Judge Phil Ginn Proclaims, ‘Regardless of Your Age or Status, You Can Know the Truth of Real Christian Faith’
November 1, 2021
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — While most young people ages 13-25 call themselves religious or spiritual, a majority claim they have “no formal ties” to any specific religious community—“and are choosing instead to create self-driven pathways of faith” using both religious and non-religious sources. That’s according to a new study from the Springtide Research Institute, as The Christian Post recently reported. The study examined the reasons for the disconnect between young people and traditional religious institutions at a time of vast uncertainty in the culture. “In essence, young people with unbundled faith will partake in religion, including practices, beliefs, and communities, to the degree that suits them, with no formal or permanent commitment,” the researchers found.
Judge Phil Ginn, president of Southern Evangelical Seminary (SES, ses.edu), reacted to the findings amid the context of an increasingly “woke” culture, in which many Americans have rejected faith institutions.
Says Judge Ginn, “This is really nothing new. We know that it existed at least 600 years before Christ walked the earth, as Isaiah prophesied about the coming Messiah when he wrote, ‘All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.’ It should come as no surprise that a majority of young people have ‘no formal ties’ to a specific religious community and ‘are choosing instead to create self-driven pathways of faith for themselves,’ as The Christian Post reported.
“The problem is, as J. Vernon McGee once wrote, ‘The Jesus that the world believes in today doesn’t even exist. He never lived. The Jesus of the Bible is the one against whom there is great enmity in the world,’” Judge Ginn adds. “However, before we move quickly to condemn these precious young people, we should acknowledge that they are at least seeking. That’s why we, at SES, so fervently want to reach our country and world with the clear and logical message of the true Biblical Jesus.
“Perhaps a good place for us to start would be in Paul’s sermon in Acts 17: 22-31. Just like the Apostle Paul as he preached in the Areopagus, SES is now teaching men and women to be the ones who will stand before this present culture and say, ‘What you therefore worship as unknown, this I now proclaim to you.’ There is real truth that can become an anchor for real Christian faith, which will last for an eternity—and regardless of your age or status in life, you can know it. That’s what we stand for at SES,” continues Judge Ginn, “and that’s why we will remain steadfast in the truth for so long as the Lord allows.”
SES recently held the important live-streamed event, “Awaken.” The event examined issues related to systemic racism in America, police violence, and people of color; the nature of true social justice; and how individuals can escape today’s “wokism.” Featured speakers included SES President Judge Phil Ginn, former police officer Eric Muldrow, and Monique Duson of the Center for Biblical Unity.
Judge Phil Ginn was appointed president of SES in April 2021 after a distinguished career as both a lawyer and a judge. He holds a B.A. from Appalachian State University, a J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Doctor of Ministry from Southern Evangelical Seminary. Prior to his appointment as SES president, Judge Ginn served as SES Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
The mission of SES is to train men and women, based on the inerrant and infallible written Word of God, for the evangelization of the world and defense of the historic Christian faith. SES offers the 15-hour Certificate in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE).SES believes that one must minister to the present generation according to its needs—and to do so with truth and power. Students need training in the ethical, political and economic implications of the unchanging Faith “once delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). The PPE can also be used as a concentration within most master’s degrees (excluding Master of Arts in Religion).The combination of PPE training and classical seminary education can be a potent one in combating the new heresies and false doctrines rooted in a secularist, progressivist worldview.
For more information on SES, visit its website at www.ses.edu or its Facebook page, follow the SES Twitter feed, @sesapologetics, or call (704) 847-5600.
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To interview a spokesperson for Southern Evangelical Seminary, contact Hamilton Strategies, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Jeff Tolson, 610.584.1096, ext. 108, or Deborah Hamilton, ext. 102.
