This is my reply to an article by J. Warner Wallace entitled:
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to train 80 high
school students at Crossline Church here in southern California.
These students were capable and willing to engage the tough issues at a
high level, and their churches and Christian high schools have embraced the
mission.
That would be unwise from a conservative Christian viewpoint. Today's Christians are already absurdly materialistic far beyond what the NT allows, and it can only be worse with teenagers. Yet you seem to think it smart to prepare what can only be spiritual babies for spiritual warefare? Notice what Paul to a bunch of adults who believed his gospel:
1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.
2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, (1 Cor. 3:1-2 NAU)
Did you perform any tests to make sure these high-school kids were spiritually ready to start doing real-time battle with demons? Or did you simply jump for joy when a request for a speaking engagements popped up in your inbox? I'd say protecting children is more important than earning a fee.
Students have a growing number of opportunities to continue their
education in Christian Case Making (Apologetics) at the University level,
should they choose to do so. The number of degree programs in apologetics,
Christian philosophy or Christian thought is growing every year.
Then you should make a donation to all non-Christians who disagree with your religion. If it weren't for them, apologetics wouldn't be necessary. And so apologetics follows the standard business model adopted by all capitalists. Create a problem, offer to sell the solution at a reasonable price.
Students who
begin training with us in high school can continue this training at the
university level. While this is certainly encouraging, one thing is certain:
The academy will never replace the Church.
That doesn't make sense, the church is not a building, it is the people. You are in church every time you are around other Christians, even if not on Sunday morning.
We are definitely experiencing a renaissance in Christian
apologetics, as evidenced by the number of programs emerging around the
country. But I can’t help but wonder if Christian universities have simply
recognized an important failing of the Church. These apologetics and philosophy
programs aren’t, by and large, professional degree programs, after all. Few, if
any, of the graduates from these programs become professional apologists (I’ve
met many graduates from these universities who are working as tent-makers in
other professions). The degrees they earn in apologetics will help them to
think critically and develop a grounded Biblical worldview, but they probably
won’t help them pay the bills.
Good point. Then again, Jesus encouraged his followers to give up their earthly homes, kids and possessions just to make more time to follow him around:
20 The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?"
21 Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
22 But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property. (Matt. 19:20-22 NAU)
28 And Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name's sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life.
30 "But many who are first will be last; and the last, first. (Matt. 19:28-30 NAU)
It usually escapes the notice of most Christians that on the basis of v. 29, which says salvation involves the condition of giving up one's family and earthly possessions, Jesus was also talking about salvation when he told the rich young ruler that selling all of his things would produce "treasure in heaven".
It's not sufficiently definitive to be proven absolutely, but Jesus is still a scumbag for encouraging his followers to believe that abandoning their kids to other people just to follow him around more often was morally good.
In this sense, apologetics programs are often
more about personal growth than professional preparation.
And it's terrible that some Christians make a profit selling personal growth solutions.
Men and women often seek programs of this nature because
there simply isn’t any other place where the case for Christianity is robustly
studied, discussed, and evaluated.
You can say that again. We are winning the war against you. The history of America shows a slow but steady declining of zeal for Jesus. Amen to that.
They are keenly interested in knowing more,
digging deeper, and becoming more articulate so they can share what they
believe with others. Gee, doesn’t this sound like something the Church should
be offering?
Yes. But Calvinist Christians will tell you the modern church is slacking so much, because God wanted it to (i.e., his secret will).
I can’t help but wonder if the explosion of apologetics programs
at the university level is inversely proportional to the disinterest the Church
seems to have in apologetics. As the Church continues to relinquish its
responsibility to train Christians, universities are stepping in the gap. The
less people receive in the Church, the more they are seeking at the Academy.
I don't see the problem, the Academy is just as full of Christians as the church, so why does it matter what building the kids are sitting in when they receive apologetics instruction?
But here’s my concern. The church ought to be the place
where we equip “the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the
body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the
knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature
which belongs to the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12-13).
The spiritually mature Christian would be more likely to quote Jesus to ground doctrine, instead of taking chances quoting an obviously lesser authority whom even many Christians, today and in the original church, considered to be heretic.
The university
ought to be a place where we can also prepare vocationally. Sadly, many of us
graduate from apologetics programs, equipped with the knowledge and wisdom we
should be getting in our churches. It’s not too late to reverse the trend. It’s
time for the Church to take back its responsibility to equip the saints. It’s
time for pastors to recognize their responsibilities as trainers and case
makers.
Translation: it's time for American Christians to purchase books authored by J. Warner Wallace. You should repent of your sin of capitalism: "If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content." (1 Tim. 6:8 NAU)
You obviously aren't content to have food and covering. Neither are 99% of the fools who call themselves Christians.
While the academy may certainly continue to offer these important and
valuable programs to those who want to reach higher levels of understanding,
every church member ought to receive his or her “BA in Christian Case Making
(Apologetics)” while training in the pews.
Not true, your own bible prohibits the idea that everybody has the same spiritual responsibilities:
7 Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that. (1 Cor. 7:7 NAU)
27 Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it.
28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.
29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they?
30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? (1 Cor. 12:27-30 NAU)
The Academy shouldn’t replace the
Church in this mission. It’s time for the Church to embrace its responsibility
to train the family of God so we can all become good Christian Case Makers.
Translation: it's time for American Christians to purchase books authored by J. Warner Wallace.
