Tag Archives: apologetics

Moral Apologetics – kindle deal –

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Check out a great deal on a great book. Moral Apologetics, by Mark Coppenger is on sale for 2.99 at Amazon. Click HERE.

Dr. Coppenger was by far my favorite professor while studying at Southern Seminary. Behind the wit and humor, he is a godly man with an incredible intellect. Once he took me and a group of students to a philosophy conference in Chicago. He opened his home to us for the night and treated us like family.

It is easy to recommend a book that is so full of knowledge by someone you know and respect because you have seen their life in action. Go check out Moral Apologetics as a guide to pushing back against the cultural and religious critics of our day.

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“A tour de force of apologetic thought.” – R. Albert Mohler Jr.

Here is what the back of the book says.

Have Christians grown accustomed to those who defame the Church?

Whether it’s a best-selling author who claims “religion poisons everything” or an atheist comedian whose punch lines aren’t hassled by the burden of proof, foes of the faith continue to declare Christianity morally deficient without much resistance.

In Moral Apologetics for Contemporary Christians, Mark Coppenger mixes compelling references—from classic philosophers to modern entertainers— to reasonably push back against both harsh critics and less intense cultural relativists, contending that Christianity is morally superior to its competitors as well as true.

Coppenger doesn’t avoid uncomfortable realities like the misbehavior of many Christians and false teachers, but he sets the book’s course in defense of his faith with evidence that a Christian approach to life makes people and societies flourish, while those who turn their backs on genuine Christianity are more liable to behave wickedly.

“I hope to help replenish our cultural confidence,” he writes. “We have a great moral story to tell, and it surely points to the Author of Light and Life.”

Mark Coppenger has rendered a great service to the Christian church in the twenty- first century. Moral Apologetics is a special gift to all of those faithful Christians who believe that Christianity brings new life to the mind as well as to the soul.
Richard Land, President, Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, Nashville, Tennessee

This book is a tour de force of apologetic thought, revealing ethical issues to be apologetic opportunities. Fascinating on every page . . . get ready for a guided tour through contemporary culture and Christian apologetics.
R. Albert Mohler Jr. President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Mark Coppenger is professor of Christian Apologetics at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, kentucky, and director of the Seminary’s extension in Nashville, Tennessee. He holds degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Vanderbilt University (Ph.D.).

Sermon Illustration: The Backwards Bike

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We all know the phrase, “It’s as easy as riding a bike”.  Here we have a great lesson on how we train our brains to think a certain way, and it is really hard to adjust that pattern.

Really hard.

This experiment made one small adjustment to a normal bicycle, making it impossible to ride without extensive retraining of your brain. The main point driven home by this backward bicycle: you view the world through an interpretive bias, whether you realize it or not.

How have you developed your interpretive grid? What guides the way you view the world?

This video is very cool. It shows how we truly function in reality, with something “as easy as riding a bike”.

Blessings, Adam

Darwin’s Doubt

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Check out Stephen C. Meyer’s new book, Darwin’s Doubt.  It is a good challenge to the denominate evolutionary presuppositions out there.  Here is his brief infographic to get your mind churning.

Darwin's Doubt

Lee Strobel comes to Murfreesboro, TN

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Come join me as we welcome Lee Strobel to Murfreesboro for a rare opportunity to dialogue with a nationally known apologist.

I am particularly looking forward to the Teen/Parent exclusive event where we will get to hear in a small group environment Strobel’s advise for todays teenagers with a Q&A time and book signing.  If you are in the mid-TN area don’t miss this great chance to be encouraged and challenged.

Click The School of Christian Thought for more information

Thank you Renee Sproles and the School of Christian Thought for hosting this event and reaching out to our community.

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7 Ways to Improve at Apologetics

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APOLOGETICSIn college I fell in love with apologetics.  My mind was opened to the intellectual credibility that the Christian faith has, and I was blown away.  Yet the ability to communicate these truths takes time.  All Christians are called to be ready to give and answer for the hope they have (1 Peter 3:15), so here are seven tips I can offer to improve your apologetic prowess.

