Tag Archive for: apologetics

Tackling the Top 5 Objections Young People Have to Christianity | with Cliffe and Stuart Knechtle – Part 2

How can Christians defend the faith in light of today’s most common objections from young atheists and agnostics? America’s “best and brightest” have a bone to pick with God and the Christian worldview, which means evangelizing this demographic is of the utmost importance. But how can Christians effectively reach young people when factors like the problem of evil and the reality of suffering prohibit them from wanting to embrace theism?

Back by popular demand, Cliffe and Stewart Knechtle of the popular YouTube channel, Give Me An Answer, return to share more insights on how they tackle today’s toughest philosophical questions from college and university students. Does the truth of Christianity depend on how good (or bad) Christians live out their faith? Why is free will a necessary component of a moral universe? Is there biblical precedence for open-air evangelism? What effect has moral relativism had on the minds of high school students? All this and more will be discussed in Part 2 of this lighthearted but highly informative midweek podcast episode!

To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.

You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.

Ask Cliffe YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@askcliffe

Give Me An Answer (website)

Grace Community Church in New Canaan, CT

 

Download Transcript

 

/by

The Pulpit Apologist, Pt. 2

In my previous blog, I briefly unpacked five ways apologetic preaching can help the church navigate these challenging times, while also sharing four of eight points of what it looks like to apologetically equip our congregations today. In this post, I’ll briefly unpack points five through eight before concluding with a few final thoughts. That said, if we’re going to apologetically equip our churches, here’s how we can do that.

Fifth, set an apologetic tone that is humble and refuse to be a bully from the pulpit.

Sadly, many pastors have used this humility as an excuse to avoid apologetics altogether. But that would be throwing the baby out with the bath water. We can’t detach our pulpit presentation from our personal character. Apologetics in preaching is important, but we want to present a humble apologetic. As James Sire reminds us in A Little Primer on Humble Apologetics, “It is important to see that a humble holy life is far more significant than one’s ability to fashion and present a verbal apologetic for that life.”[1]

Sixth, it’s holistic.

Apologetics often has the reputation of being all head and no heart. But with a holistic approach to apologetics, it’s a head, heart, and hands endeavor. Many left-brain types of people love to conquer content, but the point of the content is to shape our character.

Seventh, apologetics can’t save anyone.

This point is a concession. As great as apologetics can be, it doesn’t save people. But it can erase obstacles preventing people from seeing the truth. And the good news is this. The Holy Spirit can accomplish more through one powerful encounter than we can through an entire lifetime of preaching.

Eighth, remember, the pulpit is not meant to be exclusively used for apologetics.

I’ve had many people come to churches where I’ve pastored only to say, “We want to be a part of an apologetics church” and I’m quick to reply, “We aren’t an apologetics church, but rather we are a church that does apologetics.” There’s a difference. Our faith is not only to be defended but enjoyed. There’s more to the church than apologetics. There’s’ community, service, outreach, and so much more. The church is the place to practice heaven on earth. And think about it. In heaven there won’t be a need for apologetics.

As I bring this to a wrap, the general principles we discussed might benefit from some specific preaching tips. Here are a few practical tips to remember for making your pulpit more apologetically mindful.

