An article was posted on Twitter recently by The Poached Egg in which Pastor Matt Rawlings explains his position that pastors can be trained in apologetics without formal training. Having had a mix of formal and informal training myself (though I'm not the pastor of a church, yet), I tend to think that pastors can and should prepare to defend the faith informally (if not formally) in the way that Mr. Rawlings describes. They should at least be made aware of apologetics (and its importance) in their preparatory studies to be a pastor, though. Too often people go out to evangelize on a Friday night and come to find out that they have to take part in heavy arguments that no one ever taught them to handle. Taking a look around bookstores, libraries, churches, and the internet one can see that there is a wealth of resources out there, and that it is just a matter of committing and taking the time to utilize them.
I would add to what is being said, and say that apologetics (defense of the faith) is not optional, but is actually commanded in Scriptures. It is not just for pastors, but for their congregants (the people in the pews) to do as well. Take 1 Peter 3:15, for example, where we are told "but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence." In no way should only pastors be learning to defend the faith. I do understand though, that the concern expressed in the article is because pastors especially need and must do it (and because of the writer's disagreement with William Lane Craig, which seems to have originally been over whether pastors have time to equip themselves with apologetics studies or not). So, I don't think Mr. Rawlings was wrong simply for taking that focus. Many more churches should be offering classes in apologetics to their congregants in order to prepare people to be "Christian soldiers" in the literal war of ideas taking place in the world. Classes should provide hands-on training (applied studies) as well.
The Greek word for "defense" in that verse is apologia which not only means "a reasoned statement or argument," but has the connotation of arguments such that attorneys would make in court (Strongs G627). The word appears in a number of other places in the Greek text of the New Testament including: Acts 22:1, Acts 25:16, 1Co 9:3, 2Co 7:11, Ph1 1:7, Phl 1:16, and 2Ti 4:16. Not all those relate specifically to defense of the faith, obviously. Another verse dealing with defense of the faith is 2 Cor. 10:5 which says, "We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ." So, not only should we defend our own position, "the faith once and for all delivered unto the saints" (from another apologetics verse, Jude 3 which says "contend for the faith"), but we should dismantle the worldviews and religions which are in the way of people receiving the truth- whether it be Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, atheism, agnosticism, or any ungodly worldview.
I am obviously aware of different apologetic methods and approaches, and since I have sought a Biblical one, I favor presuppositional apologetics. However, most of us employ the tools and strategies from all the different apologetic methods. Since defending the faith (for the people of God), is not just optional but is commanded in Scriptures, Christians should prepare to do so first from the Scriptures themselves, and then seek to be equipped further by any good means available. Pastor Matt's article mentions several resources, and I can definitely recommend others in future posts on this blog.
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