Until recently I had never heard the term “incarnational apologetics.” At its most basic, incarnational apologetics means that the way we live as Christians is as much a part of our defense of the faith as the historical reliability of the Gospels or the various arguments for the existence of God. According to David Wheeler, professor of evangelism at Liberty University... … … [Read more...]
Book Review: "Five Views on Apologetics"
Apologetics, as a discipline, is meant to help unbelievers overcome obstacles to faith in the Gospel and to help strengthen believers in their faith. However, when it comes to how exactly to go about that, you are bound to get caught up in debates about methodologies and hear phrases like "evidentialism" and "presuppositionalism" and "classical apologetics". What do these … [Read more...]
Who needs answers when nobody's askin'?
By Maryann Spikes. This is written to those of you who consider yourselves Christians but think you don't need answers to tough questions because you don't ask them and nobody asks them of you. I am thinking a lot about this and I'd love to hear if you think I am fully understanding where you are at. I want to know why no one is asking you questions, and here are my … [Read more...]
Bad Christian One-Liners
Christians are generally cool people. I like Christians. I’m actually one of them. And yet, sometimes they can say the darndest things. Christianity is arguably the most thought-out faith in existence. The number of philosophers, theologians, and thinkers that have shaped, not only Christianity, but the whole of Western thinking, is beyond the count. Despite this, the number of … [Read more...]
Why Pastors Ought to Be Apologists
If you scan the pages of Scripture looking for a list of “offices” (leadership positions within the Church), you’re likely to find eight roles described in the New Testament: Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers (Ephesians 4:11), elders, deacons and bishops (1 Timothy 3:1-7; 1 Timothy 3:8-13; Titus 1:6-9). One thing you’ll never find in any Biblical list of … [Read more...]
How Should People Have Religious Conversations?
Have you ever tried talking to someone about religion? Have you shared your thoughts and opinions on man, where he’s going, and where he should be? or his relation to God, if He exists? The conversation can sometimes be frustrating and the atmosphere tends to be awkward once its all over. One prime example I remember was when I was discussing the meaning of life with someone I … [Read more...]
The Impressive Community of “Tent-Making” Christian Case Makers
The Christian community is experiencing an apologetics “renaissance”, and this resurgence of interest in Christian Case Making is being driven by an unexpected group of “tent-making” Christian Case Makers. Like the Apostle Paul, these avocational apologists draw their income from “conventional” careers (Paul was described as a tent-maker in Acts 18:1-3) as they evangelize, … [Read more...]
Ten Steps to Becoming an Effective “Tent-Making” Christian Case Maker
Many observers have noted a renaissance in Christian apologetics (aka: Christian Case Making) over the past several years. Much of this resurgence is taking place in the ranks of “tent-making” Christian Case Makers. “Tent-makers”, like the Apostle Paul, draw their income from conventional careers (Paul was described as a tent-maker in Acts 18:1-3), so they can evangelize, … [Read more...]
Ten Reasons “Tent Makers” Make Great Christian “Case Makers”
People often ask me, “How can I make a living as a full-time Christian apologist (aka: Christian Case Maker) like you?” Even though I’m semi-retired from my career as a Cold-Case Detective (I still have one case pending this year), I’ll never be a vocational Christian Case Maker. My income continues to come from my law enforcement employment, and it always will. For many years, … [Read more...]
When apologetics feels like math
You know that experience where there’s something you should do but you absolutely hate doing it? That’s how I feel about math – and how many people feel about apologetics. Really, I hate math. For one, I don’t really understand it. Once I passed the basics it became confusing for me. Math is a language I don’t speak. I think in pictures and words. Even numbers in my mind are … [Read more...]