Scripture envisions churches full of apologists, led by apologists. Pastors must reclaim the biblical mandate of being an apologist.
By Michael McEwen
Dear Pastor,
You probably receive difficult questions on a weekly basis, such as:
- “What should I say to my co-worker who’s skeptical of the reliability of Scripture?”
- “Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?”
- “My son keeps questioning the divinity of Jesus. What can I say to him?”
- “Pastor, why does it matter if Jesus really rose from the dead?”
They’re difficult and can’t be adequately answered in sound bites, especially as you’re both walking to the parking lot at noon on Sunday. Such questions require time, nuance, follow-up questions, reflection, resources, and obviously, prayer. You may need a thoughtful primer that theologically, historically, and philosophically equips you to answer these questions that arise in your congregation.
An apologist for the church
If God has “given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3, CSB), then fulfill this calling of godliness by inviting your congregations into that same calling and identity. When we weave stronger apologetic threads through our preaching and teaching, our people become better equipped to both articulate and navigate the pressing questions they hear in their homes, offices, and neighborhoods.
“When we weave stronger apologetic threads through our preaching and teaching, our people become better equipped to both articulate and navigate the pressing questions they hear.” — Michael McEwen Share on XPastors get questions from parents on how to disciple their children and grandchildren well. Those random questions that come while parents drive their children to school matter. Those unexpected inquiries from their struggling teenagers matter. And even the semi-humorous bedtime questions asked by imaginative 7-year-olds matter.
Divine opportunities saturate our days, and pastors must equip their congregations to faithfully engage these moments.
You may ask, “Aren’t these matters for philosophers to be concerned with rather than the pastor in the pulpit?” No. Paul lists apologetics as a task pastors must be ready, willing, and able to navigate (Titus 1:7-9). The New Testament envisions churches full of apologists, led by apologists. So, pastors must reclaim the historic role and biblical mandate of being an apologist.
The role of pastor-apologist
Pastoral apologetics is the calling of the pastor preaching to Bible-belt believers and of the seminary student in the Pacific Northwest. There’s a full gamut of apologetic methods and approaches. And the cultural questions of the post-Christian Pacific Northwesterner are not the same as the questions of the religiously-skeptical, former Southern Baptist in western Tennessee. The question isn’t, “Should we do apologetics?” Rather, “How should we do apologetics, especially within the context of the church?”
“The question isn’t, ‘Should we do apologetics?’ Rather, ‘How should we do apologetics, especially within the context of the church?’” — Michael McEwen Share on XThe pastor-apologist must be willing to labor in not only reading Scripture well, but also reading culture well. If the gospel is transcultural, one aim of preaching Scripture is to demonstrate the profundity of the gospel for our cultural moment. It’s not just that the gospel has power (Romans 1:16–17); that’s obviously true. It’s also that the gospel has the power to transform people despite their rebellious hearts and renegade worldviews.
And last but certainly not least, apologetics isn’t just something a pastor does or even what the church does. Apologetics is a way of life. As Paul noted to the church at Philippi: “As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ.… [So] I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, in one accord, contending together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27, CSB). Apologetics, then, is a defense of the gospel with our lips and also our lives.
Pastor, may your ministry be fruitful in the days ahead. May your life, your calling, and your ministry be saturated with the presence of the resurrected King.
For permission to republish this article, contact Marissa Postell Sullivan.
