June '26

There are occasions in a week when I drive up to Tauranga on my own for elders’ meetings or pastoral visits. Depending on how I feel and the time of day, I listen to music, a podcast, or an audiobook. Sometimes it’s 90s electronic dance music, sometimes it’s Britpop, other times it’s the No Agenda podcast or an audiobook, and sometimes I have 50 minutes of my own thoughts.

Last week I did something different and listened to the Renewing Your Mind podcast from Ligonier Ministries. The latest episode was titled “The Case for God” by the late R. C. Sproul. I hit play and set off on my journey. What followed was a very clear overview of the different styles of Christian apologetics, explained in a way that is thorough yet concise, something Sproul does extremely well.

Apologetics is the discipline of defending a position of belief. The foundation of Christian apologetics is found in 1 Peter 3:15: “but in your hearts honour Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”

Sproul explains three styles of apologetics: classical, evidential, and presuppositional. Many of us have seen debates where Christians go up against atheists. Books like God in the Dock and The Case for Christ frame apologetics as defending God, yet the passage frames it personally: a reason for the hope that is in you.

The hope that we experience as Christians is different; it is eternal. In the Flesh and Fruit sermon series, we have seen how the Holy Spirit moves us from sin to righteousness. The fact that we change is proof of His existence in our lives, confirming our hope.

As we head into the book of Ecclesiastes, a book that considers hopelessness, take the time to consider how far you have come. There is a reason for the hope that is in you. What is it? How did it get there? When did it get there?

It would be awesome to have enough knowledge and wit to go up against a famous atheist and defend the faith on the world stage, but in reality the Christian must defend the faith internally, day by day, turning hopelessness into hope.