The second plenary session at the EMNR conference was by Dr. Norman Geisler, titled “Mission Impossible: Proclaiming the Unchanging Word to a Changing World.” A main theme was that the world no longer has a Judeo-Christian worldview background, and therefore we must “pre-evangelize.” This theme has been taught by many apologists and I’ve read it in many books.
The part of the session during which I took most of my notes was the discussion about why we need to practice Christian apologetics. Here is the outline of the major points:
A. The Bible commands it. (1 Peter 3:15)
B. The Church needs it.
1. 80% of active teens leave the church when in their 20s
2. Main reasons are doubts, especially in regards to the Bible.
3. When do these doubts begin? 4% while in grade school by age 11; 40% while in middle school; 44% while in high school, 11% while in college. Doubt begins while in grade school, departure happens in college.
4. Barna says that only 9% of evangelical lay persons have a Christian worldview, and only 51% of evangelical pastors have a Christian worldview.
C. Culture demands it.
1. Absolute truth has become relative.
2. We have an exclusive message; pluralism is a lie.
3. We need to teach about the supernatural in a naturalistic world.
Some thoughts:
Why is there something vs nothing if there is no God, no reason to exist?
"Why shouldn’t God let me in to His heaven?" Because it is HIS house and HE makes the decisions.
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