Out of the Driveway, Into the Game: Chapter 8

Chapter 8 – Loving Thin Air
One of the fine arts of teaching is discovering the line between teaching your students new and difficult topics that will challenge them, and trying to teach them something that is beyond their grasp that they just don't understand. When I was still teaching I saw this line crossed on more than one occasion and probably crossed it a few times myself. I recall one incident in particular, however, that will serve as an excellent analogy for the remainder of this chapter.
Math was not the strong suit of a vast majority of the students at the inner-city high school at which I taught. Well over ninety percent of the students tested far below grade level in math scores. The head of the math department was a very gifted mathematician who badly wanted to pass on her lover for math to her students. It was her firm belief that every student at our school was as talented as the most gifted students at any school in the country. She believed that they had just never been given the chance to show their ability. Her motivation was admirable if not the results.



She became thoroughly convinced that every student that graduated from our small high school should know calculus. If the students from the more acclaimed schools were learning calculus, then so would ours. She began a calculus class for all of the seniors in our school. The problem is we are talking about students who were intelligent in many ways, but woefully inadequate in math. They simply did not have many of the math skills necessary to be successful at calculus. Most of them did not even have a good grasp on their times tables without a calculator. It's difficult for a student to master calculus when they can't quickly tell you the product of "8 x 14." One teacher, in particular argued vociferously that calculus was beyond the current ability of these students, but she was quickly dismissed amidst the euphoric thought of being able to brag in academic publications that a group of inner-city students were mastering calculus.



Yet, I admit I was surprised when she began to crow excitedly at each staff meeting how well these students were doing in calculus. They were reportedly enjoying it and many were doing well and earning good grades. They progressed through the various lessons and were apparently beginning to master calculus. I was quite surprised and impressed. I had, evidently, under-estimated both the teacher and the students. They were not only learning calculus, they were using very complicated graphing calculators and other high-tech equipment for math labs. They had, we were confidently told, mastering calculus.



One thing that was unique about our school was that every student was required to keep and present a portfolio of their work before they could graduate. They would present work that included a research paper, a science lab, and a math lab for a panel of five that consisted of teachers and administrators from other schools, community leaders, and parents. For those who had taken calculus, their math lab had to be a presentation of a calculus problem or lab. The point of the portfolio defense was that the students really had to know what they were doing in order to present their work to these people. They also had to be able to field questions regarding their presentation to the panel.



This is when serious problems began to appear. The calculus students prepared their math labs and presentations but word quickly got around that they were having big problems. The students were giving the math portion of their presentations well enough but the wheels fell off when the panel began to ask questions. It became painfully clear that the students did not know what they were talking about. They couldn't answer simple questions of why they did what they did to solve the problem or how they might apply this skill in real life. They could demonstrate no ability to answer any questions that posed some change in one of the variables in the problem.



Most of them did rather miserably during the math portion and failed that part of their presentation. The calculus problems were abandoned as the students had to go back, prepare math problems of a different type and re-present their math portion to a new panel a few days or weeks later. The calculus experiment had failed miserably.



What became obvious over the next few weeks was that the students had never really learned calculus. They had been shown how to do certain steps and plug numbers into a formula but they never really understood the concepts behind what they were doing. They were shown roughly how to do it, but never why they did it. This resulted in students who followed along with the teacher who falsely assumed that they were learning calculus. When asked to take that knowledge and actually apply it, however, they could not.



It would be like a student who had learned to copy city names from atlas onto a blank map and color the page, but who had never mastered the concepts of directions or latitude and longitude. The student could copy and make a map look nice but they wouldn't have learned really how to make a map. In the same way, these students had learned to copy the problems that the teacher put on the board but they were never challenged to really understand why they were doing the steps and procedures and so, ultimately, they didn't understand what they were doing. This meant that they had no ability to apply calculus to new situations.



I say all of that because I have seen an alarming similarity in many of the young people in our fellowship over the years. We often train kids in the facts of the Christian faith and the practices of the Christian community, but that does little for a personal relationship. Faith and practice are an integral part of the Christian walk, but it really boils down to having and maintaining a relationship with God. It can be challenging enough to have and build relationships with other human beings, let alone a spirit like God. God is spirit and that means that having a relationship with Him is different than having one with a human being. Humans can be touched, heard, and felt. We can't physically touch God. We can't generally audibly hear God. We can't physically feel God.



It is difficult enough for adults who have been a Christian for years to really nurture a consistent relationship with God. It often takes years for us to figure this out. As we grow more mature in the faith, however, we tend to forget that fact. Just as the students at my school were told to learn calculus, they didn't really have the foundational skills and knowledge necessary to practice calculus, so it is when we encourage kids to have a relationship with God but don't teach them the basics of how to do that. They learn to mimic our relationship with God, but they often struggle with what it means for them to have their own personal and active relationship with Him.



In surveying the youths of the local church this concept could be clearly seen. When asked if they understood what it took to be a Christian, the response score on the 1 to 5 scale of agreement was a solid 4.6, indicating that they certainly have the head knowledge required to be a question. The response was quite different, though, when asked if they knew "how to have a personal relationship with a spirit being like God." The average score for that question was 1.8. What this means is that too many kids are learning to be Pharisees. Jesus' main point of contention against the Pharisees is that they had a great deal of knowledge but their hearts were distant from God. They knew the facts but did not have a personal relationship. It is necessary, as we have already discussed to arm our children with knowledge of both the secular and Christian view of the world, but without a personal relationship with God, mere knowledge about God is not enough. We must teach them to have knowledge of God rather than just knowledge about Him. Let's be clear here. I spent much of the last chapter stressing the need for knowledge of God and the Bible and I stand by that. It is just that it must move beyond that. The point of knowing about God is to learn to know Him and have a relationship with Him. It is vital to teach children both knowledge of the Bible and how to use that knowledge to develop a deep, lasting, and healthy relationship with Him, so that they may worship God in both spirit and truth (John 4:24).

The primary problem with having a relationship with God is that it is unusual. We simply don't grow up having relationships with spirits anymore than we are born with knowledge of calculus. Understanding a spirit being is a foreign concept that must be learned over time. It reminds me of the classic book, Flatland, by Edwin Abbot, a book first published in 1884.

The book Flatland describes ". . . a two dimensional world (Flatland). The narrator, a humble square (named A. Square), guides us through some of the implications of life in two dimensions. A. Square dreams of a visit to a one-dimensional world (Lineland), and attempts to convince the realm's ignorant monarch of a second dimension. The narrator is then visited by a three-dimensional sphere, which he cannot comprehend until he sees the third dimension for himself."[i]

The concept of the book can really be adapted to help make the point of how difficult if can be to comprehend God and have a relationship with Him. The two-dimensional A. Square cannot, at first, comprehend a three-dimensional sphere. In the same way, it is impossible for us to fully comprehend God. Paul wrote the church in Ephesus that he wished that they could begin to grasp "how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ" (Ephesians 3:18). Could it be that Paul is intimating that God somehow consists of four dimensions? This would make Him no more comprehendible for us than the three-dimensional sphere was for A. Square.

A being simply cannot really understand a being of greater dimension through mere explanation. The being could be apprehended but not comprehended fully. Imagine that you were a two-dimensional being like a circle. You would only be able to come in contact with the perimeter of other two-dimensional beings. You could never fully experience their inner-area because there are only two dimensions. A three-dimensional being, however, could be around, above, and through your two-dimensional self with little awareness of it on your part. That three-dimensional being could get closer to you than you could ever get to any other two-dimensional being. Yet, it would be a very different experience for you. If the three-dimensional person were to put two fingers through your two-dimensional being, you would only experience this three-dimensional person as two holes as he passed through you. You could apprehend aspects of that being but never fully comprehend Him.

So it is for us and God. We can experience aspects of God and apprehend Him to a certain degree but we cannot fully comprehend Him. Having a relationship with God is of a different nature than anything a young person is used to or has done before. We can give kids a great advantage by doing two primary things. The first is to let them know that learning to have a relationship with God is a doable but not a simple task. I have talked to countless kids over the years who have been incredibly relieved to discover that they are not stupid or unspiritual because at fifteen, they don't really know what it means to walk with God. I was saved at twenty-seven, and it took me two or three years before I really began to understand the process. Many kids began to feel doubt that they are even capable of walking with God and are often embarrassed. They think, like I did, that everyone else has it all figured out and they are just incapable of connecting with God. I had nearly resigned myself to the fact that I would never learn to love God and have a close walk with Him. It took a good friend of mine to teach me how to begin to develop my own walk with God. That leads into the second thing we can do to help kids in this area.

The second thing is to teach them specific aspects of walking closely with God. I believe there are things that adults can do to explain how to have a relationship with God that will enable students to develop the skills to learn to love God and walk with Him.

There have certainly been a glut of excellent books over the years covering how to deepen a relationship with God, but it seems that somehow, much of this has not seeped down into our youth. I will certainly not attempt to describe all the areas we could talk about in teaching a young person to walk with God, nor will I attempt to do this in any sort of detail. What I do offer here, however, is a brief consideration of three of the most important aspects of developing a personal walk with God.


Recognizing the Presence of God

There is an old story about a group of young and energetic squirrels that were on a quest to find a forest. Every day they woke up and spent the entire day searching for this fabled forest of which they have heard so much. From the moment the brilliant sun rose each day and struck their face, gently waking them with its soft heat, they tirelessly searched for their goal.

This involved an incredible amount of walking. They even employed several high-tech devices but to no avail. After several weeks, they decided a new tactic and began to ask other creatures in their area. Where was the forest? The problem was no one else seemed to have any better idea than they did.

Finally, they heard that there was a wise old owl that knew almost everything. It was nearly a half day's walk to the owl, but they went there with great anticipation. As soon as they got there, they couldn't get the words out fast enough. Breathlessly they blurted out, "do you know where the great forest is?" The reply of the owl greatly surprised them. "Boys," he said, "you have been in the great forest all along." As it turns out, they had been living and searching everyday in the great forest, they just never realized that it was all around them.

The same can be said for the presence of God. We are always in God's presence; we just don't always realize it. Often when I am at church I hear people talk about anticipating God's presence during the service. It is true that, in a sense, God is present in a special way during a worship service of believers, but the fact is, we are always in God's presence.

As I sit here typing this, a golf tournament is on the television as kind of a background noise. Normally I would rather watch the grass grow, but I am one of those people that will watch a major tournament if Tiger Woods has a chance to win. Right now he is running away with the PGA Championship. It's amazing, though, how when I concentrate on typing I don't even hear the noise from the TV any longer. In fact, if I think about it, there are a ton of noises of which I have completely blocked out. When I think about it, I can hear the gentle noise of the central air conditioner being pushed through the vents. I can hear the sounds of my older son and his friend playing a game in his room. I can faintly hear our neighbor kids playing out in their yard. If I really concentrate, I can even hear a few birds outside and the occasional car driving by. The noises were always there, but I don't even notice those things unless I take care to notice them.

Hosea 6:6 tells us that God desires that we know Him. His primary concern is not about the things we do, although those are important. He wants us to have a relationship with Him. Just as I have a tendency to not notice the many noises around me, so we tend to become oblivious to the fact that we are always in the presence of God. He is never far from us (Acts 17:27). Perhaps no group of people in the church is more unaware of God's presence than our young people. They, of course, have been told that God is always there, and He sees and knows everything we do, but they don't really live that way. They live more like the squirrels running around looking for the forest even though they are already there. They are in God's presence but haven't been taught how to practically be aware of it or practice it.

