Practical Theology
In a class I’m taking, we’re discussing Practical Theology. The basics are simply seeking to put into practice what we say we believe. At times, this is easier said than done. For us as a church body or as individuals, it requires honest examination and guidance from the Holy Spirit to recognize any disconnects between what we say we believe and what we genuinely put into practice. Practical theology is where our times in Bible studies, worship services, and quiet times are put into practice. These are the moments when we get to share our faith and love our neighbor as Christ would. Practical theology is done when nobody is around to know if we are living out our spoken theology.
What do we do when the theology we believe is not what we put into practice? What if, in a moment, we choose personal convenience over sharing the love of Christ with a person in need? We are blessed to serve a God who invites us into a relationship that changes us from the inside out. The work of changing and becoming Christ-like is not something we do alone, nor should we do it alone. God has given us pathways to connect with Him, which results in our lives being changed. The writer, Richard Foster, calls these pathways spiritual disciplines in The Celebration of Discipline. John Wesley calls them means of grace. I am particularly fond of Wesley’s terminology. By God’s grace, we meet with the Lord in prayer, scripture study, corporate worship, the Lord’s supper, or solitude, and God does the work that only He can do. This is the work of changing the hearts of His people.
God does the work of molding us into His likeness. We must be obedient and humbly come to the table He has set for us. King David exemplifies this when he prays in Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, God, and know my heart… See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” We, too, must come to our Heavenly Father in this way. We will begin to love what He loves and seek the work of His kingdom in this world. Then, our spoken theology becomes our practical theology.
What do we do when the theology we believe is not what we put into practice? What if, in a moment, we choose personal convenience over sharing the love of Christ with a person in need? We are blessed to serve a God who invites us into a relationship that changes us from the inside out. The work of changing and becoming Christ-like is not something we do alone, nor should we do it alone. God has given us pathways to connect with Him, which results in our lives being changed. The writer, Richard Foster, calls these pathways spiritual disciplines in The Celebration of Discipline. John Wesley calls them means of grace. I am particularly fond of Wesley’s terminology. By God’s grace, we meet with the Lord in prayer, scripture study, corporate worship, the Lord’s supper, or solitude, and God does the work that only He can do. This is the work of changing the hearts of His people.
God does the work of molding us into His likeness. We must be obedient and humbly come to the table He has set for us. King David exemplifies this when he prays in Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, God, and know my heart… See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” We, too, must come to our Heavenly Father in this way. We will begin to love what He loves and seek the work of His kingdom in this world. Then, our spoken theology becomes our practical theology.
Recent
Archive
2025
2024
January
March
May
August
November
2023
June
September
Categories
no categories