Equipping the Next Generation

I attended the Cross-Examined Instructors Academy 2018 (“CIA”) in Dallas last week.  Frank Turek and his team really know how to put on a high-impact event!

Let’s All Help Equip Parents to Equip Their Kids.

I came away with crystal clarity that the highest Return On Investment for Apologists is for us to equip parents to equip their children to learn the Bible and confidently explain the reasons for the faith. This will go a long way toward reversing the heart-breaking trend of 60%+ of Christian kids leaving the faith after high school.

Natasha Crain’s Solution.

Natasha Crain, http://christianmomthoughts.com/, focuses on Christian Parenting. She told her story of starting a blog six years ago.  She didn’t even know what Apologetics was at that time, but after getting hostile posts from several skeptics, she learned!

Natasha explained how our failure to learn Apologetics and teach it to our kids has resulted in the above-mentioned loss of 60%+ of our kids.  If we don’t teach them the truth and teach them how to spot the lies that skeptics use, we leave them vulnerable. We need to prepare them in advance for the attacks that are coming.

Now, she helps parents bridge the gap between what Apologetics is, why it is important, and how to teach their kids. She helps parents respond to the challenges from skeptics. She observed that intellectual-sounding questions from skeptics cause kids to leave Christianity if they aren’t equipped to respond.

She has developed a 5-step method for parents to use in equipping their kids:

  1. Commit to continually deepening their own understanding of Christianity and other world views such as Atheism.
  1. Use teachable moments that come along AND create teachable moments of their own. Doing more of Step #1 creates more moments. Set aside 30 minutes each week to grow together as a family.
  1. Study the Bible with their kids.
  1. Regularly ask their kids what questions they have about Christianity. Parents needn’t fear questions, because Christianity is true!
  1. Ask their kids the tough questions they aren’t asking the parents.

 Proliferating the Solution.

Natasha just announced the Grassroots Apologetics for Parents (GAP) ministry she and her team are launching this fall. they have 40 chapters of GAP rolling out internationally in the pilot.

See here for more information: https://www.womeninapologetics.com/gap-program-kicks-off-this-fall/

How Can You Help Equip the Next Generation?

Please share this blog post with your networks of fellow Christ-followers.

Please also share news of other efforts that are focused on equipping parents to equip their kids.

Thank you!

Michael Oswald

michael@msochartered.com

www.msochartered.com

Michael Oswald is a follower of Jesus who lives in Boise, Idaho.  Unless otherwise specified, the opinions expressed in this article are his own.

© 2018 Michael S. Oswald

 

Biblical Love

On this Valentine’s Day, let’s see what the Bible says about love.

(For an excellent comparison of Biblical love with the Greco-Roman concept of romantic love, see Voddie Baucham Jr. – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0NM3KQHO8c)

The Bible tells us we are commanded to choose to love.

In Matthew 22:36-40 (NIV), Jesus commanded love when He was asked:

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

First Corinthians 13 is famous as the “Love Chapter.” Many of us have heard these words spoken at weddings:

“4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails.”

Romans 13 also speaks of the commandment to love, and how loving one another fulfills the law.

“8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

First Peter 3 contains the famous instruction (verse 15) that we should each be Apologists. It, too, speaks of love:

1 Pet 3: 8-16 (NIV): “8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. 11 They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”

Let’s choose to make every day a Biblical Valentine’s Day!

 

© 2018 Michael S. Oswald