Kids need to be taught that God is constantly present. This is not some sort of cosmic threat meant to scare them into proper behavior. It is a reality. We don't have the kind of relationships with God that He desires because we too often relegate Him to the status of background noise. Often, all we really need to do is to be aware of His presence. God will do the rest. If we make the effort to notice Him and think about Him and live a life worthy of His presence, He will not hide Himself from us.

There are two great stories in the Bible of people learning about the omnipresence of God. In 2 Kings 5 we find the account of Naaman, an important military figure in Aram, who had contracted leprosy. On the advice of a servant girl, he went to Elisha to be healed. Elisha humbles Naaman by refusing to see him personally. Instead he sends his servant who tells Naaman to wash seven times in the Jordan River. After initial hesitance, Naaman does it and is healed of his leprosy. Naaman comes back and is now allowed to see Elisha. He tells Elisha that "Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel" (v. 15). This is a huge admission because everyone else in the world at that time was a polytheist. He is starting to get it, but not all the way. He asks Elisha for as much dirt as two donkeys can carry. This is rooted in the ancient belief that gods could only be worshipped in their own local territory. Naaman wants to pay respect to the God of Israel but thinks he must take dirt from that area with him in order to worship properly. He is also worried about some of the religious customs that he might have to take be a part of when he returns home. Elisha tells Naaman to "Go in peace" (v. 19).

In nearly the same area, over 800 years later, Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at a well in a scene recorded in John 4. She wants to argue with Jesus about the proper place to worship God. This is because the Jews and Samaritans could not agree on where God should be worshipped. Jesus tells her, "a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. . . . Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth" (John 4:21, 23-24).

The point of both Elisha and Jesus is that God can be worshipped anywhere. God is never limited to one place. We often make the same mistake that Naaman and this Samaritan woman made. We tend to limit our worship to God to an hour on Sunday morning at church and maybe an hour in the morning in some quiet place in our house. We fail to see everywhere we go as sacred and everything we do as an opportunity to worship God in thought, word, and deed. There is never anywhere that God is not present. It is a matter of our awareness of His presence.

There are a couple of simple little ideas that we can give young people to help them be aware of God's presence. One easy concept is to teach kids to choose an object that they will see several times throughout the day. A clock is a really good example. Tell them that every time they see a clock to think about God. This will probably take several weeks of reminding them to do that until it becomes second nature, but it will happen, and it's worth it. Every time they see a clock, (or another object or event that they have chosen like every time they take a drink of water) tell them to take a minute to ponder God's existence and pray for a few seconds. This can be done as they walk down the hall or sit down in class or whatever they are doing without being a major disruption in their life. It will teach them to be aware of God's presence, though. It is amazing how doing that several times throughout the day will focus us on God and His presence. Suddenly, God becomes more real in the life of the young person. A young man or woman who is constantly aware of the realness of God's presence is a young person that will be far more equipped to handle life's challenges.

Perhaps this seems like a silly idea, but it is not with scriptural precedence of a sort. There were many things that God commanded the Israelites to do in order to be reminded of God throughout the day. Look at these words from Numbers:


"The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes. Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your God.

Numbers 15:37-40


They were to have tassels on the corners of their garments so as not to forget about God and His way of life. Part of human nature is that we need constant reminding of the things that are important to us. We need to remind ourselves constantly of God's presence.

The second simple idea to help kids focus on God's presence is to help them learn to practice God's presence when they pray. Often times, when we pray, we get so caught up in what we want to say that we forget to be aware that we are in God's presence. We actually enter into the holy of holies when we pray. Just this knowledge can help a young person be far more aware of what they are doing when they are praying. They are not sending up a cosmic telegraph that will be read later by God when He gets some time. They are actually in the very presence of God. A good way for young people to do this is to actually set a chair in front of them when they pray. Tell them to imagine that God is actually in the chair as they talk with Him. This is not meant to reduce the majesty of God in any way. It simply helps them to remember that they are speaking to God as surely as they are talking to you when you explain this concept to them. There are, obviously, many other ways to become more consistently aware of God's presence. Discover them together. Talk about it; make it a family project as you go on a quest to be aware of God's presence without ceasing.


Talking to God

Talking to God, or prayer as we call it, is one of the most important things that a Christian will ever learn to do. Volumes can and have been written about the art, practice, and discipline of prayer. For our purposes, however, I will mention only one small area of prayer that is lacking in the lives of many of the youth that I have worked with and talked to over the years. It boils down to being real with God.

Many teens get as nervous about praying as they do delivering a speech in front of their social studies class at school. They somehow get the impression that they have to pray in a certain way and cover certain topics. I have often heard cute little acronyms like A.C.T.S. used in teaching young people how to pray (Adoration; Confession; Thanksgiving; Supplication). There is a time and place for formulas like that, I suppose, but it tends to give burgeoning young Christians the impression that prayer must be done in a specific way or they have failed. Kids definitely need to learn reverence and respect while praying, but they also need to learn to be real with God. This is what is so memorable about David's prayers recorded in the Psalms. He constantly kept it real with God. He never minced words about praising God or questioning God. He bared his soul to His God.

This is the very thing that I see lacking in the lives of many of the young people that I have talked to and worked with over the years. I have had, a lot of kids over the years, for instance, mention that the idea of loving God is something they have a very hard time grasping. I ask the question and get the same response virtually every time: Have you been honest with God, told Him that, and asked Him to help you love Him? The response usually begins with a stare of shock, followed by a question along the lines of: It is okay to do that? I always respond by asking them, "You don't think He knows that already?" Many teens don't seem to realize that they can be honest with God when they don't love Him, or don't understand Him, or disagree with, or are angry with Him. If they can't learn to be honest with God about their own relationship with Him, how will they learn to rely on God for anything else? Their relationship will always be a shallow one.

This attitude of being real with God can change a lot of things in the lives of young people if they can only learn to do it. If they're not feeling like praying one morning, pray and tell God how they're feeling and ask for His help. If they are more attracted to a certain aspect of the world than the things of God, be real and tell Him about it. When we are real with God and bare our souls, he will give us what we need.


Listening to God

When I was coaching basketball in high school, I almost always asked new players one question: "what do you want to know from me and what should I know about you?" There were generally two types of responses. Some of the kids would spend the rest of our conversation talking about themselves, and telling me all the things they thought I should know. Others were far more interested in asking me questions about the team, the other players, and things that they needed to know and could work on before the season started. I was always far more impressed with the players who wanted to hear from me more than those who wanted to spend all the time talking about themselves. I learned a great deal more about the players who asked a lot of questions and listened than I did about those who talked the entire time.

Similarly, one of the biggest mistakes that I believe the current Christian community in our fellowship is that we don't, as individuals, spend enough time listening to God. What then happens is we pass this same oversight on to our children in most cases. There are certainly many ways that we can hear from God. The primary way is through the Word of God. We can also hear from God through fellowship and advice form the people of God. Those are good things, but what we are talking about specifically here is time spent quietly and literally listening for God to speak to our heart. When asked in our survey to respond to the statement that they "spend specific time during prayer listening for God's voice," every single response was a "1," indicating the lowest possible level of agreement.

This is quite a shame, in my humble opinion. One of the best things that I have learned in my Christian life is to hear the voice of God speaking to me. It was a process for me of learning to hear and distinguish God's voice, but it has been immensely worth it. The two primary aspects that I have learned and have taught to many young people over the last few years has been, where I am most likely to hear from God and how I can distinguish God's voice from the others that compete for my attention.

Discovering where we are most likely to hear from God is an exciting journey. It turns the monologue of prayer for which so many of us have settled, into an exciting dialogue where we can actually hear from the Holy Spirit of the living God. I have learned over the years that it is different for each person. We cannot do any more than guide our children on their own journey to discover how and where they can best here from God.

I have discovered for myself that I best hear from God while I am praying on nice long run. I love to get up each morning around 5:00 AM and go for a nice, quiet run. It is during these times that I hear God speaking directly to me more than at any other time. I have gained so much invaluable insight and guidance from God during these times. I have given many lessons and sermons over the past few years and make no bones about the fact that I feel that a large majority of them were given to me directly during these times with God. When I leave for a morning run with no idea of what to teach for my next lesson and come back an hour later with a complete lesson that came into my mind in the matter of a few minutes, I am not foolish enough to think that I came up with that by myself. I am not that smart.

I have learned that God speaks to me about many things not just to give me lessons. Sometimes He shows me areas I need to surrender to Him, or something I need to do to serve someone else; there are many different topics that we talk about. It has so enriched my life, however, to learn how to listen for God's voice rather than just talking and asking Him things. I have learned to just shut up sometimes when I am with God and listen to Him. How foolish would it be to meet with the biggest expert in the field in which you work and then talk the whole time you are with them? It would not even begin to be as foolish as it is to only carry on a monologue with God and never give Him a chance to talk back to our heart.

The big question that young people ask me, when I talk about this topic leads into our second point. "How can I know that God is speaking to me and how can I distinguish His voice from others that compete for my attention?"

In John 10, Jesus spoke some very enlightening words for those who are pondering the topic of hearing from God:


'I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice.' Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them. Therefore Jesus said again, 'I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

John 10:1-10


Jesus assumes here that we will make a practice of listening to His voice to a degree that we will be immediately able to separate it from other voices. There are so many other noises and voices competing for the attention of our young people. These other voices are numerous: Satanic voices, their own voice, the voice of their friends, your voice. Their heads can become swirling masses of 'do this' or 'don't do that' that come from all kinds of sources. Obviously one of the jobs of the Christian parent is to help them discern which voices to listen to and which ones to ignore. The best way to do this is to teach them to learn to distinguish God's voice so that when the shepherd calls, they will, like sheep, be able to immediately recognize His call and answer. The fact is that of all the other voices that will compete for our children's attention, God's is the only one with an agenda that is aimed at what is best for them at all times. Why would anyone not want to hear from that voice?

Let's put it this way. If your best friend were to come in the room, would you recognize them immediately? Of course you would. If someone else walked into the room claiming to be your best friend, would you be deceived? Not likely. Yet, imagine someone who did not know your best friend. Would they be able to determine the genuine article as immediately and with the same ease with which you did? They would not? The reason is that you know your friend. They do not. When we don't know God's voice, we are susceptible to hearing from any number of voices posing as our own thoughts. As John 10:10 warns us, many of these voices are dangerous as they are intended to steal, kill, and destroy us.

The very first standard in recognizing God's voice is knowledge of the Word of God. The best way to learn to recognize God's voice is to know His Word. If anything comes to our child that does not match up with the Word of God they need to know to reject it immediately, no matter how logical or reasonable it may sound. "But even if we or an angel from heaven," says Paul in Galatians 1:8, "should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!" We must know the Scriptures to know when a voice is leading us away from God and the truth of His Word. God's voice will only clarify or enlighten Scripture; it will not give us new knowledge or violate any biblical principles.

For our purposes here it is not necessary to attempt to distinguish our own thoughts from those of Satan or peer pressure or any other voice. I have found, however, that all of these "voices" in our head sound just like our own thoughts. So, how can we teach our children to discern the voice of the shepherd and to know it? Author Gary Moon, in Falling for God, suggests that there are four different aspects of hearing a voice in our thoughts through which we can recognize and distinguish God's voice.

