How are we doing at listening?

I encouraged OBC Sunday to make sure we are good listeners to God's Word. A book that I have recently read deals with the subject. It is called What Is a Healthy Church Member? and it is written by Thabiti Anyabwile (say that 3 times fast).

The first chapter is about listening to God's Word, and he reminds us...

Just as the pastor's preaching agenda should be determined by the meaning of Scripture, so too should the Christian's listening agenda be driven by the meaning of Scripture. When we listen to the preaching of the Word, we should not listen primarily for "practical how-to advice," though Scripture teaches us much about everyday matters. Nor should we listen for messages that bolster our self-esteem or that rouse us to political and social causes. Rather, as members of Christian churches we should listen primarily for the voice and message of God as revealed in His Word.

Good things to think about.