The year was 2005, and I had recently joined Singapore Campus Crusade for Christ (now Cru Singapore) as a campus ministry staff. I was in Bali attending an apologetics conference for youths with a couple of other fellow staff workers.
A few months before that, I had overheard them talking about it and became very intrigued. What in the world was apologetics?
Fast forward, and I found myself seated with them in a big hall, listening for several days to speakers such as Stuart McAllister, Michael Ramsden, L T Jeyachandran, I-Ching Thomas, and of course Ravi Zacharias. Little did I know the life-changing impact this conference, and the ministry of Ravi Zacharias in the days to come, will have upon my life and ministry.
Tributes have been pouring in from all over social media (and beyond) ever since our hearts were gripped and grieved by the sudden and shocking news of Ravi’s sickness. So much have been said of this man, of the impact that his life and ministry has had.
Ravi teaching at RZIM Summer Institute (Photo by RZIM)
Here are a few more to add to that chorus of grateful voices lifted up in thanksgiving to the Lord, of the blessing his life has been:
Ravi spoke to an open forum for university students in Singapore on the topic, "Truth If You Dare: A Closer Look At Truth In An Age of Relativism" in 2015. Organised by the Campus Collective network comprising leaders from Alpha Singapore, Brighton Community Church, Cornerstone Community Church, Cru Singapore, Eagles Communications, Faith Community Baptist Church, HOPE Singapore and Wesley Methodist Church.
As we celebrate Ravi’s life, let us also consider how we might imitate him (1 Cor 1:11) as an example of one who feared, loved and obeyed the Lord wholeheartedly. These three books, for me, encapsulates what his life was all about:
Thank you Ravi, for how you have lived your life, training and inspiring a generation of apologists, and workers in the Lord’s vineyard to winsomely and faithfully proclaim the gospel in every way possible.
Your life is a gift of God to us all. You have demonstrated that God is completely worthy of our trust and devotion in every season of our lives. May we all continue to be found faithful to him in the way you have been.
Desmond is somewhat of a specialist in being a generalist - he enjoys knowing a little about everything. When not getting climbed all over by his two boys and devouring his next set of readings for his MDiv program at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, he spends his free time dreaming about conquering the seven summits.
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