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Conversational Apologetics: Integrating Christian Evidence

Learn the importance of Pre-Evangelism, the changing world views, and strategies to engage with non-believers effectively. Discover how to bridge the gap between faith and reason through Conversational Apologetics.

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Conversational Apologetics: Integrating Christian Evidence

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  1. Conversational Apologetics Part 2 By Dr. David Geisler www.meeknessandtruth.org

  2. Conversational Apologetics (Review)

  3. The Need to Link Apologetics & Evangelism!

  4. Pre-Evangelism If evangelism is planting seeds of the Gospel, pre-evangelism is tilling the soil of their mind and heart, preparing them to at least be willing to listen to the Truth.(Mark 2:22, 4:8)

  5. A Need for A New Paradigm • Old paradigms are insufficient * The Gospel may be simple but getting to the Gospel may not always be so simple in the times in which we live!

  6. A Need for A New Paradigm • Old paradigms are insufficient • Our Changing World

  7. Things That Have Changed In the Last 35 years

  8. Historical Development of Western World Views Changing Beliefs - Pluralism Pre-modern Modern Postmodern THEISM ATHEISM PLURALISM Theism Deism Naturalism Nihilism Existentialism Fill in the blank • New Age: Pantheism, Monism • Weak Theism • Bottom line: “What works for you.” • Postmodernism GOD GOD GOD COSMOS COSMOS COSMOS (Ps. 19:1) The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. (Psalm 53:1) The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” (Judges 17:6) In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes. 1st Century 17th Century 19th Century 19th-20th Century 20th Century Late 21st Century

  9. The Challenges of Evangelism Today

  10. A Need for A New Paradigm • Old paradigms are insufficient • Our Changing World • The World’s perspective on those who believe in Absolute Truth

  11. There is an intolerance towards those who say there is a bridge they must cross!

  12. Key Question How can we do more effective evangelism in this kind of world? Answer: We need to better understand the times or culture in which we live. If we truly understand the times or culture in which we live in we will engage in pre-evangelism.

  13. Being Effective in Pre-evangelism means I will see “evangelism more as a process.” (1 Cor. 3:6) Even if our friends, family members, and co-workers are not ready to hear about Jesus today, we still have a responsibility to build bridges with them to the truth.

  14. Being Effective in Pre-evangelism means… allowing others to discover the truth for themselves by asking them probing questions about what they say they believe!

  15. What is Conversational Apologetics? Conversational Apologetics explores effective ways of integrating compelling Christian evidence in our daily conversations with pre-believers in order to prepare their hearts and minds to hear the truth of the gospel message.

  16. In order to do pre-evangelism effectively we need to identify some of the most common misconceptions • What is involved in Biblical Faith? • 2. What is the relationship between Faith and Reason? • 3. What does it mean to be ready in 1 Pet. 3:15?

  17. The Vital Role Of The Holy Spirit In Evangelism

  18. Conversational ApologeticsFour types of conversations we want to have with non-believers

  19. Four types of roles you need to play in your friend’s life Artist Builder Musician Archeologist

  20. Hear what they are saying!HearIlluminateUncoverBuild

  21. Hear the Sour Notes People are Singing to us!

  22. What You Might Hear Types of sour notes or inconsistencies you might hear: Belief vs. Heart Longing (Eccl. 3:11) Belief vs. Behavior (Galatians 2:14-16) Belief vs. Belief (Acts 17:22-30) Illogical Belief (2 Cor. 1:18)

  23. Belief vs. Heart Longing 1. The inconsistency can be between their worldview perspective and their heart longing. Solomon wrote about God that: "He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from the beginning to end." (Ecl. 3:11). * All human beings have a desire to know and be known

  24. Belief vs. Heart Longing The French Mathematician, Philosopher, and Physicist, Pascal said, "There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus."

  25. Belief vs. Heart Longing Many world religions contain views which are inconsistent with the longings of people’s hearts. * In Hinduism for example people can only have a relationship with an impersonal god. “Union with the impersonal force won’t ever satisfy our human ache for intimacy—to know and to be known.” Ravi Zacharias, Jesus Among Other Gods, p. 78

  26. Belief vs. Heart Longing 1. The inconsistencycan be between their worldview perspective and their heart longing. * In Buddhism the goal is to achieve a state of Nirvana which is an abstract nothingness. * However this means I must loose myself (personhood) which goes against my heart cry.