  1. Anticipate Objections: As you prepare your message proactively anticipate objections that need to be addressed. For example, if you’re teaching John 14:6 about Jesus being the way, the truth and the life don’t fail to answer the obvious question, “What about those who never heard?” Nothing is more frustrating than a pastor or commentator who skips over the obvious due to a lack of preparation or a fear of conflict.
  2. Be Transparent: As you deliver your message model a concessional apologetic approach when appropriate. For example, admit your own struggles that you had with the text and how you reconciled the tension you felt. When we preach as if we never wrestle with the text our people may wrongly conclude that we’ve got it altogether. We don’t. Every honest pastor knows the tension of trying to understand various difficult passages. Admit that. For example, did you struggle with doubt, or relatability, or coming to a clear interpretation? We often begin our Sunday morning message by sharing the conclusions we’ve made about the text without sharing the process we went through to arrive there. That’s where the connection happens between a pastor and his flock. So, be vulnerable. Let people know the types of questions and doubts you wrestled with and show them how you resolved the tension. Perhaps you still feel the tension. That’s okay. Let them know you’re still praying for clarity. Remove the pressure from thinking you must have a solid position for every passage you teach. Sometimes our study will lead to further questions than answers. That’s okay. You’re thinking. And learning takes time.
  3. Tell The Story: Finally, as you develop your message remember to leverage the power of story. Stories add color to our apologetic content. And no one modeled the power of story better than Jesus. Storytelling makes apologetics more digestible. It’s one way we can connect hard truths to the human heart. That’s because stories grab our attention. Stories move us more than propositions. So, paint your propositions with pictures of real-life stories. Our people will struggle to grasp the need for apologetics until they understand the relevance of it. And nothing will establish the relevance of apologetics more than real life stories of how apologetics has helped real life people find real life answers.          

Footnotes:

[1] (2006; pgs. 16-17)

 

Recommended resources related to the topic:

Jesus, You and the Essentials of Christianity by Frank Turek (INSTRUCTOR Study Guide), (STUDENT Study Guide)

I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist (Paperback), and (Sermon) by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek

Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Greg Koukl (Book)

Counter Culture Christian: Is the Bible True? by Frank Turek (Mp3), (Mp4), and (DVD)

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Bobby serves as lead pastor of Image Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is well known for his YouTube ministry called, One Minute Apologist, which now goes by the name Christianity Still Makes Sense. He also serves as the Co-Host of Pastors’ Perspective, a nationally syndicated call-in radio show on KWVE in Southern California. Bobby earned his Master of Theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary, his Doctor of Ministry in Apologetics from Southern Evangelical Seminary, and his Ph.D. in Philosophy of Religion from the University of Birmingham (England), where he was supervised under David Cheetham and Yujin Nagasawa. Bobby’s also written several books, including The Fifth Gospel, Doubting Toward Faith, Does God Exist, and Fifty-One Other Questions About God and the Bible, and the forthcoming Christianity Still Makes Sense, to be published by Tyndale in April 2024. He’s married to his lovely wife Heather, and together they have two grown kids: Haley and Dawson.

 

/by

Tackling the Top 5 Objections Young People Have to Christianity | with Cliffe and Stuart Knechtle

Do young people today reject theism and Christianity for the same reasons as past generations? If you ask the average American college student why they doubt Christianity or God’s existence, you’re sure to get a range of responses. But are their objections grounded in evidence, reason, and rationality? Or are they allowing their emotions and desires to guide their unbelief?

Evangelizing college students is no easy task, but today’s guests have mastered the art of dialoguing with young people who have major questions when it comes to faith, morality, and identity. This week, Frank sits down with the humble father/son duo, Cliffe and Stuart Knechtle of the popular YouTube channel, Give Me an Answer. During the episode, Frank, Cliffe, and Stuart will answer questions like:

  • What are some of the top objections they get to Christianity and how do they respond?
  • Why and how did Cliffe and Stuart start doing open-air apologetics on college campuses?
  • How does atheism contradict the Black Lives Matter movement?
  • Should depressed teens have the right to commit suicide?
  • Should Christian parents send their kids to secular colleges and universities?
  • What are some of the CRAZY (and sometimes frightening) ways that students have responded to their ministry?

As you’ll hear throughout this conversation, Cliffe and Stuart take a head, heart, and hands approach when they evangelize on college campuses. This podcast episode is all about showcasing how to present both the love and the truth of Christ without (purposely) offending a potentially hostile audience. We know you’re going to appreciate what Cliffe and Stuart have to say, so be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel and stay tuned for the upcoming midweek podcast episode where Frank will wrap up the conversation with Cliffe and Stuart on how to effectively engage young people through Christian apologetics.

To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.

