Life of the Mind Part 2: Science Explains (away) Faith

It's common in atheist circles to dismiss religious belief three ways:

As evolution: Belief in gods developed as a survival mechanism in prehistoric and ancient times.

As sociology: Acceptance into early societies was contingent upon joining "in-groups" that practiced superstition and controlled people by appealing to the gods.

As psychology: Religion can be explained as a result of wish-fulfillment for a cosmic Father figure who oversees an otherwise chaotic universe.

What are we to make of such atheist claims? Four responses:

1. Partial agreement: False religion can be explained quite helpfully in the above three ways.

2. Disagreement: True religion, if such a thing exists, remains unaffected.

3. Fallacy: All three dismissals assume atheism as a starting point. In philosophy that's called "begging the question." Meaning, it's cheating.

4. Reverse the critique: Atheism itself can be explained in the same terms:

• As an emerging survival mechanism in God-believing society (evolution). 
• As a privileged "in-group" that condemns opponents, feels superior, etc. (sociology). 
• As wish-fulfillment for moral autonomy, avoiding feelings of guilt (psychology).

* * *

For Christians, developing the life of the mind is a free and rich experience.

While showing love and respect to our atheist friends (and opponents), we're under no obligation to play by their rules.

For further reading: see Douglas Groothuis, Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith, ch 16.
Artwork by Steve Blake

Life of the Mind Part 1: Thinking or Feeling?

In my ideal world I'd be a perfect balance of head and heart.

Apparently, in God's ideal world that's not the case. My God-given "lead card" is definitely the mind.

How about you? What's your lead card -- mind or emotion?

I think the point is that we should seek to be well-rounded people of both intellect and feeling, but most of us will lean one way or the other.

Rare is the person who's equally both.

Three conclusions:

1. I ought to accept the profile given me by God. My 60/40 mind/heart combo is no better or worse than any other. 50/50, for example, is not necessarily an ideal to be sought.

2. I should value the "other." Part of serving in the body of Christ is learning to value people different than myself -- those more emotional than me, for example.

3. I should pay attention to my weaker side. My being mainly rational doesn't excuse me from working on the affective side of things.

A certain pal of mine, Pastor Jonna Fantz, embodies "high feeler" (her lead card) with "high intellect." A fine model for me and all who know her.

Jonna is "Outreach and Community Life" pastor at Salem Covenant Church, New Brighton, MN.

Marriage Part 10: The Body

The early Gnostics valued spirit over concrete substance, mind over matter.

The material universe -- including one's own body -- was evil, they thought, or neutral at best.

But NT epistles such as Colossians and 1 John take aim at Gnostic tendencies in church and culture by focusing on the value of Christ's physical body.*

The incarnation of Christ validates material creation. God made it, loved it, entered it.

So I suggest . . . that body and appearance may be more important in marriage than is often thought, and that true spirituality includes my physical self.

So perhaps I should lift a few weights now and then, cap the calories, comb my hair, and buy a nice outfit more than once/decade.

Indeed, given the limitations and failings of advancing age, I still wish to present myself to Sharon as best I can, not letting myself go to the dogs under the assumption that, after all, she's pretty much stuck with me.


It is often maintained that Gnosticism was not in full bloom until the second century. Thus the NT addresses a kind of "pre-" or "proto-Gnosticism."

A sampling of references includes Colossians 1:22, 2:9; 1 John 1:1.

Marriage Part 9: Uncommon Interests

Sharon and I don't have a lot in common.

Certainly not decorating, sewing, health food, or much of anything about home and garden.

Ditto for board games, crafts.

Surely not theology, writing, public speaking or spy novels.

And with 100% philosophical certitude I can tell you: not golf.

Honestly, it's been a struggle our entire marriage of 32.5 years.

Lack of overlapping hobbies and pursuits can frustrate both spouses.

On the other hand, some couples are blessed with major common interests such as music, hiking, travel, art -- you name it.

Not us.

I guess we both like restaurants, old movies, long walks.

That's not a lot to build on.

Instead, we try hold it together with common values. 

Values trump interests.

Fortunately, we both value church and family, keeping our word, saving and giving, work, sabbath, play, love languages, quietude.

Yawn . . .

Really exciting list, eh?

Marriage Part 8: Tone of Voice

A couple I know has been married 40+ years.

Recently I spent a few days with them.

Three things I noticed:

1. They listen to each other.

2. They're polite to each other.

3. They serve each other.

#2 above, politeness, is in danger of becoming a dinosaur in our culture, even in marriage.

Just look at TV and social media, which adore the sassy lady, the irreverent guy.  "Courteous and thoughtful," by contrast, is seen as boring.

* * *

I wish to be a polite husband. Tone of voice matters. Whatever the specific content of my words to Sharon, I want them wrapped in a package that says, "I respect you, I value you, I'm thinking of your needs."

But how easy it is to be a bit rude and crabby with those closest to us -- and supposedly get away with it.

Marriage Part 7: The Marriage Triangle

I like diagrams.

The Marriage Triangle is a favorite diagram of mine because it's simple and profound. Here's how it works:

As Sharon and I move "north" on the triangle toward the Lord Jesus, we move closer to each other as a married couple.

The opposite is also true. Moving south creates more space between us.

A critic may object that couples all over the world enjoy healthy marriages with no such Christian beliefs.

I would agree, to a point.

The Triangle, however, is based on the premise that God is the one who calls couples together.

Thus, embracing Jesus as the "integrating center" of a marriage reflects, truly, a match made in heaven.

The engaged couples I work with often think of religion as merely one segment of a broader life. One slice of a pie, perhaps.

That would be a very different diagram.

Marriage Part 6: What to do with our Money

My wife Sharon grew up a saver.

I grew up a spender.

Inside a spender's mind a little recording plays over and again:

I can afford this, no problem. What's a dollar or two -- or twenty or fifty -- in the grand scheme of things? 

