Back to list

mid-week apologetics booster (4-1-2021)

Good morning friends, Quote of the week: Focusing on Christ is neither a natural reaction nor an easy one. Our instinct is to dwell on the situation at hand, searching for solutions or stewing over the pain and difficulty. As a result, troubles look scary and overwhelm us with a sense of defeat. However, fear and defeat cannot live long in a heart that trusts the Lord. I’m not saying you’ll forget what you’re going through, but you can choose to dwell on His provision and care instead. – Charles Stanley Now, here are your weekly links:

Who’s Waiting for Your Kids? In a few short years, they will leave the safety of your home and church and head off to college. Who will they meet? What ideas will they encounter? What moral choices will they face? For most adults, it’s been quite a few years since they’ve set foot on a college campus. Let us bring you up-to-speed on who and what is waiting for your kids – Stand to Reason Blog: https://str.typepad.com/weblog/2012/10/whos-waiting-for-your-kids.html
Who’s Waiting for You? When you leave the safety of a Christian home or youth group and head off to college and work, are you ready to meet people who are hostile to the Christian faith? Are you prepared to meet their challenges? – STR Quick-Reference App: https://subsplash.com/strquickreference/media/mi/+bd15cbe
Deeper Teaching in Apologetics and Theology for Youth – Stand to Reason Blog: https://str.typepad.com/weblog/2015/10/deeper-teaching-in-apologetics-and-theology-for-youth.html
Taking the Heat – According to Jesus, we should expect the world to be upset with us. Yes, even if Christians are the most loving people imaginable. Why? Because the world suppresses the truth in its sin. Unbelievers trip over Jesus because He is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.: https://www.str.org/w/taking-the-heat
A Case for Creation: Session 5, Part 2 Global Flood Evidence from the Grand Canyon and beyond Truth, Faith and Reason: https://truthfaithandreason.com/a-case-for-creation-session-5-part-2-global-flood-evidence-from-the-grand-canyon-and-beyond/
The Shocking Truth Behind Jehovah’s Witnesses | Way of the Master: Season 3, Ep. 32 – YouTube: https://youtu.be/cnpl6gRjNOY
Can People Get Out of Hell? https://youtu.be/CVQlAdG6Spw
The Evidence Study Bible (Beige-Brown-Leather): http://store.livingwaters.com/the-evidence-bible-beige-brown.html
Interview of Nancy Pearcey by Sean McDowell: https://youtu.be/8bIJ25Snz04
What’s in an apologetics book? Let’s look at the table of contents of my favorite introduction to Christian apologetics, which is “Is God Just a Human Invention?” written by Sean McDowell and Jonathan Morrow. In that book, you will find 18 topics… | WINTERY KNIGHT: https://winteryknight.com/2021/03/27/whats-in-an-apologetics-book-2/
Speaking Up or Keeping Silent in Science Class – Scripture clearly states that at certain times silence is a virtue. Yet at other times remaining silent is wrong, cowardly, and traitorous. How can we know when to keep silence and when to speak? | Answers in Genesis: https://answersingenesis.org/public-school/religion-in-schools/speaking-up-or-keeping-silent-in-science-class/
Surviving Secular College – In addition to the normal academic pressures faced by all students, the consistent Christian must learn to be discerning about the views and interpretations expressed by his or her professors. | Answers in Genesis: https://answersingenesis.org/college/surviving-secular-college/
Who divided the Bible into chapters and verses? Why and when was it done? | GotQuestions.org: https://www.gotquestions.org/divided-Bible-chapters-verses.html
Are Faith and Reason Compatible? A lot of Christians think that faith and reason are at opposite ends of the spectrum; that reason is used to get knowledge on one side, and on the other side are the things that you don’t have good reasons for like faith. There is a sense that Christians in faith are leaping in the dark and believing ridiculous things because this is all that we have available to us. If we use reason and are thoughtful about our faith, somehow we are not doing what God wants. – Stand to Reason Blog: https://str.typepad.com/weblog/2011/12/are-faith.html