The first area is the nature of the approach of the voice we are tuning into. God's voice is leading and inviting. It is never a driving or pushing voice. If a voice is loud and pushy and demanding that we listen to it, it's probably not God's voice. God never forces Himself on people. His voice is quiet and invites us to listen. If we choose not to focus on it, He will not demand that we listen. God's voice will come only when it is invited and wanted. I believe that we must ask God to speak to us and listen carefully for when He does. Other voices tend to enter our thoughts illegally. We didn't invite them in and can't seem to get rid of them once they are there. That is not God's voice, it comes from another source.

The second area of importance in listening to God is that of content. As stated earlier, God's voice will be in line with spiritual principles. God will not give us new revelation that differs from, significantly adds to, or violates what we already have in Scripture. God's voice simply clarifies on a personal level how we can understand and apply what is in the Bible in our lives. Voices that are not God's may make of pretext of using Scripture, but it will usually be a proof text or a twisting of Scripture. Remember, Satan used proof texts in trying to tempt Jesus in the desert. Satan's proof texts were, indeed, Scripture, but they were not in line with spiritual principles. The content of the voice of God will also almost always lead us to an inner solution, while other voices will often point to an outer solution. God's voice won't point towards other people or external situations. He will point us inward to see what we need to change or surrender in our own lives. It is also true that God's voice is merciful though just. Other voices tend to broadly condemn, show no mercy, and question our worth or ability. God's voice, however, rather than broadly condemning, will show us specific behavior. He will help us very specifically or will convict us of specific sin. God will never generically speak to us and tell us that we're not measuring up, or can't do it, or aren't good enough. His voice will speak to actual behavior and will lead us to direct action. This is not to imply that God will solve every problem or speak to us on every issue in our lives, but when He does speak, it will be clear, concise, and direct.

The third area of importance is in the relevance of the content. God generally speaks to the now. He may give us dreams for the future but it is almost always tied into something that we can begin or work on now. The relevance of God's content is generally practical and straightforward. He asks us to do little things, or gives us little ideas of how we can change or encourage someone. It is simple and definite, though. God is not about flash but about results. Being a Christian is not really about big flashy events or choices, it consists of thousands of small, mundane decisions that add up to form our character. In the same way, God usually leads us toward simple and direct things that we can do. It is not the voice of God that points toward the future with nothing to do in the present. God will not push us towards impractical, sensational, complicated, and confusing directions. These are the kind of things that often attract our attention, but we need to be very wary of whether or not this voice is from God or from another sources and simply appeals to our flesh a great deal.

The final area is the effect of the content. While other voices tend to leave us angry, worried, discouraged, or falsely and temporarily euphoric, God's voice doesn't work that way. If the result of a voice leaves us feeling hopeless or with our faith deflated then it is not from God. God's voice will never leave us despising or feeling critical of other people or situations in our life. His voice, even when challenging or convicting, will leave us feeling love, peace, joy and hope. He will leave us with our faith increased and our energy renewed. It will leave us with a deeper understanding of others and of situations in which we find ourselves.

Several times in the past I have had the opportunity to speak on this subject to groups of young people. There is nothing more invigorating than to have one of them come up a few days or weeks later, excitedly telling me, "I heard God speak to me today." That is a student who has moved out of the realm of theory in a relationship with God and into experience.

In summation, the main aspects of hearing from God are five-fold. First, we need to shut up sometimes and listen when God speaks. Second, we need to learn the discipline of staying close to God so that we will be ready when He does speak. Third, we need to know His Word so that we may recognize His voice. Fourth, we need to discard competing voices and "let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts" (Colossians 3:15). Fifth, and finally, we should remember that if we are not hearing God's voice, then it may well not be that He hasn't been trying to talk to us, but that we haven't been listening. There is a story about an old married couple that illustrates this last point quite well.


There was once an old man who had become concerned about his wife's hearing. He was convinced that she was not too many days removed being stone deaf. But he could not get her to admit she had a problem and see a doctor.

One day he had had enough and decided to prove his point. He entered their living room where his wife was seated, facing the fireplace. From behind her, he said in a clear voice, "Honey, I love you. Did you hear that?"

No response.

He walked halfway across the room and repeated, "Honey, I said I love you. Do you hear me?"

Nothing.

Finally he walked over, stood in front of her, and shouted, "I love you. Can you hear me now?

She looked up from her knitting and replied, "yes, dear, and for the third time, I love you too."[ii]


Conclusion

I certainly don't mean to imply in this chapter, or any other chapter, that all parents are failing in this. This is not meant as a condemnation, but rather, an encouragement to round out the many wonderful things that most Christian parents are doing. Some parents are doing well in this area, while others have not done so well. This is an area, however that almost every kid will struggle with at some point in their adolescence as they learn how to love and have a relationship with God.

It is important to realize that there is no one correct way to teach anyone how to have a relationship with God. It is a journey not an assignment. The best way to know and help them is to ask a lot of questions. Don't assume that they know what it means to love God, to have a relationship with Him, or to talk and listen to Him. The worst thing to do is to constantly encourage them to have a relationship with God and assume that they know how to do it. The more questions we ask, the more we can draw out their true feelings and discover where they are really at, and help them where they really need assistance.

Out of the Driveway, Into the Game: Chapter 7

Chapter 7 – The Rare Jewel

Can a lack of knowledge really lead to the downfall of a people? We all probably know people who did not receive much of an education and yet have prospered in life. Some of the richest men in the world didn't do very well in school. So, is education really all that important?

While I would argue that receiving a secular education is important, it is not a matter of life and death. Can the same be said for a biblical education? I don't think so. The teaching of the Bible is unequaled in its importance. The lessons from history are clear; when people reject the serious study of God's Word, God will eventually reject them.

In the final days before the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel to the Assyrians, the prophet Hosea railed against Israel, blaming them for their impending destruction. One of the main problems, argued Hosea, was ignorance:



Hear the word of the LORD, you Israelites, because the LORD has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: "There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land. There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. Because of this the land mourns, and all who live in it waste away; the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the fish of the sea are dying. But let no man bring a charge, let no man accuse another, for your people are like those who bring charges against a priest. You stumble day and night, and the prophets stumble with you. So I will destroy your mother- my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children (Hosea 4:1-6).



From the days of Moses, the Israelites had been commissioned by God to put a premium on the passing down the knowledge of the Word of God. In the law of Deuteronomy they were commanded to "Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates" (Deuteronomy 6:7-9). The Israelites had, however, neglected this clear plan and were now about to suffer for it. Hosea informs his hearers that most of the problems in their land could be traced back to a lack of knowledge of God's law. They rejected knowledge and now God would reject them. They ignored the law, now God would ignore them.

In a similar manner, Isaiah warned the southern kingdom of Judah that exile and captivity was in their future if they continued in their "lack of knowledge" (Isaiah 5:13). Judah did not listen to Isaiah's words any more than the northern kingdom had listened to Hosea's warnings. As a result the northern kingdom fell in 722 B.C. and the southern kingdom suffered through the Babylonian Captivity from 606-536 B.C.

"Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope" (Romans 15:4). Have we, however, really learned the lessons of our Old Testament counterparts? It doesn't take much search of the Scriptures to realize that a sustained ignorance of the Word of God can bring nothing good to the church and the children in it.

"Christianity is a religion of instruction. Where there is no solid biblical instruction, the Christian system can neither commence nor continue. One of the basic differences between the Mosaic regime (into which one was born physically) and the church of Jesus Christ, is the fact that knowledge is a prerequisite to identifying with the faith of the gospel (Jer. 31:31-34). Jesus declared that favor with God must involve instruction, reception, comprehension, and commitment (Jn. 6:45)."[i]

Various surveys recently conducted in America show some disturbing levels of biblical illiteracy among those claiming to be born-again Christians:



- Fewer than half of all adults can name the four gospels

- Many professing Christians cannot identify more than two or three
of the disciples

- 60 percent of Americans can't name even five of the Ten
Commandments

- 82 percent of Americans believe "God helps those who help
themselves" is a Bible verse

- 12 percent of adults believe that Joan of Arc was Noah's wife

- A survey of graduating high school seniors revealed that over 50
percent thought that Sodom and Gomorrah were husband and wife

- A considerable number of respondents to one poll indicated that
the Sermon on the Mount was preached by Billy Graham[ii]


In the recent survey done with Christian youth, the average score on the scale of 1 to 5 was 2.4 when asked if they agreed with the statement, "Your parents spend a specific amount of time each day to teach you the Bible." Forty-three percent of the respondents indicated that their parents did not engage in any Bible training at all. A few years ago I gave one of my pre-teen classes a very basic twenty-question pre-quiz on the Gospel of John. All of the questions were basic enough that anyone growing up in the church should know. The average score, however, was 34%. After studying the book for 12 weeks, the test was given again with an average score of 95%. Biblical knowledge is needed and can be had.

Biblical knowledge among people in the church is at an all-time low in America. Our children don't have a deep understanding of biblical knowledge and we, as parents, are largely to blame. We have bought into a culture that puts a far larger premium on secular education and sports leagues than the knowledge of the Bible.

Youth groups in the church have not done much better in large part. Youth ministries are expected to fix problems, provide entertainment, and keep kids busy. The real question, though, is how many local-church youth programs actually produce substantial and significant Bible knowledge in young people?

Paul encouraged Timothy that watching his life and doctrine closely would save not only himself but his hearers (1 Timothy 4:16). The ability to both live an effective Christian life and hold to sound doctrine both come from knowing the Scriptures. We cannot afford any longer to ask our children to live out and apply a book that they don't really know. The Psalmist asks the haunting question, "When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (Psalm 11:3). Can there be a more serious foundational breech than a lack of knowledge of the Bible? A hastily prepared family devotional for Monday night and perhaps a few ten-minute quiet times with our children will not cut it.

The biblical call for knowledge is clear:



Ø Psalm 119:66-67

Teach me knowledge and good judgment,
for I believe in your commands.

Before I was afflicted I went astray,
but now I obey your word.



Ø Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline



Ø Proverbs 1:22

How long will you simple ones love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?



Ø Proverbs 1:28-32

Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
they will look for me but will not find me.

Since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the LORD,

since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,

they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.

For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;



Ø Proverbs 9:10

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.





Ø Proverbs 10:4

Wise men store up knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.



Ø Proverbs 19:2

It is not good to have zeal without knowledge,
nor to be hasty and miss the way.



Ø Proverbs 20

Gold there is, and rubies in abundance,
but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.



Ø Isaiah 11:8-10

The infant will play near the hole of the cobra,
and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest.

They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.

In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious.



Ø Romans 1:28

Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.





Aspects of Bible Knowledge

When considering what it takes to develop a thorough biblical worldview we are talking going beyond just having children read the Bible, although that is incredibly important. And believe me, they need more of that. That is really only the first of five separate areas that will be considered here. The first is basic biblical knowledge that can only come from reading and studying the Bible every day; second, is training children in good methods of biblical interpretation and exegesis; third, is knowledge of biblical apologetics; fourth, is the knowledge of theology; and finally a good understanding of the history of Christianity.

We will briefly consider each of these five areas below. The most attention will be given to apologetics because it has such an important role in our post-modern world.



