mid-week apologetics booster (10-27-2022)

Good morning friends,

Here is a random quote (of over 2300) from Nuggets:

Love is a choice, not a feeling. It is an initiated action, not an impulsive reaction. Choose today to be committed to love. – The Love Dare

To view more of these quotes, visit:

http://www.ps11911.com/bible-app/browseQuotes

Now, here are your weekly links:

  1. Is the RNA world hypothesis a good naturalistic explanation for the origin of life? | WINTERY KNIGHT: https://winteryknight.com/2022/10/24/is-the-rna-world-hypothesis-a-good-naturalistic-explanation-for-the-origin-of-life/
  2. 6 Reasons Why It Takes Faith To Deny Jesus | Reasons for Jesus: https://reasonsforjesus.com/6-reasons-takes-faith-to-deny-jesus/
  3. Four Truths About the Universe You Can Share with Your Kids to Demonstrate the Existence of God | Cold Case Christianity: https://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/four-truths-about-the-universe-you-can-share-with-your-kids-to-demonstrate-the-existence-of-god/
  4. No, God Did Not Prescribe the Use of Cannabis in the Bible – The Stream: https://stream.org/no-god-not-prescribe-use-cannabis-bible/
  5. Ten Easy Ways to Start Meaningful Dialogue – The key to entering a meaningful conversation is to look for opportunities, then start the conversation by building a bridge with a friendly opener. The following list gives helpful tips for striking up conversations with non-believers.: https://www.str.org/w/ten-easy-ways-to-start-meaningful-dialogue
  6. 3 Evidences That Confirm the Bible Is Not Made Up | Answers in Genesis: https://answersingenesis.org/is-the-bible-true/3-evidences-confirm-bible-not-made-up/
  7. Interview with Brett Kunkle on his book A Practical Guide to Culture: Helping the Next Generation Navigate Todays World: https://www.equip.org/articles/cri-interview-brett-kunkle/
  8. If Christ Has Not Been Raised: Reasoning Through the Resurrection – Reasons to Believe – From a historic Christian perspective, both the nature and truth of Christianity rest upon Jesus Christs bodily resurrection from the dead. Jesus being raised to new life three days after His execution pumps the heart of the Christian gospel (doctrine), and is Christianity’s central supporting fact (apologetics). The truth of Christianity uniquely stands or falls on Christs resurrection. The apostle Paul explains: If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith (1 Cor. 15:14). If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, you are still in your sins (1 Cor. 15:17). Since the truth-claims of Christianity hinge on the Resurrection, the New Testament accounts of Christs resurrection warrant careful analysis and reflection. The writers of these accounts not only report the Resurrection as a factual event but also provide a theological context and explanation of its overall significance to Gods historical redemptive plan.: https://reasons.org/explore/publications/articles/if-christ-has-not-been-raised-reasoning-through-the-resurrection
  9. 3 Logical Fallacies to Avoid (and How to Tell When Someone Else is Committing Them) Apologetics for the Church: https://apolotheo.wordpress.com/2018/09/21/3-logical-fallacies-to-avoid-and-how-to-tell-when-someone-else-is-committing-them/
  10. Ricochet Evangelism hen we are sharing the Gospel or defending the reason for our hope, we may not be sharing it with the person we are sharing it with. I mean, of course, we are but that’s not all. It may be bouncing off them and hitting someone else.: https://mrpatvincent.com/2018/09/25/ricochet-evangelism/
  11. Jesus Specifically Said, I am God | Cold Case Christianity – As a skeptic, I was willing to accept a nice guy version of Jesus. You know, the wise sage from the past who was misunderstood and mythicized into something divine by leaders of a movement who were either mistaken or deceptive. Jesus might have been a nice guy and a great teacher, but did he ever really claim to be God? I had atheist friends who knew more about the Gospels than I did, and they said that Jesus never claimed to be God in any of the New Testament accounts. Once I began to examine the Gospels for myself, I discovered my friends were wrong; Jesus did say specifically that He was God. Now don’t get me wrong, Jesus didn’t use those exact words. But His listeners sure understood what He meant.: https://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/jesus-specifically-said-i-am-god/
  12. THE CROSS NEWSLETTER Concerned Christians: https://concernedchristians.com/the-cross-newsletter-4/
  13. Do faith in God and science contradict? | GotQuestions.org: https://www.gotquestions.org/science-God.html
