15Apr 2024 by Post

Show Us A Sign: The Cross And The Death Of Blind Faith

1 Corinthians 15, Apologetics, Christianity, Easter, Gospel, gospels, historicity, Jesus, Prophecy, Quest Questions Apologetics, Resurrection, Shane Geisler, Theology and Christian Apologetics
Each Easter season, approximately 400,000 churches across the U.S. gather to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus: one story portraying the faith of over two billion people globally. But have we grown ignorant of a driving factor behind the eternally preordained plan? Might we have entirely missed what Jesus cited as making His public execution necessary? The cross has come to manifest the forgiveness of sins, and rightfully so. Notwithstanding, in the time preceding His trial, Jesus made it exceedingly clear the plan was multifaceted . . . and He had skeptics in mind. [1] Just One Problem Modern recollections of resurrection Sunday tend to focus solely upon substitutionary atonement. Christians gather to reflect on this distinctive of their faith. The New Testament tells us Jesus, “though he was in the…
Read More
10Apr 2024 by Post

Critical Thinking: The Secret Weapon of Confident Christians

Apologetics, Christianity, critical thinking, Discernment, Gospel, Jason Jimenez, Stand Strong Ministries, Theology and Christian Apologetics, wisdom, www.standstrongministries.org
As Christians, developing critical thinking skills and maintaining an informed understanding of our faith is crucial. The world is full of misinformation and uncertainty, making it difficult to distinguish truth from falsehood. It is not enough for Christians to blindly adhere to whatever traditions or practices they have inherited from the past. They should critically evaluate and discern the relevance and validity of these traditions in their present context. With so many different worldviews competing for our attention, staying engaged and equipped with our beliefs is essential. Without the intellectual stamina to navigate these opposing views, we risk becoming uninformed and ill-prepared to face the challenges of contemporary society. The Age of Competing Ideas In a recent interview with John Stonestreet, president of the Colson Center, I asked him why…
Read More
08Apr 2024 by Post

Post-Christianity… What’s That?

Apologetics, Bible, Christianity, Culture, FreeThinking Ministries, Hedonism, J.R. Klein, Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, Pluralism, Post Christian, postmodernism, Progressive Christianity, Syncretism, Theology and Christian Apologetics, utilitarianism, Worldview
There has been a new term floating around the Evangelisphere (if that’s a word, if it’s not, let’s coin it) in the last few years: “post-Christian.” FreeThinking Ministries[i] recently changed some verbiage on the website to indicate that the mission of the ministry is to equip the church to engage with the post-Christian culture. Some might say, “you (FTM) minister to all sorts of people all over the globe. You ought to relate to culture in general” not just the post-Christian parts of culture. Yes, this concern covers both pre- and post-Christian cultures and everything in between. But acknowledging that we live and operate within a largely post-Christian culture is still important if we are to equip the church in the West, and in America more particularly, with relevant strategies for preaching the…
Read More
03Apr 2024 by Post

Truth Matters

1. Does Truth Exist?, Annie Brown, Apologetics, Biblical Inerrancy, Christianity, Gospel, relativism, Religious Pluralism, SES, Southern Evangelical Seminary, truth
The world defines truth as relative and subjective: “You have your truth, I have my truth.” It is customizable to one’s preferences and lifestyle. Definitive or absolute truth is considered offensive to the culture at large. This confusion over truth is further fueled by social media. Liking, sharing, retweeting, and posting happen with the click of a button. To promote and defend “your truth,” all you have to do is open an app on your phone. Though some may suggest that our culture is more unified based on the controversial matters of our day, I would argue that we are walking in greater disunity than ever before. Can’t We All Just Coexist? The Coexist bumper stickers often seen on the back of vehicles advertise that all religions are equal with…
Read More
02Apr 2024 by Post

My Dinner with Steven and Louise Weinberg

Atheism, atheists, attorney, Austin, Baylor University, Christianity, Faith & Science, faith and science, Intelligent Design, Jesus, Law, law professor, Louise Weinberg, naturalism, Nobel Prize, Phillip E. Johnson, physicists, physics, Physics, Earth & Space, scripture, Steven Weinberg, The First Three Minutes, The Nature of Nature, theism, theists, University of Texas, Waco
Weinberg was holding court, going on about how much he knew about the origin of the universe and how atheism was the only intellectually viable option. Source
Read More
01Apr 2024 by Post

Why Do You Call Yourself a Christian?

