Christian Living

A New Challenge

Author Alan Shlemon Published on 06/09/2014

Alan’s monthly letter for June 2014

“The days of comfortable and acceptable Christianity are now over,” said Robert George. “America no longer favors faithful Christians...who are pro-life and pro-traditional marriage. Because of that, Christians must be willing to bear the consequences of standing up for the teachings of Jesus and His bride, the Church.” George is Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University and a leading Christian voice. He spoke these sobering words last month at a prayer breakfast in Washington D.C.

He also asked a key question each of us must answer: “Am I willing to give public witness to the massively politically incorrect truths of the Gospel?” If so, you will face persecution.

He’s right. Christians who act on what they believe (or even state their unpopular beliefs) are now a threat to the American way of life. Things will only get worse. That’s why believers need to know how to respond.

I believe my work plays an essential role in that response. Before I explain more about that, though, I want to be sure you understand something about me.

I think you know me by now. I don’t usually shout from the rooftop my accomplishments. I’m not asking for applause. My purpose is not to seek fame or become the center of attention. I’m certainly not trying to win any popularity contest (especially given the controversial topics I teach on in the public square). I simply want to be faithful to God because I know my audience is One.

I want to make it clear to you, though, that my work with Stand to Reason for the past decade has been significant. Not just important, but critical to the spiritual health of believers and the church. I’ve been training believers like you to know and defend their Christian convictions.

I’ve been on the frontlines of the battle for life. I’ve authored popular articles on the web and debated a feminist at a university over the legality of abortion. Each year, I train students and adults in the art of pro-life persuasion and take many of them onto the streets to engage abortion-choice advocates. Not only do they get to practice their skills, but many times they change minds on abortion and save lives.

I’m also on the frontlines of the battle over two closely related subjects: homosexuality and same-sex marriage. These are watershed issues. My self-produced videos on these topics have been viewed tens of thousands of times on YouTube. I’ve been featured on radio and television discussing homosexuality and same-sex marriage. I also wrote the book The Ambassador’s Guide to Understanding Homosexuality to help believers understand same-sex attraction and navigate the complex relationships many Christians face with their friends and family who identify as gay and lesbian.

I’m also on the frontlines of the battle about Islam. Since one in every five people on this planet is a Muslim (and the number of Muslims in the United States is rapidly increasing), the need to know how to engage Muslims is ever more critical. That’s why I wrote The Ambassador’s Guide to Islam, a book that equips believers with a powerful tactic to engage Muslims in a productive way.

I cover many other topics, including evolution, stem-cell research, physician-assisted suicide, the problem of evil, the resurrection of Jesus, the skills of biblical interpretation, and many more.

I realize you already believe in what I do. That’s why you pray for me and support my work financially. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. It means a lot to me.

Many people who have partnered with me in the past have been unable to continue their commitment. People have lost their jobs, moved, or redirected their support to other ministries. The last year has been especially difficult as I lost approximately 30% of support.

Now, I need to find new people who are excited about training believers for the defense of the Gospel and are willing to support it. Would you be willing to help? If so, there are two things you can do.

First, would you tell me about a friend or family member who might consider supporting my work? By introducing me to them, I can send them information about the training I do and invite them to support it. If you’re not sure how to go about contacting them or what to tell them, let me know and I can give you ideas to make it easy.

Second, I hope my letters to you are valuable. My goal is not only to keep you abreast of where and what I’m teaching, but also to provide you with valuable insights about our shared faith. If you learn something from what I write each month, would you consider making a special, one-time gift or increasing the amount you give monthly towards my work? Remember, your contribution is tax deductible and 100% of it goes directly to my work of training believers like you to articulate and defend their convictions. There’s no processing fee taken out, and no part of your gift goes to someone else or the general fund.

Please pray that this year I will be able to raise the 30% of support I lost. Also, I want you to know that I’m so grateful to you for standing by me. Your prayers and financial support encourage me to continue the work of defending the Gospel. Seeing as the days of comfortable Christianity are slipping away, it will be important now more than ever to do the hard work of training the Church for the battle that lies before us.