Can God Use Uneducated People for His Work?

Direct Answer

Yes — God can and does use people without formal education or credentials for His work.

Scripture says God chooses the foolish and weak things of the world to confound the wise and mighty, so that no flesh can glory before Him. Les Feldick echoes this by saying a person does not need ten degrees behind their name to be something for God, and that God deliberately uses the commonplace rather than the impressive.

Key Scriptures

1 Corinthians 1:27 — This verse directly shows God choosing the foolish and weak things of the world to confound the wise — the biblical basis for using uneducated people in His work.

What Does the Bible Say About God's Call?

Scripture says God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. He has also chosen base things, despised things, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are, so that no flesh should glory in His presence (1 Corinthians 1:27-29). Paul also describes his own approach: "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God" (1 Corinthians 2:4-5). He came in weakness, fear, and much trembling — not with polished eloquence.

What Does Les Feldick Teach About God Using Uneducated People?

Les Feldick teaches that God's work is not dependent on academic credentials. He says plainly, "You don't have to have ten degrees behind your name in order to be something for God." God doesn't use the intellectual, highly educated, highly polished people in whom the world has confidence; He uses what the world looks at as nothing. Even Moses, when he was second man in Egypt and thought he could lead, had to be sent away, and even Paul, educated at the feet of Gamaliel, had to begin as a nobody. God's reason is that no flesh should glory in His presence — if someone with impressive credentials is successful, the tendency is to say "Look what I did." Therefore God chooses the commonplace: people with nothing in their flesh to offer. That includes common, ordinary believers today. Les also clarifies that "ignorant" does not mean lacking brain power; it simply means having not been taught. That's why he says he wants to teach the common people, not just preachers and seminarians.

Is Formal Education a Disqualifier or Requirement?

Les points out that Paul was educated at the feet of Gamaliel, yet Paul still had to begin as a nobody when it came to proclaiming God's grace. So having education does not disqualify a person. What matters is that no one brings anything of what they have inherited or achieved; God cannot use that. A person must come to the place of weakness, as Paul did, and not rely on "excellency of speech."

Why Does God Choose the Weak and Uneducated?

Les says God doesn't use intellectual, highly polished people; instead He can only use what the world considers nothing. God chose never to use the great men of this world — the wealthy and the kings — but always used the commonplace, people with nothing in their flesh to offer. The biblical reason is "that no flesh should glory in God's presence" — so a successful servant would not proudly say, "Look what I did."

If I Haven't Been to Bible School, Can God Still Use Me?

Yes. Les says plainly, "You don't have to have ten degrees behind your name in order to be something for God." He tells his audience that he wants to teach the common people in everyday life, not just preachers and seminarians. Ignorance simply means lacking teaching, not lacking brain power, so anyone who is willing to be taught can be used. It took two common, ordinary people to bring a man to further revelation in the Book of Acts.

What Does the Bible Mean by 'Ignorant'?

Les Feldick explains that when Scripture says "I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant," ignorant does not mean lacking intelligence or being incapacitated. It simply means a lack of being taught — the same way Les says he is ignorant about three-phase electricity because he was never taught it. God wants every believer to lay aside that ignorance and pick up the wisdom of His Word.

From the Teaching

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No Degrees Required

Les Feldick says you don't have to have ten degrees behind your name in order to be something for God, and that God uses people the world scoffs at.

The Wise Seldom Called

Les observes that very few intellectual, highly educated, polished people are used by God; He uses what the world considers nothing and sent Moses away from Egypt before He could use him.

Educated Yet a Nobody

Even though Paul was educated at the feet of Gamaliel, he had to begin as a nobody and came to the Corinthians not with enticing speech, but in weakness and fear.

God Won't Share Glory

Les explains that God will not use people with all the right credentials because success would make them say 'Look what I did' — and no flesh is to glory in God's presence.

The Commonplace Are God's Choice

God chose never to use the great, wealthy, or royal men of this world; He always used the commonplace people who had nothing in their flesh to offer.

Common, Ordinary People

It took two common, ordinary people to bring a man to further revelation, showing that ordinary believers are exactly the kind of people God uses.

Ignorance Means Untaught

Les defines ignorance as lack of being taught, not lack of brainpower, and says he wants to teach common people so they can drop ignorance and gain wisdom from the Word.

Bible Verses

1 Corinthians 1:27: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

This verse shows God deliberately chooses the foolish and weak — those without credentials — to do His work.

1 Corinthians 1:28: And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

It emphasizes that God uses lowly, despised things to bring to nothing the things the world values.

1 Corinthians 1:29: That no flesh should glory in his presence.

This is the stated reason: no human being is to boast in God's presence.

1 Corinthians 2:3: And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

Paul describes his own weak, non-polished approach to ministry.

1 Corinthians 2:4: And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

Paul's preaching did not rely on wisdom of men, so faith would rest on God's power.

1 Corinthians 2:5: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Paul's purpose: faith stands in God's power, not human wisdom.

Romans 11:25: For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Les Feldick uses this verse to show that 'ignorant' simply means being untaught.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can an uneducated person preach or teach the Bible?

Yes. Les Feldick says a person does not need degrees behind their name to be something for God, and that God uses what the world considers nothing. He also says he wants to teach common people, not just preachers and seminarians. The requirement is being taught from the Word, not formal credentials.

Why doesn't God use people with impressive credentials?

According to Les, if someone with all the right credentials were successful, they would be tempted to say, 'Look what I did.' Scripture says no flesh should glory in God's presence, so God chooses the foolish and weak things of the world to confound the wise.

Does being educated mean God can't use me?

No. Paul was educated at the feet of Gamaliel, yet he had to come as a nobody in weakness and fear. Education is not the issue; trusting in education instead of God is. Those who come empty can be used.

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Source Video

Watch the Teaching: Acts 4 Explained: No Other Name — Only Jesus Saves