Expository Apologetics by Voddie Baucham

18 Pages·2017·1.89 MB·English

S U M M A R Y
E X P O S I T O R Y
A P O L O G E T I C S
B Y V O D D I E B A U C H A M
Key Insights
Best Quotes
Infographics
Study Questions
BOOK BRIEF BY
A c c e l e r a t e B o o k s . c o m
OVERVIEW Expository Apologetics
normal conversation—both from the pulpit and
in everyday life?

Aimed at preparing you to clearly and
confidently defend your faith, Expository
Apologetics sets forth an approach to
apologetics that is rooted in Scripture and
eminently accessible.

Filled with real-world examples and practical
advice, this book will equip you with the tools
you need to think biblically and converse
persuasively—offering unbelievers “a reason
for the hope that is in you.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Voddie Baucham was born and raised in Los
Angeles, California to a single Buddhist mother.
He moved to Texas to play college football and
Author: Voddie Baucham was converted to Christianity through the
conversations with one of his teammates.
Publisher: Crossway

Date: August 21, 2015
Baucham will usually tell his testimony with
Pages: 208
how his conversations with his teammate
revolved around asking hard questions about
Christianity. Now, as a Christian, his ministry is
permeated with apologetics.
OVERVIEW

After pastoring in Texas for most of his pastoral
Apologetics is for everyone.
career, Voddie and his family followed God’s

call to serve in Zambia as the Dean of the
The Bible is clear that all believers are called to
Seminary for African Christian University.
defend their faith. However, if apologetics is
the formal process that we have come to
expect, this sounds like an impossible task. But
what if apologetics could be part of natural, 
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MAIN IDEA Expository Apologetics
MAIN IDEA
This book is meant for the “average” Christian
Expository Apologetics  is an introductory
to be competent in having conversations about
guide to the “nature and practice of
the truths of Christianity. Speaking truth to the
apologetics.” This book is about the practical
unbeliever is the task of the apologist, not
application of the methodology known as
necessarily articulating airtight logical
“presuppositional apologetics.”
arguments to crowds of people.

Presuppositional apologetics is a methodology
Every person in the church can learn insights
that assumes the truth claims of the Bible and
from this book that can help them speak
argues from that “presupposition”. It does not
confidently about their faith in everyday
seek to “prove” the authority of the Bible, but
conversations.
instead, it seeks to show the foolishness of the
unbelieving worldview by exposing and
dismantling the “presuppositions” that
undergird the beliefs and practices of an
unbeliever.

This method ultimately serves the purpose of
evangelism. This approach is not merely for the
“elite Christian” scholar or professional
apologist, but for every believer. Every
Christian is called to be ready to give a defense
of the faith they hold.

This methodology boils down to three things:
knowing what you believe, why you believe it,
and being able to communicate that to other
people.

This book presents a wide, but very well-
rounded set of tools for the average person to
express the faith to an unbeliever, and the only
thing someone needs to know is their Bible.
The Bible is the source of authority and
argument in the task of apologetics.

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KEY INSIGHTS Expository Apologetics
with that truth. The Bible is the word of God; he
KEY INSIGHT #1
spoke it to his people and it is completely
trustworthy.

Christians must believe in these truths and
Exposition as accept them. Most Christians hold these truths
as absolute until they approach another person
Apologetics
who does not believe the same things.
However, the task of the apologist does not
The Bible is the best tool begin with assuming the position of the
for defending the unbeliever and reasoning with them to a place
Christian faith. of belief. Rather, we must begin with the
presupposition that God’s word is truth.

Abdicating the position of authority and truth
In the first chapter of the text, Voddie Baucham
that has been given is foolishness. Exposition
defines his method of Expository Apologetics
as apologetics is the complete opposite. It
as, “the application of the principles of
assumes the truthfulness of the biblical text
exposition to the art and science of
and therefore speaks that truth to the
apologetics” (p. 20)
unbeliever. Scripture is sufficient for every

good work (1 Tim 3:16), and that includes the
This definition to be quite simple, yet the
task of apologetics.
implications are incredibly profound for the

task of the believer of defending and explaining
The Christian must not be afraid or
the faith to the unbelieving world.
manipulated into thinking they are not allowed

to use the authority of the Scriptures to engage
Jesus says that He is “the truth.” Paul states
the unbeliever. Have the confidence to stand
“all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge
on what God has said and you will not have to
are hidden in Christ Jesus;” the Old Testament
worry about argumentation, debate, or
proclaims the “beginning of knowledge is the
anything else that may seem intimidating.
fear of the Lord.” Christians need to be firm in
their commitment that the Word of God is
truth.

All these statements show that in the world
God has created, what he has said is the truth
and what he has done in creation is consistent 
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KEY INSIGHTS Expository Apologetics
INSIGHTGRAPHIC #1
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KEY INSIGHTS Expository Apologetics
Here is the key of presuppositional apologetics:
KEY INSIGHT #2 even the unbeliever must assume Christian
principles to justify anything they claim to be
true.

