Book reviews

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Giving Reasons for Faith: Four Basic Resources

Four resources for those just getting started in Christian apologetics–giving reasons for faith

First Peter 3:15 tells us to always be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” But when you first start answering seekers and skeptics, preparing can seem overwhelming because of the mountain of material out there. Here are four resources for anyone just starting out in giving reasons for faith. They won’t overwhelm you, and they’ll give you a solid foundation upon which you can build.

Bible for giving reasons for faith

NIV Study Bible

Bible: NIV Study Bible

Having a good study Bible is an essential for knowing your Bible well, and knowing your Bible is the first step towards effectively sharing your faith. A study Bible will explain cultural and historical details, and will answer questions about apparent discrepancies. The NIV Study Bible is my favorite because it presents multiple views for passages about which evangelical scholars have different opinions (for instance, both Calvinist and Arminian interpretations). Being familiar with multiple views can help keep us from majoring in the minors; it also promotes unity—an essential since Jesus said people will know we’re his disciples by our love for each other.

Book for giving reasons for faith

The Reason for God

Book: The Reason for God

This book, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, is worth its weight in diamonds just for how it demonstrates respectful engagement with skeptics. Dr. Timothy Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian in New York City, gathered the seven main objections that NY twenty-somethings had against Christianity. In Part 1, he clearly presents the objections and answers them with understanding and respect. In Part 2 he argues for belief in Jesus as Savior. This book is excellent both for learning how to give reasons for faith and for handing out to seekers.

Software for giving reasons for Faith

Prepared Defense

Software: Prepared Defense

Load this software on your PC, Mac, iPad, or iPhone. When you’re asked a tough question, select the question in the hierarchical list and quick answers pop up on the screen. Dr. Clay Jones first developed Prepared Defense for use on his live call-in, talk radio program. It’s great for those times when you need a quick answer, when you need your memory jogged, or when you want an exact quote. It lists plenty of resources for studying a topic more deeply. Get it from Biola University as a stand-alone product ($12), from WORDsearch as an add-on for their other software products ($29.95), or from LifeWay as a digital eBook ($29.99).

Book for giving reasons for faith

The Fallacy Detective

Book: The Fallacy Detective

Hans Bluedorn and Nathaniel Bluedorn wrote this delightful book on fallacies (errors in reasoning). It’s important to know fallacies so that you not only avoid using them, but recognize them when you hear them.The Fallacy Detective: Thirty-Eight Lessons on How to Recognize Bad Reasoning is sprinkled with witticisms and comics that keep the tone light. Each short chapter ends with a quiz to help you practice and hone your budding skills.

These four resources will give you a solid foundation for answering basic questions about your faith.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Great Intro to Apologetics and Philosophy

A Shot of Faith (to the Head): Be a Confident Believer in an Age of Cranky Atheists by Mitch Stokes: a witty intro to apologetics and philosophy

Intro to apologetics and philosophy: "A Shot of Faith"

“A Shot of Faith {to the Head} by Mitch Stokes

Two moms of teenage boys toying with atheism asked how they could better address their sons’ questions. Among the books I recommended they read was this gem: A Shot of Faith (to the Head): Be a Confident Believer in an Age of Cranky Atheistsby Mitch Stokes.

Stokes deftly handles the three main arguments against God’s existence: Belief in God is irrational; science shows there’s no God; and evil and suffering show there’s no God. At heart, it’s a Christian apologetics book. But as Stokes explains how to address the arguments of atheists such as Hitchens and Dawkins, he also introduces a history of philosophical thought and why it pertains to conversations about belief in God.

That was my favorite part. I’d been looking for an introduction to philosophy that would explain the underpinnings for some of the beliefs I hear, but I didn’t want a tome that felt like carrying an ever growing burden on my back to get through.

This was perfect. It’s short—just over 200 pages—and Stokes writes with unusual clarity and a great deal of wit. Here’s how he leads up to his explanation of basic beliefs:

But how can we have a reason or argument for every one of our beliefs? For every reason we give, that reason will require a reason, which will in turn require yet another reason, and so on, world without end. But of course, we can’t have an infinite number of reasons. None of us has that much time on our hands. Or enough patience. All of us have experienced the maddening series of why questions launched at us from the mouths of small children. These why questions, you are quite sure, absolutely must stop. When the great philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein said, “Explanations come to an end somewhere,” he had just visited his niece and nephew.

