I remember first hearing Dr. J. Vernon McGee on the radio back in the day. I thought that he was just some country preacher with a thick hillbilly accent. However, the more I listened to him, the more I realized that he was a Bible-centered preacher who loved the Word of God. I fell in love with him immediately. I loved that he stuck to what the Bible said rather than trying to say what was popular, be traditional, or culturally appropriate. His method of teaching the Word systematically, verse by verse, significantly influenced the development of my own teaching ministry. As a Bible teacher, we can be tempted to branch out in many different directions as God gives us understanding, wisdom, and vision. We can be tempted to use our speaking spiritual gifts and teach our interpretation as if they were God’s words. As we can see from biblical and Christian histories, even devout Bible teachers can make mistakes and fall into error. It is extremely important that we become Word-centered teachers who stay close to the Bible and what it actually says. It is because our interpretations of the text are simply that, an interpretation of the text! At first, Dr. McGee’s teaching may sound simple and not eloquent, but you will quickly fall in love with his Bible-centered approach! He is not perfect, but we can see that he tried his best to stick to what the Bible says and not stray from it.

Here is a biographical account of Dr. McGee and some testimonial accounts of other Christian leaders:

Dr. J. Vernon McGee was born in Hillsboro, Texas, in 1904 and became a popular radio evangelist and pastor renowned for his down-to-earth, systematic teaching of the Bible. After earning degrees from Southwestern University, Columbia Theological Seminary, and Dallas Theological Seminary, he served as a pastor in several churches before beginning his influential 21-year tenure at the interdenominational Church of the Open Door in downtown Los Angeles. Dr. McGee’s greatest public impact came through his “Thru the Bible” radio program, which began in 1967. The program featured a five-year cycle of verse-by-verse teaching through all 66 books of the Bible. His teaching style consisted of easy-to-understand theology with humor and personal stories. It resonated with listeners like me who appreciated his commitment to biblical authority. Once, he said that he believed that the greatest sin in the church of his generation was an ignorance of God’s Word. Even after his death in 1988, the ministry continued to grow, using his taped lessons. Amazingly, the program has been translated into over 100 languages and is broadcast worldwide, with listening groups in remote villages forming what are essentially new church plants!

In my opinion, the enduring success of Thru the Bible is a testament to people’s hunger for in-depth, systematic Bible teaching. People want to know what the Bible says, not so much what the preacher thinks it says. And what the Bible says is basically this: Jesus is the Christ of God who came into the world according to the Scriptural prophecies, who died for mankind as the Lamb of God, and rose again to give us forgiveness and eternal life and to reign with him forever in his kingdom. If you don’t believe me, hear the words from Jesus himself. He said, “You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of me” (Jn.5:39). Again, Luke 24:25-27 says, “And He said to them, ‘O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?’ And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” Christian leaders today can learn from people like Dr. McGee by prioritizing Bible-based teaching over cultural trends, personal opinions, or tradition. Teach people what the Bible says, and God will speak and lead them to make an impact for His kingdom.

Here is a sample of Dr. McGee’s teaching ministry as he goes through the book of Revelation: