God is Still Speaking Loud and Clear

November 5th, 2025

In this timeless message, originally presented by our own Dr. Juan Valdes more than a decade ago, the topic and challenge is as relevant as ever: The body of Christ must be active in sharing the Gospel and engaging with those who need to be trained and equipped to stand boldly on God's Word!

Over my many years of ministry, I have had the privilege of speaking at some of the largest apologetics conferences in the country as well as in Central and South America. In doing so, I couldn’t help but notice how the Holy Spirit worked in and through the lives of many of the nation’s top apologists to bring a common theme to the Church in general and to Christians in particular. Anyone who attended these conferences would have to wonder if the speakers had coordinated to speak about the same topic in different and non-repetitive ways. As a speaker, I can assure you that no such planning ever took place. What actually happened was even greater—it was the Holy Spirit prompting each of us to share the message that is most urgently needed at such a time as this in our country. What is that message? I believe there are two things the Holy Spirit wants to embed in our hearts.

We Must Engage Our Culture!

God has not called us to hide the light of truth, but rather to lift it so that everyone can see. Jesus was clear about this in the Sermon on the Mount, when He not only challenged us to step up and be the light, but also to be the salt of the Earth. Paul echoed these heavenly exhortations when he urged us to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ and to demolish every argument and prideful attitude that raises itself against the knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:5). Is that a message for today or what?

As Erwin Lutzer, Ray Comfort, Lee Strobel, Abdu Murray, J. Warner Wallace, and many other apologists have pointed out, however, we must also temper our approach with love. Peter summarized this well when he said that, when responding to those who ask, we should do so with meekness and fear (1 Peter 3:15). In other words, we must speak with gentleness and respect! Too often, our attitude or behavior dims the light, leading us to model a version of Christianity that pushes the lost away rather than drawing them in.

We Must Focus on the Real Enemy!

Instead of attacking each other, we must focus on the ideas that threaten the very foundations of our nation. We may not agree with some or many of the voices that God has raised up to preach, teach, and defend the faith, but a careful consideration of our differences will show that often we disagree about non-essentials. While I do not support compromising the essential tenets of our faith, I believe that instead of fighting one another, we should concentrate on the real enemy and the lies he has so cunningly planted in the hearts of the lost.

Just to be clear: We have the TRUTH, and with it comes a great responsibility! I believe the key question to ask is, “Is it wise to spend so much of our time, energy, and valuable resources arguing over denominational differences and eschatological dilemmas when there are friends, family, and so many children, teens, and young adults who do not know Christ?” The Church seems to have lost its focus. Jesus commissioned us to the ministry of reconciling the lost to Him. We are called to be the ambassadors of the Good News to a lost and dying world, not public critics of other Christians and ministries!

As a theologian and apologist, I value the purity of doctrine and understand the importance of standing firm on the faith once delivered. The truth must not be compromised—that's a given! However, we should support and unite with those who uphold the essential doctrines of God’s Word and focus on winning the lost to Christ. Concerning those who have strayed from the essential doctrines, we can address it privately or leave it to God. Being public critics has a damaging impact on the lost. As one young man told me recently, “How can you talk to me about the 'truth' of the Christian faith, when you guys are always fighting each other over what the truth is? You guys can’t even agree on what is true!”

Hebrews 12:14
Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

While this young man might not have verbalized an accurate assessment of Christianity, it is nonetheless the perception held by many, especially young people, and it damages the cause. Even more tragic—souls are going to hell while we argue over relatively insignificant issues. Let’s change our approach—think about it this way: if we dedicate all our time, energy, and resources to reaching the lost with the Gospel, discipling them, and teaching them how to live for Christ, then God’s Word will flourish and darkness will be pushed back!