Equipping Center

Renowned theologian John Frame sheds much-needed light on the message and method of genuinely Christian apologetics in this landmark title. He insightfully examines apologetics in terms of proof, defense, and offense and clarifies the relationships of reason, proofs, and evidences to faith, biblical authority, and the lordship of Christ. Two subjects of particular note are Frame’s fresh look at probability arguments and a stimulating investigation into the problem of evil. Some of the most valuable elements of this book are Frame’s extensive use of Scripture and his presentation of specific lines of argument. There is also a model dialogue in the concluding chapter that shows how these lines of argument work in conversation. This is an extensively redeveloped and expanded version of Frame’s previous work, Apologetics to the Glory of God.

Can we know anything about God apart from the Bible? Many Protestant Christians are suspicious of natural theology, which claims that we can learn about God through revelation outside the Bible. How can we know anything about God apart from Scripture? In Nature's Case for God, distinguished theologian John Frame argues that Christians are not forbidden from seeking to learn about God from his creation. In fact, the Bible itself shows this to be possible. In nine short and lucid chapters that include questions for discussion, Frame shows us what we can learn about God and how we relate to him from the world outside the Bible. If the heavens really do declare the glory of God, as the psalmist claims, it makes a huge difference for how we understand God and how we introduce him to those who don't yet know Christ.

For the First Time in English, a Foundational Work of One of the Church's Most Important Theologians As some point in life, we all wonder: Who am I? What is the world, and what is my place within it? Only Christianity offers answers to these questions in a way that meets our truest needs and satisfies our deepest longings. In this important book, translated into English for the first time, Herman Bavinck provides a framework for understanding why the Christian worldview is the only solution to the discord we feel between ourselves, the world, and God.

Apologetic Primer Explains How Reason Supports Christianity's Claims From the classroom to mainstream media, Christians regularly find their fundamental beliefs discounted by opponents who consider faith to be incompatible with reason. Faith is viewed as subjective, emotional, and a crutch for those who find the real world too hard. The late R. C. Sproul, however, claims faith reveals just how rational Christianity truly is. This book surveys the history and fundamentals of apologetics to demonstrate how reason and scientific inquiry actually support Christianity's claims—thus equipping believers to defend the existence of God and the Bible's authority. The defense of the faith is not a luxury or an intellectual vanity. It is a task appointed by God to give reason to your eternal hope as you bear witness before the world. A Logical and Biblical Defense: Sets forth the basic truth claims of Christianity to show the rationality of the Christian faith Comprehensive: Deals with arguments from philosophy, science, reason, logic, and history Ideal for New and Seasoned Believers Alike: Helps Christians know what they believe and why they believe it Great Resource for Individual, Small Group, or Classroom Study

A forceful and accessible discussion of Christian belief that has become one of the most popular introductions to Christianity and one of the most popular of Lewis's books. Uncovers common ground upon which all Christians can stand together.

FROM ITS CREATION BY GOD TO ITS PERFECT SIZE, DETAILS ARE REVEALED ABOUT THE MOON'S UNIQUE CONNECTION TO THE SEASON'S TIDES, ANIMAL LIFECYCLES, AND ROLE AS EARTH'S PROTECTIVE SHIELD. WELL-KNOWN AND HIGHLY RESPECTED CREATION SCIENTISTS DON DEYOUNG AND JOHN WHITCOMB SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE IN AN EASY-TO-COMPREHEND FORMAT. NEWLY REVISED AND EXPANDED, THE BOOK IS A DEFINITIVE WORK ON EARTH'S CLOSEST NEIGHBOR AND ITS CONTINUING FASCINATION AMONG EXPLORERS AND RESEARCHERS.

By delving into the intricate and immutable laws of nature, as well as opposing beliefs, the author presents a Christian response to science that urges the world to pay tribute to the God who created nature and cares for it. Original.

Voddie Baucham speaks personally and directly about one of the most socially sensitive and culturally controversial issues facing the church today. This volume is helpful in exposing the worldview underlying the woke movement.

