The Role of Apologetics in Student Ministry

Apologetics, Bellator Christi, Christianity, Daniel Sloan, Gospel, Intro Apologetics, Student Ministry, Theology and Christian Apologetics
I have recently become involved in student ministry as a Family Life Pastor over the last few months. As a trained academic with a PhD in Apologetics, I wondered how much of my training I would really be able to use in this capacity. Would students care about apologetics? Would they even need it? What I quickly learned is that apologetics can and really should have a major role in student ministry. Students Have Access to More Challenges than Ever Before           As someone that had mainly been involved with college students for the past decade plus, I was shocked at some of the questions that I received within weeks at the new ministry. One student said she had seen someone on TikTok claim that the New Testament was untrustworthy. Others…
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How To Help Muslims Think Deeply and Differently About the Deity of Christ

4. Is the NT True?, Apologetics, Bellator Christi, bellatorchristi.com, Brian Chilton, Christianity, Islam, Islamic Apologetics, Koran, Muslim, Muslims, Quran, Sherene Khouri, Theology and Christian Apologetics
I was in a Global Studies conference a few months ago when a retired minister asked me an interesting question. He told me, “I like to take Christian young men to the local mosques so they can learn about Islamic beliefs; however, I’m wondering what would be a good question to ask our Muslim friends in order to get to know them and let them know about Jesus.” I believe this is a very important question I would like to answer here. Talk about Jesus Christ from A Christian Perspective One of the sharp differences between Islam and Christianity is the nature of Jesus. Who he is and what he did. Christians can approach their Muslim neighbors and tell them about Jesus in two ways: 1) What do the Gospels…
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Promise of Genuine Immortality: AI or the Divine

AI, Apologetics, Bellator Christi, Brian Chilton, Christianity, Gospel, Heaven, immortality, salvation, Theology and Christian Apologetics, transhumanism, Utopia, Utopianism
Do we have a genuine promise of immortality? This is a question that impacts all of us. When I was growing up as a kid, I wanted to be taken seriously. Therefore, I could not wait to grow up to have a seat at the intellectual table. It seemed like it took forever to get out of grade school and high school. My wise grandmother told me, “Don’t rush your life away. The older you get; the faster time passes.” She was absolutely right! Because it seems like life is passing by at light speed, especially the closer I get to 50. As we age, we begin to contemplate our own mortality, and rightfully so. The older we get, the closer we get to the time of our death. Our…
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How Apologetics Helps Through Times of Grief

Apologetics, Bellator Christi, Brian Chilton, Christianity, Comfort, evil, grief, Pastoral Care, problem of pain, Suffering, theology, Theology and Christian Apologetics
If we live long enough, grief is something that we will all experience at one point or another. Grief is difficult. Some have even said that “grief is a challenging beast.” It impacts each person differently. Grief is a sense of sorrow that one feels when a person experiences a form of loss. More frequently, this loss is associated with those who have had loved ones who passed away. However, grief can also include the loss of a job, friendship, hobby, or position. As I have dealt with loss in my personal life, I have surprisingly found how beneficial apologetics is when going through times of sorrow. Apologetics—that is, the defense of the Christian faith—may seem like an unlikely ally of bereavement and psychospiritual care, as many associate it with…
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Evidence for the Book of Esther

4. Is the NT True?, Apologetics, Archaeology, Bellator Christi, Bible, bible archaeology, Christianity, Darius, Esther, Gospel, Mordecai, Persian Empire, Theology and Christian Apologetics, Tony Williams, truth
My family recently took the opportunity to attend a live theater production of The Book of Esther in Branson, Missouri. The Sight and Sound Theater production was riveting, and I was not prepared for how wonderful the set, the performers, and even the livestock (yes, livestock) brought the story of Esther to life. One of the other reasons I loved the show was that I happened to have recently read a wonderful historical summary of the evidence that exists to give good reasons to believe this is more than a fairy tale. In his book, The Authenticity of the Book of Esther, the late British historian Dr. Bill Cooper brings out the evidence, including extra-Biblical writings, archaeology, and even Nazi executions that bring the story to life in a different…
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Trying to Make Sense of Evil and Suffering

answering objections to Christianity, Apologetics, Bellator Christi, Christianity, Evil and Suffering, Justin Angelos, objections to Christianity, the problem of evil, theology, Theology and Christian Apologetics
By: Justin Angelos Have you ever been in the situation where you are trying to make sense of evil and suffering? At some point in a person’s life, there will be some sort of pain, or suffering, and some form of evil, either natural or moral evil. And then the question naturally arises, why? Why me? Why does God allow me to go through this? The question of evil and suffering can be a big stumbling block for people, in fact, this is why some people become atheists. In fact, atheists use evil and suffering as a weapon to discredit Christianity and say, there is no God. “How can an all-powerful all-loving God allow innocent people to suffer?” This is the type of question atheists will throw at theists. Trying…
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Cómo Jeremías 29:11 es mucho mejor cuando se interpreta correctamente

