Understanding the Faith
A Recommendation for Strong Biblical Curriculum
When Christian students go to school, how many attacks against the Bible do they face day by day? Questions like,
Does God exist?
If God is good then why is there evil?
Is evolution true?
Is the Bible anti-science?
If God is good, then why did He command people to be killed in the OT?
Does Truth exist?
Is there evidence for the Bible?
…are all popular attacks against Christian beliefs, and have damaged the faith of many students. If these challenges are common, and they are, then teachers need to equip Christian students with answers to these objections. Providing answers for our faith is called apologetics, which comes from 1 Peter 3:15,
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
“To give an answer” = apologetics. This does not mean we apologize for our faith, but we humbly give reasoned and Biblical evidences for our beliefs.
Stats used to show that 8/10 denominal students abandon their faith in college, but recent campus ministers show concern for incoming freshmen: high schools are now disrupting Biblical faith in ways that were only found in colleges a generation or two ago.
At one point in my ministry, I was confused as to why apologetics was not being taught in youth groups. However, I slowly began to understand that youth pastors have a lot on their plate. Family, work, and ministry fill up days and weeks quickly. Where my job is to read numerous books on specific topics and then create lessons from that research, youth pastors may not have time to do this for every youth night and Sunday School lesson.
Furthermore, some youth pastors may not know the best resources available and which ones are of the best quality. I was challenged to promote valuable and concise information so that maybe it could be useful to those with limited time. That is one reason I started this blog. These comments are not meant to degrade the leadership of youth ministers, but rather to come alongside and assist them somehow, if possible!
If we are to obey the Biblical command of defending our faith, and properly protect and prepare our young people for challenges, then we must do more than merely instruct teenagers to ‘speak in tongues and you’ll be fine.’ With that said, I would love to share a wonderful set of books as a resource for equipping saints to defend their faith.
Understanding the Faith is part 1 of a three-volume set that focuses on defending the Christian worldview. Understanding the Faith deals with the issues listed above, and tackles them in a scholarly manner without going overboard on technical elements. The books are written with high school and college-age audiences in mind.
In addition to the atheistic questions, the book addresses ‘how to read the Bible properly’ (hermeneutics), the authority of Scripture, evidence for Jesus and His resurrection, tolerance from a Biblical perspective, the issue of hell, and more.
The con from an Apostolic perspective would be the promotion of the Trinity, but do not let that deter you from considering the book as a resource. All three books are written with a high respect for Scripture and Biblical truths. I know of at least three UPCI youth pastors who have taken these books and taught multiple series from them. When I taught high school Bible courses at Calvary Christian School I used content from these books, and had multiple students comment how grateful they were that these were textbooks, and even had a handful of students purchase the books for themselves.
The other two books in this series focus on: Biblical response to sexuality, marriage, the death penalty, abortion, Islam, atheism, ethics, psychology, justice, and much more.
If you are in need of strong Biblical curriculum that deals with relevant and difficult issues, then this three-book series will enrich your teaching. All three books carry quality content, without much ‘fluff,’ and would benefit both youth and adults.
Here is a link to preview Understanding the Faith
Here is a link to preview Understanding the Times
Here is a link to preview Understanding the Culture
Each book is $30, but if you purchase all three in a bundle you can save a few dollars.
Link for the bundle