Another big plus is he ends each chapter with a bullet point list he calls, “For Your Arsenal.” These are tight summaries of the chapter’s key points, making it easy to review or quickly find the chapter on such-and-such.

The only negative is that he sometimes bounces back and forth over millennia, making it hard to track the development of a thought. In the otherwise great chapter on the mathematical evidence for design in the universe, “The User-friendly Universe,” I finally penciled a chart of names and dates on the chapter’s first page and in the page margins. (I include it at the end of the blog.)

All in all, A Shot of Faith was an enjoyable and worthwhile read, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a basic apologetics and philosophy book.

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Names and dates for “The User-friendly Universe”:
Thales        624-546 BC
Pythagoras        570-495   BC
Plato        428-347 BC
Galileo AD  1564-1642
Kepler AD  1571-1630
Newton AD  1642-1727
Einstein AD  1879-1955

 

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“Seek” Book Recommendation

‘Seek’ ~ A new book by Donna Jones

I’ve started many seeker and new believer Bible studies over the years, and this is the book I wish I’d had: Seek: A woman’s guide to meeting God. Too often I’ve used books that lost women in the first two weeks as theological terms bounced about causing more confusion than clarity.

That isn’t the case with Seek: A Woman’s Guide to Meeting God (affiliate link).
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I had the privilege of reading a few chapters before publication, and I felt immediately as if I were sitting down with a hot mug of Earl Grey talking to a dear friend. Okay, the author, Donna Jones, is such a friend. But it was the warm, endearing tone that pulled me in. The book is filled with delightful stories that illustrate spiritual concepts in ways that just make sense—that make you go “Aha!” And each chapter ends with questions ideal for discussion groups.

Look at the way she begins explaining trusting in false beliefs:

In second grade I read a book that, quite frankly, no child with my personality traits should have been allowed to read. Though I can’t recall the title, the book was filled with sure-fire ways to win party games, including one game my friends inevitably played at birthday parties—Pin the Tail on the Donkey. While this handy manual conceded no fool proof way to win Pin the Tail on the Donkey existed apart from cheating, it did, however, outline a little known rule: A secondary prize should always be given to the child whose tail is furthest away from the donkey, in addition to the first place prize awarded to the child whose tail is closest. My eyes widened and my heart beat wildly as my seven-year-old mind unraveled the implications of discovering this life-altering revelation. I would never go home empty handed from a party again!

Donna is a long-time Bible teacher who knows what questions women have and is skilled in answering them. I’ve listened to Donna teach for the past five years and love her humor and down-to-earth explanations that engage seekers, new believers, and long-time Christians alike.

So if you

  • want a book for a neighborhood Bible study
  • need materials for teaching Bible essentials to your church’s women
  • have a seeker friend who might read a warm, inviting, non-intimidating book
  • have always wanted a clear explanation of Christian essentials

…then check out Seek: A Woman’s Guide to Meeting God (affiliate link).for details.

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Announcing a Study on the Bible’s Grand Story

The Story: Personal Journal & Discussion Guide

Sensing a need for a more comprehensive view of the totality of Biblical truth, this year two hundred women in Crossline Church read The Story, NIV: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People, which excerpts passages from Genesis to Revelation. Though we began with a set of discussion questions from another source, they didn’t quite meet our needs. Our women’s ministry director asked me to write the weekly study that the women completed at home and then discussed in their small groups. Many women told me that they had never before had such a robust appreciation for all that God was doing in the sweep of history.

The response was overwhelmingly positive as people said they understood parts of the Bible for the first time and were no longer afraid of it.

The positive reaction prompted our women’s ministry director to send two of the studies to Zondervan, the publisher of The Story. Zondervan has asked to post the series in their on-line resource library as soon as I write the first seven lessons! How exciting is that?

I’m in the middle of writing those seven, and I’ll test them at a women’s Bible study group this summer so I can hone them before sending them off. (Let me know if you’d like to join us!) I’ll post the lessons on this site as I finish them. This will give you a chance to preview the material and see if it’s something you can use at your church or for your own devotional times.

Update: The lessons are finished and you can download The Story: Personal Journal & Discussion Guide at ‘The Story’ Guide.

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