"Pastoral ministry often exposes pastors to deep brokenness within church members, congregations, and even themselves, leaving pastors feeling overwhelmed and uncertain. How is a pastor supposed to lead a congregation toward healing and unity, which feel so out of reach?
Mark D. Allen, a seasoned pastor and seminary professor, shows that Augustine is a credible and established authority who can help us make sense of life and ministry in an ever-changing world. This fifth-century bishop helps us place our modern-day stories within a larger, more expansive, holistic story.
Allen guides listeners through the writings of Augustine that have shaped his own pastoral ministry, offering personal experiences that illuminate Augustine's profound theology. He shows pastors how Augustine provides healing insight into ecclesiology, administration, preaching, discipleship, apologetics, and public theology to inspire congregations to work for human flourishing and the common good.
This book offers a hopeful journey toward healing in Christ, equipping pastors and ministry students to shepherd people toward wholeness."
"Equip Students to Defend the Faith with Clarity and Grace
Apologetics at the Cross offers a comprehensive, classroom-ready introduction to the study and practice of Christian apologetics. Using Jesus as the model and 1 Peter as a guiding text, this textbook equips students to defend the faith with clarity, humility, and confidence.
In this revised and expanded second edition, Chatraw and Allen:
- Introduce the biblical, theological, and historical foundations of apologetics.
- Survey major contemporary approaches and debates within the discipline.
- Provide step-by-step guidance for applying apologetics in real-world ministry and cultural engagement.
Designed for students in apologetics, theology, and ministry courses, Apologetics at the Cross integrates intellectual rigor with pastoral sensitivity. The authors emphasize not only what to say but how to say it--training readers to give reasoned answers with gentleness and respect.
Readable, balanced, and deeply rooted in Scripture, this text prepares learners to engage today's questions about faith with both conviction and compassion.
Reference material and resources can be found in the audiobook companion PDF download."
"Christianity Today 2024 Book Award Finalist (Apologetics/Evangelism)
Outreach 2024 Resource of the Year (Apologetics)
What can we learn from Augustine about apologetics? This book shows how Augustine defended the faith in late antiquity and how his approach to engaging the culture has great significance for the apologetic task today.
The Augustine Way recovers Augustine's mature apologetic voice to address the challenges facing today's church. It offers a compelling argument for Christian witness that is rooted in tradition and engaged with contemporary culture. The book focuses on Augustine's best-known works, Confessions and The City of God, to retrieve his scriptural and ecclesial approach for a holistic apologetic witness.
This book will be useful for students, pastors, church leaders, and practitioners of Christian apologetics. It puts pastors and churches back at the center of apologetics, transcending popular contemporary methods with a view to a more effective witness in post-Christendom."
"The Zondervan Biblical and Theological Lectures series provides a unique audio learning experience. Unlike a traditional audiobook's direct narration of a book's text, Apologetics at the Cross: Audio Lectures includes high-quality live recordings of college-level lectures that cover the important points from each subject as well as relevant material from other sources.
Amid the pluralism and secularism of Western culture, Christian apologetics has experienced a renewal of interest. In Apologetics at the Cross: Audio Lectures, Liberty professors Joshua D. Chatraw and Mark D. Allen provide an undergraduate-level introduction to the field, acquainting formal students and lay learners with the rich history and ongoing relevance of apologetics.
Apologetics at the Cross: Audio Lectures is unique in its approach, which is:
- Practical, including 'how to' discussions and real-life illustrations
- Balanced, bringing together the best of evidential and presuppositional apologetics
- Biblical, grounding apologetics strongly in biblical studies
- Lovingly dialogical, enabling Christian to engage skeptics with the heart as well as the mind
- Historical, attuned to how objections to the faith have been dealt with in the past
- Up-to-date, explaining the approaches of leading philosophers and apologists
- Transferrable, available for various contexts including church, parachurch, and personal apologetics
Conversational and accessible, Apologetics at the Cross: Audio Lectures provides a classroom-level introduction to the field of apologetics. Listeners will be informed and equipped for engaging disbelief with the best in Christian thought."
"2019 Outreach Magazine Resource of the Year: Apologetics • 2018 The Gospel Coalition Book Award: Evangelism & Apologetics
Apologetics at the Cross describes a much-needed approach to defending Christianity that uses Jesus as a model and the letter of 1 Peter as a guiding text.
This is a guidebook for how to defend Christianity with Christ-like gentleness and respect toward those who persecute the faith, making you a stronger witness to the good news of the gospel than many other apologetics books that focus on crafting unbreachable arguments.
Joshua D. Chatraw and Mark D. Allen first provide an introduction to the rich field of apologetics and Christian witness, acquainting students and lay learners with the rich history, biblical foundation, and ongoing relevance of apologetics. Unique in its approach, Apologetics at the Cross:
- Presents the biblical and historical foundations for apologetics.
- Explores various contemporary methods for approaching apologetics.
- Gives practical guidance in 'how to' chapters that feature many real-life illustrations.
But their approach pays special attention to the attitude and posture of the apologist, outlining instructions for the Christian community centered on reasoned answers, a humble spirit, and joy; rather than anger, arrogance, and aggression. Chatraw and Allen equip Christians to engage skeptics with the heart as well as the mind.
Conversational in tone and balanced in approach, Apologetics at the Cross provides a readable introduction to the field of apologetics. You'll be informed and equipped for engaging a wide range of contemporary challenges with the best in Christian thought."
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