tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1433428682510068517.post4964591113772075968..comments2024-02-29T19:21:32.831-05:00Comments on Possible Worlds: Doing Apologetics For YourselfRandy Everisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06870605678781409126noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1433428682510068517.post-69306647662045258162014-06-14T17:40:02.951-04:002014-06-14T17:40:02.951-04:00Hey man, thanks for the thoughts! It's a daily...Hey man, thanks for the thoughts! It's a daily struggle, and one that I fear I lose more often than I win. Blessings to you, my friend.Randy Everisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06870605678781409126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1433428682510068517.post-39307583124515282132014-06-13T14:55:19.043-04:002014-06-13T14:55:19.043-04:00I've definitely fallen prey to pride in this a...I've definitely fallen prey to pride in this area. I was once flummoxed by a militant atheist colleague. I was new to apologetics so I fell for red herring after red herring. I was much more prepared the next time and I got the best of him. That's when it hit me; I enjoyed it too much for the wrong reason. It wasn't that the colleague was any closer to giving his life to Jesus, it was that I beat him. I've been concious of pride in this area ever since.Quasi-Paulhttp://acts1723.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1433428682510068517.post-13778116427440396232014-03-12T23:22:46.421-04:002014-03-12T23:22:46.421-04:00Thank you for the response. I should add that this...Thank you for the response. I should add that this post did strike a chord in me. I can easily relate to it. I don't want to be prideful. I always think of that song "Oh Lord it's hard to be humble when you're perfect in every way." It's more out of humor because my dad always says that.<br /><br />I do like your advice: Have the attitude that I will learn from everyone. I think that will help immensely. <br /><br />Thanks and God bless!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1433428682510068517.post-37132839248020362982014-03-12T21:18:24.144-04:002014-03-12T21:18:24.144-04:00Greg thanks for commenting! Any way I can be an en...Greg thanks for commenting! Any way I can be an encouragement to you, please let me know! My contact info is me at randyeverist dot com. :)<br /><br />I definitely understand what you're saying--it can be a fine line to walk. Some of the worst people are "Internet people," as they say, and we can quickly become one of them! I think there's a two-sided coin to apologetics: evangelistic and equipping. The equipping side is what we need to focus on in order to retain the youth: they often encounter only criticisms of Christian belief, and rarely, if ever, defenses.Randy Everisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06870605678781409126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1433428682510068517.post-40116562709311803052014-03-12T16:19:55.683-04:002014-03-12T16:19:55.683-04:00I have recently become very interested (and semi-f...I have recently become very interested (and semi-feeling called) in this area. The odd thing is - I don't like debates because I often just clam up and then think of all the things I could have said later as I reflect on the encounter. As a way of easing into this I have taken to "practicing" online where I can take time to reflect on an answer that is both gentle and respectful as 1 Peter 3:15 states.<br />However, as I talk about some of these encounters with family or friends, I find myself describing a particular post and saying something like "I just couldn't let that one go". I am, at this point still very selective about the "battles" I choose but I don't want that to get out of hand.<br />I have grown a lot just in knowledge as I find the intellectual aspect of this discipline/application of studying the Word very compelling.<br /><br />Thank you for this post. It helps as a reminder to keep things in perspective.greghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09682994483422242813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1433428682510068517.post-56523514544853147032014-03-12T15:32:31.996-04:002014-03-12T15:32:31.996-04:00That is a hard question my friend! I don't kno...That is a hard question my friend! I don't know that there's any formulaic answer. Notice your question pretty much has application to every area of life: How do we know we are living for the glory of God and not ourselves? I think the best we can do is to live godly in this present world in every area of our lives. In different areas there will be some differing ways of cashing it out. So, in apologetics, for example, I think we should do frequent self-evaluation. Is it wrong to get enjoyment out of apologetics, or to "take pride" (to use a colloquial term) in our work? No, it isn't. But we must constantly self-correct. In fact, Paul says we must die to ourselves "daily"! I think a good practical thing to do is to read others with the idea of learning from them. It helps keep some humility when you're not only reading for the purpose of criticism, but primarily for your own growth. I have found that the more I've learned from someone, the harder it is to be harsh toward them, and the harder it is for me to think I'm higher than I ought (well, not really *harder*, but at least harder to justify). I hope that at least helps a little. :)Randy Everisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06870605678781409126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1433428682510068517.post-59829604692755495062014-03-11T23:21:04.257-04:002014-03-11T23:21:04.257-04:00How do we know if we're doing apologetics for ...How do we know if we're doing apologetics for the glory of God? I, from time to time, feel like I am doing it for the affirmation for myself, so that my fellow Christian brothers and sisters will look upon me with awe. But, deep down I don't want that to be the reason, but I don't know how to escape it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com