CBS President, Professor of Old Testament
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6).
We live in a time in which information is plentiful, but knowledge is scarce. With the growth of technology over the last several decades we are now able to access any type of information we want within a few seconds. By tapping a few buttons on our smartphones, in an instant we can check email, receive the weather forecast, navigate directions by satellite, look up facts about the past, and receive real-time news concerning the present. In the history of the world there has never been such rapid and convenient access to such a wide variety of information.
But even though our access to information is easy, our acquisition of knowledge is more difficult. In the early years of the prophet Hosea’s ministry, Israel was experiencing a time of significant growth and expansion, yet God condemned his people because they lacked “knowledge” (Hos 4:6). In the Bible, “knowledge” does not simply refer to understanding information about God, but rather acknowledging God’s authority and orienting one’s life around his will. In Hosea’s time, Israel knew about God, but they did not truly know God. They did not acknowledge him or seek to honor him with their lives. And for Israel’s lack of knowledge, God ultimately blames their spiritual leaders—the priests and the prophets (verses 4–5).
What this shows us is that for God’s people to thrive spiritually and bring glory and honor to God, they need leaders who truly know God. The church needs leaders who have spent time studying God’s word and have learned that, like Israel, they are deserving of God’s righteous judgment, yet through Jesus Christ they have received immeasurable grace and forgiveness. The church needs leaders who have been trained to preach and teach this good news with power and conviction, and who can therefore lead God’s people in orienting their lives around God’s word for God’s glory.
These are the types of leaders we seek to train at Christ Bible Seminary. Whether you are interested in becoming a pastor, learning how to serve more effectively in your church, or simply want to know God and his word better, we invite you to consider enrolling at CBS. We invite you to come not only to learn information about God, but truly to grow in your knowledge of God. It is our heartfelt prayer that concerning the next generation of the church in Japan, God would not say, “my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Would you join us in helping to spread this knowledge of God throughout this great nation?
Rev. Matthew Newkirk, PhD
President and Professor of Old Testament
