Belief

Questions Christians Fear

Sean McDowell — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:12:20 -0700

What are the questions you most fear being asked about your faith? Even as a trained apologist there are many tough questions I hope don’t come up in my discussions with non-believers. Some questions are simply difficult to answer. But we can’t ignore the tough questions. Such an approach is cowardly and counterproductive for the kingdom of God. We must—yes, must—be prepared with an answer for the toughest questions (1 Peter 3:15). We have nothing to fear because the truth is on our side.

I recently had the opportunity to endorse Mark Mittelberg’s upcoming book entitled, “The Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask (With Answers).” This book is based upon a survey Mark sponsored with Tyndale Publishers through the Barna Group of one thousand self-proclaimed Christians. They asked each person what faith questions they would feel most uncomfortable being asked by a co-worker or friend. Some questions are expected but a few might come as a surprise.

In my opinion, Mark is one of the best “popular” level apologists today. He’s well aware of the scholarly research, but he makes it understandable, relevant, practical, and interesting. He has the same ministry heartbeat as Lee Strobel, his ministry partner and friend for over twenty-three years.

According to the Barna survey here’s the questions Christians hope no one will ask:

What makes you so sure that God exists at all—especially when you can’t see, hear, or touch him?

Didn’t evolution put God out of a job? Why rely on religion in an age of science and knowledge?

Why trust the Bible, a book based on myths and full of contradictions and mistakes?

Everyone knows that Jesus was a good man and a wise teacher—but why try to make him into the Son of God, too?

How could a good God allow so much evil, pain, and suffering—or does he simply not care?

Why is abortion such a line in the sand for Christians? Why can’t I be left alone to make my own choices for my own body?

Why do you condemn homosexuality when it’s clear that God made gays and that he loves all people the same?

How can I trust in Christianity when so many Christians are hypocrites-or, even worse, they're judgmental toward everyone who doesn't agree with them?

Why should I think that heaven really exists—and that God sends people to hell?

The purpose of this blog is not to answer these questions but to make you aware of how Christians are thinking. The purpose is also to challenge you to think about these important questions and to do a little soul searching. Sometimes it’s better to ask questions than to answer them. In fact, Jesus asked questions in the gospels, even though he knew the answers.

So, here are some questions for you: Are you prepared to answer these questions? Which one are you most confident to answer? Which one are you the least confident about? Why do you think Christians fear these particular questions? When was the last time you were asked one of these questions? How often are you in discussions with Christians (and more importantly, non-Christians) about these important topics? What does this reveal about you?

I suspect we fear these questions because we don’t want to look bad in front of others. None of us want to get caught off guard. But in reality, what this reveals is how self-focused we really are. Fear is always selfish. Love is always selfless. And that is why 1 John 4:8 says that perfect love casts out fear. When we focus on loving others we can often move beyond our fears. If we really care about our non-believing friends, we will take the time to think through these questions so we can provide a thoughtful answer when they ask.

If you want answers to these questions, and some practical advice of how to apply these answers to evangelism, pre-order a copy of Mark’s book! Or buy a copy for a friend. Either way, this books needs to get into as many hands as possible. It’s great stuff!

"The Unshakable Truth" Video

Sean McDowell — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:50:24 -0700

Check out this short video of The Unshakable Truth, the new book my dad and I wrote together. This was truly a special project as it was released in the 50th anniversary of my dad's ministry. It's really a milestone book for us, as it captures some of the key lessons my dad has learned over 5 decades in ministry. And, of course, I add a lot of stories and research from my own ministry and experience. EnjoyI

Sometimes The Righteous are Barren

Christy Tennant — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 04:36:48 -0700

In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.

Luke 1:5-7

When I read this passage this morning, I stopped and wrote in the margin of my Bible, "Sometimes the righteous are barren."

Why did I feel the need to point this out? Why did it strike me as notable?

Because prosperity theology is ubiquitous in Christendom, and it's destroying people's lives.