Bestselling author Rosaria Butterfield addresses 5 lies our culture has embraced about sexuality and spirituality, using the word of God to help illuminate each topic.

Does it really matter what you believe, as long as you're sincere? What about those who've never heard about Jesus? Is Jesus the only savior? D.A. Carson addresses the tough questions posed by today's religious inclusivism. Those concerned for souls will deepen their understanding of the world's need for salvation through Christ alone. A leading evangelical scholar presents clear, compelling thoughts on salvation through Christ alone. The book addresses the growing popularity of pluralistic theology. The Gold Medallion Award-winning book that presents a persuasive case for Christ as the only way to God. Is Jesus the only way to God? This clear, critically-acclaimed, scholarly response to that question affirms the deep need for the Gospel’s exclusive message in today’s increasingly pluralistic global community. The Gagging of God offers an in-depth look at the big picture, shows how the many ramifications of pluralism are all parts of a whole, and then provides a systematic Christian response.

Apologetics is for everyone. The Bible is clear that all believers are called to defend their faith. However, if apologetics is the formal process that we have come to expect, this sounds like an impossible task. But what if apologetics could be part of natural, normal conversation—both from the pulpit and in everyday life? Aimed at preparing you to clearly and confidently defend your faith, Expository Apologetics sets forth an approach to apologetics that is rooted in Scripture and eminently accessible. Filled with real-world examples and practical advice, this book will equip you with the tools you need to think biblically and converse persuasively—offering unbelievers "a reason for the hope that is in you."

Modern culture is obsessed with identity. Since the landmark Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court decision in 2015, sexual identity has dominated both public discourse and cultural trends—and yet, no historical phenomenon is its own cause. From Augustine to Marx, various views and perspectives have contributed to the modern understanding of self. In The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, Carl Trueman carefully analyzes the roots and development of the sexual revolution as a symptom, rather than the cause, of the human search for identity. This timely exploration of the history of thought behind the sexual revolution teaches readers about the past, brings clarity to the present, and gives guidance for the future as Christians navigate the culture's ever-changing search for identity.

Everything you need to effectively defend the truths of the Bible and the beliefs of the Christian faith. Winner of the 2018 ECPA Christian Book award for Bible Reference Works. The truth of the Bible doesn't change, but its critics do. Now with his son, Sean McDowell, speaker and author Josh McDowell has updated and expanded the modern apologetics classic for a new generation. Evidence That Demands a Verdict provides an expansive defense of Christianity's core truths, rebuttals to some recent and popular forms of skepticism, and insightful responses to the Bible's most difficult and misused passages. It invites readers to bring their doubts and doesn't shy away from the tough questions. Topics and questions are covered in four main parts: Evidence for the Bible Evidence for Jesus Evidence for the Old Testament Evidence for Truth Also included, you'll find: An introduction about the biblical mandate to defend one's faith and why our faith is built on facts. A prologue describing why we live in a theistic universe. A closing response to the specific challenges of atheist New Testament scholar Bart Ehrman. Two reflections: "How to Know God Personally" and "He Changed My Life." Serving as a go-to reference for even the toughest questions, Evidence that Demands a Verdict continues to encourage and strengthen millions by providing Christians the answers they need to defend their faith against the harshest critics and skeptics. "Here's a treasure trove of apologetic gems! This is an indispensable book that all Christians should keep within reach." —Lee Strobel, bestselling author of The Case for Christ

Will strengthen your personal faith by demonstrating the reliability of both the Word of God and the person of Jesus Christ. Provides clear, concise, evangelistic tools to help you share that faith with others.