  14. Are Your Christian Students Ready for College? | Cold Case Christianity – Christian college students need to decide if they are serious about following Jesus or if they are going to drift into playing Christian. If they are serious about following Jesus, then they can set the destination they are pursuing early on, which will make all the difference. As Christians we are called to more than just surviving that’s the heart behind Welcome to College.: https://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/are-your-christian-students-ready-for-college/
  15. A Stone in His Shoe: https://www.str.org/w/a-stone-in-his-shoe
  16. Canadian landscape a testimony to the Flood – A remarkable planation surface in Canada: https://creation.com/cypress-hills-planation-surface
  17. What I Wish I Knew Sixteen Years Ago About Sharing The Good News With Mormons Straight Talk with Claudia K: https://straighttalkwithclaudiak.com/2018/07/26/what-i-wish-i-knew-sixteen-years-ago-about-sharing-the-good-news-with-mormons/
  18. The Challenge of Moral Relativism: Three Problems with Relativism: http://www.mandm.org.nz/2018/06/the-challenge-of-moral-relativism-three-problems-with-relativism.html
  19. How Bacteria Help Our Bodies Survive | The Institute for Creation Research – Our relationship with our microbiome has been quite intimate from creation because the microbiota accomplishes vital tasks for us.: https://www.icr.org/article/10785/
  20. One of the Most Common Objections to Gods Existence on a College Campus THINKAPOLOGETICS.COM: https://chab123.wordpress.com/2021/09/22/the-most-common-objection-to-gods-existence-on-a-college-campus-3/
  21. 10 Biblical Reasons God Allows Suffering | Sean McDowell: https://seanmcdowell.org/blog/10-biblical-reasons-god-allows-suffering
  22. 3 Reasons Why Christians Should Be Evidential Investigators Instead of Experience Junkies – Two men. Both grew up in Christian homes in suburban America. Both have famous Evangelical fathers. Both made personal decisions for Christ and became actively involved and well-known in ministry. One walked away from his faith and became a secular humanist. The other has become one of the top apologists and defenders of the Christian faith. Who are these two men? The first is Bart Campolo, son of evangelist and author Tony Campolo, and the other is Sean McDowell, son of evangelist and author Josh McDowell. Why did their fairly similar paths lead them to such radically different destinations?: https://www.alisachildersblog.com/blog/3-reasons-why-christians-should-be-evidential-investigators-instead-of-experience-junkies
  23. Advice for Christians who discuss their faith with atheists from an atheist | WINTERY KNIGHT: https://winteryknight.com/2013/05/01/advice-for-christians-who-discuss-their-faith-with-atheists-from-an-atheist-2/
  24. Studying the Works of Our Creator | The Institute for Creation Research – As believers, we enjoy the privilege of studying the works of the Lord. Creation reveals our Creators character. His work is honorable and glorious, and His righteousness endures forever. He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and full of compassion (Psalm 111:3-4). One of His greatest works was sending redemption to His people because He cares for us (Psalm 111:9). His wonderful works remind us that He is indeed full of grace and compassion. Have you taken the time to study His works? All of creation reveals mysteries of the God who was here before the foundations of the world, allowing us to know Him more intimately. Have you pondered His works, displayed in the reliability of the seasons and demonstrated in the uniqueness of each created kind of animal? Have you wondered how the stars found their place in the heavens? Have you ever been in awe that the very breath of God is housed in humans made of dust?: https://www.icr.org/article/10434/
  25. The Nature of Apologetics – The following summary will help people understand the nature of apologetics and why it is not merely for the edification of the saved, nor is it merely for evangelism and missions. In summary, (1) The Great Commission, as lived out by the earliest Christians, does not afford us the option of using apologetics with Christians alone. (2) Not all apologetics are the same; there are various methodsClassical, Evidential, and Presuppositional. Some are more effective with believers, and others are more effective with non-believers. (3) His claim is refuted by the verifiable testimony of believers such as Lee Strobel and Dr. Francis Collins, the head of the Human Genome Project, who became a believer in Christ after reading C. S. Lewis Mere Christianity. (4) While there are methods that favor those within the fold versus those outside the flock, the Classical method is a means to serve the believer and unbeliever by providing evidence for the faith that can convince the skeptic and assure the disciple. : https://ses.edu/the-nature-of-apologetics/
