How do We Develop Biblical Worldview?

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Here is the founder and chairman of the America foundation, Dr. Chris college Mid-America Baptist theological seminary walk about what we talk every day about the worldview and show it all you know that we wanted you to develop a biblical worldview and did take that into the world as you represent Jesus in worldview is just the land through which we see the world as Christians we should see the world for the length of the Bible that can be hard today day in high school, particularly in college. Hard to find a college reading go to school and know that you're grounded in God's word and learn about the sufficiency of Scripture and the seeing the world through the lens of the Bible I guess today is Dr. Michael Spradlin Dr. Spradlin I love you but I got know if you want to go either preacher is a Bible teacher either church plan or a former missionary military chaplain. I learned that he played the trombone and he is a marathon runner for those you see me speaking at conferences, you short fat guy is not a marathon runner, but you my hero. I like to be like him so maybe he can give you some training tips along the way but each chair of the evangelism department is a professor of evangelism and church history, and he is the president of a college and seminary called Mid-America college and Mid-America Baptist theological seminary. Dr. Spradlin, thank you so much for joining us on the Christian perspective today will Chris. It is an honor to be on the show. I'm so excited to be here and that we love what you are doing your ministry citizens for America. It's really a fantastic ministry program and it's really a treat to get to be with you and to spend some time with you and your listeners today.

Well thank you and for that you don't know. We are greatly open up our national headquarters on the campuses of Mid-America and they are just a great and growing Christian institution right outside of of Memphis, Tennessee a great place to get barbecue or great, learn about Lord.relevant but we start talking about who tells a little bit about your background you sent so many different thing felt little bit about who you are. Okay so and I go by Mike and Mary to Leanne we have three children, David Thompson, Laura all are grown are two older boys are married, our daughter, Laura, is engaged to be married later in 2022. And so, but we are. We think of ourselves regular family, but I do do a lot of activities but I grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas. After was born in Ohio but Little Rock is is how my parents are still living in there.

There and so we went to high school to college with the Baptist College in Arkansas at the time it wasn't really strong Bible believing school. It's much better today than it was back then, and that really kind of compelled me to seek you a school that was a little little stronger on Scripture and so that's that's what drew me as a student to Mid-America. I was called to preach at the age of 16 had been saved at 15, a teenager friends at school invited me to go to a church and it was a small sub Baptist Church on the outskirts of Little Rock, Arkansas, and therefore there is such an important point that I want our listeners to hear. You said and and I is fully just nailed it. Somebody invited you to church. You got saved as a result of that and that's something I really encourage people to do today. Not many people invite their friends and coworkers are people he go to school with go to church yelling is so important you know anybody can invite somebody to say hey were having a youth gathering old and happy third church or we have separate church on Wednesday night literally inviting somebody to church and can really change the lives in many people come to Jesus because that mean interrupt you, but it just jumped out of you such an important thing that we need to do is invite others to come to church. I'm sorry, go ahead now know that and that was it was a huge thing because church was really on our radar. My family there very involved in church now that they were out of church time and so some friends said come with us and it was the kind of the youth event and I heard the pastor preach and I really don't remember the sermon, but I just knew that there was something terribly wrong in my life and then over the next few weeks I realized I needed Jesus and so Ed Edmonson was the name of this pastor and he let me to Christ after after Sunday night church service became over talk to me and he said would you just answer the question. Do you know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior and I said no sir, but I really want to bless just talk any talk with me and we got on her knees and prayed and best thing that ever happened to me well what a testimony so important also for pastor that I know you're the business of training pastors down. I know you do this at your seminary, but a lot of seminaries are not teaching pastors today to intentionally share the gospel of Jesus Christ. I don't just preacher. Good sermon, but always, always, every time I preach Doug's well I know you probably do this to. I always give somebody the opportunity to get to know the Lord, because you never know how the Holy Spirit might be moving at that moment and it is important for pastors to always give an intentional invitation to allow others to have the opportunity to come to know Jesus. I think that is a really really good point and yes you know we preach the gospel.

We preach the Bible which preach the truth of God, but want to make it clear because when we see our Lord Jesus in ministry in the Gospels and we see on the apostles in acts there inviting people to come to Christ and so they're not just preaching and ending at their their giving that call it's I think it's important. So I was saved I surrendered to preach at the age of six. Damon started preaching. Then and so been a wonderful thing on I'm very thankful that those early sermons have been lost to history of no one ever finds them to be pretty embarrassed you.

