Beyond Reading: Pastor Mensa Otabil’s Call to Deeper Bible Engagement

In part 6 of his inspiring series, Living for God: Doers of the Word, Pastor Mensa Otabil, the General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), delved into the importance of not just reading the Bible, but truly living it in a way that transforms our lives. He emphasized that God desires us to go beyond hearing and reading the Word of God – He wants us to be doers of it.

“God is not just interested in us reading the Bible. Yes, we must read it. We must hear it, but we must go beyond just reading and hearing,” Pastor Otabil stated, urging believers to apply the teachings of Scripture to their everyday lives.

He reflected on the words of James in the Bible, warning that many deceive themselves by being merely hearers of the Word, without allowing it to change their actions. “There are people who are deceiving themselves. They are not deceiving God. They are deceiving themselves. It’s possible for us to live a self-deceived life, thinking we are the smartest, but everyone else sees that we are not,” Pastor Otabil cautioned.

While acknowledging the value of reading, memorizing, and quoting Bible verses, he reminded the congregation that these actions are insufficient if they do not translate into changed behavior. “It’s good to read. It’s good to memorize. It’s good to quote Bible passages, but what good is all of that if it doesn’t show up in our lives?” he asked.

Pastor Otabil then pointed to the key to retaining the Word and living it out: meditation. He explained that it’s not enough to just read the Word in one moment and forget about it in the next. “When you turn, and you are not looking in the Word again, how do you retain it in your mind? By meditating in the Word. Thinking about it. Meditating means repetitively thinking about something,” he explained.

He highlighted that even when we are engaged in other activities, we should not forget the truths we’ve read in Scripture. “So whilst I’m still in the world, and I’m reading all of these things, some part of my mind must not vacate the Word of God,” Pastor Otabil said. He encouraged believers to continuously ponder on the Word, even while dealing with life’s distractions, and to keep it in their minds throughout the day.

“Lord, help me to do this. Lord, I want to live like Christ. Lord, I want to serve you,” he said, urging believers to pray and reflect on the Word as they go about their daily activities. “So, although I’m no longer reading the Bible, the Bible is boiling inside of me. I am not a forgetful hearer.”

Another crucial point Pastor Otabil made was about the liberating power of the Word. “The Word of God is called the perfect law of liberty,” he said, noting that living according to God’s Word brings freedom, not bondage. He explained that many people fear the teachings of the Bible because they believe following them will somehow limit their lives. “Some of you believe that if you really forgave that person, you would be the loser. I mean, the person has really offended you, and you feel that if you truly forgive them, then you’ve lost,” he remarked, reminding the congregation that true liberty comes from obeying God’s commands.

Pastor Otabil concluded his message with a powerful reminder to “stay connected to the Word.” He stressed that living for God requires more than just reading Scripture – it requires internalizing it and allowing it to change our attitudes, actions, and outlook on life.

“Stay connected to the Word. Think about it. Meditate on it. Pray about it,” he encouraged. “When you do this, you allow the Word of God to transform you and free you from the bondages of self-deception, fear, and worldly distractions.”

Through practical advice and spiritual insight, Pastor Otabil’s sermon called believers to not only hear the Word, but to live it and allow it to deeply impact their lives and the world around them.