Yes — Les Feldick teaches that the Bible was given so ordinary believers can and should read and study it for themselves.
God left this Book for ordinary believers, not just clergy or scholars. Les's goal in teaching is to get people into the Book themselves, and he says God wants every believer to become a student of Scripture. Even if a listener disagrees with Les, he counts it a success if they begin studying their Bible on their own.
2 Timothy 2:15 — This verse commands Timothy to study and rightly divide the Word, and Les points to it to show that believers should learn to study, not just read.
Ephesians 3:10 — This verse says the church is to know the manifold wisdom of God, which Les uses to show that ordinary believers, not only preachers, are meant to understand Scripture.
Paul writes to Timothy, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). The command to study assumes the reader can handle the Word of God carefully. In Ephesians 3:10 Paul describes the church as the body through which "the manifold wisdom of God" is made known, indicating that God intends believers — the church — to understand His wisdom.
Les Feldick emphasizes that the Bible was not given to be locked away in seminaries or monasteries. He repeatedly recalls Tyndale's (or possibly Wycliffe's) prayer that every plowboy in England would have a copy of Scripture, and he applies it to today: if that was true for plowboys, every American should search and enjoy the Scriptures. Les describes his own classes as an informal Bible study, not connected to any group, and says the only reason he teaches is to get people into the Book. He does not expect everyone to agree with him; he just wants believers to start studying and enjoying the Word for themselves. Les also teaches that no theological education is required — God wants every one of us to study, and the Holy Spirit will reveal truths to those who get into the Book. He even notes that much of what people think is in the Bible is not there, so personal study is the way to see what is really written.
Les says no. He teaches that you don't have to be highly educated or have a great theological education to comprehend the Scriptures. He points out that the Dark Ages came when the church pulled the Scriptures away from the common man and into monasteries, but that is not what God intends. The common person in the pew — not just preachers or seminarians — is supposed to know the manifold wisdom of God.
Les recalls Tyndale's desire — he sometimes is not sure if it was Tyndale or Wycliffe — to get the Word of God into the hands of every plowboy in England. This shows that no one was too uneducated to have the Bible. It was meant for the common person, not to be kept in seminaries and monasteries. Les uses that same expression today to emphasize that believers should search the Scriptures and enjoy them.
Les says he does not necessarily expect everyone to agree with him. He tells of a woman who said she was not sure she agreed with him but had promised herself to start studying her Bible. Les says that is all he asks; if he can get people into the Book, they will soon realize it is exciting and not as closed a book as most people think.
Les says God has promised that if we get into the Book, the Holy Spirit will reveal the truths to us. Many people have written that they had read the Bible all their lives but never understood it until they started studying — and Les gives the Lord the praise for that.
The Bible is for ordinary believers
Les says God left this book so ordinary believers can read and study it; his teaching aims to tantalize people into studying and enjoying it on their own.
No theological education required
Les teaches that you don't need theological education; the Dark Ages came when the church hid Scripture, and God wants every one of us to study, not just read.
Teaching aims to get people into the Book
Les's goal is to get people into the Book; even if someone disagrees, he is satisfied if they start studying.
Every plowboy and every believer
Les references Tyndale's desire for every plowboy to have the Word, and says God wants every single believer to study and understand the Scriptures.
Scripture for the common person
Les says the Bible was meant for the common person, not for seminaries and monasteries, and he teaches on a common man's level.
Encouraging personal study without arm-twisting
Les says his informal study has no axe to grind; he encourages people to get into the Book and study on their own.
The Holy Spirit reveals truth to those who study
Les says God has promised that the Holy Spirit will reveal truths to those who get into the Book.
Searching the Scriptures in every home
Les applies Tyndale's plowboy statement to America, asking why everyone doesn't search the Scriptures and enjoy them.
2 Timothy 2:15: Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Paul instructs Timothy to be a diligent workman in the Word; Les applies this to every believer's personal study.
Ephesians 3:10: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
The church is the body through which God's manifold wisdom is made known, showing that God intends believers to understand His wisdom.
No. He says he does not necessarily expect everyone to agree with him. If a listener leaves determined to start studying the Bible, even in disagreement, Les counts that as a win.
Les teaches to get people into the Book. He describes his ministry as an informal Bible study with no axe to grind and no affiliation with any group, and he wants people to study the Word on their own.
Les recalls Tyndale's prayer that every plowboy in England would have a copy of Scripture, showing that no one was too uneducated to have the Word of God. He sometimes says it may have been Wycliffe instead.
Les says yes. He teaches that a person does not need a theological education to comprehend the Scriptures, and that God wants every believer to study and understand the Word.
Watch the Teaching: Why the Old Testament Never Mentions the Church Age