You didn't have to worry about what build Internet faculty that's exactly right. Though, thank you for that. But with the Mid-America got a master of divinity and a PhD degree in Old Testament in Hebrew. It.

And so, when and when is a church planter with the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist convention called the Home Mission Board back in the day did that for several years and then came back in the early 90s to join the faculty at Mid-America, our founder Dr. Allison invited me to come back and then after a year on faculty. Our main campus in Memphis Tennessee. I was asked to pray about moving to head up our work in New York in upstate New York at time at a residential campus there and so we lived there for three years and then when our founder retired build the Lord just to put it on the board heart. I was invited the second president. So I've been president for a little over 24 years now. While I was in school actually found Mid-America was started in 1972. There'd been a group of men that have been praying probably for a decade that there would be a school that really emphasized personal evangelism that this idea works are required not just the subject in one class, but it's part of the culture. The whole school and this burden to take the gospel to the nations, would become a part of the culture of the school as well and so this vision that they had an and Dr. Gray, Allison was a great visionary and great leader.

It was really something. The Lord put them in his heart he is been real revival another seminary been involved with, which was a great tool and integrates and he had seen what happened when the canopy instituted this this practical missions program.

This requirement that you share the gospel.

On average once a week and it with the word of God in a genuine attempt to lead someone to Christ, and so so he thought that that that school. He kinda moved away from that, he thought, you know, somebody needs to pick up that mantle, and eventually, after years of praying with some other people that were like minded they felt like will be the start of school, and so in 1972 Mid-America Baptist theological seminary was started richly in Little Rock, Arkansas for very different reasons. A church there invited the school to use the facilities and then Adrian Rogers, who was a long time pastor at Bellevue Baptist Church of Memphis talk to Dr. Allison Ash and pray about moving the seminary to Memphis and so 1975.

The school relocated to Memphis to purchase some facilities in the downtown Memphis area and and then as they say the rest is history. Well, what one historian got really opened up opportunities for you optically with a connection to Dr. Adrian Rogers who is just one of my heroes. One of the greatest teachers. I think that ever lived in a strong man of God. What a testimony to what he is doing it, even though he's been dead for many years. His radio ministry is still a powerful and playing around the world really today as many pastors learn from his style preaching and in the importance of evangelism for daughters relic so when the campus is moved to Memphis at that time you were still just a seminary right is correct so that time it was just a seminary. We did have an undergraduate degree from the beginning and Associates degree for somebody that maybe it was called the ministry later in life and then you know wanted to come get some theological education but couldn't go all the way through and get a Masters degree. We always had that and then we had and that a little bit but it was brilliant just in the last five years that we moved into more a college degree.

And so even though it's one institution we function as a theological seminary for people that are headed for vocational ministry.

We also now have the college Mid-America and expand our offerings and we hope that and have it proven true the colleges up a feeder for the seminaries. People want to going to graduate theological education they can they can go right here and so it's been a it's been a real great blessing and we been able to expand some of our degree offerings, and even though we try to focus on the main things up Christian studies, business, organizational leadership, biblical counseling will probably add new degrees to the college in the future. We have a full range of seminary degrees all the way through the PhD program and so it's been a great thing just to see what God is done. The degrees are all fully accredited and offered knowledge residentially but online as well because that's that's working world is moving. I'm glad you pointed out there accredited because a lot of people listening.

I think have the impression that Christian education is not as good or not accredited, that's simply not true. You have a great institution there and you are accredited and your students are coming out are really changing the world.

It's so exciting. I mean we feel so personally invested in our graduate and and watching them go around the world.

Around the country and a lot of times are graduates that they're not headed for maybe the biggest name churches, but there headed for places that don't have the gospel and that's one of things that that's a real joy for is just seeing this this passion to take the gospel to the end of the earth to go anywhere. Others don't want to go but they want to go and they want us to preach and teach a minister in those places.

