Expository Preaching Blog #12 – “Follow the Money”

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This might stir up some discussion, but it is not a hill that I will die on. Honestly I just want you to think about it.

Why do we have so many Bible study books, Bible study discussion guides, study Bibles, Bible translations and paraphrases, Bible commentaries, hymnals and song books? I believe it was back in the 70’s when the movie “All the President’s Men” based on the Watergate scandal made popular phrase “Follow the money.”

It seems like every few years now someone is publishing a new Bible translation or paraphrase. One just came out a couple of years ago by a well-known preacher and author. There are always new “Bible Study” courses coming out by various publishing houses. Not only do you have the “Bible Study” book itself but there is always a “Bible Study Discussion Guide” along with it. Sometimes there are also videos and marketing materials that you can buy along with that. I used to know a pastor who bought almost every new “Bible Study” course or system that came out. He spent thousands of dollars of his church’s money every year on these items.

Then there Bible commentaries. Many, many current preachers, groups and associations have or are now are writing and producing their own set of commentaries. The costs add up to buy these and preachers spend thousands of dollars adding these books either in print or digital form to their libraries. I know of one publishing house that needed to generate more income during the pandemic since church Sunday school programs and Vacation Bible Schools were closed down. So they started working on their own commentary series of the Bible. Like we don’t already have a thousand of them already.

I am trying to not pass judgement on motives but I want people to just look at the facts and consider it for themselves. What is the motivation to produce and new Bible study series, Bible commentaries and study Bibles?

It seems like every well-known preacher has their own study Bible. My beef is that then people hold their notes and opinions up as gospel in church, Sunday school and Bible study classes. I hear over and over what this person said or that person said. Frankly I don’t care what any of them say. I only care what God says. He is infallible and He is always true. And we can study the Bible completely and entirely without a single Bible study book or commentary. It has been done for thousands of years.

Oh by the way God is not making a dime off the Book He has written. He does care about the money and He doesn’t need it. Check it out and “Follow the Money!”

 

Rev. David Johnson

Former Pastor

First Baptist Church of Austin, MN

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