A WORD OF WARNING: please do not read this report if you do not want to be confronted with the explicit, shocking dangers that face young Christians in America today.
A WORD OF ADVICE: please print out a copy of this report. Many reports can be absorbed by reading the introduction, headlines and postscript. Not this one. It takes about 10 minutes to read and absorb the seriousness of the message. Plus, you’ll have it in a permanent form to help maintain your family’s spiritual health.
A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT: please pass this report on to every college-bound student and his family! (According to copyright restrictions, please do not add or delete any content to the body of the report itself when you send it to others). ============================================================ "IT ONLY TOOK SIX WEEKS" The pain and anger in her eyes startled me. Tears spilled down her cheeks. "It only took the University six weeks," she said. "Six weeks to do what?" I asked. "To completely destroy my son’s faith." As this anguished mother related her tale, my heart broke. She had raised Justin (not his real name) in a loving home and had taken him to church every Sunday where he was involved in a spiritually-thriving youth group. She had even homeschooled Justin for several years to give him a strong biblical foundation. Yet when Justin arrived at the University, everything fell apart: *He tried to get involved in a Christian campus group but it didn’t work with his schedule. *Justin’s residence hall situation was a nightmare: other men made sexual passes at him as he passed through the halls. He had to share showers with girls who had moved in with their boyfriends for the weekend. Drug use and drunkenness were ever-present. Pornographic films played endlessly and loud cursing, partying, and clouds of marijuana smoke made sleep or study virtually impossible. *Christian students in the dorm were openly mocked when they protested this chaos, and the residence hall held "sensitivity" meetings to break down any certainty students might have had about moral right and wrong. There was one light at the end of the tunnel in Justin’s life.
Unfortunately it turned out to be a train. JUSTIN’S STORY: WHAT HAPPENS TO 1 OUT OF 2 CHRISTIAN YOUNG PEOPLE AT COLLEGE Justin had a particular instructor, a graduate assistant actually (a significant percentage of the freshman- and sophomore-level classes at state universities are taught by graduate students, not actual professors). This GA seemed smart, funny, and "knowingly" cynical. He never attacked Justin’s faith directly. In fact, on the surface he pretended to respect the young man’s convictions. But the sub-text was clear: "You can believe whatever you want, but you should understand that the beliefs you are espousing are only held by angry, immature, intellectually-stunted and psychologically anal-retentive people." With mind-games such as these, and the enormous pressure in the social environment, Justin’s entire Christian worldview came unraveled. He began drinking and viewing pornography (it could hardly be avoided). During one party he ruined his "True Love Waits" promise when he was seduced into having sex with a girl he didn’t even know. Deeply ashamed, Justin began looking for a way to come to grips with what he had gotten himself into. His favorite instructor lent a sympathetic ear: "Sometimes we need to experiment a little bit to find out what we really want. It’s perfectly natural to feel a little guilty as you break away from the your parents’ and church’s rules. Maybe those rules work just fine for them, but they can’t live YOUR life–you need to be true to yourself." This "Do what seems right to you and everything will work out fine"approach eased Justin’s guilt and made him feel somehow stronger and more responsible. By the time Justin came home for his mid-term break, he had figured out what he wanted to do. He told his mother, "I have decided to reject everything you taught me growing up." His mother’s heart sank, "But why, son?" "Mom, you can’t imagine all the evidence they have to prove that everything you believe is wrong." Frantic, his mother sought counsel from Justin’s former youth pastor, but that young man was bewildered as well–he had never personally faced such a crisis of faith, and he wasn’t sure what to do. Justin’s mother bought several books by Josh McDowell and others to give to her son, but it was too late. "I’ve already made up my mind, mom. Stop trying to impose your beliefs on me." AN ISOLATED INCIDENT? This is a true story. I wish it weren’t. I also wish I could tell you that this young man "came out of it" after a few months. He didn’t. His mother’s heart is still broken. I have heard this same story, with only minor details differing, dozens and dozens and dozens of times from anguished parents all over America. Here are just a couple examples that parents have shared with me recently: *A young woman who was the campus leader in her
Christian high school came home during her first semester of college and told her parents, "I am now an atheist. I request that you do not pray for me any longer." *A young man from a conservative Christian home became addicted to Internet pornography which led to sexual promiscuity and finally a crippling sexually transmitted disease (some statistics show that about 2/3 of young people under the age of 25 will end up with an STD). All across America there are parents who have lost their children to a perverse, anti-God culture. They are discouraged because they feel that they have failed in transmitting their values to the next generation. They are embarrassed that their children have rebelled against their convictions. Most of all, however, their hearts are broken by the spiritual loss of their children whom they deeply love. In this report I want to share a strategy that will help you protect your child from such spiritual devastation. Before I share it, however, I would like to introduce myself and give you detailed reasons about why I am writing this report.