Discover the astonishing evidence for intelligent design in this New York Times bestselling book by award-winning journalist Lee Strobel. "My road to atheism was paved by science . . . but, ironically, so was my later journey to God," Strobel says. During his academic years, Lee Strobel became convinced that God was obsolete, a belief that colored his journalism career. Science had made the idea of a Creator irrelevant--or so Strobel thought. But today science points in a different direction. A diverse and impressive body of research has increasingly supported the conclusion that the universe was intelligently designed. At the same time, Darwinism has faltered in the face of concrete facts and hard reason. Has science discovered God? At the very least, it's giving faith an immense boost, as new findings emerge about the incredible complexity of our universe. Join Strobel as he reexamines the theories that once led him away from God. Through his compelling and highly readable account, you'll encounter the mind-stretching discoveries from cosmology, cellular biology, DNA research, astronomy, physics, and human consciousness that present compelling evidence in The Case for a Creator. Also available: The Case for a Creator small group video study and study guide, Spanish edition, kids' edition, student edition, and more.

Is there credible evidence that Jesus of Nazareth really is the Son of God?Retracing his own spiritual journey from atheism to faith, Lee Strobel, former legal editor of the Chicago Tribune, cross-examines a dozen experts with doctorates from schools like Cambridge, Princeton, and Brandeis who are recognized authorities in their own fields.Strobel challenges them with questions like How reliable is the New Testament? Does evidence for Jesus exist outside the Bible? Is there any reason to believe the resurrection was an actual event?Winner of the Gold Medallion Book Award and twice nominated for the Christian Book of the Year Award, Strobel's tough, point-blank questions read like a captivating, fast-paced novel. But it's not fiction. It's a riveting quest for the truth about history's most compelling figure.

On Christmas Eve 1818, the German carol “Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!” was sung for the very first time in the tiny village of Oberndorf, eight miles north of Salzburg, Austria. The popularity of “Silent Night!” can almost be termed miraculous. There was no celebrity to sing at the world premiere and no mass-communication system to spread the song’s fame. Yet its composer reported that the “simple composition… instantly met with approval.” It has since gone on to become one of the world’s most beloved carols. We may never know the exact circumstances, but before that Christmas Eve service, the young pastor Joseph Mohr asked organist Franz Gruber to compose a tune to accompany his lyrics, a poem Mohr had written two years earlier. Around 1819, an organ builder from Fugen, named Carl Maraucher, heard about the carol when he was in Oberndorf. He liked the carol so much that he brought “Silent Night!” back with him to his home town, and from there it spread all over the world, reaching American shores for the first time in 1839, when the Rainer singers from Austria performed it in New York City. Its powerful message of heavenly peace has crossed all borders and language barriers, having been translated into over 300 languages. Now, nearly 200 years later, “Silent Night!” is an anchor for Christmas celebrations throughout the world. Three of the six verses of the carol appear on this tract and reflect Joseph Mohr’s spiritual joy. Oh, that the real meaning of Christmas would grip us this season as it did him! As you consider the angel’s proclamation: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11), remember that these words are for you, just as much as they were for the shepherds who first heard them. Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem on that silent night signaled the beginning of His earthly mission to save us from our sins. This mission included His sacrificial death on the cross, His glorious resurrection on Easter morning, and His ascension into heaven forty days later to reign as the eternal King of kings and Lord of lords. And the reason for His coming to earth? Love. He loved us that much! “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). If you do not know the peace of a personal relationship with the One whom “Silent Night!” praises, the Christ of Christmas, you can open your heart right now, wherever you are, and experience that peace firsthand. Simply pray: “Dear Jesus, I understand and believe that You came to earth, died on the cross, and rose again, all out of love for me. Please forgive my sins, take control of my life, and be my Savior forever.” That decision will make this Christmas one you’ll never forget. Silent night! Holy night! All is calm, all is bright ’Round yon virgin mother and Child, Holy Infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace! Sleep in heavenly peace! Silent night! Holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight! Glories stream from heaven afar, Heav’nly hosts sing, “Alleluia!” Christ the Savior is born! Christ the Savior is born! Silent night! Holy night! Son of God, love’s pure light! Radiant beams from Thy holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth! Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth! The cover picture (courtesy of the Tourist Office of Oberndorf) is the original Silent Night Memorial Chapel in Oberndorf, Austria, erected on the very place where Mohr and Gruber sang this beautiful Christmas hymn for the very first time.

