Why Doctrine Matters in Our Mission

Every once in a while I will hear someone complaining about "doctrine" in the church, proclaiming that doctrine divides while Jesus unites, or that doctrine is cold and dead. Do doctrine and theology matter? Our story this week reveals Paul making a quick trip through the important city of Ephesus on his way back to Antioch. He preaches Jesus and there is a new church, yet he doesn't stay long. Paul's old friends from Corinth, Priscilla and Aquila, remain in Ephesus and come into contact with a gifted young preacher named Apollos. The dude can wax eloquent and knows much of the Bible. Yet, there were some areas of the Gospel that he was unaware of and needed more training and discipleship for his ministry. Priscilla and Aquila pour into the life and doctrine of this young preacher. We are reminded here that passion and gifts are not enough---that doctrine really does matter. Gifted preachers can preach an erroneous or incomplete Jesus, which can lead to churches embracing false gospels. Charles Spurgeon is attributed as saying, "A mist in the pulpit will lead to a fog in the pew." The story of Apollos reminds us that theological formation matters in our spiritual growth and that authentic discipleship will shape the things we believe.