Back to list

mid-week apologetics booster (4-20-2023)

Good morning friends,

Quote of the week:

Natural Selection may explain the survival of the species, but it does not explain the arrival of the species. – Dr. Jason Lisle

Now, here are your weekly links:

Why Doesn’t God Make Himself More Obvious? – The Stream: https://stream.org/god-himself-obvious/

Apathy, Atheism, and the Absurdity of Life Without God: https://crossexamined.org/apathy-atheism-and-the-absurdity-of-life-without-god/

How Do We Know the Bible is True? – Focus on the Family: https://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/how-do-we-know-the-bible-is-true-2/

J. Warner Wallace: I am not a Christian because it works for me | WINTERY KNIGHT: https://winteryknight.com/2018/04/13/j-warner-wallace-i-am-not-a-christian-because-it-works-for-me-6/

Forensic Faith 101: Do you have an accidental or evidential faith? Truth, Faith and Reason: https://truthfaithandreason.com/forensic-faith-101-do-you-have-an-accidental-or-evidential-faith/

7 eye-opening facts we learn about early Christianity from a Roman Historian who hated Christians | Is Jesus Alive?: http://isjesusalive.com/7-eye-opening-facts-we-learn-about-early-christianity-from-a-roman-historian-who-hated-christians/

The universe of the lone brain: https://creation.com/universe-of-the-lone-brain

Answering Objections to the Fine-Tuning Argument with Dr. Robin Collins and Dr. Josh Rasmussen – YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/k6Yi2vR7ps4?feature=share

Following Jesus’ Example? Its Biblical: https://mintools.com/blog/following-jesus-example.htm

Is the Bible from God? – Dr. Mikel Del Rosario | Apologetics Guy: https://apologeticsguy.com/2011/07/is-the-bible-from-god/

A Curious Clue About the Origins of the New Testament Canon – Canon Fodder: https://www.michaeljkruger.com/a-curious-clue-about-the-origins-of-the-new-testament-canon/

Preaching God’s Love in Acts? What was the emphasis in the evangelistic preaching of the Apostles as recorded in the book of Acts? Does the record of Acts support the notion that the central focus of Christianity is ones love relationship with God and personal life enhancement? Or did these disciples of Christ focus on something else? The list below includes every instance of evangelistic preaching in the book of Acts, a summary of content, and an analysis of emphasis.: https://www.str.org/w/preaching-god-s-love-in-acts-

May Christians Mock? Perhaps our dismissal of ridicule as a lawful form of expression for a Christian represents a concession to our culture’s apathy and indifference to right and wrong, and deference to a kind of social equanimity, so visibly manifested in what is called “Minnesota Nice” in that cheerful and chilly State. Courtesy, aversion to argumentativeness or conflict, quiet and modest disagreement, and a generous opinion of all others is seen as “niceness,” and of course, Christians are supposed to lead the pack in niceness. | G3 Ministries: https://g3min.org/may-christians-mock/

‘Remove Your Church': The Persecution of Christians, March 2023 :: Gatestone Institute: https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/19583/persecution-of-christians-march

5 Statistics Reveal Christianity Is Good for the World – There’s a massive gap between the perception of Christianity in the world and on social media, and the reality of who Christians are and what they do: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/christianity-not-bad/

Mecca hit by plague of locusts during Ramadan rainfall: https://www.israel365news.com/369556/mecca-hit-by-plague-of-locusts-during-ramadan-rainfall/

Secular left feminist Sarah Stankorb explains why women leave Christianity | WINTERY KNIGHT: https://winteryknight.com/2023/04/15/secular-left-feminist-sarah-stankorb-explains-why-women-leave-christianity-2/

Wayne Grudem explains what the Bible says about parents and schools | WINTERY KNIGHT: https://winteryknight.com/2023/04/16/wayne-grudem-explains-what-the-bible-says-about-parents-and-schools-6/

What About Those Who’ve Never Heard About Jesus? – YouTube – Greg Koukl of Stand to Reason answers the question, “Isn’t it unfair to condemn people who have never heard the Gospel?” : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIXs5wOSVk4

Common Objections to Christianity from Skeptics by Steve Hays: https://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/sdg/qa_steve_hays.html

Biblical Faith VS. Blind Faith | Crossexamined.org: https://crossexamined.org/biblical-faith-vs-blind-faith/

What is Faith ? – YouTube. Animation defining what faith is, and explains what our problem is if we lack faith?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLzBOnlvN4w

J Warner Wallace: Developing a Forensic Faith – YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_lyyw-x2Kk

8 Ways you’re Doing Apologetics Wrong: https://grounds4faith.org/2019/02/20/8-ways-youre-doing-apologetics-wrong/

How to Become a Better Apologetics Communicator | Sean McDowell: https://seanmcdowell.org/blog/how-to-become-a-better-apologetics-communicator

How Chinese Christians Worship in the Face of Persecution: https://bitterwinter.org/how-chinese-christians-worship-in-the-face-of-persecution/

Does God do miracles today? – YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj9RQIUcur8

The Other Side of the Good News: Hell – Think Divinely: https://thinkdivinely.com/hell/

Are Biblical Manuscripts Reliable? Amy Orr-Ewing: It may well come as a shock to some that the manuscript tradition of the Old and New Testaments stands up to rigorous scrutiny. There is a widespread belief that much of the Bible was written centuries after the events it records and that it has been changed and tampered with on the whim of different scribes or interested parties. The breadth and age of the existing ancient manuscripts tell a very different story. However, the next question is invariably: “Just because the manuscripts are reliable, that doesn’t make the content of them true.”: https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/resources/are-biblical-manuscripts-reliable/

The Deity of Jesus is Not a Late Legend | Cold Case Christianity: https://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/the-deity-of-jesus-is-not-a-late-legend/

Is it rational to believe in God? An interview with John Lennox – YouTube – Professor John Carson Lennox is an Irish mathematician, philosopher of science, Christian apologist and – last, but not least – Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford. He is also a Fellow in Mathematics and Philosophy of Science at Green Templeton College, Oxford University as well as Pastoral Advisor of Green Templeton College and Fellow of Wycliffe Hall. Professor Lennox is known of being a leading voice defending the notion of the relationship between science and religion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6bgoiVPXy0

Sean McDowell on Instagram: Have you ever been stumped by someone’s argument against Christianity or the Bible? Has anyone ever made fun of you because the Bible sounds like a fairy tale? Here’s some ways to respond to that question. I think the evidence is compelling enough that it is certainly reasonable to reach this conclusion.: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cq8mISSttgb/

How to spot a deceived person – short snippet by John MacArthur: https://www.facebook.com/reel/591115562891575?sfnsn=mo&s=F5x8gs&fs=e&mibextid=6AJuK9

7 Important Social Benefits Kids Develop From Homeschooling: https://thefederalist.com/2023/04/17/7-important-social-benefits-kids-develop-from-homeschooling/

The Art of One-Anothering: How the Church Loves Like Christ | Desiring God: https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-art-of-one-anothering

One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.” But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ” So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?” The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there. Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews persecuted him. John 5:5-16

Blessings to you all