TODAY’S SIGNATURE VERSE ••• But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear… (1 Peter 3:15 NKJV)
PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• My friend and I talked yesterday, and she asked me about apologetics and deconstruction — two things I’ve been super interested in lately. So today, I thought I’d define them and recommend some of my favorite podcasts.
First, apologetics is a weird word. Without knowing the definition of it, one might assume that it’s an apology for our faith. But apologetics is about defending the gospel. It is defined as “the science of giving a defense of the Christian faith.” It’s a positive word. And it’s Biblical. Peter wrote, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15).
On the other hand, unless you’re handing me a deconstructed taco, I do not usually associate deconstruction as a positive thing. Most troubling is that so many have given it different interpretations and definitions. The deconstruction I’m speaking of is happening too frequently in the church, and it is defined as “the process of questioning, doubting, and ultimately rejecting aspects of Christian faith.” Deconstruction often begins with the progressive Christianity movement, and another way to look at it would simply be, “Cafeteria Christianity.” Those are the ones who cherry-pick which parts of Scripture they like and ignore/dismiss/misinterpret the ones they don’t. Many prosperous ministers, musicians, and writers have come out in the last few years, having deconstructed and renounced their faith. Even more concerning — they are encouraging others to follow them. It’s part of why finding a good Bible-believing church is so important! Your pastor should be rooted in the Word and encourage you to be as well.
I don’t claim to be an expert in either subject, but I’m learning. I would love to be a strong apologist at some point… and if you’ve read my work for any length of time, hopefully, you know I will always argue against deconstruction. I concede that there are some parts of the Bible I don’t understand, but to quote my favorite pastor, Greg Laurie — “If you find something in the Bible you disagree with, change your opinion; you are wrong.” He’s not too subtle about it. And my favorite way to put it — “you’re either going to take God at His Word entirely, or not at all.” It’s timeless and without error. God’s ways and thoughts are higher than our own, and it’s not up to the creation to question the Creator… or deconstruct/rewrite His book.
So these two topics are really fascinating to me. I have found several podcasts that are either committed to the topics or who frequently visit them.
First, “Cooper Stuff.” Hosted by John Cooper from the Christian band, Skillet, “Cooper Stuff” may be my favorite podcast. He pulls no punches and makes no apologies for it. He is a strong defender of Biblical truth, and I also recommend his book, “Awake & Alive to Truth.” He touches on politics too some, but he always takes things back to Scripture.
While John Cooper is kind of loud and abrasive at times, J. Warner Wallace is not. But he’s an equally passionate defender of the faith on his podcast, “Cold-Case Christianity.” He has a soothing voice and a very methodical style about him — which makes sense since he’s a former cold-case investigator. You may remember that I recommended his book of the same name about a year or so ago. Amazing book.
I really enjoy “The Alisa Childers Podcast.” She’s taken some heat for her arguments against deconstruction. Still, as a prolific apologist, she can stand up for her arguments in a powerful way — all through kind and loving words and with Biblical references to emphasize her points. She’s currently writing a book on deconstruction, and I’m really looking forward to reading it.
Dr. Frank Turek is a recent favorite with his podcast, “I Don’t Have Enough Faith To Be An Atheist.” He’s the co-author of the book by the same name, and like John Cooper — he defends the truth with strong arguments but with a thick, New Jersey accent. He’s fearless and bold, taking current situations in the world and breaking them down with God’s Word.
I also recommend “Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey.” She leans more on the political side but still touches on apologetics enough that I pay attention.
There are a few others I listen to, but these are among my favorites. Do you have podcasts you recommend?
Today, as you pray, thank God for those who are ready and willing to stand up to the truth of His Word. Ask the Holy Spirit to equip you to always be prepared to make a defense. And pray for those who are in a season of doubt, questioning the truth of Scripture. Help them to trust Jesus who is the Truth and pray that they won’t be deceived by the enemy.
SHARING ••• My Grace-Full Life is written by Denise Heidel. You are welcome to share anything I write, but please credit my writing and graphics accordingly. Visit www.MyGraceFullLife.com to read past blogs. Subscribe through my website to have My Grace-Full Life delivered to your email. You can unsubscribe at any time. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the NKJV translation.
