Making Disciples

Best-selling author, speaker and advocate for Christian apologetics Dr. Alex McFarland, best-selling author and apologist Dylan Burroughs together bringing you truths for a new generation. This is TMG radio a great story related to one of my spiritual heroes deals with one deal Moody went to Britain in the 19th century and word spread throughout London that the great speaker from America was going to be preaching people crowded in the churches and the auditoriums to hear deal Moody will the laws even touched many of the street people, and there were children that were the urchins that lived in the streets of London in poverty and there was one young man that desperately wanted to hear deal Moody but he walked all the way across the City of London going to the crowds trying to find his way to the church and by dark he he made it. He saw the crowds, but there were ushers at the door and a man firmly said to the child. You can't come in here you're too dirty go away and the little boy was very sad that he couldn't get into hear deal Moody and so he went and sat on the curb and cried and he could hear the music playing in the people, when, and in the auditorium eventually was full and while he was sitting on the curb on the stoop. A carriage pulled up and some people got out and a man in a suit, a big old man with a white beard and a kindly face sat down beside the little orphan and put his arm around it and said what's wrong and the child said I wanted to hear Mr. Moody from America, but they say I'm dirty and I can't go in and the man pulled him close and said you stay with me and they walked in and when I got to the door the. The doorman welcomed the man and glanced down at the little child that didn't prevent them from coming in. As he did before and they went and they actually sat on the very first road and the the giant old man kept his arm around the child held him close and then, much to the child. Surprise. The man was introduced, he went to the platform and begin to speak, and the one that had come alongside him was none other than the great Dwight L. Moody, himself now read that story and I think about coming around a child, but coming around an outcast one that the rest of the society had written off and had forgotten and didn't want, and yet Jesus puts his arms around people but Jesus wants to draw people close to himself and he does that through us.

We were willing to be prepared and if were willing to take our assignment. We can be the arm that comes around to help draw an outcast, a lost person near to Jesus Christ. Hi this is Alex McFarland and I'm here with Dylan Burroughs and I opened with that story because today what were going to talk about on the program relates to Christ's great commission. The mandate that we covered all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. The Bible says in some very famous verses like Mark 1615 that we are to proclaim the good news of Jesus to every creature. Matthew 28, 18, 19 and 20 the Lord as he was going back to heaven, he told the church going to all the world and make disciples of all nations. Now it's interesting the verb make it refers to building something.

It's not just one and done proposition, but often times bringing somebody to Christ and helping them understand the gospel and then helping them get up on their own 2 feet spiritually and walk with the Lord and overcome sin and be victorious over there past, perhaps, and they become a consistent learning follower of the Lord.

That is very much a construction process sometimes and so as people are one the church is grown. The church is strengthened, shaped, polished, perfected, and often times taken farther in their walk with Christ and they themselves knew they could go anyway and I Dylan this is a very very important topic to talk about in every generation, is it really is. And as we talk about making disciples of all nations and of all peoples of all stages of we are reminded this week of a new Barna group study that was released about generation Z those born between 1999, 2015 what they believe about issues of faith.

How is it different from previous generations and how we can better make disciples among this age group. I think people will be surprised to see some these findings, but also to take away some principles that we can use to better communicate faith in the next generation so talk a little bit about this, but just introduce us to this concept of what it takes to effectively communicate the gospel to the new generation as we do here treats for new generation. This is a passion you and I share and fight really. I'm passing the baton of faith to the next generation is really pretty much what brought us together because I'm in a Dylan is you and I know and certainly a lot of people listening no Christianity is is a force, a reality that has permeated this nation from all the way back to you know precolonial times and all of the churches that we see on you know every other street corner and many of the hospitals in the schools, and many of our universities in many of our greatest institutions are benevolent institutions.

We know Samaritans purse is overtly Christian but even things like the Red Cross and other organizations that help the human condition, it's Christianity. I mean really, as as historians from willed her aunt to Alexis de Tocqueville in the 19th century of said it was Christianity that built America and we really do need to pass that to the next generation but talking about millennial's and younger generation Z. I want to take a few moments to give some attributes because in some ways, every generation is different in some ways, every generation is similar because you were all human beings we have emotions, thoughts, feelings, you know, every body does matter who you are, we deal with six attributes origin, purpose, destiny that supported I come from, why am I here where my going and then emotional needs acceptance significant security acceptance do I fit in significance do I matter security am I safe Dylan in I would submit would you agree every generation from the ancients to the modern world that you know people look at the sky and I wonder you, where did all this come from, why am I here what does the future hold and then the court really and and I've been throughout the world and certainly throughout America doesn't matter. You know old older people younger people, millennial's digital natives, the people that are on their mobile devices.