Why I’m a Christian – I see myself as an evangelical (lower case) Christian (uppercase) apologist. I think every Christian is an apologist to some degree. No, not a professional apologist like Rob Bowman, William Lane Craig, or Mike Licona, but we all have formulated some degree of warrant or justification for our faith. Just like everyone is a theologian, everyone is also an apologist. However, this does not mean that we are good apologists! Credo House Ministries: https://credohouse.org/blog/why-im-a-christian
Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? | GotQuestions.org: https://www.gotquestions.org/bad-things-good-people.html
ONE SOLITARY LIFE -JESUS CHRIST He was born in an obscure village: http://spreadjesus.org/1221-one-solitary-life-jesus-christ.html
Ehrman’s Problem 4: Why Won’t We Abuse Free Will in Heaven? | Clay Jones: https://clayjones.net/2012/01/ehrman%e2%80%99s-problem-4-why-won%e2%80%99t-we-abuse-free-will-in-heaven/
Early Christianity Overview: The Ante-Nicene Era and the Apostles’ Churches: https://www.christian-history.org/early-christianity-2.html
Evolution: not a Theory | Biblical Science Institute: https://biblicalscienceinstitute.com/origins/evolution-not-a-theory/
3 Attributes Critical for Effective Persuasion – Pastor Brian Chilton: https://pastorbrianchilton.wordpress.com/2015/08/31/3-attributes-critical-for-effective-persuasion/
Tim Keller on evangelism in the 21st century – Tim Keller, founder and senior pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, talks about evangelism and contextualising the gospel for the 21st century city.- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHQBoLo31Ns&t=160s
William Lane Craig Q&A: If God Knows My Decisions How Do I Have Free Will? – YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7USxGUOefrg
The God Question(s): Should Christians Use Evidence and Logic to Proclaim the Gospel?: http://askingthegodquestions.blogspot.com/2013/08/should-christians-use-evidence-and.html
Discovering God the Way Sherlock Holmes Would | Come Reason’s Apologetics Notes: http://apologetics-notes.comereason.org/2015/08/discovering-god-way-sherlock-holmes.html
The Christian Parent Manifesto – Kristen Welch: https://wearethatfamily.com/2015/07/the-christian-parent-manifesto/
30 Common New Testament Challenges By Skeptics Answered – This is a one-stop shopping list of common challenges with good responses by the author (Microsoft Word Document download). | Apologetics For Life: https://apologeticsforlife.org/30-common-new-testament-challenges-by-sceptics-answered/
My Goal in Every Conversation with Mormons – Brett Kunkle – Stand to Reason Blog: https://str.typepad.com/weblog/2015/09/my-goal-in-every-conversation-with-mormons.html
Son, Don’t Check Your Brain at the Door: http://blogs.pjstar.com/ratedpg/2015/08/20/son-dont-check-your-brain-at-the-door/
How Do We Motivate Students Who Don’t Seem to Care? | Sean McDowell: https://seanmcdowell.org/blog/how-do-i-motivate-students-who-dont-seem-to-care
Correcting four myths about the history of the Crusades | WINTERY KNIGHT: https://winteryknight.com/2015/08/23/correcting-four-myths-about-the-history-of-the-crusades-3/
Evangelistic Apologetics as it is typically defined today.: https://www.solascripturatoday.org/index.php/17-evan-apol/40-evan-apol-2
The Key to Successful Debating – I believe that preparation is the key to successful debating. My goal is to be so well prepared that I don’t have to think on my feet. This is accomplished by thinking in advance of all the objections to ones arguments that one’s opponent is likely to raise and then preparing answers to them. Whichever ones he brings up you are therefore prepared to meet. | Reasonable Faith: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/the-key-to-successful-debating
Evangelizing in a World Drowning in Sexual Problems. Evangelism today occurs in a world that is drowning in sexual problems, misunderstandings, and a hardening against the gospel as a result. – Randy Newman: https://www.biblestudytools.com/blogs/randy-newman/evangelizing-in-a-world-drowning-in-sexual-problems.html