  26. Benny Hinn Is My Uncle, but Prosperity Preaching Isn’t for Me | Christianity Today: https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2017/october/benny-hinn-costi-uncle-prosperity-preaching-testimony.html
  27. What do Christians mean when they say ‘God spoke to me?’ | Fox News: https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/what-do-christians-mean-when-they-say-god-spoke-to-me
  28. The Scientific Evidence for Intelligent Design on Vimeo (Casey Luskin, 1 hr 17 min video) – The Scientific Evidence for Intelligent Design : https://vimeo.com/77175512
  29. Young Earth Creation Science Argument Index – The purpose of this index is to list all the claims of young earth creationists, and provide rebuttals to those claims.: http://www.oldearth.org/young_earth_creationist_argument_index.htm
  30. Sun Paradox Challenges Old Earth Theory | The Institute for Creation Research: https://www.icr.org/article/sun-paradox-challenges-old-earth-theory
  31. Are Young People Really Leaving Christianity? | Cold Case Christianity – Much has been written about both the Biblical illiteracy of teenage believers and the flight of young people from the Church. Many have observed this trend, and I too have witnessed it anecdotally as a youth pastor (and shamefully, I contributed to the trend for some time before I changed course). Some writers and Christian observers deny the flight of young people altogether, but the growing statistics should alarm us enough as Church leaders to do something about the dilemma. My hope in this post is to simply consolidate some of the research (many of the summaries are directly quoted) so you can decide for yourself.: https://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/are-young-people-really-leaving-christianity/
  32. What Is Hinduism and Hare Krishna? This is a great chapter from the book World Religions and Cults Volume 2: https://answersingenesis.org/world-religions/what-is-hinduism-and-hare-krishna/
  33. Hinduism and other religions – Hinduism has Brahma, who is impersonal and pantheistic. The world is thought to be an illusion. Hinduism has no salvation, rather, the goal is to be dissolved into this ultimate reality which then leads to the absence of suffering. But I would say that the Hindu philosophy fails at the most basic level, because we can’t really live as if the world was an illusion. For instance, if I saw your message, and said, Oh well, guess I can delete it without responding, because N. J. is an illusion and I can’t answer it anyway, because I am one as well, that would be consistent with Hindu thinking, but inconsistent with how we actually live. No human actually wants to be dissolved into a ceaseless Nothingness where individuality is lost. What we want, what we long for, is to live forever, to see our dead loved ones again, to have a world free of the struggle and strife of this life. Christianity succeeds on this most basic level because it acknowledges that something is really wrong with this universe, and it presents the promise of a future restoration back to how each of us knows everything should be.: https://creation.com/hinduism-and-other-religions
  34. 3 Reasons Your Evangelism Efforts Have Stalled – Lifeway Voices: https://voices.lifeway.com/uncategorized/3-reasons-your-evangelism-efforts-have-stalled/
  35. Clarification on fossilized soft tissue reports – Soft tissue in fossils vs fossilized soft tissue. When a scientific report or an article commentary refers to soft tissue being preserved in a fossil, this could refer to one of two largely separate things: https://creation.com/soft-tissue-clarification
  36. The Reliability of the Bible | Biblical Christianity – No book has had more said about it, good or bad, than the Bible. We now live in a time when many people passionately believe the Bible to be the word of God while many others strongly criticize the Bible as textually corrupt, scientifically nave, historically incredible, and morally backward. Many people who grew up accepting the Bible as true come to question, doubt, and even reject it. Yet there has never been more evidence in support of the reliability of the Bible than there is today. Recent advances in science and scholarship have answered many of the common criticisms of the Bible. It is unrealistic to try to prove every detail of the Bible or to vindicate all of its statements. However, we have very good reasons indeed to be confident in the Bible and to accept its message: that the God who created us has acted to reconcile estranged humanity to himself through the revelations given to Israel and especially through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.: https://bib.irr.org/reliability-of-bible
  37. How to Use Questions & Tactics In Your Next Apologetics Encounter The Think Institute: https://thethink.institute/articles/how-to-use-questions-amp-tactics-in-your-next-apologetics-encounter

