Forming a plan

Post date: Jul 04, 2010 10:17:40 AM

At that point, I kept reminding myself of some goals I had developed over the last several years to rely on for just such an event in “hostile territory”:

• 1. I tried to develop a specific focus. What did I hope to achieve by questioning Myers? Although the grace of God can move with power at any time, I was not attempting to convert Dr. Myers, nor was I expecting a massive eye-opening to occur in the audience. I focused, rather, on the handful of observers in the crowd who might never have heard biblical answers to the issues at hand or might be tempted to give up their fledgling faith after such a talk.

  2. I remembered God’s sovereignty in opening blind eyes. The only reason I am not delivering such talks shaking my fist at God or sitting in the crowd mocking Him myself is by the gift of His grace (see Rom 5:8 and Eph 2:8-9). So while I was preparing to argue intellectually, I was praying that blind eyes be opened somewhere in the theatre (see 1 Cor 2:14).

  3. I remembered that God can defend and avenge Himself. While I understand the crucial role God has granted believers in spreading His Word, God is jealous for His own name and glory (Is 48:11). I specifically prayed that I would not overzealously lose my composure (therefore losing my credibility as a witness), since God Himself will guard His name and His glory. When Dr. Myers called the Lord a vulgar expletive, I was thereby able to remain unprovoked.

  4. I wanted to respect the speaker’s position and the audience’s time. Dr. Myers was the invited speaker. He had the podium and the microphone. Contemplating this helped me resist any temptation to get in the last word. In fact, Dr. Myers having the last word repeatedly led to his own loss of credibility because he couldn’t resist using those opportunities for more vitriolic attacks on YEC and certain YEC scientists. I also assumed others would have questions, so I didn’t want to monopolize the Q&A period for that reason either.

  5. I didn’t want to stoop to his level. It’s easy to respond in kind when a person verbally attacks you with names like “moron” and “ignoramus”. But the Bible calls us to a higher response: “When reviled, we bless.” I have read testimonies where that difference alone played a key role in an observer’s eventual conversion.

http://creation.com/evolutionary-equivocation