How to Defeat Modern Day Atheism With Three Easy Questions | Shadow To Light: https://shadowtolight.wordpress.com/2015/06/24/how-to-defeat-modern-day-atheism-with-three-easy-questions/
Are there Guidelines for doing Apologetics? Almost every discipline has a set of rules and guidelines that help a person perform better. In fact, guidelines could be produced for nearly any endeavor. Why should apologetics be any different? Following are some things I have found that are very helpful in developing apologetic skills. I am not saying that these are definitive or exhaustive in scope. Rather, these are simply the things that I have found that have helped me. I hope they help you. | carm.org: https://carm.org/defending-the-faith/are-there-guidelines-for-doing-apologetics/
Are Christians Intolerant Haters? The Charges are Not New: https://www.michaeljkruger.com/are-christians-intolerant-haters-the-charges-are-not-new/
Practical Evangelism – Taking the Roof Off – creation.com: https://creation.com/practical-evangelism
Christianity Promotes Rational (and Evidential) Exploration | Cold Case Christianity: http://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/christianity-promotes-rational-and-evidential-exploration/
3 Common Traits of Youth Who Don’t Leave the Church: https://faithit.com/3-common-traits-of-youth-who-dont-leave-the-church/
5 Reasons Christian Teens Need Apologetics – There are many reasons why providing Christian youth with apologetics training is vitally important. Before teaching students how to give reasons for why they believe Christianity to be true, we must first be ready to help them understand that Christianity is rational so that they are ready to engage the flood of ideologies they are encountering. | Real Life Apologetics: https://reallifeapologetics.wordpress.com/2014/07/27/5-reasons-christian-teens-need-apologetics/
Do Your Kids Know Why They Need God? A few months ago, my 6-year-old daughter asked a question that has had me thinking ever since: Mommy, why does God matter so much? It was the most fundamental of questions, really. Yet I was embarrassingly uncertain of how to answer it in a way that meaningfully encapsulates the full answer for her. I’ve thought about the question many times since she first asked it, and it’s always bothered me that I haven’t quite been able to put my finger on how best to reply.: https://natashacrain.com/do-your-kids-know-why-they-need-god/
NT Wright: Why we can trust that Jesus was really resurrected – YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ln6LWHe84SQ
Lee Strobel Summarizes the Case for Jesus’ Resurrection – YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXePic5PMM0
Lee Strobel – The 4 E’s of the Resurrection – YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Itcj8mhMcA
Mike Licona – Is the story of JESUS’ RESURRECTION a LEGEND? – YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCPKKU-1FtY
Case for the Resurrection – Animated Video (Sources: Craig, William Lane. Knowing the Truth About the Resurrection: Our Response to the Empty Tomb. ) – YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEPNjXmdseM
Christ’s Resurrection: The Cornerstone of Christianity – YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nI0el9vjWY
Deepak Chopra vs Christian Apologist Greg Koukl Debate (12 min 39 sec video) – YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meYHmFz33NE
Forget the Myths, Ignore the Hype; Here’s What We Really Know About Jesus’ ‘Missing Years’ | The Stream: https://stream.org/forget-myths-what-we-know-jesus-missing-years/
Four reasons to think that atheism is inconsistent with scientific progress | WINTERY KNIGHT: https://winteryknight.com/2021/03/24/four-reasons-to-think-that-atheism-is-inconsistent-with-scientific-progress-2/
Blog Post – The Case for Cessationism Stands: https://www.gty.org/library/blog/B140505/the-case-for-cessationism-stands
Mammoth DNA: The Oldest Ever Found? | The Institute for Creation Research: https://www.icr.org/article/mammoth-dna-oldest-ever-found/

“When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD.” And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. Jonah 2:7-10 Blessings to you all