Apologetics is not the Gospel

I have long appreciated the work of apologists in the church. Lately though, not as much. What appealed to me about apologists and "discernment" was that it was an exercise in proving someone else wrong. The work of many apologists is quite valuable. I appreciate the work of men like James White and Matt Slick for providing resources and responses to errors and in addressing non-Christian faiths. However something about being a self-annointed apologist seems to either push people into pridefulness and anger or perhaps apologetics attracts people with that tendency already built in.

What brought this up was something I read at Christianpost.com, an interview with Josh McDowell. It is not so much that I have an issue with his main point, it is in how it is presented and in the presumptions he makes.

The faith of most Christians, even that of many pastors, will not stand up to intellectual scrutiny, according to renowned apologist Josh McDowell.

This is a concern because pastors’ inability to present biblical truth comprehensibly and relevantly has led to children from Christian families leaving the church, research has shown.

So, because one guy in a given church doesn't teach clearly enough, children from Christian families are leaving the church? First and foremost, if they aren't Christians they were never in the church to begin with, no matter where their parents made them go on Sunday or whether they memorized chunks of a catechism. Kids are not leaving the church because they were not given a sufficient training in apologetics. They are leaving because they find traditional religion to be empty or because they were never converted in the first place. Someone who is unregenerate but has been forced into religious conformity is never going to exhibit the fruit of being saved. Why wouldn’t they stop "going to church" once they are no longer being required to? Second, our faith is not required to hold up to "intellectual scrutiny". I am sure that there will be plenty of people in heaven who were not up to snuff with providing a synopsis of their faith that would hold up to "intellectual scrutiny"

What was more troubling was this next part...

In his 50 years of ministry, McDowell has asked several thousand pastors and leaders how they could be certain Jesus Christ said “I am the truth” and not one of many truths or a truth.

“Not one person has ever given me an intelligent, biblically-based answer,” said the author of The New Evidence that Demands A Verdict.

During the past six years, he asked hundreds of Christians and leaders why they see themselves as Christians. Again no one gave him an "intelligent" answer.

In the past 17 years, he has asked over 4,000 pastors, leaders and parents why they believe the Bible is true.

A mere six “came close to giving an intelligent answer,” McDowell noted.

So over 4000 Christians failed to give him an answer he found satisfactory? Why, they should all buy his book so they could intelligently articulate an apologetic argument! I found that entire thing to be incredibly pompous and prideful (says me, the most prideful person I know). I have only been a Christian for eight years and I haven't met 4000 pastors and leaders but I can name a dozen people off the top of my head who can give you an "intelligent" answer right now.

The theological ineptitude in the church is something we should be concerned with. In some ways I am at least as concerned about people who can explain the heck out of their faith but don’t do a thing to live it out. There was a time when I thought it was perfectly acceptable to spend time searching out people in error on the internet without giving a second thought to widows and orphans. I figured God gave me a sharp mind and a quick wit so that I could show others how much smarter I am and how much more theologically mature. (That is not a knock on Josh McDowell who has an extensive mercy ministry)

I know quite a few Christians who are unable to articulate an “acceptable” explanation of the Christian faith but who are devoted to reading their Bible, to praying fervently and to helping the poor. Are these "unintelligent" Christians in need of rescue? Or is it more accurate to say that many people who find heretics and fools under every rock could stand for some lessons in humility, sacrifice and love?

Christians need to be theologically mature so they are not tossed about by every wind of doctrine (Eph 4: 14) but that is not a license of dismiss those who are less mature as being incapable of a sufficiently "intelligent" response to questions. Anti-intellectualism has no place in the church. Neither does a prideful excess of intellectualism.

The Gospel is not an argument to be won, it is Good News to be proclaimed.