You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.

Ask Cliffe YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@askcliffe

Give Me An Answer (website)

Grace Community Church in New Canaan, CT

 

Download Transcript

 

/by

The History of Modern-Day Israel with Bill Federer – Part 2

What are the historical and ideological factors that have shaped the modern state of Israel and the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict? Religion, corruption, and even money laundering cannot be overlooked when having a nuanced discussion on what has happened and is happening in that region. But with the complexity of this ongoing war of ideologies and power grabs, where does the true solution lie?

During last week’s podcast, Frank and our guest, best-selling author and historian Bill Federer, walked us through some of ancient Israel’s history as documented through archaeology and in the Old Testament. This week, Bill briefly revisits the miraculous re-founding of Israel in 1948 and then gets into the weeds of many of the challenges that the Jews have faced in light of re-establishing their nation and protecting it from Islamic regimes that are dedicated to destroying Israel for good. Listen as Frank and Bill answer questions like:

  • How did a population of only 600,000 Jews manage to defeat an army of five different countries the day after the modern state of Israel was founded?
  • Why did the Palestinians vacate the land once it was reclaimed by Israel?
  • What role does critical theory play in the history of the modern rise of Islamic governments?
  • What’s the ideology of Wahhabism and jihad?
  • How did US government officials like Franklin D. Roosevelt, President Biden, Hilary Clinton, and others contribute to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
  • What led the son of Hamas’ founder to turn away from Islam and convert to Christianity?
  • How is Jesus the ultimate solution to this never-ending war?

As Bill ties up some of the loose ends from the prior podcast episode, he’ll take us even deeper into the centuries-long hostility between Arab nations, Muslim fundamentalists, and Israel. Part 2 of this series is sure to leave you with a better understanding of the significance of the October 7th Hamas attack, decades-old oil transactions, critical theory, and how they’re all linked to a long chain of antisemitic uprisings from past and present history. And just in case you missed Part 1, be sure to go back and check out the previous episode that aired on 1/5 so that you’re fully in the loop!

To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.

You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.

Previous podcast (Part 1): The History of Modern-Day Israel with Bill Federer – Part 1

Bill’s book: What Every American Needs to Know about the Qur’an: A History of Islam & the United States

 

Download Transcript

 

/by

What Does it Mean to be “Legalistic?”

Legalism. What do you think of when you hear this word? Some people might think of someone who is a stick in the mud. Maybe even someone who relies on the Bible too much instead of following their hearts. Some might think of a strict religion with lots of rules. Others say it’s a “spirit” of criticism and division.

I believe one of the best ways to define legalism is as follows: Legalism entails the establishment of man-made rules and traditions as the benchmark for what is considered holy and right. This is precisely what the Pharisees did, imposing an unattainable burden where almost every action and word is deemed wrong and sinful by these standards. For example, I remember someone giving me an earful when I decided to place my Bible on the floor because my purse had fallen over, and I needed to pick it up. Some people believe that placing the Bible on the floor or putting any object on it means you are disrespecting God. Muslims hold a similar belief regarding the Quran. I believe this is truly what makes the distinction between regarding the Bible as the word of God and literally worshiping it. It’s a holy book. We need to read and study it. But it’s physically just an object. This mindset causes Christians to hold impossible standards for themselves and others.

If the King James Bible was good enough for Jesus It’s good enough for me. . . right?

Legalism looks like instructing women not to wear pants or makeup, permitting only specific foods at certain times, and adopting a skewed perspective on holiness, just to name a few. I know this from experience. When I first became a Christian, I attended what I would consider a highly legalistic church. This church had numerous stringent rules, such as women being forbidden to wear pants, allowing only one ear piercing per ear, prohibiting tattoos, disallowing music with drums (which included movies or shows featuring drums as well, as everything was perceived as either demonic or worldly), insisting on the exclusive use of the King James version of the Bible, prohibiting the placement of the Bible anywhere other than on a table or shelf, forbidding writing in it, and even dictating how bright and colorful your clothes could be.

