• One of the more popular spiritual beliefs in our culture today is the claim that, “All roads lead to God and one religious path is as good as another.”
• A great response to someone who makes a statement like this is to simply ask the question, “So what path are you following?”
• Oftentimes what you’ll find is that the person making the claim that “all roads lead to God” really isn’t following any particular religion. Many people use pluralistic statements like the one above to mask their own lack of any religious commitment whatsoever.
• If you discover that the person you’re talking to doesn’t practice any religion, simply ask, “If all roads lead to God, don’t you think you should be following one them?”
• At this point, suggest they try the Jesus path with you. Let them know it’s really great and invite them to join you on the journey!

For more helpful tactics for reaching today’s culture, please check out Jason Carlson’s CD album titled, Answering the Challenges of a Post-Christian Culture, available in our online store.

• When engaged in evangelistic conversations you will often come across misconceptions about the Bible. For example, this past week someone asked our ministry, “How do I respond to a friend who says the Bible is just a bunch of parables?”
• Many Christians often feel like they’re put on the defensive when statements like this are made; and it’s easy to get intimidated or discouraged if you’re not prepared.
• When faced with challenging claims like this, don’t feel like you have to have all the answers right away to provide an effective apologetic response. Rather, try asking some simple questions like these…
• “What’s your basis for this claim?” A lot of people make claims about the Bible that aren’t based on a genuine examination of Scripture, but simply on hearsay they’ve picked up from others. Asking this question can be a gentle way to expose this reality and encourage further inquiry.
• “Have you ever read the Bible?” If someone has really read the Bible they would certainly know that the Bible is far more than a collection of parables. Ask this question and encourage your conversation partner to read the Bible. You could suggest the Gospel of John as a good starting point.
• “Do you know what a parable is?” Some people might be confused about what they’re claiming the Bible to be. Explaining the nature of parables, and sharing how they’re just one of many genres in the Bible, could provide clarification and also be a good bridge for sharing the gospel.

For more helpful responses to challenging questions, please check out the Apologetics Study Bible For Students, available in our online store.

• In recent years many in Christian apologetic circles have become more careful in using the label “cult” to describe unorthodox religious groups like Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses.
• The concern is that the term “cult” is widely misunderstood in contemporary culture; and because of that, to label someone a member of a cult may be perceived as offensive and shut down further witnessing opportunities.
• While there are a number of definitions for the word “cult”, when we speak of cults theologically, we are referring what Merriam-Webster calls, “a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious”.
• The word “spurious” means, “of illegitimate birth; outwardly similar or corresponding to something without having its genuine qualities; of falsified or erroneously attributed origin” (Merriam-Webster).
• Given the above definitions, any group that claims to be Christian, but does not hold to the historic, orthodox teachings of the Faith as revealed in Scripture can appropriately be identified as a cult.
• However, when it comes to our personal witnessing opportunities with those involved in the cults, it is advisable to refrain from using the term “cult” until a positive relationship has developed and you’ve had ample opportunity to properly define your terminology.
• As Christians we must not shy away from pointing out truth from error, but we must do so with the ultimate goal of bringing lost people to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Embracing a more sensitive use of the term “cult” can go a long way in this cause.

For more information on the cults and how to witness to them, please check out Dr. Carlson’s book, Fast Facts On False Teachings, available in our online store.

• Many Secularists argue that humanity is inherently good.
• The fundamental problem with this position, however, is that the Secularist denies any absolute standard by which to define and judge good and evil.
• If there is no absolute standard that defines good and evil, the judgment, “Humanity is inherently good” lacks any real meaning.
• Apart from an absolute standard that defines good and evil, not only are moral value judgments meaningless, they simply become subjective matters of opinion.
• Unlike Secularism, Christianity provides an objective basis for making moral value judgments. Christianity teaches that our Creator-God is the absolute standard by which we can know good and evil, right and wrong.

For more helpful tips on responding to the Secular worldview please check out the Apologetics Study Bible For Students, available in our online store.

• A popular viewpoint in our pluralistic culture today is the belief that, “All religions are basically the same.”
• Oftentimes as Christians we seek to counter this claim by highlighting the many differences and contradictions between the world’s religions.
• While the above tactic is appropriate, the next time someone raises this viewpoint with you, why not try a different approach? Consider the option of affirming their position.
• As Christians we can affirm that all religions are basically the same. How so? All religions are basically the same in that they all posit ways to connect with God (or the divine, infinite, etc.) through acts of merit and works of righteousness.
• Religion, fundamentally, is about men and women trying to earn favor with God: through good works, rituals, sacrifices, or money.
• The problem with religion, however, is that the Bible says that all of our righteous acts are like filthy rags in the eyes of a holy God (Isaiah 64:6). Religion cannot save anyone (Rom. 3:23).
• Unlike religion, the Gospel of Jesus Christ offers men and women the promise of salvation, not based on our merits, but based on Jesus’ atoning work on the cross and his resurrection from the grave (Rom. 5:6-9; 1 Peter 1:3).
• All religions are basically the same, but in Jesus Christ we have something far better than religion. In Jesus we have been given a gift, a gift of grace, hope, and assurance of salvation (Eph. 2:8-9; Heb. 6:19; Rom. 8:1-2).

For more information on religious pluralism and the hope of the Gospel, please check out Jason Carlson’s DVD, Salvation: Is There Really Just 1 Way? available in our online store.

