The loss of another leading Christian in the conservative movement poses concerns for the older generation of evangelicals, at least for one who sees America tipping at any moment either to the right or to the left.
"We're in a very critical time in our nation where the pendulum ... could swing in one of two directions," said Dr. James Dobson, founder and chairman of Focus on the Family and one of the most influential conservative evangelicals, this past week. "And so many of the things that we believe and have fought to defend are in question today."
Dobson made his comments Thursday at the public funeral service honoring the life of Dr. D. James Kennedy, founder of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church and Coral Ridge Ministries, who died last week at age 76.
"What I will miss most from Jim Kennedy is his courage, his willingness to stand for the things that he believed," said Dobson, who said it was curious to him as to why God chose to take Kennedy when He did.
Kennedy's death follows that of many prominent, older evangelicals that have stood out as leaders defending biblical values and resonating the Word of God as absolute and inerrant. Widely respected Dr. Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, and Dr. Jerry Falwell, who rallied conservatives to the political arena, are a few of those who have recently passed.
Other leaders who remain from that generation, including Chuck Colson, Pat Robertson and Billy Graham, are now at the point of having to pass the mantle down to the next generation.
"Many giants of the Church are coming to the end of their journeys and are leaving this earth one by one," said Dobson, 71.
And now, "the passing of Dr. D. James Kennedy ... poses serious concerns about the future of the conservative Christian movement," he said, reading from what he had written last week when he heard news of Kennedy's death. "Its senior leadership is undergoing a dramatic and inevitable change at this time."
Kennedy has been described as a man of his time who came on scene as an evangelical after World War II and viewed the United States as "a light on the hill," as Richard DeVos, co-founder of Amway Corporation and member of Coral Ridge Church, stated. Kennedy broadcasted messages nationwide defending traditional family values, condemning abortion and rejecting evolution. His messages currently reach 3.5 million people through radio, television, the Internet and print.
While critics have charged Kennedy of being political from the pulpit, Dobson defended the Presbyterian pastor saying "it wasn't politics he cared about; it was morality and righteousness."
With Kennedy's death along with other evangelical giants, Dobson asked, "Who will defend the unborn child? Who’s going to fight for the institution of marriage which is on the ropes today? Who will teach young people the dangers of both heterosexual and homosexual promiscuity?
"Who in the next generation will be willing to take the heat when it is so much safer and more comfortable to avoid the controversial subjects? Who’s going to defend traditional morality and a culture that’s spinning into moral decline? Who will call sin by its name and lead a nation to repentance and holiness?"
Dr. Charles Stanley, 74, whose biblical messages are also broadcasted to millions of homes, understands Kennedy's death is a big loss for the whole body of Christ, not just the religious right, as he recently pointed out. But Stanley is confident a new generation will rise to pick up the torch. Continue >>
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I take this article differently. I see this as part of the overall plan as outlined in the Book of Revelation. I feel like there is a wave of anti-Christianity building throughout the world and without our Christian heavyweights on the front lines for us, I think the pendulum is swinging away from us. Just look at the front page of the Christian Post and one can see all the negative stuff going on against us. I am no theologian, but I kind of see this as part of the beginning "birth pains" the Bible talks about the world having, ending with Christ followers being killed after the Rapture. Maybe I'm too dramatic, but I don't know. Praise the Lord we won't be here for the severe persecution that is sure to come.
I guess the difficulty for protestants is not defending biblical truth, but deciding which church/denomination they think is doing good interpreting. Billy graham said it best on TV when he said that the world was looking for a spiritual leader and that the pope didn't pull any punches. As a Christian and a leader that's what you need.
Correction:"It doesn't have to be some famous preacher". I need to proofread this stuff a little better before I submit it.Sorry!!
The answer is that we all as Christians are called to defend Biblical truth.Iit doesn't have to be some famous preacher.If Christians would speak what the Bible says instead of their own church doctrine,then what you would have is Biblical truth.The question isn't whether we have Biblical truth.The question is whether we will forsake our own pet church doctrines in order to speak Biblical truth.
To BOC560 and zenodaddy, Thanks,... reading your input is good for my soul,...thanks again.....
Danny Poo I have to agree with you. When one intellectually defends the faith protestants begin to understand how close Catholics are to biblical truth than they originally thought. Let's take one of the writers you mentioned, Norman Geisler, in his book: Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: Agreements and Differences writes: "Catholics and evangelicals share a common core of beliefs about salvation. ... For both groups salvation is by grace and is not prompted by human works. It comes as a gift of God to undeserving humanity" (pp. 81,103,104). I think many evangelicals don't realize that.