  1. Read Your Bible Daily – There is no substitute for knowing and loving God’s Word.  The more you are in it the more you will be changed by it and be able to use it in real life situations.  Remember that apologetics is about communicating God’s truth, not our own ideas, so get to know what He has said!  God’s Word is able to penetrate the heart of every conversation, remember Heb. 4:12.
  2. Find Good Resources – A quick google search will bring up tons of options, but note, I said “good” resources.  Not all resources are equal.  Some are solid, some are shaky.  Always be on the lookout for the Who, What, When, Where, and Why behind the resources you find.  You will find that you gravitate to theologically like-minded authors.  As you get a feel for the apologetic pulse, start collecting books, articles, and resources for ease of access.  Start your own library of trusted resources.  This will feed your growth immensely.  Don’t be a fool on your own, seek good advise it says in Prov. 12:15.
  3. Ask God for Opportunities and Wisdom – Warning: If you really ask, be prepared for action.  God tells us to ask Him, and He promises to answer.  Ask, seek and knock. (Matt. 7:7)  Ask for whatever you want in Jesus Name. (John 15:7) Ask for wisdom from the God who gives freely. (James 1:5)  Begin asking God to give you opportunities to share His truth and then keep your eyes open…its just a matter of time.
  4. Anticipate Responses – I am not a good chess player, but I have great respect for those who are.  The real characteristic of a quality chess player is the ability to think several moves ahead.  As believers we should do the same.  How helpful would it be to have pre-prepare responses to common retorts like, “that may be true for you, but not for me…” or “the Bible is just a book of myth and legend…” or “I trust in the facts of science, not faith in religion”.  Do you know there are very good answers for these statements and more?  Do your homework and take a cue from the chess player, “think several moves ahead”.  Be innocent but shrewd, as in Matt 10:16.
  5. Keep Your Attitude in Check – A good rule of thumb I read in Greg Koukl’s book Tactics is “if anyone in the discussion gets angry, you lose.” If you are getting angry, you are bullying or intimating them, not engaging them.  If they are angry, they are probably defensive too.  When emotionally defending their own ideas they are in a poor position to honestly deal with new ideas.  Therefore keep yourself in check and guide all conversations to be as cordial as possible.  If offense is taken, make sure it is because of the ideas, not because of you personally. Why do we do this? Read 2 Tim. 2:24-25.
  6. Practice with Your Friends – This can be helpful because of the low stress environment.  To have a Christian friend role-play with you can sharpen your skills.  Or, to be more bold, ask a non-believing friend if they can help you sharpen your belief system.  In a non-confrontational way you can walk through the core tenants of your faith as they offer real life insight to their worldview. Asking for their help to practice communicating with clarity and brevity could be mutually beneficial. (Acts 4:20)
  7. Teach others about Apologetics – Nothing helps me understand a topic better personally than preparing to teach it to others.  Offer to teach a sunday night study at your church on apologetics.  Facilitate a small group book study through one of the many resources you are collecting in your apologetics library (see point 2).  Disciple a teenager or college student on challenges they may face in coming years that you wished someone would have guided you through.  As you teach you will become a true student of apologetics. (Titus 2:7-8)

 

Amazing Video on Rationality in Nature

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The rationality found in nature is a powerful indicator for an Intelligent Designer.

Check out this powerful, wordless, 3:43 video ranging from seashells, sunflower seeds, and dragonfly wings all pointing to the amazing technicality behind our world.

To Get You Thinking: 12 Great Quotes about Apologetics

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Thank you Poached Egg for this compilation of inspiring quotes. See the original article at Pulling Back the Curtains: 12 Apologetics Quotes.