Maybe some of the house. This show is brought to you by generous jokes coffee company with the Christian perspective, this is the answer that Christians and conservatives have been looking for a coffee company that gives back to causes you care about. Order your copy today at shop generous Joe's daughter and even subscribe to a subscription coffee plan and never forget you or causes you care about locking the fixed at 15 feet of Bible come to life and I joined nationally for radio host and found a foundation to create life changes when the world of meaning channel from all over the world's religious clutter Christianity's most tragic type like the wailing rock down the winding alleyways of Nancy's own hands and place that I think is very Jewish porches see first-hand the Bible to claim touring Israel with Dr. Chris Hughes travel out of their financing foundation.com for an unforgettable trip last a lifetime time creating their relationship range hearing is going to American the Panama Canal zone was acquired for $10 million by the United States on this day February 23, 1904 in his address to Congress president William Taft referred to it thing. Our defense of the Panama Canal together with our enormous world trade in our missionary outpost on the frontiers of civilization require us to recognize our position as one of the foremost in the family of nations. Pres. Taft continued.

We was cold ourselves with sufficient naval power to give weight to our influence in those directions of progress powerful Christian nation. Transcript: argumentative 1888. If you're just going to yesterday's Dr. Michael.Mid-America bed theological seminary based in Memphis, Tennessee, and he's been tells a little bit about the history of the school route. Now when I talk to you a little bit about online learning because I know as I have two kids in college right now and after March 2020 when when Copen went crazy in school started sending people home. I'm not sure if you all for people home or your students date but really the world of education changed in many ways because students had to begin Lord on Leiden. You're the past.

I think it was kind of a negative feeling in years past of online learning is not the case anymore really can get a great education but from what I've learned. Mid-America was really ahead of the curve with online learning.

Can you tell us a little bit about your online program and how things change after Copen. Yet in 2020 and and what people can expect with online learning in the future will yeah I'm not sure we were ahead of the curve because there some other great institutions that really pioneered online learning that the old back in the old days of the been around long time now that you mail order education was was what was really look down upon and things like that but but distance learning has growing credibility and and for a lot of different reasons because we live in a much more checks at the age and things like that and also many other factors but we had moved into online learning because there was a demand for it and we were trying to reach a wider audience and so so we've been involved with online learning. It had our degree programs already accredited or hundred percent online delivery and so when the pandemic first hit and the regional health department began to ask people to shut down. We did, we did close down a residential programming that that initial love part of the pandemic. And so, so we finished out the semester online and then that fall we came back residentially, but we have a lot of safety protocols in place with distancing and and unmasking things like that and so those those are now more recommendations than in requirements but but we were already online. Very thankful that we were because it really celebrated this trend to people getting an education online.

I will say this for ministry training. Where were people skills are really important work were still a little concerned that that there's something about mentoring people, and the discipling aspect of theological education, especially that that in person approach is very very necessary even with our online learning in the Northeast where we continue to have a presence. We have a program we have a mentor that meets with our online student and to just kind of Biot may be up for the pastoral help for them and they don't settle for not helping them with their homework, but we call it the mentored online virtual education, MO, PE or move and and I will excited to see that developed because it kind of gives you online learning in the accessibility there also that personal touch, which is still important. Yes and I agreed strictly for pastor.

You know they need to learn about it, interact with people and level people rent and in with the program that you are discussing our first segment your talk about how are you a requirement. I guess that is how unique to your college and your seminary students witness and that's hard to do it for online you think it's better to be together and be with your colleague go out in groups and telling others about Jesus.

Do you still have campers that you mentioned you have a presence Northeast you have branch campuses around the country. So at the moment were just online Northeast. We had a branch campus there but with all of our degrees being online. We moved all the students over 200% virtual and so that we might on occasion have a Michael a teaching site. We offer a class or something like that. But but the moment we just focus on our main campus, Memphis, Tennessee at the residential approach and then you can access our online materials from anywhere in the world and so so that's that's really been where we kept that focus yeah well I know a big part of your curriculum just walk around campus and talking with some of the students in thing and something to hang on the walls there that your main campus in Memphis.

The biblical worldview is a big part of what you're trying to teach her students at that Mid-America and the big focus of our ministry as citizens for America foundation as well as tried to encourage Christian to develop a biblical worldview and then to take that worldview into the world, and specifically our case were trying to encourage people to take that to the arena, public policy and politics try to change the legislation things that are going on in our country right now. What will biblical worldview take in and what's happening at Mid-America are your professors intentional about biblical worldview. What are y'all doing it and how do you do so worldview behind it. You seek to me it it's what you do. So important because if you're helping people see things from God's point of view and that is where you have this understanding of Scripture guides our thinking, not whatever is considered to be the popular trends of the day or whatever.