A Burden that’s Breaking People’s Faith

This is the essence of legalism. Many Christians would be surprised to know that this is a significant factor contributing to many people’s deconstructing faith. It is a burden imposed by people, not by God, which gives the perception of an angry and distant God who is perpetually displeased with you, no matter how hard you try.

Here Christians must understand the difference between holiness and legalism. They are not the same. Holiness is being set apart, adhering to God’s standards rather than conforming to worldly norms. Legalism tells you to strictly adhere to man-made rules, often discouraging critical thinking. This distinction is key. For example, questioning someone who claims to have received a message from God is not legalism. This is practicing discernment, which is what we’re supposed to do. It raises a huge red flag when a teacher refuses to entertain questions or scrutiny regarding their teachings or messages.

Where’s the Love?

True Christianity involves reading the Bible, comprehending its content, and obeying God out of love. This is a reasonable expectation for those claiming to be Christians. It does not however mean we have to become overly critical or judgmental. Excessive legalism lacks grace. Legalism is aggressive and accusatory. Jesus removes burdens, while legalism restores them. This reminds me of the animated version of “Pilgrim’s Progress,” where the character Christian encounters Legality Hill, a mountain covered in countless rules resembling the Ten Commandments. An angry god at the top of the mountain instructs Christian to follow all the rules to reach him, ultimately showing the impossibility of such impossible demands. This is one of the best pictures of what legalism looks like.

Jesus saved His harshest words for the Pharisees who were the poster children of the day for legalism. Listen, He did not denounce their good deeds, but rather their hypocrisy and prioritization of tradition and human-made rules over God’s commands. Don’t miss this distinction. Many religious denominations, such as Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, and various Word of Faith teachings, adopt a works-based approach, where salvation depends on your actions rather than faith in Jesus alone. Extreme legalism often comes from fear and pride. People are afraid of being deceived. And in that fear of deception, they may become ungracious and overbearing towards other people. Think of a helicopter Christian, trying to protect everyone from anything bad ever happening to them. They overdo it.

It’s essential to stand for truth, the Gospel, and the core doctrines of what the Bible teaches, it is equally important not to impose an unreasonable burden on others without extending grace. Love doesn’t mean we’re pushovers. It means we speak truth. But we’re wise and discerning and not overbearing jerks about it. We’d be wise to remember the message in 1 Corinthians 13 about love. Without speaking and acting in love, our words become mere noise, like a clanging gong.

 

Recommended resources related to the topic:

Jesus, You and the Essentials of Christianity by Frank Turek (INSTRUCTOR Study Guide), (STUDENT Study Guide)

Another Gospel? by Alisa Childers (book)

Hell? The Truth about Eternity (MP3 Set), (DVD Set), and (Mp4 Download Set) by Dr. Frank Turek

How to Interpret Your Bible by Dr. Frank Turek DVD Complete Series, INSTRUCTOR Study Guide, and STUDENT Study Guide

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Melissa Dougherty is a Christian Apologist best known for her YouTube channel as an ex-new ager. She has two associate’s degrees, one in Early Childhood Multicultural Education, and the other in Liberal Arts. She also has a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies at Southern Evangelical Seminary.

 

/by

The History of Modern-Day Israel with Bill Federer – Part 1

How did Israel get to where it is today? Do Israeli’s have a rightful claim to the land, or does it actually belong to the Palestinians? And is the conflict REALLY about land after all? We can learn a lot about the history of ancient Israel by reading the Bible and studying archaeology, but what else should concerned citizens know about modern-day Israel and the rise of antisemitism since that time?