WHO AM I AND WHY AM I WRITING THIS? My name is Jeff Myers. I’m an author, speaker and college professor. As an undergraduate I double-majored in Political Science and Communications. I hold an MA in Speech from Baylor University and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Denver. I’ve taught college and graduate courses for nearly a decade and am a professor at Bryan College, a Christian liberal arts college in Tennessee (by the time you finish this report you’ll see why I chose to teach at a Christian college). Just before going to college, my father coaxed me into attending a two-week camp in Colorado called Summit Ministries, where godly, brilliant men and women helped me understand and defend the Christian worldview. The confidence I gained at Summit helped launch me as a leader on my campus. Eventually I became student government president and a nationally-ranked collegiate debater. In my early 20s I directed the efforts of many gifted writers and speakers to produce a Christian worldview curriculum that is still today the most extensive, and the most extensively-used, worldview training course in the world, training thousands of people every year. I have also designed leadership and communication training courses to equip leaders, and these programs have also been used successfully by hundreds of thousands of people (http://www.myersinstitute.com). The graduates of these programs occupy the boardrooms, courtrooms, classrooms, operating rooms, and legislative halls in America and many other nations. Together we are, with God’s help, turning the tide of secularism and injecting a Christian influence into every sphere of society. I can’t take credit for any of this. All success is due to God’s power working through willing hands. Yet while we are seeing enormous success in so many areas, there is one area in which we are failing, and this failure could undo every single one of the successes we have witnessed. Quite simply, we are losing the next generation, and in the most painful way possible. This report explains how. AMERICAN HIGHER EDUCATION: ABSURDITY ENSHRINED The examples I gave earlier of Justin and so many other students are all-too-often representative of what happens to Christian young people in America. Much of the attack takes place at America’s colleges and universities. It is well-known that college professors are significantly more liberal than the mainstream (for instance, post 9/11 polls show that up to 90% of college professors OPPOSE America’s efforts to fight terrorism, whereas 90% of Americans support them), but it’s not just in the classroom that Christian students run into trouble.
I’ve been involved in the college scene for nearly 20 years now, and the challenges facing students seem more bizarre every year. Here are some examples I’ve personally received in the last couple of months: *The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (this is the BUCKLE of the Bible Belt) hosted a play called "The Vagina Monologues" featuring sexually explicit dialogue, the seduction (rape) of a 13-year-old girl by an older woman, and much more that is too graphic to describe here. *A Christian student at a secular college in Texas signed up for an ethics class. The text? "Ethics for the New Millennium" by the Dalai Lama. *A Summit Ministries graduate at an Ivy League school reported that her earth sciences professor repeatedly bashed the "Genesis View" saying that it "held back the progression of science and caused many problems and is now recognized as completely ignorant." *A Summit Ministries student majoring in microbiology made a comment about intelligent design on a paper and was docked two letter grades and slammed with the following remark (I have a copy of this paper): "I think you should seriously consider changing your major. It is ludicrous for you to major in biology. Pick another major where personal opinions are all that matter. I suppose my remarks will feed your martyr complex, but so be it." *A Christian young man at a university in the Southwest wrote several "politically incorrect" editorials in his campus newspaper, and has now discovered that he is the only student with a 4.0 GPA NOT selected for the Honors College. This makes him ineligible for scholarships he needs to continue his education. *Students at University of California at Berkeley tell me that the college has reinstated its male sexuality class, which featured the viewing of porn films and guest lecturer including a local sadomasochist and a prominent porn star. During one field trip, the professor (a male) had sex with a male stripper.
