How many of us sit in church week after week and ask themselves these questions?
"What I am I doing here?" Or better yet, "Why do I waste my time listening to this stuff?" Or how about this one comment/question: "Why can't the pastor be more "relevant" (interesting, exciting, you fill in the word as you see it...)?"
Christianity and the Bible are far from boring... together, both are life-changing and absolutely fulfilling.
From the website "The Resurgence" sponsored by Mars Hill Church, Seattle, WA, USA:
The Art of Listening might well be the most the important skill a Christian must develop, because Christianity is at its essence all about the Word of God. In fact, God himself is the Word (John 1:1) and the Word became flesh (John 1:2)—safe to say that if God is the Word then how we use our ears is pretty important. Furthermore, you can only come to faith through hearing (Rom. 10:14) and then you grow mature through hearing (Matt. 13:23).
Do you get it? Seeing God happens through hearing. Our vision is through our ears. My friend, if you have either not yet come to Christ, or you have but are frustrated, confused, and not really growing, then I would bet big money that your problem revolves around not listening as you should. Here are some tips on listening well to a preacher, or to the Word of God in any context:
1. Get in range regularly
The reason Zacchaeus collided with Jesus was because he climbed the tree. If the soil is not in range of the sower then it isn't going to receive any seed.
Continue reading here: via theresurgence.com