Apologetics Resources for Parents

These are some apologetics resources that we have used with our family and that I recommend.

• Cold Case Christianity and God’s Crime Scene by J. Warner Wallace (and the kids’ versions of both for younger children)
• Evidence for the Bible video series by Mike Winger – FREE on YouTube 
• Expedition Bible videos from Joel Kramer on archaeological evidence for the Bible – FREE on YouTube 
• Where God Came Down by Joel Kramer
• Drive Thru History video series – The Gospels, Acts to Revelation, and To the Ends of the Earth are the relevant seasons covering Biblical topics – FREE on Tubi TV
• How We Got the Bible by Neil Lightfoot
• Know What You Believe by Paul Little for a great overview of basic Bible doctrines
• On Guard and Reasonable Faith by William Lane Craig
• Creation.com for abundant free articles on many topics, especially creation science
• By Design by Jonathan Sarfati on evidence for God as Designer and against evolution
• Evolution’s Achilles Heels edited by Robert Carter for evidence against evolution
• Keeping Your Kids on God’s Side by Natasha Crain
• Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Greg Koukl

How to use these resources can vary, depending on your child’s age, the type of resource, and the questions they are asking.

Video resources work well to watch and discuss as a family. Even younger children can learn a lot this way. We watch apologetics videos on Sunday evenings while eating dinner and then discuss them with our children. You can assign video content to kids, but it works better when parents are engaging with their children. Parents can explain concepts that might be a bit over their children's heads so that they understand the information better.

For some older children or teens, you could hand them a book and let them read it. If they’re self-motivated and want to learn, this can work. It’s still important for parents to engage with the material and be ready to discuss it more or to look for more resources on specific topics.

Regardless of whether your child can read or watch resources on their own, it is VITAL that parents read and watch relevant resources and then prepare to have conversations about these topics with their children. There is no substitute for informed, active parenting on this matter. Your child will naturally look to you for answers about the big questions of life. If you can’t provide objective evidence for your beliefs, they may decide that your faith has no evidential basis and reject it. Parents have a sacred duty to know the reasons for their faith and to share them actively and regularly with their children.

1 Peter 3:15 – But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

Ephesians 6:4 – And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Deuteronomy 6:5-7 – And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

Fight the Cultural Current toward Feminism

The effect of culture on a person's thinking and values is profound. It can be hard to overcome. We're all products of our culture in various ways. We're often harsh on the antebellum slave holders for supporting such an overtly wicked practice, but they were influenced by the teaching of their time, including the teaching from their churches. Rather than feel morally superior, it's important to examine our own ideology to see where we may be leaving the teaching of the Bible to follow the norms and ideas of our culture.

 
This is a lifelong process of examination. If you don't actively root out unbiblical ideas, you will drift with the cultural current. Drifting is the default state if you're not paddling upstream. Standing against the culture requires work. It requires being unpopular with your friends who are drifting along and fitting in. It means finding friends who are willing to join you as you work to renew your mind with Biblical truth.

 
One area where I see a LOT of Christians compromising with the world is feminism. It has crept into everything, including nearly all churches. Women are leaving their homes and children to seek careers, disregarding the God-given authority of their husbands, and even pushing their way into church leadership. It's sneaky. It's packaged to sound like it's good. It's "empowerment" and "ministry" and "setting a good example for our daughters" and "being a witness in public schools." These are the lipstick on the pig. They're rationalization for not obeying God's instructions.

 
Titus 2:3-5
Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

 
Did you catch that? When women disobey this passage and leave their God-given role, they cause the word of God to be dishonored. That's very serious.

 
Yet so many women outsource the discipleship of their own children to non-Christian strangers for hours every day (public schools) and leave the ordering of their own household to seek acclaim in the business world or popularity in the church for their "ministry." If you're a mother with young children still at home, the primary ministry to which God has called you is the discipleship and care for your very own children. Never give that up for anything! If you want to do something important for God, there it is. You have a ready-made ministry in your own home. No one can have the influence you have there. You're replaceable in the workforce. You're replaceable in church ministry. No one can replace you in the lives of your children.

 
Of course, this ministry of discipling our own children is HARD! There are several things against us.

