Forcing people to study the Bible is always a bad idea. There are some things that should be done out of personal desire and love and serving God in any capacity falls into that category. Now, God has the right to demand whatever He wants of us because He is the Creator, and we are the created. He is the Potter and we are simply His clay (Romans 9:21). But when it comes to man, no man, or organization of men, have the right to force another person to serve God. This includes studying the Bible.

I recently read of a man, Ryan Coleman, from Portland, Oregon, who was allegedly fired for refusing to participate in a Bible Study demanded by his employer. Evidently, “Dahled UP Construction,” makes participating in a group Bible study mandatory. Joel Dahled told Coleman, “If you want to keep your job, everybody needs to attend. If not, I’m going to be forced to replace you.” When Mr. Coleman refused to attend the Bible study because he had different beliefs than the others, he was replaced. Mr. Coleman is suing “Dahled Up Construction” for $800,000.

I’m sure Mr. Dahled means well in his efforts. He was rehabilitated in prison while serving a sentence for second-degree assault. He has now turned his life around and is trying to help other convicts keep on the straight and narrow. That is very commendable, and there is little doubt that many have been helped by Joel Dahled’s efforts. His lawyer, Kent Hickam, refers to the Bible studies as a “weekly, motivational team building exercise.” But therein is the first sign of trouble. When one has to disguise a Bible study as being something else, he is already on precarious pavement. But, a closer examination will reveal that such a Bible study is a bad idea for many reasons.

First, someone being forced to study the Bible is probably not paying attention, at least not for the right reason. Ryan Coleman attended the Bible study for six months just to keep his job. Obviously, it did little, if any, good for him. There is no way for me to be sure of his state of mind when attending the studies, but it is clear that he was not focused on learning the truth that could change his life and save his soul. If he listened at all, it was probably with a critical ear, trying to reinforce in his own heart why he doesn’t believe in the Bible in the first place. I’m not suggesting that the Bible doesn’t have the power to change the hearts of men because, not only does it have such power, it has changed countless hearts over the years. The word of God changed the hearts of the Corinthians and moved them from immoral living to serving God (1 Corinthians 6:11). The word of God motivated the people of Thessalonica to turn to God from idols (1 Thessalonians 1:9). However, in those cases, listening to the Word was voluntary, not forced upon them. Studying the Bible is rarely effective when a person is being coerced into doing it. Some will not make a big deal about it, just like Ryan Coleman didn’t for six months. However, rarely is it effective.

Second, there is the question of whether the company had a right to demand Bible study in the first place. Human courts will settle the issue from a legal standpoint in the Coleman vs. Dahled case. But what about from a scriptural standpoint? Biblically the case is clear. Teaching the Bible is the work of the church, not human organizations. The church has been given elders, evangelists and teachers to do that very thing (Ephesians 4:12). In the universal church, individual Christians are instructed to teach the Word of God (parents teaching their children, Christians preaching the gospel, etc.). Since God has specifically given this work of teaching the Bible to the church, what right does a man-made company have to do it? The answer is none. From a scriptural basis, Joel Dahled does not have the right to set up a company to do the work that God gave the church to do. Legally and scripturally, he is on shaky ground.

Is there not a lesson to be learned from this? When brethren set up camps, colleges and human companies, and then morph them into religious institutions to do the work that God gave the church to do, are they not making the same mistake as the “Dahled Up Construction” company? I believe they are. Where is the passage that authorizes such a thing? Is not human organizations doing the work of the church strange fire? Read Leviticus 10:1-3. I know that some organizations claim that they are not doing the work of the church, but if they are mandating Bible study then they are. And by the way, the coerced Bible studies are just as ineffective for those who don’t want to study in the first place as they were for Ryan Coleman.