On Teaching Children Apologetics, Luther on Neutrality, Giving Kids Apologetics Practice
AN IDEA FROM ME
In today’s world, it is not enough to merely bring our kids to Sunday school and youth group, in the hopes that they will catch on. We want to see the younger generation raised up and prepared to stand firmly on God’s word, to be able to share the gospel, live for Christ, and answer the hardest questions that the world—and their own experience—can throw at them.
To prepare them for this future, we need to teach our children apologetics. Apologetics is the discipline of defending the truth of the Christian worldview. As families, we need to be building this defense together. I call this family-based endeavor family apologetics. We need family apologetics.
—Source: From my forthcoming book, Bible Based Family Discipleship. Want me to come and speak at your small group or adult Sunday School class about family apologetics and how to do it? I do that! Go to our booking page to request it now: https://thethink.institute/booking.
A QUOTE FROM SOMEBODY ELSE
“The truth of the matter is rather as Christ says, "He who is not with me is against me." ... He does not say "He who is not with me is not against me either, but merely neutral.”
― Martin Luther, The Bondage of the Will. I listened to this classic book from Luther on my Canon+ app recently, and I highly recommend it! If you’d like to know what other books I’ve been reading this year, I have a running list here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-6tHgwXSgy0qKSZ19eM00E29mddTU4plu_CfOJuVhPo/edit?usp=sharing
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
If your son was on a baseball team, you would never expect him to become a good player by watching you throw, pitch and bat. Similarly, you would never expect your daughter to become a skilled gymnast simply by watching you walk the balance beam. Neither should you expect your children to become skilled at defending their faith by merely listening to your answers. To raise children who become adults capable of articulating and defending the faith, you have to give them practice while they are young. What are some practical ways we can do this?
Respond to this email in the next seven days, and I will write you back.
Want to get trained in defending your faith? I’m offering an eight-week course for Christian men starting on April 1. Learn more at https://thethink.institute/apologeticsfoundations.