Tactics%20in%20Defending%20the%20Faith

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Tactics in Defending the Faith

• - Being an Effective Ambassador for Christ -

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Based on the book by Greg Koukl

• Greg Koukl runs an organisation called Stand to
  Reason
• www.str.org
• loads of apologetic material
• informative weekly podcast

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So what's this talk about?

• Having a Tactical Game Plan
• Manoeurvering comfortably and graciously in
  conversation with others

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So what's this talk about?

• Having a Tactical Game Plan
• Manoeurvering comfortably and graciously in
  conversation with others

• Remaining in the Driver's Seat
• Maintaining an appropriate level of control in
  those conversations

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So what's this talk about?

• Having a Tactical Game Plan
• Manoeurvering comfortably and graciously in
  conversation with others

• Remaining in the Driver's Seat
• Maintaining an appropriate level of control in
  those conversations

• Communicating our Faith Confidently
• Showing a confident and winsome face of
  Christianity to others

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Why should we be defending Christianity?

• Part of our obligation as followers of Christ is
  to always be prepared to give an answer to
  everyone who asks us to give the reason for the
  hope that we have and importantly, to do this
  with gentleness and respect. (from 1 Peter 315)

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Why should we be defending Christianity?

• Part of our obligation as followers of Christ is
  to always be prepared to give an answer to
  everyone who asks us to give the reason for the
  hope that we have and importantly, to do this
  with gentleness and respect. (from 1 Peter 315)
• People's questions may tell us our hope is
  misplaced and they can be quite disbelieving of
  it and aggressive in telling us so.

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Why should we be defending Christianity?

• Part of our obligation as followers of Christ is
  to always be prepared to give an answer to
  everyone who asks us to give the reason for the
  hope that we have and importantly, to do this
  with gentleness and respect. (from 1 Peter 315)
• People's questions may tell us our hope is
  misplaced and they can be quite disbelieving of
  it and aggressive in telling us so.
• This may be confronting but having a tactical
  game plan takes the pressure off you enormously
  and turns it into an enjoyable and worthwhile
  experience that will hopefully leave you keen to
  engage more often.

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Why consider ourselves ambassadors for Christ?

• Paul's 2nd letter to the church at Corinth
  reminds them of the representative burden faced
  by Christians, namely, that we are therefore
  Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making
  his appeal through us. (from 2 Corinthians 520)

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Why consider ourselves ambassadors for Christ?

• Paul's 2nd letter to the church at Corinth
  reminds them of the representative burden faced
  by Christians, namely, that we are therefore
  Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making
  his appeal through us. (from 2 Corinthians 520)
• Paul states it not as something we can choose to
  be, rather, he states it as something we already
  are.

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Why consider ourselves ambassadors for Christ?

• Paul's 2nd letter to the church at Corinth
  reminds them of the representative burden faced
  by Christians, namely, that we are therefore
  Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making
  his appeal through us. (from 2 Corinthians 520)
• Paul states it not as something we can choose to
  be, rather, he states it as something we already
  are.
• Like it or not, everything we do and say
  represents God to other people, so...no pressure!

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The 4 main aspects we will cover

• 1. The value of the tactical approach to
  discussing Christianity
• 2. Defining what tactics are and how they differ
  from strategy
• 3. Exploring the dangers to others in using and
  abusing these tactics
• 4. An introduction to the main tactic, the
  Columbo Tactic

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1. The Value of the Tactical Approach

• In sport, without tactics, executing a game plan
  and responding to the opponent's game plan is
  doomed to failure

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1. The Value of the Tactical Approach

• In sport, without tactics, executing a game plan
  and responding to the opponent's game plan is
  doomed to failure
• In warfare, history is littered with decisive
  victories from clever tacticians who despite
  being out numbered or out gunned, turned a clear
  defeat into a victory

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1. The Value of the Tactical Approach

• In sport, without tactics, executing a game plan
  and responding to the opponent's game plan is
  doomed to failure
• In warfare, history is littered with decisive
  victories from clever tacticians who despite
  being out numbered or out gunned, turned a clear
  defeat into a victory
• In our postmodern world where people are
  sceptical of all truth claims or view truth as
  being relative together with political
  correctness making it offensive for anyone to
  claim their view to be true means we need to have
  more than just the right answers

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2. Tactics and How They Differ from Strategy

• Strategy involves the big picture, the large
  scale planning and positioning before the
  engagement

