War of the Worldviews

"When you go to college, your faith will be tested. Its just going to happen. In today's time and culture, you are going to have to give a defense for your faith. Your just going to have too"
- Ambiguous Friend

Recently, I attended a discipleship weekend for a youth group at a local church. The subject for the weekend was the Bible. We discussed questions regarding relevance, truth, influence, sufficiency, information, etc.... Needless to say, It was an AWESOME weekend. But, one thing nudged against me through the whole experience.

The incredible, weighty idea that our youth and college students need to understand and know the rational arguments for their faith. In short, they NEED Apologetics. This especially hit me in a couple of ways.

First, I was challenged in my lessons to make sure that the young men I had understood the sufficiency and essential nature of the Bible. I also was challenged to make an appeal to them regarding the arguments for the importance of the Bible in culture.

Second, I was challenged by the youth minister, whom the aforementioned quote is from. I was especially intrigued by the statement of giving a defense, specifically in the culture in which we live today. IS THAT EVER TRUE! Too many students walk into their first philosophy class, their first religion class, as a Christian only to emerge with a disregard for their faith. AND, too many students have little access to a influential, academic Christian mind that can lead them to the answers they need. In short, too many youth do not have the answers. Too many people do not know the answers. Too many Christians don't know, and too many students suffer the consequences.

So, my heart and the challenge I received was even stronger. We (Local church) must have a defense. We must know the Word. We must live the Word. We must commit ourselves to a greater field of knowledge than just Sunday school lessons and quasi pop-culture Christian self-help books. We just have too. We must become acquainted with the storiees, truths and creeds of history, philosophy, theology, and science. We must engage our minds. We have too, WE MUST! The future (Life of the teenagers mind and eternity of their soul) is at stake. Please tell me, what's more important than that?

Think on That!