Everybody wants to feel like they city and that's acceptance. Everybody wants to feel like they matter to somebody that significance and everybody wants to feel safe and I would submit the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Christian worldview has the answers. Like no other belief like no other faith system based on the evidence based on the life-changing power. The the in filling joy all that Jesus does in one's life. We can say to the world. Where did we come from, where we here were we going God created us were made for a relationship with him, and regardless of what tomorrow holds. We are safe in Christ and then this is huge acceptance significance security.

Jesus has those for us in immeasurable doses doesn't he does and I love these points you're making some excellence issues that we need to address all talk about these more just lonely come back stick with the circuitry for new generation attention all Christians would like to become more effective in presenting and doing building there, but this is Alex McFarland and I urge you to an addition of truth for a new generation and evidence. PNG is coming to Greensburg Carolina March 2024.

Here, an amazing lineup.

Josh McDowell apologist Jay Warner Wallace, Lorne Greene and Todd Starnes both from Fox News and much much more. This is Abraham Hamilton, the third of the American family since we battle for the future of our nation and I want to see you. Actually, for new generation as we pray and get equipped to defend the faith, asking God to save our nation. Don't miss truth for new generation March 23 24 Greensboro, North Carolina.

You may register@3foranewgeneration.com.

The truth of the war truth for a new generation.com first Peter 315 tells us to be ready always to give an answer for the hope we have were instructed to be prepared to defend our faith. This is Alex McFarland for the life he answers teams students we train at North Greenville University, a leading Christian college in South Carolina. The life answers. Teams are made up of students who will inspire and equip your congregation. These apologetics teams. We train speaking churches to youth groups and train Christians of all ages to address key issues of our times. From a biblical perspective like is there a God is the Bible true. What about gender and moral issues. Call me at 864977 2008 and we will arrange for the life answers team to come to your church and give a presentation that will benefit your people for years to come. 864-977-2000 eight and always be ready hello this is Alex Carlinville and burros here at generation radio talking about what it takes to make disciples of the next. Some of those universal characteristics that we need to discuss from Scripture as well as how those fit the traits we see in the next generation today a new Barna survey about the state of generation Z on issues of faith is released this week in a couple of interesting insights that have been highlighted in the news add to the major issues that have been noted. First is that those of generation Z those born between 1999, 2015 are twice as likely as other Americans to identify is atheist.

Now that may not seem like a big deal to some people but if you look at that from a historical standpoint this is the most post-Christian generation identified in surveys in American history. The second area that was mentioned is the issue of LGBT issues at lesbian Gay bisexual transgender issues and the same generation is noted as being twice as likely to identify as something other than heterosexual. So when you look at these issues and you look at some of the other concerns noted in this study, we realize we have a battle on our hands is a spiritual battle and it's something that we need to take very seriously as we communicate faith to the next generation. I'll give you one little antidote here from the study. I said that about 1/3 of the teams in the study know someone who is transgender and the majority say it's acceptable to be born one gender and to feel like another.

Now that is certainly a different set flavor than what you've seen in previous generations, and it gives us just a little taste of what it takes to minister differently to this next generation of young people.

So Alex, as we look at some of these issues. What you see as being the solution to addressing some of these new changes were seen in our culture. While we are living in and watching the first generation that has actively sought to erase the moral boundaries that have shaped human civilization for 6000 years and is one thing to be unaware of moral boundaries, but our culture is working hard to erase the moral boundaries in Oakland California. Recently, Mills College was the first American university to declare that it would accept undergrad applications from students who self identify as female. Now it's a historically women's college, but no longer do they accept females based on their genetic makeup and Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts followed suit, and many other colleges followed, like in lockstep. The dominoes began to fall, the president of Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts said, quote what it means to be a woman or a male isn't static early feminist argued that reducing a woman to their biological functions was the foundation of women's oppression and we will not fall back on that end of quote that here's the point when we say a woman is a genetic female or man is a genetic mail that's not oppression and that's not an attempt to subjugate or control people that she's recognizing moral objective biological fact but doing I want to submit to you, even though the average unsaved twentysomething may not be aware of this for the last century as an unbelieving, secularized, hyper, secularized academic world has worked to erase belief and objective morality. It's been about throwing off the shackles quote unquote of Christianity in our Judeo-Christian worldview. And besides, the souls of people hanging in the balance. It really does threaten our Constitution and our democracy. Let me quote Dr. Peter Lil back respected academics of this court. The logic of our founders went this way, do you want to be free. Then you need a Republic, a representative republic. That is to have a republic you need to have moral people to have moral people, you must have religious teaching and belief in God." I would submit Dylan that all of the transgender is on the gender dysphoria of the confusion over sexuality and gender is really the ultimate form of moral relativism because what kids being taught in the Academy in the University is there is no God, or if there is a God. God can be whomever you find him to be for yourself. It's not an objective revealed view of God, like in the Scripture, God is whoever you want him to be or not be, and however you decide, and this idea that maybe I'm a genetic mail, but I could identify female or there could be, you know, 60 or 70 different genders is the ultimate form of moral relativism because what what people are saying is God you have no claim on my life whatsoever, not even over my identity or my genetic makeup. That's one thing to say God can't tell me how to behave, but what this culture is essentially saying Dylan is God can't even tell me who I am.