It also allows you to analyze these things in the world to know which things are actually contrary to the word of God and so worldview to me is the application of knowing the Bible it it's it's good to know all the facts. The Bible that's great, but the problem is is that if you have a lot of vital information but it doesn't affect your life doesn't affect your worldview what you got. And so this is why what you like ministry like yours and is so important because you're helping to equip people bring their a into their their world into to realize that that culture is simple because is made up of simple people. And so, but what's the solution.

The solution is Scripture and so we want to make all of our classes really focused on this is that how to live as a believer in a world in a sense, every New Testament Christian today is a cross-cultural missionary because we live in a counter Christian culture. It's it's not just a different it's actually negative it.

It's not Christianity is the problem in some people's mind is how you how you deal with that how you live in the public square. How do you engage with others in politics or business and and maintain your faith and function and also be a witness for Christ and all that so you're right it's really really important, and it's probably where one at work.

Christianity in the North American, especially the US is really been weakest.

Because we do not engage the public square, adequately with with what scriptural principles are yeah I think that's a huge problem in our country right now in your the Bible and Jesus says upon this rock will I build my in in your figure I'll ask you I was talking last week that was no Pastor Rob for years that pastor out in California and in Rob is pastor of Calvary Chapel church in an account California restrictions. Once the epidemic that and were just crazy and I were allowed to meet and Rob continued to meet at his church and he was actually the mayor of the town and had to resign because he made a decision that he was now stand on what the Bible said, not necessarily what the government was saying at that time and he was threatened with going to jail and was at home but Rob says that that verse where Jesus says upon this rock I will build that the word is equitably and I know the euro Old Testament scholar and and some of the Old Testament languages in Rob interpretation of that is not the necklace he is not the church with the public square. Would you agree with or disagree with what he says? I don't know the New Testament Greek word echo C which it it does have a secular media gathering so the word a lot of Bible words had a regular meeting before the development of a religious meeting and so so equity it doesn't necessarily translate church New Testament, but in its original, you know, older Greek. It was used of a get together and it it was used of a public gathering. I would just say that I understand his point, but I think that my understanding would be that we talk about, I will build my church on the rock that is still talking about the body Christ the fellowship of believers that the word itself does have that that idea in its ancient meaning, but that was used in the New Testament is pretty clear you're talking about, you know this. This this gathering our congregation.

Lysing of believers and that that was the word which appears over hundred times the New Testament and almost every time it's it's a congregation of believers somewhere you know the church at Philippi. The church at Thessalonica. The church at know this place of the other.

There couple times with generically used church discipline.

Matthew 18 of somebodies and sandal that you gone to the process and then they won't look at what you do take it to the church and so the idea there is you.

You're using that word in a generic sense, but is still a body believers. I would still hold out a little strongly on the gathering of believers and not necessarily public square in the New Testament right but Rob uses that as a discussion point.

When he traveled around the country and speaks what they call pastor gatherings present current pastor to engage in their community and I think what he time making that God, the Bible, the Lord Jesus intended for his followers to be involved in the community, not just for the church to be like some some country club religious back at you get out on your community and be a witness and in your community and it was discouraging as I travel around the country. I see a lot of pastors are and I know you're training your future pastors in the different manner. A lot of pastors never get out of the there not know in the founding of our nation. I know you teach a lot of history as well. Study history know a lot of our founding pastors in the founding of this nation were involved in encouraging the their members to engage in the culture and to get involved. They were part of something called the Black robed Regiment work your literary, historical instances were pastor to get up and preach a sermon and encourage their men in their congregation to engage in the culture.

It appeared leading up to the Revolutionary war would take off your black robe, wars, pastors, and have a military uniform on underneath them in a minute will come back. I want to talk you little bit more about whether or not pastor should be engaged in their community were talking with Dr. Michael Spradlin is the pastor of Mid-America Baptist theological seminary in Memphis to see women talking about right America strong Christian heritage truly important role in God and the Bible is performing bargaining journey having read much of America's Christian heritage and how it evolved over the government and the mental health kind of public knowledge. The creator about the creation of the mounting joint. This show is brought to you by generous Joe's coffee company with the Christian perspective, this is the answer that Christians and conservatives have been looking for a coffee company that gives back to causes you care about. Order your copy today at shop generous Joe's.and even subscribe to a subscription coffee plan and never forget you or causes you care about the conservative Baptist network is a dynamic movement of Southern Baptist pastors and churches and Christians committed to standing for the sufficiency of God's word in the face of a culture of compromise, passion and prayer of the conservative Baptist network that God would help Southern Baptist staple for the gospel so that we might see revival in America in the Christ.