He also engaged students in sex games at his home. *An exhibit of "religious art" with sadomasochistic overtones is on display at Santa Fe Community College in Florida. In one of the pieces, according to an article appearing in the Independent Florida Alligator, "Jesus is shown hanging on the cross, naked, with ropes attached to and pulling on his genitals." *A student at a large university labored in vain to find one single professor who would express a pro-life stance. In fact, she encountered more than one professor whose defense of abortion was: "the fetus is indeed a human being, but killing it is justifiable homicide because its birth brings violence to the woman’s right to live her life as she chooses." *A student in an on-line course finds that after he writes a paper proving the link between Islam and violence–using exclusively reputable Islamic sources such as the Islamic encyclopedia–his professor refuses to grade his papers and tests. As a result, he fails the class. DO CHRISTIAN YOUNG PEOPLE INFLUENCE THE CULTURE, OR IS THE OTHER WAY AROUND? You’ll just have to trust me on this: if I had 100 pages to fill, I still could not record all of the atrocities which occur EVERY DAY in the classrooms, student unions, and dorms of secular universities. Even if Christian students manage to survive such nonsense, it’s a Pyrrhic victory at best. What is the POINT of enduring four or five years of such torture and PAYING MONEY for it? I just don’t get it.
Now, I don’t advocate "withdrawing" from the culture. Yet many parents rationalize the choice of a secular university by saying that their child will be a missionary there (When I quiz them, however, most of these parents have not prepared their child to be a missionary in such a place, nor do they have any idea what the spiritual state of their child is, how their Christian worldview is being affected, whether their morality is being compromised, or even how to find out such information). No doubt it is difficult to balance receiving the training necessary to becoming a Kingdom builder and avoiding the temptations that would destroy faith. All generations have struggled with this tension. I only suggest that Christian families be very, very careful. No mission agency would dream of sending people to the field unprepared, and in my experience, only a very small percentage of Christian young people are truly prepared to influence their campus for the good. The vast majority are swept along with the crowd. THE STATE OF A NATION: WHAT IS HAPPENING TO CHRISTIAN YOUTH? As you read this, I can guess what might be going on in your mind. Satan is messing with your thoughts, telling you "It’s not that bad where you live" or "Maybe it’s that bad other places but you live in the Bible Belt" or "It wasn’t that bad when you were in college, was it?" or even, "Maybe Jeff is just being alarmist. Lighten up." I can hardly blame you if those describe your thoughts. I felt the same way when I first confronted what I am about to share with you. It was easier for me to dismiss uncomfortable information than to face the facts. What happens if I am wrong? Then the worst that happens is that you’re a little more cautious, and better equipped to minister to your child. But I have a question for YOU. What happens if YOU are wrong? If I’m wrong, then we’ll all go away a little more disturbed than we ought to be. But if I’m right, then we face a situation similar to that of the British government in 1939, which vainly tried to appease the Nazis, giving Hitler time to gain strength to carry out his horrendous deeds. In short, if I am right, or even just partly right, then inaction and silence will destroy us.
We must act and speak up NOW. CHRISTIANITY ON CAMPUS I’ve had many honest conversations with college campus pastors. These men and women are ministering to youth under tremendous pressure and in difficult circumstances. On some campuses revival and spiritual growth are breaking out everywhere. But many of these campus pastors have confided that this growth often seems shallow and based only on emotion. They are alarmed at the number of young people who love God with their HEARTS, but whose MINDS are given over to hollow and deceptive philosophies. Who wins in a battle of this nature? Dr. Bill Brown, President of Cedarville University, warns: "You may not live what you profess, but eventually you WILL live what you believe." In other words, what you believe in your MIND eventually comes to dominate your will and emotions. Spiritual glee that is not backed up by good doctrine and right thinking is like a sugar rush that peaks and then quickly fades. Youth workers are rightfully concerned.
