Article series; apologetics

I want my monthly support-raising newsletter to be substantive—to give my supporters food for thought, as well as to explain what I am learning and what I am currently thinking about. I may post the articles on this blog instead of my other one; I'd prefer to keep my Xanga for lighter pieces.

Here is my tentative schedule of newsletter articles (I already wrote the November ’06 one):

November ’06: Intercessory prayer
December ’06: Yeshua Ha’Mashiach: The Son of G-d in flesh
January ’07: The name of G-d: Honoring Ha’Shem
February: The eternity of G-d contrasted with our ability to know Him
March: Dominion theology: What is it and why is it wrong?
April: Dominion theology: How is it different from Apostolic Pre-Millenialism?
May: Fasting
June: Feasting
July: Gifts of the Spirit: Overview
August: Gifts of the Spirit: Prophecy
September: The Holy Spirit is a person
October: God’s heart for Israel: the prophets’ cry for repentance
November: Contemplative prayer
December: The Festival of Lights

Of course, the schedule may change as I feel led. I am really excited about doing this series. Well, not about all the time it's going to take to type them up, because I am the ultimate perfectionist and will of course take hours and hours until it's edited to my satisfaction. :-P But seriously--this article series isn't just for my supporters; it's for my own benefit. I need to articulate what I believe. I will be forced to examine what I am being taught and to look at other arguments and viewpoints in order to explain it clearly.

Most of these articles fall into the category of apologetics. I've never been good at apologetics, which is precisely why I need to learn how to do it. I am a people-pleaser and I avoid conflict whenever possible; I dislike debate, especially when it's on topics that people are very sensitive about, such as religion. I would rather that we all live happily and peaceably together. I often suffer from the delusion that if all those people who hate IHOP/"radical" Christianity would just come and sit in the prayer room during Misty Edwards' Friday 10 p.m. set, they would instantly see the light. But that is not usually how things work. Most people require logical, reasoned, well-researched argumentation before they are willing to even consider changing their views. Others are almost completely irrational, but I'd rather talk with people open to reasonable discussion before I tackle the loonies...I need a strong foundation and more experience for that!

I've said this several times to my friends: I wish IHOP taught apologetics. I think that many teachers here would have valuable insight into general apologetics; I would love to hear their take on, for example, creation vs. evolution or the historicity of the Resurrection. I also wish that IHOP taught IHOP apologetics. Let's face it, IHOPers, no one talks about past history any more...and boy does IHOP have some odd things in its past. The Kansas City Prophets, the Latter Rain movement...these are things that people still bring up when talking about Mike Bickle and the House of Prayer. I've done a bit of Googling, and there are plenty of people out there who think that Bickle's teaching heresy and that IHOP is a cult.

I have little experience in defending my faith or the ministry I'm currently working with. And I will be the first to admit I'm naive (please see above delusion about haters coming to the prayer room). For instance, my first fund-raising letters were vague and full of IHOP jargon. Those letters made several recipients worry very much about me and what I was doing; I had to write a five-page letter explaining stuff like why I fast and study eschatology. I've learned the hard way not to let my enthusiasm get in the way of my brain—or of my training as as a writer. I must continue to ask the questions good writers ask: "Who is my audience? What is their background? What do I want them to conclude when they finish reading this article?"

In conclusion, I hardly think I am alone in my lack of apologetics experience, especially among the many young believers here in Kansas City. I would love to see a seminar or teaching series on apologetics offered at IHOP--by our speakers, by an outside speaker, I don't care which.

And since I have recently learned that a certain high-ranking grand poobah reads this blog (mad props to a Mr. D. S. for his choice of reading material), perhaps this idea could be floated among IHOP leadership...? (As if you guys don't have enough to think about.)