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Really grown to love you a neat man. He is the president of Mid-America bag theological seminary. I don't know yet what I think the president of the married I think of all the old guy… Well it is down to earth. God really rooted in God's word and were honored to have him here with us today. We took a break we were talking about biblical worldview and really get into whether pastors and Christians should be engaged in in the public arena part of what I do a travel around the country and encourage pastors to get involved in their in their communities. I was before the breakout talking about the Revolutionary war. At that time pastors will really leaders in their community. People knew they were but I travel the country today.relevant a lot of pastors are not know in their community. Do you see that with the pastors that you interact with. I think it's a great point.

I think that it's not about the boat and answer some pastors that are just very involved. I'm thinking of one pastor. In fact, he just he just went home to heaven just a few months ago in a very sudden thing, but but in file again preaching at his church. Just talk to so many people he without the community was visiting people and unity with he would help somebody with some problem in their yard that a tree problem or needed a ride and you just all over the place and just to me that the model what a great pastor.

This was more about our world area and so there there may be some pastors that are kind of insulated and isolated things like that but I think your point is really good. One pastor need to be out in the community, not just as a pastor, though, that the Christian role as Christians were supposed to be salt and light as I really think that where we we sometimes fail.

We think pastor at your job to go out gospel really that's the Christians job and you do that as a Christian as a pastor is not part of your job description it just as a believer in Jesus, you should be out of the public where and yes if your pastor as well. That's good, but it's not just because your pastor, you should be out there because that's what the Lord Jesus commands all his followers to do that is a great point and I would encourage the fee if you're listening and sandlot only know how to get involved in my community post every community pretty much had various civic organizations like the Rotary club or the Qantas club or the Lions Club and usually those groups meet for either breakfast or lunch so and in most cases you would have to take much time off work and you going to have a speaker each week. I would encourage you and I would specifically encourage pastors but really all of you to join one of these organizations is a great learning REDUCTION well you spoke in his family club every week there is a guest speaker you just learned so much about the needs of the community what's going on he community and you also get to meet people who may not be part of your church, but I felt what happens is many times if you go to these organizations. Yogesh sooner or later provided by the death of the family are family get cancer or whatever and and make it someone is never been to church before. They don't even know a pastor but because you're part of your civic organization then then they when they have a need will come to you and give you an opportunity to witness to them dear pastor friend of mine is going to be able for mail Spradlin his name was Jack and pastor Jack told me that we need to build friendship bridges with people in our community and we build a friendship bridges.

It gives us the opportunity then to share the gospel with them because they trust us because we become friends with them. I think that's great point, I would say this to you about getting involved in community is not follow your passion and share the gospel as you go. So like, it's not a lot of hobbies I do have a lot of hobbies and and your hobbies can turn into gospel conversations I do like you run like trail running and some long-distance things like that and there's a you know and usually every aerators of running community involvement to stop it and that you find out that you have the bridges known essentially to share the gospel have an avenue to share the gospel and and other other activities or hobbies and so there's something you're interested in whether it's civic organization or something like that.

The thing I found is that that's really the way to go out and be salt and light. There's an old term marketplace evangelism is back when everybody had to go into the town market to buy their food and so you are kind of interacting with people and so as you're living your life you're sharing the gospel as you go and this is really the kind of the theme of the book of acts as the early Christians were just talking about Jesus everywhere they are and I think that we have lost a little bit sometimes as Christians we feel like that you know this is mean old world is out to get us.

We just need to kinda keep quiet.

Keep her head down and that way will be safe until the Lord calls us home or comes to get us and I think that's the mistake we make.

We need to be interacting with people and sharing our faith because part of our story. And if you got something good that happened in your life you know you want to share that with somebody else and and there's so many people around us that are desperately lost their hurting their their lonely there struggling there.

