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Campus Christianity
  • Spiritual Wasteland
  • Thinking Christianly
  • Cultivate a Teachable Spirit

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Survival Course Manual

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Campus Christianity

How should we live?

Ray Bohlin

  1. Spiritual Wastelands 101

    1. A lot of college courses are hostile to Christianity. What will you do if you find yourself in one

    2. There are four principles for effective witnessing in the classroom.

      1. Approach your studies from a Christian world view.
      2. Realize that the job of the student is to learn.
      3. Pursue excellence.
      4. Be faithful to the task

  2. Thinking Christianly

    1. We are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5).

      In other words we are to see the world as Our Lord sees it. We are to think about things the way He thinks about them.

      1. The only way to accomplish this is to know Him.

      2. To know God demands that we spend time with Him.

        1. Regular personal devotions and prayer
        2. Regular worship with other believers
        3. Regular fellowship with other believers
        4. Study of God's Word and books written from a Christian perspective

      3. Time with God is the first thing that gets crowded out of a busy student's schedule.

        There are always books to read, papers to write, exams to study for, assignments to turn in, classes to attend as well as the commitments involving a boyfriend or girlfriend, family, exercise, and just plain having fun.

      4. Knowing God indeed takes time.

        Sacrifices often need to be made. We must trust God to honor the time spent and to bring about His desired results in our academic pursuits despite having less free time than most non-Christians

      5. Christian campus groups can be helpful.

    2. Understanding the Christian World View

      1. There will be times when Christianity is challenged intellectually, and you will find yourself confused.

        An enormous amount of assistance is available to you.

        1. The local Christian bookstore
        2. Pastors, youth ministers, Christian campus group staff, Christian faculty
        3. Probe Ministries
        4. Nearly all of the intellectual challenges to the Christian faith have been answered by dedicated and highly qualified Christian scholars.

      2. There are no shortcuts to the Christian life.

        If we are to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, then we must know Him; if we are to know Him, then we must spend time with Him. There will be many times when higher priorities will prevent you from spending the amount of time you feel necessary to prepare for an exam, paper, or presentation, yet the experience of Probe staff members has been that God is faithful. (See Section VI below.)

  3. Cultivate a Teachable Spirit

    1. Nearly all professors respect a teachable attitude

      1. Too many Christian students aren't teachable.

        I have run across numerous professors whose only previous contact with a Christian was with students who simply told them that what they were teaching was wrong and spent the entire semester trying to prove it.

      2. Some Christian students feel it is their duty to correct every theological error that is propagated by their professors.

      3. You need to realize that you are there to learn, not to teach.

        1. It is not dishonest to demonstrate knowledge on a subject even though you don't agree with the perspective.
        2. A scientist on our staff found that he needed to demonstrate a working knowledge of evolution if his critique was ever going to be heeded by an evolutionist.

    2. The most effective tactic in the classroom is the art of asking questions.

      1. The best way to expose error in a classroom is not by confrontation but by asking questions.

        1. You demonstrate that you are paying attention.
        2. You demonstrate that you are interested
        3. Asking the right question allows the professor and other students to see the weakness of an idea on their own.
        4. The example of Jesus: "And it came about that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions." (Luke 2:46).

      2. "'Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always -being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence" (I Pet. 3:15).

        This verse is a double-edged sword that most of us sharpen on only one side or the other.

        1. Some are fully prepared to make a defense but leave nothing but destruction in their wakes, never exhibiting gentleness or reverence (Prov. 15:1; 29:9, 11; Matt. 5: 43-47; John 13:34-35; Rom. 12:17-21).

        2. Others are the most gentle and reverent people you know but are intimidated by tough questions and leave the impression that Christianity is only for the feeble-minded (2 Cor. 10:3-5; Col. 2:8; Acts 17).
©1998 Probe Ministries
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