PromoteGood • ResistEvil • RestoreBrokenness This Special Report was prepared by The Washington Times Advocacy Department and The Colson Center for Christian Worldview The 2016 Wilberforce Weekend: Restoring All Things TABLE OF CONTENTS PROMOTING GOODNESS God loveth “re” words by John Stonestreet and Warren Cole Smith .................................................................................................... 4 To handle today’s ‘cultural moment,’ stand firm in the Gospel story by John Stonestreet .................................................... 5 Understanding God’s mission by Dr. Ed Stetzer ..................................................................................................................................... 5 Hannah More, the ‘female’ Wilberforce by dr. Karen Swallow prior ................................................................................................ 6 Christian communities offer ‘ballast’ against ‘violence, radicalism, insanity’ by dr. Gregory alan Thornbury ................. 7 Museum of the Bible beckons all to ‘come and see’ by Steve Green ............................................................................................ 8 RESISTING EVIL Exposing inhumane, coercive population control by reggie littlejohn ......................................................................................... 10 ISIS using new technology to commit medieval brutality by Johnnie Moore .............................................................................. 10 Resist sin, and fearlessly radiate the love and life of Christ by Frederica Mathewes-Green .................................................. 11 ‘Does the West care about us? Does the church care about us?’ by rep. Frank r. Wolf ........................................................ 12 RESTORING BROKENNESS Be light! by rev. dr. Samuel rodriguez ........................................................................................................................................................ 13 TMENT Restore brokenness by welcoming home the orphans by Kelly M. rosati ................................................................................... 13 PAR E Strengthening our common bond in Jesus Christ by rev. robert Sirico ......................................................................................... 14 d y C a God’s ‘counterintuitive’ plan to vanquish anger, fear, despair by dr. Joseph M. Stowell ......................................................... 15 VOC Live with hope, despite a world of apathy, hardened hearts by dr. Bill Brown .......................................................................... 16 ad MES i HONORING CHUCK COLSON AND HIS LEGACY Remembering Colson and his three ‘lodestars’ by dr. Timothy George ......................................................................................... 17 NGTON T NGTON by Chuck Stetson ............................................................................... 18 i Recovering William Wilberforce’s impact on civilization SH a Chuck Colson: a man of faith and reason by prof. robert p. George ................................................................................................ 19 A passionate leader and ‘fully present’ father and family man by Emily Colson ...................................................................... 19 THE W y B Tributes from Colson Fellows ................................................................................................................................................................... 20 -21 d E PAR E THE VALUE OF VIEWPOINTS AND WORLDVIEW pr Five questions reveal one’s worldview by Nancy Schulze ................................................................................................................. 21 ON i The power of a good idea by dr. Everett piper .......................................................................................................................................... 22 SECT ‘Resisting evil’ means rising above anger by david Kupelian ........................................................................................................... 23 ial EC p Focus on winning the culture, not the culture war by dan Smithwick .......................................................................................... 23 S a THE WASHINGTON TIMES THE WASHINGTON | The Wilberforce Weekend, sponsored by The Colson Center for Christian Worldview, is an annual gathering to equip Christians in Christian worldview and cultural renewal. Founded by the late Christian leader Chuck Colson, The Colson Center produces the popular daily commentary “Breakpoint” with John Stonestreet and Eric Metaxas, and equips Christian leaders through the pril 29 • 2016 a Colson Fellows program. (www.breakpoint.org) Friday • Friday This Special Report was prepared by The Washington Times Advocacy Department and 2 The Colson Center for Christian Worldview a S p Joining in God’s work to restore our culture is. EC ial The Colson Fellows Program equips people of strong faith—people like you—with relevant SECT i skills, biblical knowledge, and a solid Christian worldview, so you can navigate today’s culture and play a ON pr significant role in helping to restore it in a way that is pleasing to God. E PAR E d As a Colson Fellow, you will spend nine months: People from the Colson Fellows Program have invested B “ y in me — so in the future I will be able to invest in others. THE • participating in teleconferences ” — Kelli Mutz, Franchise Accountant, Chick-fil-A W with world-class thinkers a SH i networking with like-minded believers • NGTON committed to substantively engaging their The Colson Fellows program was a tremendous blessing communities and spheres of influence. “ in my spiritual, personal, and professional development. T i • putting into practice what you learn, I highly recommend this program to anyone who wants MES ad by developing your own plan for action to better understand how their Christian worldview TIMES THE WASHINGTON V • attending three residencies with the leading allows them to excel in an increasingly pluralistic culture. OC ” a — Dr. Michael Lindsay, President, Gordon College C TEACHERS OF CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW y d E PAR TMENT | Friday Bill Brown Jim Daly John Stonestreet Michael Lindsay Sean McDowell Nabeel Qureshi Amy Sherman Dr. Glenn Sunshine Joni Eareckson Chris Brooks National Director President of President of the President of Assistant Professor of Ravi Zacharias Sagamore Institute Professor of worldview Tada Pastor, Evangel Ministries • Colson Fellows Focus on the Family Colson Center Gordon College Christian Apologetics at International Ministries and historical theology Founder Joni & Friends a Biola University pril 29 • Apply today! www.colsonfellows.org 2016 3 God loveth “re” words livestock and over all the earth and over is, as C.S. Lewis so skillfully describes in every creeping thing that creeps on the “The Last Battle” of his Narnia series, a earth” (Genesis 1:26). new beginning. Don’t miss this very important point: The absolute ruler of everything decided Living our story to make other rulers to take care of his In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul identifies world. They are not puppets, nor have those who are in Christ as those who they been granted tourist visas in order to have been entrusted with “the message enjoy paradise. They have work to do. of reconciliation.” We are now “ambas- We know where the story goes next. sadors” of the redemptive work of Jesus The first people fail at their task, futilely Christ. Let’s be clear on what that means. attempting to be their own masters and First, we are ambassadors of the full fatally attempting to remake reality. It redemptive work of Jesus Christ. This doesn’t work, and the results are cata- includes, but is also more than, the rescue There is not one thumb’s width of the universe over which Christ does not declare: “Mine.” strophic, for them and for the world they of individual souls. The story, as told in —Abraham Kuyper were supposed to steward. Scripture, is the restoration of all things As a result, they are separated from that culminates in the New Heavens and By John Stonestreet and Warren Cole Smith God and from one another. Their respon- New Earth, when all wrongs will be made sibility for the creation isn’t removed, right again. There are a lot of “re” words in the (Psalm 24:1), but this is more than the but it is frustrated by pain and toil. They Second, we are not only saved from Bible. Words like redemption, renew, re- psalmist’s adoring reflection. This is, in are in need of rescue. They need to be sin and death, but also saved to the life pent, restore, resurrection, reconciliation fact, the foundational fact of the Bible: reconciled to God and each other. And that God intended for his image bearers and regeneration show up over and over God does not inhabit our world, we God does not abandon them. In Christ he from the beginning. Humans were placed throughout the Bible, especially the New inhabit his world. From the very begin- fully and finally enters the humans’ story in the world to care for it, and though the Testament. ning of the story of redemption, this fact to make things right again. fall frustrates our efforts, Christ restores These “re” words have to do with that identity and calling. “Re” words are returning something (a person, a relation- “again” words. They only truly make ship, a project, a universe) to its original, sense in light of God’s original intent. intended state. For example, the