The main purpose for the use of Apologetics is to establish truth and aid in removing barriers which obstruct against Christianity. Winning debates is not our goal; our goal is to topple the walls which impede the acceptance of the Gospel. We cannot suppose that every Evangelist is a trained or experienced Apologist, neither can we expect all Apologists to be a trained or experienced Evangelist’s. But it is important that we train and practice our skills in both fields. Why? Because an Evangelist must penetrate these barriers before any attempt to deliver the Gospel and an Apologist must continue to deliver the Gospel when the barriers come down. How do we proceed after successfully removing the obstacles that impede a potential convert? We realize the importance of Apologetics in order to make room for the Gospel and for the Holy Spirit to work, but we must also realize that our final objective is Evangelistic.
We mow the field and plow the ground to prepare fertile soil where the seed of the Gospel has a better chance to germinate and therefore grow. Our Lord teaches us when He explains the parable of the sower in Mat 13:18-23, that the evil one snatches up the seed from the hearts of those who do not understand, which is why our defense and presentation of the Gospel should be as clear as possible and include the knowledge and understanding necessary for salvation, if not, the seed will remain by the wayside (v 19).
Two Christian Responses: The Glory of Martyrdom and Apologetics
"Though beheaded, and crucified, and thrown to wild beasts, and chains, and fire, and all other kinds of torture, we do not give up our confession; but, the more such things happen, the more do others in larger numbers become faithful."
-- Justin Martyr {25}
In the face of persecution, many Christians chose to die before they would deny their Lord. Those who did so came to be called martyrs, which means "witnesses." The second-century theologian Tertullian had converted to Christianity based in part on his wonder at Christians' faithfulness in the face of martyrdom and it clearly had a similar effect on others as well. It was Tertullian who famously declared, "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church." Indeed, persecution seemed to have a dramatic effect on Christianity's numbers, but not in the direction intended by the persecutors.
A second response of the church to Roman persecution was to write apologies, or defenses, of the Christian faith. The bishops and leaders who wrote these defenses are known as the Apologists. Writing especially in the 2nd century AD, the Apologists' primary goal was to defend Christianity against pagan accusations and misconceptions in an effort to stop the persecution. Thus they often addressed their works to Roman emperors. The Apologists explained, for example, that the Christian "love feast" did not involve cannibalism or orgies as many thought, but was a sacred meal of bread and wine in honor of Christ's death. The Apologists also sought to show that Christianity was equal or even superior to pagan religion and philosophy, and good for the Roman state. They pointed out that Christianity was just as old as Greek thought, having originated in the ancient religion of the Hebrews. They asked their readers to compare the ethical behavior of Christians and pagans. They explained that although they were not willing to sacrifice to him as a god, Christians prayed for the emperor's welfare regularly.
The Apologists' writings do not provide a full picture of Christianity in the 2nd century, as they were generally limited in their scope to responding to specific accusations. However, these early texts provide important insight into how early Christians related their faith to Greco-Roman paganism and why they personally found it convincing. So while we are inevitably facing a greater degree of persecution in the USA via atheism/naturalism/neo-Darwinism/humanism, it is ever important for us to be equally prepared at this level, as our Brothers & Sisters in communist and Islamic regimes, who are dying for their faith before they will deny Christ.
I hope that this small packet will help you draw closer to God, to educate yourself and in return that you will educate others about our brothers/sisters in Christ that are dying daily for their faith, and finally that you will take action in developing your own ministry of service, with Christ in the center. Thank you very much and God Bless
You may not think so, but it is SO easy to confidently and easily, help bring light to those in the dark
-Everything always must place Christ at the center; always start with that-
A) Felt a calling to do "something" like most of us do; but this time decided not to ignore it. This led to www.Alliance100.com that you are visiting now.
B) I felt a huge pull to reach out to my secular university who silenced any talk of "God/Christ" - This basically led to www.IntelligentWonders.com
C) I felt a huge pull for our forgotten/neglected Brothers/Sisters in Christ that are persecuted everyday for their faith, while we're luke warm and spoiled - this led to www.MartyrsCry.org
-May these help you, motivate you, and give all glory to God-
You may want to start small, or big; the choice is really yours?
1) One of the first things we did, was hang door-to-door hangers:
https://www.ibsdirect.com/pc-339-22-kjv-family-to-family-doorhangers.aspx
To us, this was an easy first step to get your "feet wet."
