Acts and Apologetics: Resources

If you thought I developed all of this on my own, thanks for the compliment, but there are much more learned people out there...

Since Jesus saved me, I've always been interested in Apologetics and biblical exposition. Favorite authors and speakers like Ravi Zacharias, John Piper, Greg Bahnsen, and others have helped in bolstering my "apologia" through their written or spoken word.

Back in February 2010, I stumbled across a speaker on SermonAudio.com by the name of Brian Borgman from Grace Community Church in Nevada. The sermon series that gripped me was one on "A Defense of Christian Theism" that he preached several years ago (worth the listen).

I was gripped, not only because of its depth and scholarship, but also because of its practicality. We live in a world today that is under direct assault and desires to completely stomp out anything Judeo-Christian. Worst of all, we Christians have been allowing the culture to do this for the past 50 or so years. Whether in school or work or the public arena, we've been forced into the false belief that there is a "separation of church and state," obviously taken to the extreme and way out context.

I believe there are many of us who believe that it's time for Christians to repent of our disobedience and take a FIRM stand for God; in all aspects of life and society. Even today, we are living in the times of the Great Commission. Soon enough, God will take us out of the world in the last days and real lawlessness and unrighteousness will temporarily rule the earth. God wants to take as many believers out before that time and it's our responsibility to stand up, speak up and speak out for Him. He's not asking too much of us.

As I continue writing and providing teaching materials on Christian doctrine, I wanted to pass on the published material that has been and will be used in preparation of these studies. Use these free downloads and lessons for your personal, small group or Adult Sunday school. These are incredibly useful. Here they are (and don't forget to USE YOUR OWN BIBLE!):

"The Universe Next Door" by James W. Sire is a terrific tome describing exactly what a "world view" is. World views (or worldviews) have "evolved" over the centuries and decades. As Christians, it is important to understand how and why people think and believe what they think and believe. We don't want to adopt their world view, but to properly share Christ, we have to understand where they're coming from.

The Universe Next Door: A Basic Worldview Catalog By James W. Sire / IVP Academic For more than thirty years, The Universe Next Door has set the standard for a clear, readable introduction to worldviews. In this new fifth edition, James Sire offers additional student-friendly features to his concise, easily understood introductions to theism, deism, naturalism, Marxism, nihilism, existentialism, Eastern monism, New Age philosophy and postmodernism. Included in this expanded format are a new chapter on Islam and informative sidebars throughout. The Universe Next Door has been translated into over a dozen languages and has been used as a text at over one hundred colleges and universities in courses ranging from apologetics and world religions to history and English literature.

"Apologetics to the Glory of God" by John M. Frame is a thoughtful and robust "how to" in Apologetics. Sort of heady, but then again, Mr. Frame is considered by many to be one of the best presenters of Christian Apologetics. You are shown how to take on vehement non-believers. Worth the read.

Apologetics to the Glory of God By John M. Frame / P & R Publishing Here John M. Frame (No Other God: A Response to Open Theism) unveils some of the "variety and richness of a biblical apologetic." Defining apologetics as "the discipline that teaches Christians how to give a reason for their hope," he distinguishes three main kinds of apologetic: PROOF - presenting a rational basis for faith; DEFENSE - answering objections of unbelief; OFFENSE - exposing the foolishness of unbelieving thought. Frame clarifies the relationships of reason, proofs, and evidences to faith, biblical authority, and the lordship of Christ. He offers a fresh look at probability arguments and gives special attention to the problem of evil. Particularly helpful are his extensive use of Scripture and his presentation of specific lines of argument. A model dialogue in the concluding chapter shows how the various lines of argument work in a conversation with a nonbeliever.

"Every Thought Captive" by Richard L. Pratt, Jr., here's where the rubber meets the road! Easy to read and originally written for high-schoolers, this is the book we're using in our study of "Acts and Apologetics."

Every Thought Captive By Richard Pratt / P & R Publishing In down-to-earth language Richard L. Pratt, Jr., has given us this helpful study manual on apologetics, the task of defending the faith. Far from a theoretical exposition, this training manual teaches how to answer nonbelievers and to "take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ." Pratt shows how the biblical doctrines about humanity and our relationship to our Creator determine how we should do apologetics. Within this theological framework he examines the premises, attitudes, and specific steps involved in a genuinely biblical defense of Christianity. Illustrations and review questions help to make this a valuable tool for individual or group study.