The Pastor Who Helped Me Understand Scripture

Dr. Jim Shaddix went to see the Lord Jesus Christ this week after a year-long battle with brain cancer. He served both the local church and theological classroom with excellence.

Dr. Jim Shaddix went to see the Lord Jesus Christ this week after a year-long battle with brain cancer. He served both the local church and theological classroom with excellence, preaching the Word faithfully to the body of Christ and preparing future preachers to love expositional preaching.

I did not know Dr. Shaddix personally. I met him once at the Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville, Tennessee to tell him how much I appreciated him for what he did in my life.

How did I, a teenager growing up in Northeast Alabama focused on school, basketball, and a myriad of other things, find the preaching of Jim Shaddix enough to influence my life dramatically?

Around the beginning of my ninth grade year, my parents decided to visit the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama. After some time serving in youth ministry, our family needed a refresh where they could just be ministered to rather than focusing solely on ministering to others. We began attending shortly after David Platt left to become President of the International Mission Board, so Dr. Shaddix stepped in as the interim pastor. He accepted the role to shepherd the congregation as they searched for their next lead pastor.

I sat in the sanctuary, sang along with the worship team, and then watched as Dr. Shaddix trodded to the pulpit, laid down his Bible, opened it up, and called for the congregation to open up their Bibles as well. “If you have your Bibles, open them up or look on with someone beside you.” He preached, and we left to drive back home.

I don’t remember the sermon or text. But what I do remember is the conversation in the car. My parents asked me what I thought of the service and church, and I immediately said, “It seemed simple Dad. The preacher opened up the Bible, explained it, and I understood.”

Even though I had been a Christian for a few years at this point and heard pastors preach the Bible (which is always profitable), Dr. Shaddix had a profound impact on me in how he preached the Word.

There is a major difference between telling someone what the Bible says and showing them. You can tell someone what it says even if they cannot connect the dots in Scripture. But showing someone what the Bible says, helping them read it better, that is expositional preaching. This is a whole different atmosphere. This approach focuses on helping one understand what the Scripture says and then helps apply it contemporarily. It does not begin with a topic or idea. It begins with the Word. The Word needs to be proclaimed. Not one’s ideas.

I loved to hear Dr. Shaddix. Whenever I had the option to go the high school groups or hear Dr. Shaddix preach, I chose the preaching every time. I ate it up. He would go up there, no notes, and use the Bible as his outline. For 18 months, I heard him preach over and over and over again. I grew more in love with the Bible at that time then than I ever have.

After the 18 months, my parents wanted to find a church closer to where we lived, so we drove to Brainerd Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee. My parents wanted a church with a Saturday night service so my dad could attend when he had to travel on a Sunday. We walked into their contemporary worship space, sat down, and began engaging with the service. As the music ended, we looked up to see Jim Shaddix as the interim pastor.

Two different churches. Two states. Two hours apart. 147 miles in between them. Yet, Jim Shaddix was at both. I could not have asked for a better situation. We were able to hear Dr. Shaddix preach again until we moved to Middle Tennessee later on.

I am more appreciative of Dr. Shaddix than he will know. He grew my love of the Bible, my desire to hear it not simply taught but preached. Proclaimed. He made me want to become a pastor-theologian. Even though I didn't fully realize it at the time, he sparked a desire to preach the Word in my heart.

I trust he is with his Lord and Savior, already having received a “well done, good and faithful servant.” I am ever thankful for his ministry to my family and myself. He is the pastor who helped me understand Scripture.

Read David Platt’s reflection on his life and takeaways from his service. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/jim-shaddix-tribute-david-platt/