Wellspring for KC

Speaking of the expansion of the early church and those things that impeded it, Roland Allen describes in chapter 4 Fear for the Doctrine, who had to be corrected in regards to the correct teaching of the doctrine regarding the gospel.

She (the Church) held the tradition handed down by the apostles, and expected the new converts to grow up into it, to maintain it, and to propagate it. And so they did. The danger to the doctrine lay not in these illiterate converts on the outskirts; but at home, in places like Ephesus and Alexandria, amongst the more highly educated and philosophically minded Christians. It was against them that she had to maintain the doctrine. 

When I was reflecting on my conversion this past week about how I made sure that doctrine in daughter churches was correct I thought about this situation in the early church. The apostles would start churches, appoint leaders or elders in the church and leave. We have a few records of the apostles staying for awhile, but for the most part these churches began naturally and spread across the region and the world. The point is that we cannot kill spontaneous zeal for the gospel and the spread of it at the expense of making sure all those who are called to be His know enough to satisfy our theological standards before they go and do.

I am not bashing the education community as some would love to do. Quite the contrary. I love learning and discovering more about the person, nature, and mission of Jesus Christ through higher education. I encourage believers to seek this out as well. We want our leaders to know the bible, be able to defend the faith, and give educated answers to everyday questions. But at the same time I don’t want to stifle a possible movement of God to a Fear for the Doctrine. I’m learning more and more that the Holy Spirit is a big boy and can take care of Himself. Out of my love for Him I desire to gain more knowledge, but at the same time I know that others who love Him will feel the same and learn as well.