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"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." 1 Peter 3:15 |
Apologetics: What We Believe and Why
The Lay Bible Institute
First Evangelical Free Church, Wichita Kansas
1825 N. Woodlawn
February 11 - April 29, 2007 (Sundays)
9:00 - 10:30
This Spring we will be studying in depth the topic of Apologetics. This is the first of many courses for those who not only want to increase their knowledge of Christianity, but are also interested in what to do with the knowledge gained.
This particular 12 week course will cover items ranging from the discovery of the religious impulse in all of us, to how God answers the questions generated by it in His Special Revelation. A brief description of each class topic along with its coursepack follows below. We will also spend some time on some of the tricky questions that Christians face.
PREPARATION FOR CLASS: Please open the associated pdf files below, print off and study the material BEFORE class. Be prepared to discuss the reading, and bring any questions you may have to class.
If you need a copy of the pdf application, you can download it free from the Adobe website here.
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Lesson One February 11, 2007 |
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Cultural Trends – We will understand that non-believers ‘think’ differently than believers, and that we must learn to understand the culture, so that we can influence the culture. We must not accept the ‘rules of engagement’ placed upon us by the culture, but we must understand how the culture views Christianity. We must learn to have a confident faith in Jesus. |
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Lesson Two February 18, 2007 |
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Apologetics Defined – The defense of the faith is a Biblical command. Christians must be prepared to explain what they believe and why they believe it, with gentleness and respect. There are ‘proofs’ given by God evident throughout the Bible. A mature and solid Faith is a living, breathing way of life, based upon warrant and choice. |
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Lesson Three February 25, 2007 |
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Internal Evidences – We can have reliable knowledge, internally. One of these internal knowledge items we have is our religions instinct—and it is universal. Our religious instinct causes us to look beyond ourselves and our world for answers. Christianity provides a Special Revelation that adequately answers the questions we seek from the General Revelation. Christianity confirms that God placed these desires inside us, so we would seek Him out. |
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Lesson Four March 4, 2007 |
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The Existence Of God – It is logical to believe in a Creator God; It is practical to believe in a Personal God; It is popular to believe in God; The alternative to belief in God is un-livable. The inevitable conclusion is: A Belief In God Is Warranted |
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Lesson Five March 11, 2007 |
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Evidences For The Bible – The Bible is unique among all ‘religious’ documents in all of history. It is heavily documented and very reliable. The Bible would pass legal requirement scrutiny. There are internal predictions and fulfillments that help prove its divine inspiration. All this evidence gives us warrant to accept what the Bible says as true. |
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Lesson Six March 18, 2007 |
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Jesus Christ – There is credible documentation of the world looking for a ‘messiah’ for over a thousand years. The criteria for recognizing this messiah are clear. Jesus of Nazareth fits these criteria perfectly. His resurrection is the most profound event in human history. Conclusion: Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ. |
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Lesson Seven March 25, 2007 |
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Christian Doctrine Overview – There are a few non-negotiable doctrines that are required for one to be included in traditional Christian Orthodoxy. However, there are many ‘intramural’ debates regarding Doctrinal issues. Therefore, a Christian must understand Christian Orthodox doctrine to know what to defend and proclaim, and to be obedient to our Lord. |
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Lesson Eight April 1, 2007 |
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Christianity Is Unique – Christianity is unique in its ‘direction’ (God pursuing man). We are saved by grace, through faith. Christian maturity is evidenced in obedience and love. A mature Christian will stand apart within the world. Summary: A Christian is free to obey out of thankfulness for Grace, instead of coerced to obey out of fear. |
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Lesson Nine April 8, 2007 |
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Comparisons To Other Worldviews – When either considering or contrasting different worldviews, one must understand the ‘essential requirements’. Many of the non-Christian worldviews are dis-similar to Christianity in common ways. Only Christianity provides a livable, non-compartmentalized worldview. |
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Lesson Ten April 15, 2007 |
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Difficulty In ‘Not Believing’ – Christians should not assume that the Christian Worldview is the only Worldview subject to scrutiny. The difficulties of the Naturalistic worldview are severe and fatal; however many people do not understand these irrationalities. Atheism is an absurd worldview. |
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Lesson Eleven April 22, 2007 |
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Evangelism – One of the main purposes of a study in Apologetics is to prepare the Christian for witness. There are many considerations to understand when witnessing, and many techniques to understand which will help the Christian utilize his personal gifts for the use of the Kingdom. |
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Lesson Twelve April 29, 2007 |
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Humble Apologetics – While a Christian is required to provide a defense of the faith, she is required to project love and concern through humility and respect. A thorough understanding of the culture and its needs is necessary. Current event apologetics is one means of engaging our world with items of relevance and interest. |
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Copyright Pending 2002
M. Sutherland