How to be a thinking Christian, Part 5

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How I Practice Being a Thinking Christian

Matthew 22:37 commands us to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is a command to be a thinking Christian, to think as a Christian. Christianity is not a blind faith. Rather, God expects us to use our intellectual capacities to understand and practice what we believe. In this series we’ve considered:Be A Thinking Christian

In this post, I will share some ways I practice being a thinking Christian. My purpose is to share some examples to help you get started or perhaps add to your practice.

Here are some things to keep in mind as you develop your own disciplines.

  • This is a personal process, not a mechanical one. You need to make it work for you and not attempt to follow rigid rules.
  • Schedule designated times for reading, study, and learning. You may not always be able to keep to your schedule, but you are more likely to succeed when you have a plan.
  • Pray and study daily to deepen your awareness of God’s plan for your life.
  • It is important to understand that revelation comes through the Holy Spirit, who is our teacher and who will enable us to discern the truth. Always check any insights against the teachings of the Bible and the historical interpretation of the church. Your pastor or a mature Christian can help you do that.

Fran’s Pre-retirement Practice

I am now mostly retired. That means my practice has changed as I have more time available to being a thinking Christian. With that in mind, I will share my practice before retirement as it will be helpful to more people.

I took the following from a paper I presented at a conference.

Let me share how I study. This is an example of what is working for me now. Over the years, I have approached study in different ways, and I am sure I will continue to both change and return to previous practices to keep my study time fresh and exciting.

I make time to study several times each day. On weekday mornings, I get up at 5:00 and spend an hour praying, reading the Bible, and reading other books. I read the New Testament each year, the Old Testament every 2 years, and the Psalms every 3 months.

Since I have a 45-minute drive to the office, I listen to Christian podcasts, lectures, Bible studies, Christian commentary and more during both commutes. For anyone with drive time, this is an excellent and inexpensive way to study.

As I travel a great deal for business (usually by car), I find these extended trips a great opportunity to add listening to audio books to my practice.

I also try to spend part of my lunch hour reading Christian periodicals.

In the evening, since I seldom watch television, as the kids are all grown, I can devote more time to reading and topical studies of interest to me.

I often teach Bible classes for a church and a small group. So, some of my study time is used to prepare for these classes.

This is an aggressive study schedule, and I am not at all suggesting that you must do the same things.

Perhaps something I do might work for you. The key is, have a plan. Even if it is only 15 minutes a day of reading the Bible, do it, and do it every day!

Fran’s Post-retirement Practice

As you may expect, my practice has changed since retiring from my full-time career. With less time devoted to work, I have more time available to do everything I did before retirement, with one exception.

Since I no longer have the long commute or business road trips, I listen to fewer podcasts, etc. However, I will whenever I have the opportunity.

And, I have made one addition to my practice. I find time every day to write and reflect on the Christian life.

My Challenge to You

Do you desire to love God with all your mind?

Do you want to be a thinking Christian?

If so, review this series of posts for suggestions and ideas to get you started.

Need some suggestions? Send me a message and I will assist you as best I can.

A must read:

Next: Suggested Reading for Thinking Christians

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