What do Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, and The Reason for God by Tim Keller have in common?
Certainly, each of these books have been incredible bestsellers, inspiring millions to know and follow Jesus.
But they are also books on apologetics. That is, they provide logical reasons and documented evidence that Christianity is really, actually true. Why have these books achieved such a wide and enduring influence?
Perhaps it is because they powerfully address the human longing to “love God with all of our minds”?
For instance, in a sociological study done by Dr. Brad Wright at the University of Connecticut on “deconverts” from Christianity, 84% of his sampled population indicated that unresolved doubt was a major factor in their decision to abandon their faith.
Furthermore, Ed Stetzer has pointed out that, according to The Barna Group, only 9% of Americans have a Biblical worldview.
Pause to consider those numbers:
- Around 84% of people who leave our churches have unresolved doubts.
- Only 9% of those who stay in our churches have a Biblical worldview.
This is a crisis that requires an immediate and powerful response. To this end, the National Apologetics and Biblical Worldview Network meetings will focus on how we can collaborate together to mobilize the church to respond to the twin problems of widespread confusion and persistent doubt.
Because until Christians have resolved their doubts, they will be unsure and unable that they can resolve the doubts of their curious and skeptical friends. We need a resurgence of apologetics training and Biblical worldview education for the sake of healthy discipleship and active evangelism in the church.
The church urgently needs to place a far greater emphasis on the development and utilization of both apologetics training curriculums and Biblical worldview curriculum.
Our network meeting will not be focused on the answers to the questions – that work, by and large, has been done. Instead, these meetings are a collaborative strategy session focused on how to get those answers into the pews and the streets.
This network is led by Carson Weitnauer, the Vice President of the Christian Apologetics Alliance. Our meetings this year will feature a talk by John Stonestreet, the host of The Point, a national radio program, and by Rick Schenker, the President of Ratio Christi. Noted speaker and author Alex McFarland is also planning to attend.
All participants are asked to come with a one page document listing their top strategic priorities, their organization’s major projects, and specific ways they would be interested in partnership with other like-minded ministries and organizations.
Questions? Contact Carson Weitnauer through his website at Reasons for God.
To register for the MAC gathering, and for further information, please visit the Mission America Coalition website.