FRANCISSCHAEFFERSTUDIES.ORG BLOG: WHAT IS FRANCIS SCHAEFFER STUDIES?

Occasionally in our work we find that people sometimes may be confused or have questions about who we are and what we do, so we feel that from time to time it is important that we review what we are about. The following will help explain our guiding principles:

What is Francis Schaeffer Studies?

francisschaefferstudies.org is a fan site founded in 2011 to promote the study of the works of Francis and Edith Schaeffer.
FSS was founded to assist in passing the works of Francis & Edith Schaeffer to the next generation and make their thought and teaching more accessible for general inquiry.
FSS is a service to the Francis Schaeffer and L’Abri community. We both promote and serve by creating web content such as social media promotions, graphics and videos.

How do you promote the works of Francis & Edith Schaeffer?

We create studies around their works.
We film classes on their works.
We promote their works through our website by providing a reference for all of their books.
We promote their works on social media such as Facebook by providing both a discussion group and fan pages, Twitter, YouTube, and our blog.
We produce content and materials such as graphics, promotional and documentary videos and other web related projects for other Schaeffer related ministries and promote them.
We occasionally have events to this end.

What are your affiliations?

Most of us are members of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Overland Park, KS and thus submit to the guidance and leadership of our pastors and elders. All of the classes on Schaeffer’s works are filmed at Redeemer unless otherwise noted.
We must clarify that we are NOT a part of L'Abri or in any way officially associated with the estate of Francis Schaeffer or the ministry of L'Abri International. However, we are in contact with L'Abri and do seek their guidance and input in regard to the site. In accordance with Eph. 5:21, "submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ," we humbly submit to the insight and guidance of the L'Abri leadership for the cause of Christ, and properly respecting the legacy of Francis & Edith Schaeffer. We feel very strongly about this, as we believe in many respects the "real work" is going on in the various locations of L'Abri throughout the world, where the various Biblical principles taught by Schaeffer are daily being put into practice. Many, many people have been transformed by the witness of L'Abri, as it's workers invite people to come and live with them and experience Christian community. It is our aim to simply promote and share these teachings and provide a free service to L'Abri and the Francis Schaeffer community.
THE FRANCIS SCHAEFFER COLLECTION? Recently, as of this writing we have been doing a lot of work in regard to the Francis Schaeffer Collection. We are not officially connected with the L. Russ Bush Center for Faith & Culture or Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, The Francis Schaeffer Foundation, or Hill House. All of our work has been done under the guidance and direction of Dr. Bruce A. Little to freely promote the collection and the importance these materials are to the next generation of scholars.
We are likewise not officially associated with any other Schaeffer related ministry, even though we might actively promote them.

How are you funded?

At this time we are funded by our own out of pocket money and by prayer.
Since we are web, graphic, and video professionals, we do all of the work in-house and at our own time and expense, if any is required.
In the two years of service God has provided by sometimes providentially giving paid work for businesses or other ministries to us personally which we have then appropriated to the most immediate need. One example of this is when Dan needed his copy of the complete works of Francis Schaeffer. He prayed and God provided a web job at just the right time that paid for the amount needed. As we have learned from the L’Abri example, God provides what we need.

Why are you doing this?

Firstly, because we believe scripture instructs us to remember our leaders. Here are our three guiding verses:

Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. (Hebrews 13:7 ESV)
Further instruction in this role of “imitating their faith”:

Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. (Philippians 3:17 ESV)

Paul instructs as to why we should imitate him:

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. (1 Corinthians 11:1-2 ESV)

Secondly, we are doing this because Francis and Edith’s works are so important. There are numerous reasons that we could state here, but in short, it is because their works teach these important points and more:

an emphasis on the inerrancy of scripture
the Biblical emphasis on the dignity of mankind
an understanding of true-truth and substantial truth for life and godliness
a moment-by-moment spirituality that brings reality in the Christian walk
an intellectual apologetic that engages both the heart and the mind
the belief in honest answers to honest questions
the call to a life of prayer
a proper Christian worldview and worldview thinking
a cultural apologetic that engages culture and informs the mind
the application of Biblical truth to the whole of life, even government
and last but not least, the final apologetic, the practice and balance of living out an observable love toward true Christians without compromise as a demonstration to a watching world, and standing for Biblical truth without compromise in the midst of a post-Christian culture.