I’ve been going to a really good church the last couple of years. Good preachers and godly men and women, literally within walking distance to where I live, a very active and outreach oriented church. But as I’ve been on a discovery of being more Christocentric greater than Biblocentric, without abandoning love and passion and devotion to knowing the Word, I started to listen more carefully.
A couple of months ago I had a talk with the pastor of this large church and prior to talking to him, I noticed how few people had a Bible. Most were content with the verses no the overhead projection system on the wall. Not wrong by any means, but I wondered how many have an actual Bible at home that they read consistently? I mentioned this to the pastor. My alarm that technology was replacing our engagement in the word on an individual level. It was the fruit of my Bibliocentric life where the Bible was king.
Now it would be easy to take this all the wrong way. I’m in no way saying we leave the Bible, but the Bible is that which points to Jesus. And while every church talks about Jesus and loves Jesus, I realized there’s a slight, but monumental difference between being Bibliocentric versus Christocentric.
In a Bibliocentric church knowing the Bible is paramount. As it should be. Every sermon is Scriptural. As it should be. But in a more Bibliocentric preaching Jesus may not be the primary focus on perhaps a lesson on good living. It’s subtle what I’m talking about. I know.
But living a Christocentric life and going to a Christocentric church is where everything ultimately points to Jesus. Jesus is the center of the worship and the center of the preaching. No no church I know is going to say that they are not Christocentric. None. Because Jesus is all included in the equation. The difference is that Jesus is the celebrated center, middle and end. If you start to listen more carefully, you’ll hear it.
It’s not that we preach or teach only out of the gospels of mention Jesus and “Praise the Lord” every other sentence, but it’s about making Jesus the highlight.
For example if we look in the book of Philippians, Paul talks often of joy/rejoice/be glad. But how many more times does he mention Jesus/Jesus Christ/Lord Jesus? I dare you to count. Paul was such an extraordinarily Christocentric preacher we hardly recognize it.
So back to where I began. A few weeks ago I realized I was in a very good Bibliocentric church. But my spirit began to crave talking more about Jesus and seeing Jesus as the center of the preaching and teaching. And so I prayed a simple prayer asking the Lord if he could lead me to a more Jesus-centric church.
And today, he may have done just that.
The music was about Jesus. The message on gratitude pointed clearly to Jesus. There was repeated thanksgiving offered to Jesus in communion and giving.
And while it is still new and untested, perhaps this is one more way in which the Lord is helping me to be a devoted Bible believing, Christocentric follower.