They've made some really bad life choices in their pain consequences. They don't they don't know how to escape, and we have the answer but they don't know how to ask the question they don't notice. I hate you anything spiritual that can help me change my life. So that's why we have to engage those gospel conversations. But you're right as pastors and is as Christians we need to be out in our community and whatever your activities or hobbies or whatever those are opportunities for us to start gospel conversations. I think that's a really really good point yet. I would also encourage your listeners to get involved in the news overlap will think the eight monsters been a lot of talk about parents going to school board meetings and bears getting arrested for the conduct of school board meetings and I agree that we need to be in involved in our children's education. But if we been involved in our community like your talk about Dr. Spradlin before an issue like that arises then the elected officials that we want to talk to me much more inclined to listen to us. So I would encourage all of our listeners not pastors, Christians and everybody to get to know the elected officials in your area you're with. If you have a city Council town Council maybe have a mayor everybody listing of County commissioners lab school board members and I go to those meetings periodically in my community.

When I'm in town and I would just encourage you to go. If you have children to take them as well is an eye-opening experience because hardly anybody is ever there when these meetings are going so you don't wait to you're mad about an issue like something is being taught in school, you have a relationship with these leaders in your community. They need prayer just like anybody else.

So I would encourage our listeners and and pastors and even future pastors. The drawer training at Mid-America Dr. Spradlin to encourage them to get to know their school board mesh members in our County commission members. I bet that most of our listeners who are Christians who think they're above the community and most of our pastors cannot name probably even one or two school board members are County commission members, but if you go, those being the important thing is not for you to know who they are for them to know you and know that you're praying for them sent send them a little note encouraging them to say I am. I just want you know I'm praying for you periodically are open to meeting and just let them know you're praying not always being mad about something. But letting you know that you letting them know that you love them so as you said Dr. Spradlin real build that bridge that you have the opportunity to share the gospel. II think the church is really dropped the ball with evangelism in recent years. That's why I'm so excited about what you're doing Mid-America were you requiring students to go out and lead other people with with a an intention to tell them about Jesus and we've got to do that, not just pastors but every Christian. We have a responsibility tell people about Jesus.

If we believe that he's coming again soon and I do it. We need to tell everybody we see that he's coming and how they connect the saving grace that only comes from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I agree with that completely. I think it's a great point to. I think that that sometimes as believers we failed our politicians maybe we can we reach out to politicians that we know is a very vocal Christian, but all of our politicians on the base they need to know what are the views of their community or their constituency and and they need to know that there people whether they want the prayer or not.

I think you're right we had missed an opportunity and then you know it's it's just human nature.

If somebody only talks you when they're mad about something. Eventually that loses its effectiveness.

Could you think, well, that's the angry group and in your you really don't get a hearing. If you only are there to argue or complaint or whatever whatever the issue is I think that's really good point that that when you build a relationship and down and you reach out in these type of things. I think that's where and when you have a concern or complaint you you probably get a better hearing. So I think that's a really good point you nonobvious are not aware of all that goes along with different school board meetings and things like that but I just know that for many they feel like that if I get involved in the public square and I'm a born-again Christian with strong Bible believing convictions that wow would be a target to be attacked and so so it's it's really something that we need to encourage people to get involved in our community.

If we don't let, but he also step in and lead in our place yeah you mentioned even a while ago when your talk about witnessing in the marketplace. A lot of Christians are scared to do that to clean this day and age with what we have now is called to cancel culture where we shot it down or ridiculed if you take a stand for Jesus and that's a real problem in our country today, many Christians are being quiet because they're afraid of what can happen then be canceled out by others.

I agree and that the cancel culture is is top and read that she gets really it's always difficult to swim against the current and so if when the current strongly moving in one way, I think you brought up a good point earlier about you know swing up with social media now.

Used to be that maybe you people complaining about something in my never know it. You know, unless they they talk you directly but now with social media like dislikes.

Whatever you can find out there's a lot of feedback. In fact, there are some people that even use that for part of their strategy.

They tried to make sure that that a lot of people you know are are negative on something to make it look like there's a building you know societal flow in a certain area. Everybody want yesterday don't want that to put pressure on us in and in human nature. It were all people, and sometimes it's hard to overcome that.

Yeah, that's right.

We have to take a commercial break. Talk to Dr. Marcus Brown for understanding plan for Mid-America be right back for individual in a world you points of voice condition after a financial problem. Only one voice matters diets at the college at Mid-America Mid-America seminary.

We equip leaders to think for me, biblical worldview, online or on our Memphis campus.