Consider these facts reported by the Higher Education Research Institute (a secular organization based at UCLA): *About 2/3 of college freshmen feel uncomfortable with their physical appearance, lonely or homesick, and depressed. *More than half of students report that they feel pressure that in order to succeed they must "break away" from their home and family. *Students report drinking alcohol more frequently after one year in college. *Activism, community service and religious participation significantly decline during the first college year. *More students located themselves on the left side of the political spectrum after one year of college. In addition to these concerns, Christian parents must also recognize these facts pointed out by pollster George Barna and others: *fewer than 1/3 of young people consider religion to be important in their lives. *56% of evangelical Christian youth say that "one can get to heaven without Jesus." *A whopping 87% of young people say they believe "there are no absolute truths." Believe it or not, that statistic has gone UP since 9/11, not DOWN. *the level of drug use, sexual promiscuity, pornography addition, cheating, etc. is almost identical among Christian and non-Christian youth.
THE LOST GENERATION; May I be brutally honest? We are in danger of losing an entire generation. Even those who do not succumb to great evil are often co-opted by non-Christian worldviews to the point that they are useless as warriors in the raging spiritual battles of our age. It is a well-known fact among investment counselors that financial wealth rarely survives the second generation. The person who earns it bequeaths it to his children, who sometimes invest it wisely and sometimes squander it. But the grandchildren almost always squander it completely. This is an apt analogy for the church today. We have health, wealth and influence. But at what cost? Look behind you: a whole generation of young people is back there, and they are not following in your footsteps. It’s as if we invested our lives building a beautiful home for our family only to discover when it was finished that our neglect of them caused them to lose interest in occupying it. As Jesus said, "What shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36). The facts are pretty grim, but there is hope.
At the end of this letter, I’ll introduce you to one program that has demonstrated profound success in equipping young people to go against the tide. THE CRIPPLING EFFECT OF APATHY AND INDIFFERENCE I work with lots of young people-about 50,000 a year. I find this generation of young people to be sincere, and searching. Many of them love God with all their hearts, and love to spend time worshiping Him. But below the surface, their Christian worldview is growing weaker. Even at the Christian college where I teach we’re finding that it is harder and harder every year to get students to step forward and take a leadership role. They’re ensnared by apathy and indifference. What exactly is going on here? How is it that our finest Christian young people are being taken captive during the very time that they have the greatest potential, highest energy, and most creativity to impact the Kingdom? Up until this point in the report I have relied mostly on anecdotal evidence. Now I would like to introduce you to two significant studies that pinpoint the source of the attack and highlight the seriousness of the situation we face. 1 IN 2 CHRISTIANS HAVE THEIR FAITH DESTROYED IN COLLEGE In the late 1980s Dr. Gary Railsback, then a Ph.D. student at UCLA (now at George Fox College in Oregon), studied college freshman across America who had checked "yes" when asked whether they were born-again Christians. He followed about 4,000 of these students through four years of college, and discovered that nearly 50% of those who checked, "Yes, I am a born again Christian" when they entered college checked, "No, I am not a born again Christian" when they were graduated. Dr. Railsback recently conducted a follow-up study and found that his original results still stand. Can you even get your mind around this statistic? If college is "boot camp" for life, we’re losing 50% of our "Christian soldiers" before they even get to the field of battle! If this does not make your blood run cold, you need a spiritual check up, and desperately. By the way, the worst offenders in Dr. Railsback’s study were not the state universities, but the liberal religious colleges–those who used to have strong standards but have now compromised them. Such schools can be found in every denomination: Catholic, Lutheran, Mennonite, Presbyterian, and Southern Baptist. My theory is this: at state universities Christian students KNOW they are under attack. At liberal religious colleges, on the other hand, students let their guard down and are more easily taken captive by professors who teach secular worldviews under a religious guise (such as, "The Bible supports communism" or "The Bible doesn’t really say that homosexuality is wrong," etc.). 