There are still a lot of people who believe that material and physical affluance are marks of God's favor, while suffering and lean times are a sign of God's judgment. I hear it from the mouths of friends who are otherwise intelligent people, yet they have bought into some nonsense that flies in the face of much of what Jesus taught and Paul wrote about what it means to follow God, and even what it means to be blessed.

"Blessed are the poor," Jesus said, and, "Blessed are you when you are persecuted."

"I suffer for following Christ," Paul said, over and over and in many different ways, "and I'm blessed for it."

Even in churches where pastors are intentional about confronting the lie of the prosperity gospel, people still carry around in their hearts and minds a theology rooted deeply in that stream. My own pastor has pleaded from the pulpit for people to renounce such theology, yet still, it comes out in big and small ways as people pray or discuss what is happening in their lives.

Plenty has been written lately on the evils of the prosperity gospel heresy, yet still, I was compelled to stop and marvel at this truth as it jumped off the page of the gospel: sometimes the righteous are barren.

The prosperity gospel is a noose around peoples' necks. Grace has no place in the prosperity gospel. The prosperity gospel is evil, and I want people to be freed from its yoke.

There are many good reasons for the righteous to be barren. In my own life, seasons of barrenness and failure to thrive have been where I have learned grace and mercy and God's kindness. And it is in barrenness that God has humbled me, teaching me that God's presence are my highest reward.

Sometimes the righteous are barren, by God's design and for God's glory.

Dishonesty is Like a Monkey with Cymbals

John Barry — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 19:00:07 -0700

We all know being dishonest with others is wrong and unacceptable: enough said. But there’s a kind of dishonesty we usually don’t talk about: being dishonest with ourselves. It happens when we’re unwilling to admit our personal faults and weaknesses. We convince ourselves that we can overcome our greatest weaknesses on our own. We go on without accountability. Eventually, either by force or surrender, though, we have to come to terms with who we really are.

If worry is like a dancing bear, then dishonesty is like a monkey with clanging cymbals. I’m a drummer—while we’re being honest, I prefer to be called a percussionist; if you’re a musician, you will get the joke, if not, I’ll just say I do more than bang on trash cans—so I love the toy monkeys with clanging cymbals. And I love the videos of monkeys trying to play with percussion instruments. (That stuff is make your ribs-hurt funny.) But when the monkey with clanging cymbals comes on the scene, we have a hard time hearing anything else. While that monkey is telling us lies about good music, like a garage-band drummer, we can’t hear the real melody. We can’t tune for the life of us. Eventually, we end up playing punk rock and having black hair, and calling ourselves an artist. (I did that, for the record.)

Sooner or later, though, the monkey stops clanging his cymbals for a moment and we hear something else: silence. And in the moments when it’s just you and your thoughts, you begin to reflect: God hasn’t been around for a while. Until it dawns on you, “He’s been here along—it’s me who hasn’t been around. It’s just been that darn, loud monkey version of me. It was funny and fun, but I still have a need for real music.”

We have a hard time perceiving God in the silence because we’re so loud. Dishonesty is like an amplifier of the noise. But eventually the silence will reach us, and we will have to make a change; so why not make it now?

We all have moments when we have to make decisions about who we are, and who we want to be. So we just need to shut up the monkey and make the decision. We just need to say: “I will listen to God. And I will admit my weaknesses and ask for help—from him and from other people.”

Are you willing to make a change? What’s your monkey with clanging cymbals?

For further reflection read the story of Elijah meeting God in the silence.

My Conversion Story

Jim Farmer — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:34:25 -0700

It dawned on me the other day that I haven’t really shared my conversion story. In the circles I run in, it’s a pretty common question to ask - everyone has one, but everyone is different. Mine is a pretty standard story - some seeds were planted when I was young, a variety of people and experiences broadened by awareness along the way, and eventually understanding dawned on me and I considered myself a believer. After the conversion, I sought out others with like mind in order to bolster my own understanding, and began to equip myself with the proper conversations in order to convert others to my way of understanding. I share the story of my own conversion here, in the hopes that others may also be inspired to see the light.

