Deeper Waters: What Lies Ahead

[ApologiaPhoenix]

Time for your input everyone! I'm going to give a general outline of what I think lies ahead, but I would like your input.

I started blogging around three years ago after reading Hugh Hewitt's book "Blog", where he pointed to blogs as something that could be as instrumental to today's time as the printing press was to Martin Luther's. While he is a Christian, much of what he wrote on was political. Still, it was an eye opener and I decided I needed to get what I'd learned out there and out there so the layman could understand it.

Of course, this has just been a start. I've always had a dream of having my own ministry. Many of you know my main hero in apologetics is Ravi Zacharias. I have modeled myself after him in many ways. It is my ultimate dream then to have a ministry that involves the following:

First off, writing. Blogs are one thing. Books are another. I have been told several times to write a book and that could be in the works soon. Considering I'm limiting my TWeb time, that could be easier to pull off. The blog is just a start however and something publicly accessible for free that anyone can see and I can get good and simple ideas out on.

Second, teaching. I am a teacher at heart and love to teach on Christian apologetics. I jump at any chance at my church to teach and to do so on the spur of the moment even. I also would love to get to teach at a good Seminary or Bible College and prepare future generations of apologetics. Of course, that could involve recording materials in an MP3 format and in podcast form.

Third, debating. There is already experience here on TheologyWeb as well as my appearance on the Unbelievable radio program. It would bring great delight to me to go toe to toe with the new atheists and show the world further that the emperors have no clothes.

What else lies ahead besides those?

We want to be a discipling ministry as well. Deeper Waters is not about me. Deeper Waters is about preparing Christians to go deeper into the ocean of their faith. That means taking others aside who can reproduce what they learn.

Also, we want to be a ministry focusing on the disabled community. As my wife and I are both Aspies, that is, people with Asperger's, we want to reach out to those the world has often overlooked. Our focus will be on those on the autism spectrum, but we want to show overall that people with disabilities do matter.

Finally, we want to rekindle the passion for marriage and get people learning about what makes marriage great and what makes it work. Too many marriages are not long-lasting covenants with two people growing together in holiness. It is our hope that we can help people bring joy to their marriages as well as helping those again in the Asperger's community with relationship issues.

All of these are in the works. This is where you come in. What all would you like to see? What all would you like me to take on for Deeper Waters? If you have ideas on improving the blog, I'd love to hear them. I am not the technical one here however. Toodles handles that more than I do. She's even the one who put the donate button on the blog. (To which, we do invite you to donate. Although we do not have 501c3 coverage yet so it's not tax deductible, it is appreciated. Do pray for me in this as at the time of this writing, I'm still unemployed. We hope that changes soon.) I will take any suggestions into consideration.

As I've said also, I plan on limiting my debates to the inter-varsity areas and the professional debate areas that are more formal. I could still spam in fun areas, but now there needs to be a stronger focus on what lies ahead. Being married, my priorities have changed as well and I want my TWeb time to be spent far more efficiently.

Again, this is where I hope to take this ministry. I await your feedback.

[Stevo]

Hi AP,

Here is what I think rocks:

Firstly, it is deep. You go beyond the byte size articles and multimedia that many Apologists produce and instead work with real substance and detail. I know Apologetics does sometimes need to be at a popular level but as JPH says "certain things simply can NOT be simplified so much, for otherwise they lose power and credibility as defenses". Apologetics needs to move beyond answers. It needs to be about education and understanding.

Secondly, you discuss Aquinas, at length, which a breath of fresh air. I love listening to lectures on Plato by Ron Nash and I would eat up a 30 hour podcast series on Aquinas if it were available We can never get enough ancient thought!

Finally, I think we will all appreciate the fact that we can ask you questions in this forum. In this respect, we have seen what a great blessing JPH has been, so stick around for as long as possible.

Only one gripe: Your blog is big and hard to navigate, it would be great if it were more organised, so people could catch up or review older posts. Perhaps you could create a bunch of pages, on the menu bar, with a lists of related posts.