2018: THE YEAR CHRISTIAN CIVILIZATION ENDS? In the 1980s Dan Smithwick, a corporate VP who was interested in apologetics as a hobby, designed a worldview test called PEERS which measures a person’s worldview in politics, economics, education, religion and society (http://www.nehemiahinstitute.com). Dan began administering the PEERS test to young evangelicals around the country and tracking the results (a prominent statistician tested the reliability and validity of the test to make sure it was sound). PEERS is very straight-forward. A score of "100" indicates the strongest possible conservative Christian worldview. A score of "-30" represents a secular humanistic, atheistic, socialistic worldview (benchmarked by members of the American Humanist Association). Last year Mr. Smithwick began running statistical calculations to assess the trends in the Christian worldview of evangelical students. What he discovered is chilling. Since 1988, the Christian worldview scores of evangelical students has decreased every year except one. Mr. Smithwick projects that if present trends continue, the AVERAGE evangelical Christian young person, by the year 2018, will hold a radical secular humanistic, atheistic, socialist worldview. Did you catch that? We’re not talking about just the average young person.We’re talking about the average EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN young person. This is not the 70% of young people who don’t attend church. This is the 30% who are there every Sunday, going to camp, and participating in mission trips. In other words, if present trends continue, the biblical Christian worldview on which America was founded will be completely erased just 16 years from now. For more than 200 years our forefathers have faithfully passed the baton from generation to generation. But our generation dropped it. Will it be "game over" in 2018? IS THERE ANY HOPE? In ancient Israel, the tribe of Issachar was noted with distinction because its men "understood the times and knew what Israel ought to do" (IChronicles 12:32). People who can understand and articulate their beliefs inevitably become leaders. People who fail to understand the ideas of their times inevitably become followers, and not very good ones either. For many years, an organization called Summit Ministries has been laboring diligently to equip the next generation of leaders with a biblical worldview, a spirit of discernment, leadership skills, and a heart for building God’s kingdom. The program has been so successful that it has caught the attention of some of America’s most well-known Christian leaders: Dr. D. James Kennedy: "The Summit provides a solid spiritual foundation to help keep your child’s faith secure when the storms of godlessness and unbelief confront him." Josh McDowell: "My own son was one of those who came face to face with a biblical worldview at the Summit. It was by far one of the most significant conferences he has ever attended. The impact will affect Sean the rest of his life." Other hearty endorsements have been given by Dr. James Dobson, Chuck Colson, Dr. Tim LaHaye, and many others. I don’t know about you, but when trusted Christian leaders speak with one voice about something, I tend to listen–even if I don’t always agree with all they say. HOW SUMMIT WORKS The Summit program itself is deceptively simple. Students come for two weeks, networking together with hundreds of other high school- and college- age Christians, to learn from some of the best Christian minds of our nation. The instructors are carefully selected for their credibility, their ability to communicate effectively with young people, and their heart and mind for God. Summit students attend four or five classes a day and have afternoons free for sports and leisure. During the class times they learn: *Signs of cultural collapse. Students learn to recognize what exactly is wrong with the wrong ideas of our age and become informed about popular philosophies. *Worldviews in conflict. Students learn an easy, guideline for understanding how world religions and philosophies fit together: Everything from secular humanism and nihilism to Islam Buddhism, and Hinduism. *Persuasive arguments for Christianity. Students discover easy-to-explain reasons for why the Christian worldview is intelligent, rational and worth following. *Playing offense without being offensive. Students become equipped to talk about the tough subjects in tough situations. They learn a simple strategy to make their "opponents" defend their own worldview. They find out how to stop being caught off-guard without arguments when defending their faith! And much, much more. In all, students receive about 80 hours of instruction during the two weeks. Though it is intense, the atmosphere is not so much academic as it is worshipful as students learn to worship God with their minds as well as with their hearts. The positive peer influence on students also makes a lasting impression. The patient guidance of our faculty and coaches