  27. Belief vs. Heart Longing Example: Student who said (after 9/11) “I don’t believe in an afterlife but I belief the terrorist were going to be held accountable for what they did.” Heart Longing: That justice must be done!

  28. Belief vs. Heart Longing “What oxygen is to the brain, Jesus is to our hearts. He satisfies our deepest longings unlike anything else.” Ravi Zacharias, Jesus Among Other Gods, p. 71-72

  29. What You Might Hear Types of “sour notes” or inconsistencies you might hear: • Belief vs. Heart Longing (Ecl. 3:11) • Belief vs. Behavior (Galatians 2:14-16)

  30. Belief vs. Behavior 2. The inconsistency can be between what they say they believe and how they live or behave. Paul challenged Peter about his inconsistent behavior. (Galatians 2:14-16) Student: What Hitler did was not necessarily wrong

  31. Belief vs. Behavior Talking to a Buddhist: If one of the goals of Buddhism is the elimination of desire, is it really possible for human beings to really live without emotion or desire? (conversation with Buddhist auto-mechanic) Talking to a Muslim: • I believe that my good deeds must outweigh my bad deeds in order to get to heaven. B. I don’t pray at least five times a day.

  32. Belief vs. Behavior • I don’t think that religion is really necessary. B. Sometimes I pray but I don’t feel anything. What is wrong with these statements made by a Chinese student?

  33. Belief vs. Behavior • I believe in Buddhism. B. I hope I can win the lottery tomorrow. • I don’t’ believe in life after death. B. We need to respect our dead ancestors by practicing burning incense and money for them.

  34. What You Might Hear Types of “sour notes” or inconsistencies you might hear: • Belief vs. Heart Longing (Ecl. 3:11) • Belief vs. Behavior (Galatians 2:14-16) • Belief vs. Belief (Acts 17:22-30)

  35. Belief vs. Belief Both Statments cannot be true! The woman is pregnant 2. The woman is not pregnant

  36. Can Krishna, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad all be right? Can all religions simultaneously be true?

  37. Belief vs. Belief 3. The inconsistency can be between two things they hold that are mutually contradictory. Example: Idols in Acts 17:22-30 What are the two contradictory beliefs? “For in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your poets have said, ‘For we also are His offspring.’ Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver, an image formed by the art and thought of man.” (Acts 17:28-29 NASB) • You created these wooden gods • These wooden gods created you.

  38. Show That They Cannot Hold Conflicting Views! A. Jesus is my Savior B. I can measure up A. The Bible is reliable B. I must do good works to be saved (Ephesians 2:8-9: Titus 3:5) What is wrong with these statements?

  39. Show That They Cannot Hold Conflicting Views! • The Bible is reliable B. Jesus is just one of the many gods and therefore just one of the many ways to heaven

  40. Conversation with Chinese Student A. I’m a Christian B. I’m not quite sure why Jesus had to die on the cross.

  41. Illogical Belief 4. The inconsistency or contradiction can also be in the statement itself

  42. What You Might Hear Types of inconsistency you might hear: • Belief vs. Heart Longing (Ecl. 3:11) • Belief vs. Behavior (Galatians 2:14-16) • Belief vs. Belief (Acts 17:22-30) • Illogical Belief (2 Cor. 1:18) “The Apostle Paul said, “But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not yes and no.” (2 Cor. 1:18 NIV)

  43. Illogical Belief Just because a statement is sayable does not mean that it is meaningful. Example: I cannot utter a word in English!

  44. What Are Some Unmeaningful Statements? • You should be skeptical about everything. • Always avoid making absolute statements.

  45. Unmeaningful StatementsMore Examples: • God is so far beyond us that we can not really know anything about Him. • There is really no absolute truth.

  46. Unmeaningful StatementsMore Examples: • Everything is relative. • You can’t really know anything. • I know for sure there is no god. What is wrong with these statements?

  47. What You Might Hear (Review) Types of inconsistencies you might hear: Belief vs. Heart Longing (Eccl. 3:11) Belief vs. Behavior (Galatians 2:14-16) Belief vs. Belief (Acts 17:22-30) Illogical Belief (2 Cor. 1:18)

  48. Conversational Apologetics in Action Interview with a student U.T. Austin

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