As promised, we’re using the first podcast episode of 2024 to explore the history of modern-day Israel. Just a few weeks ago, nationally known speaker, best-selling author, and historian Bill Federer (founder of The American Minute) joined us to breakdown the TRUE history of Christmas. But this week he’s back to discuss modern Israel’s extensive origin story with Frank. During the show, Frank and Bill will answer questions like:

  • How did the state of modern Israel begin?
  • What archaeological finds corroborate Israel’s long substantiated claim to the land?
  • Was there a state of Palestine before 1948?
  • How has the discovery of oil fueled the rise of antisemitism?
  • Why is every land for peace deal rejected? And is this dispute really about land?

Believe it or not, Frank and Bill only begin the discussion in this podcast episode, so be sure to check out the upcoming midweek podcast episode this Tuesday to look even further into Israel and Palestine’s past, present, and ongoing conflict. There’s so much left to unpack and you have to stay tuned for the conclusion of this historical break down from a true expert! In the meantime, remember to sign up for Bill’s email list so that you can continue to receive history nuggets like this every week!

To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.

You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.

Bill’s book: What Every American Needs to Know about the Qur’an: A History of Islam & the United States

 

Download Transcript

 

/by

Are Today’s Christians Confused About the Gospel?

A few weeks ago, I created a post that said, “I love apologetics but apologetics is not the gospel.” It wasn’t controversial at all. Just kidding. Come on! We’re talking about social media; the breeding ground of controversy.

As a teacher, I often look for the underlying cause of a misunderstanding. I ask myself, “What is the foundational aspect of this message and why didn’t the reader ‘get it’”? With the so-called controversial post about apologetics and the gospel, it became more and more clear that the reader didn’t understand the word “gospel.”

A Simple Question

So, I created a survey that asked, “What is the gospel?” I got a varying degree of answers that included:

  • Sharing the gospel is praying for someone.
  • Sharing the gospel is sharing my testimony.
  • Sharing the gospel is a kind gesture, a hug, or visiting a sick friend.

And just like a quiz tells the teacher what her students know and don’t know, I immediately understood why my post about apologetics not being the gospel became controversial. The reader doesn’t know what the gospel is. The reader is missing this foundational piece of knowledge in order to understand the entirety of the message. Unfortunately, many of the readers call themselves Christians and they cannot define the gospel.

“Preach the gospel at all times, use words if necessary” – Is that true?

There’s a popular quote attributed to St. Frances of Assisi that many Christians like to mic drop in the social media comment section. It is, “Preach the gospel at all times, use words if necessary.” This famous quote has woven its way into sermons from the Church of Christ all the way to the Baptist pulpit, and even the Instagram post of an unsuspecting Christian apologist.

My objective here is to answer “What is the gospel?”  and then contemplate whether it’s good advice to, “Preach the gospel at all times, and use words if necessary.” Let’s do that by answering:

  1. Who said it?
  2. What is the gospel?
  3. Is the quote valid?

Who said it?

St. Francis of Assisi never said, “Preach the gospel at all times, and use words if necessary.” It’s not clear who first said it either but we know St. Francis never did. We also know he was a prolific preacher, who used lots of words in his preaching. He did however emphasize the importance of our deeds matching our words. I agree with him there. I’d say that many who love this quote believe it is necessary to live what you preach. After all, don’t we often hear how people won’t go to church because it’s full of hypocrites? Trust me. People care that we practice what we preach.

But are we as the church really preaching the gospel with our lives rather than with our words?

Per George Barna’s American Worldview Inventory (2023), he warns that 64% of Americans claim to be Christians while only 4% have a biblical worldview. In other words, most self-identified Christians are living the popular quote in reverse – claiming the gospel but not living in light of it. Wait. So, what do most Christians think the gospel is? Because per Barna, they’re not living it.

Is the gospel a good deed or kind gesture?

Think about it. If the gospel is a prayer, then Judaism and Islam share the gospel. If the gospel is visiting the sick, then atheists and New Agers share the gospel. If the gospel is a virtue, then anytime someone from any religion displays that virtue, they are sharing the gospel. If that’s the case, we’re starting to sound like Oprah Winfrey when she said all religions and beliefs lead back to God.

