Every Christian should be an apologist at the door. It’s not that it’s hard, it’s that you don’t understand, or maybe you’re not interested.
I have heard apologetics referred to as ‘the work of professionals.’ That’s what people say. It is true that people such as John Lennox, Alister McGrath, and William Lane Craig fit that description, however, apologetics isn’t simply for professionals. Surely, we are all called upon to be ready with an answer, to make a defence (apologia) when asked the reason for our hope 1 Peter 3:15. We are all called to ‘contend for the faith’ Jude 3.
For forty years I have gone to church with teachers, lecturers, engineers, barristers, business managers, professional and semi-professional people you might expect to be ready to defend the faith. Yet so many find that unexpected knock on the door, approach in the street, conversation struck up in work daunting.
I had a Jehovah’s Witness friend who, one day, said, ‘Michael, I know Christians don’t know the name of God. Sometimes someone will come to the door and tell me they are Christians. I always ask, and they never know.’
I thought for a moment then asked, ‘Do they say they are CofE?’
‘Sometimes they do, yes,’ he replied.
‘Don,’ I said, ‘they are not Church of England, they are not any kind of Christian. CofE is often the only Christian thing an unbeliever can think to say to get rid of a Jehovah’s Witness.’
Of course, he believed them because each encounter confirmed the narrative he had in his head. It's called confirmation bias. We are all susceptible to confirmation bias if we’re not careful. But it struck me that a moment’s thought on the part of that unbeliever would have told him God’s name.
‘There’s a Jehovah’s Witness at my door, and the Jehovah’s Witness has asked if I know the name of God - I bet it’s Jehovah!’
Of course, I wouldn’t expect an unbeliever to make the connection. They are not interested. They simply want to get rid of a Jehovah’s Witness. I do expect a Christian to make such connections. For example, once you say you’re a Christian- and you should say that up front – there are a limited number of issues a Jehovah’s Witness will want to talk about, and God’s name will be at the top of the list.
One argument they might bring is from Matthew 6:9. ‘We are told we should hallow, or sanctify, God’s name. How can you sanctify God’s name if you don’t use it?’
We are looking at the Lord’s prayer and we all know this by heart. Every Christian should be able to confidently point out how the prayer begins, ’You should pray, then, this way, ‘Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified.’ (Mt.6:9, NWT) We don’t even need to go searching for the answer, it’s in the same verse. It’s biblical context that gives us biblical answers, and biblical answers are what we need.
So, why do so many believers go to the door afraid, disinterested, like an unbeliever? I believe Christians have the wrong narrative in their heads, mistaken ideas about what it means to witness to cults.
You don't have to be a cult expert. Next time we'll start looking at identifying and dealing with some things that might be preventing us being effective apologists.
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