Christian Apologetics

Restoring the full text of the original 1955 work, this annotated edition sets forth and explains a method of apologetics that is consistent with the nature of Christianity itself.

Tactics provides the game plan for defending your faith and artfully communicating the truths of Christianity with confidence and grace. This expanded anniversary edition of the classic book of Christian apologetics includes updates and expansions of existing tactics, as well as the addition of an all-new tactic and a chapter on Mini Tactics filled with simple maneuvers to aid in discussions. In a culture increasingly indifferent or even hostile to Christian truth, followers of Christ need to be equipped to communicate with those who do not speak their language or accept their source of authority. In Tactics, 10th Anniversary Edition, Gregory Koukl demonstrates how to artfully regain control of conversations, keeping them moving forward in constructive ways through thoughtful diplomacy. You'll learn how to: Meet challenges, questions, and provocations with poise and conviction. Effortlessly start your own evangelical conversations. Present the truth clearly, cleverly, and persuasively. Graciously and effectively expose faulty thinking and logical fallacies. Most important, you'll learn how to get people thinking seriously about Jesus. Drawing on extensive experience defending Christianity in the public square, Koukl will not only walk you through effective arguments to defend why you believe what you believe, but he'll teach you methods for engaging in meaningful dialogue and debate. Step-by-step, you'll learn the tactics of good persuasion and defense, how to identify the tactics of your opponent, and how to build your case, patiently and practically.

A Biblical Case for Total Inerrancy examines the biblical evidence regarding the Bible's inerrancy--what Christ Himself taught concerning the Scriptures. What Jesus believed about Scripture has ultimate implications for us today.

Is the Bible God's Word? Or does it contain God's Word? How much of it is accurate? Can it be trusted? How can one be sure? Who decided which books were to be included? What about the books which were left out? How have archaeological discoveries affected the Bible? These forthright questions—and scores more—are clearly and concisely answered in How We Got Our Bible. W. Graham Scroggie has said that "the reading of Dr. Thomas' books creates in one a deeper love of and desire for God as revealed in His Word," and this is strikingly ture of this clear and satisfiying marshaling of evidence as to what the Bible is. In twelve fact-packed chapters, Dr. Thomas ably discusses the structure and history, canonicity, authority, trustworthiness, unity, progressiveness, inspiration, interpretation and purpose of the Bible. Questions conclude each chapter, giving How We Got Our Bible a wide range of usefulness.

From a biblical, historical, or theological perspective each essay examines a challenge to belief in the integrity and reliability of Scripture. What emerges from these essays is a full-orbed restatement of this evangelical doctrine.

For over twenty years, Craig Blomberg's The Historical Reliability of the Gospels has provided a useful antidote to many of the toxic effects of skeptical criticism of the Gospels. He offers an overview of the history of Gospel criticism. Thoroughly updated edition with added footnotes and two new appendixes.

When Catechism of the Catholic Church broke onto the N.Y. Times bestseller list, its astonishing success confirmed the overwhelming interest of Catholics and Protestants in understanding modern Catholicism. Has the recent openness among denominations affected Catholic teachings? In the new spirit of cooperation, is there any reason why Catholics and Protestants should remain divided? This powerful and insightful examination of the Catholic Church provides: a side-by-side comparison of Scripture with the first new worldwide Catholic catechism in 400 years a summary of how modern Catholicism views grace, works, and heaven 24 ways the Catholic plan of salvation still stands in contrast to biblical truth a balanced overview of how the authority structure of the Roman Catholic Church compares with that of the New Testament church an explanation of how participation in the Mass and other sacraments is inconsistent with faith in Christ as Savior Clear, accurate, significant information to know and share—The Gospel According to Rome

A Look Inside the Sacred Book of One of the World's Fastest-Growing Religions What used to be an exotic religion of people halfway around the world is now the belief system of people living across the street. Through fair, contextual use of the Qur'an as the primary source text, apologist James R. White presents Islamic beliefs about Christ, salvation, the Trinity, the afterlife, and other important topics. White shows how the sacred text of Islam differs from the teachings of the Bible in order to help Christians engage in open, honest discussions with Muslims.