But then you have to ask: Does every religion include the gospel? If they do, then the gospel is not exclusive to Christianity, and Christianity is not unique to any other religion. However, if Christianity is the only religion that shares the gospel, it cannot be a virtue because everyone is virtuous to some degree – Christian or not. Moreover, if the gospel is unique to Christianity, it cannot be prayer. It cannot be encouragement or kindness or love because you can find all of those things embedded in other people’s actions in all sorts of religions and belief systems.

No, the gospel cannot be merely a good deed. The gospel must be something more.

What is the gospel?

Do you want the good news or the bad news? How about both! The gospel literally means good news. And if there is good news that means there must be bad news. In Greek, the word gospel is euaggelion (yoo-ang-EL-eeon). This is how we get the English word evangel, evangelist, evangelism. That means the gospel is meant to be proclaimed.

The bad news is that man sinned, severing his relationship with God (see Genesis 2-3). The good news is the son of God took on flesh (becoming a human being) and paid the penalty for our sin. John 3:16 puts it simply: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

There was nothing man could do to save himself. There was no virtue, no kind gesture, no “good” thing that could pay the penalty of death and atone for his sin. It is this gospel message alone, this good news, that tells the story. It is the gospel that sets Christianity apart from every other religion and makes Christ the only way to the Father.

The good news is the message that distinguishes Christianity from every other religion in the world because it tells of Christ and His sacrifice. That is why the gospel must be given a voice – because it is a message that requires a messenger.

Are Christians confused about the gospel?

George Barna from Arizona Christian University has done extensive research on worldview in the American church. He says many self-identified Christians believe they can earn their way to heaven by their good deeds (52%). That aligns with the answers I received in my small poll asking Christians what the gospel is. Since most believe good deeds get them to heaven, no wonder they believe the gospel is a hug or kind gesture.

In fact, per Barna’s American Worldview Inventory from just 2021 and 2022, many Christians don’t believe they are born into sin (91%). If you don’t sin, you’re not a sinner. And if you’re not a sinner, you don’t need a savior. So, who needs the gospel?

And one final point when it comes to why Christians are confused about the gospel – many don’t believe God is the basis of all truth (75%). It would seem Oprah Winfrey’s message, that all beliefs lead back to God, has made its way into the church and taken over the message of the gospel. Maybe one of the reasons is because we stopped speaking it and thought our good deeds would be enough.

Preach the gospel at all times and almost always use words.

When it comes down to it, the Christian should be chomping at the bit to open his or her mouth to share the gospel. There’s nothing wrong with good works, like feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, and lending a helping hand. But cults and world religions can do that too, without the Gospel. We still need words to clarify and distinguish the gospel message from it’s competitors. The same message that changed our hearts, transformed our lives, and inspires us to do good works, that same gospel should be the very message we want to share with a lost and dying world. But we must first remember that there is both good news and bad news – we are sinners in need of a savior. And although we couldn’t do anything about it, Christ did.

There are many verses in the Bible I could use to make these points, but I’ll leave you with 1 Peter 3:15. Peter writes, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect …” A transformed life is an open door to share the Gospel, but if the Gospel is not shared, the Gospel is not heard.

1 Peter 3:15 is a call to be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks for the hope that is within you. We are ready to give the answer because our transformed life of hope in a fallen world has opened the door of opportunity to share the gospel. It is only then that the blood of the Lamb is shared in the word of our testimony. The evidence is that we walk in newness of life.

So yes, share the gospel at all times and use words.

 

Recommended resources related to the topic:

Jesus, You and the Essentials of Christianity by Frank Turek (INSTRUCTOR Study Guide), (STUDENT Study Guide)

Another Gospel? by Alisa Childers (book)

How Can Jesus Be the Only Way? (mp4 Download) by Frank Turek

Hell? The Truth about Eternity (MP3 Set), (DVD Set), and (Mp4 Download Set) by Dr. Frank Turek

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Shanda Fulbright is a credentialed teacher and has a certificate in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, a certificate from the CrossExamined Instructor’s Academy as well as several certificates from Online Christian Courses. She hosts Her Faith Inspires podcast where she takes cultural issues and aligns them to biblical truth. You can read her blogs and find out more about her at shandafulbright.com.