I work hard. I deserve this little "payoff."

Sharon's counter-voice to this rationale is:

"Every dollar spent -- or saved -- adds up. It's a lifestyle. A mindset. Don't fritter away your resources."

After a few years of marriage, I decided she was right.

I converted. I've become a bona fide saver.

When I made the switch I had to admit that "spender" was not part of my essential self, and that I had no God-given entitlement to that way of life.

* * *

I grew up a giver, Sharon a saver.

She converted.

So the basic approach is to save and give but not spend.

Marriage Part 5: Choosing to Love

Gary Chapman's five "Love Languages" are these:

1. Quality Time
2. Words of Affirmation
3. Physical Touch
4. Receiving Gifts
5. Acts of Service

My wife Sharon's love language is #5, Acts of Service.

But it's not my native language to "speak," so to speak.

I think the Lord has gotten a decades-long chuckle out of this.

In what's known as covenant marriage in the church, my calling is to learn this foreign tongue -- Acts of Service.

I'm terrible at it. 

And I have a great excuse: God didn't make me that way.

Another chuckle from above.

* * *

For the last 20 years I've been trying to learn some new vocabulary words: snow removal, dishes, garbage, shower stall, raking, lawn mower, toilets. 

The idea of serving Sharon on her terms is starting to seep into my soul, now in our 33rd year of marriage. 

With God's help, right practice can change a heart. 

Marriage Part 4: Separating Past from Present

It's not uncommon to hear the following phrases from the couples I work with in pre-marriage counseling, as they speak with each other:

You always . . . 

That would be just like you . . . 

Oh here we go again . . . 

Why even bother . . . 

Such language suggests unfinished business lurking in the background, now thickly backlogged.

My suggestion to couples is to keep issues separate. 

Today's dispute should be about today's issue, not an accumulation of issues.

So let's say he has a pattern of ditching her on occasion to hang out with some hunting buddies.

His excuse is that this "away" time makes him a better husband.

Actually, not a bad argument. A little time here or there with some old friends, away from one's spouse, can be a good thing.

The problem in this case is that the couple never decided together that these excursions could take place, and how long/often.

Do that first. Settle the past.

Secondly, as a separate (but related) issue, talk about his latest op for a turkey hunt with the guys.

Now she can no longer say, "Here we go again." Rather, she should confine her words to the merits of this particular situation.

And he would be wise to adopt a humble posture while negotiating this little getaway.


photo credit: http://memosforme.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/wild-turkey1-adult-male-southwestern.jpg

Marriage Part 3: Being Right

Every few weeks I talk on the phone with my friend, Marion Anderson.

She's 91.

She's also wise beyond her considerable years.

Me, I'm just wise enough to ask her advice. On marriage, for example.

"Don't sweat the little things," is one of her favorite adages.

From the perspective of husband Johnny gone on to glory several years ago, she tells me to treasure every moment I'm given with Sharon.

And to avoid tripping over things that don't matter.

Like?

Like having to be right all the time.

So let's say I drop off our Ford SUV at the auto mechanic at 8am on a Monday morning and ask Sharon to swing by and get me.

At 8:30am, however, I'm still stranded at the garage, now having dialed her phone about 15 times.

Finally she picks up. "Ohhh. I thought you said Tuesday," she protests.

But I know I said "today." I'm out of town Tuesday -- doesn't she remember that?

There's no doubt, I'm right about this . . . as usual!

* * *

According to Marion Anderson, there's a different way I should respond.

I should think to myself that in the long view, my time with Sharon is limited. We won't be together forever, and it's this "forever" perspective that should melt the edge of my steel pride.

So at 8:40am when I climb into Sharon's car a little miffed, I ought to say with a smile on my face, "Forget about your husband? Old age creeping in?"

And when she says, "I heard 'Tuesday,'" I ought to reply with, "Yeah, I might have said 'Tuesday' but I meant Monday. You're supposed to read my mind."

And maybe Sharon laughs at my lame attempt at humor (or maybe not) and gives me a little kiss (one hopes), while acknowledging the misunderstanding.

* * *

Checklist of one item for resolving disputes with spouse (or co-worker or friend, etc.):  To what extent is this argument about my need to be right?


graphic credit: Marshall Cretin Service Center in St. Paul where we do business.

Marriage Part 2: Unforgiven

In Christianity, one thinks of oneself undeservedly forgiven by God.

This fact changes things drastically in marriage, or at least it should.

It should make me, a married man, less self-righteous, quicker to forgive.

It should keep Sharon and me current on issues of dispute, resolving them and moving on.

Not storing them up as leverage to be applied against each other later.


Image courtesy of luigi diamanti at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Marriage part 1: Opposites

Sharon and me, 1982

About six years ago I started a little wedding business on the side.

To date I've hitched about 30 couples.

One of the requirements for my involvement is that couples sit with me for two sessions of pre-marriage counseling. I give them homework and in our discussions we get pretty deep into their relationship and issues.

Couple after couple, patterns emerge.

One is that many soon-to-be "man and wife" are opposite each other in significant ways.

For example, it's often the case that she leads with emotion, he with logic.

Or she's extroverted, he introverted.

Sometimes in both categories it's the other way around.

It seems to me if your spouse is opposite you in a significant way you need to value the difference. 

But I find that many couples hadn't thought of this. They tolerate difference but I wouldn't say they value it.

In my own marriage it took me a long time to value those "opposite" traits in Sharon. I'm abstract, theoretical, metaphorical. She's (weirdly) concrete, practical, literal.

I guess I assumed for a long time, at least subconsciously, that Sharon would come around to see the world the right way -- my way.

Then one day I woke up and began to think that my spouse being different than me was a gift from the Lord, a counter-balance to even me out a bit. 

Maybe Sharon was there to pull me out of the clouds on occasion and ground my feet in the real world (over-rated!).