Because this world belongs to God and is made
Engage
to reflect who God is, everything the unbeliever
Presuppositions claims to be true is true if and only if God has
made it true. Unbelievers will suppress this
knowledge and reject who God is.
Expose how the unbelieving

worldview is inconsistent.
The task of the apologist is to point out the
inconsistency in the unbelieving worldview and
presuppositions that the unbeliever may have;
Every person’s worldview has certain
their task is to expose the unbelieving
presuppositions that provide the necessary
presuppositions and show how the unbeliever
foundations for what they do and do not do.
must “steal” from the Christian worldview to

make sense out of the world around us.
Unfortunately, most people do not think much

about these presuppositions, especially when
For example, the atheist may assume a
considering how their presuppositions will
position of naturalism in which everything in
determine how one thinks and where a
this world can be accounted for because of
person’s ultimate authority rests.
natural causes. A presupposition of this

worldview is the principle of induction, which
By its very nature, Expository Apologetics
basically states that the natural order remains
encourages the believer to challenge the
consistent.
unbeliever’s presuppositions. It does this by

using the truth of Scripture as the starting
The atheist actually cannot account for this
point.
principle in their own worldview and must

“steal” it from the Christian worldview.
The Believer will assume the authority of the
Christians can justify scientific enterprise with
Bible as the starting point for what they know
induction because Christians know God has
to be true and use that as the presupposition
made his creation to fit a uniform pattern (see
for whatever else they believe.
Genesis 8:22).

The Unbeliever does not do this; they will
arbitrarily assume other authorities as ultimate
arbiters of truth and reject what God has said. 
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KEY INSIGHTS Expository Apologetics
INSIGHTGRAPHIC #2
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KEY INSIGHTS Expository Apologetics
then their need of a savior.
KEY INSIGHT #3

Answering objections and providing
information serves as the bridge or means of
proclaiming the gospel to people. The task of
Speak to Unbelief
the apologist should never be divorced from
gospel proclamation.
The goal of apologetics is
saving souls, not winning This insight is helpful as we apply the practice
of apologetics to the internal ministry of the
arguments.
church. Every person in the church has beliefs
and ideas that are unbiblical; no one has been
perfectly sanctified in this life.
Speaking to unbelief is to ensure that the

message of the gospel must come into contact
Pastors and other church leaders need to be
with the false beliefs of the audience. This
preaching to combat those unbiblical beliefs in
conflict will point out the necessity of the
the hearts of their congregants. Instead of
person’s inconsistent worldview, leading to a
instructing people to “do” things differently,
conversation about the gospel.
pastors must encourage them to “believe”

things differently.
Many times, when conversations lead into the

gospel or truths of Christianity, the temptation
This is the difference between preaching
might be to merely defend facts and
moralism and preaching the gospel. Preaching
arguments. These things are good but there is
moralism only presents people with a new law
so much more to be done in the interaction.
and produces legalism. Preaching to unbelief

produces grace filled hearts as people believe
This is an important point: if the problem is
differently.
information, then our apologetic becomes a
task of information giving. However, the
problem before us is not that someone does
not have information, but that they are sinners
rebelling against God.

The unbeliever’s primary responsibility is to
repent and believe (p. 50). The task of the
apologist in the interaction then is to steer the
person first to a recognition of their sin and 
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KEY INSIGHTS Expository Apologetics
INSIGHTGRAPHIC #3
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CHAPTER SUMMARIES Expository Apologetics
CHAPTER 1: WHAT IS open opposition to biblical truth, and the
growing presence of opposing religions.” (p.
EXPOSITORY
24)
APOLOGETICS?
Expository Apologetics is the application of the
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
principles of exposition to apologetics. The
Bible is the greatest weapon a Christian has
In your conversations with unbelievers
against the unbeliever. Use the truth of
about Christianity, do you use the Bible to
Scripture as your authority in your
define terms or answer objections?
conversations with unbelievers. Since Scripture

is truth, present your case from the position
What is the main goal of engaging in
that assumes its’ veracity.
apologetics?

Point out the inconsistencies of other
worldviews. Unbelieving systems have to rely
on God’s truth and his world, “borrowing” from
the Christian worldview to make sense of their
own. By exposing these inconsistencies, show CHAPTER 2: 1 PETER 3
the unbeliever their view of the world is
AND THE ESSENCE OF
ultimately incoherent and use this to proclaim
the gospel. APOLOGETICS
The task of the apologist comes from
QUOTES
proclaiming the righteousness found in Christ.
Christ is the one who died, was buried and was
“Expository Apologetics is merely the raised from the dead to save sinners.
application of the principles of biblical Unbelievers oppose this righteousness in their
exposition to the art and science of unbelief. In their unrighteousness, those who
apologetics.” (p. 20) do not believe suppress the truth of who God is
and the gospel.
“Apologetics is necessary today because of
the issues such as biblical illiteracy, Every believer is called to explain the truth they
postmodernism/post-Christian thinking,  believe in. They are to do this with a spirit of 
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