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2. Tactics and How They Differ from Strategy

• Strategy involves the big picture, the large
  scale planning and positioning before the
  engagement
• Christianity is well positioned with respect to
  answering life's biggest questions (who am I? why
  am I here? where am I going?). We have good
  answers and we can defend them

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2. Tactics and How They Differ from Strategy

• Strategy involves the big picture, the large
  scale planning and positioning before the
  engagement
• Christianity is well positioned with respect to
  answering life's biggest questions (who am I? why
  am I here? where am I going?). We have good
  answers and we can defend them
• Our strategy is the content, information and
  reasons for believing which is the subject matter
  of apologetics

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2. Tactics and How They Differ from Strategy

• Strategy involves the big picture, the large
  scale planning and positioning before the
  engagement
• Christianity is well positioned with respect to
  answering life's biggest questions (who am I? why
  am I here? where am I going?). We have good
  answers and we can defend them
• Our strategy is the content, information and
  reasons for believing which is the subject matter
  of apologetics
• Tactics then is the art of arranging our
  resources and deploying them in an effective way

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3. Use and Abuse of Tactics

• Tactics ARE NOT
• tricks
• clever ploys
• aimed at destroying others
• used to force others to submit to your point of
  view
• attempts to belittle or humiliate others
• used to gain notches on your spiritual belt

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3. Use and Abuse of Tactics

• Tactics ARE
• methods to help present the truth clearly and
  cleverly
• used to help you manoeuvre to get a footing in
  a conversation
• aids to help navigate your way through the
  difficulties of challenging claims
• used to stop someone in their tracks and turn
  the tables around

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3. Use and Abuse of Tactics

• Tactics ARE
• methods to help present the truth clearly and
  cleverly
• used to help you manoeuvre to get a footing in
  a conversation
• aids to help navigate your way through the
  difficulties of challenging claims
• used to stop someone in their tracks and turn
  the tables around
• The goal is to
• to manage NOT manipulate
• to control NOT coerce
• to finesse NOT fight

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3. Use and Abuse of Tactics

• We are not out to wound, embarrass or play one
  upmanship with friend, colleagues or opponents

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3. Use and Abuse of Tactics

• We are not out to wound, embarrass or play one
  upmanship with friend, colleagues or opponents
• People can easily be made to look silly and feel
  stupid and walk away feeling hurt

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3. Use and Abuse of Tactics

• We are not out to wound, embarrass or play one
  upmanship with friend, colleagues or opponents
• People can easily be made to look silly and feel
  stupid and walk away feeling hurt
• Try to walk alongside them and help them find the
  truth NOT walking away happy we won that
  encounter and stood up for Jesus

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4. The Columbo Tactic
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4. The Columbo Tactic
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4. The Columbo Tactic
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4. The Columbo Tactic
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4. The Columbo Tactic

• ...just one more ting... - and then he one more
  tings them to death
• Question after question shows he is a shrewd
  character
• Has to apologise he asks so many questions
• Something worth getting into the habit of doing

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• Key is to go on the offensive in an inoffensive
  way, using carefully selected questions to
  productively advance the conversation.
• Why questions?
• Asking questions instead of making statements
  offers tremendous advantages

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• Key is to go on the offensive in an inoffensive
  way, using carefully selected questions to
  productively advance the conversation.
• Why questions?
• Asking questions instead of making statements
  offers tremendous advantages
• Questions are interactive

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• Key is to go on the offensive in an inoffensive
  way, using carefully selected questions to
  productively advance the conversation.
• Why questions?
• Asking questions instead of making statements
  offers tremendous advantages
• Questions are interactive
• Questions allow you to make headway in a
  conversation without having to state
  your case

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• Key is to go on the offensive in an inoffensive
  way, using carefully selected questions to
  productively advance the conversation.
• Why questions?
• Asking questions instead of making statements
  offers tremendous advantages
• Questions are interactive
• Questions allow you to make headway in a
  conversation without having to state
  your case
• Questions shift the burden of proof to the
  other person

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• There are 3 basic ways to use the Columbo Tactic
• To gain information
• To reverse the burden of proof
• To indirectly exploit a weakness or flaw

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• 1. To Gain Information
• The model question is What do you mean by that?