"Since evangelicals and Roman Catholics have so much in common doctrinally and morally ... we believe that there are, nonetheless, many areas of common spiritual heritage and practical social and moral cooperation possible. ... In this final section we wish to end on a positive note, firmly believing that a cooperative effort between Roman Catholics and evangelicals could be the greatest social force for good in America. ... Our common doctrinal and moral beliefs are too large and the need in America for a united voice on them is too great for us to dwell on our differences to the neglect of crucial cooperation needed to fight the forces of evil in our society and our world. ... Even the most reactionary of Protestant fundamentalists has more in common with Cardinal John O'Connor and John Paul II than with Joan Campbell and John Spong" (pp. 357,358).
Other than Dr. Kennedy, most of the Evangelical "Heavyweights" were purely....evangelistic. Many of them lived in an age when people were open to Evangelism. With very little "defense" needed of Christainity in general, other than political ability to push forward a biblical idea.
Because we are entering a post-christendom era. The Heavyweights, will be those who are involved in Apologetics (defense of the faith), they will be people like Josh McDowell, Norman Geisler, Craig Bloomberg, Matt Slick, and many more. These are the type of people who are able to intellectually defend the faith within their field to allow an opportunity for the very Gospel to be presented.
I would encourage other Christians to get out and learn a field that will help you defend the faith. This can be variety of cateogries, Historical, Archaelogical, Philosophy, Science etc. Defending the faith in these area's is what I call "pre-evangelism". To illustrate an example of this, the introduction of the Theory of Intelligent designed has opened many doors for me to witness, where otherwise the person was "unwilling" to even hear the gospel.
Apologetics can help present Christianity as intellectually tenable, and therefore a plausable answer.
WHO WILL DEFEND BIBLICAL TRUTH?
I don’t know. Who HAS biblical truth? Do Catholics have biblical truth? Were you saved through the apostolic lineage of Peter? How about Universalists? Are there REALLY many paths to God? What about the Calvinists? Did you have nothing to do with your predestined plan to go to Hell? All of these various “Christian” churches teach a different salvation gospel. (They are thereby liars.)
Do you really have to ask for forgiveness for each sin or you will “Fall from grace?” Or maybe YOUR teacher tells you that you are “sealed” and cannot lose your salvation. Which is it? Can they BOTH be right? (Hardly – and we are only talking about SALVATION!) These teachers don’t know the first basic thing about a subject they claim to champion!
There are over 52 denominations of Baptists alone and these groups believe about anything and everything that the human mind can conceive. We are taught to be tolerant of all religions and not to offend anyone for their religious beliefs.
The big problem here is that God says there is only 1 faith (THE faith) that is truth.
God hates religion. Religion is mankind’s attempt to merit the favor of God, based upon deeds and performance. In other words, man is intent upon creating his own righteousness. That is the reason for the umpteen hundred religions; everyone has a different set of methods by which they intend to become acceptable to the Creator.
People have not changed in the past 6,000 years, except they have come up with new and improved ways to appease God with their myriad of religions.
“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ
“And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
“Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (II Corinthians 11:13-15).
Chuck Colson, Pat Robertson and Billy Graham, are now at the point of having to pass the mantle down to the next generation. As a Catholic I hope the mantle will be passed. ALL of them wrote books and published articles wanting unity with the Holy Roman Catholic Church. I look forward to the day when their vision is realized. "We all want to build bridges with the Catholic Church" - Pat Robertson. This website and these men have done a lot to build bridges.
I keep reading about this 'Its all in God's hands now', 'We need to pray' etc. I completely agree that we need to pray and that God does have control over this situation, but I would also like to add, that God requires ACTION on his children's part in all of this.
When you study the Gospels and the miracle's which Jesus performed, you will noticed that each miracle required for the recipient to do something...
You can pray all you want, but if you do nothing, you will most likely have nothing. The greatest church leaders and theologians of our time are slowly being taken home and unfortunately, there are very few to replace them. Will you allow God to use you as one of the next generation's leaders or will you sit in the pews and complain about 'not being fed'?
All we can do is PRAY and trust in the Lord....it's all in his hands. God bless you all!!!!
I have watched with great dismay as candidates from both major parties sell out Christian American values and priorities in the name of partisanship. Our nation is losing its way, and we can only emerge from the darkness by returning to the basic tenets used to create this great nation.
It is time for people of faith to stop compromising on issues of moral clarity and integrity in their leadership, and to support candidates who conduct themselves in mannerisms that were seen in our founding fathers. We need leaders who have a Biblical Viewpoint and who realize that the real strength of this great nation, is when this "Nation is Under GOD".
Most Respectfully & God Bless,
Pete
Grasso For President Committee
Restoring FAITH In America
http://www.GrassoForPresident.com
Sorry..
In that last submission I meant to say worldly governments.....not wordly.
I hope you were all smart enough to understand the point.
Perhaps the greater problem is Christians being taught that we are to be more left or more right.
We should stop concentrating on having favor with wordly governments, and relearn how to have favor with God.
Christians do not appear to be living much differently than politicians. We are certainly not proving ourselves to be a pecular people.
God is in control and I believe that he is prepareing the next generation that will carry the fight.