Teaching Christians to Become Thinkers
and Thinkers to Become Christians
It is an exciting time to be a Christian, but in many ways it is also more difficult. Not since the days of the Roman Empire have Christians faced so many attacks and challenges to their faith. Yet Jesus of Nazareth has never been more popular, proven by the fact that there are more Jesus fol- lowers today than ever before, expanding at a rate of seventy thousand new converts per day.1
Within this delicate balance I followed the calling of God to launch Christian Thinkers Society within the cut and thrust of a world becoming increasingly secular, but also more pluralistic—strikingly similar to the first-century world that gave rise to nascent Christianity. CTS is a ministry serving the church, dedicated to inspire Christians and pastors to become thinkers, and thinkers to become Christians.
The church has been reticent to tackle the trending, unanswered ques- tions posed by people in our pews, avoiding the intersection of culture and the Bible. Every generation faces challenges—a crucial calling of their time. We are no different. For Christians today, a great and urgent chal- lenge lies in this: many believers know little of the Bible and still less of theology—the “first things of faith.” On their journeys through life, they meet skeptics who object to Christianity. Yet knowing little of the Bible and its guiding tenants, let alone its story, and failing the biblical call to “always be ready to give a defense” (1 Peter 3:15 nkjv), they find themselves unready and ill-equipped to explain why they believe what they believe. What is more, many Christians—particularly those in the age group of 18–34—are falling away from faith, becoming what the media refers to as “nones” (no religious belief).
Amid this disconcerting data, perhaps the most worrisome and per- sistent trend is that of growing biblical illiteracy among North American youth raised in church settings. Knowing little of Christianity and its great Sourcebook, their faith and commitment withers, like a vine deprived of refreshing water, good soil, and sunlight. Over time, they become “de- converted”—a tragic scenario, too often repeated. CTS is not only commit- ted to turning back the tide of biblical illiteracy, but we are also committed to responding to the frequent literary vandalism and misrepresentation of the Bible, which can pull our faith into a cultural melee.
Yet, amid these daunting challenges, one fact remains: people are hun- gry for substantive answers to their questions and doubts. CTS is a min- istry at the forefront of fostering biblical literacy—deeply committed to following Christ’s call for believers to love the Lord with all their heart, soul, and mind. (See Matthew 22:37.) At the same time, seeking friend- ship with all questioners and skeptics, CTS thoughtfully challenges them to “doubt their doubts.” The two-fold mission of CTS is this: to commend “first things of faith” within the church, and to offer cogent “reasons for hope” to those outside the church. Through a compelling array of interactive
events, cutting-edge technology, and the leadership of gifted, caring speak- ers, CTS is committed to one central goal: to create a respectful setting in which atheists, agnostics, seekers, and believers can feel safe to ask life’s greatest questions. Therefore, I have dedicated my life to attempting to answer the unanswered questions within our faith.
This is an excerpt taken from Chapter 1 of Unanswered. If you would like to read the entirety of the book you can purchase it here:
Unanswered:Lasting Truth For Trending Questions
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