Chapter 16: Myth—God Owns Solid Rock

Page 5

Myth—God Owns Solid Rock

I immediately began reading the Holy Bible. I was thirsty to know

everything I could about God. Where once Genesis had been a stopping point in my reading of the Bible, nothing could stop me now. I read the Bible front to back and then got the Apocryphal books and read all of them. I became comfortable in the word of God. That is when I started teaching

Sunday school to high school students at Union Church. It was months later that things started to get dicey for me mentally inside the church. I would read and study my Bible. However, when I got to church, I often heard messages that seemed opposite of what my Bible taught. I would run home

and study the Bible on the issue that was just preached in the church. I often found that the pulpit message did not line up with God’s Word.

Let me tell you that this will be your first big test with God. Will you adhere to what His Word says? Or, will you accept only what the pulpit

teaches? Satan hopes that religious authorities will intimidate you to simply leave your Bible on the bookshelf at home. Ever wonder why it is that many people who go to church never carry a Bible? This is no doubt their main reason. They are ignorant of the Word and thus unable to confront apostasy.

Better to accept the pulpit teaching, even if you do not agree with it? If you accept the Bible as the source of truth, you will not be able to accept the apostasy of any pulpit that contradicts it. You will be forced to move on to another church and another and another. You might eventually end up in a

small fellowship group like I did, which stands solely on the word of God.

Our pastor at Union Church in Elk River was the Reverend Richard Scheerer. Our family attended this UCC Church for nine years until one

fateful day in the fall of 1982. I can still remember the pastor’s statement, which would turn out to be a milestone in my walk of faith with God. He said: “Many of you might have seen the statement in the Minneapolis paper yesterday. The Minnesota Council of Churches issued a statement backing

Gay and lesbian relationships. You should know that our church is a part of this council and agrees with the statement.” The pastor didn’t explain precisely what was said in the paper. If anyone had questions about it, we were to see him. Immediately the spiritual alarm bells went off. I had

already experienced several instances of where pulpit teaching ran counter to biblical teaching. I knew I had to get Saturday’s paper and read the article.