Apologética, Bellator Christi, Brian Chilton, clama a mi y yo te respondere, Cristianismo, Español, Iglesia, jeremias 29:11
Por Brian Chilton Algunos versículos de la Biblia se han popularizado tanto que a menudo se sacan de su contexto. Al hacerlo, el pasaje bíblico pierde el impacto que tiene. Peor aún, el texto puede recibir un mensaje que nunca pretendió transmitir. Jeremías 29:11 es un ejemplo. El versículo es una promesa de Dios que dice: “Porque yo sé los pensamientos que tengo acerca de vosotros, dice Jehová, pensamientos de paz, y no de mal, para daros el fin que esperáis.” (Jer. 29:11, RVR60). El versículo se ha aplicado mal a menudo, ya que se ha convertido en un elemento básico de las tarjetas Hallmark, placas y chucherías de graduación. Para algunos, el versículo encierra la promesa de que Dios nunca permitirá que la persona sufra malas experiencias o problemas.…
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¿Deben los cristianos estudiar filosofía?

Apologética, Bellator Christi, Cristianismo, Español, Filosofia, Iglesia, JD Kline
Por JD Kline Pregunta: Tengo curiosidad por saber si los cristianos deberían estudiar filosofía. Respuesta: Es posible que en algún momento haya oído decir: “Los cristianos no deben estudiar filosofía porque la Biblia advierte a los creyentes que se cuiden de la filosofía.” Colosenses 2:8 la describe como “vanas sutilezas” y de las “tradiciones de los hombres”, o “del mundo” y no de Cristo. Algunos creen que la propia naturaleza de su discurso convencerá a sus seguidores de creer en Dios. Por lo tanto, se cree que el estudio de la filosofía no sólo es antibíblico. Lo lleva a uno al escepticismo. Una vez me dijeron: “Todo lo que necesitas es la Biblia y el Espíritu Santo”. O “solo ten fe”. Sin embargo, esto no es bíblicamente exacto ni necesariamente…
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How To Explain the Trinity to Muslims

Apologetics, Bellator Christi, Christianity, God Category: Islam, Islam, Jesus, Muslims, Sherene Khouri, Theology and Christian Apologetics, Trinity
By Sherene Khouri Islam and Christianity claim to be monotheistic religions. They both believe in one supreme God; however, their concept of the nature of the divine being is different. The Islamic understanding affirms in a strong sense the absolute oneness of God through the doctrine of tawhid (Surah 4:171). Allah is one, and he has no partner, rival, or equal. The Christian understanding, on the other hand, upholds the trinitarian nature of God. “God is one (Deut 6:4), while including in that unity of the Father, who sent his Son; the Son, who is sent: and the Spirit, who is sent by them both.”[i] God is an eternal co-inhering community of equals. While the Qur’an portrays the Trinity in terms of a holy family—Holy God, Holy Mother, and Holy Son (Surah…
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Is the Law of First Mention a Proper Biblical Hermeneutic?

Apologetics, Bellator Christi, Bible interpretation, Brian Chilton, Christianity, Gospel, Hermeneutic, theology, Theology and Christian Apologetics
By Brian Chilton Recently, Curtis Evelo (Bellator Christi Podcast co-host) told me about a conversation he had with an individual about biblical interpretation. Apparently, the individual held that the wine that Jesus miraculously brought forth out of water in John 4 was merely unfermented grape juice. When asked why he held this view, he contended that to hold that the wine held fermented content was to argue that Jesus was a sinner because wine is said to be a mocker in Proverbs 20:1. Curtis asked him what this had to do with Jesus’s miraculous transformation of water into wine. The unnamed individual then said that he used the law of first mention. According to the law of first mention, the interpreter first examines the initial place where the term or…
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