Pastor in the Pasture Wendel Elliott: Advanced Horseman or Elementary?

When it comes to horsemanship I definitely could use more knowledge and experience. If we stop learning we become complacent and stagnant. However, imagine paying a good sizable fee to attend a clinic where the instructor taught only elementary type techniques. Now don’t get me wrong there are beginners that need such techniques and teaching. What I am referring to is an experienced and accomplished teacher that should be capable of advanced techniques but instead teaching at an elementary level. For me personally I could use more refinement in lead changes and/or sliding stops. Say that I paid good money to learn these techniques but the clinician spent 5 days on defining and showing me a lead without any instruction on actual lead changes. I would be demanding a refund in a hurry!

Another way to look at it might be if you’ve taught a coworker a process. You’ve spent so much time on the technique that they should be able to host a three day conference on the subject. However, they keep asking you how to carry out the procedure. They should be more than capable by now but seem to be stuck on the elementary parts of said process.

Sadly, there are Christians that fit this mold. They have been taught time and time again in areas of faith and have been walking with Christ many years. These types of believers and followers of Christ should be able to teach a small group on multiple topics from the Bible. Yet, they are stuck in elementary ways of thinking or action.

What if the great clinician and horseman Ray Hunt had stayed in elementary ways instead of passing on his immense knowledge and experience to the world? Can you imagine the void of his impact? Those that are familiar with his influence would shrink back at the thought. If we are concerned about an area of horsemanship why would we not be wanting and willing to influence others in an area that has eternal ramifications? As believers and followers of Christ let us lay aside elementary ways of walking and acting like children. Instead let us mature and teach others of Christ and pass on the hope in Him!

Hebrews 5 says, “Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.”(Hebrews 5:11-14 NASB)

I pray that you and I will not remain in elementary principles but instead mature, practice our faith, and train our senses to discern good and evil. Let us move on from milk to solid food.

Well, I better get to it…partaking of solid food and teaching others…I pray you will join me as you follow Christ in your life.

I’ll see y’all out in the pasture!