Christian Apologetics:

Several of our students from Emerald Mountain Christian School have accepted scholarships to attend The Summit in Manitou, Colorado, this summer to study Christian Apologetics. Students and teachers have attended the sessions at the Summit since the ministry was begun by Dr. David Noebel. He has been a college professor, a college president, and a candidate for Congress. He is an author, an editor, a public speaker, an ordained minister, and a recognized expert on Worldview analysis. He has done research on the decline of morality and spirituality in Western Civilization. All of this led to his passion to teach young people how to maintain their Christian faith.

In 1991, his book, Understanding the Times, served as a textbook for interpreting intellectual movements, including Biblical Christianity, secular humanism, Marxism-Leninism, The New Age Movement, Islam, and post-modernism.

Dr. Noebel served as founder and President of The Summit Ministry until just a few years ago, when he selected Dr. Jeff Myers to take the helm. Dr. Myers had been a professor at Bryan College, but long associated with Dr. Noebel and the Summit. He has been proven an able leader to carry on.

The valid concern was that young people were not equipped to defend their faith in colleges and universities, nor in the public square. How right he was! Few Christian churches teach a structured defense of one's faith in Christ. When I entered my Methodist college, the one that my mother had attended and loved, God's word had been compromised, and the theory of Evolution was considered acceptable. Now, researchers declare that less than 10% of college and university professors make any claim of being Christians. This alone should exhibit a need for ministries like The Summit to teach students how to defend their faith before they step foot on a college campus.

Jeanne Riley and I attended a summer session several years ago and were thrilled with hearing the top Christian Apologists in America, there to teach America's brightest students, many Christians, and some not yet Christians. They all had the opportunity to view their world in such a way as to live for God's Glory.

Leading young people to Christianity is so much more difficult if children have never been in church nor exposed to Christian teaching at home.

Romans 8:5-8 spells it out in these verses.

5. "For those that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

6. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8. So then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God."

A Christian worldview should be the possession of each Christian. God's Providence in the life of each person is a grand plan for that unique person, for his place in the family, community, and the world.

For every person, and for every family, there is a story, a narrative, and hopefully a legacy from generation to generation. Students at the Summit go deep into the elements of a worldview and how to interpret life's experiences in light of that worldview. Not only is Theology explored, where we focus on God and His Word, but Anthropology, giving a greater understanding of human beings, and our possibilities. How can we achieve the highest ethics in our daily life, the strongest moral character?

We are living in a Post Christian culture in America. While many nations are increasing greatly in Christian conversions, America is not. Pluralism is applauded in our nation. Humanism has turned American culture upside down. The purpose is to remove Christianity from schools, social service, law, and community life. Only private religious efforts can instill Christian values to children today. To have a Christian nation again, Christian values must dominate the legal and cultural foundations which govern our society.

Humanists deny the existence of God, and believe that the universe is self existing, and that all things evolve. They believe that man is only physical and that he is sufficient unto himself. Humanists believe that morals and values are all relative and situational.

Christians believe the Biblical account of man's creation, man’s nature as a sinner, God’s offer of salvation, and the reality of God’s sovereign judgement.

The moving from Christian values to Humanistic values has been shifting over a long period of time. Christianity has been removed from the public schools by the Supreme Court and the obvious intent is to replace it with Humanism.

John Dewey, unfortunately, the most influential molder of public education, signed The Humanist Manifesto in 1933. What John Dewey intended was to use the public education system, through deception, as a means to promote Secular Humanism as the religion of this nation, replacing our Judeo-Christian Heritage.

Whatever happened to Patriotism in America?

When the very foundations of True History and America's Founding Principles were abolished, so was Patriotism. Test the younger generation and see it any of them learned these quotes and the stories behind each one.

" Liberty and Union, Now and Forever, One and Inseparable."

" We have met the enemy and they are ours."

" Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute."

" These are the times that try men's souls."

" We must, indeed, all hang together, or must asurdly, we will all hang separately."

" With malice toward none, with charity for all"

" Don't give up the ship."

Patriotism De-emphasized in America...

Patriotism has been de-emphasized in our schools and our American culture. Children do not know the glorious story of sacrifice and commitment, the willingness to die for liberty that our forefathers experienced.

Heroes have been abolished in favor of Dick and Jane’s silliness. Nathan Hale was one of my childhood heroes. He was a school teacher, who did not live to see this 22nd birthday. But his words ring out...“I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”

He requested a Bible and a minister at his hanging, and was denied both by his captors.

Patriotism: Through God's Providence, Christian Liberty gave it birth, and Christian Liberty alone will restore it.