The Debate

 I really like to listen to debates. I like discussing evidences and making decisions based on the best possible evidence. When I was getting my degree in Biblical/Theological Studies at BIOLA University God placed a stirring on my heart to get at the bottom of things. He called me to study and learn from older wiser people than I. I graduated and then started saturating myself in wisdom listening to debates/conversations/sermons. Men like William Lane Craig, J.P. Moreland, John Lennox, John Piper, Chuck Smith, and many others have had a large impact on the way I live/view life. Coming on World Race I knew that God wanted to use me even though I felt inadequate and scared to engage in apologetic debates. I felt that He was calling me to step out and start speaking out of the knowledge that I have in Jesus Christ. He was calling me to claim the label “Jesus Freak” wherever I went and whoever I stood in front of. Well God has done wondrous works and blessed me with facing that inadequacy. Which brings me to a cool story…

The event

God blessed me with an opportunity to moderate a debate between three teams in World Race and around 150 students attending a Muslim University here in Tanzania. It was awesome! Prior to the debate I thought that the Lord was urging me to moderate more than debate. I felt this because the dozens of debates I have listened too for the past few years have helped create a solid background of formatting. So I was able to create the format for the debate. We had two topics (they were chosen out of a conversation that one of the WR teams had with a group of Muslims whilst doing door to door evangelism).

The Inerrancy of Scripture

The Religion of Jesus Christ

It was so fun and felt the Lord’s hand in it the entire time. The debate itself was more like a conversation though because it wasn’t one on one. It was more like one side vs. the other. Many people spoke during the allotted time they were allowed to speak. Everyone that was there included; local pastors, our WR teams, Muslim students, and other people who just heard about it via WOW.

I felt so peaceful during and after the debate. I was biting my tongue during it though. As the Muslim’s would speak because I knew exactly how I might be able to refute their logic, but I still felt the Lord urging me to “zip it.” I felt so encouraged after the debate because at the end of the day the person and work of Jesus Christ held (and still holds) the upper hand with evidence

If I could encourage you at this point to search out why you honestly believe what you believe. Have you ever looked outside of the box? Have you ever looked at things from another person’s perspective? One of the things I like to do is listen to a debate (or talk) a few times holding a different position and trying to defend them each time. It’s quite fun and helps me gain understanding about where people are coming from. Above all things though I hope that you realize if you haven’t already that the God of Jesus Christ is FOR YOU! He is beckoning you to Himself. He adds up too. Test it! Try it! With an open heart seek Him and you’ll be astonished at how He’ll show up and how much freedom you’ll experience. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” God Bless you!