CEI - Apologetics

APOLOGETICS AS A WAY OF LIFE

Defending the Faith with Confidence, Humility, and Grace

The Course

This course is part of the Certificate in Christian Ministry Foundations as offered through the NEBCS Church Equipping Institute. The certificate includes the following 4 courses: Biblical Theology, Disciplemaking, Spiritual Formation, and Apologetics. Students may take this course as a stand alone OR complete all four courses and be rewarded the certificate. This course may be offered in partnership with a hosting church or offered completely online via zoom. View the Details section for more information.

Description: Biblically speaking, the sharing of one’s faith is to be done in dependence upon the Holy
Spirit, and with humility, gentleness, and respect. This course is intended to equip students with knowledge, strategies, and skills, which will impart a sense of competence and confidence when defending the faith.

What you’ll learn in this course:

How to make sense of the times we are living in and address prevalent questions of our time.

How to determine the differing worldviews and appropriately engage those we are trying to reach.

Where to go to find answers to the issues people are struggling with.

What you’ll do in this course:

Read through the book titled, Mere Apologetics: How to Help Seekers & Skeptics Find Faith. This book is readable, interesting, and insightful. It has less than 175 pages of text.

Attend the sessions: 6 sessions in total, where conversations and teaching will take place based upon the book readings.

Complete a few short reflection writing exercises to help you process the material.

How this course may help you:

Develop knowledge, strategies, and skills for sharing the Gospel.

Acquire greater competence at answering questions and challenges about the Christian faith.

Become more confident of your ability to give a defense of your hope in Christ.

Dr. William Johnson is a pastor, scholar, and ethicist with a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Birmingham. He serves as Professor of Ethics at NEBCS and leads the Pine Tree Leadership Network, bringing global insight and pastoral wisdom to his teaching and ministry.

DETAILS

Dates/Times

Thursday evenings; 6 weekly sessions; 1.5 hrs. each

Nov. 5, 6-7:30pm, EST

Nov. 12, 6-7:30pm, EST

Nov. 19, 6-7:30pm, EST

Nov. 26 - off for Thanksgiving

Dec. 3, 6-7:30pm, EST

Dec. 10, 6-7:30pm, EST

Dec. 17, 6-7:30pm, EST

Fee

$100

Students are required to complete the simple application and submit the course fee prior to the first class session.

Requirements

Attendance, assigned readings, 1-2 reflective assignments

Regarding Assignments

To maximize learning, attending all class sessions (unless otherwise arranged with professor) and completing all required reading and assignments is suggested. Upon completion of all four courses in Track 1 in this way, the student will be awarded the Certificate in Christian Ministry Foundations.

If needed, students may simply take CEI courses without submitting assignments as an auditor.

Weekly Summaries

WEEK 1

Discerning the Times

The Apostle Paul set an apologetic standard of studying the
culture of one’s audience. We begin with intentional consideration of our own cultural moment.

WEEK 2

Embracing the Mandate

From her birth the Church has seen the explanation
and defense of the Christian hope as an essential aspect of discipleship. We consider the Biblical and historical necessity of sharing and explaining the faith.

WEEK 3

Learning the Lingo

In order to communicate we must contextualize. In order to
do that, we must attempt to discover what kind of a story our audience thinks they are living in. We seek to understand the worldviews of others, and know how to compare and contrast them with our own.

WEEK 4

Identifying the Issues

Differing times tend to wrestle with differing concerns.
Skillful apologists seek to address the special concerns of their own era. We seek to identify the prevalent questions of our age.

WEEK 5

The Pointers and Clues Converge

21st Century cosmology confronts believer and unbeliever alike with strong, but not irrefutable, evidence for the Creator and His creation. We consider inference to the best explanation as regards the world and the universe as human beings experience them.

WEEK 6

Cultivating the Skills

Jesus sent out the disciples to minister on their own, and
then report back to Him. There comes a time when preparation must give way to action. We begin to initiate evangelistic conversations with the unchurched.

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