Apologetics: The Basics

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• Apologetics The Basics

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• Outline of this talk
• What is apologetics
• Why do we need apologetics
• How do we do apologetics
• How NOT to do apologetics
• A secret weapon

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• If apologetics (defending the faith) is
  important, it appears Christians have a BIG
  problem because
• Churches generally dont teach people how to
  defend the faith
• Apologetics requires much work, effort, time,
  reading, studying
• Even if interested in apologetics, there is
  little personal support
• Apologetics can seem complex in some ways it is
• Easy to be disheartened by the continual
  bombardment from sceptics and others attacking
  Christianity
• So lets split the answers to these problems up
  into the following three divisions

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• WHAT/WHY/HOW
• Many Christians have no idea WHAT apologetics is
• Many Christians have no idea WHY we should do
  apologetics
• Many Christians have no idea HOW to do
  apologetics

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What is apologetics?
It is useful to learn definitions, especially
foundational definitions. People often ask
what is apologetics?. You should have an
answer!
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Why dowe need apologetics?
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• How do we do apologetics?
• First steps Recognize the situation. We should
  recognize
• that we are commanded to defend the faith
• the nature of the battle its also spiritual!
• the lost-ness of humanity the futility of
  their thought
• that apologetics is not a substitute for
  Scripture
• The final step is always a step of faith!
• The final step of faith requires the Word of God
  (Bible)
• It is not a blind leap into the dark!
• apologetics builds a fertile environment (good
  soil)

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• Second steps To do apologetics requires
  dialogue. Therefore we need to
• pray (think vertical communication)
• build (long term) relationships with unbelievers
• spend time with unbelievers
• invite neighbors over for BBQ
• organize an annual street BBQ
• ...remember the Socratic Method/Colombo Tactic
• Can we simply organize a street BBQ then start
  preaching to the crowds? Or do we need to build
  relationships first?

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• Third steps To provide answers to the
  unbelievers questions is going to require
  academic work. Therefore we need to
• turn off our televisions
• pursue learning and the life of the mind
• read a few books, watch some DVDs
• talk with others about your thoughts and
  meditations
• start building an apologetics toolkit (design,
  moral arguments)
• learn to think well analyze arguments (e.g.
  logic)
• learn to think in terms of worldviews. This
  provides strength to Christianity and weakens
  other systems and ideologies
• enjoy it and learn to love the life of the mind
• You can become the jack of all trades and master
  of nothing

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• Fourth steps To be taken seriously, we will
  require character work. Therefore we need to
• develop Godly character in our lives
• die to self, crucifying the flesh (e.g. the
  tongue in James)
• Confess our problems to Christ and ask for
  divine assistance
• talk with others about our personal stumbling
  blocks
• "The greatest single cause of atheism in the
  world todayIs Christians who acknowledge Jesus
  with their lipsThen walk out the door and deny
  him by their lifestyle.That is what an
  unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable."
• DC Talk

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• Question
• What is the difference between defending your
  faith and sharing your faith?

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• How NOT to do apologetics?
• Be argumentative
• Win the argument at all costs (who cares if we
  lose the person!)
• Dont walk the talk
• Be intellectually dishonest
• Be a jerk be arrogant, unreliable, dont go the
  extra mile
• The gospel is offensive. You can be too with a
  little practice
• Dont ask questions (Socratic/Colombo). Just give
  them all the answers.
• Remember that you are better and more important
  than everyone else

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• 1 Peter 315-16 states
• But set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts and
  always be ready to give an answer to anyone who
  asks about the hope you possess.
• Yet do it with courtesy and respect, keeping a
  good conscience, so that those who slander your
  good conduct in Christ may be put to shame when
  they accuse you.
• NETBible Translation www.bible.org

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• The Secret Weapon
• One of the best weapons in any dialogue is
• The Socratic Method/Colombo Tactic
• It is really simple
• Just ask the other person a question. Get into
  the habit when talking to people to ask them
• What do you mean by that? Or
• What do you think about that? Or
• Thanks to Greg Koulk

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• Summary
• In this talk I have said that
• Christians are, generally speaking, not good at
  defending their faith
• Christians should know three things (i) what
  apologetics is, (ii) why we need apologetics, and
  (iii) how we are to do apologetics
• Christians should realize that apologetics can
  only take a person so far. Faith in Christ is
  the final step via the Bible.
• Dialogue is required
• Academic work is required
• Character work is required
• There are ways NOT to do apologetics
• One of the best weapons is to ask questions of
  the other person
• Finally an intellectual defence is only one
  side of the coin. Character (courtesy/respect) is
  the other side. Both are necessary.

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• Example
• Kim Hills radio interview with Brad, David,
  Chris Laidlaws interviews
• Rules
• Be polite
• Keep emails short and to the point
• Make sure your material is factual
• Provide good references to websites
• We will have more effect if we approach them with
  integrity rather than anger.