In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. Luke 15:10

Blessings to you all

mid-week apologetics booster (10-20-2022)

Good morning friends,

Here is a random quote (of over 2300) from Nuggets:

According to the New Atheism, “In the beginning were the particles. Through the combined forces of chance and law, the particles became complex. Eventually the particles formed solar systems, planets, and rocks. Then the particles became alive and formed trees, animals, and people.”  – Is God Just a Human Invention and Seventeen Other Questions Raised by the New Atheists

To view more of these quotes, visit:

http://www.ps11911.com/bible-app/browseQuotes

Now, here are your weekly links:

  1. 9 Things You Should Know About the Council of Trent – one of these is that the Council issued a decree saying that, If any one saith, that the justice received is not preserved and also increased before God through good works; but that the said works are merely the fruits and signs of Justification obtained, but not a cause of the increase thereof; let him be anathema.: https://www-thegospelcoalition-org.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/9-things-you-should-know-about-the-council-of-trent/?amp=&_gsa=1&_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQKKAFQArABIIACAw%3D%3D#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=16658721375486&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegospelcoalition.org%2Farticle%2F9-things-you-should-know-about-the-council-of-trent%2F
  2. The S.L.E.D. Test – The SLED Test is a simple argument against abortion: https://www.str.org/w/the-sled-test
  3. Why We Need to Go Back to Basics and Make a Case for Our Worldview: https://www.str.org/w/why-we-need-to-go-back-to-basics-and-make-a-case-for-our-worldview
  4. Liver Function and Its Effects: https://evolutionnews.org/2016/06/liver_function/
  5. Unbelievable? Is God a God of wrath? Joshua Ryan Butler & Brian Zahnd: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/unbelievable/unbelievable-is-god-a-god-of-wrath-joshua-ryan-butler-and-brian-zahnd/11526.article
  6. Mike Licona Explains Why Apologetics is Necessary: https://vimeo.com/172362102
  7. Does Being Old Disqualify the Bible’s Teachings?  The latest meme has a simple image of a man’s torso holding a Bible, accompanied by the statement/question “Would you let a doctor with a 2000 year old medical book operate on you? No. So why let a priest with a 2000 year old storybook tell you how to live?” https://apologetics-notes.comereason.org/2014/10/does-being-old-disqualify-bibles.html
  8. Why Defend My Faith?  Is there a difference between knowing what you believe and being able to defend it?  https://think-well.org/2015/05/04/why-defend-my-faith/
  9. Video: Shattering the Icons of Evolution by Tim Barnett – In this video Tim Barnett of Stand to Reason challenges many of the standard evidences offered by those arguing in favor of Darwinism: http://truthbomb.blogspot.com/2016/06/video-shattering-icons-of-evolution-by.html
  10. 7 Questions Skeptics Ask – How to answer the tough questions: https://www.christianitytoday.com/biblestudies/articles/evangelism/seven-questions-skeptics-ask.html?start=1
  11. Sorry, Faster Mutation Rate Will Not Explain the Cambrian Explosion: https://evolutionnews.org/2016/07/faster_mutation/
  12. Hermeneutics: The Eight Rules of Biblical Interpretation: https://www.apologeticsindex.org/5846-biblical-interpretation-rules
  13. Two Types of Sceptic: http://www.saintsandsceptics.org/two-types-of-sceptic/
  14. Another Look at the Earliest Complete List of the Canon of the New Testament: https://www.michaeljkruger.com/another-look-at-the-earliest-complete-list-of-the-canon-of-the-new-testament/
  15. Five Questions to Ask Before You Consume Cannabis: https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/five-questions-to-ask-before-you-consume-cannabis

Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. Make a roof for it and finish the ark to within 18 inches of the top. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark –you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.” Noah did everything just as God commanded him. Genesis 6:11-22

Blessings to you all

mid-week apologetics booster (10-13-2022)

Good morning friends,

Here is a random quote (of over 2300) from Nuggets:

Thou shalt soon be with the glorified, where thy portion is; thou art only waiting here to be made meet for the inheritance, and that done, the wings of angels shall waft thee far away, to the mount of peace, and joy, and blessedness, where, “Far from a world of grief and sin, With God eternally shut in,” thou shalt rest forever and ever. – Charles Spurgeon

To view more of these quotes, visit:

http://www.ps11911.com/bible-app/browseQuotes

Now, here are your weekly links:

  1. Fearfully and wonderfully made | WORLD – Elegant molecular machines at the center of life belie Darwin’s theory: https://wng.org/articles/fearfully-and-wonderfully-made-1663727703
  2. Do We Secretly Resent Evangelism? | Crossway Articles: https://www.crossway.org/articles/do-we-secretly-resent-evangelism/
  3. Peter Williams lectures on the historical reliability of the gospels | WINTERY KNIGHT: https://winteryknight.com/2022/10/07/peter-williams-lectures-on-the-historical-reliability-of-the-gospels-3/
  4. Why Don’t We Find Humans Buried with Dinosaurs? – YouTube: https://youtu.be/eDK0r88Y70M
  5. Evolution Fails to Explain the Vertebrate Camera-Type Eye | Answers Research Journal: https://answersresearchjournal.org/evolution/vertebrate-camera-type-eye/
  6. Luke Barnes on the fine-tuning of the strong force and fine structure constant | WINTERY KNIGHT: https://winteryknight.com/2022/10/09/luke-barnes-on-the-fine-tuning-of-the-strong-force-and-fine-structure-constant-5/
  7. The Left Isn’t Afraid of Christian Nationalism. They’re Afraid of Christians. – A strange development is taking place in the American political landscape. At precisely the moment the Left is sounding the alarm about the growing threat of Christian nationalism, they are increasingly employing religious arguments in support of their policy preferences.: https://washingtonstand.com/commentary/the-left-isnt-afraid-of-christian-nationalism-theyre-afraid-of-christians
  8. Neil deGrasse Tyson’s Stupid Stupid Design Argument – YouTube: https://youtu.be/hK5RXaEqTIg
  9. Same-sex marriage: polyamory is now marriage and surrogacy is now a fertility treatment | WINTERY KNIGHT: https://winteryknight.com/2022/10/12/same-sex-marriage-polyamory-is-now-marriage-and-surrogacy-is-now-a-fertility-treatment/

I love you, O LORD, my strength. Psalms 18:1

Blessings to you all

mid-week apologetics booster (10-6-2022)

Good morning friends,

Here is a random quote (of over 2300) from Nuggets:

When someone asks if you’re going to heaven, saying “I hope so” isn’t humble, it’s arrogantly believing that your salvation is resting on your works. But if you respond, “Yes, I’m certain,” isn’t arrogance, it’s humble assurance because you’re resting on the works of Christ. – Burk Parsons

To view more of these quotes, visit:

http://www.ps11911.com/bible-app/browseQuotes

Now, here are your weekly links:

