The decision for a church to change Bible translations should not be taken lightly. The very Book from which the congregants get their marching orders must be trusted—and, no doubt, has been for decades. Among conservative, evangelical churches, the decision to change from the King James Version to a modern Bible translation is unquestionably the most difficult decision for a pastor (or group of elders) to make. The pressure from King James Version Only types (KJVO) both from within and without will likely make such a move difficult. Having made the decision to change translations some two decades ago, I can assure you there will undoubtedly be some fallout. I have been referred to by name in sermons and indirectly in articles as a heretic, an apostate, and even a reprobate—merely for changing to a modern Bible translation. Life-long friends tolerated such accusations and printed those articles. And when I contacted them to discuss it, they seemed to have no remorse. I am not trying to play the victim, here. I simply share that to say, I am well aware of the repercussions of changing from the King James Version to a modern Bible translation. And having gone through all of that, I still firmly believe you should consider it.
Before I get too far, let me clearly designate my target audience. If you are a committed King James Version Onlyist (KJVO) who puts stock in all the claims of KJVO, you need not read any further. This article will likely not convince you to change your position as it is not intended to be a refutation of that system. Plenty of books, articles, and videos have been done which are intelligent, well-articulated, and well-researched. I was once a committed KJVO myself. However, open-minded research convinced me otherwise and will do the same for you, if you desire to know the truth. If you prefer, however, to remain committed to Onlyism, nothing out there will change your mind. All that said, this article is not written for you. I do not intend that to come across as mean-spirited. I just want the reader to know why this article was written and who it is intended to reach. My goal is to appeal to the church leaders who are “only King James” but are not King James Only. In other words, my target audience in this article is the pastor who knows there is no conspiracy by modern Bible translators to pervert Scripture. Yet, for whatever reason, you continue to use a 400+ year old Bible translation in all church services. I’d like to share my heart—and my concerns with you. Over the years, I’ve primarily heard two reasons that pastors continue using the KJV. First, there is a concern about “offending” the brethren—both within the local church and within a wider fellowship of churches. As a staunch defender of the independent and autonomous nature of each local church, I do not believe a pastor should concern himself greatly with “sister churches” and their opinions in this area. We, as elders, are called to serve the flock we shepherd. In other words, while we should proceed with caution if we believe a change of policy might cause a major church split, we should not be overly concerned with what a “sister church” 45 miles down the road may think. A shepherd is not called to pastor multiple flocks (though I’ve seen it attempted a number of times—and not only by our Presbyterian brothers, either). Let me put it this way—if a change of policy is better for your local church—the church you shepherd—then what another church down the road may think is completely irrelevant. Can you imagine an actual shepherd tending his sheep a certain way merely because a shepherd beyond the valley may hear about it and think he’s wrong? That is not wisdom. It’s not even logical. That said, while elders in a church should not be overly concerned with the opinions of other pastors and churches, caution should absolutely be exhibited when instituting any change that might cause a church split. Now let me be clear—I am not suggesting that you should continue with the status quo simply because two families may be angry about it. I am not. Good changes are often difficult to navigate. However, there is a right way to handle such a change. If you have members that would push back over a translation change and may, perhaps, even leave, then they have either been influenced by KJVO or they are making their own personal preferences more important than what’s good for the church body as a whole. While those two points of view are not the same, they both must be addressed. If they have been influenced by KJVO, you will need to educate them. That means, you will likely need to educate yourself first, if you have not done so. I realize it is hard to commit to studying things like manuscripts and inspiration and preservation when you have sermons to prepare. But if you are to guide your church through this process, you simply cannot do so without some basic knowledge. And for what it’s worth, you are the resident theologian who should be answering these questions. Put your hand to the plow so that you can shepherd your people—rather than allowing them to follow some quack on YouTube. I am willing to bet that the majority of pushback from members will be from a KJVO perspective—whether they admit that or not. It’s likely they’ve heard something like “modern translations are missing 68,000 words” or “modern Bibles deleted the deity of Christ” or something along those lines. Those are falsehoods that have been