Free apologetics course equips Christians, churches for “such a time as this”

GRAPEVINE An online, video-driven apologetics course is available to equip believers in sharing and defending the Christian faith at an increasingly crucial time.

The Stand Firm Online Apologetics Course is a 16-lesson introductory apologetics course launched by the SBTC that can be used for group or individual study. The course is available at sbtexas.com/standfirm.

Each video is about 30 minutes long and should be viewed prior to answering discussion questions in the study guide. Discussion leaders and individual students may research the topics by reading
recommended books and visiting recommended websites.

“Thanks to Cooperative Program giving, both the videos and the study guide are downloadable for free,” Bruno Molina, a language evangelism associate at the SBTC, told the TEXAN. “I’d like to encourage all of our pastors, discipleship leaders and church members to take advantage of this vital resource made available for such a time as this.”

Stand Firm is designed to strengthen Christians’ faith by presenting compelling evidence for the truths of Christianity and to equip Christians to share and defend the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

“We really are living in a time when, as 2 Peter points out, false prophets rise among us who ‘introduce destructive heresies’ and ‘exploit you with false words,’” Molina said. “Unfortunately, both Christians and non-Christians seem to know less and less about what the Bible actually teaches and, therefore, end up being deceived.

“Nevertheless, as followers of Christ we are commanded to be faithful ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20) who love God with all our mind (Matthew 22:37), ‘contend earnestly for the faith’ (Jude 1:3) and ‘stand firm against the schemes of the devil’ (Ephesians 6:11),” Molina said.

In “Lesson 1: A Rational Romantic Approach to Apologetics,” Paul Gould, assistant professor of philosophy and Christian apologetics at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, talks about “pursuing and representing God with our hearts and our minds.”

Gould explains how Christianity is a perfect blend of reason and romance, and he helps churches think through how they can incorporate apologetics into their ministries.

Subsequent lesson topics include “Does Science Disprove Miracles?” “Why Does God Allow Pain and Suffering?” and individual lessons on reaching out to Catholics, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses and other religions.

Other contributors to the course include Molina; Travis Dickinson, assistant professor of philosophy and Christian apologetics at Southwestern; Keith Loftin, assistant professor of humanities at Southwestern; and Rudy Gonzalez, professor of New Testament at Southwestern.