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How does Apologetics Work?

How does Apologetics Work?. An introduction to rhetoric, the NCFCA format of apologetics, the questions students need to answer and resources needed to find those answers. What Makes Any Speech Great?. Rhetoric – the art of public speaking in a persuasive manner.

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How does Apologetics Work?

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  1. How does Apologetics Work? An introduction to rhetoric, the NCFCA format of apologetics, the questions students need to answer and resources needed to find those answers.

  2. What Makes Any Speech Great? • Rhetoric – the art of public speaking in a persuasive manner. • Ethos – your reliability as shown by appearance, demeanor, vocabulary and proper use of authoritative sources of information • Pathos – appealing to the emotions (evoking sympathy or addressing needs and desires of your audience) • Logos – fact, reason and logical discussion

  3. What is Apologetics? • A branch of Christian theology • A branch of Islamic theology • An academic discipline closely related to philosophy • One of ten types of speech competitions in the NCFCA • Reasoned defense of doctrines of the Christian faith • All of the above

  4. Apologia • A public speech given in defense • Paul before Agrippa, apologeiomai, a speech given to defend himself. • Apo = From, Logia = Logic or Reason • Apologetics is a speech given in defense of Christian doctrine or in response to a challenge to the Christian faith. • 1 Peter 3:15 …always being prepared to make a defense (apologia) to anyone that asks you for a reason (logos) for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect. (ESV)

  5. What is NCFCA Apologetics? • “The goal of apologetics is to motivate students to study the core issues of the faith and be prepared to articulate a defense of what they believe.”(NCFCA) • Six minute speeches with limited preparation • Draw 3 questions and choose one to answer • Four minutes of preparation prior to the speech • You may use 4x6 index cards, and nothing else during your speech.

  6. Factual information, the “in between” stuff, is important “a rceent studty funod taht it deosn’t meattr waht odrer the ltteers of a wrod are in, the olny ipmraotnt tihng is taht the fsirt and lsat ltteers are in the crrocet piotiosn. untaeforuntely taht’s not the csae for evtheirnyg in lfie. smoetmies the in btweeen sfutf mtaters….” Glaceau Vitamin Water Label

  7. The Questions • Five Categories • Existence and Nature of God (31) • Scriptures (15) • The Nature, Purpose and Destiny of Man (21) • Salvation, or How to Know God (15) • The Person of Christ (18) • Three Types of Questions • Definitions • General Questions • Statement Analysis

  8. Definition Question • Explain the meaning and significance of the immutability of God.

  9. General Question • Open Theology states that God is constantly changing and growing with His creation. Respond to this Biblically.

  10. Statement Analysis • Evaluate and respond to the following statement, “All men were born with ten fingers and toes but no one was born with the knowledge of God.” Voltaire

  11. How Many Cards Do I Need? • Just one more. • One from each category. (Pray Hard!) • You will be adding and improving your cards until you quit competing. • Well-prepared cards will be a valuable resource for the rest of your life.

  12. The Odds • If I have 90 cards, my chance of having a prepared card in my next round is 100%. • If I have only 50 cards, my chance of having a prepared card in my next round is 88%. • If I have only 25 cards, my chance of having a prepared card in my next round is 58%. • Even if you don’t have a prepared card, you have a good chance of having a related card you can use, particularly if you do the definition cards first.

  13. Leverage Your Preparation • Use your preparation time to address multiple questions. • Define the meaning and significance of immutability. • Open Theology states that God is constantly changing and growing with His creation. Respond to this Biblically. • Open Theology states that God is constantly changing and growing with His creation. Respond to this logically and pragmatically. • Why is the unchanging nature of God critical to who He is?

  14. ACME All Purpose Apologetic Card Don’t Try This at Home!

  15. GOT QUESTIONS?

  16. An Apologetics Haiku The truth can be hard! Error may be easier. Fluff no work at all.

  17. What Do I Need? • You don’t need to buy much to do Apologetics. • You need a Bible in a reliable translation. • You need a good Dictionary. • A few well-chosen books can be very helpful and are available at very reasonable prices.

  18. Systematic Theology Systematic Theology is a discipline of Christian theology that attempts to formulate an orderly, rational, and coherent account of the Christian faith and beliefs. Systematic theology draws on the Bible, while simultaneously investigating the development of Christian doctrine over the course of history. (adapted from Wikipedia)

  19. Go Wayne Grudem!

  20. Other Systematic Theologies • Systematic Theology, Norman Geisler • Available in four volumes, about 2500 pages overall • A “non-Calvinist” Systematic Theology • Theology You Can Count On: Experiencing What the Bible Says about God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, Angels, Salvation, the Church, the Bible, the Last Things, Tony Evans

  21. Historic Confessions and Creeds • Nicene Creed, (325/381 AD) the standard of orthodoxy used in selecting judges at NCFCA tournaments. • Westminster Confession (1646 AD) - Presbyterian • First (1644 AD) and Second (1689 AD) London Baptist Confessions • Book of Concord (1580 AD) - Lutheran • Thirty-nine Articles of Religion (1563 AD) - Anglican and Methodist Proper use of citations from historic confessions can give your speech added authority and credibility. You can find all these and more on the web, or as books, often with study guides.

  22. Other Great Books • The Silver Book, Pastor Chap Bettis, Monument Publishing, a how-to workbook specifically written for NCFCA Apologetics. • Concise Theology, J.I. Packer, another great devotional and reference resource. • Essential Truths of the Christian Faith, R.C.Sproul, a great resource for family devotional time as well as card preparation • New Evidence that Demands a Verdict, Josh McDowell, focused on apologetics based on historical evidence.

  23. Apologetics for Almost Free • Listen to your Pastor! • Many great free resources on the web • DesiringGod.org, 30 years of sermons and articles by Dr. John Piper of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, searchable by keyword and passage. • Bible search sites Blueletterbible.org, Biblegateway.com, ESV.org • E-sword.org, Bible search and word definition features, plus good free material. Some paid content is also available from the site. • Reasonablefaith.org, the ministry of Seminary Professor and Apologist William Lane Craig

  24. Credit Where Credit is Due • When we use the words or unique ideas of others, we need to give them proper credit in our speeches. • You should give credit for unique ideas and concepts even if you don’t quote their identical words. • Giving proper citations for your source material is important to your integrity and your credibility.

  25. Never Quote “The Unknown Theologian”

  26. Go Forth and Apologize!

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