Friday Forum, Fall 1999

Romans 12:1-2

Introduction of Kirby Anderson

• President of Probe Ministries
• Background: Education and career highlights
• Connection to Dallas Seminary

Opening Remarks by Kirby Anderson

• Introduction to the format of the session (opening comments followed by Q&A)
• Initial question: The role of Christian faith in the 21st century

Three Trends Affecting Christian Faith

• Secularization
  • Marginalization of Christian ideas in various societal arenas
  • Challenges faced when expressing Christian faith in secular settings
• Pluralization
  • Christianity as one among many choices
  • Impact on commitment and worldview within a pluralistic society
• Privatization
  • Tendency to view Christianity as a private hobby rather than a public lifestyle
  • Examples of public figures and their approach to faith

Examples Illustrating Current Trends

• Political Arena
  • George W. Bush and faith-based initiatives
  • Al Gore's evolving discussion on faith
  • Bill Bradley's shift from Christian faith to a more inclusive spiritual stance
• Media Coverage
  • Bias and inadequate coverage of events involving Christian faith
  • Specific incidents: Columbine, Wedgewood Baptist Church shooting
  • General anti-religious bias in the media

Historical Comparison

• Comparison of current era with the Roman Empire
• Persecution and challenges faced by early Christians
• Modern-day examples of Christian persecution globally

Christian Response to Media Bias

• Value of alternative Christian programming
• Importance of engaging in secular media to represent Christian perspectives
• Examples of Christians successfully working in media

Secular vs. Religious Worldviews

• Discussion on everyone having a religious viewpoint
• Critique of the church's acceptance of secular divisions

Call for a Revival and Reformation

• Need for a deeper understanding and commitment to Christian principles
• Role of Christian education and resources in shaping worldview

Questions and Answers

• Audience questions on media bias, secularism, social gospel, and more
• Importance of addressing social issues while maintaining the priority of preaching the gospel

Conclusion

• Final thoughts on the challenges and opportunities for Christians in contemporary society
• Closing prayer

*The above summary is AI-generated, so discrepancies may exist. Please refer to the audio or video file to verify accuracy.

About the Contributors

J. Kerby Anderson

Kerby Anderson has more than 30 years of experience in ministry and currently serves as the President of Probe Ministries as well as Host of Point of View Radio Talk Show. Kerby also serves as a visiting professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, Philadelphia Biblical University, and Temple Baptist Seminary. He has spoken on dozens of university campuses including University of Michigan, Vanderbilt University, Princeton University, Johns Hopkins University, University of Colorado and University of Texas.