I’m not a big fan of televangelists. From Pat Robertson praying for Hurricanes to miss his hometown, (so it will hit someone else’.) To Rod Parsley telling me to send him $2008, not for any specific need, but because God wants to bless me. To the morons that will probably appear in Bill Maher’s new movie “Religulous” parading around, spouting less than intellectual truth(?) No wonder so many think we’re just a bunch of hayseed rednecks. And then there’s the man from Madras.

I remember the first time I heard Ravi Zacharias, flipping through the stereo in the car and stumbling on some religious station. Interesting voice. Indian? Then noticed the intellectual way he spoke. Well versed. Master of the English language. But, there was something else. He spoke of scripture and its meaning. But, more importantly, the philosophy behind it. I’ve never really heard that before.

A contemporary of C.S. Lewis, Zacharias is a master of bridging the complex truth of scripture with the common sense that it really is. I immediately did a google search, found the station I was listening to and found his name, Ravi (it was the only one that seemed Indian.) Then discovered just how huge he is. He has his own international ministry. RZIM. How’d I miss that. Oh, he’s not ON tv. He’s actually ministering to the world. What a concept. So, I downloaded practically all of his podcasts and rediscovered the truth in a new way. Philosophically.

This was also my introduction into apologetics and my first taste of just how stupid and ignorant of the BIble I really was (am). Kind of an uplifting intellectual rock-bottom, if there is such a thing. Bottom line, he left me craving more. Truth heard in this way is very addicting. It’s that kind of truth that resonates with everyone else. As is evident in some of the lectures in his podcasts.

If you haven’t listened to him, do it right now. You won’t be disippointed. To me, the most meaningful podcasts are those in lecture halls on the campuses of Columbia, Harvard, you name it. He gives an hour lecture and then does an hour’s worth of Q&A. And makes some of these poor students look like abosute fools. But in a compassionate, intellectual and very Christian way, of course. I would say, some even had no choice but to convert on the spot.

I would love to see your comments and opinions of him.