Gatekeepers Watch
Vision:
Should the Lord wait to return, I dream that history books might tell a
different story of a changed environment on university campuses. Instead of the secularism, relativism, and hedonism common in today’s culture, I believe there will be a revival of the values that great universities founded on (Christian Worldview ).
Due to the corporate faculty, staff, and student ministry organizations with the local church, in the vicinity of Arizona State University, I hope to read how in the early 21st century Christian faculty and staff began to dramatically influence the whole course of cultural norms from the campus of ASU. I picture myself as a watchman looking at what kind of ideas come into the university and how they compare with a Christian worldview. My role is to serve as an ambassador or Worldview Consultant to Jesus Christ to relate to people as a truth and grace recipient and dispenser to others as I communicate about Christ convincingly in the present culture with my whole life to usher in a worldwide Christian Awakening of the Kingdom of God focusing on the university.
Purpose:
- To serve Jesus Christ and the truth of the Gospel.
- Model faithfully the example of Christlikeness in words and behavior.
- Equip and motivate others to communicate the claims of Christ and a Christian worldview in various areas of life.
Objectives:
- To faithfully pray for by name, faculty, staff, and students.
- To initiate and develop on-going relationships with Christian and -non-Christian professors, staff, and students.
- To persuade faculty of the tool of philosophy in the practices of apologetics and clarifying theological concepts.
- To encourage faculty to integrate their respective academic disciplines with Biblical worldview.
- To communicate via teaching and speaking apologetics for various groups (Reliability of the Bible, the Uniqueness of Christ, Problem of Evil & Suffering, etc.
- To coach and encourage faculty and staff to develop the practice of asking shrewd and wise questions as a means to dialogue with others towards evangelism.
- To initiate a friendship-based form of discipleship with individual faculty towards the objective of spiritual growth and the tools to disciple others (mentor-protégé relationships)
- To construct learning contexts (critical study groups, book studies, videos, etc.) for spiritual
growth. Facilitated 60 groups in 20 years. - Periodically invite special speakers to address university audiences on topics (Dr. Walter Bradley, Dr. Gary Habermas, Dr. Mary Poplin, Mr. J. Warner Wallace).
Life Story:
Jim Pourchot, a native of Phoenix, Arizona, enjoys living and exploring in Arizona. He received a bachelor’s degree in Biology at Arizona State University. After college, Jim served with Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru) for 11 years. His ministry journey took him to live in four states and travel to Russia (five trips), Singapore, Israel, Jorden, and the Philippines. Jim completed an M.A. in Philosophy of Religion from Liberty University in 1995. During a period of nine years, he taught over 60 philosophy-related courses at nine colleges in the Phoenix area.
Since February 2001. Jim has participated with Community Ministries International in a ministry to faculty and staff known as “Gatekeepers Watch”. He serves by initiating and organizing critical study groups in books conveying a Christian worldview to the issues of the times especially those relevant to the lives of an academic audience. He has taught Bible, theology, and apologetics courses at his local church for the past six years. He and his wife Joni enjoy camping and fishing and are managed by four cats.