Apologetics

I am teaching a new class on apologetics.  Here is the first lesson:

PURPOSE

Someone recently said that the church spends a great deal of time and resources teaching our members what to believe, but we do a terrible job of explaining why we believe.  Understanding why we believe is more important now than ever.  There is a pervasive sense in the world today that the Bible is an outdated book of fairy tales.  Not only that, but institutes of higher learning teach that there is a conflict between the Bible and science, and many go as far as to say that science has disproven the Bible. Anyone attending a secular college or university that openly professes belief in the Bible as the word of God is likely to be laughed at, or worse.

 • Have you experienced this kind of thinking?  How did you respond or feel?

To top it off, we have more access and more rapid access to information, thought, and opinion than ever could have been previously imagined.  We are inundated with ideas right and left that contradict each other.  How are we supposed to know the truth?  There is even a prevailing idea that there is no such thing as truth; that everything is relative; that what's true for you is not necessarily true for me.
The Christian community is no different.  While there is no shortage of data to support our Christian worldview, that God is real and that the Bible is true, and that our lives matter to God and to each other, many of our attempts to get the message across seem weak at best.  For example, the movie “God's Not Dead,” was a great hit with Christians worldwide, but the great “evidence” for our faith was not presented in the movie.  Instead, it was based on a personal conversion experience and a life-change based on these beliefs.  Belief in God does change lives, but is it proof that God is real?

Recently there was a well-publicized debate between Ken Ham (founder of the Creation Museum and Answers in Genesis) and TV science guru, Bill Nye “the Science Guy.” Ken Ham has amazing books and videos and a whole team of scholars working for him that could present the best evidence we have available to explain why Christians believe what we believe.  But the debate was a joke.  Bill Nye presented his side with “You have the Bible, and I have science.”  Ken Ham did nothing to dispute this statement, but went on to debate the scientist with “the Bible says.”  If the science camp rules out the Bible as a valid source, then Christians shouldn't use the Bible as their only source in the debate.  We need to first establish the validity of the Bible before presenting it as evidence.

 • Have you been led to question your beliefs based on some “evidence” presented to you that seemed to go against the Bible?

What we would like to do in this course is to use the same evidence that the science camp uses to defend their arguments against God and the Bible to show that the Bible can be true in light of all of the scientific evidence that is available to all of us.  You see, the science is not the problem; it is the beliefs associated with the science that causes the difference.  We can use the same evidence (science) and show that the differences between our beliefs do not lie in the evidences or data, but in the interpretation.  We can show how the same evidence, when seen through an evolutionary bias can have a different outcome than if seen through a creationist bias, for example.  This is the only valid way to open people's minds to the possibility of an alternative but possible view.

QUESTIONING

For a long time in many churches, it has been almost taboo to question the teachings of the church.  But that was not so in the beginning.  I have heard it said, “God said it, I believe it, and that settles it.”  That kind of thinking will not convince anyone of truth or bring conviction to beliefs.  It is great to have that kind of faith, but you have to start with being able to trust that what God says is trustworthy, and that the Bible is actually the word of God before you can expect to have any faith at all.  This is like when your mother says, “Because I said so, that's why.”  How many of us really learned anything from that kind of answer?

 • Have you ever felt unsafe to question beliefs in church?

Believing something just because you are supposed to is called “blind faith.”  In many circles, this is encouraged.  But, it may surprise you that blind faith is not the attitude that the Bible itself teaches: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”  1 Peter 3:15.  And Acts 17:11 tells us, “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”

It is important to be able to understand not just what we believe, but why we believe, so we can show the world who God really is.  Scientific data actually supports a Biblical worldview.  We are not somehow less than intelligent if we profess belief in the Bible or the God of the Bible.  It is not “the Bible versus science.”  It is good science versus bad science.

It is also truth versus opinion.  A lot of opinion is sold out there as truth.  More than that, a lot of truth is passed off as opinion, and there is a real push in some circles to try to convince people that truth doesn't even exist at all.   But no matter how you try to get around it, truth is truth, whether you believe it or not.  You can't make something true simply by believing it, nor can you make it not true by refusing to believe it.  Truth must be true for all people, at all times, in all situations, independent of our knowledge of it, or it is not truth at all.   That's what makes it true.  So, either the Bible is true or it is not.  God is either real, or he is not.  That's what we would like to discuss in this class.

APOLOGETICS

So, let's start with the definition of what we are doing here.  The study of why we believe what we believe is called “apologetics”.  While this may sound like we are saying we are sorry, it is really Greek for “speaking in defense.”  That's where we get our word “apology”.  When we apologize, we are giving our reasons, our defense, for our actions.  And as Christians, we should be able to defend our beliefs, if they are true.  Over the next several lessons, we will be looking at some of the bad science out there and discussing ways to examine the data rationally, to call into question the assumptions that are being made that don't follow the scientific method, that lead people to incorrect conclusions.  At the end of this class, you will be better able to answer the hard questions you may face or may be presented with.  You should have a deeper assurance that faith in God is based on real, rational explanations, not blind faith, and you will be able to assist others in understanding why we rely on the Bible as a guide for our lives.

We will encourage you along the way to ask questions.  Don't just take our word for it.  Be like the Bereans.  Make your faith your own by finding out the answers to your own questions.  Seek, search, and find.  Believe what is true, then be prepared to share with others.

Discussion:  Do you think the churches should be doing more of this kind of teaching? Why or why not?  What would you like to learn more about in this class?

