Winging It

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable…”
- 2 Timothy 3:16

“So, you just get up there and wing it?” I have been asked this question many times in my life, because I rarely use notes when I speak. The answer: No, I don’t just wing it!

Few people understand how many hours, days and years I have studied the subjects I speak on to build (what I hope is) a comprehensive understanding of the subject. Nor do they realize how much time I put into working out how best to communicate in a way people can readily understand. I don’t always get it right, but I work hard to communicate effectively.

Pardon my self-focused insight into this topic. Winging it has been a criticism I’ve encountered my entire life. Winging it means “doing or trying something without much practice or preparation.” It ruffles my feathers when people think that is what I’m doing. It should also ruffle all of our feathers when we discover we are doing it in our own lives. I’m talking about being the church.

“Winging it” comes from the theater. It was first used to describe an actor who was unprepared for the role they would play. Thus, they would have to periodically step off stage to the “wings,” on the side out of sight from the audience, and quickly consult the script; or receive prompts from someone reading the script from the wings.

I find that many of us wing it in our Christian lives. We spend little time in study and preparation of the script—the Bible. We neglect exercising in practice daily the beliefs we hold. And we become dependent on stepping to the wings from Sunday to Sunday to review the script and figure out how to negotiate the scene for the week. This is not what church was meant to be.

Church was meant to be a gathering you come to as a contributor, not just a consumer; a giver, not just a receiver. It is important we both give and receive. However, that requires the study and practice being done throughout the week. Hebrews 10:23-25 says, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together…”.

What is the purpose gathering together as the church? To holdfast the confession and worship our Lord who is faithful. To consider each other. To stir up love and good works. This is why we gather. To give and contribute of all the gifts God has given us. He who promised is faithful.

We are just winging it if we never study the script (Scriptures). Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” That does not mean just listening in church. The word of God is the Bible. The passage is saying that faith comes from understanding the Word. No one else can do that for you. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

I am so grateful you take the time to read the devotions I write. However, if you are not spending time in the Word of God…do that first! It is where life is found, faith and hope are strengthened, and life change is brought to be. It is how we come to know our Lord and Savior!

The living Lord lives in and through His children, and will teach you in all things.

“But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and is just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.” (1 John 2:27)

Don’t wing it in your faith and let someone else provide the prompts to make it through another week. Study the script (Scriptures) and live the role Christ created you to live. Know Him and allow Him to work through your life this week. Because He created you to be an unique expression of Him in this world.

© 2026 Warren Martin. All rights Reserved.