Six Books That Will Train You How To Defend Your Christian Faith

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My mom loves to call me with computer-related questions. She assumes that because I am under 30 I will automatically know all things computer related.

Little does she realize that I have a very small grasp on technology, nor do I know how to diagnose any computer issues via a quick description on the phone.

Most of the time when she does call me, I end up googling her exact words in hopes that something will magically pop up and help me. So far, that method has not worked.

After calling me, my mom’s next step is calling the local tech wizard repair man. The guy can fix computers (and all tech related stuff) with a magical few clicks. Believe it or not, he usually can walk my mom through a few simple steps and fix her problem over the phone almost every time.

What is the difference between me and the local tech wizard?

Knowledge.

He knows computers. He thrills to understand technology.

Me? I get a nervous rash just turning on our computer. (Yes, I realize that it is very ironic that God called me to write a blog on a computer. He is stretching me daily through the means of technology!)

Now, think about the smartest Christian you have ever met. Perhaps it is your pastor or a older grandparent. Perhaps it was a Christian speaker you heard at a conference. Think about their confidence in God. The boldness of their faith.

Did it feel a tad daunting to be around such a person? Kind of like you wanted to hide your Bible from them so they couldn’t see you stumbling around to find the Old Testament reference they just mentioned?

What is the difference between you and this confident Christian?

Knowledge.

These mature Christians have had Biblical training from Scripture, countless Christian mentors, and hours of study from great books.

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You Must Know Before You Can Share

I cannot share the proper steps for my mom to fix her computer problems because I do not have the knowledge to begin with. Neither can I share a reasonable defense for my Christian faith if I first do not know the truth myself.

The books I am going to bring before you will serve as guides and training manuals. The knowledge found in these books is not meant to serve as a replacement for your Bible. However, they will train you with what to do with a love for God and passion for His Word.

Books To Help You Defend Your Christian Faith

Without further ado, here are books by some incredibly well-studied and gifted Christian leaders. I hope you check out the resources they provide to help build your ability to defend your Christian faith.

1. Love Your God With All Your Mind by J. P. Moreland

Jesus called believers to love God with their heart, soul, mind and strength. Today, there is very little emphasis being placed on loving God with our mind.

From his experience as a teaching professor at Biola University, J. P. Moreland does an excellent job of walking Christians through the process of reengaging their mind into their faith in God. I recommend this book first simply because it will light a fire under you to want to read the rest of the books on this list!

 

2. The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel

Perhaps the biggest reasons Christians shrink from defending their faith is because they just don’t feel they have evidence to back up their faith. Well, this book will change all that!

Lee Strobel was an award-winning journalist and staunch atheist. After his wife’s conversion to Christianity, he set out to disprove her faith. Along the way, he interviews the top Christian minds of our time. What he found was substantial evidence that helped him become a passionate believer in Christ.

This book is great because it breaks down the hard questions about the authenticity of the Bible, the reliability of the Biblical eyewitnesses, and the veracity of the resurrection.

*Bonus points on this one, because there are also editions geared towards teens and young children which means you can work through it as a family if you want!

 

3. More Than A Carpenter by Josh McDowell and Sean McDowell

Much like Lee Strobel’s story, Josh McDowell was a skeptic who set out to prove Christianity wrong and instead found Christianity to be the Truth. My first experience with this book was reading a first edition copy of it that my Grandpa owned. The best part about this book is how easy and quick of read it is!

Many believers I know keep extra copies of this on hand just to hand out to seekers. It is a great overview book to help a person approach the questions about Christianity in a kind and sensitive manner without compromising the truth!

This latest edition has been updated to include Josh’s son’s guidelines to approaching the younger generation. I haven’t had a chance to read this but I have heard Sean speak personally and know that Sean’s teaching is sound, practical and applicable!

 

4. Tactics by Gregory Koukl

If you are an introvert like myself and find that you get tongue tied talking to people about the weather, yet alone something important like your faith in God, this book is for you!

This book builds on the foundation of knowing why you believe what you believe as a Christian and helps you then share it with others who do not necessarily see life from a Christian worldview.

More than once I have used the suggestions and advice from this book to wade my way through challenging conversations about faith in God. My favorite part of this book is that Mr. Koukl focuses on the importance of winning the person NOT just the argument!

 

5. I Don’t Have Enough Faith To Be An Atheist by Norman L. Geisler and Frank Turek

Alright, I will be honest. This is the only book on this list that I have NOT personally read. Why am I still recommending it? Well, simply because the information from this book is core to the messages that the authors cover in their speaking engagements and I have heard them personally speak several times.

Plus, several of my friends, including a few seminary graduates, highly recommend this book and I trust their recommendations.

Also, it is on my to read list as soon as possible. (Since I have two kids under two, that could be anytime from now to 18 years from now! 🙂 )

If you have read it, I would love to hear your thoughts about it in the comments below too!

 

Edited: I read this book and can now personally say I recommend it. If you want a well-rounded in-depth look at the reasons for trusting in the validity of the Christian faith, you should most definitely pick up a copy of this book. It is worth owning too so you can refer back to you over and over again. My final advice would be to take it slowly. This book needs to be digested slowly. Take your time over a few weeks or even months and really mull over the information and the implications of the content in this book. You will gain so much more from reading this book over a longer period of time.

6. Understanding the Times by David Noebel and Jeff Myers

This last recommendation is nearest and dearest to my heart. As a former Summit student and staff worker, I have had the privilege of seeing the authors of Understanding the Times live out their Christian faith boldly and brilliantly.

Understanding the Times: A Survey of Competing Worldviews is a concise overview of all the major worldviews that are vying for the world’s attention and belief. If you can buy only one book on this list, this is the book I recommend. Written so you can open it up to any section and study that particular topic, I find it the most overarching resource available to Christians who are learning how to defend their Christian faith.

You can use it as a Bible study aid, a family conversation starter, a Sunday School curriculum, etc. By far, the best bang for your buck in my honest opinion!

Once You Know You Must Share

In 2 Timothy 4:1-2 Paul encourages Timothy (and us as believers in the following generations), “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.“

It is imperative that we are training ourselves to spiritually be ready to defend our Christian faith. We will never be ready for every conversation or challenge that comes our way. (Kids especially have a way of throwing hard curve ball questions when we least expect the questions!)

God promises that the Holy Spirit will give us the words we need to say in the moment we need to say them. However, I believe that God does give us the right words in the hard moments by training us leading up to those moments.

But how can He train us if we are ignoring the tools placed before us?

 

Final Thoughts

As Christians, it is only a matter of time before we will face questions about our faith. Rather than let that scare us into silence, let this truth fuel us to study and grow in our knowledge and passion for our faith. 

The enemy of our souls likes to test us through doubting thoughts. With our minds and thought life planted firmly in the truth, we will be able  refute other’s false claims and reassure ourselves against doubt.

Finally, we will be able to train our children and other believers so that they too can know how to defend their Christian faith. What a beautiful legacy!

 

Your Turn

Take a moment and leave a comment below letting me know if you have read any of these books!

Also, please feel free to leave book recommendations of your own! I love to hear what others are reading!

Finally, please take a moment and share this post with other Christians who might be struggling with the practical side of defending their Christian faith!

Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

 

Other awesome books to consider include:

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