Not Alone

In my morning devotion time this morning, I read 1 Kings 19. Elijah was feeling very depressed. He thought that he was the only one that was still loyal to God. He felt that he was working very hard to do all the right things, but was giving up trying anymore.

I have felt that way. Have you?  God sent an angel to encourage him and strengthen him. Then he reminded Elijah that there were 7,000 other people that were loyal and faithful, just as he was. Elijah was not alone.

Not only that, but God let Elijah feel his presence when Elijah allowed himself to wait for God’s presence to show up.

Sometimes we need to take a step back and wait for God’s presence to show up for us, too. We can’t hear him or know his thoughts and plans for us when we are rushing around in a hurry to do all our good works. And we are never really alone!

Knowing Where We Came From

Last week I taught first graders at my church.   It was one of my favorite topics:  creation.   As I was preparing my lesson, I heard the news about the Chinese mission of landing a spacecraft on the back side of the moon. I incorporated this news event into my lesson plan.

I brought out a globe. I showed the kids where we are. I also explained the moon’s relationship with the earth, using a small orange to represent the moon. I showed that one side of the moon , when looking at the dark areas against the white background often looks like a face.  I showed the kids how the face side of the moon is always facing earth, while we never see the back side.

Then I explained to the class about the Chinese landing on the back side of the moon and asked the kids why they thought the scientists did that. All the kids thought it was exciting and that the scientists did it for the adventure or to explore. Then I revealed that the news report said they did it to “find out where we came from!”  

Even a first-grader is smart enough to know that you can’t learn where you came from by landing a spacecraft on the moon. That can teach us a lot of things, but none of them are related to our origins. So, I asked the kids, “How CAN we know where we came from?”  There are millions of people in our world who do not know the answer.  That is why they are searching in such peculiar places as the moon. 

I popped out my Bible. I explained to them that “BIBLE” means “book”.  Our Bible is actually comprised of 66 books, but the first one is called Genesis. That means “beginnings “. If we read the first sentence in Genesis, we find that, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”  We just saved billions of dollars in space travel— it is right there in black and white, for all the world to see!

God Knows You

I have had some amazing answers to prayer recently. Not just the big things, mind you, but the little things that God answers that just tell me that he loves me!

I have some friends that say they believe in God, or at least in a higher power, but they think that God just put the universe into motion and kind of sat back and let things play out on their own.

That is not the God I know. My God knows me, personally. He knows when I am happy, when I am sad, and when I am anxious and unsure. He lets me know in subtle ways every single day that He is looking out for me and that he cares. One might think that the things I am attributing to God's divine intervention are nothing more than coincidence, and that I am deluding myself. But I know that coincidences don't happen every single time I pray!

It is my prayer, dear reader, that you can know that God loves you too! He knows you by name, and you are his!

Isaiah 43:1, 2, NIV:

But now, this is what the Lord says—
    he who created you, Jacob,
    he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.

hacking elections

I am not one to be public about my political views, but this is crazy stuff right now.  All this talk of hacking seems to boil down to influencing public opinion. Is it just me, or doesn't everything about an election have to do with influencing public opinion?

security

When people look at me, they must think I'm living the American Dream.  I have a steady job, a new care, 2.5 kids, and a house in the suburbs (kind of).  I have it made, and I am safe and secure.


But am I...?


I live near a volcano.  Global warming is causing drought conditions where I live and flooding elsewhere.  There is a surge in gang-related crime in the city, fatal car accidents every week on the highway.  the health care system and the economy are on the verge of collapse.


Are any of us really secure?


In this world, we spend all our time and resources trying to provide for our own security, but we are only keeping up an illusion.  Our only real hope is in Jesus Christ.

Psalm 91:1

^"Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty."

That is where I want my security to lie.

In Matthew 6:19 - 21, Jesus tells us:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."


I want that to be the focus of my life.  Knowing my treasure is eternal life with Jesus Christ is my security.

Speaking the Truth in Love

Last weekend, I went to a conference on creation.  It was supposed to focus on teaching a literal 6 day creation of the world, as taught in the Bible.  I was excited to learn new evidence that I can use to not only support my own faith, but to help me defend my beliefs with others that may have questions.

I was very disappointed to see that the speaker spent so much of his time denouncing certain groups of people and practices that had nothing to do with the topic, all in the name of Christianity.  I was upset, ashamed, and embarrassed.  He even went as far as to group Seventh Day Adventists in with those whom he believed did not believe in Jesus and would burn in hell.  Obviously, he has never met a Seventh Day Adventist, nor did he have an accurate understanding of hell.  In any case, his mean-spirited statements completely took away from any good information that he may have had to share.

This made me think about my own actions.  The Bible admonishes us to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).  I wonder how often my actions focus on the "truth" as I see it, leaving out the more important part, love.  No one will listen to the "truth" if they don't at first feel the love and trust what I have to say.  We won't believe Jesus until we understand first that he loves us.  The love must prevail before the truth can be heard.

I must always be willing to show truth through love.  I must act in love, in order to share truth.

I always here, as an argument to this, that the Bible also teaches that Jesus' word is a stumbling block to others, that the truth must offend, and other such things.  It is true that God's word is a challenge to us.  The straight and narrow road is usually not the easy way, and it does cause us to stumble over ourselves, but none of this says that WE need to be stumbling blocks or that WE need to be offensive to support God's word.  God is love.  WE need to act and speak in love.

This is what I am thinking about on the day that everyone is thinking about love.