  1. What does it mean to be transformed by the renewing of the mind? | GotQuestions.org: https://www.gotquestions.org/renewing-the-mind.html
  2. An Open Letter (from John MacArthur) to Governor Gavin Newsom | Grace Community Church: https://www.gracechurch.org/news/posts/3592
  3. Was Queen Elizabeth II a true Christian? | George’s Journal: https://georgesjournal.net/2022/10/01/was-queen-elizabeth-ii-a-true-christian/
  4. Why did Dan Barker leave Christianity for atheism? | WINTERY KNIGHT: https://winteryknight.com/2020/06/23/why-did-dan-barker-leave-christianity-for-atheism-2/
  5. Chinas religion problem: Why the Chinese Communist Party views religious belief as a threat Asia Dialogue: https://theasiadialogue.com/2019/10/17/chinas-religion-problem-why-the-chinese-communist-party-views-religious-belief-as-a-threat/
  6. The Fossil Record on Vimeo – Do fossils really show that creatures gradually evolved from simple to complex? The late fossil expert and evolution-defender Stephen Gould recognized they didn’t. He said the fossil record shows two clear features 1) Sudden appearance, and 2) Stasis.: https://vimeo.com/290548930
  7. Is Hell Real? | Crossway Articles – Ortlund – Scripture teaches us these five truths and more about hell: https://www.crossway.org/articles/is-hell-real/
  8. 7 Things We Know about Jesus and His Followers from Non-Biblical Sources | Cloud of Witnesses: https://greatcloud.wordpress.com/2013/06/30/7-things-we-know-about-jesus-and-his-followers-from-non-biblical-sources/
  9. Ancient Dinosaur Depictions | Genesis Park – The purpose of Genesis Park is to showcase the evidence that dinosaurs and man were created together and have co-existed throughout history (there is a lot of archeological evidence listed on this page): https://www.genesispark.com/exhibits/evidence/historical/ancient/dinosaur/
  10. The shocking Beliefs of John Calvin: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/frankviola/shockingbeliefsofjohncalvin/
  11. There’s No Good Reason to Deny the Early Dating of the Gospels | Cold Case Christianity: https://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/theres-no-good-reason-to-deny-the-early-dating-of-the-gospels/
  12. Why believe in Christianity over all other religions? | carm.org: https://carm.org/atheism/why-believe-in-christianity-over-all-other-religions/
  13. William Murray, Son of the Founder of American Atheists, Converts to Christianity | Reasons for Jesus: https://reasonsforjesus.com/william-murray-son-of-the-founder-of-american-atheists-converts-to-christianity/
  14. Evidence For Resurrection Turns Josh McDowell From Skeptic To Christian Apologist | Reasons for Jesus: https://reasonsforjesus.com/evidence-for-resurrection-turns-josh-mcdowell-from-skeptic-to-christian-apologist/
  15. Dr. Gary R. Habermas (free on-line book) – The Uniqueness of Jesus Christ Among the Major World Religions – Jesus claimed to be Deity, but does this make him unique? Dig into this easy-to-read examination of this serious topic with Dr. Gary Habermas to see just how unusual this claim really is. Then realize that there’s even more to consider than this! Jesus said that he was the path to salvation. Very early sources tell us that he performed supernatural miracles. Jesus and his followers said that his death served the purpose of saving others, dying in their place. Jesus’ death affirms and explains the reality of suffering and death in the world. And finally, and perhaps most importantly, Jesus is unique in rising from the dead bodily. When these ideas are all combined, especially the powerful combination of the Resurrection and the Gospel, Jesus stands dramatically apart as unique in a way that surpasses all others!: http://www.garyhabermas.com/Evidence2/
  16. If we can’t see God, how can we know he exists? | Christian Research Institute: https://www.equip.org/bible_answers/if-we-cant-see-god-how-can-we-know-he-exists-/
  17. Why Are There So Many Atheists on College Campuses? THINKAPOLOGETICS.COM: https://chab123.wordpress.com/2017/01/24/why-are-there-so-many-atheists-on-college-campuses-3/
  18. A Christians Rebuttal to Why I Am Not A Christian By Bertrand Russell Christian Apologist: https://christian-apologist.com/2017/04/13/a-christians-rebuttal-to-why-i-am-not-a-christian-by-bertrand-russell/