 

 

  1. Christian Apologetics QuotesBelief doesn’t create truth. Unbelief doesn’t destroy truth. Christian faith goes beyond reason but not against reason. —Paul E. Little (from, Know Why You Believe)
  2. Christian Apologetics QuotesAs humans, we are limited in our search for truth by our fallen nature, which can make truth difficult to accept and apply. Knowing truth is not just the product of the intellect but also of the will and the personality. Truth begins not with observation, but with a direction to look and a willingness to see.  —Mark Cosgrove  (from, Foundations of Christian Thought)
  3. Christian Apologetics QuotesThe Bible says we should “always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). Can you help someone work through the “Why does God allow suffering?” question? Can you help a university student see that science has not, will not and cannot disprove God? Do you know why it is logically impossible that all religions could lead to God? We need to be ready to answer these because the Bible commands us to do so. As Christians we have a tremendous heritage we have inherited from those who have taken 1 Peter 3:15 seriously.—Jon Morrison (from, 5 Reasons To Rethink Apologetics)
  4. Christian Apologetics QuotesIt is a hard thing to look at the truth when it runs contrary to what you’ve always believed. The experience is like pulling back the curtains in a dimly lit room and looking out the window to see what’s really outside. When your eyes are used to artificial light, the bright sunlight is almost blinding; your eyes may sting and even water at the brightness, and the temptation is to turn away to the more comfortable dimness. But consider: the electricity that powers artificial light is produced by fossil fuel, made from plants that long ago took in the light of the sun—or from windmills, powered by air currents moved by the sun’s heat—or from solar panels, absorbing the sun’s rays. We may think we are in control of the light when we can turn it on or off by a flick of a switch—but ultimately that tame, comfortable indoor light has its source in the wild heart of the sun. Just so with the truth. Whatever we know of what is right and good and true comes from God, the Author of all Truth—whether we know it or not. But His truth is so much greater than our little partial glimpses of the truth that it can be blinding. —Dr. Holly Ordway (from, Not God’s Type: A Rational Academic Finds a Radical Faith)
  5. Christian Apologetics QuotesAny and every other belief you hold, about anything whatsoever, if it is to be taken seriously, if it is to be of any value or worth anyone’s consideration, it must have in its favor more than your emotions, personal history or external circumstantial factors. It must have reasons. —Clint Roberts (from the article, Believing for No Reason)
  6. Christian Apologetics QuotesI assert that nothing ever comes to pass without a cause. What is self-existent must be from eternity, and must unchangeable: but as to all things that begin to be, they are not self-existent, and therefore must have some foundation of their existence without themselves. – Jonathan Edwards
  7. Christian Apologetics QuotesAs parents, we are the folks who will have the most repeated contact with our children; we are the ones who can have the most impact (good or bad). This is the simple truth for all of us who are raising kids in the church. We have to become the best Christian Case Makers our kids know so we can respond quickly to their concerns and questions. As parents, we are still the first line of Christian defense. —J. Warner Wallace (from the article, Parents Are Still the First Line of Defense)
  8. Christian Apologetics QuotesI suggest you completely ban the phrase “leap of faith” from your vocabulary.  Biblical faith is based on knowledge, not wishing or blind leaps.  Knowledge builds confidence and confidence leads to trust.  The kind of faith God is interested in is not wishing.  It’s trust based on knowing, a sure confidence grounded in evidence. – Greg Koukl
  9. Christian Apologetics QuotesNaturalism requires one to believe humans are special for no reason at all, or else to deny that we are special at all. Either option is odd. Naturalism is a strange belief. It’s one thing to hold that it is possibly true (though that strains credulity beyond my personal reach). It’s another thing altogether — and one can only pause to contemplate what might be the reason for it — for anyone to think it’s definitely true, or almost certainly true.—Tom Gilson (from, Naturalism is a Strange Belief)
  10. Christian Apologetics QuotesSincerity does not trump truth. After all, one can be sincerely wrong. But sincerity is indispensable to any truth we wish others to believe. There is something winsome, even irresistible, about a life lived with conviction. I am reminded of the Scottish philosopher and skeptic, David Hume, who was recognized among a crowd of those listening to the preaching of George Whitefield, the famed evangelist of the First Great Awakening:  “I thought you didn’t believe in the Gospel,” someone asked.  “I do not,” Hume replied. Then, with a nod toward Whitefield, he added, “But he does.” —Larry Taunton (from, Listening to Young Atheists: Lessons for a Stronger Christianity)
  11. Christian Apologetics QuotesSkeptics must provide more than alternative theories to the Resurrection; they must provide first-century evidence for those theories. —Gary Habermas (quoted in, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist)
  12. Christian Apologetics QuotesThere’s a fine line, though, between being someone who questions and being someone who refuses to believe any answers-a true skeptic. In fact, I don’t think many skeptics actually question anything. They may phrase their challenges as questions, but their heart is set on rejection and disproving, not asking. To truly question something is to query it and to ask about it for the sake of greater and deeper understanding. This may lead to evidence that disproves or to propositions worthy of rejecting, but the heart behind it is to learn, to know. And in this sense, we ought to question everything. And I do mean everything… — Barnabas Piper (from, The unskeptical questioner)

