Prolific author to speak at Bible conference

Mark Maynard/The Independent

Ashland May 15, 2008 12:02 am

— Norman L. Geisler, a Christian apologist and the co-founder of Southern Evangelical Seminary outside Charlotte, N.C., will be the guest for the Eastern Kentucky Bible Conference this weekend at Rose Hill Baptist Church.
The free conference will start at 7 p.m. Friday and continue at 9 a.m. Saturday.
Geisler will also speak at Rose Hill’s Sunday morning service and at Rose Hill Christian School’s graduation at 2 p.m. Sunday.
“I’m looking forward to being there,” said Geisler, who has written more than 70 books. “We want to help people to know why they believe what they believe. Unfortunately, in today’s world, people don’t have any grounds for their belief. They don’t ask the crucial question: ‘Is it true and how do I know it’s true?’”
Geisler, 75, said the surveys about evangelical Christians are “shocking.” Ninety-two percent of born-again, Bible-believing Christians do not have a Christian world view, he said.
“Fifty percent of the pastors don’t have a Christian world view,” Geisler said. “That’s a sad statistic. An even sadder statistic is 75 percent of young people leave their evangelical church when they go to college.”
The solution, Geisler said, starts with the church.
“You get it turned around by starting in the church,” he said. “You say you’re preaching to the choir, well, the choir doesn’t believe either. The choir needs to be taught.”
One of Geisler’s most recent books is “I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist.” It answers questions about how to defend the faith, he said.
Geisler, who has debated in all 50 states and in 25 countries, doesn’t plan to slow down. He will make a trip to Lynchburg, Va., following Rose Hill’s graduation ceremony.
“I couldn’t find that word (retirement) in the Bible,” he said. “My retirement plan is not here; it’s in heaven.”
MARK MAYNARD can be reached at mmaynard@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2648.