Grace Life Com

munity Church

APOLOGETICS

CONFERENCE:

SHOW AND TELL

Where are we Going?• Where are we now: A look at who we are and how we

think . . . AND WHY?!?• The Big Questions– Does God exist?– What about Neo-Darwinian Evolution?– Are there errors in the Bible?– Why is Christianity exclusive – why are we the only ones who

are right?– Theodicy – if God is Good and Omnipotent, why do we

suffer?• SPEAK: A better method for apologetics- or, How to do

apologetics without being sorry.• Q&A

Apologetics is first for . . .

YOU

So . . . Let’s get this party started

Think about it . . . . . . A little survey• What is the most important

ideal to you?• What is the most important

principle in our country?• In our culture – Western

Culture.• What does everyone strive

for – want – desire?

DID YOU KNOW?..There is a problem

There is a problem

with the W

AY you w

ith the WAY you

think . . . think . . .

A little test . . .

• I say, – Bacon, Lettuce and . . . – Do, re, me, fa, so, la, ti . . . – “Money is the . . .”– “This girl is on . . .”– Ba-da-ba-ba-ba . . . • “You only need the light . . .”• “Only miss the sun . . .”• “Only know you love her . . .”

A second approach

WHAT ARE THESE IMAGES DOING?

A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE?

A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE?

A risky experiment

Maybe . . . ?

• 2-9 = 7• 3-7 = 4• 2-8 = 6

How do I know these things?

• There is a certain way that we think:– Not just what we think

about– But, also . . . why we

think that way.

• Do you know why?

A quick flow of Western Civilization

• Graeco-Roman Roots• Humanism – We are the beginning/middle/end

of our reality• Modernity (enlightenment) – we got it!• Nihilism – Life stinks, there is no point.• Existentialism – what we experience/feel is what

is true• Postmodernity – Relativism, Pluralism, Duplicity

Three terrible steps• RelativismRelativism – The Ideal– Everything is relative – no absolutes – no truth– This is only a half-truth, which quickly becomes a

whole-lie– Things are relative, but to a fixed point, NOT all things

in motion• PluralismPluralism – The Illusion– All ideals are equal– No one is wrong . . . So no one is right.– “My truth”, “True for me”, “My life”

• DuplicityDuplicity – The Individual– “Put your best foot forward.”– “You’re at church now!”

Points and realities are disappearing

Points and realities are disappearing

Points and realities are disappearing

Points and realities are disappearing

All that is left . . .

Schaeffer said this . . .

How Should we then LiveHow Should we then Live&&

Escape from ReasonEscape from Reason

So . . . we could be in trouble

It’s not just out there . . . It’s in here – the Church.

Unity, Humility, ObedienceUnity, Humility, Obedience

I said, “Don’t do it!”He said, “Nobody loves me.”

I said, “God loves you. Do you believe in God?”He said, “Yes.”

I said, “Are you a Christian or a Jew?”

He said, “A Christian.”

I said, “Me, too! Protestant or Catholic?”

He said, “Protestant.”

I said, “Me, too! What franchise?”He said, “Baptist.”

I said, “Me, too!Northern Baptist or Southern

Baptist?”He said, “Northern Baptist.”

I said, “Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern

Liberal Baptist?”He said, “Northern Conservative

Baptist.”

I said, “Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region, or Northern Conservative

Baptist Eastern Region?”He said, “Northern Conservative

Baptist Great Lakes Region.”

I said, “Me, too!” Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes

Region Council of 1879, or Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes

Region Council of 1912?”He said, “Northern Conservative

Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912.”

I said, “Die, heretic!” And I pushed him over.

“You need to be your own person.”

““ Chart

C

hart

you

r ow

n

you

r ow

n

cours

e.”

cours

e.”

“What matters most is that you are true to yourself.”

“You need to make your ow

n way.”

““Get out there Get out there on your ownon your own.”.”

“If you just try hard enough and believe in yourself, you can do anything you want – you can be anything you want.”

According to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity According to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity (CSGC) at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, there are (CSGC) at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, there are approximately approximately 41,00041,000 Christian denominations and Christian denominations and organizations in the world.organizations in the world.

At least we are not humanists, right?!?

So . . . we could be in trouble

I wonder . . . Do you believe?

Not just what you know – what do you believe?

The Gospel in 10 PointsThe Gospel in 10 Points

So . . . we could be in trouble

I wonder . . . Do you believe?

Doctrine about . . .

• Creation• Church• Devil• Resurrection• Heaven• Hell

So . . . we could be in trouble

I wonder . . . Do you believe? . . in the CHRIST

of Christianity . . .

Apologetics is first for . . .

YOU

YOU CANNOT MAKE A DISCIPLE . . YOU CANNOT MAKE A DISCIPLE . . . UNTIL YOU . UNTIL YOU ARE ARE ONE.ONE.

ARE YOU ONE?

Grace Life Com

munity Church

APOLOGETICS

CONFERENCE:

SHOW AND TELL