How Should a Beginner Get into Apologetics? 2:29
References:
Lee Strobels A case for Christ.
William Lane Craig “ON Guard” book
How Do We Teach Youth Apologetics? 2:46
Good “on the ground” or “challenges and direct witnessing opportunities bring growth” approach
What is Apologetics and (Why you should learn from it): 8:25
Lots of valuable references
Have you heard people say that we shouldn’t discuss religion or politics?
Have you said that yourself?
Concerning religion how would you convince someone that it should be discussed?
A Strategy For Teaching Apologetics To Youth – Mike Winger 38:33
Sources of the problem:
5:00 college
6:40 skepticism at work
7:00 family and friends
8:30 the internet
What in your personal experience are the places where you most experience challenges to your belief system?
Challenges to face:
10:40
11:20 The bible supports slavery
11:30 you don’t even have the bible
12:10 Do you think gay people should be stoned to death Lev 20:13
12:33 Shouldn’t a sincere Buddhist or Hindu go to heaven?
12:53 The Bible was written by bronze age shepherds and teaches that the earth is flat
13:12 there is no convincing evidence that jesus even existed, see this youtube video as proof
14:07 Why are there two contradictory creation accounts in genesis 1 and 2
15:00 Your version of Christianity is just one of over 40,000.
As you listened to this assortment of challenges, did you experience any tension at all as to how you would answer them?
If the answer is yes, then Great, because we are here to help you learn how to answer these questions.
Associated References:
Archaeology Study Bible (easy to incorporate into vs by vs messages) https://amzn.to/2MgSiht
The Big Book of Bible Difficulties (this is the newly updated “When Critics Ask”) https://amzn.to/2JZDEOU
When Skeptics Ask https://amzn.to/2luXFyk
Evidence That Demands a Verdict https://amzn.to/2tmZb9X
https://Biblethinker.org is my website “Mike Winger” and has many hours of free content.
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?
Whiteboard session 2: Let’s brainstorm about areas and topics that can be addressed by the discipline of apologetics:
Category hints:
Science
Arguments for the existence of God
Cults
Other Religions
Bible
Challenging questions
Worldview
Whiteboard 3: 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 any of these peak your interest, let us know and we can do a lesson on it.
Discussion on Relationship: