Worldviews
The Newsletter of the Apologetics Resource Center
January 2006

Is This Your Last Worldviews Newsletter?
Your free subscription to Worldviews lasts a year, at which point we ask that you renew. It's still free but we want to continue to send it only to those who really want to receive it. Utilize the form at the end of the newsletter to renew.

Our goal is to use Worldviews to inform, exhort, and motivate you for protective discernment, and to engage people and the culture with God's redemptive truth. We believe we are a battleship, not a cruise ship--an army, not an audience--special forces, not spectators--missionaries, not club members. Worldviews not only alerts and educates but we also point to other resources, websites, and provide lots of free resouces (info. packets and counsel).

Annual EMNR Conference
The 2006 Evangelical Ministries to New Religions (EMNR) Conference will be here in Birmingham, February 9-11, hosted by Southeastern Bible College. EMNR is a collection of many prominent counter-cult and other apologetics ministries and leaders.

This year's title is the Birmingham Conference on Biblical Discernment:

A Clash of Cultures--Missionaries in the Marketplace of Religion. There will be four plenary sessions, free to the public, and eight workshop sessions, consisting of 33 different relevant topics. Cost is $45 before January 1, $65 from Jan. 1-Feb. 1, and $75 after Feb. 1st. Daily rate is $35. Student fee is $20 for the entire conference. Online registration and full information on all topics can be found at www.emnr.org. ARC's Steve Cowan, Craig Branch, and Keith Gibson will be conducting workshops. Take advantage of this rare local opportunity. Act before January 1st!

What an Opportunity!
Discovery Channel and the BBC have produced a special three-part series on the Miracles of Jesus, currently due to be aired Christmas Eve at 1:00p.m. The series features Christian illusionist Brock Gill who works for Vertical Ministries here in Birmingham.

Brock caught the attention of their producers who asked if he thought it was possible for him to duplicate Jesus' miracles. The message of the series is that if one of the best illusionists can't duplicate Jesus' miracles, and there isn't a natural explanation, then they must be authentic. The series ends with the resurrection, which emphasizes both the message and the Messenger.

Surprisingly, these normally secular and hostile organizations have produced a positive piece regarding Christianity. The series is planned to be shown several times in the future.

Brock and Vertical Ministries have asked ARC to help prepare him for the expected local and national news and media agencies. Also Brock is wisely writing a book to be promoted in conjunction with the series and we are collaborating with him on that project. Pray that it will get wide circulation and good publicity.

Upcoming Journals
Have you subscribed yet to our publication, Areopagus Journal? It is designed to deepen your understanding of God's truth, to help you love God with all your mind, and to prepare you to effectively engage people and our dead culture with God's life-giving truth.

The topics for 2006 include hermeneutics, becoming thinking Christians, three scholars every Christian should know, the new age movement, alternative medicine, and Christian ecology & stewardship. The November-December 2005 issue deals with the canonicity of Scripture. Do you know how to answer questions and objections about the Canon? How do you know we have the right books in the Bible? Who said so and on what basis? Weren't there many other oboks claiming apostolic authority at the same time? What about the Catholic Church's extra books, the Apocrypha? What about the "research" presented in the Da Vinci Code? What about all those books quoted from or cited in the Bible that aren't included in the official Canon? What about the Gnostic gospels and the Gospel of Thomas?

Make sure you know why you believe and can effectively respond to and correct the incessant propaganda the History and Discovery channels, and the major media and news magazines are circulating.

The January-February 2006 journal will cover the topic of hermeneutics, which is the technical term for the art and science of biblical interpretation. Hermeneutics is a regular course taught in all seminaries, but contrary to popular belief, it is a necessary skill for every Christian. Just like every Christian is a theologian, good or bad, so every Christian engages in hermeneutics, whether they know it or not.

Like Paul exhorts Timothy and us all, "Like workmen who are not ashamed, handle accurately the word of God." There are frequent admonitions to be on guard against false teachers who are untaught and unstable, twisting Scripture to their and others' peril (2 Timothy 2:15, 2 Peter 3:16). All of this includes being able to grow personally in a healthy manner (2 Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 5:12-14), avoiding deceptive or wrong teaching, and even being able to witness to those in cults who twist the Scripture.

Major Issues in 2006
One of God's serious warnings for the church is that if we hide our light under a box, the darkness will grow and if we loose our saltiness, become tasteless, we are no longer good for anything (Matt. 5:12-14). In contrast, if we go forth out of our holy huddles, transformed in our minds, hearts, and wills, full of truth, filled with the Holy Spirit, we will see some of His Kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven.

But what is the effect of the darkness growing? 30% of Americans now believe homosexual relationships are morally acceptable. 40% of the younger generation are accepting.

This wasn't nearly the same as 30-40 years ago. What has happened? One of the reasons is reflected in the fact that 60% of churches in America did not add one adult conversion to their rolls last year. 2/3 of young people leave church upon leaving home. Only 6% of teenagers are certain that absolute moral truth exists. And finally, only 16% of adults claim to make moral decisions based on a biblical worldview.