Biblical Knowledge

When we talk about kids needing to have a better knowledge of the Bible, what are we talking about? We are simply talking about knowledge of the Bible itself. This does not include nifty and flashy curriculums that teach about the Bible. Most teens have heard more lessons about peer pressure than they could stand, and this is what many of these pre-made curriculums tend to focus on. Any curriculum for pre-teens or teens that does not have the Bible itself as the primary focus is not a good curriculum, period. (Plus, many of the curriculums available for purchase use many of the same ineffective, and use the same dangerous teaching methods that were discussed earlier in this book.) Lessons built around a couple of verses are just not going to do it. Those types of lessons or sermons should be reserved for people who already have a good basic knowledge of the Scriptures and are now learning aspects of the Bible at a much deeper level. Teens and pre-teens need to learn the Bible before they can apply it or learn it at a deeper level.

I am a firm believer that the best way to accomplish this is to start at the pre-teen level, and have the kids read a book at a time. The pre-teens in my church spend about three months studying out one book of the Bible before moving on to the next. They read the book and learn it at home, then are taught deeper aspects and life-applications at church. This prepares them to continue studying book-by-book at the teen level but then to add to it the next four areas of biblical knowledge that will be discussed.



Biblical Exegesis

Simply reading the Bible is not enough. The serious Christian must begin to understand basic rules of biblical interpretation and exegesis in order to responsibly read the Word of God. Children of the secondary school age are more than ready to understand these concepts if taught to them. I have heard many adults argue that these rules are too complicated and will discourage teens from reading the Bible. This is a bogus argument, in my opinion. Kids learn academic rules all the time. They learn rules for diagramming sentences, rules for reading poetry or short stories, mathematic principles, etc. They are quite comfortable learning rules and guidelines. If our expectations for their knowledge of the Bible are as high as they are for their secular learning, it will not be too difficult at all for them.

Basic exegesis can begin by understanding the need to ask three simple sets of questions that focus on the context, the meaning, and the application of the text. Once these basic questions are considered, more specific questions about the text can be considered (these will be discussed below).

First to be considered are questions of context. The reader must ask the historical context question, of where do we find our text in history? Generally speaking, what is the life setting of the document in which we find our text? More specifically, is there a definable historical context for the text? We must also ask ourselves a question concerning the literary context of the text. Where is the text located in the larger document of which it is a part? This will determine how it is to be interpreted and understood.

Second, we have questions of meaning. How does the author communicate his message? How should the text be translated? What is the structure and form of the text? How should we hear and interpret the language of the text? The big question here, though, is simply, what is the author trying to communicate? It is far more important to determine the intent of the author rather than interpret it through our own cultural glasses.

Third, there are also several questions that we need to ask regarding application. What does the text tell us about God? This is, perhaps, the most important question that we can ask about any section of the Bible. Related to that first question is, what does the text tell us about our relationship with God? Finally we need to ask, how does the text apply to contemporary life? What do we hear from this text; what should we do as a result of it; what should we proclaim from this text?[iii]

The above serves well as an outline for basic exegesis. Let's look now at some practical questions that can be taught to children that will help them to better understand the Bible. After all, believing the Bible to be the Word of God and reading it is only half the battle. We must also be able to apply rules of proper interpretation before we can really use the Bible effectively in our lives.



Does the interpretation consider the context?



If the context is not taken into consideration, then the Bible interpretation is probably a poor one. For instance, I recently saw a television prosperity gospel preacher who said that in John 4:37-38, Jesus was establishing an economic principle for those that followed Him. The preacher completely ignored the fact that this statement was in the context of evangelism. He completely missed the point of Jesus' words. The fact is that most of what Jesus said was in a specific time and place and spoken specifically to the Jews whom He was addressing. We must understand what He was saying to His original audience and then determine what this means for us. Another example of this would be Matthew 7:13-14 and Luke 13:22-30 in which Jesus tells His hears that the way to the Kingdom of God is "narrow" and "only a few find it." A careful look at the context (which is a bit clearer in Luke) will show that Jesus was speaking to Jews warning them that they were about to be cut off as God's covenant people. Not many of them would find the road into the Kingdom. This was in no way spoken to the church of future ages. We are in fact called kings and priests (Revelation 1:6, 5:10) who are to overcome (1 John 2:13-14; 5:4-5; Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 21:7). As we read Scripture, we cannot read Jesus' words as though He spoke them directly to us. To do so is to take them out of context and leads to great misunderstanding. This may seem like a difficult thing to do, but it really is not. We just need to stop for a minute when reading the passage and think about the point of view of the speaker, the audience, the time frame in which the words are spoken and the place where the conversation is taking place. This rarely requires any special knowledge or information.





Does the Interpretation take biblical symbols and figures of speech into account?



Not understanding when a biblical writer is using a biblical term or a figure of speech can lead to great misunderstandings in interpretation. Consider Matthew 21:21-22, in which Jesus says that "if you have faith . . . you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done." Despite what some preachers have taught, this is not some cosmic guarantee that whatever Christians ask for we will get. We must consider the symbols as well as the context to understand this passage. This phrase is part of a series of parables and talks about the destruction of Jerusalem (Matt. 20-25). After cursing a fig tree as a symbol of judgment on Jerusalem, the disciples asked how this happened so quickly. Jesus responded, "if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer" (Matt. 21:21-22). Jesus was not literally telling his followers that they could pray mountains into the sea, nor was He curiously changing the subject, He was instructing them to pray for the destruction of the apostate mountain of God. The Old Testament makes it quite clear that the mountain was symbolic language for Jerusalem (Psalm 43:3; 48:1; 87:1; 99:9; Isaiah. 11:9; 56:7, Exodus 15:17). Being thrown into the sea is biblical symbolic language for being destroyed (Rev. 8:8). Admittedly, this one takes a little more work. To be able to do this well does require that we know our Bibles, particularly the Old Testament, quite well. It will usually take a little digging and research. When you come across a figure of speech in the Bible, and they are usually pretty obvious, don't assume that you know what it means. Do a little digging.



Is the interpretation consistent with the rest of Scripture?



A passage may seem to make sense on the surface but if the interpretation is not consistent with all of Scripture then it must be rejected. James 2:19 says that the demons believe in God. Can we couple that with John 3:16 and surmise that demons will be going to heaven? Obviously, we cannot. When this verse is considered in the context of all the Scriptures, we see that this interpretation is not possible. Applying this principle will also insulate from many of the prosperity gospel teachings that are so popular today. When taken in consistent context with the entire message of the Old and New Testaments, we can see that the life of luxury and comfort is not the life to which a Christian is called.



Does the interpretation remain consistent with God's nature?



Not only does a passage need to be consistent with all of Scripture but it must also be consistent with God's nature. It is necessary that one begins to have a basic understanding of theology in order to do this. In Revelation 6:2 we read, "I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest." The passage goes on to describe that along with the rider on the white horse come three judgments symbolized by three other horse and riders. The subsequent riders remove the conditions that are providing peace on the earth, economic hardship, and death. This is all in the context of John's prophecy of the soon coming destruction of Jerusalem. God's covenant has been broken and He is about to pour out his judgment on apostate Israel. Many biblical commentators, in discussing the rider on the white horse, have said that although this rider appears to be Jesus (there are many reasons including the fact that Jesus is seen later in Revelation 19 riding on his white horse; God is the one in Scripture that holds the bow in judgment - Habakkuk 3:9, and the one that is given the crown of dominion – Revelation 14:14; 19:11-13), it cannot be. The simple reason they offer is that God does not bring this kind of judgment, death, and destruction. With this idea of God they then create fanciful interpretations that include the so-called anti-Christ. The fact is, however, that God is love, but God is also righteous and holy. God does inflict judgment on the rebellious, apostate, and disobedient. Deuteronomy 28:15-68 clearly lays out the types of curses that will beset Israel if they break the Covenant. Christ, pictured in Revelation 6 on the white horse, will come soon, says John (indeed He did come in 70 AD) to fulfill these curses on apostate Israel. The actions of this rider on the white horse are completely consistent with God's nature as a righteous judge. The discerning biblical reader will realize that, and will not incorrectly interpret Scripture based on an erroneous conception of who they want God to be rather than who He is.



Does the interpretation consider the differences between the Old Testament (physical) and the New Testament (Spiritual)?



Most of the laws, battles, enemies, blessings, curses, sacrifices, etc. of the Old Testament are of the physical variety. Even the people of God are the physical nation of Israel. In the New Testament, however, these things are of a spiritual nature. Our enemy is a spiritual enemy (Ephesians 6:12). Our battles are spiritual. For us the way we are to interpret the law of God is spiritual (Matthew 5:21-30). The blessings and curses of the New Covenant are of the spiritual variety. Good Bible interpretation must take that fact into account, especially when applying Old Testament interpretations to the modern reader. This is where many in our day and age get confused. They look at the things promised to Abraham and the people of Israel in the Old Testament, combine that with Galatians 3:29 that we are the heirs of Abraham, and conclude that these physical blessings are a promise for us today. The Christian, however, is to focus on spiritual blessings and store up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:20).



Does the interpretation differentiate the principle given by the author from the cultural expressions of that principle?



In 1 Timothy 2:9, Paul gives a principle of dressing modestly for women to follow. He then lists some examples from his own culture of how to follow that principle. These include avoiding braided hair and gold or pearls. Dressing modestly is the principle to be taken from this passage not the belief that a woman in our culture cannot braid her hair. Good interpretations will consider the principle, and appreciate the cultural expressions of that principle, without feeling bound by those expressions. Paul often gives a binding biblical principle and then gives at least one cultural expression of that principle. We are bound by the principle but not necessarily the cultural expression of the principle.



Does the interpretation consider the genre of literature of the passage?



Good interpretations will take into consideration the type of passage being interpreted. Whether or not a passage is poetic, wisdom literature, narrative, apocalyptic, etc. makes a huge difference in interpreting a passage. The interpreter of Revelation 20:2-4, for instance can have problems with understanding 1,000 years to be literal if he does not comprehend the Old Testament tendency to use numbers as representing a period of time, rather than literal lengths of time (This applies to Revelation as it is written with a very "Old Testament" wording). Just as we would not read a poem in the same way that we would read a newspaper, we must be sure to read the different types of Scripture in the way that they were intended to be read. Narrative passages need to be read as narratives. Symbolic prophecy like much of Ezekiel and Revelation must be read in the symbolic language of prophecy and the Old Testament. The wisdom literature of books like Proverbs cannot be read as direct promises from God. They are observations of God's universe that generally prove to be true. They cannot be read and held up as ironclad promises because they were not intended to be so. The list could go on, but the point is to read the work in the style that the author intended.



Does the interpretation consider who is speaking, who is being spoken to, and the circumstances of the conversation?



In Mark 10:18, Jesus says that "No one is good – except God alone." If one were to misunderstand the circumstances of the conversation and who Jesus was speaking to, they might come to some very wrong conclusions about this passage. Jesus was responding to someone who called him merely a teacher, but also said that He was good. Jesus, rather than trying to teach all theological truth at once, met the man where he was at in his understanding and took him one step farther. Jesus explained to the man that if He was nothing more than a teacher then He could not be good, because only God is good.



Is the interpretation consistent with the author's intent? Does it consider whether a passage is descriptive or prescriptive?