We are talking about winning people to Christ.

I want to stay on the subject that we are talking about the great commission and evangelizing people but Dylan, the abandonment of moral boundaries and just the very basic structure of any society, marriage, family, masculinity among males, femininity, embracing our God ordained gender identity and positions.

I mean besides the spiritual implications this has ramifications for our culture. Long-term doesn't. It certainly doesn't. What's interesting to me is it's no longer an issue faced only at the University but is something you see, even at the grade school level.

Now you see recently in the news discussion about a book I called George that discusses transgender is in for elementary students. You see, increasingly, commercials, and the children's content cartoons animated shows that talk about male and female with no distinctions or they blur those distinctions in some way. So when children are watching the shows they come with a different message than they would if they were to simply sit and a Christian family, or to sit under church teaching, and it is interesting that there is a correlation between the screen time that you see among this next generation and their belief system and the study that we talked about earlier at the Barna group.

More than half are on their devices four hours or more a day and more than 1/4 of those in the study on their devices. Eight hours or more a day.

That's a full-time job of being on your smart phone or computer or tablet or your gaming system and over time that influences what you believe and how you live only come back want to talk more about these connections between influence and a young person's life and how that impacts their daily lives and how we can do something different. As we invest in the lives of young people stay with us will be right back. Attention all Christians believe that America needs a spiritual revival, an awakening, a message of the gospel for our times this is Alex McFarland encouraging you to attend the 2018 addition of truth for a new generation. The conference on apologetics worldview and evidence for the Christian faith, Greensboro, North Carolina, March 23 and 24 here, an amazing lineup that includes Josh McDowell apologist Jay Warner Wallace, Lorne Greene and Todd Starnes both from Fox News. Attorney Dave Hamilton, the third of the American family Association music by the band and orchestra from a university, and much much more sessions for all ages, equipping them to share your faith confidently in any situation this truth for new generation.com that's truth for a new generation.com TNG 2018. Say a nation March 23 and 24 brought by North Greenville University.

Christ makes the difference. Our country is falling apart, political unrest, social upheaval, the breakdown of the family. The rise of atheism.

The rise of Islam are religious freedoms are under attack. There's gender fluidity gender identity is making a mess of freedom of expression. So we need to put some skin in the game and love this nation. As Christians we are to stand strong. There has to be some personal investment in the living out in the preservation of stand strong American is that you face help you become a champion champion for Christ in stand strong American Jason Jimenez and I lay out the facts about our nation. The current condition and how you yes you will. Family community can be involved in keeping this great Republic stand strong America is a guide for encouraging wherever Christian TNG radio. I would thoroughly Dylan Burroughs here. Hey, I would get a few more minutes in a resume or topic you mentioned a book called abandoned faith. Why, millennial's are walking away and how you can leave them home.

This is book I did with my friend Jason Jimenez and it came out just a few months ago when Dylan you help us with the research on this and it's a book about passing the faith to the next generation or if you and your family have a prodigal may be a child that was raised in church or youth group and now there in a post-high school and Dave sort of wandered away or cooled off in their walk with Christ or even become a self identified agnostic or something like that. The book abandoned, faith is a guide to not only helping reach out to millennial's generation Z and younger. The plurals, but really praying for and working to regain the particles in your church or in your life.

It's available at our website. Alex McFarland.com and we are continually working to make more and more great resources available not only the books that I've written, but other books by a respected peers like Dr. Dobson Ravi Zacharias Josh McDowell she can go to the online store@alexmcfarland.com and look at the book abandoned faith. The other thing I wanted to mention Dylan the first truth for new generation event of 2018 is coming up very soon. March 23 24 Greensboro, North Carolina Josh McDowell Todd Starnes of Fox news, Lorne Greene, Jay Warner Wallace, a great Christian apologist, also lame former Muslim now in a dynamic Christian leader and author so much more. We hope to see you there.