As a child, my parents made a point of broadening my horizons and encouraging me to try new things. I was a pretty shy kid, but at some point my parents decided to take me to a weekend activity popular with many families in the area - AYSO soccer. Next thing I knew, I was signed up in the league and practicing a couple times a week for our Saturday morning games. I was hesitant at first, but eventually came to enjoy playing soccer with my friends. After a couple years of playing, I even gained a decent understanding of the game. After a while though, other distractions entered my life and my love affair with soccer - tentative at best - slowly dwindled.

I spent the remaining years of my youth - and the better part of my teenaged years - completely oblivious to soccer. There were sporadic invitations to come join a game. I even took a friend up on the invitation once, and soon regretted saying yes (particularly after running up and down the field for over an hour!). I had some people in my life that practically lived and breathed soccer, but I didn’t really understand why. In fact, I found that it was much easier to simply not bring up the topic anymore.

It wasn’t until I edged past the quarter-century mark that things started to change. With the new wisdom of a 25-year old, I had begun to be more open to new experiences. And it is with that mindset that I said yes to an invitation to watch my first professional soccer match. I’ll be honest, I was a bit nervous going to my first game. The examples I’ve seen of soccer fans on TV made them appear crazy fanatical. I was sure I’d stick out like a soar thumb when everyone else around me jumped around like a maniac.

I tried my best to pay attention to the game - I had a basic understanding from my younger years, but didn’t fully grasp the nuances of the plays. Besides, paying attention to the game was the most polite thing to do - I was already there, may as well try and make the best of it! Overall, the experience proved to be interesting, and the fans entertaining, and soon I found myself returning to another game.

It was this second time around that things changed. I walked in to the stadium more invested in the outcome than I was the first time. I had already watched the home team play, I’d sat next to their fans, and now I was actually rooting for them to win. They seemed like nice guys, and I wanted them to continue their winning streak!

It was at this second game that I became a convert. I started to see the bigger story at play. Soccer isn’t just about low-scoring games and numerous failed goal attempts. Instead, I saw the inherent drama in each individual kick - each shot on the goal - was a chance at redemption for the team, for the game. Every play mattered, every kick filled with suspense, precisely because one kick could make or break the outcome of the game, or the season. Once I understood this dynamic to the game, I understood the passion of the fans. Who WOULDN’T jump and cheer wildly when their team scores what could very well be the game-winning goal - especially when it occurs after numerous near-misses? The feeling is on par with Kendry Morales hitting a game-winning grand slam in the bottom of the ninth (well, minus the season-ending broken leg)!

Now, I consider myself a soccer fan. I’ve been to quite a few professional games. I’ve done the “wake up at the crack of dawn to watch Team USA in the World Cup” twice. I felt a certain swell of pride for the USA when Lando Donavan scored his amazing goal during penalty time. And yes, my chair may have fallen over when I jumped in excitement when that happened (sorry, random stranger at ESPN Zone, if my chair crashed into your legs). I even woke up early again this weekend to catch the Germany v. Argentina match (sorry that was so painful, Argentina). My phone sends me alerts when either Chivas USA or the LA Galaxy score (so, I get, like, one alert every few days.) I’ve found myself defending the game of soccer in multiple conversations with friends. I get annoyed when the media in general makes fun of soccer, or when people blow off the game despite never watching a single match. And I look forward to the day when soccer is embraced en mass, and is a respected part of the American culture.

Perhaps MLS soccer and the Church should form a partnership - they may find they have more in common than they first realize....

The Attraction of Atheism

Holly Ordway — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 16:09:38 -0700

If atheism is true, and there is no God, then everything really is all about me, and what I want, and what I can get. “My will be done, not Yours.”

Put your finger on the pulse of modern culture: it throbs with “me, me, me.” Advertisements tell me: “Indulge yourself! You deserve it!” I can buy my lunch and my coffee made “my way.” I flip open a magazine, or browse the best-sellers, to find ten easy tips on how I can have what I want, right here, right now.

Put one way, this is selfishness. But it’s spun as empowerment, self-actualization. We are told to follow our hearts, seek our deepest desires, do what feels good. Indeed, if atheism is true, there is no ultimate purpose to life, so we might as well go for self-indulgence, whether through hedonism or through constructing one’s own “meaning” in life.

