Placed on trial

This past semester, I taught senior Bible--Defending Your Faith. During the course of the year, we studied how to defend that God exists, Jesus is divine, and the Bible is true. We then focused on studying some of our core doctrines and getting solid Biblical answers for what we believe as Seventh-day Adventists. We studied four major issues which were the Law and Sabbath, State of the Dead, Second Coming, and Millennium/Hell.

I divided the class into four groups and gave them one of these major doctrines to study and defend. I told them that for their final class project, they would be put on trial to defend their faith. I reminded them that in the end of times, all of us will have to stand up for our beliefs and we may be called to stand in a court to give a Biblical defense of the truths we hold dear. A court session would help them see what it would be like to defend their faith.

The students have been studying like crazy trying to understand their particular doctrine in depth and then answer challenging Bible texts that other denominations use to contradict these Biblical beliefs. They were nervous about the court session, but I assured them they would do great. So yesterday was their day in court. I rearranged the classroom and had a long table at the front of the room for the panel group on trial. To their side sat their defense attorney, one of the pastors on campus. In front sat three jurors consisting of the principal, and two teachers. And also in front of them was me--the prosecuting attorney. I had each group open their session with a Bible study on their topic and then I began challenging their responses. Taking the opposition side was somewhat difficult because I had to try to argue positions that I knew were totally incorrect. Even as I was presenting the arguments, I kept thinking how dumb they sounded and how easy they were to disprove, but I had to sound convincing so that my students could see that these are valid arguments that people will use against them.

I challenged them on verses that use "spirit" and "soul" in the Bible and made them prove why these cannot be conscious entities that live on after death. I made them respond to verse likes Phil. 1:21,23 or 2 Cor. 5:8 that other denominations use to prove that you go to heaven at death. I asked them about Col. 2:14-16 about the law being nailed to the cross or the apparent "first day" (Sunday) worship services in the New Testament and Romans 14:5,6 of not judging a person regarding what day they keep. I questioned them about the Sabbath and the mark of the beast in the end times. I challenged them on hell burning forever and 1000 years of peace on earth after Christ's coming. I challenged them on the secret rapture, the seven year tribulation, and the dangers of believing in such a thing.

The whole court session was 3 1/2 hours, but the students loved it. They said it was so real to them of how they may have to stand up for what they believe and they better have Biblical answers to back them up. It was a nice way to end the semester and I just hope it really challenges them to dig deeper to really know how to "be ready always to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason of the hope in you, with meekness and fear." (1 Pet. 3:15).

One thing that is nice too is that this whole semester goes right along with the senior class trip to the Philippines. In just one month, myself along with several other staff and the senior class will be spending three weeks there. The students are preaching evangelistic meetings at 8 different sites. I am so excited that now they have the opportunity to share with others what they have been studying this semester. I have included the senior promotional video for you to see. We are still trying to raise the remainder of the funds to go, so if you have a burden to help sponsor them to the Philippines, we would be very grateful!