Check out the college at Mid-America and Mid-America Baptist theological seminary@mabts.edu and be equipped like the way this show is brought to you by generous Joe's coffee company with the Christian perspective, this is the answer that Christians and conservatives have been looking for a coffee company that gives back to causes you care about. Order your copy today at shop generous Joe's.and even subscribe to a subscription coffee plan and never forget you or causes you out time creating their relationship and hearing is going. The United States of America has a strong Christian heritage truly important role in God and the Bible is Dr. performing bargaining journey having read much of America's Christian heritage is and how it evolved over the government and the men kind of public knowledge. The creator about the creation of the mounting joint yesterday, the president of Mid-America Debbie theological seminary, Memphis, Tennessee. If you have a writing mood and her high school student in your family. I encourage you to tell them about Mid-America college in Mid-America Baptist theological seminary is a great Christian institution you know today there so much for all the world today kids go away to college you, George Barna, who is a pollster does a lot of work in the church and studies Christians in their behaviors is found nearly 80% of young people today go away to college and then they turn away from the Christian faith, and that is something that we've got a put into that. We need to be intentional in sending our kids to Christian institutions or I would encourage you to take a look at one of the best schools in the country.

Mid-America Baptist theological seminary and Mid-America college.

Great great tool in its place where you might want to send your child or grandchild to go and learn more about how they can develop a biblical worldview and the take it out of the world relevant for the break. We will talk about cancel culture. If you experience this. I know it's gotta be hard. I would think is a Christian institution. In this day and age when so many people are trying to shut you down for your beliefs and and I'm just wondering any made-up dog but understand if you're not, but if you think that I know you are both very involved in the Southern Baptist convention and there's been shot.

Not really a war but there's been a trend among some colleges in the southern Baptist world of not seeing the inerrancy of Scripture, bringing in critical race theory.

Have there been forces that are trying to get you to teach critical race theory it Mid-America or maybe you be canceled in other areas because of your strong stance on the on the Bible. I would say this, there are times when our views bring up controversy and things like that. The constituency of Mid-America which are our alarms which many of them are serving and in church leadership, pastors, missionaries really that group is not putting pressure on the people that are good, generous donors the seminary they appreciate what the school stands for, usually with it might be some other entity and we had a few occasions where people tried to put pressure on her or to build pressure to do something or not do something, but typically for me in the old will I figure if somebody wants to solve a problem you know they can call me or they can contact me directly if you're not really a problem solver in your troublemaker is making trouble. It's hard to really engage that is not productive. It's not beneficial they're not really looking for resolution. Sometimes there are honest disagreements and you need to communicate directly and we had a few occasions where people chosen to use social media to communicate, but I really don't right in engage that even though he didn't really care much about social media.

Dr. Gray, Allison, founding president was so wise and talking to him as a as a new president many years ago we just said you know some people just like to criticize or to criticize you no matter what anything to you if you went and asked somebody's advice was that the criticism and so that that's been kind of a good thing for me and the other thing he said was a morgue, will guard your reputation. As much as he wants to and so so we really don't want to get into what does the world think about what is even the community, or the convention. It's like is the more please. And if it works please that needs to be enough arrested is almost in idolatry you want attention, affection, or for affirmation.

We really want to avoid difficult many things happen. I try to think about it okay is the criticism ballot. Is there some validity to it that we need to address that usually if they haven't try to communicate directly. There's really not much you can do there been times and people how to describe the school and and Dave asked me to come meet with them alive but invited them over and we talked and even at the end of the day. We didn't agree, but we had a great time talking through it I there's an old Adrian Rogers statement that he would say probably was an original with him that we don't have to agree. We just have to be agreeable is talking on the context of the church and that's kind of how I like to live life is will have to read you your view is valid it. I knew I thought you like to hold your view may not agree with it but but that's part of life is that we have differences and so if you have a different of you, that's fine.

But if you want to solve the problem. Indicate in a problem-solving like if you just trying to stir up trouble. Well, you know, we just pray for you and I do pray for people that do try to involve things in controversy is preformed there in the Lord's hand, but I know that ultimately the judge will take care of all that. You're so wise with you but to give. And we have to be agreeable, like Dr. Roger said that's a real problem not just in the world today, but even within the body right is people seem to forget that we can still have differences, but we don't have to be mean to each other about it. We can be exactly one area where I think culture is really going after churches. If you face this is in the sufficiency of Scripture. There are so many who claim to be pastors today don't leave the air give the word of God. They don't believe the Bible is sufficient for us. Do you have an emphasis on the sufficiency of Scripture.