In contrast, if the Triune God is real, then such a focus on the self is ultimately destructive. Christians believe that we are alienated from God by the Fall, and damaged by our own sins; if we are left to our own devices, we will go wrong. To follow our own whims is to wander without guidance farther away from the path that leads to true self-knowledge in relationship with God who knows us completely. If God is who Christians say He is, then our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, not toys for abuse or pleasure. If God is who He has revealed Himself to be in Christ Jesus, then the path to true selfhood is the narrow way, the way of the Cross, the way of denial of self and love of God.

In other words, the God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is a significant obstacle to self-indulgence.

Atheism is a curious hybrid. On the one hand, as a worldview it provides for a rejection of civilization entirely. If there is no God, then there is no ultimate source of objective values, and we can make or break rules as we please; good and evil are reduced to preferences. I like chocolate ice cream and dislike murder. You like vanilla and enjoy killing small children. Sure, why not?

On the other hand, atheists don’t generally advocate anarchism and a return of barbarism. (Who would run the publishing houses to print their books?) In fact, atheists show a remarkable streak of optimism about human nature. The atheist feels, almost as an article of faith, that the human race is perfectible. Despite all the colossal failures of utopianism, especially the ones of the 20th century that ended in mass slaughter, there remains the idea that this time, we can get it right all by ourselves. We can perfect ourselves through legislation; through restructuring society; through genetic manipulation; through drugs; through psychology. We can make ourselves be happy – or so we think; it never works, but the atheist can only try again.

Atheism permits us to claim that we are in control of our selves, and thus our own destiny; it is the perfect faith for a culture that is obsessed with both perfection and self-will.

If we allow our Christian faith to be described in terms of personal gratification, we are selling exactly what the world is selling, just under a different brand name. Christ did not die for us so that we would be comfortable and happy today. He died for us so that we would be saved.

To die to self, to die to sin, is not a comfortable experience. Confronting one’s own sin and repenting of it yields sorrow, not happiness. Hope and peace lie on the other side of that repentance, but we must go through pain to get there – not around it.

If we allow Christianity to be all about fulfilling my needs, getting my prayers answered, feeling good about myself and my family, and improving my relationships, then we are making the same pitch as the atheists: it’s all about me.

And trust me, atheism is less demanding than Christian faith. I’ve been there; I know.

But in our frantic consumer culture, as we become less real and less present to each other, and even to ourselves, as we desperately project ourselves outward into the media to remind ourselves that we exist... we may slowly realize that atheism may promise easy self-fulfillment, but it delivers nothing but despair.

Christian faith is harder. It costs more; in fact, it costs everything. It also happens to be true.

Jesus told his disciples to count the cost. Why are we afraid to recognize that there is a cost?

For those who have sought to find themselves, searching high and low, grasping after all the good things of the world only to find them slipping from between their fingers, listen to the hard, true words of our Lord: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:24-25)

Atheist Pocket Debater App

Sean McDowell — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 17:48:32 -0700

Check out this article in the NY Times about a new atheist pocket debater app. This shows the level to which the current debate about God has reached. It's no longer just in academic or public settings. They even quote me:

"Sean McDowell, the editor of 'Fast Facts' and some textbooks for Bible students, said he has become increasingly aware of a skill gap between believers and nonbelievers, who he feels tend to be instinctively more savvy at arguing. 'Christians who believe, but cannot explain why they believe, become ‘Bible-thumpers’ who seem dogmatic and insecure about their convictions,' he said. 'We have to deal with that.'

'Nowadays, atheists are coming to the forefront at every level of society — from the top of academia all the way down to the level of the average Joe,' added Mr. McDowell, a seminary Ph.D. candidate whose phone app was produced by the B&H Publishing Group, one of the country’s largest distributors of Bibles and religious textbooks.

If you're interested, check out the iPhone app I developed with B& H Publishing Group: "Fast Facts, Challenges & Tactics." B&H also published the Apologetics Study Bible for Students that I edited.

When Christians are Wrong

John Barry — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 17:44:17 -0700

Many of the problems in Christianity are rooted in assumptions.

