The following question was addressed at http://www.josh.org/apologetics . Josh McDowell once considered himself an agnostic believing Christianity was worthless. While a student at Kellogg College in Michigan, he accepted a challenge by a group of Christian students and professors to intellectually examine the claims of Christianity. During his journey to discredit the resurrection of Christ, Josh discovered compelling historical evidence for the reliability of the Christian faith.
Then one night when he was unable to sleep or to get Jesus off his mind, Josh prayed to ask Jesus to come into his life and forgive his sins. In the months that followed, Josh’s life changed dramatically as he experienced the power of God’s love. Most noticeable was his renewed relationship with his father -- the town drunk -- whom he never thought he could love again. Since his conversion, Josh has devoted his life to telling a doubting world about Christ.
He transferred to Wheaton College where he completed his college degree. Later he attended Talbot Theological Seminary where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a master of divinity degree. In 1964, he became a traveling representative of Campus Crusade for Christ International. To this day, his close affiliation with the organization and its founder and former president Bill Bright continues. In 1983, the Josh McDowell Ministry headquarters moved to its current location in Richardson, TX. The ministry employs a staff of 75 people with affiliate offices located throughout the country.
Josh has touched the lives of more than seven million young people in 84 countries. Building on his audience and reputation for innovation, in 1990 Josh packaged his unique message and delivery into a popular weekly broadcast, called Josh McDowell Radio, that is heard on about 400 stations throughout the United States.
To date, Josh has written or co-written 77 books on topics ranging from Christian apologetics to common problems facing youth. Several are bestsellers and are recognized as leading books on the Christian faith. Among his most popular contributions on apologetics are "Evidence That Demands A Verdict" (which he published in 1972 and was recognized by World Magazine as one of the century’s top 40 books) and "More Than a Carpenter" (his seminary thesis that was written in 12 hours and later published in 1977, and has been translated into more than 50 languages).
On the international scene, Josh has led close to 7,000 volunteers on bi-annual mission trips to the former Soviet Union, called Operation Carelift. Since 1992, more than 700,000 needy children’s lives have been touched through the ministry’s physical and spiritual support. Mission participants have distributed Christian books and literature and more than 3,036 tons of goods – totaling more than $36 million – to orphanages, hospitals, youth prisons and underprivileged communities throughout Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. As a result, the Josh McDowell Ministry is considered one of the world’s largest evangelistic organizations providing humanitarian aid to the region.
For 30 years, Josh and his wife, Dottie, have partnered in what he considers his first ministry: family. They have four children and live near the ministry in Dallas.
A. The inspiration of the Bible is an extremely crucial topic in today's world. Many talk about the Bible being inspired. But when asked to define what they mean by inspiration, they give a variety of definitions. Some contend the Bible is inspired in the same way as all great literature. "It challenges the human heart to reach new heights," they say. However, this does not make the Bible unique. In other words, they see the Bible as only a human literary masterpiece, not as being of divine origin.
Others believe the Bibles is inspired because it contains the Word of God—along with myths, mistakes, and legends. These people hold that it is wrong to identify the Bible as the Word of God; rather, it is a witness of God speaking to mankind. Putting it another way, the Word of God can be found in the Bible, but the Word of God is not synonymous with the Bible.
Two important verses speak to the heart of the matter: 2 Timothy 3:16 and 2 Peter 1:21. The former reads, "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness." The word inspired is a translation of the Greek word theopneustos, meaning God -breathed. Thus the origin of Scripture is God, not man; it is God-breathed.The second verse, 2 Peter 1:21, says, "For no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." This also confirms that the writers were moved by God to record that which God desired. Mechanical dictation was not employed as some claim. Rather, God used each individual writer and his personality to accomplish a divinely authoritative work.The process of inspiration extended to every word ("all Scripture"), refuting the idea of myth and error.
Since God is behind the writings, and since He is perfect, the result must be infallible. If it were not infallible, we could be left with God -inspired error. It is important to understand this concept, for the entire Christian faith is based upon the premise that "God is there and He is not silent," as the late theologian Francis Schaeffer so often said.Sometimes it is easier to understand the concept of inspiration when it is compared with revelation. Revelation relates to the origin and actual giving of truth (1 Corinthians 2:10).Inspiration, on the other hand, relates to the receiving and actual recording of truth.
Inspiration means that "God the Holy Spirit worked in a unique supernatural way so that the written words of the Scripture writers were also the words of God."The human authors of Scripture wrote spontaneously using their own minds and experiences, yet their words were not merely the words of men but actually the words of God. God's control was always with them in their writings with the result being the Bible—the Word of God in the words of men.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. The Holy Bible : English standard version (Jn 1:1-5).
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. The Holy Bible : English standard version (Jn 1:14).
The Bible can be seen as a letter to us from God. When I was in the Army I sent many letters to my wife. Those letters were an expression of my love, concern and instructions in my absense. The Bible is the expression of God Himself (Jesus Christ). Jesus is the express image of the Father who we cannot see. Let us come to God's Word as it is in great faith believing that He who spoke it loves us and He shall bring it all to pass!
Grace and Peace,
Ed
Again, Thanks to Josh Mcdowell and his family for their faithfulness to the call of God in their life! http://www.josh.org/
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