Apologetics, Christianity, christology, Gospel, identity in Christ, salvation, Theology and Christian Apologetics, What does it mean to be a Chrstian?, Who is Jesus?
Have you ever heard the tale of the elderly woman who wanted to restore an old painting and… well, didn’t? Meet Potato Jesus. The woman’s intentions were noble. I certainly respect her heart. But that doesn’t change the fact that she is not an artist and did not restore Martinez’s work. Just because she intended to do something and thought she was able, that didn’t turn her into an artist. Desire and good intentions aren’t enough. [1] Nowadays, anyone can set up a page and identify as whatever they want. But taking a name for ourselves doesn’t make us that thing. We still have to be it or become it.   Two Ways to Identify We can identify ourselves in two ways: “I’m x, and by that, I mean this,” and…
Read More
27Mar 2024 by Post

Dismantling Doubt

4. Is the NT True?, Apologetics, Christianity, Deanna Huff, Doubt, Evidence, faith, Gospel, John the Baptist, Matthew 11, miracles
Is God really there for me? God, do you see? Do you hear my prayer? Experiences such as job loss, broken relationships, mental illness, or any unyielding pain can stir up questions of doubt. Doubt is standing at your door desiring to chip away at your faith. During these seasons of sorrow and pain, many days can be filled with questions like: Why are you silent? Why didn’t you save them? Why won’t you show them they are wrong? Will you resolve the situation? When you feel as if there is no answer, doubt festers. Is what I believe true? Lest someone think that non-religious persons are different, C.S. Lewis’s personal comment is very instructive. “Now that I am a Christian, I do have moods in which the whole thing…
Read More
25Mar 2024 by Post

Here Comes the He Gets Us Campaign Again: Why Its Portrayal of Jesus is Still a Problem

Apologetics, Christianity, Culture and Politics, Evangelism, Gospel, he gets us, Jesus, Marketing, Natasha Crain, Practical Apologetics, Superbowl, Theology and Christian Apologetics
Last year, I wrote an article called “7 Problems with the He Gets Us Campaign,” in which I critically responded to the $100 million advertising campaign featuring a website, billboards in major cities, a book, and ads that have been viewed more than 300 million times. Perhaps most visibly, the campaign’s ads were featured in last year’s Super Bowl. When thousands of people went searching for more information on it, my article came up, and it went viral—actually pulling down my site at one point! Clearly, a lot of people are interested in knowing more about the nature of these ads. Fast forward to 2024. Super Bowl Sunday was on February 11. And He Gets Us once again ran ads generating widespread curiosity. Given the reach of the campaign and…
Read More
20Mar 2024 by Post

The Need for Cognitive Closure in Dealing with Doubts

Apologetics, Christianity, Epistemic Warrant, Evidence, faith, Gospel, Intellectual doubt, Jonathan McLatchie, probability, Proverbs 3:5-6, Theology and Christian Apologetics
Over the years in my work as a public apologist, I have spoken with many dozens of ex-Christians who have renounced their faith and become atheists, as well as numerous individuals who still consider themselves believers but nonetheless are struggling seriously with intellectual doubts concerning the veracity of the Christian faith. In addition, I have watched literally hundreds of YouTube videos wherein a testimony is given of one’s journey out of the Christian faith towards atheism. Through listening to countless people in this situation, I have come to realize how difficult it is for believers to express to members of their church or Christian community that they are struggling with doubts (presumably because to express that one struggles with doubt carries a negative stigma in many churches today). Struggling with…
Read More