On November 13 and 14, 2009, about 4,000 people gathered for the National Conference on Christian Apologetics (NCCA) in Charlotte, NC, hosted by Southern Evangelical Seminary.
On the evening prior to the conference about 40 men and women took part in an invitation-only strategy session for Christian thinkers, led by Tom Gilson of Campus Crusade for Christ; Alex McFarland, president of Southern Evangelical Seminary, Steve Bradford, Program Director for BreakPoint (Prison Fellowship); and Brad Bright, president of Bright Media Foundation.
This meeting grew out of two separate roots. In the background there was an initiative begun by Charles Colson at the previous year’s NCCA, the forming of “The Kingdom Movement” to unite Christians to be effective in responding to cultural issues.
The direct impetus of this meeting, however, was prayer laid on Tom Gilson’s heart in February 2009, supplemented by encouragement given by Josh McDowell. In August 2009 Tom met with Alex McFarland to suggest an apologists’s strategy session, and McFarland agreed that it should take place in association with this year’s NCCA. McFarland recommended that Bradford be brought into the planning because of his association with the Kingdom Movement, and Tom Gilson recommended that Brad Bright be included because of his unique approach to strategies for linking thinkers with church and culture. (Brad Bright was already on the NCCA schedule as a speaker for a Friday VIP luncheon.)
Attendees at the meeting included about 40 pastors, authors, speakers, and ministry leaders.
Alex McFarland opened the meeting as host and laid a groundwork of the purpose of the discussion. Tom Gilson then laid out the strategic issue of the evening, which in short form was, “Much of the crisis of our day can be viewed as a crisis of truth. Christian scholars and apologists have a remarkably strong handle on what is true, and on answers that can encourage the church and impact the culture. But it’s not working.” The question was directed primarily to the pastors: What can scholars, academics, and apologists do to serve you and your church better? Discussion focused primarily on developing pastors and youth with what is required to be effective learners and thinkers. The group was united in a very, very deep concern that if our work in this area does not improve there will be continuing serious losses to churches and to culture. It is a serious problem; they are willing to work on it.
Steve Bradford led a discussion on what to do next in terms of continuing communication, and the strongest opinion expressed was that there need to be continuing meetings on this topic. Alex McFarland closed with a wrap-up and a prayer time.
Over the next day or so, Tom Gilson interviewed persons who had been at the meeting to ask whether it had been fruitful. The consistent answer was that it was very positive; and that it had especially been an encouragement to pastors. At the Saturday VIP lunch for conference speakers and other leaders, Charles Colson (who had been at another conference on Thursday and was therefore unable to attend the session in Charlotte) singled out the Thursday evening session as a sign of encouragement and hope that the church can work together in making a difference in America’s culture.
What difference was actually made there? It was only a two-hour session, so expectations were not that an action plan for change would be developed. What happened instead was as positive as had been hoped, however: a strong united agreement among a very diverse group of Christian leaders that this is worth putting significant time into working on together.
No plans were made for the time or location of the next meeting, or who would lead it. Contact information was collected, and the leadership group for this session will take it from there.