“What is a skeptic? ......For our purposes, skeptics are people who discard the biblical worldview in favor of other ways to see the world...
...Some had non-believing parents.
Some had believing parents who were legalistic.
Some have been deceived by false teachers and false religions.
Some have been turned off by hypocrites.
Some have put their trust in material success and their own abilities.
Some have been influenced by skeptical academics and experts...
...We meet them every day at work, in class, at the gym, and in the grocery store. We are long past the time of dropping a biblical reference into a conversation and expecting its significance to be recognized. Our post-Christian culture requires us to do more remedial work with potential believers in order to make an impact.” – Bill Foster in Meet the Skeptic: A Field Guide to Faith Conversations
Thorough, accurate definition.
I would however like to add a
little to it. Some (skeptics) would not classify themselves as such.
Additionally, some skeptics (professed or not) may be reading this blog right
now. Is that you? If not, are you thinking of someone you know who is? Most, if
not all of us, know a couple of (potentially MANY) skeptics. I do. I once was
one. I guess at times “it takes one to know one.”
As I have been blessed with the privilege of reading Bill Foster’s Meet the Skeptic, I have gained some practical, on-the-level
insight on how various types of “skeptics” think and what may be some of the
main underlying reasons for their disbelief, distrust, and skepticism toward
God. Some things I had already discovered through the Holy Spirit’s teaching
through many life lessons and interactions. Many things Foster reveals however
I had not already connected.
Foster structures his “field guide” in an easy-to-read yet
very thought-provoking format. He gives examples of thoughts and conversations
as well as practical advice in relating honestly and transparently with almost
anyone we may come into contact with who questions or flat-out denies God.
I will use this valuable resource indefinitely and will even
share it with others as I feel led. I challenge you---skeptic or not, believer
or not---to get a copy of this book and see what kind of impact it has on your
life, your thoughts, and your conversations.
And to my Christian friends, I leave you with a couple of
additional truthful, challenging nuggets as written by Foster:
Objections are opportunities. They
reveal a nonbeliever’s need for truth, and they challenge us to make our faith
relevant.
Even if we don’t get a chance to
mention Jesus, that doesn’t mean we can’t reveal truth that ultimately leads to
Him.
How about you?
Would
you classify yourself as
a skeptic, a believer in Christ, or neither?
Please
share…if you dare! ;)
Oh, and there is a workbook as well as a Leader's Guide available to supplement this book if you do find it to be of interest and one which you would like to help others dig into. Check out the Meet the Skeptic website as well as its Facebook page and Twitter page for more info and resources.