help students receive answers to their most pressing questions and biblically-based solutions to problems which have plagued their lives. In addition, students are given 500-page notebooks crammed with facts, statistics, resources and tools for defending the faith. We also put them in contact with other Christian organizations which can equip them with answers and take their training to the next level through conferences, internships, and more. Best of all, we arrange for students to stick together upon returning home. One student reported with joy how much she loves the networks of godly Christians that develop through Summit. "I sent out a note that I was going to be giving a presentation in a hostile class, and received about a dozen e-mails of people who offered advice and said they would be praying for me at that very moment. It was awesome encouragement." WHAT SUMMIT GRADUATES SAY Summit grads can be found just about everywhere: politics, business, education, sports and the military. They rely on their Summit training as a source of strength even in America’s toughest environments. There are a lot of quotes here, but each one expresses a different benefit to the program. Please take just an extra moment to read them all: C. N., University of Notre Dame: "Not only did I learn how to defend my faith in contemporary culture, but I gained new insight into God’s power and love. The lessons I’ve learned will be with me for a lifetime." R. P., University of Virginia: "I grew up in a Christian home and wanted to defend my beliefs but I always felt like my knowledge was inadequate. Summit has given me the ammunition that I need, but it has also shown me how to defend my faith in a spirit of love." T. G., high school student: "One of my favorite things about Summit was the fact that the counselors and speakers were so involved. Rather than just speaking and leaving, many speakers would stay after the session and be very open to questions." C. B., high school student: "The Summit was by far the most incredible, life-changing experience I have been through. The sessions were fabulous and the speakers were amazing! How the whole two weeks was put together was beautifully orchestrated to fit everyone’s needs. There was incredible praise & worship, impacting lessons & testimonies, awesome free-time & activities, simply wonderful people everywhere & opportunities to foster relationships that won’t be forgotten." B. M., John Hopkins University: "Summit not only gave me the knowledge I need to defend my faith, it also explained exactly how to do it and gave me confidence. I feel prepared to adequately defend my Christian worldview and help others see how smart, beautiful, and wonderful a relationship with Christ can be." THE SUMMIT: FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS The Summit program works. It is desperately needed, and is blessed by God "for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14). Christian leaders believe in it. Graduates believe in it. I believe in it so much that I have committed my life to it. In fact, one of my goals is to grow our program to the point of training tens of thousands each year. Imagine the impact of having tens of thousands of brave Christian young people who not only know how to stay out of trouble, but who could articulately and confidently stand for truth and righteousness. We’re not just talking about REVIVAL; we’re talking about REFORMATION. During the first 300 years following the Reformation, Christians gave us hospitals, civil liberties, abolition of slavery, modern science, the elevation of women, regard for human life, great works of art and literature, a workable system of justice, education for common people, the free-enterprise system, and much, much more. What will Christianity contribute to the world in the next 300 years, should the Lord tarry? The answer lies, at least in part, in how you respond to this message. What will you do with what you know? You have an opportunity to partner with us to train the next generation of leaders, or you can close this e-mail and try to pretend that you didn’t read it (if you’ve read this far, I know you won’t do that).
Here is what I would like for you to do:
1. FOR YOUNG PEOPLE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 16 AND 21: COME TO THE SUMMIT ASAP. If you are between the ages of 16-21, you NEED to do whatever it takes to fit this program into your summer schedule. In the U.S.: seven two-week sessions are held each year in Manitou Springs Colorado, two are held each July on the campus of Bryan College in Dayton, Tennessee (just north of Chattanooga), and one is held at Cedarville University in Ohio (close to Dayton, Ohio) each June. Go to http://www.summit.org or call 719-685-9103 for dates, costs and application forms. If you’re not in the U.S. and traveling to the U.S. is difficult, ask for information on Summit programs planned for other countries, such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Indonesia, Fiji or South Africa.
