- BibleViews2Use
- Posts
- Pastors Do It Too
Pastors Do It Too
These five costly Bible reading mistakes mess with your beliefs. I see believers make them all the time. How many do you make?
Steven Pawley
February 10, 2026
Are You New to BV2U? Welcome!
📚🕰️ What are you doing Monday @ Noon? Join us for online fellowship and Bible study around this past two-minute read. Request your free Zoom link here.
👩🏽💻 Next Online Cohort. You can sign up for the waitlist to be notified about the next live online Bible Confidence and Comprehension cohort here.
🔗 Scripture links are now from BibleGateway to avoid YouVersion app issues.
📆 Need Personalized Discipleship or Consultation for Spiritual Growth? Reach out here and let’s see what we can do.
♥️ Follow on Instagram | Facebook | Threads for more biblical guidance.
I was listening to the guy preach and couldn’t believe what I was hearing. We were looking at the same passage of Scripture, but he was getting way more out of the text.
To be honest, he was getting way more out of that text than he should have. He was messing with my beliefs, and I didn’t even know it!
Some used a lot of passages to prove a point but then left a couple key ones out. It happens. Others isolated one passage to prove a point that God didn’t make.
Taking God out of context happens way more than it should… and Pastors do it too.
But how would you know? What criteria do you use to discern truth? Is it because it sounds good, was said with conviction, it feels right, or you like the teacher?
So, I began to ask, how do I understand this BIG book? And how do I know that what others are saying aligns with truth?
When you stand before God, you’ll give account for what you believed not what someone taught you to believe. This scares me to death (2 Th. 2:9-12)!
And take this one seriously (Pro. 22:19-21).
If God’s word is true, there’s a lot at stake if you mess it up.
All of us run the risk of five costly mistakes that when corrected make the Bible so much easier to understand and enjoy. You can do this!
First, you get a little pragmatic and make applications with the text the author never intended. You can’t make selective and custom applications God didn’t intend.
Then there’s proof-texting. This gets my fur up! You or those you’re listening to use passages selectively to prove or force a belief or behavior while ignoring others.
I love this: “When you take the ‘text’ out of context, you’re left with a ‘con’”. A con! People who proof-text just might be a con-artist, not a good teacher 🥺.
We all have our preferences, right? But choosing beliefs and behaviors based on what feels right or what your favorite teachers believe is a bad plan.
And pride gets the best of you. You might refuse to align with Scripture when what you believe, how you behave, or have understood to be true is found to be in error.
If what you believe is in error – change what you believe! You have God’s permission.
But this last one might be the worst.
You passively allow others to tell you what to believe instead of actively learning how to read, study and interpret the Bible so you can know what you believe and why.
These five costly mistakes mess with your beliefs.
There’s a lot of good talk about spending more time in your Bible. If you don’t, you’re not going to make it. And it’s true.
But here’s a question you need to answer. How will you discern truth from error if the pastors, teachers or internet sensations who influence you make these mistakes too?
I put a few places to start in the GO DEEPER section below. Another place is our live online Bible Confidence & Comprehension Cohort. Those in it now have good things to say. You can learn more here.
You can also join the free Zoom online study where we deep dive one of the two-minute reads together. Details below. Lunch on Monday at noon? Request your link here.
This post on IG is crushing it! You might want to save and share it like so many others. Let me know what you think.
Thanks for Reading!
How Would You Rate Today's Read? |
Who can you forward today’s read to that needs encouragement?
This ministry will always be free; publishing it isn’t! Click “Choose to Pay” for ways to help support BV2U
FREE ONLINE BIBLE STUDY
Join us Mondays as we discuss one of the weekly posts. It’s a great time of fellowship and growth, but don’t take my word for it! 👇🏼
“The Monday Muze has been a great way to study God's Word. We not only delve deeper into The Word but we hear different experiences and perspectives from fellow believers in Christ. I look forward to Steve's views-letters and enjoy the encouragement from the group.”
Darryl L.
It’s FREE. Invite a friend and jump in @ NOON (EST) every Monday. Request Your MUZE Link and join others going deeper and growing stronger!
GO DEEPER with Today’s Read:
Here are a few things you can do to make your Bible reading less intimidating, easier to understand and more enjoyable. These are expanded greatly in our online cohort.
First, just take the Bible at face value. God said what He meant and meant what He said.
I know that sounds obvious, but many dismiss, spiritualize or read things into the text that aren’t there. Trust what it says if read in a plain literal sense.
Make sure you always establish four key forms of context before establishing any of the three kinds of applications you can make with the text. Context is key to comprehension. If you don’t know how to get context, take the time to learn.
Always ask, “whose mail is this?” While everything in the Bible is profitable for you, it is not all written directly to you. That’s why you don’t sacrifice animals at “church” anymore!
If you read a legal notice you found in your mailbox that was meant for your neighbor, you would learn from what it said but would not act upon it, right? It wasn’t for you. You have to do this with the Bible or you’ll get the wrong ideas.
Remember that the Bible is a spiritual book and a supernatural book. You’ll need God’s help and He’s given the Holy Spirit (the Author Himself) to teach you (1 Cor. 2:9-16).
Now read v. 13-16 again carefully. If you are the “natural man” (person) you won’t be able to discern Scripture properly. Jesus said being religious or sincere isn’t enough (John 3:1-8).
If you’re not sure about this, reach out to me by email and we’ll set up a time to talk.
Keep reading, even the parts you don’t like or understand. Stay encouraged it gets easier. The Bible is a big book and worth all the effort you put into learning it.
God reveals things when you’re ready and over time. Don’t be in a hurry and don’t get discouraged. Build a reading routine (not habit) and stay with it.
I would like to invite you into our next live online cohort that will give you comprehensive tools to read, understand, and enjoy your Bible. Check it out here.
Here’s some things you can do to deepen your walk with Jesus:
📚🕰️ Join The Free Online Study Mondays @ Noon (EST). Request Your Link.
📆 Request personal discipleship and consultation. Reach out here.
👩🏽💻 Next Online Cohort. Join the waitlist for the next live cohort to learn how to read and study your Bible better and have more confidence when you do.
📫 Forward this email to a friends & family and encourage them to subscribe
📈 Quick Favor? I hope you benefit from this views-letter. You can help me spread the word about this free ministry by inviting others and sharing BV2U to your social media.
💬 💡Feedback? Let me know how to improve this views-letter or how it impacted you. Reply to this email or write to [email protected]. I answer every email.
Some Popular Posts You Might Have Missed:
Thanks for reading 🙏
Have a wonderful day!
Financially Support This Free Ministry
BibleViews2Use will always be free; growing our influence is not. If it has helped you go deeper or grow stronger in your walk with God please consider donating and helping us reach more together. Even small donations have a big impact! Click the button to contribute.
Already a paying subscriber? Sign In.