An Atheist’s Call To Make Our Case

Apologetics, Atheism, atheist, Bob Perry, Christianity, Evangelism Category: Theology and Christian Apologetics, Gospel, Theology and Christian Apologetics, True Horizon
By Bob Perry St. Francis of Assisi may have died 800 years ago, but his influence still looms. He was a man who venerated nature and lived a life of great sacrifice in service to God and his church. But within the Christian ecosystem, he has become most famous for an adage that strikes a chord with anyone who is serious about sharing their faith: Preach the Gospel always. If necessary, use words. The modern interpretation of Assisi’s exhortation is clear. Our charge is to love people into the kingdom, not argue them there. If you’ve bought into that mindset it may surprise you to learn that it’s not accurate. And it may surprise you even more to learn that it flies in the face of an atheist’s call to…
Read More

Why Am I A “Sinner” And Why Do I Need To Be Forgiven?

Apologetics for Parents, Boby Perry, Christianity, Jesus Christ, morality, Sin, theology, Theology and Christian Apologetics, True Horizon
By Bob Perry Here’s a question I got recently: “It has always bothered me that I am a sinful human. None of my good efforts, leading a good life can deter sin. I was born with sin and I have to be forgiven? I don’t get that. Why am I a ‘sinner’ and why do I need to be forgiven?” This is a difficult question to answer, especially when it comes from a genuine, good-hearted person. Nobody wants to think of themselves as a “sinner.” For the most part, all of us try to be kind, nice, and loving. We’re not serial killers, or bank robbers, or child molesters, or even shady politicians. It seems unfair to call someone a sinner — especially when you also seem to be saying…
Read More

A Myth Come True

Apologetics, Bob Perry, C.S. Lewis, Christianity, Christians, Historicity of Jesus, Jesus, Jesus Christ, myth, Skeptics, theology, Theology and Christian Apologetics, True Horizon, truth
By Bob Perry If you’re anything like me, you probably associate the word “myth” with an ancient fairy tale. The Greek and Roman pantheon of gods comes to mind — magical spells, curses, and multi-headed monsters. But myths are more than just old-fashioned fantasies. They serve a purpose. They appeal to our collective imaginations. Myths may be fantastical but, as the Merriam-Webster Dictionary puts it, they “serve to unfold part of the worldview of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon.” They are archetypal stories that help us make sense of the world in which we find ourselves. In other words, there is a connection between myth and reality. The Power of a Story C.S. Lewis grew up a voracious reader. In 1916, while waiting for a train…
Read More

La clave para reducir el estrés en la toma de decisiones

Apologética, Apologética cristiana, Biblia, Bob Perry, Cristianismo, Cristianos, Español, Teología, True Horizon, Voluntad de Dios
Por Bob Perry «¿Cuál es la voluntad de Dios para mí vida?» Es común escuchar esta pregunta al venir de alguien que está reflexionando sobre una difícil decisión en la vida. Tomar decisiones grandes puede ser confuso, pero utilizar «la voluntad de Dios» como el punto de referencia para el éxito le agrega un elemento de agonía a todo. La clave para que la toma de decisiones sea menos estresante es tener claro lo que esto significa realmente. ¿Y si tomamos la decisión incorrecta y elegimos el lugar equivocado para vivir? ¿El trabajo equivocado? O, lo que es más desalentador, ¿el cónyuge equivocado? Piénsalo. Si nos casamos con la persona equivocada significa que nuestro cónyuge estaba destinado a casarse con otra persona, y la persona con la que debía casarse…
Read More

The Power Of Pro-Life Images

abortion, Boby Perry, Case For Life, Culture, Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, pro-life, Pro-Life Images, Repercussions, True Horizon
By Bob Perry Forty-six years ago today, the landmark court case we now know as Roe-v-Wade legalized abortion in America. Some think the case is “settled law.” But those of us, who value every human life, don’t see it that way. Roe-v-Wade no more settles the moral question of abortion than the infamous Dred Scott decision “settled” the idea that slaves had no right to U. S. citizenship. But what is the most effective way to convince people of that truth? How do we make a case for life in a way that cannot be dismissed as a simple “religious opinion”? We have an obligation to make a reasoned case for life. But we can also use the power of pro-life images to make that case hit home. The Case For Life Several years ago, a local group asked me…
Read More

Have You Thought About Marriage Lately?

