Sharing Discoveries of Faith

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   When I stumble upon something that excites me, I automatically share the discovery. I did not discover something that will make life breezy and carefree; instead I found someone who challenges everything I thought I knew about my faith. Recently, a loved one introduced me to the teachings of Ravi Zacharias, a Christian apologist.

   Apologetics, once a widely practiced art of discourse, now lingers on the verge of extinction. Shallow thinking and temporary solutions replace deep pondering and thoughtful defense of personal beliefs. Some of us like to think we have ourselves and our faiths figured out, but in reality, most of us never question exactly what we believe and more importantly, why we believe. "Just because," no longer suffices the answer to the ever hovering "why." To reply in such a way implies that the questioned individual never stopped to ponder the question in the first place.

   Ravi Zacharias defends the Christian faith in countless arenas of society, traveling the globe and answering questions and challenges before millions. Making himself a target to every kind of Christianity-related question imaginable, he humbly recalls writings of great philosophers and prolific writers throughout the ages. A native of New Delhi, India, Zacharias converted to Christianity while yet a teenager and later led his family to the faith. His respectful tone toward all people and his level of humility allow him to discourse civilly and rationally with everyone from atheists to Zen Buddhists.

   Before hearing Zacharias' teachings through a CD, in which he spoke about secularization, pluralism and privatization, I never thought to question my beliefs in light of the fact that I may be questioned about them. I remember feeling so foolish and ignorant because I walked around for years just accepting what preachers spilled from the pulpit without asking myself why I believed what they preached.

   G.K. Chesterton, a writer often quoted by Zacharias, once observed, "The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried." Even professing Christians sometimes find fundamental principles of the faith too difficult to understand and, consequently, refrain from attempting to gain understanding. For this reason, among others, I think the Christian faith loses credibility. How can a religion be credible if its adherents flee from reason and thought? More pointedly, how can Christians answer challenges when their worldview does not align with Biblical teaching? In the words of Ravi, "does your worldview give you an answer?"

   The more I grow in my faith, the more I realize that challenging myself regarding my beliefs enables me to appreciate the work of God in my life. I believe God wants His people to think. Ravi helps me sort out my thoughts about my faith by providing inspired insight into the climate of the times. Consequently, my thirst for the knowledge of God increases. When I learn more, I realize I know less and less about my faith and God. Through understanding, my sense of awe and wonder returns and I find myself desiring to read the Bible with more intensity and purpose.

   I encourage everyone professes Christianity to peruse the teachings of this man. Visit www.rzim.org and acquaint yourself with Ravi Zacharias.

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