Spring 2012

Rev. Borghardt takes us back to the movers and shakers at Augsburg, where defense of the Scriptures was a matter of life and death. Find out how we can learn greatly from these men and appeal to the resulting Confession of Faith in our own apologetic efforts.

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:19 that we Christians, of all people, are most to be pitied if the resurrection of Christ did not happen. Rev. Fisk Commandingly lays out the historically based argument for the reality of the Resurrection, which is at the very heart of our defense of the faith.

When critics attack the Christian faith, one of the first areas they will zero in on is the New Testament. After all, they say, it's full of errors and we don't have the originals. Rev. Pierson, who has an extensive background in this area of study, presents a compelling argument for the reliability of the New Testament.

College campuses are growing increasingly more secularized. This hasn't happened overnight. Mr. Parton explains this history but doesn't leave it there. By the time you are done reading, you will have resources to draw from and know some of the basics as you endeavor to defend your Christian faith on the college or high school campus or wherever you might find yourself.

Apologetics is a way of life for Pastor Mark Jasa. As you read about God's crystal-clear faithfulness in his life, you'll gain an appreciation for those in campus ministries like University Lutheran Chapel at UCLA, and also gain a few very helpful tips for engaging in apologetics in your own circles.

"Faith is the great cop-out." "Religion is a crutch for the weak-minded." "Faith is all emotions-based." Rev. Cwirla handily debunks those and other notions that attempt to claim that faith and reason are opposed to one another.

We've all either asked or have been asked this question: "Why would a good God allow bad things to happen?" Rev. Pacey, who often has to field questions of this sort in his campus ministry at the University of Arizona, dissects all of the typical arguments and gives you tools to provide an answer

Mormons aren't naive young men in white shirts riding their bicycles around your neighborhood. They have been intensely trained to defend THEIR faith, so it is vital for you to know what YOU believe, so when that inevitable knock on the door comes, you can answer with confidence. Rev. Kuhlman will get you started.

Although you might hear a lot about the Muslim world by watching the evening news, you may no know what Islam really teaches. And because it is an ever-growing religion, and Christians in other countries are already in a position of having to vigorously defend their faith, it is vital that we take steps to understand that religion. Learn from Dr. Francisco how to approach a conversation with aMuslim, and in doing so, share the sweetness of the Gospel at the same time.

Continuing in his backward trek through the Lord's Prayer, Rev. Cwirla clearly explains the First Petition and even manages to cleverly tie it into our theme of apologetics.

Here are both the student and leader guides for Rev. Fisk's resurrection article on pg. 6, Feel free to reproduce these for use with your youth group