There are many passages in the Bible that are merely descriptive of a situation without calling for us to go and do likewise. Sometimes confusing prescriptive and descriptive can bind us to a principle that may be a good idea but not a binding principle. For instance, Acts describes the early church as meeting in one another's homes primarily (Acts 2:46). This may be a nice thing to emulate if it works within our culture or for our church, but it is not a binding prescriptive practice. It would not be taking into account the fact that the early Christians had little choice other than to meet in the homes of the believers.

Confusing the concepts of prescriptive and descriptive can, however, be very dangerous when taken to extremes. 2 Kings 4:34, describes a scene in which Elisha laid on a young boy to bring him to life. A few years ago, a preacher in Milwaukee saw this as a prescriptive passage, and lied on a seven year old boy to cure him of the "demons of his autism." The result was that the boy was asphyxiated by the weight of this preacher as he was held down by other members of the church.



Apologetics

Apologetics is the field of study concerned with the systematic defense of a position. Biblical apologetics then, is the systematic defense of the Bible. The word apologetics finds its roots in the Greek word "apologia." It means to create a defense or apology for a position based on truth by providing evidence for your position. A thorough consideration of apologetics is not given in very many pre-teen and youth group classes these days. This is unfortunate because, as seen earlier in this book, public schools are, in large part, a 180 day apologetics course in Secular Humanism.

Christian apologetics go all the way back to the Bible where we see Peter urging his readers to "Always be ready to make a defense" (1 Peter 3:15). Paul engaged in apologetics at Mars Hill (Acts 17) by making the case for a creator and redeemer to the men of Athens. Arguing the position of Christianity continued into the second century with men like Justin Martyr and has carried on in different forms in different times all the way to the present. In the last few decades, the Western world has seen a drastic change in our culture as the predominant worldview has slowly transitioned from modernity to postmodernity. This change has opened a debate in the Christian community concerning the role of Christian apologetics in the future. Is there still a need for classic modern apologetics? Should there be a new kind of apologetics for a new kind of culture? Do we need apologetics at all in a postmodern world? These are the questions being asked right now in the world of Christian apologetics. Ultimately, I believe, we will find that the answer to all three of these questions is a resounding "yes."

A brief review of the modern and postmodern mindset will help us in creating perspective for the current topic. Modernity is the mindset that rose out of the Enlightenment Project. The modernist puts a great amount in the human ability to reason. According to the modernist, truth is objective, rational, and knowable. The autonomous individual, relying on their own rational ability to reason can discover that truth. Modernists hold that the search for knowledge is a good thing and that knowledge will virtually always lead to advancement. For the modernist, rational reasonable arguments presented with prevailing evidence are highly prized. This is the world from which modern apologetics rose. Modern apologetics seeks to lay out the facts of the Christian faith complete with the best evidence for Christianity, and make an airtight case based on reason. Once the evidence is all considered, says the modern apologist, a verdict is demanded. One must look rationally upon the evidence for Christianity and make a truth decision based on the reasonability of its arguments.

Postmodernity is primarily about deconstruction of modernity. Postmoderns question the ability to ever know truth and look dimly on the entire concept of an absolute knowable truth. For the postmodern, the only absolute is that there are no absolutes (and they are not bothered by the seeming contradiction of that statement). Key to the postmodern view is the belief that truth can only be gained from a text within the context of community. Each community will interpret the text based on their own experiences, culture, and biases. There are, says the postmodern, as many interpretations as interpreters. Postmoderns take an extremely skeptical view of modern science, modern religion, and any absolute truth claims. They embrace mystery, accept contradiction, and believe that truth is relative to the community which holds it. What is true within the context of one community may not be true within the context of another community. Modern apologetics which are based on empirical proofs and rational arguments seem to have fallen on hard times in an increasingly post modern world. "So what if you can prove the historical reliability of the New Testament," says the postmodern, "texts are only as reliable as the community interpreting them." Rational arguments and truth claims can seem to fall flat in the postmodern world. The postmodern is looking for authentic experiences that will seem true for them as they live their life. This creates a unique problem for the Christian apologist. Are modern apologetics still viable in the postmodern world? Do we need apologetics at all in a culture that values mystery and experience much more than reason and truth?

In the 21st century there is a new group of post-modern evangelicals known as the younger evangelicals (or the emergent church). According to Robert Webber, in The Younger Evangelicals, many of the younger evangelicals fall into a line of thinking known as Radical Orthodoxy, which argues that Christianity is the truth and so everything in the world should be interpreted and understood through the Christian faith. They feel that reason has become the modern apologist's interpreter of the Christian faith and that Christianity, therefore, has had to rely on reason and the principles of the social sciences used to prove Christianity. The younger evangelical, says Webber, "wants us to return to the unknown, invisible reality that stands behind all things, through which all things are understood"[iv] In other words, they are calling for an end to the era in which reason is the starting point that leads us to accept the truth of Christianity, and want us instead to start with Christianity as an assumed truth that does not need to be proven by the crutch of reason and science. This group of younger evangelicals who hold to this Radical Orthodoxy, believe that Christianity cannot offer an effective criticism of the culture if it is propped up on certain assumptions of the culture, like reason and the social sciences are the starting point of discovering truth. Webber argues that for modern apologists, "reason has become the determiner of truth, not revelation. Faith is determined by reason, not by the witness of the Holy Spirit."[v]

Younger evangelicals believe that the focus of apologetics should be shifted from reason and logical arguments to an embodiment of the faith. This leaves most, younger evangelicals leaning towards the fideist position, which says the best defense of the Gospel is preaching. Once the Gospel is preached, the Holy Spirit inspires faith that leads to conversion. They tend to believe that there is a mystery to faith that cannot be bridged by reason. The younger evangelicals argue that moderns were more concerned with the existence of God than with experiencing the real impact that God has on lives. This may be somewhat of a caricature of the modern position, but it is the assumption from which many younger evangelicals criticize modern apologetics. Modern apologetics, says the younger evangelical, leads to conquered minds but not surrendered hearts. The younger evangelical desire to present an apologetic that is an embodied experience.

Much of what postmodernity consists of is a rejection of modernity. Postmodernity exists primarily at this point to deconstruct and criticize modernity without really offering a solid framework on its own. It cannot really stand as a viable worldview apart from its rejection of modernity. It stands, therefore, on the very system that it wishes to deconstruct. Postmodernity has some very valid criticisms of modernity. Modernity did place too much emphasis on the autonomous individual and the ability to use reason to discover all truth. The idea that knowledge is always pushing us towards the positive is also an idea that postmoderns justly criticize. The problem is that they have thrown out the baby with the bathwater. There are things about modernity that are worth keeping. The concept of absolute truth is one of them. Just because certain truths can be interpreted in different ways in some situations does not necessarily mean that we should throw the entire concept of truth out the window. As we have seen above, the postmodern logic that there are no absolute truths cannot be a valid claim because it is a self-refuting one.

I have to reject the younger evangelical trend away from modern apologetics to Radical Orthodoxy on the similar grounds that they are tossing out the baby with the bathwater. They certainly have some legitimate criticisms of apologetics. The main one is the tendency to view God as something to be proven and then accepted rationally. Modern apologetics did not leave enough room for mystery and spirituality. It would be rash at best and dangerous at worst, though, to completely abandon modern apologetics.

The main reason to keep some aspects of modern apologetics is because there is such a thing as absolute truth. We live in a world that increasingly rejects that idea. They accept all religious expressions as equally valid. There was a time when you either believed in Jesus Christ or you did not. That belief was the dividing line between Christians and non-Christians. This is no longer the case in our world today. Nearly every religion thinks highly of Jesus and claims to follow His teachings even if they don't accept Him as God. This is the problem with retreating completely from truth-based apologetics and going completely over to the Radical Orthodoxy of fideism; if we only preach Jesus and the Gospel, which Jesus will people think we are preaching?
In the modern world, evolution was the greatest threat to Christianity. It made sense to argue against the so-called facts of evolution and for creation. In some ways the fideist position of preaching the Gospel and allowing it to burn inside made some sense because it would have differentiated Christianity from the competing worldview. If we relegate Christianity to inner feelings and pragmatism today, however, we lose what sets it apart from competing worldviews in the postmodern age. It is a big mistake to use the only style of apologetic argument that the world is using. That means that using only rational arguments in a rational age was a mistake but it also means that using embodied apologetics in an age of community and relative truth is also a mistake. What sets Christianity apart in that scenario? There are many religions and worldviews that produce a burning, passion inside just as Christianity will do for the believer. There are many worldviews that can, at least temporarily, create warm, loving, communities. If this is our only source of appeal how do we differentiate Christianity in the marketplace of ideas?

It is vital to not abandon the very thing that will distinguish Christianity in these postmodern times. Christianity is based on truth. It is based on logic. Its precepts are not self-defeating and contradictory. The younger evangelical actually gives credibility to other religious expressions because fideism and postmodernism are cut from the same cloth. They are both pragmatic, personal, focused on community, and are based on experience. We should take the younger evangelical's valid ideas of an authentic community apologetic seriously, but what a tragedy to throw out the one thing that will distinguish Christianity in an age of pluralism.

It is important to remember that apologetics will not save our young people. By engaging in apologetics we in no way diminish the work and role of the Holy Spirit. We all want to lead our children into the garden of salvation. Apologetics is not the garden itself. All that apologetics do is to clear the paths of debris so that people may find the garden if they so choose. We have already seen that apologetics should not be abandoned but what should they look like in a postmodern world?

Apologetics in a postmodern world should take the good aspects from the modern concept of apologetics and the younger evangelical's embodiment apologetics and create a hybrid. This would create a community that values the truth, strives for the truth, and can clearly communicate the truth to world. It would create a community that can demonstrate that Christianity is truth in and of itself, but that empirical methods can be used to further validate it.

At the same time, though, this should not be merely a mental exercise. Apologetics of the 21st century should also stress the importance of living these truths not just knowing. Information is good, but transformation is better. What a powerful apologetic to the world to see a community that not only claims to possess inner truth and empirically verifiable truth but also lives it out in the real world. What does this mean? It means not only presenting evidence for the Resurrection and discussing the ultimate importance of believing in the fact of the Resurrection and accepting Christ as Lord of our life, but it also means living incarnationally as a community. It means we should be able to present a living, breathing community that can articulate that the reason we are an authentic community is due to not only experience but also truth.

Another example would be creation apologetics, the crown jewel of modern apologetics. Arguing for creation is fine and can be helpful but it does not do any good if we are not a community demonstrating a life of good stewardship of the earth. Earth stewardship is very important in the postmodern view. It would be an incredible testimony if the Christian community were to be held up as fantastic stewards of the earth and nature and then be able to demonstrate that we lived in such a way because of the logical truth claims of creationism. We could show that we act because stewardship rings true in the experience of our community but also because we value the logical evidences in favor of a creator that calls us to be good stewards.

I would also recommend a four-pronged approach in 21st century apologetics. The first aspect would be to sound a constant clarion call against self-refuting or self-contradicting logic that has been discussed at length above.

The second prong is to gently help the non-believer see where their belief system will take them. Following non-Christian belief systems to their logical conclusions will show how bankrupt and empty they are. For example, if you want to argue the relativist position, then let's take it to its logical conclusion. I can come up and shoot you because it seemed right to me. If there is no absolute truth then by what standard could you condemn me? This aspect requires some work on the part of the Christian because we have to be familiar with competing beliefs and their arguments.