2. FOR ADULTS, ESPECIALLY YOUTH PASTORS AND TEACHERS. You can sign up for the special Summit adult conference held each April in Colorado Springs–call 719-685-9103 for more information. This program is held at the historic Glen Eyrie conference center with breathtaking scenery, stimulating fellowship, comfortable hotel-style rooms, and delicious meals.
3. TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SUMMIT. You can do your part to train the next generation of leaders by requesting brochures, videos, post cards, etc. to tell as many people about the Summit as possible. Call Summit Ministries at 719-685-9103 to get more ideas. 4. MAKE A FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION TO HELP OTHERS ATTEND. We have already been made aware of the dire financial situations of many top-notch students, and I can assure you from personal experience that a little help goes a long way. For example, a missionary would like to bring students from the inner city, but needs financial assistance to make it happen. He sent several students a couple of years ago, and they were terrific. Because of their ethnic heritage and cultural background, these young people can bring the message of Christ to some of the toughest places in the world.
100% of the contributions you make will go to providing scholarships—we don’t take out one penny to pay our salaries or anything else. AND, your contribution is tax deductible. You can send it to Summit Ministries, PO Box 207, Manitou Springs, CO 80829. RECLAIMING LOST GROUND Mark Cahill, one of our long-time Summit speakers, says, "When Satan take something that belongs to God, TAKE IT BACK." It is time to reclaim ground. We have nothing to lose, and a generation to win. As A. B., high school student who graduated from the Summit at Bryan College last summer says, "Summit is the officer academy of the army of God. It gives the enemy’s battle tactics, strategies of spiritual warfare,and shows how to lead Christians in spiritual battles." I look forward to being shoulder to shoulder and back to back with you in the coming days. In God’s power and grace, Jeff Myers, Ph.D. mailto: jeff@passingthebaton.org P.S. Recent visits with many parents convince me that Christians are just not thinking straight when it comes to helping their children choose a college. A 17-year-old students can decide many things independent of parental guidance, but choosing a college is not one of them. At that age young people do not understand the challenges ahead. Responsible parents must get involved. For that reason, I wanted to take a moment to introduce you to Bryan College (http://www.bryan.edu).
Bryan is a 4-year Christian liberal arts college which excels at teaching each subject from a biblical worldview (ex.: ALL of our science faculty members are creationists-a rare find even at Christian colleges). Plus, Bryan is highly-rated academically. Our programs are all ranked above the 90th percentile among peer institutions, and our graduates score above those of many of the "elite" private secular colleges in America. When you can get a high-quality education, based on a biblical worldview, in a strong Christian environment, with small class sizes and a mentoring approach by the faculty, why on earth would you roll the dice on a secular university? More than 80% of Bryan students receive financial aid, and at high enough levels to be fairly competitive with state schools. And be honest: is it really worth it to risk your child’s soul for a savings of a few thousand dollars? In any event, I strongly encourage you to look into Bryan College if you are in the college decision making process right now. ============================================================ by Jeff Myers, Ph.D. mailto: jeff@passingthebaton.org (to receive more information on the Summit Ministries programs for young people, go to http://www.summit.org) Copyright Jeffrey L. Myers, Ph.D.
Indonesia’s, 62nd birthday, independence day has just been celebrated last August 17th. This is the second time I celebrate the independence day of my beloved country in Taiwan. Last year, I don’t have the chance to go to KDEI (an Indonesian representative office in Taiwan) to celebrate it, but this year I go with other Indonesian friends to attend the ceremony. After the ceremony is over, the KDEI provide us many kinds of delicious Indonesian food. We eat until we are all full. At the end, they also have music and dances that are uniquely from Indonesia (“Dangdut” is the music of my country ^^ haha). I just have one wish for Indonesia during it’s 62nd birthday party, I wish they can be better and better each day. God bless Indonesia! (Enjoy the picture) 
