Wednesday, May 7, 2003
|
Wednesday, May 7, 2003 |
Landmark speaker examines youth truthRecently, Landmark Christian School offered Landmark parents and community guests a free seminar by noted author and speaker Josh McDowell. The seminar was based on McDowell's new book and global campaign, "Beyond Belief to Convictions," and was presented in partnership with Fayetteville's New Hope Baptist Church and Christian radio station J93.3. McDowell pointed out research that shows that what a person believes translates into behavior. In today's world, an adult's concept of what it means to believe in something is radically different from that of a youth. McDowell stated that the majority of our young people even the brightest and best, and those attending good Christian schools believe that the act of believing makes things true. Today's adult generation believes that truth exists independent of belief: truth is discovered. Today's youth believe that truth is created and that all truth is individual, personal opinion: your belief creates the truth. McDowell reminded his audience that when the parents of today were young, the culture supported the values and beliefs that were taught in churches and Christian homes. He explained that we need to raise our children differently than we were raised, because the culture is different. Today's culture seeks to destroy what is taught in churches and Christian homes. McDowell suggests that in order for our youth to understand truth, they need to see its effect on people's lives. In addition to the evening seminar, McDowell spent over 3 hours in a youth seminar for the students and guests of Landmark Christian School. McDowell met with Landmark's eighth through twelfth grade students and guests from home schools and area sister schools. His seminar was a rousing success in the minds of the students. What sets Josh McDowell apart from other speakers, according to the students? He speaks the truth. He tells it like it is. He connects. One Landmark senior said that he appreciated the fact that McDowell "speaks to us, not at us." McDowell told a personal and moving account of his own youth and eventual conversion to Christ after high school. McDowell stressed how his alcoholic father prompted much anger towards God on McDowell's part. Arriving at college a confirmed atheist, McDowell began to search for the truth about the Lord and the authenticity of the Bible. McDowell claims that the authenticity of the Bible was "evidence that demanded a verdict," and the Holy Spirit drew McDowell to the Lord. As McDowell shared these evidences, he provided the students with many of the apologetic answers that they were searching for. In his "Why True Love Waits" session, McDowell frankly and honestly spoke of the reasons God created sex, the worldview misconceptions which lead to abuses of this gift, and some of the ramifications of premarital sex. His passion for the purity of our youth was clear as he exhorted the students to remain pure, to seek to love in the way God has designed, and to make their dating relationships ones in which both partners come away encouraged and inspired to love the Lord more. McDowell definitely connected with the Landmark students. Many asked their parents to purchase them books at the evening seminar so that they could learn more from his clear communication. One student commented, "Josh McDowell was very frank with us. We needed that. We needed to hear what he had to say."
|
||