 
First of all, raising children takes a lot of work. It can be exhausting and emotionally draining. And there's not a lot of immediate gratification. Kids rarely say thank you for all the training you put into them, and they will shortly undo the housework you just finished. They will push your buttons and test your patience. Parenting is not for the faint-hearted. In the office, you get applause for your finished project. In the church, you get applause for your ministry. At home, not so much. Wiping runny noses and making dinner and vacuuming the floor (again) don't seem so adventurous or important, and yet they're a lot of hard work. It's easy to think our efforts would produce more return somewhere else.

Second, we have our own fallen nature to fight. We all tend to want what we don't have. We all tend to find it easier to do the wrong thing. So the man who was called to be the provider and leader often finds this calling to be difficult and burdensome. Meanwhile, the woman who was called to keep the home and care for children and submit to her husband finds this calling burdensome. They each feel the other has the better role precisely because of the curse. Doing our own role requires fighting our own desires sometimes. We tend to think God made a mistake and we can fix it. It seems easier and more pleasant doing it our way.

 
Third, there's the allure of money. A career brings in money, and money is extremely useful. It can give us things we want, and sometimes things we truly need. It's very difficult to live on one income. It's a sacrifice because our society is built around double incomes and luxury. There's social pressure to make more and have more. There's the rising cost of everything.

 
Fourth, there's the social pressure of the culture which says women should break the glass ceiling and pursue high-powered careers. If a woman cooks food in a restaurant, that's esteemed as a great career. If a woman works as a secretary, handling scheduling and appointments and filing paperwork and paying bills for a boss, that's a good use of her time. If a woman cares for small children all day in a daycare, that's laudable work. If a woman works as a cleaning lady, cleaning homes and businesses, she's doing important work. If a woman teaches children their ABCs or multiplication tables in a school, that's such an important career. But if she does all that and more for her own husband and children in her own home, that's drudgery and beneath her. She needs to escape that life and join the exciting career world. This is what our culture tells us.

 
The culture also pushes egalitarianism, treating men and women as having identical and interchangeable roles. In the church, this turns into women taking church leadership roles, wanting to be pastors and teachers. This is often pushed as a good thing despite the teaching of scripture, which must be explained away with appeals to ancient culture or translation mistakes rather than simply obeying it.

 
With all these factors against us, it's difficult to stand firm on what God's word teaches. It's easy to drift. Doing the right thing takes determination to be obedient to God, no matter the cost. And it will cost you. It may cost you in lost income, lost dreams, lost friends, lost popularity, lost sleep, and much more. So why do it if it costs so much? Because obedience to God is worth it. He will reward you. There is no better place to be than in the center of God's will. Count the cost. Then choose to be obedient. Fight the current. Stand for Jesus.

Perfect Southern Cornbread (with GF version)

I have been working on this cornbread recipe for awhile, and I think I have it perfected now. It has a little touch of sweetness, but not too much. It's not too dense, but not too fluffy. It's slightly moist and flavorful. I'm loving it! It can be made gluten-free very easily, and I think I might even like the gluten-free version better. You definitely cannot tell it's GF.

1-1/2 cups yellow cornmeal (gluten-free cornmeal, if you need it GF)
2 cups milk (preferably whole, but can be any kind)
2 cups white flour (or 2 cups Bob's Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour)
1 tablespoon baking powder (make sure it's gluten-free for GF version)
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400 F. Preheat two small/medium cast iron skillets, 1 large iron skillet, or a 9x13 baking pan. I usually use a 10-inch and a 6-inch iron skillet. It will fit in one 10-inch skillet, but you may need to increase the cooking time a bit. You don't have to preheat the pans, but it helps the cornbread cook a bit faster, stay a little more moist, and develop a slightly crispy crust on the bottom.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the cornmeal and milk and let it set for 2-5 minutes while you mix the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a small bowl and set aside. Add the eggs to the cornmeal mixture and mix well. Stir in the melted butter. Add the flour mixture and whisk until smooth.

Remove hot pans from the oven (carefully) and spray with cooking spray or butter well. Pour the cornbread batter into the prepared pans, dividing as needed. I tend to fill the 6-inch skillet a little deeper than the 10-inch skillet so they finish at about the same time.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until center springs back when lightly pressed and knife inserted in center comes out clean. 

Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days at room temperature or up to 2 weeks in the fridge. Serve warm with extra butter. Enjoy!

Rich Chocolate Cake

This cake is very easy to make and has an amazing texture and taste. If you love a rich chocolate flavor and a moist, velvety, larger crumb cake, this one will be a favorite. It can also be made gluten-free very easily (see below) and it still has the same great taste and texture. 

Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour (for gluten-free version, use 2 cups King Arthur Measure-for-Measure Gluten Free flour)

2 cups sugar 

1 cup cocoa powder 

2 teaspoons baking soda 

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon salt 

3 eggs 

1 cup buttermilk (1 TBSP white vinegar and the rest milk) 

1 cup warm water 

1/3 cup vegetable oil ( I use melted coconut oil) 

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla 

Frosting:
1 cup butter, softened 

6 oz cream cheese, softened 

3/4 cup cocoa powder 

2 teaspoons vanilla 

2 lb bag powdered sugar 

A little milk, as needed to thin 

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans (or use cooking spray and parchment paper).

Mix the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt) for the cake. Add the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly until smooth. Do not overmix. Pour batter into prepared pans, dividing evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until top springs back when pressed lightly. Cool completely.

Beat butter and cream cheese for frosting until smooth and fluffy. Add cocoa powder and vanilla and mix until well blended. Add powdered sugar, a cup at a time, alternating with a tablespoon of milk as needed to keep it spreadable. Frost cake layers and serve. 

Hints that the Messiah is God from the Old Testament

Messianic prophecy in the Old Testament is very interesting because it often conflates God and the Messiah. It will say that the Messiah does something and that God does it, or it will say that something is done to Messiah and that it was done to God. It also attributes to the Messiah attributes and titles that only apply to God. These are hints that the Messiah is God in human flesh. In other words, the Christian teaching that Jesus is both God and man did not begin with the New Testament. This was prophesied hundreds or thousands of years in advance.

Zechariah 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon ME whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for HIM, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

This is God speaking here. Is it God (me) who is pierced here or the Messiah (him)? Yes. It's both.

Isaiah 9:6-7 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

A child will be born, so he's human, yet He will be called the Mighty God and the Everlasting Father. He will sit on David's throne, so he's from the lineage of David. That means he's human. Yet he will establish that throne forever. There will be no end to his government. So how does a mere human reign forever? Are you seeing the hints?

Genesis 22:7-8 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

This entire passage in Genesis 22 is so amazing! The parallels to the sacrifice of Jesus are mind-boggling. It's even the very same mountain! But take a look at the wording here. Abraham speaks prophetically. God will provide Himself a lamb. That's actually a bit vague. Does this mean that God will provide FOR Himself a lamb? Or that He will provide Himself AS the lamb? Yes! It's both. The double entendre is intentional. God Himself became the sacrifice on Mount Moriah to atone for the sins of mankind. He's both the offering and the one being satisfied by the offering.

Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

Here's another interesting conflation between the Lord and the messenger of the Lord (i.e. Messiah). It says the Lord (YHWH in the Hebrew) will come to the temple, but it's the messenger of the covenant. He will come. So is it the messenger or the Lord? Yes. It's both. The messenger is the Lord. The Messiah is sent by God, but also is God.

Psalm 110:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

This seems like an odd passage, yet it is the most quoted Old Testament passage in the New Testament. In fact, Jesus Himself used this passage to prove that the Messiah was always prophesied to be God. You see, everyone knew that the Messiah was prophesied to come from David's line. One of the common titles for the Messiah was the Son of David. Yet here David, under inspiration, speaks of this coming son as his Lord. The LORD (YHWH) speaks to "my lord" (the Messiah). How is the Messiah David's Lord if he is his son? A son is not greater than his father. Unless that son is more than just David's son.

These are just a few of the many passages that hint at the divine nature of the promised Messiah. This is not a later Christian invention. It had been in the Old Testament already, long before Jesus came. So look for this kind of thing when you're reading the Old Testament. Once you start looking for it, it's everywhere.


If you can find more examples, post them in the comments.