Church Drop-outs: Why They Leave the Church, Part 6

When my daughter Kelli was in middle school she and her friends often choreographed dance routines -- some rather elaborate -- to their favorite tunes.

A few hours of tumbling and thumping on the upstairs floors of our home would eventually lead to a big dance performance, which my wife and I took in eagerly with much applause.

It occurred to me that Jesus, too, was watching the kids perform.

Maybe Jesus had even taken an active role in drawing the kids into their jumps and twirls in the first place.

Kelli in 1998

I mentioned this to my then 13-year old daughter. "Kelli," I said. "Jesus likes it when you dance."

It sounded strange coming out my mouth, certainly different than what I was accustomed to hearing in evangelical churches, which was . . . (silence).

* * *

My suggestion for churches that want to hang on to their kids and not lose them from the faith in the college-age years and 20s, is to "actively affirm." *

That is, as young people gradually develop their identity and zero in on a life-calling, we need to actively affirm their interests and passions, and connect them to God.

I wonder what would happen to teenagers in a church where their artistic and intellectual skills and "culture-making" practices were affirmed as truly spiritual.

How about a science fair at a church? An art exhibit featuring works by teenagers? A debate? Poetry slam?

All this interwoven with teaching from the Bible about what it means to develop as image bearers and culture makers.

* * *

Life in its breadth and fullness is sacred. All of life (except sin) is a gift from God, which includes tripping the light fantastic.


* Affirming students' passions and interests is an important -- and missing -- piece in evangelical discipleship. Of course such affirmation doesn't guarantee students will stay in the faith. But I believe it will help.

For more on image-bearing and culture making, see Andy Crouch's two books, Culture Making and Playing God. Excellent reading.

Church Drop-outs: Why They Leave the Church, Part 5

My basic point in this series of posts is that when students grow into their "true selves" in Christ, they are likely to remain steadfast in the faith.

But when spiritual engagement and church life feel artificial, boring, obligatory or moralistic, there's a good chance young people will check out (or just drift away).

They will look to discover their true selves elsewhere.

Wouldn't it be cool if, say, hockey-kid learned from parents and church that the elements of skating, puck-handling, teamwork and camaraderie are created and given by God to be enjoyed, cherished, appreciated.

And when the kid says, "hockey is in my blood," and thinks of it as part of his true self, he believes God is right there with him, not waiting impatiently for hockey practice to finish so that he, the kid, can get back to "real" spirituality consisting of Bible study, prayer, tithing and singing worship songs.

But in my experience it would be the rare church that teaches anything like all that. Here's why:

Church leaders often lack a theology of vocation and human flourishing. Slap shots and agile skating* don't seem to have a legitimate place in the kingdom of God, certainly nothing like memorizing Scripture or other religious activities.

My recommendation: The church needs to recover a theology of vocation and human flourishing. This begins with a strong view of creation and imago dei.

Genesis.

But for many evangelicals, creationism and all its rich resources have been diverted away for a single purpose: soldiering in the creation-evolution wars.

Too bad. While boomers like myself are fighting these wars, we starve our own kids of the spiritual nutrition they need to discover their created, crafted, intended, called true selves, made in the image of God.

* * * * *

Okay, assuming the church recovered a theology of vocation and human flourishing, how would we teach it to young people?

I'll write about it next week.


*And later in life: selling real estate or running an antique shop or playing in a band.

graphic credit: By Hedavid http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AAmateur_ice_hockey_skates.jpg

Church Drop-outs: Why They Leave the Church, Part 4

How can we keep young people in the church?

Seems to me this is not precisely the right question.

The better question is how we can help young people love God and grow into their "true selves."

A happy by-product will be their faithfulness to the church.

Here's a start:

Teach kids to engage in productive faith.

In his two books Culture Making and Playing God author Andy Crouch talks about productive faith (my phrase) as living out our true calling as image-bearers.

Image-bearers: human beings reflecting God in creativity and productivity (among other things).

Thus Crouch: "The human quest for meaning is played out in human making: the finger-painting, omelet-stirring, chair-crafting, snow-swishing activities of culture." *

So I say, teach a young dancer that God loves her dancing, and that her calling is to create wonderful dances for human audiences but ultimately for a delighted audience of One -- God himself -- and she is likely to grow into her true dancer-self, in love with her craft, in love with her God.

This faith will endure.

* * *

Next week: Why the church usually doesn't teach productive faith.


photo credit:Korean dancing shoes
*Andy Crouch. Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling, p24.

Church Drop-outs: Why They Leave the Church, Part 3

Last week I gave the example of Caleb, an archetypal teenager who falls in love with cars and the race track -- not Jesus -- and gradually drifts away from the faith.

Could this "leaver" have been kept in the fold somehow?

Yes, I think so.

No guarantees, of course, but I have a suggestion:

What if we brought God to the places where Caleb hangs out with his buddies: the garage and the speedway?

What if we moved God out of church and into the workplace?

Yes, I understand God is omnipresent and doesn't need to be "brought" anywhere. But I'm talking about God being recognized inside the essential processes of repairing and rebuilding cars.

Now you may be thinking this idea reduces to a certain activity, such as this:

On occasion one of the gear-heads in the shop opens a Bible and everyone drops their wrenches for a short interlude of prayer and Scripture.

Not a bad idea but I'm thinking of something different.

I'm thinking of God actually meeting Caleb under the hood. 

I'm thinking of Caleb sensing the approval and affirmation of his heavenly Father when he restores order to a disordered machine in a broken world.

Track star Eric Liddell said, "God made me fast . . . When I run I feel his pleasure."

Average-kid Caleb might similarly say, "God made me mechanical. When I work on cars I sense his approval."

Call it a "productive" faith. It means that one of our jobs as image-bearers is to create as God creates, produce as he produces, work as he works, rest as he rests.

