By Beth Jones

To read Part One, click here. 

Remember the Wendy's commercial ... they looked at "other" hamburgers and said, "Where's the beef?" Of course, the beef was in the Wendy's burger!

Ever felt that way in life? In church? Where's the beef? If your Christian life is being fed empty calories of TV, magazines, movies, videos and secular music ... you are missing the meaty morsels of the Word and your Christian experience is very vanilla. If you are leaving church just as hungry as when you entered—that's a vanilla problem.

Vanilla Christianity is Word-deficient Christianity.
It's astounding how many people have been Christians for decades, yet their Word level is preschool or below. How sad. I never knew how fortunate I was to have had Bible study leaders from the moment I became a Christian who put their arms around me and taught me how to get into the Word and have "quiet times" so I could hide God's Word in my heart. Little did I know how vital that is to a flavor-rich Christian life.

A Christian who doesn't know the Word ... the living Word ... the fresh Manna ... the "alive-ness" of the Word ... is oh, so vanilla! God's Word is the spice, the flavor, the extract for LIFE.

Dear fellow Bible teacher ... teach the Word. Have more of the Bible in your message than quotes from famous people. Give your listeners the beef! Dear fellow Christian ... eat the Word! Get fed the Word. Find the beef!

While there is no such place as the perfect church, we should be getting fed when we attend church. While we should have weekend services that connect with the lost and unchurched and while we should be culturally relevant and evangelistic in our approach—there should still be some meat and potatoes! People need the Bible. Bottom line ... people need the Word. More importantly—to live the victorious Christian life people need the "word of faith" which Paul preached (Romans 10). More importantly, people need the revelation knowledge of the Word of God. Teaching that is alive. Teaching that carries authority. Teaching that has weight. Meat! Beef!

"No more grizzle!" should be the chant of every Christian.

'No more grizzle' should be the chant of every Christian. - Beth Jones

We've been in church meetings and so have you ... where the Bible was never mentioned, referenced or quoted. The "talk" was just a man or woman "talking" about so many things, a quote or two, a story or two and poof it's over. We leave asking, "Where's the beef?" Too much grizzle. Too much fluff. Too much cotton candy. Too much of man, not enough of God. Give me the Word—then tell me a story to explain it and make it mine. Give me the Word.

Don't get me wrong ... I am a huge, 'honkin big advocate of culturally relevant services to reach the unreached. I'm big fan of all the bells and whistles—give 'em the moving lights, haze, heartfelt, rock and roll worship, videos, dramas, movie clips ... whatever will connect the gospel to the lost culture. Use it! BUT ... let's not forget to give them what all of the bells and whistles opened up their heart to receive ... and that is: God's Word!

If you remember Charlie Brown ... no doubt you'll remember the invisible teacher. We never saw her face, but we heard her teach ..."Wahhhwahhhwahhhwahhhwahh ...." That's all she ever said. Sadly, that's all some people ever hear in church. I've probably been guilty of being that teacher at times. So many words about nothing.

My biggest prayer is that, as a Bible teacher, I never leave the Bible! I don't want to ever become so polished, professional, experienced or effective at the craft of teaching—that I ditch the Bible—that I exalt man's ideas, man's quotes or even my own thoughts or experiences above the Word. God's Word is living and activele to effectually work within the hearts of people. His Words are spirit and life. My words are just noise. May I never be so impressed with my own words that I fail to give people what they really need ... the meat of His Word.

That's what set me free ... fed me ... matured me ... sharpened me ... motivated me ... corrected me ... changed me ... rearranged me ... delivered me ... molded me ... God's Word. It was the revelation knowledge found in God's Word on so many topics that has given me the John 10:10 life.

Simple.

God has exalted His Word above His Name according to Psalm 138:2, "For You have magnified Your word above all Your name." Let's be sure we do the same ... always!

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:12-14, KJV)

Copyright © 2007 Beth Jones Ministries All rights reserved.