Be aware that in 2006, the pro-homosexual activists are gearing up for a major campaign. A group called Soul Force is planning to stage protests and PR events at Christian colleges, churches, and media events.

Time magazine recently (10/10/05) ran a major cover story promoting a positive image of teenage homosexuality. The article states, "Kids are disclosing their homosexuality with unprecedented regularity - and they are doing it so much younger." The average coming out age is now 16 for girls and 14 for boys. In 1997 there were 100 pro-homosexual clubs on high school campuses. Today there are at least 3,000.

One of the messages frequently repeated in the article was how accepting others are now when teens "come out," having "become aware of their homosexual attraction," and how "it is now profoundly uncool to be seen as anti-gay."

We need to (1) get serious about engaging and discipling more people with the Gospel; (2) Teach a correct understanding of sexuality in the church; (3) Develop a compassion for those in homosexual sin, not being "anti-gay," but anti-homosexuality. Order a copy of our recent journal "Abandoning Nature" and lets reach out in grace and truth.

Two Major Upcoming Articles
Because of space limitations, the important articles on the dramatic "revolution" taking place in the West regarding the Church's structure on many fronts, will have to wait until the January issue of Worldviews.

There are growing movements which are challenging the traditions and focus of the majority of churches in America (and the West). What has precipitated this trend? Are they necessary and good changes or are they flawed? Do they have some value or are they all wrong?

Christian pollster George Barna and his statistical studies set forth a case. For example, North America is the only continent where Christianity isn't growing. 70% of Americans claim to be Christian yet personal beliefs reveal that only 33% are "born again" and only 7% are evangelical!

It gets worse, 94% of teenagers do not believe absolute moral truth exists. Only 60% of evanglicals make moral choices based on the Bible. 60% of all churches in America did not add one new member via a new conversion. Almost all evanglicals believe personal evangelism is very important yet so few are engaged in it.

One common complaint of the various groups in the revolution movement is that churches are too focused on theology or doctrine. But the opposite is true of most churches. One of the major factors in church stagnation is a lack of transformation through the study of God's Word. One of the factors of the lack of maturity is a lack of sound doctrine and instead an absorption of heretical teachings.

The late Francis Schaeffer prophetically announced the problem in his 1984 book, The Great Evangelical Disaster. He wrote, "Here is the great evangelical disaster - the failure of the evangelical world to stand up for the truth as truth. There is only one word for this - namely accomodation:

the evangelical world has accomodated the world spirit of this age." He goes on, "As Christians we are not only to know the right worldview that tells us the truth about what is, but consciously to act upon that worldview so as to influence society in all its parts and facets across the whole spectrum of life, as much as we can to the extent of our individual and collective ability."

It is true that evangelicals can be so preoccupied with doctrine (law) that they exclude the reality of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. One can have a relationship with doctrinal principles instead of stepping out in faith, propelled by the God who is engaging people and exhibiting His supernatural power.

But even though I've gone this far, the rest of the article must wait for more space next month. It is an important challenge for us to listen to each other and experience together all that Jesus means, "I've come that you might have life and have it more abundantly."
The second major article will begin to expose the extent of new age curricula and programs in the public schools all across the country, and to rally and equip you to make a real difference in the spiritual war.

For a preview, go to the following website, read the contents of a petition filed by an average Christian parent in California to Governor Schwarzenegger and the State Board of Education, and sign it (http://www.petitions.com/campaigns/pseudoscience).

January Worldviews
In addition to the article on the revolution in the church, next month, we will address the Intelligent Design wars in public schools, Roman Catholic changes, Harry Potter, the rise of Wicca, an exposé and response to new age in public schools, the latest secularist's attacks on prison ministries, and "feel good" evangelists.

Make sure you re-subscribe to Worldviews for 2006 on the form at the end of this newsletter (if you subscribed in the past two months, you will automatically be added).
Prayerfully consider supporting ARC at the close of 2005 and in the new year. There is so much more we could do with the added partnership of God's people. Also, give us a call to explore the possibility of coming to your church.

Letters
I am teaching a junior high Sunday school class. To start preparing them for college I have been asking questions they cannot answer. They have decided they don't want to be made fools of when they get to college so they are asking for a series on apologetics. Any reference material you could recommend for this age would be appreciated. Most are above average in biblical knowledge for their age.
Katy, TX

My sister's fiancee is a Roman Catholic who is, by the world's standards, a pretty good person. And my mom has a hard time reconciling a good, powerful God with the great pain and evil in the world. I personally don't know what to do with my faith sometimes, and what to say when people ask. Thanks so much for everything, you really help and are an outstanding example of Christ's sacrificial love. I hope you continue to have the resources for Him to bless people and yourselves through your ministry.
Annapolis, MD

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