Teaching the next generation about God is critically significant because ignorance of God is simply a lack of being taught, and an untaught generation has no concept of eternity and drifts into paganism.
Les Feldick defines ignorance not as a failure of intelligence but as a failure of instruction, and he is alarmed that today's younger generation has no concept of God or eternal things. He points to the Corinthians, who knew nothing of the Scriptures and were pagan idol worshippers, and to the church, which has failed to teach its people what they believe. Passing on God's instruction is therefore what separates a generation that knows God from one that does not.
Romans 11:25 — Paul's stated desire that believers not be 'ignorant' is the scriptural concern behind teaching — Les uses this verse to show that ignorance is simply a lack of being taught.
Scripture shows that God does not want His people left in ignorance. Paul writes, 'For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery' (Romans 11:25) — a desire that can only be met by instruction in God's Word. Similarly, Peter grounds his appeal for holy living in knowledge of what is coming: 'Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness' (2 Peter 3:11). Scripture also pictures what happens when the knowledge of God is not carried forward. In Daniel, the coming king 'shall not regard the God of his fathers' and instead honors 'a god whom his fathers knew not' (Daniel 11:37-38) — a generation that has lost connection with the God their fathers served. The Corinthians, by contrast, had been pagan idolaters before they were taught the gospel: Paul reminds them, 'And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified' (1 Corinthians 6:11), and declares, 'For in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel' (1 Corinthians 4:15).
Les Feldick teaches that ignorance of spiritual things is never a matter of low intelligence — it is simply a lack of being taught (Clips 3, 6). That is why he is alarmed about the younger generation: 'They seemingly have no concept tonight of God, or of eternity, or of things spiritual. They're living for the here and the now' (Clip 1). Les says the church generally has 'failed so miserably' because it has not taught its people, leaving the average believer unable to say what he or she truly believes (Clip 5). Les uses the Corinthians as the scriptural picture of the untaught: they knew nothing of Adam, Abraham, Moses, or the Law; they were pagan, idol-worshipping people (Clip 4). His remedy is deliberate, simple teaching. He works to keep everything simple enough that children ten, twelve, and fourteen years old can understand (Clip 2), and his goal is to get people into the Word of God so they can 'go right back into their local situation and teach the book to others' (Clip 6). Les also notes from 1 Corinthians 4:15 that while believers may have ten thousand instructors, real spiritual impact is rare — Paul was a father to the Corinthians because he was the one who brought them the gospel and salvation out of their paganism (Clip 7). Behind it all, God gave His instructions to Noah's family after the flood — God does not leave His people without instruction, and His instructions are meant to be known and followed (Clip 0).
Les explains that someone who is ignorant is not incapacitated or lacking brain power — 'Ignorance is simply a lack of being taught.' He gives his own example: he is ignorant of three-phase electricity because no one ever taught him (Clip 3). He adds that a person can be totally ignorant of a discipline while having a high IQ, because ignorance comes from a lack of teaching and learning (Clip 6). The implication is that the next generation's ignorance of God is not inevitable; it is the direct result of not being taught.
Les is alarmed that today's young people 'have no concept of God, or of eternity, or of things spiritual' and live only for gratification of the flesh (Clip 1). He uses the Corinthians as the scriptural example: they knew nothing of Adam, Abraham, Moses, or the Law; they were pagans and idol worshippers (Clip 4). Scripture shows the same downward path in Daniel's prophecy of the coming king who 'shall not regard the God of his fathers' and instead honors a god his fathers never knew (Daniel 11:37-38) — a generation that has lost the knowledge of the God their fathers served.
Les models his approach to teaching in his own ministry. He tries to keep everything simple so that even children 10, 12, and 14 years old can understand what he is saying (Clip 2). He also says his goal is not to change denominations but to get every believer to the place where they can study the Word of God on their own — and then go back into their local situation and teach the book to others (Clip 6). The pattern is clear: believers must be taught so that they, in turn, can teach — just as Paul was a spiritual father to the Corinthians through the gospel (1 Corinthians 4:15).
Les says the church, generally speaking, 'has failed so miserably' because it has not taught its people. He observes that most believers — whether Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, Baptist, or Methodist — cannot tell you what they really believe, 'because nobody teaches them' (Clip 5). Paul's whole point, Les says, is that believers are to be a well-taught people, well read in the Scriptures (Clip 5). The same principle applies to the next generation: unless someone teaches them, they will remain in ignorance.
God's Instructions After the Flood
Les shows that after the flood God gave Noah's family new instructions, including the protection of human life through civil government — demonstrating that God does not leave His people without instruction.
Alarm Over the Younger Generation
Les is alarmed that the younger generation has no concept of God, eternity, or spiritual things and lives only for the flesh — the direct danger when a generation is not taught.
Teaching Children Simply
Les keeps his teaching simple so children as young as 10, 12, and 14 can understand — showing that the next generation can and should be reached with teaching.
Ignorance Is a Lack of Teaching
Les defines ignorance as simply a lack of being taught, not a lack of brain power — the foundational reason teaching the next generation matters.
Paganism of the Untaught
Les describes the Corinthians as knowing nothing of Adam, Abraham, Moses, or the Law — they were pagan idol worshippers because they had never been taught the things of God.
The Church's Failure to Teach
Les says the church has failed miserably by not teaching its people, leaving the average believer unable to say what he or she truly believes.
Teaching Others to Teach
Les explains that ignorance comes from a lack of teaching and that his goal is to get people into the Word so they can teach the book to others in their local churches.
Spiritual Fathers and Real Influence
Les shows from 1 Corinthians 4:15 that although there are many instructors, real father-like impact comes from the one or two people who bring others to salvation — the kind of impact genuine teaching has on the next generation.
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.
Paul states his desire that believers not be ignorant — the scriptural basis for the need for teaching.
2 Peter 3:11: Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
Peter calls believers to godly living in light of the dissolution of all things — the eternal perspective Les says young people lack.
Daniel 11:37: Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
This describes a coming king who departs from the God of his fathers — the end result when the knowledge of God is not passed on.
Daniel 11:38: But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
The same king honors a god his fathers never knew — a complete break with the faith of previous generations.
1 Corinthians 4:15: For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
Paul's fatherly role in bringing the Corinthians to salvation shows how a teacher can impact the next generation.
1 Corinthians 6:11: And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
It confirms that the Corinthians had been pagans and idolaters before God's grace — the condition of those who are untaught.
It is significant because knowledge of God does not come naturally — it comes by teaching. Les Feldick defines ignorance as a lack of teaching, and he warns that the younger generation today has 'no concept of God, or of eternity, or of things spiritual' (Clip 1). Only deliberate instruction preserves the knowledge of God from one generation to the next.
Les says the church has failed because it has not taught its people. He observes that the average member of most denominations cannot say what they really believe, 'because nobody teaches them' (Clip 5). Paul's expectation, Les notes, is that believers are to be well-taught and well-read in the Scriptures.
He keeps everything as simple as he can so that children as young as 10, 12, and 14 can understand what he is saying (Clip 2). His broader goal is to get people out of their ignorance and into the Word so they can teach the Bible to others themselves (Clip 6).
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