We assume that the Bible is inerrant and infallible. (Have you looked for yourself?) We assume God is good. (Have you read Joshua?) We assume that anyone who even questions those beliefs is a heretic. (Are you thinking that about me?) Some of our assumptions are correct, but the fact that we make assumptions is not.

I used to fail in my attempts to tell people about Jesus for one simple reason: I worked from my assumptions about the Bible. It wasn’t until I really examined where the Bible came from that I was able to effectively communicate what I believed about Jesus with other people.

An entrepreneur’s book recently reminded me of this lesson. Seth Godin, in Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us, says:

“Marketing changed the idea of stability. It’s human nature—we still assume the world is stable, still assume that Google will be number one in five years, that we’ll type on keyboards and fly on airplanes, that China will keep growing, and that the polar ice cap won’t really be melted in six years. And we’re wrong” (pg. 16).

Godin’s right: The world will change. And here’s the biblical version: God is all about change. The world needs to transform. We need to be transformed.And before you think believing in Jesus is about stability, think about this: Jesus is also all about change. He is a mechanism of change. He wants us to stop making assumptions, and stop forcing them on other people. He wants us to be vehicles of transformation instead.

The kingdom of God is about changed lives. Right at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, in Mark 1:15, Jesus says, “The kingdom of God is near” (Mark 1:15). And he follows that up with “Repent and believe in the good news,” which means “Turn the other way [away from sin] and believe in the good news” of Jesus.

The “is near” is a translation of the Greek engizoe: “draw near.” In Mark 1:15 it's in the past tense, yet the word itself has a present (or now) idea: “is present.” I would translate it “the kingdom of God has drawn near” or “the kingdom of God is at hand.” The idea isn’t “it's coming soon.” The idea is that it's already present with Jesus’ ministry and that there’s still more of the kingdom coming. It’s present, but still being worked out in the ministry of Christ and his disciples.

Many of the people of Jesus’ day weren’t ready to embrace change. (After all, they killed him for his beliefs.) Like them, the question for us becomes: Are we willing to lay aside religion, and assumptions, for the sake of an honest examination of who Jesus is? Are we willing to let Christ change our lives and the lives of others by simply letting him be who he is?

God called us to have a living, breathing and active faith. That’s the mystery of Christ.

What incorrect assumptions are we making about God? What needs to change? How can we change our world with the mystery of Christ?

The link for Tribes is an affiliate link, which means that if you purchase something after clicking on it I will receive a small payment. Nonetheless, I only recommend books I personally find helpful.

Intelligent Design Uncensored

Sean McDowell — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 14:35:20 -0700

William Dembski has done it again. His recent book “Intelligent Design Uncensored” (co-written with Jonathan Witt) is a marvelous introduction to the controversy surrounding the ID movement. If you’re unfamiliar with intelligent design, or you want a primer, this is the book for you. While they cover the usual ground for a book on intelligent design, the uniqueness of this book comes from its engaging and sometimes even humorous writing style.

This book is very timely because there is a pressing need to get the message of ID to young people. While the arguments for ID have been developed considerably, many people still assume Darwinism is the only game in town. Last week I received an email from a high school student in Orange County who had a class debate on intelligent design versus evolution. I helped him prepare, so he sent me an email to let me know how it went. Here’s an excerpt from what he wrote:

“I think one of the most shocking things was that the teacher asked kids to raise their hands if they had never heard of intelligent design before and probably about 3/4 of the class raised their hand. The students we argued against had a hard time believing what we were presenting as evidence. They didn’t know about some of it too. They didn't even know about the evidence about the probabilities, didn't think the fine-tuning related, and thought that the TTSS could refute the flagellum. We showed how it didn't but it was just hard for them and the audience to believe that what we were saying was actually true. I feel like they have been somewhat indoctrinated through school to think there are no evolutionary weaknesses.”

This young man is absolutely right. So many young people are simply given one side of the controversy. That’s why books like “Intelligent Design Uncensored” are so important. Pick up a copy for yourself and then give it to a young person, teacher, or youth pastor to read.

