Author Writes that Everyone Needs Eternal Hope

Feb. 27, 2012 - PRLog -- An interview with Carl Kerby, author of Reasons for Hope in the Mosaic of Your Life
(Part 2)


In Reasons for Hope in the Mosaic of Your Life (Genesis Publishing Group), author Carl Kerby examines how life is often not picture-perfect, and difficult times can make it hard to see a plan or purpose for our lives. No matter what your circumstances, God can gather up the broken pieces and random elements of your life and form them into a beautiful mosaic—making you a useful vessel for His glory.

Q: You mention that America is such a blessed nation, yet many are experiencing hopelessness and despair. What can the Church do about that?

Compared to other countries, America is a blessed nation, to say the least. Yet in the midst of our prosperity, we see waves of hopelessness crashing all around us—increasing rates of divorce, sexual perversion, depression, suicide, etc. Something is definitely not right in America.

It’s estimated that the U.S. has nearly 400,000 churches. If those churches were filled with folks who truly believed what they said they believed and whose lives reflected those beliefs, it would be having a tremendous impact across our nation. We need bold individuals living out what they believe. Why? Because everyone needs hope.

But there is a big difference between temporal (earthly) hope and eternal (heavenly) hope. Many people try to find hope by placing their trust in individuals, relationships, status, or material things. The truth is, only those of us who know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior know what it’s like to have an eternal, all-sufficient hope that will never disappoint. People desperately need God’s hope and redemption. So why are Christians too embarrassed or afraid to share their faith?

Q: Your book devotes a whole section to apologetics. What is apologetics, and why does it matter to the average Christian?

Apologetics is simply giving reasonable explanations for our faith. We should be able to state clearly what we believe and why we believe it. In 1 Peter 3:15, God is not suggesting, He is commanding that all Christians be prepared to give reasons for our hope to everyone who asks us.

When Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” it showed He expected His followers to be talking with people about spiritual issues and telling them how they can have hope. Everyone needs to know the only source of true hope—for this life and for the next.

So that we can offer people answers from a biblical perspective, the book addresses topics like evolution, suffering, dinosaurs, absolute truth, and other common questions.

Q: A recurring theme in your book—and ministry—is the priority of God’s Word. Why is that a major emphasis for you?

The Bible isn’t a book of fairy tales or fables simply dealing with spiritual and moral issues. It is actually the most accurate history book ever written, from the only One who’s always been there and who knows everything that has ever happened in this world.

The Word of God addresses how to handle all kinds of issues in every area of life. It teaches us how to develop godly relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children. It teaches that life is not about us and our interests, but about God and His plan.
I want to challenge people with the knowledge that the Word of God, from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation, has all the answers we need today—not only for doctrine, but for our daily lives.

Q: Matt Butler (NewSong) said that your book “urges readers to take belief in the Bible seriously and to be intentional about passing on that legacy to the next generation.” What advice do you give on how to do that?

When I asked questions as a kid, adults often pawned me off on a pastor or teacher to get the answer, or told me, “Shh! Good boys don’t ask those questions!” When my kids were young, I realized I was doing the same thing—pawning them off on somebody else because I didn’t have the answers. But it hit me: as a Christian, I have to know the answers. I am responsible. I was challenged as a parent to realize that if I didn’t provide answers for my son and daughter, I was communicating a wrong message: that their questions didn’t matter and the Bible had a very limited application.

I often hear complaints about how the government or public schools are causing children to rebel and walk away from God. But the problem doesn’t start in the White House, the schoolhouse, or even the church house. The problem starts in our house. If we’re losing 50–88% of the children raised in Christian homes to the world, we have to quit blaming everybody else and do something about it.

The Bible says it’s primarily the job of fathers to instill biblical values in their children and teach them to love and serve God. When we abdicate that responsibility to other people or institutions, trust me: we will not like the outcome. Unfortunately, we often focus more on helping our kids excel at sports, academics, and other activities than we do on helping them live godly lives.

To learn more about Reasons for Hope* visit www.rforh.com.

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