Travis Dickinson www.travisdickinson.com Everyday Apologetics Travis Dickinson www.travisdickinson.com

Introduction The slides for this presentation are at: www.travisdickinson.com

Introduction Matthew 22:37-38 [Jesus] said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command.”

Introduction “Love the Lord your God…with all your mind.” What does it mean to love God with our minds?

Loving God with our Minds There was a time in which Christianity had the best music, art, philosophy, literature, etc. But we’ve lost the culture. 2nd Great awakening and American revivals Much good came from these awakenings but there was very little discipleship or spiritual/theological education. The so-called Burned Over District: 2 of 3 major Christian cults came out of this area amongst those “converted” in the revivals.

Loving God with our Minds Two trends that emerge: Anti-intellectualism. Withdrawal from the culture. The church withdrew and surrendered the culture to secularism. Pervasive anti-intellectualism seemed to be the way of survival for the church. What are the impacts of this cultural change? The culture has become salt-less and evangelism becomes progressively more and more difficult. Rift in the relationship between faith and reason. Isn’t God above logic? Can’t God do the illogical? God is, by nature, reasonable…he is the “only wise God” (Rom. 16:27). God cannot lie (Titus 1:2) and for a similar reason God cannot do the irrational. He is the ground of logic.

Everyday Apologetics 1 Peter 3:15 Making Christ Lord is linked to making a defense. This is not just for pastors and professors. This is for everyone! There’s only one tone in making the defense. The call is to be ready/prepared. Making Christ Lord is linked to making a defense. This is not just for pastors or professors. He begins v. 8 with “all of you.” There’s only one tone for making a defense. The call is to be ready/prepared.

Apologetics as Devotional Apologetics is best seen and is most effective as something of a devotional exercise. Apologetics is not only for the unbeliever.

Apologetics as Devotional How do we get prepared? We are going to ask questions. One can have faith and ask questions!

Apologetics as Devotional

Apologetics as Devotional

Apologetics as Devotional The Approach Be curious. Ask the deep and difficult questions. Wrestle with these questions, slowly and in community. -Remember you may not get it all figured out…but that’s okay!

Apologetics as Devotional Divine Hiddenness It seems to many that God could be more obvious. God desires all to know him. 1 Tim. 2:4 “…desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Apologetics as Devotional The claim: “God requires belief for salvation but purposely hides and then sends all who don’t believe to hell.” Is God a vindictive tease? Shouldn’t God, if exists, be more obvious?

Apologetics as Devotional Response: God could be more obvious. But should God be more obvious? Why think God is obligated to be more obvious than he is?

Apologetics as Devotional Though God could be more obvious, would it be good if he were more obvious (esp. in fantastic ways)? The spectacular doesn’t tend to produce genuine faith. Where do we see genuine results? Acts 2ff.

Apologetics as Devotional Given what God is after, his obviousness may be perfectly calibrated to this result, according to his plans and purposes. Have we solved the problem? Not completely, but we’ve approached devotionally.

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