 

/by

What Can Americans Learn From the Hamas Attack? Victor Marx LIVE from Israel

We all witnessed the footage and truly disturbing reports following the 10/7 Hamas attack on Israel, but just how bad was it? With a death toll of 1400+ and hostages who are still in captivity, the devastation caused at the hands of the “religion of peace” can’t be understated. What’s happening in Israel today and what can the Church and Americans do to help?

It’s a brand-new year and we’re kicking it off by getting an eyewitness account of what’s really been going on in Israel since it was invaded by the Hamas terrorist group. For this midweek podcast episode, our friend, president of All Things Possible Ministries, and former member of the military, Victor Marx, joins Frank LIVE from Israel to talk about what he’s seen in the aftermath of the recent attacks. How are Victor and his team helping to heal trauma among Israeli citizens? Should Americans be worried about possible attacks in the U.S.? How can we pray for Israel and America? All these questions and more will be addressed in this informative but difficult discussion.

Please be forewarned, this conversation may be tough for some to hear and may not be age appropriate for a younger audience. That being said, we feel it’s a much needed subject to tackle in light of these current events and pray that this episode provides encouragement and awareness for our listeners.

To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.

You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.

DONATE to Victor’s work in Israel: https://victormarx.com/israel/

 

Download Transcript

 

/by

The Pulpit Apologist, Pt. 1

If apologetics has ever met its moment in our culture that moment is now. And it’s especially urgent for some good old-fashioned pulpit apologetics. We need preachers to rise to the occasion and equip their flocks with the apologetic know-how to reach this confused and collapsing culture. As the great wordsmith Carl Trueman put it:

“Every age has had its darkness and its dangers. The task of the Christian is not to whine about the moment in which he or she lives but to understand its problems and respond appropriately to them.” [1]

It’s no secret that ours is a country replete with problems, so much so it’s even harder to imagine a real United States again. And like those ancient Corinthians many in the church have joined the cultural party of unrestrained living. Here’s where apologetic preaching comes into play by helping churches to better navigate these trying times. As a tool, apologetics can (1) aid pastors seeking to help people racked by doubts, it can (2) equip believers with a biblical worldview, apologetics can also (3) help believers articulate the credibility of Christianity to a culture where many have written it off as a superstition of the past and it can (4) help heighten believers discernment to detect false ideas before they take root. And finally (5) apologetic preaching can protect our flocks from going the way of culture. But where do we begin? I mean, what does this look like to apologetically equip our churches from our pulpits?

First, it’s important to understand our own local ministry context.

We need to answer the questions unique to our milieu. If you reside in LA then learn something about Scientology, if you abide in Salt Lake City you’ll want to freshen up on Mormonism, if you’re in Hawaii think through Buddhist teachings, but obviously, if you’re in Texas pouring over Confucianism is not very strategic, unless you’re in Austin.

Second, we need to discern and confront the ideas that have shaped the values of our American landscape.

Ours is a country shaped by militant secularism, religious pluralism, and sexual obsession. I’ve never seen a culture so obsessed with their genitals. It’s such a problem that many have turned sex into a god. But serving the sex-god makes for a poor savior. To leverage Trueman again, in his book, The Real Scandal of the Evangelical Mind, he reminds us,

“A movement that cannot or will not draw boundaries, or that allows the modern cultural fear of exclusion to set its theological agenda, is doomed to lose its doctrinal identity. Once it does, it will drift from whatever moorings it may have had in historic Christianity.”[2]

Third, get familiar with the biggest longstanding objections to Christianity.

Here’s where every pastor needs to brush up on the age-old apologetic answers to questions regarding truth, evidence for God’s existence, the possibility of miracles, the problem of evil and suffering, the reliability of Scripture and the historical evidence for Christ’s resurrection.