  19. When Someone You Love Says, I’m Gay – As homosexuality becomes more broadly accepted within the culture, it’s no surprise that more Christian families are hearing a loved one say, I’m gay; I’ve accepted it; I intend to live it out. Aside from the obvious emotions raised, a number of questions come up as well: Can I say anything to change his mind? How do I handle it if she gets into a relationship with another woman? What about my gay teen? What if he marries another man? These concerns spring from a real-life crisis many Christian homes are facing today. Two primary questions arise as well: What about us? and What about God? Both questions are relevant to the discussion families will have when addressing the issue, and believers need to frame them wisely. When responding to a family member coming out, a Christian should first clarify his own feelings in response, then stress the importance of the relationship and clarify mutual expectations as well. A broader discussion about worldview, the claims of Christ, and what created intent there may be for the human sexual experience should follow. While we cannot override someone else’s free will, we can and should seek to engage them, thereby being part of the work God is seeking to do in their lives.: https://www.equip.org/articles/someone-love-says-im-gay/
  20. 5 Ways Christian Parents Fail to Prepare Their Kids to Engage with Questions of Faith and Science: https://natashacrain.com/5-ways-christian-parents-fail-to-prepare-their-kids-to-engage-with-questions-of-faith-and-science/
  21. The Book of Mormon problems with reliability and consistency | carm.org: https://carm.org/mormonism/problems-with-the-book-of-mormon/
  22. 7 Tips For Apologetics Judo Intelligent Christian Faith – Apologetics can be modeled after any number of other helpful analogies, for example (1) Cultivating an Intellectual Garden, (2) Worldview Surgery, (3) Theological Housecleaning, or (4) Ideological Homebuilding, etc. etc.: https://intelligentchristianfaith.com/2015/06/14/philosophical-judo-apologetics-as-a-martial-art/
  23. How Geographic Separation Affirms the Reliability of the New Testament | Cold Case Christianity: https://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/how-geographic-separation-affirms-the-reliability-of-the-new-testament/
  24. Should We Expose Students to Arguments Against | Sean McDowell – Sheltering students from beliefs contrary to Christianity is a big mistake. Let me say it again, to be sure it sinks in: Sheltering students from arguments for other religions, or against Christianity, is a bad strategy for developing them as disciples in the faith.: https://seanmcdowell.org/blog/should-students-be-exposed-to-evidence-against-christianity
  25. The Ambassador Model – Here’s the model we use at Stand to Reason to help us fulfill Paul’s admonition to be ambassadors for Christ: https://www.str.org/w/the-ambassador-model
  26. 5 Things Christian Parents Must Do to Raise Godly Children in a Secular World: https://crossexamined.org/5-things-christian-parents-must-do-to-raise-godly-children-in-a-secular-world/
  27. The Relationship Between Arguments and Persuasion THINKAPOLOGETICS.COM: https://chab123.wordpress.com/2021/05/12/the-relationship-between-arguments-and-persuasion/
  28. Why Would Scholars Leave Mormonism? Interview with | Sean McDowell: https://seanmcdowell.org/blog/why-would-scholars-leave-mormonism-interview-with-author-corey-miller
  29. The Story of Reality – YouTube – Every religion, every worldview is telling a story. They’re trying to take the things we know about the world and fit them together into a big picture. : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxU0UNlnnOA
  30. Is The Bible Relevant Today? | Cold Case Christianity: https://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/is-the-bible-relevant-today/
  31. If God knew that Satan would rebel, why did He create him? | GotQuestions.org: https://www.gotquestions.org/if-God-knew.html
  32. Should we trust the Bible? – creation.com – How should we answer those who claim that it’s been re-written so many times that we no longer have the original? And even if we do, was it written long after the events it claimed to report? Also, does archaeology disprove the Bible? Finally, even if it is true, what’s the point? https://creation.com/trust-the-bible
  33. A RESPONSE TO BART D. EHRMANS MISQUOTING JESUS – this is a 60 page PDF containing a point by point response to Ehrman’s book: http://www.isca-apologetics.org/sites/default/files/papers/Jared%20Martinez/Howe-AResponseToBartEhrman.pdf
  34. Where are the Kantian Agnostics? | Tough Questions Answered: https://www.toughquestionsanswered.org/2011/11/07/where-are-the-kantian-agnostics/
  35. Who was J. C. Ryle? | GotQuestions.org: https://www.gotquestions.org/J-C-Ryle.html
  36. Eve and the definition of a woman – creation.com: https://creation.com/eve-defining-woman

Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. Acts 18:4

Blessings to you all