Too many voices?

The other day I jumped into my car, backed out of the driveway(of course putting on my seat belt first), turned on the radio, and listened to some sermon on marriage. The preacher was discussing the freedom of the believe to remarry after divorce.

I reached my destination, did a few errands, got back into my car, turned on the radio(again buckling up), and tuned in to another station. The preacher was saying the exact opposite of the earlier preacher.

How confusing for some poor and struggling Christian trying to get some word from God. I then considered the pattern that I have experienced for a long time.

There are many different speakers on Christian radio every day. Often times I hear teaching that conflicts with the program that was on ten minutes before. Now I know that we are to use our minds, weigh what we hear, read for ourselves, attend our local church and sit under those whom God has appointed. However, there are so many voices on radio, television, cable, DVD, and so on, that the young or undiscerning believer can become easily confused and worse, taught inaccurately the word of God.


The listener without discernment receives the voice from radio broadcast, and the other media as though it has much great authority than their local pulpit.


Suggestions:

Talk with your local pastor, who has been given charge to care for your soul, and ask for his thoughts concerning all the many voices.

Listen to a select few that are not in great conflict with each other. You are listening to learn, not to be confused! As one writer put it so well, "one cannot enter a coal mine with a white suit and come out clean". So it also is true that one cannot listen to the many different voices often at odds with each other concerning the word of God, and still have confidence that God is unchanging, and not suffering a split personality!


I am not condemning Christian radio. I believe in Christian radio for the sake of basic gospel evangelism messages, for broadcasting to the hard to reach places. But too many people are relying on the radio and television for their basic instruction, when they ought to be in the local church meeting with their brothers and sisters, excited together about God's speaking His word to them in the local church setting.

Is it wrong to listen to Christian radio? No. I have many times been encouraged by solid Christian teaching via radio. But the radio pastor is not in charge of your soul. Listen, but do so with discernment, and weigh what you hear, with the help of your pastor, and other brothers and sisters in your local church.

Your thoughts?