The Problem With "Chew the Meat, Spit Out the Bones" Preaching

The Problem With “Chew the Meat, Spit Out the Bones” Preaching

In some circles within the church, this expression is commonplace: “Chew the meat, spit out the bones.” Maybe you’ve heard it before. I remember being impressed the first time I saw someone use it - it sounds like good advice, at least, on the surface it does.

What’s it all mean?

If you’ve never heard it before, here’s what people generally mean when they say it: Distinguish the good teaching from the bad teaching and hold onto what’s good while discarding what’s bad. In fact, it’s usually meant to encourage people in having a generous attitude towards the preacher or teacher.

In one case, a pastor from Bethel shared a sermon in which he says that Jesus asked him for forgiveness.

One person responding to this said:

as a mature Christian you "chew up the meat and spit out the bones." But for new believers this is very dangerous!

Another person shared this sage advice:

A lot of Bad Theology and Doctrine Floating Around on FB. Stay Grounded in The Word.
Chew On the Meat and Spit Out the Bones

Where is this coming from?

To be fair, there’s SOME biblical grounds for this! In fact, I think this saying gets its inspiration from 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21.

“Don’t despise prophecies, but test all things. Hold on to what is good.”

Sounds like they’re pretty much saying the same thing, right? So what’s the issue?

The issue is - Paul, in his letter to the Thessalonians, is trying to teach Christians how to handle prophecy properly. Instead of going to two possible extremes: despising prophecy or blindly embracing it, he’s telling the Christians to be open but cautious and critical.

What’s the problem?

Prophecy and preaching are two different concepts. A prophet, prophecies in part (1 Corinthians 13:9). He or she is usually only given a piece of the puzzle and often times the interpretation or the direct meaning of that prophecy can be veiled. Add on top of this the fact that growing in a spiritual gift often means training and trying out that gift - it’s natural for people to “get it wrong” and good for believers to be generous in how they respond.

Preaching on the other hand, is a whole different ball game.

Consider James 3:1

“Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”

Or look at Paul’s instruction to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:22

And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

A few verses before this, Paul tells Timothy in 2:15 to rightly handle the word of truth.

Paul wants his teachings (which others can attest to) to be entrusted to mean who are faithful and trustworthy who will then use those teachings to teach others in an able or apt way. Paul doesn’t want his churches to have to “chew meat and spit out bones.” Teachers ought to be the ones doing that work for them. In fact, scripture gives two options and neither of them have bones in them. The one is milk (elementary teachings for new Christians) and the other is solid food (Hebrews 5:14, 1 Corinthians 3:2).

In fact, look what Paul says to Titus in Titus 2:7-8

In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

I have one more philosophical beef with this. Not only is it scripturally wrong for teachers/preachers to constantly have poor theology but USUALLY when Christians use “Chew the meat, spit out the bones” it happens because they know they’re sharing content that is only somewhat correct. My problem with that is that that’s exactly how Satan deceives us: half-truths. That’s what makes it so appealing and what makes others so susceptible. I know I just kicked things up a notch by referencing Satan but it’s true - what makes lies so powerful isn’t the falsehood but the bit of truth that they’re grounded in.

Let’s pump the brakes for a moment. It’s possible for a pastor to preach something that can…

a) be taken the wrong way

b) be said accidentally

b) imply the wrong idea

c) be blatantly wrong

Some issues are clearly more important than others for pastors to get right, that’s for sure. All pastors are fallible though, right? And none of us have God completely figured out and each of us probably has a few notions about God that are just plain wrong. So, what’s the appropriate response for us?

Here’s where I land…

If you listen to a preacher or a teacher who routinely requires you to spit out the bones - don’t. Why? He or she doesn’t meet the biblical standards of a preacher. Furthermore, if you listen to a preacher or a teacher and their content is filled with bones to be spit out - don’t share it on social media or give them more influence or a bigger platform than they already have.

Remember Romans 12:2?

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

That’s hard to do if the teaching/preaching that you’re receiving needs to be constantly sifted, why? Because it means that some of the stuff you’re hearing isn’t helping you, but rather, it’s hurting you.

Where do you land?