Theocca

Theocca, is The Center for Christian Apologetics located at Oxford University. In apologetics, the Christian, like the ancient Christian writers, gave reasoned arguments for their belief system. So many times, we think that our Christian belief, the stalwart systems upon which western civilization was built is totally obvious; but, many miss the obvious.

In this part of the world, there is one Baptist church with which I am familiar that is called Whispering Pines, there is also a nudist colony by the same name, located nearby. One family, one Sunday, wanted to attend Whispering Pines Baptist Church because friends had told them of the wonderful experience. They saw a sign, “Whispering Pines”, started down a road which did not seem appropriate. After several miles they seemed to be in the countryside, no houses, no signs of a church. Then, approaching them from the opposite direction, four bicyclists, all nude. The father, rapidly stopped the car, turned it around, trying to retreat before his son in the backseat saw that they had approaching nudists. The nudists passed them, waving. The son said, “those folks did not have on their bicycle helmets!” The obvious had not mattered to him.

A grandfather told his grandson that he would buy him a new car if he made the dean's list his first year in college. He said, “I want you to improve your circle of friends, and particularly, to cut your hair.” The grandson came to him at the end of the first semester, having made the dean's list, his friends were mostly in the local church. The grandfather said, “you still have not cut your hair,” to which the grandson replied, “I thought about that, but in my Bible studies, I discovered that Samson, John the Baptist, and even Jesus had long hair.” The grandfather said, “and those three walked everywhere.” The grandson had missed the obvious.

Sometimes Christians, most of all, neglect or forget the obvious. We know that most of the New Testament Gospels involve the last week of our Savior's life, everything progressing toward Golgotha. We forget that most of our lives are a progression towards the goal at the end of our life.

My greatest joy, my greatest ambition is to start new, a new year starting in January, a new week starting on Monday. We set our sights on accomplishment, starting at a point of renewal. I believe that success in every man's life depends on his routine, his habits. Study the life of every outstanding man, prophet or patriot, and you will find that he had good habits, his life was disciplined. The successful man, the disciplined man, starts everyday, every week, every year with enthused ambition. This day, this week, this month, this year, is going to be better than the last.

Michael Jordan was raised in this town where I live. It is obvious that he was not born a great basketball star. I am told that he practiced every day, even after he became a star. One sports reporter said that every day your could hear him heading to the basketball court; alone, he practiced all the fundamentals every day, even though he was a star. We are told that Caruso, one of the world's great tenors, practiced his vocal talents everyday, even after he was a great metropolitan opera star. The same for Van Cliburn, one of the world's great pianists, he practiced his scales everyday, even after he had become a great star. I am sure that Bill Gates is aware of every development in the computer field. I am sure that Warren Buffet is totally engaged in the stock market, even though a man with billions of dollars, still wanting to make another dollar. The difference between us and them, those who are so successful and those who are not, successful people never take their eyes, nor their thoughts, away from their goals. The things you do everyday, are either hurting you or helping you.

I have not seen myself in a mirror for nearly 50 years, I have no idea about my appearance, but I still go through the same routine everyday of my life...shaving, caring for my hair. I still try to dress correctly when I go out in public, always a dress shirt, tie and jacket. Onlookers, aware of my disability, would understand if this old, blind man looked like a slob. Discipline, routine, habits, will keep you going through the obvious. To the obvious, we are all terminal, all moving towards our Golgotha hill. This is the essence of apologetics.

Magically, everyone will not win life's lotteries, money, fame, absence of suffering. You prepare, you work, you pray, you always have the blessing of a new beginning, a new start, a new day. Even if you have messed up, even if others remember your failures, your new birth is up to you. We worship the God of new beginnings.

We are not promised a life of ease. The first thing to teach in apologetics, that this is testing ground, if you thought it was bad before you became a Christian, just wait, it will get worse. Remember, God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, (John 3:17) but that we might have an abundant life. (John 10:10) God is Boss, He requires trust, 1/10 of everything you make belongs to Him, whether you give it or not. 1/7 of your time belongs to Him, whether you give it or not. He built the stage, He has provided everything, including the manufacturer's handbook of instructions.