This [Worldview Evangelism] seminar has answered questions I have had from the beginning of my walk with the Lord. The big one was “why would Jesus have to to suffer all that pain and separation from His Father?”
This is one of the comments we received at the end of a Worldview Evangelism seminar that John Cross and I taught recently in Ontario. We once again visited the campus of the Word of Life Bible Institute, where I ministered for 5 years, to teach through the book “By This Name.”
I discovered something interesting this time: some of the students we had in the early years that I worked at WOLBI have finished other schooling and are now themselves in full-time ministry. More than that, several of the current students we taught are from the churches where these alumni work and are now encouraging young people to go to Bible School.
This Worldview Evangelism seminar gives the students the big picture view of God’s plan of salvation right at the beginning of their school year. We start with creation and work through key Old Testament stories, slowly building the foundations of understanding as God reveals His masterful plan of salvation through the history of the Bible, culminating with the life of Christ. I think this training at the start of their school year will really help them through the rest of their year at Bible School as they take other classes filling in the details.
As I grew up in a Christian home attending church, I had never realized how little people knew of the Bible. This book [By This Name] helped me to see the Bible in a whole new light. It was also a great reminder of the crucifixion and how amazing it is that God and Jesus cared for me that much!
I really enjoyed this because, although already a believer, it really connected the Old Testament with the New and really just showing how God had a perfect plan from the beginning!
Based on what you have heard in the Worldview Evangelism seminar, why did Jesus have to die?
Jesus had to die in order to free us from our sin debt. He was the perfect, willing substitute and sacrifice dying in our place. We could not pay the price or say “it is finished.” It had to be Jesus.
I feel more confident in what I believe and what the Bible says leading up to Jesus’ death. With all this information, I hope to share it with other people.
“By This Name” clearly shows who God is, that He can be trusted, and that I need Him.
I found it helpful because it helped to answer many of the questions I as a young believer still didn’t understand. It has also helped me in being able to articulate what I believe better to fellow Christians.
It has told me how to present the message to others in an informative and effective way that would not cause others to just turn away.