Bible, Bob Perry, Bride, Bridegroom, Church, Covenant, Culture, Eternal Life, Familiy, Husbands, Jesus, marriage, The Grand Story, theology, Theology and Christian Apologetics, True Horizon, Wedding, Wives
By Bob Perry Have you spent much time thinking about marriage lately? You should. It doesn’t matter if a wedding is something in your future or in your past. It doesn’t even matter if you have no intention of ever getting married. The fact is that the institution of marriage is important to us all. Our culture has devalued it in many ways, but marriage is the foundation of a healthy society. For that reason, we all ought to contemplate the true meaning and value of marriage. An Honor And A Privilege My wife and I have been happily married for 33 years. When you’ve done anything for that long, it’s easy to think you have it all figured out. But in July, my son and his fiancé asked me to perform…
Read More

The Importance Of A Balanced Faith

Apologetics, Balanced Faith, Bob Perry, Christianity, Church, Desiring God, faith, theology, Theology and Christian Apologetics, True Horizon
By Bob Perry It is very easy to get engrossed in all the arguments for God. People like me love to demonstrate the scientific and philosophical evidence for God. And there are good reasons for us to expose the ethical vacuum we create when we remove God from the culture. These are the kinds of things on which I focus a lot of time, energy, reading, and teaching. It’s good to know things about God. But people like me must also realize that knowing about God can become a distracting detour from the primary purpose of our lives — the pursuit of God. We have heads and hearts. And a balanced faith requires that we engage both. One Wing, Won’t Fly When I was in the Marine Corps, one of my best friends was…
Read More

There’s More Than One Way To “Trust The Science”

Apologetics, Bob Perry, Christianity, faith, Philosophy of Science, science, scientists, Theology and Christian Apologetics, True Horizon
I have made the case before that scientism is a dangerous belief system. And the COVID-19 Pandemic has done nothing but prove the point. In their response to the virus, many in power exhort us to “trust the science.” Listen to the doctors. Their wisdom should guide the trajectory of our collective futures. But accepting that view greatly depends on your understanding of what science is … and whose science you’re trusting. The truth is that science never provides answers to anything. Scientists do. And that means we not only have to know what branch of science they’re representing, we also have to trust the scientists’ judgment. Our leaders can make decisions using science as a tool. But we accept those decisions on other grounds. That’s because science is not the arbiter of anything.…
Read More

The World On The Other Side of This Pandemic

Apologetics, Bob Perry, Christianity, evil, God, Neighbors, pandemic, Sovereignty of God, Theology and Christian Apologetics, True Horizon, World
By Bob Perry The world is an unpredictable place. But we pretend it isn’t. We like to envision our future and plan our steps, pretending we know how we’ll get there. But the stories we write for ourselves rest on assumptions about how the world works and our place in it. And those assumptions tend to be cheery ones. Most of us never include suffering or vulnerability in our forecasts, especially if we believe that “God is in control.” But when it all goes to hell, our illusions fade to black. The smiling facade vanishes quickly when life unveils our real gods. Our lives are changing rapidly and permanently right before our eyes. But the Church needs to take the lead in influencing the world we will face on the…
Read More

Seeking Shalom: A Case for The Way Things Ought to Be

Bob Perry, Christian Apologetics, Christianity, Crooked Creatures, Evil in the world, God, God Existence, theology, Theology and Christian Apologetics, True Horizon, World
By Bob Perry Sometimes defending God’s existence is easy. You don’t have to try to articulate some fancy philosophical or theological idea. And you don’t have to understand the intricacies of science. All you have to do is be a human being who observes the world in which we live. When you do that, there is no denying that something is drastically wrong. What we see around us is not the way things ought to be. Everybody from the most devoted religious believer to the most ardent atheist knows this. Our common human longing is for a world full of truth, justice, goodness, compassion, and charity. And while there are notable pockets of these things around us, they float in a sea of negativity and corruption. The fact that everyone realizes this is proof…
Read More