The third prong would be to describe the completeness, beauty, and coherency of the Christian faith. This involves demonstrating that Christianity is a logical and comprehensive worldview more than it argues for specific evidences. This would mean that issues like theodicy (the justice of God) and eschatology would have as much importance in 21st century apologetics as the old mainstays like the Resurrection and creation.

The final area in which apologetics in the 21st century could change is in format. The days of one guru speaker getting up and mesmerizing an audience with facts for 2 hours are quickly waning. This format does not work with college students nearly as much today as it did even ten years ago. Recently at UW-Milwaukee, a world famous creation speaker came for a presentation. The room of nearly a thousand quickly filled up but I couldn't help but notice that at least 80% of the crowd was over 30, non-college students. And this was at an event that was not advertised off campus at all. On a campus of 26,000 students, the college kids just did not show up. Mike Metzger argues that open forums are the most effective way to reach postmodern students. He offers five components to this new style of open forum:



Offer not just answers, but also present faith as a context for exploring mystery.
Focus on essentials; don't get bogged down in minutiae.
Don't push credibility alone, stress plausibility. Credibility is about coherence, plausibility is about beauty and satisfaction.
Don't condemn competitors. Treat them with gentleness and respect as colleagues.
Don't rush people. Emphasize the process of conversion.[vi]


The younger evangelicals have legitimate criticisms of modern apologetics, just as postmodernity has some legitimate criticisms of modernity. In both cases, however, it is dangerous to throw out the entire system because of some mistakes. Rather than abandoning modern apologetics, they should be infused with the ideas of the younger evangelicals. This leaves us with a hybrid apologetics that will be effective for the most people in the 21st century. Stressing the law of non-contradiction, the poverty of competing worldview beliefs, and the richness of Christianity, and doing so in a welcoming, open-format style will help us to achieve, in the 21st century, the ultimate goal of apologetics, which is to clear the road so that as many young people as possible can find their way to a relationship with Christ



Theology

According to theologian Thomas Oden, "the study of God is an attempt at orderly, consistent, and reasoned discussion of the Source and End of all things."[vii] Theology is a term that literally means a discussion or discourse about God. Theology seeks to offer a coherent depiction of God as understood by the universal community of Christ. It is, in short, the study of God by the people of God

In studying God we seek to gain as accurate a picture as possible. It is important for us to remember that God is not only the subject of theology but He is also the revealer and enabler of all theological undertakings. Only God can reveal God to humanity. As the Apostle Paul says, "For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught to us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words" (1 Corinthians 2:11-13). God reveals Himself through the work of the Spirit to those who have the Spirit but even before that, His revealing power is at work for all mankind: "since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them" (Romans 1:19).

The practice of theology within the Christian community assumes a basic knowledge of Scripture on the part of the student. Oden says that theology "seeks to provide a fit ordering of scriptural teachings and of central themes of the history of Scriptural interpretation."[viii]

Systematic theology has two primary purposes. The first is to give a coherent and comprehensive account of the Christian faith. Christian theology is not just a jumbled mess of ancient writings and beliefs that have been cobbled together over the period of centuries. Rather, it is the systematic study and ordering of the complete and clear Word of God in order to gain an understanding of God. The second purpose is to apply the Christian faith to contemporary life. Theology is of no value if it cannot be used. If it does not strengthen our faith and deepen our relationship with God through the process of getting to know Him better, it is virtually useless for the average believer.

Unfortunately, many Christians today see theology as just that, useless. Many tend to view it as an unnecessary exercise undertaken by academics in seminaries and colleges that has very little to do with the authentic Christian life. It has not always, however, been that way. For the first thousand or so years of Christianity, theology was practiced almost exclusively by the pastor of the local church. It was the pastor theologian who was responsible for defending the orthodox (accepted) doctrine of the church. This changed slowly during the medieval times as theology shifted from the pastor of the local church to the colleges and seminaries. As this happened, theology became gradually disconnected from the life of the local church. This is an unfortunate and dangerous phenomenon, though, because as Paul directed Timothy, "Watch your life and doctrine closely." The church community that does not engage in theology will find it difficult to defend their doctrine carefully, which will eventually affect the Christian life of the community as well.

The basic recommended theological method has four components. The first and primary aspect is that of the Holy Scriptures. The Word of God is the trump card in all theological discussions. It is our first source and the most important. The second aspect to which we will give consideration is that of Tradition. The Tradition of the church is based on the interpretations of the church throughout history with special consideration given to the early church fathers of the first several centuries of the history of the Christian church (known as the Ante-Nicene period). Although not all of the early church fathers agreed on every issue, it is possible in most cases to clearly see the consensus of the early church and come to an understanding of the Tradition of the early church. The Tradition of the early church must never trump Scripture but rather serves as a tool to either verify our understanding of a theological issue or serve as a red flag if we should wander from the Tradition. Next we must use our own reason and God-given mental ability to consider the meaning of the Scriptures and our theological stance on important issues. The final aspect is that of experience. Our own experience can be an important component of our interpreting Scripture but it cannot, ever be allowed to over-ride the Tradition of the church or the clear meaning of the Scriptures.



History of Christianity

The old saying goes that if we don't know our history we are doomed to repeat it. Most Christians are woefully ignorant when it comes to knowledge of the history of they Christian community. How many Christian young people (or adults for that matter) have ever heard of early Christian leaders like Polycarp, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Cyprian, Irenaeus, or Athanasius? Some would argue that it is not necessary for Christian children to be familiar with these men. Yet, these same kids probably know who Tutankhamen, Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, Plato, Socrates, and Virgil are. Why should they know these key figures of history and not the fathers of the early church? The young person who has a basic understanding of the history of the Christian church can better find and appreciate their own place in that history.



The Emotional Stability of Biblical Knowledge

Beyond the previously stated reasons for passing on biblical knowledge, there is another one that is a key reason for giving our children a firm foundation in the Bible, biblical interpretation, apologetics, theology, and church history. The reason is that it provides an emotional stabilizer for young people and adults.

The Christian life can be difficult at times and full of emotion. It is full of ups and downs, and if we're honest, there are times when we have felt like quitting. There are going to be times when the evangelist angers us, someone hurts us, or the church community lets us down. Far too many young people and adults have left the church or even walked away from their faith because of an emotional setback.

One of the things that my parents did really well, and something for which I am eternally grateful, is that they offered me many opportunities to learn about biblical creationism. What this did was give me a firm foundation that the Bible was true. I also learned a great deal about the evidence for the resurrection and the veracity of the Bible in its accounts of the resurrection.

During my teen years when I was struggling with the concept of wanting to live a Christian life, I really didn't want to believe in God. If I believed in God I knew I had to obey Him. What I could not escape, however, was the knowledge that God existed and had created the world and that Jesus had risen from the dead. This knowledge continued to anchor me during my adult Christian life. Even when the difficulties and emotions from the Christian life came, I was anchored in because of my firm belief in God. To where else would I go? I may get frustrated with others from time to time but leaving God or the church is out of the question. There is a God and I do have to answer to Him. This far outweighs any emotions I might be going through from time to time.

When children are taught a version of Christianity that will stand the test of the secular onslaught, they are given a foundation that will last through the emotional storms of adolescence and disappointments from other Christians.



Are There Dangers in Stressing Biblical Knowledge?

One of the most prevalent criticisms that I hear about stressing the importance of learning and knowledge when it comes to the Bible is the danger of becoming all head and no heart. Is this a valid criticism? It certainly is a danger to be avoided, but head knowledge and the heart are not mutually exclusive parts of the Christian life.

The abuses of those who have over-stressed head knowledge of the Bible have been well documented. What is not as well known, though, are the dangers of all heart without enough head knowledge. God is not fond of either mistake. In criticizing the Pharisees, Jesus quoted Isaiah, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me" (Matthew 15:8). Yet, the Proverbs tell us that, "It is not good to have zeal without knowledge," (Proverbs 19:2), and in Romans Paul chastised the Jews, "they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge" (Romans 10:2). What children really need is a healthy balance between the head and heart, or as Paul put it to Timothy "watch your life and doctrine closely" (1 Timothy 4:16). A Christian community that is all head-based leads to dead cathedrals. A Christian community that is all heart-based leads to abuse and cult-like tactics.

Yet, there still seems to be a perception that the road of biblical knowledge and training is fraught with danger, while the road of emotion and heart is the way to go. Raising children with an emotion-based version of Christianity that focuses almost exclusively on relationships and the Christian life leaves them with a brand of Christianity that is an emotional roller coaster waiting to happen. This is why the Bible calls for a balance. If the scales should tip slightly one way or the other, we should err on the side of knowledge. It is unwise to abandon a biblical principle because of potential abuses.

Let's not forget that for many people, including young people, intellectual study of the Bible is the very thing that moves their heart. This is true for me. Emotionally-laden books that focus on convicting or encouraging the reader do very little for me. A far majority of these Christian bookstore type books do next to nothing for me. They are of some value, but not much. Books that examine biblical archaeology or prophecy or bring out an in-depth exegesis of the Bible cause my heart to soar and my faith to be deepened. The same is true for many people. The road to the heart of many people is through the intellect not the emotions. The truth is, though, that for the majority of people, the emotions are the road to the heart. These people tend to be arrogant about intellectual issues and believe that all intellectual endeavors are merely efforts to feed the head that will do nothing for the heart. That is simply not true but because of this, we have neglected teaching young people the Bible for far too long.





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Chapter 7



[i] Wayne Jackson, "My People Are Destroyed For a Lack of Knowledge," Christian Courier.com, http://www.christiancourier.com/articles/read/my_people_are_destroyed_for_lack_of_knowledge. (August, 2006).

[ii] "Biblical Illiteracy," http://www.ccel.org/contrib/exec_outlines/top/bibillit.htm. (August, 2006).

[iii] Dennis Bratcher, "A Model for Biblical Exegesis," http://www.cresourcei.org/exegesismodel.html, (August 2006).

[iv] Robert Webber, The Younger Evangelicals, p. 99.

[v] Ibid, p. 100.

[vi] Mike Metzer, "Open Forums for Reaching Post Moderns," http://leaderu.com/cl-institute/openforum/chap04.html. (August, 2006).

[vii] Thomas Oden, The Living God. (San Francisco, CA: Harper Collins Publishers, 1987), p. 5.

[viii] Ibid., p. 6.

Out of the Driveway, Into the Game: Chapter 6

Chapter 6 – Every High Hill and Spreading Tree

The United States first officially declared it’s independence on July 2, 1776. Two days later it was announced publicly. It would take seven long years of war before the Treaty of Paris would be signed giving the United States it’s recognized independence from Great Britain. During that time, however, the United States began to run as though it were an independent nation. They formed a national government, and began to make laws and do business as a national government would do.

It wasn’t long, though, before the leaders of the new country realized that the set of laws called the Articles of Confederation were not going to work. Nothing made this clearer than the summer and fall of 1786. Daniel Shays, a Revolutionary War veteran, faced debtor’s prison when he returned from the War because of the heavy debt he carried. He believed strongly that the large part of the blame for his situation went to the new government due to the heavy taxation to which he had been under. Shays and many other farmers demanded that the courts be closed so they would not lose their farm to creditors. The government refused so in September, 1786, Shay led a small army of 1,200 farmers to close the courts themselves. State officials hurriedly called out the militia. In the skirmish that followed, four of Shays rebels were killed and the rest were scattered. This made it clear, however, that something was wrong. It was time for a stronger national government. In their attempt to prevent abuse, severe limitations had been placed on the national government. It was obvious to most by now, though, that the government was too weak.