[jpholding]

I'd like to see a review of Zeitgeist, please.

[ApologiaPhoenix]

Glad you asked JPH. Part of our ministry also is sending out a weekly newsletter encouraging everyone to write to Tektonics for the latest news on Zeitgeist.

[ApologiaPhoenix]

Hi AP,

Here is what I think rocks:

Firstly, it is deep. You go beyond the byte size articles and multimedia that many Apologists produce and instead work with real substance and detail. I know Apologetics does sometimes need to be at a popular level but as JPH says "certain things simply can NOT be simplified so much, for otherwise they lose power and credibility as defenses". Apologetics needs to move beyond answers. It needs to be about education and understanding.

Correct. When an atheist wants to understand the eternality of God, they always start at that point. They don't realize much theology is in the background.

Secondly, you discuss Aquinas, at length, which a breath of fresh air. I love listening to lectures on Plato by Ron Nash and I would eat up a 30 hour podcast series on Aquinas if it were available We can never get enough ancient thought!

I used to also, but now that I'm a Thomist, Plato doesn't have the same appeal.

Finally, I think we will all appreciate the fact that we can ask you questions in this forum. In this respect, we have seen what a great blessing JPH has been, so stick around for as long as possible.

Absolutely.

Only one gripe: Your blog is big and hard to navigate, it would be great if it were more organised, so people could catch up or review older posts. Perhaps you could create a bunch of pages, on the menu bar, with a lists of related posts.

I agree and that is something I need to figure out.

[One Bad Pig]

What lies ahead? Sharks.

:sharkattack:

[jpholding]

Glad you asked JPH. Part of our ministry also is sending out a weekly newsletter encouraging everyone to write to Tektonics for the latest news on Zeitgeist.

Great. I'll have this guy "Nick P." write me some guest pieces.

Now then, for some serious comment.

I'll be working with AP on helping his ministry meet some of these future goals. The exact mechanics of all of these will be worked out in the next few months.

Just so everyone knows, AP has some well-placed friends who see a rising star. I'm one of them. Mess with him at your peril. He has others too who see the same thing. You know he has a friend in Geisler. Those at the wedding know who else. Big names, plus excellent friends like Rayado who will be stars in their own right, IMO. Nuff said.

As a newly-minted married man, he needs some time to get used to that, especially all those rolling pin marks on his forehead. But once he's settled in, we'll be discussing things like mutual and individual projects. Books, as he said, are one option. My next book will be on doctrine and I can see some openings in there for his expertise. Teaching: obviously. I've seen him do this and he has that down. Perhaps he might enter into the CAI program and take that Ken Davis course, but as with me, that will be mainly for refinement rather than learning anything new if he goes that way.

Other than that, I'll continue to be one of several mentors when it comes to things like the admin side of ministry (establishing the 501c3 for example) or whatever else he needs. I'll probably be the loudest of the mentors for the time being.

As I've said also, I plan on limiting my debates to the inter-varsity areas and the professional debate areas that are more formal.

And you know who else does that and why. I've told him he needs a No More Stupid People policy. There it is.

Welcome to Superman's Takeoff Party!

[ApologiaPhoenix]

Thanks JPH!

[Manwë Súlimo]

You need three names if you want to make it into the big time. Nick Peters doesn't have the same ring to it as William Lane Craig. Maybe something like Nicholas H. Doofus?

[Rayado]

You have no idea.

[ApologiaPhoenix]

You have no idea.

Well he has seen me around Toodles more than anyone else here probably.

[jpholding]

Nah, how about "Ichabod Q. Kintinairo".

[Rational Gaze]

You need three names if you want to make it into the big time. Nick Peters doesn't have the same ring to it as William Lane Craig. Maybe something like Nicholas H. Doofus?

I have four names.

[DavidRussell81]

Hey Bud,
I like it, this whole website was hard to get around for me at first. :) I am not so technically inclined. I am on board now man and will keep you in my prayers.