Maybe such an understanding of God would have kept Caleb coming to church, fusing together his faith and main hobby.

Unifying his life.

* * *

Next week I'll talk about what author Andy Crouch says about the topic of productive faith in his two fine books:

• Culture Making
• Playing God

Your assignment, then: by next Monday, read both books . . . .   :)

Church Drop-outs: Why They Leave the Church, Part 2

Imagine a 16-year old named Caleb who grew up in the church but within a couple of years will leave, perhaps permanently.

Caleb is fascinated by the world of cars, racing and engines, and wants to go into auto mechanics.

At church Caleb experiences worship, community, Bible teaching. All good things. He learns about morality, God's love, salvation, prayer. He's a little bored but he'll get through it.

He attends Sunday services and youth group regularly, cracks his Bible on occasion because he's supposed to do his devo's.

It all seems other-worldly to Caleb. Necessary, yes, like eating your vegetables, but not relevant to his main interest.

In fact, nothing in the Christian culture of his boyhood connects with Caleb's primary love: cars. Under the hood (or behind the wheel) of an automobile he feels alive and authentic to his true self.

Soon, Caleb's real community is found not so much at church but in a local garage with his gear-head buddies. Then, the race track -- including Sundays.

Goodbye, Caleb. Hope to see you in church again someday, perhaps after you start a family in about eight years.

What could have convinced Caleb to stay in the church?

I have an idea. Call it productive faith.

The idea is to produce something that is actually sanctioned by God -- something good and rewarding that makes the heart glad. Something that calls out the essential self in each of us. Something that resonates in Caleb's soul.

Next week: I'll expand on the idea of "productive faith" and suggest how it might have changed Caleb's whole narrative.


graphic credit: http://www.hdcargallery.com/muscle-cars-pictures-wallpaper-2891.html 

Church Drop-outs: Why They Leave, Part 1

David Kinnaman

Recently a concerned mother approached me at a church where I'd spoken and told me a story, versions of which I hear often:

"My son announced that 'he can no longer believe in the Christian God.' He's walked away from the faith. He used to be involved in youth group, a worship band, family devotions, Christian conferences, evangelism . . . Now he wants nothing to do with it."

According to various reports and studies, young people are leaving the church at higher rates than ever before.

Just Google Christian leavers or Ex-Christians and you'll find plenty of troubling material.

Or read books and studies by Kinneman, Dyck, Campbell/Putnam, Clydesdale, Smith, Wright and others who document the "leavers" with extensive personal interviews.

So why is it happening? Why are so many young people dropping out, walking away, de-converting?

Conventional wisdom would say "moral compromise":

Sarah went off to college and started partying. Feeling guilty and hypocritical, she "changed her creeds to match her deeds." She no longer believes because faith in Christ doesn't fit her lifestyle.

And maybe that's part of the answer.

But according to a Christianity Today article* by Drew Dyck, many folks in their 20s and 30s leave the faith due to factors inside the church. 

He summarizes: "Most leavers had been exposed to a superficial form of Christianity that effectively inoculated them against authentic faith."

I agree with this assessment, and next week I'll offer my own theory on the matter.


* Subscription required to see the whole article

Equipping Teens for College: Part 6: Social and Racial Justice

I'd like to review my hopes for the "standard equipment" of first-year students when they arrive on campus. Ideally, they'd have these tools in the toolbox:

1. A big-picture overview of the Bible.
2. Inductive Bible study skills.
3. A basic gospel outline they can share with nonChristian friends.
4. A beginner's apologetic (see last week's post).
5. An awareness of social and racial justice.
   
   

This last item gets dicey because many evangelical churches are still under-developed on issues of race and justice.

Ironically, young people themselves often take the lead in this area, and it's the older generations -- say, 50 and up -- of which I'm a member, that are the true students (or at least we should be) of such matters.

Bottom line: I'm never surprised when a first-year college student demonstrates a basic intuition for issues of justice and race. It's in the DNA of this generation.

What does surprise, me however, is the occasional 18-year old student who arrives on campus with a theology* of justice and race in their toolbox. Now that's rare, indeed, and much to be prized.

+++++++++++++++++

** Meaning, a broad biblical understanding of the topic. 

Equipping Teens for College, Part 5: A Beginner's Apologetic

On rare occasion a first-year student will bring to college an ability to articulate a basic "apologetic" for Christianity.

This is helpful not only for maintaining faith in a challenging collegiate environment, but for sharing faith with others, perhaps along these lines:

1) Origins: Why Christianity, not atheism, provides the best explanation for the origin of the universe and human life.

2) Gospels: Why the Gospel accounts of Jesus' life can be trusted.

3) Religious Pluralism: Why multiple religions cannot all be true in the same respect.

How to actually train kids in apologetics?

I have some practical ideas that I'll share some other time.

For now, I just want to get parents and Christian educators thinking about providing teenagers with some basic apologetic tools.

And when they arrive on campus for the first time, hand them off to a campus ministry such as Chi Alpha, Cru, Campus Outreach, the Navigators or InterVarsity.

We can take it from there.

* * *

Starter books in apologetics:

• Letters from a Skeptic by Greg Boyd
• Handbook of Christian Apologetics by Kreeft and Tacelli 
• Faith is Like Skydiving (my book)

All available on Amazon.com.

See you next week.

I am at InterVarsity staff training in Madison, WI this week.

Equipping Teens for College, Part 4: Gospel Outline

In Part 2 I mentioned the importance of freshman possessing a big picture overview of the Bible that they can articulate.

Closely related is being equipped with a particular gospel outline. 

Whereas the overview is a summary of the Christian worldview as a whole, an outline of the gospel functions as an evangelistic tool to be memorized and shared easily with a nonChristian friend.

Gospel outlines are numerous, and I am not picky about which to use. All have their pros and cons.