The theme is save a nation and if what were talking about on today's vision of the program resonates with you I you want to know how to defend your faith and you want to be able to just thrive spiritually.

It is for all ages and we are gathering with people to pray for America, there is going to be great music from the North Greenville University bands and corral skin to be phenomenal.

Register plan to attend.

There is even the night before the conference starts March 23 24. We've got a special private dinner. We've got within the TNG ministries. We've got a group we call the TNG insiders truth for new generation their part of the people that pray for this ministry and if you wanted to come on Thursday night March 22 were having a private meeting but you can register and attend it so we call it a national briefing on the spiritual state of the country.

I'll be there with three panelists. The be a dinner. It's very limited.

Only 100 people and so you can learn more about this in more we hope to see you because hey Dylan, I gotta say this is an evangelist as an apologist where in it to win it. A lot of the stats in the cultural realities that we share might sound a little bit bleak but don't hear us being defeatist or or anything like that. Look, we know the spirit of God can move a person to Christ move the nation to Christ if God can win Nineveh and if God can bring in a pagan Europe back to himself. During the time of the Reformation and we've seen great awakenings throughout history we know our nation can have a great awakening. I think we are going to have and we just want to be equipped and primed and ready to be a part of what God is doing. That's what all this is about is not yes I love the mention the story of Jonah and Nineveh, and I think about that many times in the perspective of people seen it.

Today they see Jonah swallowed by a fish that's the focus, but the end of the story is much different. You think of one man who ministered in one city and over a 40 day period an entire city turned to God. That is the impact you can have if you seriously take the claims of God. The message of the gospel and are faithful to it.

You never know what God can do as you mentioned our nation's filled with spiritual awakening as the first great awakening that happened more than two centuries ago others that we seen in the past generation.

But today we are in a prime position to pray to prepare pair and to present the gospel in a fresh way with all the tools with all the technology with all of the tenacity of the next generation to see a revival and an Awakening Take Pl. in America that we have not seen in our lifetime. I'm excited about it who I am to her several thoughts number one. Pray number two pursue Christ likeness number three equip yourself number four recognize opportunities there are opportunities all around to be a representative for Jesus number five influence others and then finally live a life of truth promotion because in addition Dylan you mentioned screen time, which is very influential and even units. Many of the search engines and social media sites minutes been you know a lot of them have been outed and busted for using their analytics to oftentimes promote a liberal progressive message and to squelch a conservative biblical message so the screen time of the disease is a formidable challenge.

But here's the deal.

People are still hungry for relationship and deep down, hungry for truth and so we can pray we can be equipped we can use our influence and our our our testimony and the relationships all around us and we for God's glory and empowered by his spirit rooted in his word.

I think our calling. Dylan is to live a life of truth promotion yes and I love Ezra 710 that talks about in his own life. His goal was to study the word of God to live it out and communicated to others and I think that summarizes well what you've been saying is that as we grow personally.

We have a calling to live out our faith, but that calling to live it out doesn't stop with just our own lives, but with equipping those around us, whether be the next generation of the person next door the person next to a worker at school so Alex as we wrap up our final minute here.

If you could just perhaps end with an encouraging word or a prayer to help inspire those relisting today to be faithful to the Lord and to take that step of bold action to communicated to someone that near to them. Let's let's pray. Father, we thank you for the great commission to go into all the world and make disciples of every generation and we know that you love people that you still are in the business of saving souls and changing lives. We know that the Holy Spirit is still raising up voices and empowering the church and we know that your word. The Scriptures still pierced the heart and soul and open the eyes of people in every generation.

So Lord help us to go and tell this generation about a risen Savior, a life-changing gospel and the message of our Lord, that whosoever will may come father cleanses Phyllis send this useless. In Jesus name and for his glory. We pray, amen truth for a new generation in association with Alex McFarland evangelistic ministries exists to equip Christians with the biblical worldview through conferences and camps for information about upcoming events visit for a new generation.com or give us a call at 877 yes God one that's 877 yes, God, and the number one TNG radio is made possible by the friends of Alex McFarland evangelistic ministries PO Box 485, Pleasant Garden, NC 27313 that's PO Box 485, Pleasant Garden Carolina 71 will give online@alexmcfarland.com generation.com.

Thanks for listening and join us again next time. As we bring you more true for a new generation on TNG radio