The Core of Training

In the movie The Pistol: Birth of a Legend, there is a scene in the first part of the movie, Pete’s dads, Press, takes him through a drill in their kitchen to help Pete develop, gunslinger fast hands – this is a great movie by the way.  Press, holds the ball on the back of Pete’s neck and then tells him not to listen to him but to pay attention to the ball.  The instructions are when Press drops the ball, Pete is to clap his hands in front and then catch the ball behind his back.

That is not something that you would typically do in a basketball game.  It is not shooting or dribbling.  But the training creates skill that impacts multiple aspects of the game.  It is not something that can be used on the court specifically, but it preps a player to be able to do things they otherwise could not.

Personal independent Bible study is much like Press Maravich’s gunslinger drill.  In dealing with your kids on a daily basis, or in helping other people in their walk with God, you will not most of the time, be doing Bible study while you are interacting with them.  You will prepare before you meet, but you do not usually do the nuts and bolts of a study when you are meeting with them.

But the study you do, like the drill, prepares you to do a lot in working with your kids and your friends.  Situations will arise in life and conversations that will remind you of things you have studied.  You will be able to speak to those issues from a foundation of your personal Bible study.

I was asked a couple of years ago if Bible study was training for ministry, it is not all, but it is the core.  Everything else is dependent on study.