The Bridge Diagram or "Bridge To Life"

• Personally, I prefer the Navigators' Bridge Diagram because it is visual and memorable and I can share it in 30 seconds, if need be, or stretch it out to a half-hour.
  
• The Big Story is another good one, used often in InterVarsity circles. Its main strength is its view of sin and brokenness as affecting the whole world, not just individual sinners.
  
• Cru's Four Spiritual Laws has been used by students for decades to bring others to Christ. A proven tool in the trenches of ministry!
  
• Billy Graham Association's Steps to Peace with God also works great.

The point is that a Gospel Outline can be used in the clutch. It reduces "verbal meandering" and gives students confidence in sharing Christ.

Show me an incoming first-year student who knows and uses a gospel outline -- and you'll find me investing in that student.

An additional benefit of a gospel outline is that it functions as an overall plan in the back of a student's mind as he/she interacts with nonChristian friends over time.

Oh -- adults. Might this be for you as well? Pick a tool and use it well.

* * * * * *

A helpful resource: Kingdom Come: How Jesus Wants to Change the World, by Allen Wakabayashi. The author does a nice job of laying out a "kingdom" vision for evangelism.

See You Next Week!

Equipping Teens for College, Part 3: Inductive Bible Study Skills

To study the Bible inductively is an adventure in humility. It's a choice to place oneself under the authority of a God-inspired author of more than two millennia ago.

For this reason and others, my ideal incoming freshman would have been trained by her home church in OIA:

• Observation: Scrutinizing the text for its basic facts and grammatical construction.
  
  
• Interpretation: Discerning what the text probably meant in its ancient context.
  
  
• Application: Allowing the text to speak relevantly to one's personal life and church.

Inductive is, of course, contrasted with deductive approaches which come to the text with prior-held conclusions that must be proven. Hence the phrase, finding "proof texts."

Proof texts merely reinforce what you believed before the study began.

Inductive study, on the other hand, expands the understanding, is open to surprise.

Takeaways from the inductive method often involve "dawning" realizations such as:

• Wow, I never thought of Jesus that way before.    Or, 
• This passage is messing with my head.

On campus, we could use a lot more first-year students who've had these kind of light-bulb-on experiences in the Bible.

Equipping Teens for College, Part 2: Bible at a Glance

The Bible at a Glance

Probably you cannot read the above chart in this compact blog space.

But it's an important element in the toolkit of my ideal incoming freshman.

To illustrate, consider the following story, which is based on a thousand real life examples:

Kendra grew up in the church. She arrives at college lacking any kind of big picture overview of the Bible's message.

Sure, she knows a smattering of devotional thoughts and concepts gleaned from sermons, worship songs and her teen Bible, including:

• A bit of Paul's teaching
• A small helping of Jesus
• A smattering of the 10 commandments
• The Lord's Prayer 

She knows she's a sinner, that Jesus died to save her and that evolution is false.

At college, she's confronted with atheism, agnosticism, Islam. All seem to offer comprehensive worldviews that challenge her hodgepodge of devotional ideas.

They all seem to make sense of the world in their own way.

Kendra's feeling overmatched, confused, embarrassed.

How great it would be if she had a big-picture grasp of the Bible that she could articulate in a few sentences -- and that offered a deep (and wide) explanation of human experience.

Christianity begins with God and his love, moves tragically to human rejection of God, then begins anew with Israel and crescendos into Jesus' death and resurrection. It culminates in the restoration of all things. Those who participate in faith live in God's presence forever. Those who don't, don't.

You could go a long way in college as a Christian, just knowing that larger narrative.

I'd recommend The Bible at a Glance! Every Christian should know the big picture. Especially the "Kendra's" out there who are headed off to college.

Equipping Teens for College: What I wish they brought with them from home

Recently Sharon and I bought a car.* It got me thinking about the oft-used phrase standard equipment.

Here's the "standard equipment" I wish Christians students possessed when they enter college from their hometowns and churches:

1. A big-picture overview of the Bible, Genesis to Revelation. Important because it keeps students grounded in the story of redemption.

In contrast, students tend to arrive on campus equipped with a smattering of devotional thoughts and moral obligations.

2. Inductive Bible study skills. The 3-step process of observation, interpretation and application (OIA) gives students a way to study scripture that is solid and reliable.

An uncommon skill among 18-year olds.

3. A simple outline of the gospel.  It could be the Bridge Diagram (my fav), the Four Spiritual Laws, the Four Worlds, Romans Roads, Steps to Peace with God . . . it doesn't matter. None of these is perfect yet each provides a starting point for sharing the gospel with a nonChristian friend.

4. A beginner's apologetic. This might be the least likely standard equipment but is indispensable for collegiate life as a Christian. I'm talking about a clear frame-up of how to have a discussion with a seeker or skeptic and some basic answers to hard questions.

5. An awareness of social and racial justice. This area is improving relative to 20 years ago but still has a long ways to go.

* * *

Next week I'll dive into one or two of the above more in-depth and suggest some helpful resources.

* We bought a Ford Focus from the Hudson, WI Ford dealership. I'd recommend both.

graphic credit: http://www.ford.com/cars/focus/features/

Letters from an Atheist, Part 4

I'm enjoying my email dialogues with Jake. He is caring and respectful while still making his arguments against Christianity.

His latest post made the point that it's ridiculous for Christians to attribute accidental "blessings" to God. He gave this example:

Recently a construction blast sent a 20-ton boulder rumbling toward a church in MA, but the boulder came to rest one foot from an outside wall.

The church, called Grace Ministries, feeds thousands in the community each year out of its food pantry. Many folks in the neighborhood agreed that the Lord intervened to save the church from certain demolition by the giant rock.

Jake thinks such nonsense actually hurts the cause of Christ. After all, while one church was spared by God on this day, 25,000 children around the world died of malnutrition.

