2022: Stay the Course! - Fast Food Theology

Every once in a while, I like a good fast food burger. Harveys is my usual choice – Angus beef with cheese, mustard, relish, two pickles, Harvey's sauce, lots of hot peppers, and more hot peppers. Did I mention I like hot peppers? My family physician would tell me that it may be okay once in a while, but you certainly wouldn’t want a steady diet of fast food.

Fast food, as tasty and tempting as it is, has some serious health consequences. So please don't get me going on pizza and wings! First, fast food doesn't provide the healthy nutrients your body needs to maintain good health. Second, it typically doesn’t satisfy long-term hunger. And third, long-term eating of fast food has profound health implications.

At times, we approach theology with the same mindset as fast food. It's fast, convenient, and the path of least resistance, but fast food theology has some serious spiritual health concerns. First, it doesn't provide the healthy spiritual food your soul needs to grow in faith. Second, it doesn’t satisfy and answer the deep questions of faith when the storms of life hit. And finally, fast food theology leads to serious spiritual health issues. Theology proper is the study of God, who He is, His attributes, and His character. Good theology helps us know God.

Fast food theology is the shortcut to serious, daily personal feeding on the Word of God. It is the latest podcast, Instagram following, book of the month, or any other diversion from consistent reading, studying, and meditating on God's Word for yourself. Don't get me wrong; fast food is okay once in a while; it's a treat for special occasions. However, it should never become our regular diet. As excellent and informative as many other spiritual resources are, they should always be supplementary to a healthy "Biblical" diet. Unfortunately, recent surveys show that fewer and fewer North Americans are reading and studying their Bibles daily. Instead, they are exchanging a healthy diet for a fast food diet, or worse, a fast food theology.

We live in a day where instant bible knowledge is available at any given moment on various platforms. Some of that is good. But there is a caution. When Paul and Silas preached the Word to those in Berea, they noticed something different, "Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so" (Acts 17:11).

We need discernment in our day. So let fast food be the treat, and regular personal feeding of the Scriptures be our normal daily diet that aids our soul and promotes more profound spiritual growth in our lives.

So, let’s eat some good spiritual food, and don't forget the meat of the Word!

Rev. Bill Allan
AGC President