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• 1. To Gain Information
• The model question is What do you mean by that?
• it forces someone to be precise in their meaning

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• 1. To Gain Information
• The model question is What do you mean by that?
• it forces someone to be precise in their
  meaning
• maybe the first time they've had to articulate
  what they mean

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• 1. To Gain Information
• The model question is What do you mean by that?
• it forces someone to be precise in their
  meaning
• maybe the first time they've had to articulate
  what they mean
• helps you to understand what they actually mean

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• 1. To Gain Information
• The model question is What do you mean by that?
• it forces someone to be precise in their
  meaning
• maybe the first time they've had to articulate
  what they mean
• helps you to understand what they actually mean
• avoids you misrepresenting their view (straw
  man fallacy)

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• 1. To Gain Information
• The model question is What do you mean by that?
• it forces someone to be precise in their
  meaning
• maybe the first time they've had to articulate
  what they mean
• helps you to understand what they actually mean
• avoids you misrepresenting their view (straw
  man fallacy)
• avoids you giving a brilliant refutation to a
  view they don't hold

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• What do you mean by that? examples
• There is no God!

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• What do you mean by that? examples
• There is no God!
• what do you mean by God?
• They may have a view of God that you would also
  agree doesn't exist

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• What do you mean by that? examples
• All religions are basically the same!

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• What do you mean by that? examples
• All religions are basically the same!
• in what way are they basically the same?

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• What do you mean by that? examples
• All religions are basically the same!
• in what way are they basically the same?
• It is the differences that matter
• eg Two near identical looking white tablets, one
  has aspirin written on it, the other has arsenic.
  Does this difference matter?

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• What do you mean by that? examples
• The Bible has been translated and retranslated
  so many times over the years it's
  completely unreliable!

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• What do you mean by that? examples
• The Bible has been translated and retranslated
  so many times over the years it's
  completely unreliable!
• how do you think translations are performed?
• You are trying to find out if they understand how
  ancient texts were transmitted and copied and the
  process of textual criticism and styles of
  translations (eg literal, modern English, etc...)

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• So this first question achieves 5 things

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• So this first question achieves 5 things
• It immediately engages the other person in an
  interactive way

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• So this first question achieves 5 things
• It immediately engages the other person in an
  interactive way
• It flatters them somewhat as you are showing
  genuine interest in understanding their
  point of view

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• So this first question achieves 5 things
• It immediately engages the other person in an
  interactive way
• It flatters them somewhat as you are showing
  genuine interest in understanding their
  point of view
• It forces them to think more carefully and
  thoughtfully about what they actually do
  mean

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• So this first question achieves 5 things
• It immediately engages the other person in an
  interactive way
• It flatters them somewhat as you are showing
  genuine interest in understanding their
  point of view
• It forces them to think more carefully and
  thoughtfully about what they actually do
  mean
• It gives you valuable information about their
  position

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• So this first question achieves 5 things
• It immediately engages the other person in an
  interactive way
• It flatters them somewhat as you are showing
  genuine interest in understanding their
  point of view
• It forces them to think more carefully and
  thoughtfully about what they actually do
  mean
• It gives you valuable information about their
  position
• It puts them into a defensive position without
  feeling that way and gives you control of
  the conversation

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• So this first question achieves 5 things
• It immediately engages the other person in an
  interactive way
• It flatters them somewhat as you are showing
  genuine interest in understanding their
  point of view
• It forces them to think more carefully and
  thoughtfully about what they actually do
  mean
• It gives you valuable information about their
  position
• It puts them into a defensive position without
  feeling that way and gives you control of
  the conversation
• You can ask questions all day long and there
  is absolutely NO pressure on you

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• 2. To Reverse the Burden of Proof
• The model question is How did you come to that
  conclusion?

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• 2. To Reverse the Burden of Proof
• The model question is How did you come to that
  conclusion?
• So the first application of the tactic helped you
  find out what a person thinks. With the second
  application, you are going to find out why they
  think the way they do
• You have their point of view, now you want their
  reasons and justifications for holding it

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• The Burden of Proof
• is the responsibility somebody has to defend or
  give reasons for their view
• the person making the claim bears the burden

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• The Burden of Proof
• is the responsibility somebody has to defend or
  give reasons for their view
• the person making the claim bears the burden
• if you are asking questions, you are not
  making any claims, so you bear no burden of proof

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• A Common Mistake...
• When another person raises an objection, makes a
  claim or offers a view contrary to ours, they
  often simply fold their arms and wait for you to
  refute them

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• A Common Mistake...
• When another person raises an objection, makes a
  claim or offers a view contrary to ours, they
  often simply fold their arms and wait for you to
  refute them
• STOP DOING IT! DON'T ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN!!
• Stop trying to refute their point of view without
  them properly shouldering the burden of proof to
  back it up in the first place

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• The burden of proof forces people to be more
  explicit about their views the reasons for
  their objections
• It makes them do the work of defending their own
  views
• NO MORE FREE RIDES!