Like many atheists, Jake likes to make common sense arguments. This is a good one because it pits suffering children against God!

In response, I noticed that this was neither a scientific argument or a strictly logical one, but rather, highly speculative.

I decided to point this out to Jake -- the fourth time I'd critiqued his methodology.

In my email to Jake I wrote that you'd have to know a lot about God to know which projects he's working on, whether large or small, starvation or saving one church. It's quite possible he's active in both. A skeptic would have no way of knowing.

* * *

In this exchange I could have tried to make a case for God's sovereign control over all the events in the universe, including the "staying" of the rolling boulder in question. But that's a tall order.

Instead, I chose a smaller project (again), attempting to show Jake that his argument is subjective and speculative. That's enough for now.

graphic credit: http://goo.gl/yV7a4L

See you next week!

I am at InterVarsity's "Chapter Focus Week" at Cedar Campus (Upper Peninsula of MI) this week, along with a dozen Macalester students.

Letters from an Atheist, Part 3

Jake the atheist in Texas continues to engage me in email dialogue.

You may remember that one of his first objections is:

Honesty and realism demand that we put away childish beliefs and superstitions and engage in the hard work of coming to grips with the human condition -- and improving it.

My main strategy with all Jake's arguments so far has been to question his method. 

I've offered almost no argumentation for the truth of Christianity. Nor have I countered his assertions.

Rather: method, baby, method.

Other apologists may take a different approach. But I find that challenging Jake's methodology is helpful for leveling the playing field. 

Atheists tend to think their methods for discovering truth (rational, scientific, common-sense) are superior to those of the theist (faith-based, experiential, wishful thinking). 

So if I can show otherwise -- that at the very least we're on even footing -- a major gain is achieved.

Back to the argument. I wrote to Jake that my own experience has been just the opposite: that when I walk closely with Jesus my view of myself and the world is more honest, more realistic.

Now we're in a standoff, right? That's what I want. Jake's experience of honesty and realism versus my experience of honesty and realism. 

Ergo: Jake's method of finding truth -- in this case, via experience -- is no better than mine. 


graphic credit: http://goo.gl/ljmZq2

Letters from an Atheist, Part 2: Deities

Last week I told of how Jake, an atheist I met in Texas, emailed me a nice summary of his position, and how I questioned the credibility of his sources.

One of his objections to Christianity is that history is littered with so many prophets and deities -- including many accounts of virgin births, miracles and resurrections -- that in humility we ought to suspect that when Jesus comes along, "we might, once again, be going through the same old drill . . . Another day, another deity."

Essentially, Jake is saying that the presence of many false deities should cause us to question the existence of the real thing.

There are several ways I could have responded to this objection.

I could have said that in Christianity it's not so much that we discovered God but that God revealed himself to us. I like this argument but this early in the game it's too ambitious.

Rather, I said to Jake that if we find it challenging to discern the real god among all the false gods, it says more about human limitations than about God. It's our issue, not God's.

In fact, when you stop and think about it, the presence of pretenders or lack thereof has zero causal power over the real thing.

* * *

OK, what I'm trying to do here with Jake is slow . . . down . . . the . . . dialogue.

Jake has made a major assertion. I could have countered it with one of my own (There's no evidence that all these deities ever existed! But there's tons of evidence that Jesus was real . . . ). 

Instead, I chose a smaller project. I questioned his method. He seems to have jumped hastily to a conclusion -- that pretenders negate the real thing -- and I'm merely pointing that out.

Later, I can make my own case for Christ. That will come in time.

graphic credit: http://www.shodalap.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Mithras.jpg

Letters from an Atheist, Part 1

Prof. Michael Jaworski and I posed for a photo after our public debate at UT-Pan American. He's a cool guy. That's Prof. Tom Pearson, moderator, behind us.

At the close of my public debate with Michael Jaworski, I met Jake, an atheist. I found him to be respectful and well-spoken.

I'd like to give you a peek into the email correspondence we agreed to launch.

In my first message to Jake I asked which atheists he reads and why he holds his position. Here's a summary of his reply:

1. He found famous atheists such as Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens to be helpful in articulating his position.

2. With history littered with so many religious prophets and deities (including many of virgin birth), it is arrogant to think our little sliver of time contains the one true and final god.

3. Honesty and realism demand that we put away childish beliefs and superstitions and engage in the hard work of coming to grips with the human condition -- and improving it.


My first response to Jake was to question why Dawkins, Harris and Hitchens would be considered authorities on God's existence when none are actual philosophers or theologians.

They probably would not want philosophers doing science. Yet, they've no qualms about doing philosophy (badly, in my view).

So what I'm trying to do early in the argument is get to the bottom of Jake's sources: Who does he read, and what makes him think his sources are trustworthy?

* * *

Lesson for dialogue with skeptics: Take your time. Don't jump into the actual arguments quickly. Find out the other person's sources and methodology first.

Next week: Responding to #2 above, about whether it's arrogant to think we can know the true God when history is filled with so many prophets and deities.

Conversations from Campus: USTAFOS Part 3

About ten minutes into my conversation with USTAFOS outside the library coffee shop (see parts one and two below), I knew I was meant for this moment.

She was beyond engaging.

The intense back-and-forth between us unfolded in a strange atmosphere of trust (so it seemed to me) that could never be expected or predicted. Or explained.

She brought up several examples of people that she loves and respects who are not Christians, and asked if they are going to hell.

I said that speculating on people's salvation status is not my job. "Everyone goes before the judgment seat of God. He deals justly with each person. Know this, however: we must come to God on his terms, not ours."

"Meaning what?"

"We don't get to make the rules, God does," I said. "He's offered his Son, Jesus, to us. Seems foolish to reject that offer, don't you think?"

She frowned and looked away for a moment, then faced me squarely. "Yes, it all makes sense, but I don't want it to be true! There are too many implications."

