The Week in Review

Challenges of Christian Theology (Part 2)

Written by Minister Jewel D. Williams

In the book, Evangelism Made Slightly Less Difficult – How to Interest People Who Aren’t Interested, the author Nick Pollard states, “Suddenly it struck me: different people are different. Of course, it seems obvious now. But somehow I had missed it before. I had been searching for the one universal gospel presentation, that there is none. God doesn’t give us a ‘gospel presentation’ because there is no one presentation that is appropriate for all people at all times. There is one gospel, but the way we communicate it will differ according to the types of individuals we are seeking to help.” (102).

While Pollard is speaking about presenting the Gospel message in different ways so that individuals can understand it and accept it; it is a useful message in regards to theology. Theology has to present the truth of God in a way that individuals will not feel intimidated and shy away from learning the principles of the word. It is important to also note, when individuals have an understanding of truth, they are equipped to stand against the false doctrines that are presented to them as biblical truth. “It is true that taking advantage of accurate Bible teaching is an important part of the believer’s spiritual growth. Furthermore, the provision of Bible teaching is an undisputed ministry of God the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:11-16). At the same time, however, it is the responsibility of the listener to compare what is being taught with the Bible. To be sure this should be done in a spirit of humility but is should be done…We need to have a broad understanding and feel for the entire canon of scripture, its whole woof and warp” (Luginbill, 1, 2).



Another challenge that must be addressed by theology is cultural influences. This is not a new challenge for theology but one that takes on different characteristics based on the current culture. Probe Ministries addresses this challenge. On the website, http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/apologet.html, the author Rick Wade states, “Throughout the history of the church, Christians have been called upon to explain why we believe what we believe. The apostle Paul spoke of his ministry as ‘the defense and confirmation of the gospel.’ Peter said we need to be ‘ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you’” (1). This challenge also hinges upon the individual believer being equipped in the principles of the word. If one does not have a good grasp of Christian theology, one can begin to believe every whim of doctrine. So theology becomes a defense against the false beliefs of cultural influences. Theology can help individuals make sound decisions based on orderly information that explains different components of the faith. “Good, logical thinking is especially important for an apologist. On the one hand, it can help prevent us from putting together shoddy arguments for what we believe. On the other hand, it helps us evaluate the beliefs of those who challenge Christianity. Too often we stumble at criticisms which sound good, but which really stand on logically shaky legs” (Wade, 2). (COME BACK FOR THE NEXT INSTALLMENT)