Any questions or responses to these letters can send them to this email: alwaysreadyforchrist@gmail.com
I started this topic of Faith on its roots in definitions then showed how in American history how Faith in Christianity changed from an intellectual basis to just a conviction or feeling within the church. Now I want to share some stories of impact from this shift of how Faith changed in the church.
Frank Turek got an e-mail from a marine friend who told him about what happened to his daughter and it devastated him. His daughter was the top Christian student in her school and she got a scholarship from Campus Crusade for Christ. She decided to go to the university of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Six weeks into her first semester she called her dad and told him quote “Dad, I’m an atheist now I don’t believe in God anymore “ and her father responded what do you mean you don’t believe in God anymore so the father drove 4 hours the next weekend to talk to her and he got nowhere with her. basically told him that she heard a professor say that we don’t know who wrote what books in the Bible and the Bible has errors in it so she don’t believe anymore. Here’s a girl who was raised in a Christian family, went to church nearly every Sunday, was taught the Bible, and was a youth leader who wanted to bring people to Christ but was convinced in a mere six weeks the Bible is not reliable and she walked away from Christianity. This story is double troubling since the girl no longer believes in God but her father who should be spiritual leader in the family couldn’t give her reasons why the Bible is reliable to counter what she heard from the professor.
Professors don’t just say have “Faith” in what they say is true rather they give reasons which some sound true but are misleading. I will in another letter show how I trusted the Bible despite what some of these atheists professors say. Frank Turek gave this father some apologetic resources and Frank asked him if he read of it and he responded he never got around to it. Ouch! Why couldn’t he respond with answers to her since he went to church as well and probably read the Bible regularly. Should have the church helped him or her why the Bible is reliable all those years?!! Frank Turek says about 75% of youth after leaving the church and their families to attend universities walk away from Christianity. Not all 75% leave because of doubts but still a lot of them do walk away cuz their faith has been challenged by skeptical professors.
Here’s another story, Sean McDowell was at Christian youth camp and was doing he’s atheist role play to the audience who didn’t realize he was role playing and were rude to him. One girl quoted Psalms 14:1 “A fool says in his heart, “ There is no god!” and the crowd applauded her. Afterwards when everybody was gone, a young girl came to him and said “Thank you for doing your best to defend atheism.” Sean replied “thank you but why you say that?” She said “Because I’m an atheist myself.” Sean replied, “ok how you get here in this Christian camp?” She responded, “I’m a youth leader!” Sean goes, “What?! Am I missing something here?” She goes to explain that her family goes to church and she did believe before but she had some nagging doubts then she tried to ask questions they just deflected them. After a while she stopped believing but hasn’t told anyone yet just to Sean. Sean then asks “Why haven’t told anyone else?” Her answer blew Sean away “I’m afraid they will treat me like they did you tonight.” The last part of 1st Peter 3:15, “…with gentleness and respect” comes to mind on this.
From these stories is why I’m doing this, our youth needs answers and reasons to maintain their faith (beliefs with proof and reasons). I’m trying to provide you, adults, information to give them reasons the Bible is reliable and Christianity is true beyond the Bible. It is my sincere hope that you an adult who may be a parent, grandparent, brother or sister, uncle or aunt, a cousin, or just a mentor can relay this information to them to help secure their faith. I’m going to share another story In next letter and conclude my topic of “Faith”.