"Implications?"

"For my relatives, my family." She looked at me pleadingly. "For people I love."

We stopped talking as I absorbed the significance of that statement.

After awhile, I said, "I can't help what's true. If Christianity is true, neither you nor I can unmake it so. It just is, whatever the implications."

Snap, now I felt stupid. Did I just apologize for my beliefs?

"I have to go to class," she said, looking at me like I was a bit weird.

"I'm speaking tomorrow evening at InterVarsity. Will you be there?"

"Sorry, I have another commitment. . . "

She was gone.

* * *

Between last week's post (Part 2) and this week's, I received the following note from students at her campus: "USTAFOS became a Christian."

graphic credit: http://www.dw3c.org/the-journey-to-the-cross/

Conversations from Campus: USTAFOS Part 2

With last night's "Stump the Chump" now in the rear-view mirror, USTAFOS* was waiting for me in a booth near the library coffee shop.

Our eyes met briefly as I slid in across the table. When she opened her mouth to speak her soul seemed to open as well, releasing its contents.

Tornadoes came flying out.

   Rick, Gandhi was a man of great peace and love. Just because he wasn't Christian -- are you saying he's in hell?

   My Grandmother is the most wonderful, caring person in the world. She read the Bible but wasn't impressed. Is she, too, going to hell?

   If God commanded us to honor our parents and avoid lying and stealing and murder, why didn't he also abolish slavery? Slavery in the Bible makes no sense.

   I believe that all religions are pathways to God. Yours isn't the only way. Why do you think it is?


After each objection (and there were others), I'd respond. She'd listen carefully, nod or shake her head, then whoosh, emit the next whirlwind.

Somewhere in the middle of this awesome storm I said something along these lines:

"In Christianity, God is mostly a gradualist. He's not much into the finger-snapping business, where he fixes things all at once. There are exceptions -- like, the parting of the Red Sea.

Rather, he tends to work through long processes. Slavery is one example. Slaves in ancient Israel were treated better than in the surrounding nations. Slaves were given days off, provisions for their families and other benefits.

The NT takes it to the next level, but it's really up to the church, sixteen hundred years later, to finally outlaw the slave trade. William Wilberforce heads up the abolitionist movement in England. He does so in the name of Christ . . . "

At this explanation she said reluctantly, "Well, it makes sense."

She paused for a few seconds.

"But I don't want Christianity to be true! -- "

* * *

Next week: Part 3 with USTAFOS, the conclusion of the terrific tempest.


USTAFOS: Unusually Sharp TeenAger From OverSeas

graphic credit: http://www.clker.com/clipart-mask-tornado-1.html

Conversations from Campus: USTAFOS Part 1

I sat with my back to the fireplace in the dorm lounge, a dozen students in a semi-circle of comfy chairs and couches gathered around.

Unusually Sharp TeenAger From OverSeas (USTAFOS) settled into a spot toward the front and smiled shyly.

“I’m a skeptic,” she said to me privately.

My kind of person.

“Welcome,” I said. “I’m glad you came to Stump the Chump.”

 

We chatted about her major (engineering) and about American culture for a few minutes until the start of the session.

She asked the second question of the evening -- why God would provide only one path up the mountain [Jesus] to himself when it makes much more sense that there should be many paths.

“God responds to the faith and efforts of all people, whatever their background or religion,” she said confidently.

I asked how she knows this truth about God.

“I feel it with all my heart.”

Several students muttered their agreement and I began to wonder whether the room would turn on me. USTAFOS is 19 and sweet -- exactly the person to knock off a middle-aged apologist.

I decided to risk a pointed question. “But are your feelings a reliable guide to truth?” I ventured, my throat drying out . . . 

The question must not have failed completely. She signed up to meet with me the following day.

Next week I'll recount our remarkable conversation that took place in the library coffee shop. 

* * *

These "Conversations from Campus" are meant to be instructive for your own conversations with seekers and skeptics, whether taken from my successes or blunders. 

In this case, I hope you'll remember to ask questions of the other person and not just "give answers" or refutations, or walk away intimidated without responding at all.

graphic credit: http://suburbanmountaineer.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/ama-dablam-public-domain.jpg

The Forbidden Subject Part 2

Last week I related how I decided to bring up a forbidden topic with a person who, in certain circumstances, is intimidating to me.

I knew going into the conversation with Jim that I'd probably mess it up somehow.

Worse, however, was the idea of postponing the conversation yet again, which I'd been guilty of for a long time.

So I said to the Lord, "This isn't going to be smooth. It might even be a train-wreck. Would you use me despite myself? I'm just the messenger here . . . "

Jim's main objection to the topic of God was the hypocrisy of clergy and other church people who "raise cane" during the week, then act all holy on Sundays in church.

That's what his mentor -- who was the unquestionable authority, the Forbidden Subject -- had taught him to think.

"Had you ever thought," I responded, "that the church is actually a hospitable for sinners? We know we're sinful. That's why we're there."     
I continued: "Sure, there are bad clergy out there. Maybe 3% (I don't know, exactly). But why would you listen to them and ignore the other 97% who are good folks doing God's work?

Why allow the 3% 'bad apples' to have so much say in your life? You're letting them win!" I was getting a bit amped up. Maybe argumentative.

Jim said, "So you're saying hypocrisy is OK in the church?"

"Not at all. I'm just saying the church is more for sinners than saints. We're there because we know we need each other to improve our lives."

My friend looked unconvinced.

I closed with this: "Jim, you can't do this on your own. You need the teaching of the Scriptures and the encouragement of the people of God. There's no lone-ranger spirituality out there, not according to Christianity at least."

* * *

No big wins here that I could see. That's how personal witness often goes. Through prayer and God's guidance you try to say the right thing, but in my case it sometimes comes out sideways.

