How to Get Apologetics in Your Church: Cultivating a Local Church Apologetics Ministry
Jesus had a tendency of storming in and out of people’s lives, making implicit or explicit demands and, in general, making people feel mighty uncomfortable…This is Jesus the consuming fire, the raging storm, who seems bent on destroying everything in his path, who either shocks people into stupification (Mark 6:51) or frightens them (Mark 16:8) so that they run for their lives. This divinity we had thought was under lock and key and confined to the Old Testament. But to find him roaming the pages of the Testament of love and forgiveness- well! And yet there He swirls, a tornado touching down, lifting homes and businesses off their foundations, leaving only bits and pieces of the former life strewn on his path.[1]
- I started a blog entitled Truthbomb Apologetics that’s main purpose it to provide believers with a vast array of materials to deal with the challenges they face in regard to their faith.
- My Pastor has allowed me to preach apologetics sermons such as Jesus: The Intellectual, Our Reassurance In and Through our Suffering, Have You Lost Your Mind?, and Lessons from Lily. The reaction to these messages has always been positive and believers always appreciate an intelligent presentation of the gospel message.
- We have invited top apologetic speakers to share at our church. Last year, Greg Koukl shared a message on Tactics for Defending the Faith and this coming October, Dr. Frank Turek is coming to share the content of his best selling book I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist.
- I set-up a resource table that offers free literature (details about the discipline of apologetics, answers to common objections), free books, and other resources to encourage believers to think about what they believe.
- We offered a book study centered around Dr. Turek’s book I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist. It was well attended. More on this below…
- We offered a Sunday School class based on the TrueU: Does God Exist? Video curriculum hosted by Dr. Stephen Meyer. More Sunday School classes are forthcoming.
- We also offered an apologetics newsletter for the first few months of the ministry, but for different reasons have not continued it. However, future plans include revamping the newsletter and calling it “The Bomb Shelter.” The newsletter will go out via email and include relevant apologetics articles, videos, commentary, etc.
- We also started an Apologetics Team that is available to help with the distribution of materials.
- Seek the support of your Pastor. If your Pastor gets behind what you are trying to accomplish, others will as well. Further, he can offer advice in starting a ministry.
- Begin discussing apologetic topics with fellow believers. Many times, it’s not that people are not interested in apologetics, it’s that they don’t know much about it.
- Begin getting apologetics literature into the hands of fellow believers. Used books or articles are an inexpensive way to start.
- With the permission of your Pastor and/or Board of Directors, invite an apologetics speaker to your church.
- Start a blog or website that deals with relevant apologetics topics.
- Begin a small group at your church and discuss common objections to the faith and answers.
The discipline of apologetics is a worthwhile endeavor that God commanded and that Jesus and the apostles practiced. We should do not less.