2) It is also easy to keep some Gospel messages with you at all times, and just have them ready to give to some after a small introduction. (for many more examples please visit: wayofthemaster.com )
3) The second thing we did was simply placing small tracts in key places, with a "FREE - Take one" label somewhere on it. *We also placed small tracts under windshield wipers; a easy and great way to "plant the seed." (Hey, I have restaurants, radio stations, bars/concerts doing it all the time to me, so why can't we utilize the same approach for the Lord?)
3) The fourth thing we did in November, was we went directly to a University Campus, and began handing out Gospel tracts, Bibles, Gospel of Johns, etc. We were all a little nervous, and had ZERO experience; but Thanks to the Lord, we got through just fine! -We simply would say something like: "Hey! Did you get one of these?" Most students were eager to take one. *Some threw it away, but that is irrelevant, because they had to look to see what it was, and the seed was planted! And Lord willing, that seed will begin to grow, and hopefully that person will allow The Holy Spirit to work on them, and truly open their hearts and minds. Sure, we got some that were a little defensive, but thats okay. It's not like it's going to kill us! ;o) -We just have to leave it in the Lord's hands, and step out of our comfort zone.
Bottom line; it isn't that hard, and once you do it, you'll love it! Please read on for more information on how effective small groups can be, *and feel free to request a free dvd on on how easy it is to reach people, (and please watch the video on our homepage on sharing your faith):
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| What's The Big Deal About Small Groups? Why was a small group such an important part of Jesus' ministry? |
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| by Neal F. McBride | Issue #59 September/October 1990 | |
Your pastor could preach the most profound sermons this side of Heaven. The worship service might bring all who attend into the presence of God weekly. Your Christian education program could give your members enough ammunition to win a Bible quiz against any congregation in the country, hands down. Yet even if all these things were true, something could still be missing in your church. That element, woven throughout the fabric of the New Testament, is an integral part of life in Christ: relationships with other believers. Close relationships among the members of God's family provide a context for applying biblical truth, promote unity and caring among the members, meet spiritual and emotional needs, furnish a setting for lifestyle evangelism, and in short, demonstrate the Body of Christ in action. Every church needs a ministry format that will intentionally promote these kind of relationships. I'm convinced that small groups provide the ideal format to accomplish these requirements. Small groups are not just a sociological fad. Neither are they a clever gimmick to pump up church attendance, nor a panacea for all the ills that confront the church. Small groups are a ministry format with a solid biblical foundation. While a rationale for small groups is found throughout the Bible, I'd like to focus on two lines of thought depicted in the New Testament: Jesus as a small group leader and what I'll call our New Testament mandate. Let's start with Jesus' example. JESUS AS A SMALL GROUP LEADER For me, Jesus' involvement in a small group is the most convincing argument for including such groups in the life of the local church. Jesus Christ is pictured in the New Testament as the greatest small group leader in history. As a group leader or participant you are walking in His footsteps. What can we learn from Jesus about the ministry of small groups? Jesus began His earthly ministry by establishing His "small group," the apostles. When Jesus began His public ministry, one of His first acts was to form His small group (Mt. 4:18–22 , Lk. 6:13 ). The Son of God certainly didn't need the companionship or assistance of the apostles. Yet from the very beginning He elected to establish and minister within a framework of interpersonal relationships. Jesus ministered in both large and small group contexts. Jesus proclaimed the kingdom to large crowds. Likewise, He met with small groups in homes (Mt. 26:6 ) and spent considerable time with His special group, the apostles. Both forms of ministry were important. Jesus' ministry to large groups was preceded by and proceeded out of His small group context. Which came first, the chicken (large group) or the egg (small group)? In Jesus' case, small group emphasis preceded His large group involvement. Furthermore, it was the small group that provided the platform for Jesus' ministry to large groups of people. The apostles accompanied Jesus as He proclaimed the Good News to the multitudes. Yet He always withdrew to the familiarity and support of His select small group (Mk. 3:7 ). Jesus spent the majority of His time with His small group. If we could add up the amount of time Jesus spent with the apostles, we would likely find that this group consumed the majority of His time. They were together constantly: They traveled together, shared meals, experienced mutual hardship, and literally lived together. As Jesus' crucifixion drew closer, He spent more and more time with His small group and less time with the multitudes that sought Him