* * *

In Jim's town one day I attended a Presbyterian church right near his house. I visited him soon after and told him I thought it was a good spot. "You should check it out sometime."

To my surprise he said, "Maybe I will."

graphic courtesy of http://www.clipartlord.com/

Conversations from Campus: The Forbidden Subject

I learned in my growing up years that with certain people there are certain subjects you simply do not broach.

So I asked the Lord for courage to talk to Jim, a guy who admittedly intimidates me.

After bantering over some contemporary political issues, I turned the conversation a bit:

"Do you ever pray or do anything with your spiritual life?"

I wondered how this would land.

"I have my own religion," Jim said without blinking, looking at me.

Normally I'm on top of this stuff but my tongue seemed to be lodged half-way down my throat.

"Your own religion? Er -- how do you know it's true?" I said a little awkwardly.

"How do you know yours is true?"

"I asked you first."

He smiled, as if I'd scored a point. I was starting to relax.

"I have my own way of doing things. Is that wrong?"

"But Jim, how do you learn and grow? How do you hear from God, if you're totally on your own?"

He mentioned a revered mentor in his background who'd tutored him in these matters. This was, I knew, the Forbidden Subject, the untouchable topic -- Jim's unassailable foundation.

I prayed for more courage and blurted out, "But what makes (mentor) a reliable guide to religion? He had no theological training! Why listen to him?"

There, I'd said it, finally. Now perhaps the expected explosion would come, like, "How dare you -- "

Instead, this fine man heard me out. I proceeded to suggest that he find a church where the community of faith gathers for encouragement, teaching and worship.

He thought about it a moment, then flatly refused. Damn clergy were either in someone's pants or in your pocketbook.

"No way am I going to let them tell me how to live my life!" he spat out.

Now we were getting somewhere. My demons were gone. I thought I knew what to say next . . .

I'll write about it next week.

* lyrics by Jim Croce

See you next week!

Conversations from Campus: The Invitation

Fifty students watched as I drew the above diagram on the board. I explained it something like this:

"In Christian theology the Fall away from God was so severe -- and God was so grieved -- that he didn't fix the world all at once.

He let it fall. 

He allowed the consequences of rebellion to be played out in our timeline.

Thus the world is full of pain and suffering."

I continued: "Slowly, gradually, he began to restore the world through Israel, and even visited the world himself in the person of Jesus, the Messiah."

Front row, Jewish-Atheist raised his hand decisively.

"How do you know Jesus was the true Messiah?"

I replied that Jesus fulfilled the Hebrew law and prophets and descended from King David.

Jewish-Atheist objected that Jesus never met the conditions of true Messiah:

• Rebuilding the temple
• Bringing world peace

I said Jesus claimed to actually be the temple himself.

As for peace, God calls his people -- the church -- to go forth in his power, bringing healing to a broken world.

Afterward, we talked. Good guy, frosh, grew up Jewish but rejected the idea of there being a "chosen people" or a God who chooses.

* * * *

The lesson for you and me in this encounter?

Not what I said to Jewish-Atheist, though I have no regrets.

Rather, it's that a faithful Christian student met him at an outreach table in the Student Union and invited him to attend my talk.

Now that's profound.

Conversations from Campus: The Apostate

I hadn't seen him in a year so we had a nice warm handshake when he showed up.

Two minutes later he announced he'd left the faith.

He could no longer condone the morality of God as seen in the OT:

• the slaughter of the Canaanites.
• the Mosaic law allowing men to force themselves upon women and take them as wives.
• (etc.)

"Morally reprehensible," Dan said with disgust.

All this was sounding familiar to me.

"Dan, I'm disappointed. This sounds like atheist internet rhetoric, not biblical scholarship. Where are you getting all this?"

He admitted reading Christopher Hitchens and visiting some atheist websites.

"I'm surprised. You're an 'A' student and you know the value of reading professional literature inside your field of study."

He nodded.

"And yet you allow an amateur like Hitchens to guide your theology?"

"You're shaming me."

"I have a friend," I said firmly, "who's a bricklayer. He's good at it. But would I want him doing my dental work? Fixing my car? Prescribing my meds?"

We had a tense back-and-forth for a few minutes.

"Okay, what should I do?" he finally asked.

"Read some real theologians, for and against your position (I gave him some names). Stay within the professional guild. If you're going to leave the faith, at least do it thoughtfully."

********

I wish I could say all my conversations go well and that I never say the wrong thing. Not true. I was totally second-guessing myself on this one.

How might have I responded differently to Dan?

Conversations from Campus: Jeremy with a Secret

The prayer team asked if there might be a student named Jeremy in the crowd of 35. 

"Here," he said, standing up.

"In our prayers an hour ago we thought we heard things from God that might help you."

Jeremy was the fourth student to receive words of special knowledge from the prayer team -- a humble, soft-spoken trio from a local church.

“Jesus loves you exactly as you are. He wants you to know he’s not a boss or a slave-driver. . . But you’re being held back by something . . .“

Profound, yes, but fairly standard prophetic encouragement.

Jeremy affirmed quietly that the words had meaning for him, and sat down with little expression.

Later, he survived the evening worship service for awhile before finally escaping into the prayer room, face cupped in his hands.

I didn’t recognize him. “Can I pray with you?” I said cautiously.

“Yes.”

“What’s on your heart?”

A long pause. “I’ve been cutting for twelve years. It’s an addiction. No one knows.”

“Have you taken that step to become a follower of Jesus, to enter God’s family?”

This was language from our seminar earlier in the day. He knew what I was asking.

He shook his head, not ready. Still confused.

“This is my first time at an event like this. I just started coming to InterVarsity.”

I prayed for his affliction and asked if I could inform his campus staff. He agreed.

I spoke with the staff later. He told me the story behind Jeremy's cutting: parents out of the picture, isolation. And . . . the occult.

graphic credit: Thriftyfun