Every Christian is a disciple, and every disciple is a learner. Jesus told you and me to Go make disciples (not just converts). Every Christian is called to be a disciple and to make disciples. The Greek word for “disciple” is mathetes which means “learner”—a learner and follower of Jesus.
A recent article in Christianity Today (Jan/Feb, 2026) by Jen Wilkin calls learning “The Great Omission” and laments that with busy schedules, chatty small groups, and personalized quiet times, we’ve neglected the rigor of learning the Bible.
Take a quiz: 1. What did God make on each of the six days of Creation? 2. Where in the Bible do we find the Ten Commandments? 3. Who was the king when the kingdom of Israel was divided? 4. What one miracle is in all four Gospels?
How did you do? Did you, like many, grab your phone to ask Google for answers? If so, Wilkin continues: A Bible literacy crisis has flooded the halls of local churches and left many Christians unable to recall basic information contained in Scripture. Some may not consider this important knowledge for Christians to learn, but Great Commission faithfulness demands our attention… Our biblical illiteracy compounds into theological illiteracy. She then shares the results of a recent “State of Theology” survey:
In response to the statement, “God accepts the worship of all religions including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam,” 47% of evangelicals agreed.
In response to “Everyone is born innocent in the eyes of God,” 64% of evangelicals agreed.
In response to “Jesus was a great teacher, but he was not God,” 28% of evangelicals agreed.
These are serious doctrinal errors for people who claim to be Christians. No wonder so many Christians are weak and struggling. We don’t know our Bibles like we should; and so we don’t really know God and how to follow Him daily. The world is squeezing far too many into its mold, because we are not being transformed by the renewal of your mind (Rom. 12:2).
The primary tool for Biblical learning, for “loving God’s Word,” here at IBC is our Adult Bible Education classes. Yes, Pastor Phillip’s sermons are excellent and vitally important; yes, small groups create community and encourage deep spiritual friendships; yes, personal devotional time is good; but where do you LEARN the Bible in a way that transforms your mind and prepares you to pass truth on to others? Faithfully engage in an ABE on Sunday morning or Wednesday evening.
Summer ABEs launched on May 10 and it’s not too late to join one. For a full list, visit www.ibcwv.org/adult-bible-education . Here are the kinds of classes available:
GROW 101—Basics like Connections, Spiritual Gifts Discovery, Foundations of the Faith
GROW 102—Christian Living and Training like Knowing and Doing God’s Will, Life Group Training
GROW 103—Bible Content and Books like Choices: Book of James, Daniel: Key to Bible Prophecy
GROW 104—Theology, like Knowing God, The Rapture and Beyond, Spiritual Warfare
Later this summer, our ABE Committee plans to provide you with a full plan (scope and sequence) for all ABEs and a bookmark or App to help you track your progress in courses you have taken.
Wilkin reminds us that we cannot worship a God we do not know. We cannot obey a command we have not heard. We cannot teach what we have never been taught. ABEs are our opportunity to address these great needs.
Growing to maturity is the Christian’s most exciting and challenging adventure. It is a lifelong process of obeying Jesus’ call: Teaching them to obey all things that I have commanded you (Mt. 28:20). Pray that more IBC’ers will faithfully engage in ABE classes because “Disciples are Learners!”