You’ve been studying apologetics, but does the truth you learn leap out of you in conversation with others? Learning more and more apologetic answers won’t necessarily lead to real conversations with the people who have the questions. It’s not knowledge of facts that will propel you towards this; it’s something else. From Trevin Wax:
Lack of mission is rarely a knowledge problem; it’s a worship problem. We don’t have any trouble talking about the things we love most. Whenever we find something worthy of attention, we talk about it.
The same is true of our relationship with Christ. The more we are in awe of his worthiness, the more likely we are to speak of him to others and serve others in his name.
How do we cultivate this? John Piper said in Desiring God:
The fuel of worship is a true vision of the greatness of God; the fire that makes the fuel burn white hot is the quickening of the Holy Spirit; the furnace made alive and warm by the flame of truth is our renewed spirit; and the resulting heat of our affections is powerful worship, pushing its way out in confessions, longings, acclamations, tears, songs, shouts, bowed heads, lifted hands, and obedient lives.
And evangelism.
If you’re looking to step outside of apologetics for a bit and seek a “true vision of the greatness of God,” here are some ideas:
- The Bible (See here and here for suggestions on how to do this)
- The Holiness of God (His holiness is our cultural blind spot)
- Knowing God (A book about who God is)
- A Praying Life (A review of its strengths and weaknesses)
- Christian Biographies – lectures by John Piper (See how God has worked in the past—this is my favorite)