propagated by the KJVO crowd—but they are understandably frightening when you hear them. Educating the membership can show them the truth. There’s plenty of helps in this area these days. And again, you have been called to do this for the local church you pastor. It’s really not optional. If, however, this is merely a matter of preference—that is, “I just think the KJV sounds like the Bible and so I don’t want to change”—then you really need to preach to your congregation about the church being a body. You must explain that each member is to “esteem other better than [ourselves]” (Philippians 2:3 KJV). What is good for the entire body must be the goal of every individual part—each member. Your physical body works in concert—and the church body must learn to do the same, even when our personal preference is not the chosen path. That is not true only with Bible translations, but that is the primary thrust of this particular article. And a member should not leave to find another church merely because a personal preference is not the church policy. How are we to ever learn to “esteem other better than [ourselves]” if we always get our way? And you never know—you may end up liking the change more than you ever thought you would. I’ve seen that happen multiple times over the years. Pastor—you must be patient, but you must also move forward. Do not allow one “stick in the mud” to hold up the healthy direction of the church body. Not to sound morbid, but you cannot just hold up progress until a stubborn member dies. That is not helpful to that member’s growth—much less the congregation as a whole. All that having been said, give diligence to educate that “stick in the mud”. I have been happily surprised over the years at just how willing God’s people are to listen, if they are informed with actual facts. You can overcome internal division within the church—but it will take patient, calculated teaching on your part. It will likely be heavy lifting. But in the end, it will be greatly satisfying. The second reason I’ve heard from “only King James” pastors for retaining the KJV is usually presented like this: “I’m just so comfortable with the King James. It’s what I’ve memorized. I’ve used it for forty-five years. I just do not see a reason to change at this point in my ministry.” At the risk of sounding snarky, that is a terrible excuse not to change to a modern Bible translation. Look—I get it. My teeth were cut on the KJV. I still have many verses etched in my brain that are in the King’s English. And if I quote a verse off the top of my head, it’s likely to come out with thee’s and thou’s. I learned all my foundational teaching from the KJV. My first and second and third Bibles were KJV. The first preaching Bible I was gifted was a KJV. My parents and grandparents Bibles which I still have for keepsakes were KJV’s. I have great respect for the legacy of the King James. I feel you. I promise you I do. But as a shepherd, you are not to seek your own comfort. You are not called to continue doing what is easy for you personally. Think of it—a shepherd out in the field with 100 sheep. Does he live to make himself comfortable or does he work—often quite uncomfortably—in order that the sheep are healthy? That answer is self-evident. If it is best for the long-term health of your flock to change from the KJV to a modern Bible translation, then you should do it—even if it means more work for you (and it likely will). Let me offer another perspective along that vein. Noah Webster wrote this in 1833 concerning the KJV: “The language of the common version (KJV) of the Scriptures has, in many instances, become obsolete, and in others, unintelligible to the mass of readers. In consequence, the pure word of God has been rendered obscure or wholly misunderstood” (Webster, Preface to The Holy Bible/Webster's Translation). That was nearly 200 years ago. It is easy for a 50+ year old man who reads the Bible and Biblically related material daily to assume the average member understands the things he does. I’ve made that mistake over the years, and you likely have as well. And since you pick the KJV up and read it without a ton of trouble, you likely think everybody in your congregation does the same. And yet, that is probably not the case. I am currently reading through three Bible translations—the KJV, the 1901 ASV, and the NKJV. And though I’ve stuck it out, it has been work. The KJV and even the ASV take so much more mental work than the NKJV. There are scores of passages that I’ve had to read and reread just to make sense of them. And there are a few that simply have been nonsensical to me. Nevertheless, I am pushing through. And look—I’ve read the Bible through countless times—as well as literally hundreds of books that are related to the Bible. I am not a novice. I am not unlearned. I may not have earned a Doctorate in Theology, but I have put a lot of work into my faith. And yet, it is still tough to pick the KJV up and read through the prophets or the Law. If that is true for me, it is true for your members. In fact, many in your congregation have never read the Bible all the way through because it is so taxing. Some in your church have tried multiple times to do so but have failed every single time. I know that’s true. Failure to follow a Bible reading plan happens with modern translations—it certainly happens with a translation that sounds more like Shakespearean English than what we speak today. That