As many of you may know by now, two men who are considered to be ‘famous’ within the Christian world (for want of a better phrase), have recently shared that they are either renouncing their faith or on ‘shaky ground’. Joshua Harris, the author of “I Kissed Dating Good Bye” and “Boy Meets Girl”, recently announced his divorce in an Instagram post, and shortly after that post, he shared another saying the following in his description:
“The information that was left out of our announcement is that I have undergone a massive shift in regard to my faith in Jesus. The popular phrase for this is “deconstruction,” the biblical phrase is “falling away.” By all the measurements that I have for defining a Christian, I am not a Christian. Many people tell me that there is a different way to practice faith and I want to remain open to this, but I’m not there now.“
While this announcement and post rocked the Christian world, it didn’t come as a surprise to me. Not that either of these men have given me reason to doubt them, but rather that we live in a world where many Christians have grown up not really thinking about their faith.
I may be wrong in saying what I’m about to say but I’m going to say it anyway. Based on what both of these men have said and many others who have left the faith have said, I’m forced to believe that many Christians today, both church leaders and not, have not put much thought into why they believe what they believe. If I were to ask you right now, why you believe what you believe, would you be stunned? If I were to present any arguments against the bible and Christianity would you be able to logically defend your faith? Many of us wouldn’t.
The age old solution to any questions people had was to respond with either “The Bible says” or simply “don’t question, just believe”. And this has produced Christians with faith as strong as a house of cards. Simply challenge the validity of the bible and it all comes tumbling down.
In recently having to defend the bible and present strong arguments for the bible and Christianity at two separate bible studies with young people, I have come to realise that Apologetics and pastoral ministry are no longer two separate occupations or professions. You cannot be either or. If you are a pastor, at any level, you have to be willing and ready to engage in apologetic discussions with people. We live in a world where children are confronted with many theories and ideas such as Evolution and the Big Bang theory by the age of about 10. If we aren’t shaping their world views from a young age we will lose them. Children’s workers need to be willing to work through the tough questions with the children.
These children grow up and become teenagers, and the questions become bigger and more difficult. Youth workers need to be willing to engage in conversation with their teenagers over these issues and topics. We need young people thoroughly equipped and convinced of the truth of Christ and His story. We need big thinking young Christians in universities conversing and challenging the thoughts of others, as well as defending their own.
Reading the stories of these young men and others alike has given me more and more reason to believe that the need for apologetics from Children’s ministry up is vital. It seems daunting, scary and even nerve wracking, but we need to support our young people and give them a firm foundation for their faith beyond that of “the bible says”. We should give them why the bible says it.
jasondevenish 