There are a few breakthrough points made in “ID Uncensored” worth highlighting.

First, despite the claim that evolution is the overwhelming consensus, Dembski and Witt cite a study by the Finkelstein Institute, which found that some 60 percent of U.S. Medical doctors think that intelligent design played some role in the origin of humans. This study also included considerable percentages of Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim, and “Spiritual but not religious” doctors. This should give pause to those who claim that only Christian fundamentalists embrace intelligent design (p. 36-38).

Second, intelligent design asks two basic questions. (1) Is it logically possible that things in nature were designed? (2) If so, how could we tell? To grasp how reasonable there assertions are Dembski and Witt ask us to consider someone making the following statement: “It isn’t even logically possible that some things in nature were designed, and even if some things were, it isn’t even logically possible that such things bear evidence of having been designed.” Even most people who reject the arguments of ID can appreciate how wrongheaded such an approach is. The claims of ID are certainly logically possible and should be evaluated on their merit (not tossed out before consideration, as many want to do).

Third, Dembski and Witt urge caution to graduate students and teachers without tenure who are ID-friendly. They say, “We know this from personal experience. While some Darwinists welcome open discussion of the evidence, many more in positions of power have gone to great lengths to shut down open conversations about the evidence.” They admit this sounds melodramatic, but they go on to give many practical examples of ID supporters who lost jobs, tenure, and students who were denied PhDs.

Overall, I hope “Intelligent Design Uncensored” will help propel the ID movement forward. We’ve come a long way in the past couple decades, but we still have a significant way to go.

Mystery: The Orthodox Taboo of Christianity

John Barry — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 20:05:00 -0700

“And then she told me, ‘Your father, your girlfriend, and your brother were run off the road. They didn’t make it. They’re dead.’ I didn’t know what to say. How do you respond to hearing those words over the phone?”

As he told me this story, my friend began to subtly cry—one small tear at a time. I didn’t know what to say either. But I quickly realized, there’s nothing to say—just listen. In listening, I learned something profound.

The art of listening alone is profound. But I learned something else from my friend on Tuesday night. After telling me his story, he began to talk about something that is shockingly taboo: Christ is mystery.

The words of Paul suddenly rang in my head. Paul says to the Ephesians:

“You have heard, haven’t you, about the administration of God’s grace that He gave to me for you? The mystery was made known to me by revelation ... By reading this [letter] you are able to understand my insight about the mystery of the Messiah. This was not made known to people in other generations as it is now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: the Gentiles [non-Jews] are co-heirs, members of the same body [that is the church], and partners of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I was made a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of His power” (Ephesians 3:1–7 HCSB).

I couldn’t get these words out of my head as my friend, who happens to be on the underside of power, kept saying, “And that’s the mystery. God has come to me. Without him, I wouldn’t be here. I couldn’t survive this without him. I have nothing left. I’ve lost everything. But I have Christ—that’s the mystery of his gospel. He comes to me in my pain, and in everyone who wants him.” Paul realized the same thing. And on Tuesday night, I finally got the profoundness of Christ coming to everyone.

By us making the whole notion of “mystery” taboo in our churches—because we believe it will lead to cult religions or something else—we have lost sight of what the mystery of Christ can do for those who are hurting.

Instead of trying to explain to those in pain how God will be there for them, or explain why people die, we need to encourage people to seek out the mystery of Christ. We need to help people see that when their entire life lacks certainty, only a great mystery can comfort them—only Jesus.

Paul was right. We need the mystery of the Messiah. We need a little taboo mystery in our lives. We need something incomprehensible, something astounding. We need the infinite God in the midst of everything.

So tell me: What could a little taboo, yet orthodox, Christianity do for you? Where do you need mystery in your life? How can you bring Christ’s mystery into the lives of your friends?

Some recommended reading related to this subject:

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

Orthodoxy by G.K. Cheserton

Feel by Matthew Elliott

Note: The recommended reading links are affiliate links, which means I will make a small amount if you purchase something after clicking through them. Also, I received a free review copy of Matthew Elliott’s Feel. Nonetheless, I only recommend books I personally find helpful.