Week Three Apologetics

1. Week Three
The Apologist’s Task &
the Veracity of Scripture
TH363 APOLOGETICS
RICK HARRELL

2. The Apologist’s Task
Week Three’s Take-away from Tactics
 Main Purpose of Koukl’s Text – To learn how to “communicate the Gospel as
Clearly, Graciously, and Persuasively as Possible.” And trust that God will move
others toward the Cross.
 100% God & 100% Man
 Without God – nothing works; with God, many things work.
 Not manipulation – techniques in conversation to help maintain direction
(not ”manipulative tricks or slick ruses…not clever ploys to embarrass…not
meant to belittle or humiliate.”
 Illustration: Wisconsin Witch
 Conversation, not coercion – Use questions (start where he or she is).
 Respectful, not Belittling
 Argued for truth, adopted common language – challenged fallacies.
 Remembered context – she was at work.

3. The Apologist’s Task
Top Ten Take-away’s from Tactics
 Bring to the light – ideas that are bizarre, logic fallacies, contradictions
 Beware when Rhetoric (buzz-words) replaces Substance (truth).
 Three Basic Skills:
 Knowledge – foundational truth of the Gospel and the nature of God’s truth.
 Wisdom – the soft skills to compassionately apply the knowledge and direct
the conversation
 Character – we represent the King, we are ambassadors
Apologetics - answering the faith questions of the lost from the position of
intimacy with Jesus, affinity with the Scripture, and compassion for the
seeker.

4. The Apologist’s Task
Top Ten Take-away’s from Tactics
 Difference between Strategy and Tactics:
 Strategy is Big Picture
 Tactics takes into account the moment in light of the Strategy
 Examples: Artist, General, Disciple
 Reservations:
 Disunity and/or Divisiveness
 Guard the Truth – we discuss truth to grow in wisdom
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and
instruction. Pro. 1:7

5. The Apologist’s Task
Top Ten Take-away’s from Tactics
 No dispute is unhealthy -“No fault zone” leads to shallow understanding
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you
are doing. 1 The 5:11 (Context of battle-readiness)
 Unity apart from Truth accepted and defended is shallow.
…until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and
become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
(Context of leadership offices and successful discipleship – “speaking the truth in
love.”)
 The role of the Mind and Reason in knowing Truth – we are to wrestle
with truth and build our strategy on Truth – and be willing to separate
Truth from habit, culture, heritage, and rhetoric.

6. The Apologist’s Task
Top Ten Take-away’s from Tactics
 A stone in the shoe – something that cannot be ignore – what was can
no longer be until the ”stone” is dealt with!
 Liberating – not every conversation is a “deal closing” conversation.
 Apart from the Holy Spirit’s drawing, reviving, and illuminating work,
 Our most compassionate action & most convincing argument fall short
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.28I give them eternal
life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. John
10:27-28