means, forcing members to stick with the KJV is actually keeping them away from their Bibles. It’s making Bible reading seem like more of a task than it needs to be. And whether you’ve considered that or not, I assure you it is happening. Not only that, but your younger people and even newer converts are also struggling more than your older, more long-term members. The older folks at least have the experience of using the KJV for decades. Your younger people and visitors have not been exposed nearly as much to that form of communication. I am 51 years old. I have watched English change in my lifetime. I’ve played translator between my parents and my kids enough to know they simply do not speak the same English. Our language has changed rapidly due to the ability to communicate today. Even more, the younger generation simply does not read much at all. Let me be clear about this—I hate that for them. It’s hurting them. They allow movie directors to do all the work rather than reading a book and using their own imagination. It’s dumbing them down. It’s laying aside a portion of their brain intended to be active. Nevertheless, that is where we are. What is difficult for this generation to do is likely not going to get done. And handing a 400-year-old translation that takes work to a teenager or even an older, yet new convert is likely a significant hindrance to their growth. If they are hesitant to pick up their Bible at home, they cannot have good Bible study practices. And even if you urge a new convert to read a different translation privately, there is seemingly contradicting information when they read the New America Standard Bible at home—but you continue to use the KJV for worship. We must not put a stumbling block in the way of the next generation. If you’ve read the KJV for decades, it likely seems much easier to you than it does for many in your congregation. Again, you are the resident theologian—the lay people are not. Do not assume they are. That brings me to my final point. Some of your members (if not the church entirely) are likely to change Bible translations at some point after your death. It is easy to think, “I’ll just let the next guy handle that”. But that is not shepherding. That’s putting off today what can be done tomorrow—and by somebody else at that. Don’t be a lazy shepherd. Prepare the church now for that change. You never know who or what might influence the next guy. He’s unlikely to move the church to the Joyce Meyer NLT. But he may move them to a translation you would not endorse for whatever reason. Though I personally believe far too much has been made of textual arguments, if you prefer the Textus Receptus (TR), start moving the church to the New King James Version. I preached from it for nearly a decade, and I truly believe it’s a better translation of the TR than the KJV—at least for our generation. The MEV is out there as well. I’ve read it through as well—but still prefer the NKJV, I think. If the manuscript tradition is not important to you, consider the new LSB which renders the tetragrammaton as Yahweh. Or, if you prefer the eloquent language of the KJV, you may consider the English Standard Version as it reads so nicely while retaining a more formal equivalence approach to translation. Whatever you prefer (after diligent study), start leading the church that direction now—rather than leaving a bunch of work piled up on your desk for the next guy. Make his pastoral transition easier. If you have been at a church for decades, he already has big enough shoes to fill without trying to navigate through a Bible translation change. I hope this short article is received as it is intended to be. I sincerely want pastors to think long-term about this issue. I want each of us to do what is best for our church, for all of the membership, and for the next generation. I navigated this change almost 2 decades ago. It has not been without some bumps in the road, but it has been well worth it in the long run. This move has enabled me to really dig into the text in the pulpit—generally without explaining definitions that I should not have to. Even the youth can understand the words in the text—usually without much explanation. Members are reading their Bibles at home more than they ever have. And—we’ve moved the church away from the cultic mindset of KJVO, which certainly is a win. Admittedly, we have lost some fellowship from other churches because of this issue. However, I think that exposes a problem on their end, not on ours. If nothing else, such a reaction most certainly reveals a misunderstanding of both church history and the independency and autonomy of each local church. All that said, pastor, make note—you are not responsible to “the brethren”. No, you are responsible to God alone. The Lord Himself will be your final judge. He only will measure your ministry. Do what is best for your flock now. Put a Bible translation in their hands that is faithfully rendered from the original languages—one they can read without much effort since it is what God has given to grow us in our faith.
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AuthorTodd Bryant is the Lead Elder at Sovereign Grace Baptist Church in Northport, AL. He has pastored there since 1998. For more more information on the church and links to audio sermons and apps for electronic devices, visit www.sovereigngrace.net Archives
October 2024
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