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• Back to our question
• How did you come to that conclusion? or some
  variation of it

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• Back to our question
• How did you come to that conclusion? or some
  variation of it
• Is actually a gracious question as it assumes
  the person has actually arrived at one and
  has good reasons for it

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• Back to our question
• How did you come to that conclusion? or some
  variation of it
• Is actually a gracious question as it assumes
  the person has actually arrived at one and
  has good reasons for it
• Often, the person may be just asserting or
  emoting on the subject

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• Back to our question
• How did you come to that conclusion? or some
  variation of it
• Is actually a gracious question as it assumes
  the person has actually arrived at one and
  has good reasons for it
• Often, the person may be just asserting or
  emoting on the subject
• The Simon Garfunkel response...the sound of
  silence

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• Back to our question
• How did you come to that conclusion? or some
  variation of it
• Is actually a gracious question as it assumes
  the person has actually arrived at one and
  has good reasons for it
• Often, the person may be just asserting or
  emoting on the subject
• The Simon Garfunkel response...the sound of
  silence
• Many have simply not thought through their
  view, much less been challenged on it.
  Their friends all say the same thing so...

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• Back to our question
• How did you come to that conclusion? or some
  variation of it
• Is actually a gracious question as it assumes
  the person has actually arrived at one and
  has good reasons for it
• Often, the person will be just asserting or
  emoting on the subject
• The Simon Garfunkel response...the sound of
  silence
• Many have simply not thought through their
  view, much less been challenged on it.
  Their friends all say the same thing so...
• Christians are NOT immune from this either

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• Alternate Explanation
• Is not a refutation of your view

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• Alternate Explanation
• Is not a refutation of your view
• It may be a wonderful story but it too needs to
  have good reasons for us to believe that
  it is a better explanation

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• Alternate Explanation
• Is not a refutation of your view
• It may be a wonderful story but it too needs to
  have good reasons for us to believe that
  it is a better explanation
• They still have to shoulder the burden of proof

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• The Hot Seat
• You are in conversation with someone who has
  either a lot more knowledge than you
  or is presenting concepts as refutations which
  you have not heard before

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• The Hot Seat
• You are in conversation with someone who has
  either a lot more knowledge than you
  or is presenting concepts as refutations which
  you have not heard before
• You don't need to respond to every point made
• If you are feeling overwhelmed, don't respond -
  switch modes

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• The Hot Seat
• Switch from argument mode to fact finding mode

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• The Hot Seat
• Switch from argument mode to fact finding mode
• Allows you to still control the conversation
• Acknowledge this is something new or difficult
  and ask them to explain their view
  and the reasons they have for it so you can go
  away and reflect on it

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4. The Columbo Tactic

• The Hot Seat
• Switch from argument mode to fact finding mode
• Allows you to still control the conversation
• Acknowledge this is something new or difficult
  and ask them to explain their view
  and the reasons they have for it so you can go
  away and reflect on it
• You are still using the first two Columbo
  questions but you can buy yourself some time
  whilst you listen and note what they are saying

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Most Important Of All

• In baseball parlance
• You don't need to hit a home run in every
  conversation
• You don't even need to get a base hit
• You just need to get up to bat

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Most Important Of All

• In baseball parlance
• You don't need to hit a home run in every
  conversation
• You don't even need to get a base hit
• You just need to get up to bat
• Most people will need time to consider what it is
  you've been discussing so they are not likely to
  get converted on the spot

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Most Important Of All

• In baseball parlance
• You don't need to hit a home run in every
  conversation
• You don't even need to get a base hit
• You just need to get up to bat
• Most people will need time to consider what it is
  you've been discussing so they are not likely to
  get converted on the spot
• You may be just one person in a long line of
  people, each time moving them closer towards
  considering the possibility of Christianity

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Most Important Of All

• Put a stone in their shoe
• Give them something to think about and help
  remove one or more barriers to faith