I'm excited to report that I signed up for my first class. I have an apologetics class every weeknight from 6-9 PM 7/31-8/11. This will be an intense time, but I'm looking forward to it. I think that Amanda will be out of town for part of this, so that will help me out too. One of my textbooks is about 5 different styles for apologetics.
My previous post with the quote from Jeremiah had inspiration from a John MacArthur sermon regarding evangelism. In it he made a great point. Let's look at John the Baptist's style:
Mat 3:7-10 ESV
(7) But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
(8) Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.
(9) And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father,' for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.
(10) Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Imagine someone who just came out of the Willow Creek class on relational evangelism doing this. Imagine if I took this attitude with my Roman Catholic family. Absurd, isn't it? Yet John didn't pull any punches. This is a guy who wore uncomfortable clothes and lived off of locusts and wild honey. Apparently he didn't care so much about appearances and niceties. He just wanted to tell them the gospel.
Obviously we take a different approach with those who come with the attitude of the Pharisees compared to how we talk to someone who is seeking. However, in the end, we still need to share the same message -- we're all sinners who deserve and will receive condemnation apart from the blood of Christ. Believe in Christ and put Him on the throne of your life and be saved. There's just no getting around that, is there?
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