A Call to Churches to Create Careers in Apologetics

Posted by Anthony on April 24, 2010

This article discussing emerging church staff positions crossed my desk and caught my attention.  According to the article, prevailing trends in society and in the Church (Institutional) suggest that we can see these positions being developed or created:

The Network Administrator
The Multicultural Children’s Director
The Chief of Staff
The Operations Pastor
The Creative Arts Director
The Boomer Director
The Spiritual Growth Pastor

I think this list, though not portrayed as comprehensive, is probably pretty accurate.  Given my background, I noticed that one position is not mentioned:  Apologetics Director.  I think that is pretty accurate, too.

I find this to be pretty interesting and indicative of the state of the Church, Inc. today.   Not to take away anything from the positions mentioned above or positions that may already exist, but we live in a society where Christianity is being deliberately attacked at a number of levels.   At the same time, the culture itself represents challenges to Christianity less intentionally, in the form of hundreds and even thousands of new world views for Christians to encounter and have to deal with.

The average Christian receives an education from the Church that presumes that said Christian will never encounter someone with a different worldview or even one that is positively hostile.   We educate our youth as though when they go to college their professors will be sympathetic to Christianity.

Now, we all know that hostility to Christianity is rampant.  Read the rest of the entry… »

A Disappointing Attack Article by Richard Abanes

Posted by Anthony on April 7, 2009

I came across a disappointing article by Richard Abanes yesterday called “ODMS:  A Cult is Born?”  I say disappointing because I like a lot of Abanes’ material.  However, I am not surprised by Abanes’ perspective.

Abanes complains about the multitude of ‘online discernment ministries’ acting without oversight or credentials.  He throws a bone here and there about some ministries being legit and worthwhile but it comes across as reluctant, if not forced.  I presume that I am in the group of apologetics ministries he graciously descends from on high to bless, but since so many aspects of his article seem to apply to my ministry I thought it was worth addressing.

Now, I have the feeling that Abanes is writing in self-defense.  I didn’t dig into it but I suspect one of the real motivators for his article is that he has been targeted by these ‘online discernment ministries’ (ODMs) and their hack ‘apologists.’  I infer this from a comment like this one:  “Rooting out heresy, even where it doesn’t exist, has become the prime directive.” (underline his)

Now, I certainly agree that these sorts of people exist and that they can be a nuisance. Read the rest of the entry… »