It Mid-America and really, what does that mean is an institution where you teaching people. If you are teaching that I would say that working on the marriage of Scripture. Trees are no mistakes in the Bible the other side of that it's not just the say. I believe the Bible. It's the put it in the practice is living out in a sense it. The there's the inerrancy question is it true which amazingly there a lot of people that affirm inerrancy of the idea that you, I believe that you still practice and so this agency of Scripture is been a really big issue and that's where Scripture sufficient another word will have used worldly methods to solve marital problems and so whether it's in life, community, politics, counseling, all these things, the principles of Scripture are sufficient for the not only true, but we really should fly the Bible in our lives. So I think another thing that I noticed is that there are so many and they could be in in church leadership at times to it's not that they're really not. Thank you. I know what the Bible says that is going to do something different. A lot of time there really not that familiar with the Bible and sometimes all was the somebody, not Mr. Lee southern Baptist, but I hear them speaking about something I think you know there's some passages of Scripture that really address this very issue and I just wonder even know about it and I think that illiteracy might be kind of 1/3 part of this this discussion, I think you brought a really good point. There is inerrancy Bible is true. There sufficiency.

It applies illiteracy.

I just don't know the Bible is not that they can't read, it's just that they're not familiar not really immersed in Scripture. The book of Proverbs has no much wisdom about how to live life but you gotta read and you know if you read it you get the wording you and the Holy Spirit will use that to live out your life and so I'm more concerned I think in some cases about just a lack of knowledge of the principles of Scripture. Not all the background, not the archaeology is not all, of that type of stuff is just that you know the word in the word and you want to understand all of it. Other sections of the book of Ezekiel that that you know I'm still stumped by but I believe it will either true, but there's enough in the Bible to keep us busy living for Christ and that that's what I think though is is really missing is that biblical knowledge you hit the nail on the head and that is such a problem in our country really around the world today, but between the United States were other colleges and universities and high schools and even an elementary school today. Our children are being bombarded with information telling them that no born baby is just a blob of flesh, that is not a living be being created in the image of God work are being taught that God didn't necessarily intend for you to be one of two genders. I think Facebook now has over hundred 50 choices just as crazy make on what your gender selection and be there so many things in culture today in young people don't know how to argue the point, or even the end of their faith because as you said, most Christians do not read the Bible on a daily basis.

Most never most people to go to church, never read the Bible at all. George Barna says that faithful churchgoers want to in America attends church once every three Sundays and over 90% of pastors who claim to be evangelical pastors a states of America today never address the issues like abortion on the sexuality, gender, marriage being created the image of God in their sermon so if a young person, or anyone goes to church today. If there if you're not reading the Bible. They don't know what the Bible says and then if they go to church or a pastor never addresses those issues. We have a whole generation of people today who don't know how to defend their faith because they're not rooted in the word of God and it's a real problem in America today. I think that's good point. I agree with that because I think that this is why that when we get it to the marketplace of ideas. Yes some people that are like, well, you got your opinion about abortion, not my thing about abortion. In my opinion, is informed by emotions or circumstances or whatever, but we haven't done a good job of building a biblical case and informing them of this is not my view, my opinion my my theory. This is revealed truth from God and it's in the Bible and in that way. I think we we sometimes we lose the debate because it's like, well, you got your views. I got my views. I choose not we should be reported reminding people we're representing the Lord. This is what he gave us he revealed his truth to us and that's what I give an argument you're taking it up with the Lord because that's your argument, not with our view and and that's why thing to me that that secular media they wanted tried out some religious figure that has this anti-biblical view will look here's a minister and look what they agree with us and so, so that gives validity to there's two sides to this question and you were not were not trying to find which ministers write were trying to follow the Scriptures the word of God. That's where the truth lies is not in any given thing and that's really the is a Christian all it matters what is God's word say that's how we take that biblical worldview and into the world and pastors don't address it because they say it's a political issue is not a political issue is the finishing and in the need to dress up for the Bible would not rather we run out of time without getting excited about talking about math, you have yard again. "Real quickly tell people where they can go to learn more about that America will first offer is thank you for the time anytime I would love to hang out with you and fantastic. Thank you for your audience of all of our listeners today. Thank you for taking your time with us want to know more about Mid-America Baptist theological seminary in the college Mid-America just go to our website. Best way to start him a B TS.ED you Mid-America Baptist theological seminary, so it may be TS.edu you can always call our school.

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