• Prosperity Theology is a dangerous teaching that declares that God wants us to be healthy, wealthy, and prosperous; and if we’re not experiencing blessing in these areas there is either some sin in our lives or we simply do not have enough faith.
• Many false teachers today have used this corrupt theology to take advantage of hurting and desperate people. They claim that through a donation to their ministry, often described as a “seed of faith”, people can experience miracles and blessings from God.
• Prosperity Theology is unbiblical because God never promises a life free of trials or suffering as a result of our faith. In fact, Jesus told his followers that in this world we can expect to suffer (John 16:33).
• Prosperity Theology also misses the mark in that God’s word reveals that God sometimes allows trials to come into our lives for our good (James 1:2-4; Romans 8:28).
• As followers of Christ it is wholly appropriate for us to bring our concerns to the Lord in prayer. However, should God allow us to continue in our trials, our greatest response is to trust Him, finding our strength and joy in Him (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

For more information on Prosperity Theology, please check out Dr. Carlson’s lecture, Health, Wealth, and the Prosperity Gospel, available in CD or MP3 in our online store.

• I am often asked to share what Apologetics texts have had the greatest influence on me personally. The titles below are not necessarily recognized as classics, but I’ll describe why they are so to me.
• A Ready Defense by Josh McDowell... This summary of Josh’s classic work in Evidence That Demands a Verdict whet my appetite for apologetics as a teenager and really convinced me that Christianity was rooted in valid reasons to believe.
• The Lie by Ken Ham... As a teenager this was the first book that really began to expose for me the flaws of Darwinian evolution. It also clarified for me the critical importance of upholding God’s word as our ultimate authority in matters of truth.
• How Should We Then Live? by Francis Schaeffer... A “must read” for anyone interested in worldview apologetics. Schaeffer examines the profound role of the biblical worldview in shaping Western Civilization. He also speaks prophetically (written in the mid-1970’s) about cultural challenges and debates the Church is confronted with today. Schaeffer saw clearly the logical end of the West’s abandonment of absolute truth as revealed in God’s word.
• The Case For Faith by Lee Strobel... I’m a big fan of all Lee Strobel’s books, but if I had to pick one this would be it. Lee’s books are engaging and read like mystery novels as he applies his background in investigative journalism to examining the validity of the Christian faith. This book is very helpful in addressing some of the most common, and challenging, skeptic’s questions.
• A Reasonable Response by William Lane Craig... This is the book I read, and re-read, before I speak on college campuses. If there’s a good chance issues like “quantum physics” will come up in your apologetic conversations; Craig is your guy.
• One Thing You Can’t Do In Heaven by Mark Cahill... Apologetics is ultimately about evangelism; and this book revolutionized my view of evangelism. God used Cahill’s message to motivate me to be an evangelistic apologist.
• Fast Facts On False Teachings by Ron Carlson & Ed Decker... How can I not include my Dad on this list? No apologist had a greater impact on me than my father and I still pick up Fast Facts when I want to hear his voice. My Dad was a master at balancing truth and love as he shared the faith with those caught up in false religious systems.

For other terrific Apologetic resources please visit our online store.

• God is the Creator of unborn life (Job 10:8-12; 31:15; Psalm 139:13-16) and God alone has the right to take life (1 Samuel 2:6).
• God cares about the unborn (Isaiah 49:1; Jeremiah 1:5).
• Men and women must not take the life of the unborn (Exodus 21:22-25; Amos 1:13; Matthew 5:21).
• Abortion is impermissible in God’s eyes, even in cases of rape or incest (Deuteronomy 24:16; Ezekiel 18:20; Romans 8:28).
• Unborn children who have potential disabilities deserve life. God alone is the Designer and Author of all (Acts 17:24-28).
• God opposes abortion, but He loves all people and will forgive any sin if we turn to Him in repentance (1 John 1:9; Ephesians 1:7-8; 2 Chronicles 7:14).

For more information on a Christian response to many contemporary cultural challenges, please check out the book Apologetics For A New Generation available in our online store.

• With the Supreme Court legalizing same sex marriage across America this past week, the sign of the rainbow is more popular than ever in our culture.
• While the rainbow has long been used as a symbol of the LGBT community, we must never forget where the sign of the rainbow originated.
• The rainbow was created by God as a sign of His covenant between Himself and the human race; it represented God’s promise to never again destroy the world in a massive flood (Genesis 9:8-17).
• Genesis 6:5-7 reports that it was because of the wickedness of humanity that God was grieved and thus determined to bring judgment upon the earth. The flood of Noah was a cataclysmic instrument of God’s judgment, destroying all living things except for those on Noah’s ark (Genesis 7:23).
• When we see the sign of the rainbow in the sky today we should pause and thank God for His abundant grace, for all of us have sinned and are deserving of His righteous judgment, like those who died in the flood (Romans 3:10-12, 23; 6:23).
• The prominence of the sign of the rainbow in our culture today affords Christians an excellent opportunity to build bridges for sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
• When issues related to the LGBT movement come up in conversation, as Christians we can ask a simple question like, “Do you know where the sign of the rainbow came from?” From there we have a great opportunity to affirm the sign of the rainbow as God’s and highlight the incredible, undeserved grace He offers all of us in Jesus Christ (John 3:16-18).

For more helpful responses to challenging cultural issues, check out the book, Apologetics For A New Generation, available in our online store.

• One of the greatest truths of our great God is His unchanging nature.
• While other gods are capricious and changeable, the true God of the universe, the God of Scripture, is unchanging and ultimately trustworthy.
• In Malachi 3:6 God declares, “I the Lord do not change.”
• In Numbers 23:19 we are told, “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind.”
• In James 1:17 we are assured that God “does not change like shifting shadows.”
• What all of these biblical truths mean for us is that God’s word is reliable. We can trust his promises. We have reason to hope in his faithfulness.
• The next time you’re facing doubt, discouragement, or a trial in life, remember, trust in the Lord with all your heart (Proverbs 3:5-6). You can count on his faithfulness because he does not change.

For more information on God’s unchanging nature, please check out Dr. Carlson’s lecture, What Is God Like, available in CD or MP3 in our online store.