 

4 Myths about Teaching Apologetics in Youth Ministry

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I saw this article on youthministry360’s blog. Bam. Right on brother. I believe that apologetics needs to be in the regular diet of christian teens. Check out the full article through this link: 4 Myths About Teaching Apologetics in Youth Ministry

(I addressed the need for more curriculum options in a blog around a year ago. Here is the link if you want access to ton of resources and ideas for High School, Middle School, and Elementary School age Apologetics.  Check it out:  Age-Graded Apologetics Resources)

The 4 myths Benjer McVeigh deals with are accurately described. Thank you Mr. McVeigh for the insights!

Myth 1: I’m not smart enough to teach apologetics.

Books on apologetics are intimidating, even before you open them up to start reading. The latest comprehensive tome on apologetics, Doug Groothuis’ Christian Apologetics, weighs in at an impressive (and heavy) 750 pages. Teaching apologetics may take a bit more work. But you don’t have to be an expert to teach apologetics. You only have to be willing to learn. (In addition, there are some great resources out there that let you learn right along with your students.)

Myth 2: Teenagers don’t care about or aren’t ready for apologetics.

Next time you’ve got a small group of teenagers together, simply ask a question such as, “How can we really know that God exists?” and you’ll likely be peppered with several follow-up questions. Teenagers discuss spiritual matters with their friends far more than we realize. They want to know whether what they’re learning at church is trustworthy. Teenagers are already thinking about apologetics, even if they haven’t ever used the word. And if they’re already asking the questions, they are ready for some solid answers, developmentally speaking.

Myth 3: Apologetics is too academic.

Yes, apologetics does involve a bit more brainpower than some youth minister and their students may be used to using. But it’s OK to make your students think. After all, God created us with brains. He designed us to use them in our pursuit to know Him and to make Him known. I understand the danger of having too much of a “heady” approach to one’s walk with Jesus. But your students can handle a few weeks out of the year dedicated to apologetics. You’ll probably be surprised at how many students end up wanting a whole lot more of it!

Myth 4: Faith means not questioning the Bible or asking whether Christianity is true.

If this is what you’re teaching your students, whether it’s said out loud or implied, please stop. Apologetics can’t answer every single question we have about God, faith, or life in general. And at the end of the day, we can only see and know in part (1 Corinthians 13:12). But there is plenty of evidence available that gives us confidence that what we believe is true. Apologetics not only removes intellectual barriers some people have before they decide to follow Jesus, but it also strengthens followers of Jesus in their faith, because they can have confidence that what they believe is true.

 

Discussion Flow Chart

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Have you ever had a discussion with someone who refused to listen to logic? Maybe they were so intrenched in their own way of thinking they could not see anything outside of their own opinion. This happens often in religious discussions, true, but it is also true of those debating against religious truths.

What if the religious explanation is actually the most logical? What if a presupposition that regards ANY spiritual input as false is actually the illogical, non-rational viewpoint.

Here is a light-hearted flowchart to determine when you are actually in a “discussion”, where there can be dialogue, verses a lecture or something worse. Just trying to get you thinking, -Adam

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Ken Ham addresses Bill Nye

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I bet all of you saw the video of Bill Nye slamming the belief in creationism. He accuses opponents of evolution of holding back society and teaching inappropriate material to children. Listen for yourself.

Ken Ham, the president of Answers in Genesis offers a rebuttal to Bill Nye.

Here are some creation scientists pointing out some glaring flaws with Bill Nye’s position.

I hope you can think critically about the presuppositions behind the science you hold. Does it really correspond with reality? I hope these videos made you think.

-Adam