{"id":31509,"date":"2022-09-10T15:33:11","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:33:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/3-reasons-why-church-leaders-must-know-apologetics\/"},"modified":"2022-09-10T15:33:11","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:33:11","slug":"3-reasons-why-church-leaders-must-know-apologetics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/3-reasons-why-church-leaders-must-know-apologetics\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Reasons Why Church Leaders Must Know Apologetics"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
Kelly Sikkema photo – Unsplash<\/div>\n

By Marilyn Stewart<\/em><\/p>\n

Sunday-morning church looks different than it did a generation ago. The style of dress, the furniture, and even the order of worship have changed.<\/p>\n

But in the pews, another change may be taking place, one of which the pastor may not be aware.<\/p>\n

Some evangelicals no longer believe what they used to.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is quite possible that on Sunday mornings a portion of our audience is at best neutral, and at worst, hostile, to the biblical message,\u201d said Adam Hughes, director of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary\u2019s (NOBTS) Adrian Rogers Center for Expository Preaching, and a pastor for 20 years.<\/p>\n

The 2018 State of Theology Survey conducted by Ligonier Ministries and Lifeway Research found that 6 out of 10 evangelical believers see religious belief as mere opinion and 32% view their religious beliefs as not objectively true.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

When faith is unhinged from objective truth and religious belief is viewed as mere opinion, the result will be church members with incoherent worldviews and contradictory beliefs.<\/p>\n

Apologetics can help.<\/p>\n

Apologetics, from the Greek word \u201capologia,\u201d means giving reasons for faith, as shown in 1 Peter 3:15.<\/p>\n

Weaving apologetics into the sermon is biblical and necessary. Here are three reasons why.<\/p>\n

1. Apologetics stops false ideas before they take root. <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Detractors of the faith often gain an audience outside the church because of the culture\u2019s general illiteracy regarding Scripture.<\/p>\n

The same may be true inside the church.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t assume they understand the Christian story in the first place,\u201d said Jamie Dew, NOBTS president and long-time pastor. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to retell the story of who God is, and re-educate and remind the people that our God is a God of wisdom, goodness, and perfect knowledge, and that ultimately, we can trust Him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Providing evidence for belief and sound reasons for the faith from the pulpit will help counter false ideas before they damage faith.<\/p>\n

\u201cPastors must understand that what at one time may not have been thought of as apologetic is in this climate, very much an apologetic task,\u201d Dew said. \u201cDoing sound biblical exposition, theological formation, and Christian worldview work is<\/em> an apologetic itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Helping believers apply biblical answers to the important worldview questions of What does it mean to be human? Why is the world here? Why is there so much wrong in the world?<\/em> and What is the solution?<\/em> can help give believers firm footing in a culture with shifting ideas on gender and other moral issues.<\/p>\n

Apologetics will serve pastors well as they continue to preach sermons that are \u201ctext-driven,\u201d Dew explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re preaching the text, you don\u2019t have to go looking for ways to weave apologetics into the text,\u201d Dew said. \u201cIt\u2019s already there.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. Apologetics clears the path to the gospel. <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Apologetics \u201cclears the debris\u201d that stands in the way of faith, apologists often claim.<\/p>\n

In the case of one atheist in the church pew, apologetics did exactly that.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
See also  The Group Most Likely to Still Be Missing From Your Church<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Rhyne Putman, NOBTS associate professor of theology and culture, and pastor of First Baptist Church, Kenner, Louisiana, spent long hours in conversation with a young man who thought evangelical pastors were charlatans hawking for money, or perhaps illiterate.<\/p>\n

As Putman and the young man talked, more foundational objections came into view related to the reliability of Scripture, the Christian worldview, and even epistemology\u2014the study of how knowledge is gained.<\/p>\n

At times, Putman made apologetic points from the pulpit to move the conversation along. As each objection was cleared away, the light of the gospel shone through.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis conversion was a powerful, emotional moment,\u201d Putman said. \u201cIt was moving.\u201d<\/p>\n

Apologetics\u2014providing reasons in order to persuade\u2014is something every pastor already does, Putman pointed out.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll preaching is persuasion,\u201d Putman noted, pointing to a lesson he learned from philosopher J. P. Moreland. \u201cAll preaching to some degree or another is making a case for a particular position. So, you can preach apologetic sermons, but you can also preach sermons apologetically.\u201d<\/p>\n

3. A pastor\u2019s calling demands apologetics. <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Whether the questions come from the college student worried that science has disproved the Bible or a church member struggling to share the faith with an atheist neighbor, a pastor will be asked apologetic questions.<\/p>\n

Robert Stewart, the B&H Christian Apologetics Series<\/em> general editor, director of the NOBTS apologetics program, and a pastor for more than 30 years, noted the pastor\u2019s task.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing a capable apologist both in and out of the pulpit is a requirement for today\u2019s pastors,\u201d Stewart said. \u201cIt\u2019s not only a requirement to pastor \u2018successfully,\u2019 I believe it\u2019s a requirement to pastor faithfully.\u201d<\/p>\n

A pastor is called to shepherd his flock, evangelize, and teach God\u2019s Word\u2014all tasks that require apologetics, Stewart explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeter, Paul, and John all preached apologetically, that is, they all were concerned to address the challenges of their day in order to lead people to Christ,\u201d Stewart said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe must preach that way as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Marilyn Steward<\/h2>\n

\n

\n

Marilyn is assistant director for news and information, Communications Office, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and blogs and speaks on apologetics.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n