Will Koran-burning Pastor Miss the Perfect Opportunity?

 The little church that plans to burn the Koran on 9/11 will probably miss the perfect opportunity to demonstrate the difference between Christianity and Islam.  By heeding the pleas of Christian and governmental leaders not to burn Korans, this pastor and his church could demonstrate how the leaders of the “Ground-zero Mosque” project should act.  In both cases, thanks to our amazing freedom of religion, these clerics have the legal right to do such things, but they don’t have the moral right.  In both cases, it just isn’t the right thing to do.

Many of the founders of The United States were descendants of various Christian groups that moved to this new world to escape persecution.  They were strong in their belief that America should be a place where everyone could practice his own belief system.  They did not adopt this incredible concept of religious freedom because they personally thought all religions were equal.  They were dedicated believers in the Bible and in the person and work of Jesus Christ.  But they understood that freedom would allow all people to seek the truth, and would result in the continued growth of Christianity.

It is unfortunate that a small, independent church can give a false impression of what Christianity is to the rest of the world.  Many Christians are aware of the dangers posed by radical Islamic teaching and actions, and that these errors can be traced to the Koran. But burning the Koran will cause people who know little about true Christianity to hate and possibly even harm Americans.

If the little church does miss this opportunity to do the right thing, the rest of us need to do our own demonstration – by disclaiming their actions. I believe that, if this church does burn Korans, every pastor should condemn this action from the pulpit. I surely will! And I am encouraged by the disgust that has been expressed by Christian leaders. This, by the way, is another difference between the two religions. Very few “moderate Muslims” go out of their way to cry out against terrorist attacks and insensitive actions, like building a 13-story mosque near New York’s ground zero.

In the end, if for no other reason, the little church in Florida should follow Jesus’ own example in this matter.  Jesus did express anger, but it was outrage against the hypocrisy of the leaders of his own Jewish heritage.  He never organized a protest against the horrific false religions of his day.  Instead, he demonstrated the better way of love.

Dead Sea Scrolls at APU

I wish you all could be with us. At least you can come along on the Internet. We will post our impressions here from day to day (Starting Tuesday, May 25), and you can see pictures on Facebook as we go along.

What a time to be in Israel! There is constant news about the danger of war between Israel and her neighbors. If these aren’t the last days, I can’t imagine how things can get much more dramatic.

I always feel safe in Israel though. Statistically, we are much more likely to face danger in Los Angeles than in Israel. The Lord is in control of our lives isn’t He?

In the meanwhile, if you live near Azusa Pacific University in Southern California, you can treat yourself to an amazing exhibit of the history of the Bible and see their newly acquired fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls! It is almost as good as going to the Holy Land in person!

Treasures of the Bible: The Dead Sea Scrolls and Beyond!

Tour Pictures on Facebook

This hobby became a ministry about 12 years ago when I began to maintain a website for prophecy students and teachers. It is called “Prophecy Central”. And, praise the Lord, it has become one of the top websites on the subject. I have the privilege of serving up fresh information about prophecy every day, and thousands of people visit the site daily. It takes a little time – an hour or so every morning before breakfast, but it is worth it.

Over the years I have discovered a close connection between prophecy and another area of study called “apologetics”. Christian Apologetics is a defense of Biblical beliefs. It comes from the Greek word apologia, “to speak in favor of.” So anything that strengthens a Christian’s understanding and belief in the Bible or the Christian faith is a part of this vast area of study. Some of the major areas of apologetics are: Belief in God, Creation, The person and the work of Jesus Christ, the Resurrection of Christ, Proofs that the Bible is the inspired word of God, Archaeology, Prophecy, Comparison of Christianity with other religions, and Defense of Christianity against atheism, cults and false teaching in general.

I am happy to announce that after a couple of years of preparation, we have launched a “sister site” to Prophecy Central. It is called “Apologetics Central.” It is another resource on the Internet for serious Bible students. It has separate sections for the major topics of apologetics, lists of apologetics sites on the Internet, a growing list of writers and speakers who are “heroes of the faith,” and much more.

Under each topic we list Scriptures that relate to the subject, collect news about speakers, books, and conferences that relate to that subject, answer common questions about the topic, give a list of websites that deal with that issue, and provide links to other resources, including books and video clips.

Please check it out and let me know what you think. What could be added? What changes would you suggest to make it truly helpful to you?

Apologetics Central
www.apologetics-central.com

Prophecy Central
www.Bible-prophecy.com

Christian Apologetics is a description of the work that serious scholars do to provide answers to the tough questions we have about our faith. It comes from the Greek word apologia, “to speak in favor of.” It is a defense of the Bible and of Christian beliefs.

Before saying any more, let me agree with the old saying, “You don’t need to defend the Bible, you just need to use it.” In Ephesians 6:10-18, every piece of armor except one is used for protection. Items like the breastplate, the shield and the helmet are defensive. But one piece is used for offense, and that is the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God!

On the other hand, seekers and followers of Christianity have a right to know the reasons why the Bible stands alone as the one holy book in the world that is completely true and trustworthy. Skeptics can bring up some serious questions that ought to be answered. Great Christian authors from Augustine to C.S. Lewis have provided eloquent answers to these objections to the Christian faith. And today we are fortunate enough to have the ongoing wisdom of many “defenders of the faith” like Josh McDowell, Lee Strobel, and Ravi Zacharias.

Apologetics Central lists about 20 of these heroes, and gives some basic information about each one of them and how you can reach their websites and obtain their resources. Many others will be added soon. In addition to the well-known leaders in this field, there are literally hundreds of sites on the Internet that you might want to visit to understand the essence of Christian belief or for help with various questions about evolution, atheism, cults, and other false teaching. We list many of them for your convenience.

Bible Prophecy is just one branch of the immense subject of apologetics. We are grateful for the privilege of starting this project and of sharing it with you. It will grow gradually, just as Prophecy Central has done over the years. Please pray that it will be beneficial to Christians. We would be honored to have you visit the site. And you can click on “Comments” below to give us your reactions and suggestions.

Apologetics Central
http:www.apologetics-central.com