How can we effectively share our faith with others in a world that often values personal truth over objective truth, while still being loving and respectful?
2 Specific Areas of Apologetics to Focus on in Your Women’s Ministry
First one demonstrates that Christianity is based upon historical facts, that our westernern society and values is based upon Christian morals.
Then one asks what do you believe about God/Jesus?
Followed by What evidence do you have for your beliefs?
Have a read of this post and look at the links init about faith in zGod is scientifically rational.
One thing.
Be sure that you can answer those two questions with rational answers.
In a world that often values personal truth over objective truth, sharing our faith effectively means presenting the Gospel with both love and discernment. While we are called to speak the truth in love and to show compassion to those who do not yet believe, we are also commanded to guard the truth and warn others about false teachers. Scripture repeatedly warns that many will come twisting God’s Word, leading others astray with messages that sound appealing but are not rooted in the truth of the Gospel. Out of love for others and reverence for God, we must gently expose these deceptions, not to stir division, but to protect people from spiritual harm. Just as a shepherd warns sheep of lurking wolves, we too are called to lovingly point people to the true Christ and call out teachings that distort His message. In doing so, we honor God, care for the souls of others, and reflect the love and truth of Christ in both word and action.
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I read something the other day in a devotional (Salt & Light, by Chris Tiegreen) that I thought spoke very well to this question:
“One of the more disturbing trends in the last few decades is a dramatic decrease in the number of people who believe that the Bible is a reliable expression of truth. This isn’t the case in every part of the world, but it is in many countries that were once considered to be Christian societies…In fact, alarming misperceptions about the Bible have grown, such that many perceive it as completely fictitious—the arbitrary creation of a few storytellers or religious conspirators.
If people were interested in sitting down and talking about these things, we could reeducate them about the historical foundations of our faith. Apologetics might be our best strategy. But as important as coherent explanations are, they don’t go very far in an age when people determine what they believe viscerally rather than rationally….Apologetics supports the understanding of those who have chosen to believe; it less often prompts faith in the first place.
The solution is to let Jesus be visibly attractive in us, just as he was to his first hearers and followers. That means living unexplainable lives. We are people who carry supernatural treasures in fragile clay jars, and somehow those around us need to see the treasure. They are hungry not for arguments or good marketing but for whatever is true, authentic and transcendent. Not everyone will be drawn to the Jesus in us, just as not everyone was drawn to him two millennia ago. But many will. If people are reading the Bible less, we will have to demonstrate it more. It’s the most effective way to get the truth of God into a world that doesn’t know him.”
I don’t mean to say that reason or apologetics couldn’t reach some people, but I just found this devotional helpful concerning how to reach people in a society that increasingly values feelings and experience over rational arguments.
Yes we need to live lifes that are attractive/challenging to others, but while society values feelings we still need to be able to give a rational answer to why we believe.
To be able to demonstrate that Christianity is rational and that agnostism and atheism is irrational.