The desperate need for apologetics in Christian homes

Maybe you’ve heard the news of another prominent Christian walking away from his faith in a very public manner? The lead singer of Hawk Nelson says he no longer believes in God.

“If God is all loving, and all powerful, why is there evil in the world? Can you not do anything about it? Does he choose not to? Is the evil in the world a result of his desire to give us free will? OK then what about famine and disease and floods and all the suffering that isn’t caused by humans in our free will? If God is loving, why does he send people to hell?” were all questions that plagued him.”

How many times have we seen Christians so easily led away from their faith by these questions? This is simple apologetics, except it is not simple at all. It’s foundational to the Christian faith, and it is the responsibility of Christian parents. It’s not enough to send your kids to VBS, church camp, and Sunday School. None of these programs were ever prescribed in Scripture. Sure, they can be fun and helpful, but they are no substitute for parental teaching.

Instruction in the doctrines of the Christian faith are the absolute responsibility of parents throughout childhood. Don’t wait until high school to do a quick overview of the Bible. Don’t leave them to make up their own mind. They WILL make up their own mind someday. Give them to the tools to choose wisely.

If you love your children, share the love of God with them. Share the commands and principles of God with them. Read the Bible to them. Pray with them and for them. Instruct them in the doctrine of Christian faith.

“These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (Deuternonomy 6:6-9)

Two great books for Christian parents that I recommend are
* Expository Parenting by Josh Niemi
* Mama Bear Apologetics by Hillary Morgan Ferrer

I also recommend this video by Voddie Baucham on “Doing Apologetics in an Anti-Apologetics Age.”

Voddie Baucham also has an in-depth video series called Expository Apologetics. These are excellent for family viewing.

Also check out the DeBunked videos at Reasons for Hope.

Now, I can’t promise you that your children will not question the Christian faith or walk away from it. But I can certainly promise you that doing nothing about it throughout their childhood will guarantee those results. The desperate need for apologetics in Christian homes is so profound, as illustrated all around us.

Moms and Dads, I hope you will embrace the teachings of the Bible as if you are training a little school of disciples because that is exactly what God has called you to do. In our world today, it is more necessary than ever to equip our children to “always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks them for a reason for the hope that is in them, and do it with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15)

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