to see you next Wednesday for another episode of real Christianity