Relational Apologetics

Defending the Christian faith by demonstrating its reality "Relational Apologetics" is about your life "becoming" a defense of the Christian faith. Every relationship you have is an opportunity for you to connect people to their creator by displaying your hope, both in word and deed. Defending your faith is not just about answering questions and "proving" that God exists. It is about showing that He is real by the way you live. It is about demonstrating the power of God through your holiness. And it is about drawing people to Jesus through your kindness. Using stories and drawing on personal experiences, Sherrard teaches the importance of holiness, treating skeptics with respect, engaging in authentic conversations instead of shouting matches, and having well thought out answers to the skeptic's questions. The book doesn't delve deeply into the scientific and philosophical arguments for the existence of God and the validity of Christianity. Rather, it provides solid, simple, and easily remembered reasons why one should believe. It also teaches essential relational skills that are necessary for talking to skeptics and maintaining healthy relationships with them.

Weighing Approaches to Finish the Task Christians have been reflecting on best practices for as long as they have been engaging in missions. Practitioners have developed diverse strategies to promote the spread of the Gospel—such as indigenous church planting, disciple-making movements, community development, dynamically equivalent Bible translations, and chronological Bible storytelling. These models began as creative analyses of the mission endeavor, in light of the current cultural context. As that context shifts, it is also important to critically re-examine these models. Advancing Models of Mission reflects on the missionaries and models of the past and reconsiders current models, all with the aim of looking toward the future of evangelical mission. This compendium of thirteen essays tackles such timely and difficult questions as: -How does globalization challenge the 10/40 window model? -How does hybridity and diaspora change the way we think about people groupsand identity formation? -How does the colonial history in Africa affect believers' connection with globalevangelism? Readers can learn about the contexts of the past that shaped our current missiological models while listening to diverse voices describe how those models are experienced considering our changing realities. Through honest analysis of the past few centuries of missionary movement, Advancing Models of Mission provides hope for the future.

Many teenagers leave home for college but don't take their faith with them. Popular writer and speaker Sean McDowell offers a solution for this problem: a new way of approaching faith that addresses the questions the emerging generation is asking and that incorporates a radically humble and relational approach. An impressive list of contributors including Dan Kimball (They Like Jesus but Not the Church), Brian Godawa (Hollywood Worldviews), and Josh McDowell show that today's apologetics must employ... a clear connection with everyday life an invitation for people to express their doubts and wrestle with tough questions a culturally savvy understanding of the way secular people view Christians an engaging methodology that captures the imagination before engaging the mind a strong emphasis on the resurrection and how it changes everything This resource is imperative for leaders who are ready to engage a new generation with the claims of Christ.

Winsome Apologetics Makes for Effective Apologetics As Christians, when we take a stand for our faith, we want to avoid coming across as overly combative or adversarial. While it’s important to be uncompromising when we communicate the truth, Scripture also calls us to speak the truth with love. Bridge-Building Apologetics is about establishing caring and compassionate relationships with those whom you desire to reach for Christ. In this friendly and helpful resource, you will find inspiring examples of relational apologetics from people in the Bible and modern-day bridge builders strategies for thoughtful and productive interactions with unbelievers and people of diverse faith backgrounds practical tips for engaging non-Christians in relationships and faith-centered conversations, with real-life examples Going beyond merely comparing truth with error, this accessible and informative guide shows you how to overcome relational barriers and graciously reach out to those with whom you disagree. Even in the face of deep differences, these insights and tips will help you will grow in your confidence to engage others effectively with the love of Jesus and the truth of Scripture.

We live in a multifaith society: an ever-growing, diverse cultural climate, where no religion is viewed as having a monopoly on truth. It is important when that Christ-followers not only share the Word of God but also listen and learn how to interact meaningfully with those of diverse perspectives as we engage in life’s most important conversations. Connecting Christ encourages believers to be not only better communicators and witnesses but also listeners to people of other worldviews and traditions—skills that are crucial in defending against today’s negative connotations and ineffective approaches associated with Christian evangelism. With extensive commentary from leaders of various walks of faith and life — from Judaism to Islam and Buddhism to atheism —theologian and author Dr. Paul Louis Metzger offers a spiritual compass to help navigate the intimidating yet critical dialogue of conveying our faith in Christ. Filled with practical guidance and insight into controversial topics, such as hell, fascism, and homosexuality, Connecting Christ reveals that there is a way of evangelizing that is neither disengaging monologue nor silent, lifestyle ministry but is, instead, an approach for evangelism and dialogue to go hand-in-hand. We must remove ourselves as the stumbling block to salvation for others and embrace a way to proclaim the uncommon, compassionate God revealed in Jesus Christ—the Savior this world is dying to know.

If the church doesn't act now, we will lose a whole generation to postmodernism. Most young people believe that truth is relative to individual beliefs. McDowell insists that truth matters, and that truth changes who we are and how we act. McDowell introduces "relational apologetics, " proving that objective truth is founded on a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Contemporary proposals for Christian theology from post-liberalism to Radical Orthodoxy and beyond have espoused their own methodological paradigms. Those who have ventured into this domain of theological method, however, have usually had to stake their claims vis-a-vis trends in what may be called the contemporary post-al age, whether of the post-modern, post-Christendom, post-Enlightenment, post-Western, or post-colonial varieties. This volume is unique among offerings in this arena in suggesting a way forward that engages on each of these fronts, and does so from a particularistic Christian perspective without giving up on Christian theology's traditional claims to universality. This is accomplished through the articulation of a distinctive dialogical methodology informed by both Pentecostalism and Evangelicalism, one rooted in the Christian salvation-history narrative of Incarnation and Pentecost that is yet open to the world in its many and various cultural, ethnic, religious, and disciplinary discourses. Amos Yong here engages with twelve different interlocutors representing different ecumenical, religious, and disciplinary perspectives. 'The Dialogical Spirit' thus not only proffers a model for Christian theological method suitable for the twenty-first century global context but also exemplifies this methodological approach through its interactions across the contemporary scholarly, inter-religious, and theological landscape.

Take Your Theological Education to the Next Level Deepen your biblical and theological knowledge without the time, expense, and formality of seminary. In this extensively updated book, discover all the major topics in a typical seminary master's program authoritatively taught by respected professors, authors, and leaders. This introduction to a biblical studies degree is ideal for the layperson or anyone in vocational ministry who lacks the time or finances to attend classes, who lives where formal training is unavailable, or whose previous education is primarily secular. Study what you want, when you want. Subjects include: · systematic theology · surveys of the Old and New Testaments · apologetics · world religions · church history · homiletics · leadership · Christian education · and more