Fourth, as pastors we need to maintain a steady diet of learning.

Seminary is not the end, but the beginning. Today’s pulpiteer should be a student of Scripture, philosophy, apologetics, theology, psychology, and culture. This is what made Timothy Keller so impactful. He was a well-rounded communicator. And as a result, his preaching connected with people’s hearts—big time! I know it can be overwhelming as there is so much to learn. I feel it myself. It’s overwhelming at times in our information age. But know this. My intent is not to burden you, but to offer an approach to the pulpit that will richly equip you and your congregation. At the end of the day, there’s no end to learning. So, enjoy it instead of trying to conquer it.

In my next blog, I’ll carry on this discussion by developing some further points to consider as it relates to apologetic preaching. In the meantime, I hope this offers you a little food for thought. Bon appetit.

 

Footnotes

[1] The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self (2020), 30

[2]The Real Scandal of the Evangelical Mind (2012; pg. 25)

 

Recommended resources related to the topic:

Counter Culture Christian: Is the Bible True? by Frank Turek (Mp3), (Mp4), and (DVD)

Defending Absolutes in a Relativistic World (Mp3) by Frank Turek

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Bobby serves as lead pastor of Image Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is well known for his YouTube ministry called, One Minute Apologist, which now goes by the name Christianity Still Makes Sense. He also serves as the Co-Host of Pastors’ Perspective, a nationally syndicated call-in radio show on KWVE in Southern California. Bobby earned his Master of Theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary, his Doctor of Ministry in Apologetics from Southern Evangelical Seminary, and his Ph.D. in Philosophy of Religion from the University of Birmingham (England), where he was supervised under David Cheetham and Yujin Nagasawa. Bobby’s also written several books, including The Fifth Gospel, Doubting Toward Faith, Does God Exist, and Fifty-One Other Questions About God and the Bible, and the forthcoming Christianity Still Makes Sense, to be published by Tyndale in April 2024. He’s married to his lovely wife Heather, and together they have two grown kids: Haley and Dawson.

 

/by

Is God Real? Exploring the Ultimate Question of Life | with Lee Strobel

The statistics show that skepticism, atheism, and agnosticism are on the rise among American adults today, along with hostility towards the Christian faith. But what if these current statistics aren’t telling the whole story? Could it be that people are just as curious about God today as they’ve always been?

It’s the final podcast episode of 2023 and we’re going out with a bang! This week, Frank talks with the one and only Lee Strobel about his brand-new book, ‘Is God Real: Exploring the Ultimate Question of Life.‘ Aiming to answer today’s biggest objections to God’s existence (the problem of evil and divine hiddenness), Lee uses his latest book to unpack some of the best philosophical, scientific, and historical evidence for God. During their conversation, Frank and Lee will answer questions like:

  • What makes this book unique in comparison to Lee’s previous work?
  • How has the attitude towards atheism evolved in recent decades?
  • Why doesn’t God make His existence more obvious?
  • Which top scholars did Lee interview for the book?
  • Why is faith in God (seemingly) on the decline in America?
  • Which argument for God is most difficult for atheists to counter?
  • What is the Apologetics Pyramid and how do you use it as a tool for evangelism?

As you’ll hear during the episode, not a second goes by without someone (about 200 someones to be exact!) Googling the question: “Is God Real?” which leads to a digital tidal wave of information that generates more confusion than answers. On the contrary, Lee’s book is an easy, yet compelling and logical explanation that pulls the apologetic cookies from the top shelf to the bottom shelf for anyone open and interested in learning more about the evidence we have for God’s existence. And for those who want to go even further in their studies, consider enrolling in the Lee Strobel Center for Evangelism and Applied Apologetics at Colorado Christian University!

To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.

You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.

Resources mentioned on the podcast:

Lee’s Book: Is God Real?

Lee’s website: LeeStrobel.com

The Lee Strobel Center at Colorado State University

 

Download Transcript

 

/by