out. Relationships, not organizations, were central in Jesus' method. The Kingdom Jesus sought to proclaim was not an earthly organization, but a heavenly realm (Lk. 17:20–21 ). Christ could easily have remained aloof from any relationships that entangled Him in human needs and suffering. Yet, as a practical demonstration of the gospel, He chose to spend His time with people—caring, healing, listening, forgiving, encouraging, teaching, and preaching. Because of His emphasis on people, not programs, the only "organization" that merited Jesus' continuing time and attention was His small group. Jesus used the small group context to teach and model spiritual knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. Having formed His group, Jesus taught and modeled spiritual truth by drawing them close to Himself. It was not a formal or academic experience; the small group members simply participated with Christ in whatever He did. They saw and experienced the attitudes and actions He was admonishing others to adopt. It was through this intimate association that the apostles were granted "the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God" (Lk. 8:10 ). The apostles' small group was their living-learning laboratory. The small group was Jesus' method for leadership training. Jesus devoted Himself primarily to the task of developing a select group of men, the apostles. His goal was to equip this small group of disciples to carry on the work of the gospel after He returned to the Father. Jesus selected common men, "unschooled, ordinary men" by worldly standards (Acts 4:13 ), who were ready to follow Him and were teachable. In turn, Jesus poured His life into these men and thrust the future of His whole ministry upon them. It would be "through their message" (Jn. 17:20 ) that the world would come to believe. THE NEW TESTAMENT MANDATE Much of the New Testament deals with the types of attitudes and actions God wants to characterize the members of His household, the community of believers. A quick review of some of the "one another" verses will give you a good idea of what I am talking about:
The list above provides only a brief taste of the standards that should govern the household of God. But what is the best setting to pursue these biblical attitudes and actions? Based on the biblical evidence, the most logical answer is small groups meeting in homes. This ideal context stresses relationships in an informal setting, which in turn facilitates understanding and obeying the New Testament mandate. This was true for the early church (Acts 2:42–47 ) and it is still true for us today. Hebrews 10:24–25 provides us with further insight. Here we are instructed "not to give up meeting together." Our usual response to this verse is to assume we are being urged to attend "church," a Sunday morning worship service held in a church building. Certainly this application is legitimate, but it is not inherent in the author's intent. Specifically, we are told "to spur one another on toward love and good deeds" and to "encourage one another." This type of activity is possible in a large group service, but it is not likely to occur. On the other hand, the small group's relational dynamic provides the ideal setting. Jesus said, "where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them" (Mt. 18:20 ). Hundreds of people aren't required. The vertical relationship the two or three Christians enjoy individually with Jesus is enhanced by the horizontal relationships among them. Thus, two Christians are the bare minimum needed to constitute a Christian community. "Church" is not limited to large meetings, but can also be a legitimate function of small groups. SMALL GROUPS AND THE GREAT COMMISSION Our mandate is not limited to an internal focus, a secret society for believers only. Jesus opens membership in the household of God to everyone when He commands us to "make disciples of all nations" (Mt. 28:19 ). Here again, small groups can play a significant role. Paul understood this. His efforts in mass evangelism and instruction (Acts 19:8–10 ) were augmented by "house to house" (literally "in the various private homes") personal evangelism and teaching (Acts 20:20 ). The conversion of Cornelius and his whole household is a good example (Acts 16:32–34 ). Evangelism and discipleship are greatly enhanced in the context of a small group. Groups provide a person-to-person setting rather than a program-to-person agenda. This more natural, interpersonal context readily lends itself to sharing the gospel. A 1988 study on religion in America by the Princeton Religion Research Center, under the direction of George Gallup, Jr., cites small groups as "the outreach tool of the '90s." BECOMING LIKE JESUS Jesus is our model. By striving to become more like Him we will grow in character. As we apply His principles for ministry our lives, too, will bear fruit. What kind of structure will provide us with the instruction, support, and challenge we need to become Christlike—as well as enable us to follow His pattern for personal ministry? When we closely examine the life and ministry of Jesus, it becomes clear that one key method is small groups. We've only tapped the surface of the biblical rationale for small groups, but the biblical evidence is clear. Small groups are a necessity—not an option—in the local church. Can we afford not to experience the opportunities for growth they offer? | ||
James
James