Where are you with apologetics?
Do a whiteboard session with this question:
On a scale of 1 to 10:
1, being I just learned how to spell apologetics, and
10, I just witnessed to Richard Dawkins and made him cry, where are you?
Do you agree with the this explanation of apologetics?
There are three steps to Biblical and Christian Worldview understanding:
1. Know what you believe
2. Know why you believe it.
3. Be able to defend what you believe against alternate worldviews and belief systems
Many churches handle one and 2 well.
Generally speaking Apologetics overlaps with number 2, why you believe,
but it often exclusively adds number 3, the ability to defend your faith.
At what age should the church start teaching apologetics to our youth?
How Do We Teach Youth apologetics? 2:46
Video topic summary:
#1 Start young – by 4th or 5th grade
BOA comment: Many apologists state that we should start teaching apologetics as soon as children start asking questions.
At what age do you think apologetics should begin in the church?
#2 Ground them in the truth first:
Start exposing them to error, with theology, good apologetics, good world view, good grounding in the truth of Christianity.
Expose them to objections i.e. atheism, other world religions, counter views, to help them test out their worldview, and to inoculate them.
Hearing the objections first from parents and the church is crucial.
Where could your church improve in this area?
#3 Ask lots of questions as you do this
Don’t always provide answers, use questions to force kids to defend their faith.
Why is this important?
#4 Get them out from behind the walls of the church into the community to engage
In what ways would you like to see your church do this?
Greg Kunkle: “The majority of churches do not give their students any apologetics training”
Where is your church in this area?
“Apologetics should be an essential part of the discipleship of our young people”
Agree?
BOA Questions on How do we teach youth apologetics?
1. How would you explain the concept of inoculation in this context?
2. Do you have any other ideas on how and where your church could improve in ‘defending the faith’?
What about the adults:
How many of you adults have had apologetics training at churches that they’ve attended?
Would you take the opportunity for apologetics training if it was offered, why or why not?
What changed, why is the topic of ‘defending the faith’ more crucial today?
Whiteboard : Apologetics temperament test:
When somebody asks you a question that you can’t answer, what is your first reaction:
a. get mad and stomp off.
b. verbally attack the questioner
c. change the subject
d. insult their mother
e. clarify the question
f. pretend like you forgot English
g. look at your watch, and run away
h. tell them that was a good question, I don’t have a full answer, but I’ll look into it and get back to you.
i. both e and h
The Good News of Apologetics:
I want you all to know that there are numerous attacks against Christianity today, but that this is really nothing new.
What is great to know is that in many disciplines of apologetics, like archaeology, astronomy, and biology information and discoveries are exploding to support scripture and christian beliefs.
For example:
1. The universe having a beginning points more to theism than naturalism.
2. DNA and the information in our cells demonstrates a complexity that defies random causes and points to design.
3. Archaeology is validating scripture almost daily, and challenges or refutes skeptics frequently.
4. Origin of Life sciences have come to a screeching halt. James Tour is calling out origin of life scientists to provide a solution or to admit its current gaping deficiencies.
5. Skepticism in Darwinism is growing within it’s own ranks, and in contrast philosophies like Intelligent Design are beginning to gain traction.
6. The “New Atheists” such as Dawkins and Hitchens are beginning to lose steam, and many people are beginning to see the futility and nihilism of their world view.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali: In Her Own Words || Conversation with Glen Scrivener
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDJh7uOvfDM
7. The internet has been exposing historical issues within the LDS church.
The CES Letter is an example of a relatively recent information source that is causing serious doubt among LDS members.
8. The current attack on truth with movements such as Deconstruction and Progressive Christianity is certainly racking up many casualties. That said it is also causing many to reexamine the validity of truth, and The Truth John 14:6.
If a church seeker wanted to obey the command to “Be Prepared to Defend the Faith” 1 Peter 3:18, and if they were looking to see if your church supports that goal on their website, would they find “Defend the Faith” or the word apologetics? Should they?
Additional references:
See https://bestofapologetics.com/2024/09/08/intro-to-apologetics/ for commentary on this video
https://bestofapologetics.com/category/parents