In May, 1787 delegates from all of the thirteen states except Rhode Island gathered in Philadelphia to discuss possible changes to the Articles of Confederation. Even though it was technically illegal, they quickly decided to completely scrap the Articles and form a new government. The Articles were cobbled together quickly during a war, now they would take their time, compromise, and come up with a strong yet limited government that would last.

Once this new Constitution was completed, the framers set up a ratification process that called for each state to hold a special convention. Delegates to the convention would be chosen by voters. It was those delegates who would accept or reject the Constitution.

Two sides were quickly formed concerning the Constitution. Those who supported it were called the Federalists. Those who opposed the ratification of the Constitution were called the anti-Federalists. These two sides quickly set out on public relations campaigns to convince voters of their beliefs. The Federalists were led by men such as George Washington, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton. While the leading anti-federalists were well-known national heroes such as Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, and Richard Henry Lee.

Between October, 1787 and August, 1788, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison wrote a series of essays that appeared in various New York newspapers under the pseudonym “Publius.” These eighty-five essays have come to be known as the Federalist Papers. The Federalist Papers argued the urgent need for an adequate central government and how well a republican form of government could be expanded to govern such a large nation. These essays have been recognized as the most powerful defense of the new Constitution, and have been deemed a classic in constitutional theory. One of the most effective aspects of the Federalist Papers is that they boldly proclaimed the positive aspects of the Constitution and demonstrated why it would be of such great benefit to the citizens of the United States.

The Anti-Federalists produced many works criticizing the Constitution. The most widely read of these critiques was Letters from the Federal Farmer, by Richard Henry Lee. Lee’s primary concern was the freedoms that were not directly protected in the Constitution.

The Constitution was, of course, ratified by the people and became the law of the land. The primary reason was simple. The Federalists had been more convincing in their public relations campaign than were the Anti-Federalists.

In many ways our job with our children comes down to a public relations campaign. It is our job to train our children in the ways of God and to teach them His Word. At the same time, we must convince our children that the ways of Satan and the world are empty when compared to following and obeying God.

The facts are, however, that far too many children of Christians have embraced the world and rejected God’s Word. We have, in effect, lost the public relations campaign in their heart. In order to realize why this is true, we must understand four basic components. The first is to understand why idolatry and turning to things other than God appealed to people in the Bible times and why these things continue to attract. The second is to understand the public relations campaign that the world undertakes constantly. The third is to comprehend the nature of God’s law and His love, and the fourth is to move Christianity beyond being a “stop, no, and don’t” religion.



The Appeal of Idolatry

Throughout the history of Israel, God warned them about the dangers of idolatry and worshiping other Gods. God knows how He created us and He knows what we need. He knows that He made us to need a relationship with Him. If we settle for anything less, we are running at less than optimum and will eventually break. The number one way that tools are broken is if they are used for something other than their intended purpose. God made us to have a walk with Him and to be His representative on earth. When we don’t do that, we cease to be used for our intended purpose. God does not want that for us so He has always warned mankind about the danger of following things other than Him.

Despite His clear expectations, the people of Israel never seemed to be able to overcome the appeal of idolatry. God clearly warns against it in the Ten Commandments, yet even Israel’s kings would not heed God’s loving words. In 2 Samuel 2:8, for instance, we learn that one of King Saul’s sons is named Ish-boseth. That means “son of shame” and was not his son’s real name. The writer of Samuel was so ashamed of Saul’s son’s real name that he could not even bring himself to write it. The boy’s real name was Ish-Ba’al, which means “son of Ba’al,” the pagan god of the Canaanites. The King of God’s people had named his son after a pagan God!

King David was, of course, a man after God’s own heart. He remained a staunch monotheist devoted to God. His own son and successor, Solomon, though, turned back to idolatry as he got older (1 Kings 11:4). Israel’s continued unfaithfulness led God to eventually ask them “What fault did your fathers find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.”

The question arises, why would the Israelites continually turn away from God to worthless idols? It’s easy to sit back and criticize the Israelites from our perspective and point out how silly they were. A closer examination, however, will show us just how similar we really are to them. Looking at the reasons they were attracted to idolatry will also help give us some insight into why the world appeals to our children. There are nine specific areas in which idolatry appealed to people.

First, idolatry was guaranteed. The Hebrew world Tselem is usually translated as either ‘idol’ or ‘image.’ When Genesis 1:26 says that man was made in God’s image, it is the same word translated as idol in the Ten Commandments. An idol was the image or representative of God. Idolatry was appealing because you could go and be guaranteed that you were in the presence of your god whenever you wanted. They didn’t believe that the idol was their god, only that it was a representative of him or her. It is much the same concept as the telephone. The voice of the other person is not literally in the phone. So, the idol was not the god, but it did guarantee that you could be in the presence of their direct representative. Even though the idol could not really fix any problems, it gave an immediate comfort and made the person feel better, even if only temporarily.

Second, the idolatry of the pagan religions appealed to the selfish nature. In the ancient world it was believed that gods could do everything for themselves except one vital function. They could not feed themselves. There is even an amusing scene in the Epic of Gilgamesh in which the gods are eagerly awaiting the humans to get off the boat to feed them because they are starving. The beauty of this system for the individual was that you fed the gods and appeased them, but then you got to take the food back. Plus, you were guaranteed that whatever you gave to the gods, would be returned to you in fertility and wealth. This was an automatic guarantee according to pagan beliefs. The Israelites, on the other hand, were to tithe out of love and obedience to God.

Third, it was easy. Pagan idolatry was a system of religion without ethics. You could basically live however you wanted as long as the gods were appeased. If you took care of your duties of giving to the gods, you could live however you wanted. The gods puts little, if any, ethical restrictions on your life. In essence, the real god of your life was you. This stands in stark contrast to the Israelites who were under the sovereign commands of Yahweh. They were obligated, as the people of God, to follow His commands and obey God. Following Yahweh took a great deal of faith and self-denial, and could be rather difficult and rigorous.

Fourth, idolatry was convenient. The Bible describes that there were pagan places of worship on every high hill and under every spreading tree (Deuteronomy 12:2, 1 Kings 14:23, etc.). Your pagan god could be worshiped anytime, any day, anywhere. For the Israelites, however, God could only be specifically worshiped three times a year and it required traveling to Jerusalem. Although we can now worship God anytime, anywhere, there are still many elements of being a Christian that are far more inconvenient that doing things our own way.

Fifth, idolatry was normal. Everyone in the pagan world was a polytheist except for Israel. It was considered odd to think that there was only one God. For them it was just the way of life. Worshiping one God meant to be an outcast from the rest of the world. When the Israelites settled in Canaan they were surrounded by Canaanites. It was normal that they would pick up certain normal practices from the normal people around them. For instance, if one were planting a field, it was normal to perform rituals to please the earth god as you were planting the seed. This is just how it was done. If it worked and it was normal, what could be the harm? Plus, worshiping an invisible God seemed highly strange. He had no idol or representative and His presence was not guaranteed. Idolatry was also the way of the economic superpowers of the day. Following Yahweh seemed risky and not nearly as guaranteed as the pagan ways of their neighbors.

Sixth, the pagan system of idolatry was imminently logical. Having more than one god just made good sense. It was illogical to assume that one God could do everything that was necessary in order to keep the world running. The Assyrians, for instance, had 611 gods. They had a god for everything including a god of fresh water, a god of salt water, a god of stony ground, a god of clay ground, etc. The Egyptians worshiped just about everything that moved including the dung beetle. It is also important to understand the pagan concepts of gods. Each person might worship at least three gods on a regular basis while still giving a certain amount of homage to all other necessary gods. First, there was the national god. This was the god of war and protection that would keep the nation safe and prosperous. This god would be called upon only for major events and crises. Second, there was the family or clan god. This was the god that would pay special attention to one’s particular family or clan, and who would protect and prosper them. Finally, there was the personal god. When someone got ill, for example, they would have family members sacrifice to a local god. If they did not get better, they would have them try another god the next day. This was done until they got better. Once they recovered after sacrificing to a particular god it was assumed that this was the god that cared about you, so he or she became your personal god. The Israelites, then, never completely abandoned Yahweh, they just did the normal and logical thing. They relegated him to the status of national God, but began to worship other family and personal gods. Thus, when things got really bad they might call on Him but they failed to obey His call to worship Him alone.

Seventh, idolatry was pleasing to the senses. It was comforting because one could go the idol and touch it, handle it, and kiss it. It provided an immediate comfort that couldn’t be matched in the same way through faith in an invisible God. Worshiping pagan gods was exciting, titillating, and immediate. In addition, one could make a great deal of money by making and selling idols. It was good for the economy.

Eighth, idolatry appealed to the indulgent nature of man. One could only eat meat that had been sacrificed to a god. We see Paul discussing this issue with the Corinthians when they wanted to eat out somewhere. All of this food had been sacrificed to idols. The pagan meals were all about indulgence. They didn’t eat meat all the time so when they did they stuffed themselves. Pagan meals were about gorging on meat and alcohol. This is why Paul had to remind the new Christians at Corinth that the Lord’s Supper was not this kind of meal. It was not about stuffing themselves.

Finally, pagan idolatry appealed to the erotic nature of humans. Sex was a regular part of the process of idolatry. Sexual preferences of all types were accommodated. Nearly all pagan blessing had to do with fertility. They believed that all creation was procreation. Sex stimulated nature so it became part of worship. Sex with gods stimulated them to produce fertility of all kinds. This is why the Old Testament is so adamant about encouraging the Israelites to stay away from mixing seeds and types of cloths. These were all part of the pagan belief system to encourage fertility. They literally believed that this type of mixing actually resulted in their mating, which stimulated the gods, which led to greater fertility.



Spin City

The parallels between the attractions of idolatry in the Old Testament time and the attraction of sin and the world today are striking. The facts are, sin seems attractive because of the PR job that Satan does in selling it to us. Going back to the Garden of Eden, Satan sold Eve on the alleged benefits of disobeying God. He convinced her that she could be like God. What was never mentioned was the terrible downsides of her sin. Satan knew very well what would happen as a result of Eve’s sin. That was his whole purpose. Jesus said that Satan’s purpose is to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10).

We need not look very far to see Satan still using this technique in our world today. Sin is all about good public relations. If people were intensely aware of the truth and the harm of sin, we would be far more likely to leave it alone. It is only appealing because it is presented only as appealing. Let’s choose just three areas in which Satan has done this extremely well in our culture: sex and materialism, and pleasure.