In recent years, some evangelical Protestant leaders have signed statements pledging themselves to joint social action with Roman Catholics. Others have refused to participate, declaring that, in their view, the statements went too far, touching on the gospel, which remains a point of disagreement between Protestants and Roman Catholics. Many evangelical Christians have found themselves confused by the different directions taken by their leaders. In Are We Together? A Protestant Analyzes Roman Catholicism, Dr. R.C. Sproul takes his stand for the cardinal doctrines of Protestantism in opposition to the errors of the Roman Catholic Church. Dr. Sproul, a passionate defender of the gospel of justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, cites the historic statements of the Protestant Reformers and the Roman Catholic authorities, then references modern doctrinal statements to show that the Roman Catholic Church has not altered its official positions. In light of this continuing gap, he writes, efforts by some in the evangelical camp to find common ground with Rome on matters at the heart of the gospel are nothing short of untrue to biblical teaching. In Sproul's estimation, the Reformation remains relevant. Are We Together? is a clarion call to evangelicals to stand firm for the gospel, the precious good news of salvation as it is set forth in Scripture alone.

This book contains the moving testimonies of fifty priests who found their way, by the grace of God, out of the labyrinth of Roman Catholic theology and practice into the light of the gospel of Christ. But this is not a narrowly polemical work, nor is its relevance limited to the ongoing controversy between Rome and the churches of the Reformation. The love and concern felt by the former priests for those they left behind, and their fervent desire that they too should experience they joy and peace of salvation in Christ are seen throughout. The wider relevance of the experiences described will also be felt in many contexts remote from Roman Catholicism where human pride and presumption have erected rival sources of authority between people and the Word of God, so obscuring the way of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, and in Christ alone.

When Ray Galea submitted his life to Christ, he had a problem on his hands: Which church should he go to? "I did not want to assume that just because I was born a Catholic, this was by definition the right choice. I knew I could just as easily have been born a Baptist or a Mormon. So I spent the next six months reading and talking to priests and ministers to find out the differences between Catholics and Protestants. How did each of their teachings compare with the teaching of Jesus and the apostles?" This book is a kind of retracing of Ray's investigation, looking at key issues which continue to divide Protestants and Catholics, and assessing them in light of the teaching of Scripture. A challenging and invaluable book for Protestants and Catholics alike.

A History of Western Philosophy and Theology is the fruit of John Frame's forty-five years of teaching philosophical subjects. No other survey of the history of Western thought offers the same invigorating blend of expositional clarity, critical insight, and biblical wisdom. The supplemental study questions, bibliographies, links to audio lectures, quotes from influential thinkers, twenty appendices, and indexed glossary make this an excellent main textbook choice for seminary- and college-level courses and for personal study. Book jacket.

For more than forty years, The Universe Next Door has set the standard for an introduction to worldviews. This sixth edition uses James Sire's widely influential model of eight basic worldview questions to examine prominent worldviews that have shaped the Western world, critiquing each worldview within its own frame of reference and in comparison to others.

A philosophical argument that God exists that examines the question from metaphysical, moral, and epistemological angles.

"I can't imagine a college student—skeptic, doubter, Christian, struggler—who wouldn't benefit from this book." —Kevin DeYoung For many young adults, the college years are an exciting period of selfdiscovery full of new relationships, new independence, and new experiences. Yet college can also be a time of personal testing and intense questioning— especially for Christian students confronted with various challenges to Christianity and the Bible for the first time. Drawing on years of experience as a biblical scholar, Michael Kruger addresses common objections to the Christian faith—the exclusivity of Christianity, Christian intolerance, homosexuality, hell, the problem of evil, science, miracles, and the reliability of the Bible. If you're a student dealing with doubt or wrestling with objections to Christianity from fellow students and professors alike, this book will equip you to engage secular challenges with intellectual honesty, compassion, and confidence—and ultimately graduate college with your faith intact.