Are you concerned about your kids and grandkids as the world becomes increasingly hostile to Christianity? Did you know a high percentage of youth who grow up in the Church are leaving the faith after high school? And do you increasingly wonder: What do we do? In this program, Chip brings real hope and real answers for anyone concerned about these disturbing trends.
Main Points
Rethinking our communication
- Yesterday: Apologetics were about what we believe and why. And it was aimed at answering the skeptic’s questions.
- Today: We need to aim apologetics first and foremost toward believers, especially young people.
- Yesterday: We needed to master facts, data, and history to intellectually prove what we believe is true.
- Today: We need to model a concerned and compassionate life-style that proves that what we believe is actually relevant.
- Yesterday: We needed to win the debate.
- Today: We need to win an audience.
- Yesterday: We communicated on a level playing field that presumed TRUTH was an objective reality.
- Today: We communicate on the shifting sands of TRUTH as a subjective reality.
- Yesterday: The Church and the culture shared a general knowledge of the Bible.
- Today: Both the Church and the world are biblically illiterate.
- Yesterday: Committed Christian men or women were admired.
- Today: Committed Christian men or women have been called “dangerous”.
- Yesterday: We could begin with the truth and then express grace.
- Today: We must begin with grace in order to share the truth.
- Yesterday: The moral climate and the values of major institutions like education, medicine, and the media reinforced our values.
- Today: The moral climate of major institutions challenge and ridicule our our faith.
What this means for you:
- The early Church had a living hope. --1 Peter 1:1-3
- They believed they had an inheritance. --1 Peter 1:4, 6
- We need to be sober in our thinking. --1 Peter 1:13-15
- We need to have a faith that is rooted in eternity that leads to living a holy life, which leads to a fervent love for others. --1 Peter 1:22-23
- Get rid of all hypocrisy, get rid of anger, and stop blaming. --1 Peter 2:1-2
- Have lips of praise and encouragement. --1 Peter 2:20-24
- The number one apologetic is your life. It’s a holy life, with an eternal perspective, that’s radically loving. --1 Peter 3:8-9
Broadcast Resource