Our world is inundated with sex and pornography. It’s like a new verse to the Old MacDonald song: here some porn, there some porn, everywhere some porn, porn. Let’s start with a few facts about pornography in the United States:

Pornography generates approximately $1 billion annually with growth projections to $5-7 billion over the next 5 years, barring unforeseen change (NRC Report 2002)
345% increase in child pornography sites between 2/2001-7/2001 (N2H2, 8/01)
25 million Americans visit cybersex sites between 1-10 hours per week (MSNBC Survey 2000)
The U.S. Customs Service estimates that there are more than 100,000 websites offering child pornography - which is illegal, worldwide (Red Herring Magazine, 1/18/02)
9 in 10 kids 8-16 yrs. have viewed porn online, mostly accidentally while doing homework (UK News Telegraph, NOP Research Group, 1/07/02)
According to the Justice Department, in 1998 there were 28,000 X-rated websites, generating $925 million in revenue. By 2001, there were 280,000 X- rated websites, generating over $10-20 billion in revenue (The Wall Street Journal 26 Nov. 2001). [It is now estimated that the number of X-rated websites numbers over 5,000,000.]
62% of parents of teenagers are unaware that their children have accessed objectionable websites (Yankelovich Partners study, Sept. 30, 1999).
60% of all web-site visits are sexual in nature (MSNBC /Stanford/Duquesne study, Washington Times Jan. 26, 2000).
51% of pastors admit that looking at internet pornography is their biggest temptation. (Christianity Today, December 2002)
According to a U.S. News and World Report article, the porn industry recently took in more than $8 billion in one year. More than all revenues generated by rock and country music, more than America spent on Broadway productions, theater, ballet, jazz and classical music combined.
Americans spend an estimated $8-10 billion annually on pornography. This exceeds the combined gross of ABC, CBS, and NBC, which is $6.2 billion.
The average age at which men first see Playboy or a similar magazine is 11.
Early sexual intercourse among American adolescents represents a major public health problem. According to the most recent data, 61% of all high school seniors have had sexual intercourse, about half are currently sexually active, and 21% have had 4 or more partners. (American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) statement, January 2001)


In one content analysis, 75% of concept videos (videos that tell a story) involved sexual imagery, and more than half involved violence, usually against women. (AAP statement, January 2001) [i]


Sex is big business in America. It is everywhere on the internet, as the previous statistics show. Everywhere we turn in our society we see sex. It is on TV in every imaginable form. It is in the movies. It is in the front display windows of stores in our malls. It is on the radio.

Recently I was on my way to speak to a group of about 130 teenagers. I knew that one of the things I was going to be talking about was this very topic. My drive was about 45-minutes, so I decided to listen to the local popular radio station on the way just to see what they were playing. It was a Saturday morning so they were playing the top 40 songs of the week. Through the course of my drive I listened from number 17 down through number 3 or 4. Every single song made an overt reference to sex or sexual behavior. When I got to the conference I asked the kids at this Christian teen conference how many of them had seen pornography on the internet. Every single hand went up.

What is almost never mentioned in our society is the downside of sex. Our kids never hear about statistics like these below:

Approximately one fourth of sexually active adolescents become infected with an STD each year, accounting for 3 million cases, and people under the age of 25 account for two thirds of all STDs in the United States. (AAP statement, January 2001)
Adolescents have ranked the media second only to school sex education programs as a leading source of information about sex. (AAP statement, January 2001)
The average American adolescent will view nearly 14 000 sexual references per year, yet only 165 of these references deal with birth control, self-control, abstinence, or the risk of pregnancy or STDs. (AAP statement, January 2001)[ii]
Our kids are never told that 40,000,000 children have been aborted in the United States in the last 30 years, due in large part, to teen-agers having sex. They aren’t told of the millions of broken hearts and suicides as a result of pre-marital sex. They aren’t told that study after study shows that married Christian women report (by far) the highest levels of satisfaction with their sex life.

The point is that all kids see in our society is sex. They don’t, however, see both sides of the issue. They see the positive, “fun”, “normal” side of sex. They are never told that Satan’s version of sex is a lie. It steals their innocence, destroys the real purpose of sex, and kills their soul.

The same could be said of materialism. Advertisers spend billions of dollars every year targeting children. They are trained from the time they are two or three years old to be little consumers. They are told that they always need more, bigger, and better. This is all a good thing. They are only shown the positives of materialism. They see how fun it is to have the new toy, the better video game system, or the latest version of the same game they have already purchased five times before. Being materialistic is only a good thing.

Kids are never told the downside. They are never told about satiation; that once they get hooked on materialism they will never be happy. Our society is a debt culture. The person in debt can never be truly free. Kids are taught materialism as a normal part of life and by the time they are adults, many are so far in debt that they must continue to dance to the world’s tune.

It is the same story for pleasure. Most of the time, any aspect of pleasure in our society is presented as a good thing. “If it feels good, do it.” But again, only the illusions of pleasure are presented. The world is never honest about the downsides of so-called pleasure. They are never shown pictures of the ruined lives of people who spent all their time seeking the world’s definition of pleasure.

The problem with all of this is that rather than presenting the destructive aspects of these perversions, we spend most of our time simply telling kids “stop, no, and don’t.” What happens as a result is that we, unwittingly, create an image in the minds of our young people, in which the world and sin are where all the fun is at and the Kingdom of God is what we should do when we have decided we have had enough fun. They begin to see holiness as the absence of fun.

The truth is that evil only exists as a perversion of good. As we have already discussed, God is perfectly good and His creation was good. Every creature and object that God created was good in their original created state. Evil is not an independent force but rather arises from the free will ability to go against God’s will. When that free will is abused, the nature of the being is corrupted by its disobedience. This means that evil does not exist independently but only as a corruption of the good. Every evil act by an intelligible human being is not a new thing, but rather a corruption of some aspect of God’s originally good creation. Evil does not harm or disrupt God’s rule of His universe but it does corrupt His finite and corruptible created beings. Think of it like this. Evil is similar to the rust on a car. If you have a rusty car you still have a car but it would be better without the rust. If you take the rust away you still have a car. If, however, you take the car away, you cannot have just rust. Rust cannot exist without the car and evil cannot exist without good.

Three questions from the previously mentioned survey given to teens demonstrate this belief that the world is fun and God’s way is the absence of fun. In the survey, kids were asked to respond to a set of statements. A response of “1” indicated that they strongly disagreed with the statement. A response of “5” indicated that the strongly agreed with the statement. When responding to the statement that “The non-Christian life seems more fun than the Christian life,” the average score of responses was 3.9. Another statement that the students were asked to respond to said that most of the laws of God are given “to test our obedience and don’t really have a purpose beyond that.” The average response score 4.6. What this means is that these kids are buying into this view that sin is fun and the Christian life is the absence of fun. They believe that God gives us laws for no better reason than to tell us not to do things. This results in a very negative view of Christianity and a positive view of the life of sin. It goes a long way in explaining why so many want to wait many years before they become Christians. Every single respondent to this survey indicated that if they were not currently a Christian they would consider it down the road but not now because they had “more things that they would like to experience first.”

This speaks to the fact that Christian parents have failed in communicating the positive aspects of God’s law and the Bible and we have passed on a “stop, no, and don’t” religion. This is a result of an incorrect view of God’s law and a failure to reveal that the plan of God touches every area of our lives, it is authentic, and it is far better for us than Satan’s counterfeits.



The Christian Presentation

Allow me to ask a question that may already be bothering you. Aren’t I contradicting what I said last chapter by saying that a more positive version of Christianity needs to be presented? Didn’t I just get done saying that kids need to know of God’s law before they can understand His grace? I did, and I still maintain that. The problem is that we often view God’s law incorrectly so Christianity is seen in a negative light. The law is intended to show man where we have fallen short of God’s glory. It does show us our sin, but that is not a bad thing. Being aware of sin is a good thing if it moves us toward humility before God.

There is no biblical justification to argue that grace moves the sinner towards God; that is the work of the law. The law is not grace specifically but it does demonstrate God’s love. God knows that He made us to need Him. Any separation between God and us is detrimental to us both in time and in eternity. God’s law is a concession given to imperfect humans that are prone to sin. It is a wake-up call alerting us to our sin so that we won’t die in our sins. In that respect, the law is like pain in our body. It alerts us to the fact that something is wrong. This is why Hosea 6:6 says, “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” Sacrifice, offerings, and the law are only necessary because we fail in love and our knowledge and understanding of God. If we loved God perfectly, the law wouldn’t be necessary, but we don’t, so it is. We must present the law to kids, but make them aware that the law is still a sign of God’s love.

A few years back I was listening to a teaching pastor who explained that the Ten Commandments were very similar to an ancient Jewish marriage custom called the Toshuba. The Toshuba was a list given by the father of the bride to both the bride and groom before they were married. It was not merely a list of rules, although it may have appeared that way to the casual observer. The Toshuba was actually a description of how the couple would live if they wanted complete joy. It was up to them whether they viewed it as an oppressive set of rules or a loving description that would usher them towards their happiest life possible. The Toshuba was a statement of elements necessary for a happy marriage. The law of God is a statement of properties of the universe that can be no more questioned than the law of gravity or the law of electricity. We don’t jump off a ten-story building and not expect to be flattened when we land. Yet for some reason, we break God’s moral law and seem shocked when bad things happen. When we break God’s law, we are like someone who has jumped off that ten-story building and then looked around somewhere around the fourth floor and figured they were fine because nothing bad has happened yet. God’s law is not a divine set of rules for which we will be punished if we break. It is a set of instructions from a loving God of how we were created to live. It is no more oppressive than the law of gravity or an instructional booklet that teaches us how to use our new TV set.

God created us to have a loving relationship with Him. Breaking the law is an attempt to fill our hearts with something other than on what we were designed to run. God understands this and doesn’t want us to “mess up” the engines of our souls, so he warns us. Obeying God’s Law, in fact, prepares us for the ‘age to come’ when things will be put right between God and His creation. It is a glimpse forward in time to what the world will look like after the Resurrection, when all things have been restored to their original glory. Imagine a world where none of the Ten Commandments were ever broken. That is not an oppressive place to think about, but a wonderful place where the entire creation is set to rights.

Teens won’t see this, though, if they understand God’s laws as a set of oppressive rules to keep us from the fun that Satan is trying to offer to us. Satan is not a great humanist that wants us to enjoy ourselves. He hates God, and his work is to steal, kill, and destroy us. It is imperative that we move Christianity beyond a “stop, no, and don’t” proposition for our kids. This is to do injustice to God, to the life He envisions for us, and to our children.

So how does this work? It means that we don’t just tell kids that they shouldn’t have sex, or fall prey to materialism, or seek empty forms of pleasure, or drink, or do drugs, or go to parties. Rather, we should take a two-method approach.

The first part is to teach kids in detail the truth about the sins that the world holds so dear. They must understand that these sins that seem so attractive, normal, and fun are little more than Satan’s flypaper used to attract us in order that he can steal, kill, and destroy us. These things are not fun; they are perversions of the good things that God planned for us.

That leads us into the second aspect which is stressing the positives of God’s plan for His created beings. God created the concept of sex. He wants us to enjoy it, but just like anything else it is bound by laws. Sex was designed for marriage between a man and a woman; end of story. Any expression other than that is not fun. It is poison directly from the cabinet of Satan designed to look like fun. So it is with anything that looks like fun. Don’t try to hide the fact from kids that the things of the world look like fun. Tell them in detail how it will be presented by the world and how it will seem like fun. The reality of the world’s counterfeit endeavors needs to be presented as well. Every sin we can possibly imagine is nothing more than a perversion of the love of God that He wished to share with us. Choosing to act outside of God’s law is to settle for far less than the best from one who wants only to steal, kill, and destroy.





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[i] Porn Facts, http://www.xxxchurch.com/ (August, 2006)

[ii] Ibid.