The Telephone Game
Did you ever play the telephone game in elementary school?
One person whispers a phrase to the person next to them. The phrase is passed in quiet whispers around the group. The final person declares the message they received and everyone cheers for accuracy or laughs at a mutation.
It is a fun game with a powerful illustration. The farther we get from the source, the more chance for the message to sour.
I’ve noticed the telephone game phenomenon happens in the church. Telephone theology is rampant as disciples listen and pass on what they’ve heard.
The danger of mutation over time in the Faith is eternally significant. There will be no laughter when a mutation is discovered in the End.
Hearing Matt Chandler or John Macarthur or your pastor cannot be a replacement for hearing the Word of God. The life of your church cannot settle for second-hand theology.
God placed gifted leaders in the church for her good. Don’t hear me knocking discipleship. God has given us the gift of church history and the treasures of confessions and writings. Don’t hear me knocking doctrinal confessions and books of church order.
I’m challenging two things– 1) outright blind allegiance to teachers or teaching downstream from the Scriptures and 2) accidental blind allegiance through biblical ignorance and theological laziness.
When we go beyond what is written– we create camps inside the church. We’re most tempted to camp beyond what is written when we haven’t wrestled with what the Scripture actually says.
In the wrestling, we are able to separate what is clear and necessary from what is wise (and debatable). Even where we differ, it will be a different difference :) .
Some divisions are good and necessary…
18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval.
1 Corinthians 11:18–19.
But other divisions are the product of following Telephone Theology too far down the line.
Don’t settle for teachers that vaguely reference the Bible or for describing theological positions instead of talking about real passages!
Let’s remember Paul’s instructions to Corinth as we see Insta-stories, listen to podcasts, etc.
6 Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other. 7 For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
1 Corinthians 4:6–7.