In this day and age, with human thinking so well trained with the practices and logicality of modern-day science, many are taking an apologetic approach to evangelism to combat the mindset of this generation and bring forward an intelligent case for Christianity. This is a wonderful thing, since it not only helps us reach the lost, but it builds our own faith in the process, helping us to see evidence outside of the Bible that confirms our beliefs. However, can all this talk of science and theories in Christianity also present inner turmoil for Christians and the core message of the gospel?
Evangelists these days practically need Ph.Ds (or a lot of downtime) to read up on all the latest scientific discoveries or historical findings that provide evidence for the Bible in order to speak to any nonbeliever on the street. Many times, you’ll find yourself asking someone if they know Jesus, and then the conversation will go towards evolution, the gap theory, or some other debate about the legitimacy of the Christian faith. This can’t always be helped, and not all of us have the answer to every question. Nor do we need to have the answer to every question.
Apologetics is an amazing field of study that allows us to intellectually present the gospel in such a way that people may see that God is not only a nice idea, but that his existence is a valid truth. Truly, apologetics is just like any science in that it is a never-ending pursuit of knowledge to further prove a point or theory. However, apologetics is a vessel to break the barriers that many put up concerning the gospel, and is not the gospel, itself.
There are still many Christians who have a heart to evangelize, but who are not as versed in these theological debates as others who may be more experienced and educated, yet go out preaching nothing but the gospel itself. Is there anything wrong with this? Does this method still work in modern-day society? Can we just go up to someone and feel confident enough to just tell them about Jesus? What do you think?