You’ll Never Change Anyone’s Mind about God

It may sound strange to hear an apologist say you will never be able to change anyone’s mind on the truth of any spiritual issue, but here’s why it’s true. Greg Koukl

A Conversation with Special Guests

#STRask: Can We Conclude from John 10 That Jesus Speaks to Us Today?

30 Years of Stand to Reason

Is God at Fault for Our Sinful Desires?

#STRask: Does Matthew 19:27–29 Incentivize Leaving Your Spouse to Do Ministry Work?

A Response to Someone Struggling to Find Reasons for His Faith

#STRask: How to Use Questions to Answer Christianity’s Toughest Challenges

Evangelism Is Easier When You Have a Plan

When and How to Respond to Misinterpreted Scripture

#STRask: Do Atheists Read the Bible More Literally Than Christians?

Can We Argue for God from the Existence of Beauty?

#STRask: What if Someone Uses the Columbo Tactic against Us?

Tactics for the Street

Why I’ve Stopped Using the Word “Gender”

Articles

Why I’ve Stopped Using the Word “Gender”

Alan explains why using the word “gender” will create unnecessary confusion in your conversations with others and gives advice for how to clarify the term when other people use it.

So You Want to Be an Apologist?

If you want to pursue a career in apologetics, here are eight suggestions that will put you on the right path.

Silly Putty Bible Study

Some evangelicals search the Bible for a personal “word” from the Spirit that is unrelated to the text’s original meaning, and the results can be silly or even dangerous. Regardless of the outcome, this practice is always a bad habit. Here’s why.

We Need Restorative Rest

Through his resurrection, Jesus became the truer and better Sabbath, allowing us to forever cease laboring to attain God’s favor and to rest in his mercy and grace. With this in mind, here are three thoughts to consider as we pursue restorative rest in our own lives.

Knowing What’s Coming Will Help You Endure

God will bring things into your life you never would have chosen, but you can endure anything for the short span of your time on this earth when you know this about your future.

Pro-Gay Theology, the Film 1946, and the Multiverse

If someone were to go back in time to 1946 and stop the RSV translation team from using the word “homosexuals” in the Bible for the first time, what would the Bible’s teaching on marriage, homosexuality, and sexual ethics look like today?

You Don’t Have to Choose between the Head and the Heart

If it’s more natural for you to ponder ideas than to get emotionally close to the One you’re thinking about, here’s something simple you can do to develop your heart under the guidance of your head.

Why My LDS Friend Isn’t Trying to Convert Me to Mormonism

Robby’s Latter-day Saint friend isn’t interested in trying to convert him to Mormonism, and his view of the afterlife helps explain why.

The Only Way to Carry a Heavy Burden

The heavy burdens of past grief, present suffering, and anxiety about the future can easily overwhelm us, but they don’t have to. If you practice intentionally believing and living by these two truths, you will find some relief.

The What, Why, and How of Interpreting Any Bible Passage

There are three key principles of biblical interpretation, and each has a corresponding question to ask about any biblical text. Here’s a simple way to remember these three crucial questions.

Why You Need to Start with a Biblical Understanding of Human Beings

When we start with the biblical understanding of human beings when responding to our culture’s claim that we can choose our own sexuality and gender identity, we accomplish four things.

Don’t Let Potential Negative Outcomes Keep You From Sharing Truth with Compassion

It would be nice if our well-executed arguments were always received and believed, but when our efforts don’t convince, it’s comforting to know that Jesus himself encountered the same thing.

Videos

Christian Living

When and How to Respond to Misinterpreted Scripture

Are Christians Just Blind Followers?

Why Include Hebrews in the Bible if We Don’t Know the Author?

A Response to the Sparkle Creed

Podcasts

#STRask: Can We Conclude from John 10 That Jesus Speaks to Us Today?

Questions about whether we can conclude from John 10 that Jesus speaks to us today, whether 1 Samuel 3 means we have to learn to hear God’s voice, and how to respond to someone who says God communicated a message to him when he saw clouds cover the moon and then dissipate.

30 Years of Stand to Reason

Tim talks to Greg about the last 30 years of Stand to Reason—the purpose and unique focus of our work, the major topics and controversies we’ve addressed, the ideas we’ve developed, advice and cautions for budding apologists, where Stand to Reason will be 30 years from now, and more.

#STRask: Does Matthew 19:27–29 Incentivize Leaving Your Spouse to Do Ministry Work?

Questions about what to do about a friend who is actively serving in his church but is living with a married woman and says he has peace about it and whether Matthew 19:27–29 incentivizes leaving your spouse if you feel “called” for the kingdom.

A Response to Someone Struggling to Find Reasons for His Faith

Greg continues answering a question about how he annotates his Bible, then he answers questions about whether Deuteronomy 21:10–14 condones rape, advice for someone struggling to find reasons for his faith, how to respond to people who say you can’t write a book that includes elements of other cultures, and more.

#STRask: How to Use Questions to Answer Christianity’s Toughest Challenges

Greg and Amy chat about Greg’s new book, Street Smarts: Using Questions to Answer Christianity’s Toughest Challenges, discussing the goal of the book, how this new material differs from and adds to the original Tactics book, how using tactics will help you have clearer, more personalized conversations with others about what they believe, and more.

Evangelism Is Easier When You Have a Plan

Greg recommends a film about the Bible and talks about a conversation he had with a waitress, then he answers a question about whether the command to love one another trumps the command to love God and explains how he annotates his Bible.

#STRask: Do Atheists Read the Bible More Literally Than Christians?

Questions about whether atheists read the Bible more literally than Christians because they don’t have to make up excuses for what it says and how to make a case for the attributes of God by arguing from cosmology rather than the Bible.

Can We Argue for God from the Existence of Beauty?

Greg answers questions about arguing for the existence of God based on the beauty we see in the world, what Paul means when he says we are “fellow heirs with Christ,” whether the Father poured out his wrath on Jesus at the cross, and a response to a neighbor’s Halloween decorations.

#STRask: What if Someone Uses the Columbo Tactic against Us?

Questions about what to do if someone uses the Columbo tactic against you, why some Christians say that only some doctrines matter and should be defended, and whether the extent to which one spends time and resources looking for answers to apologetics questions can become wrong.

Tactics for the Street

Greg talks about the ideas in his new book, Street Smarts, explaining how it expands his Tactics material and how it will give people more confidence responding to objections and making the case for Christianity, then he answers a question about recommendations for starting an apologetics group.

#STRask: What Are Your Thoughts on Aliens?

Questions about whether the aliens people encounter are really evil spirits, whether the supposed biological pieces of crashed UFO pilots could be biological evidence of demons or angels, and what impact true evidence of aliens would have on the faith of Christians.

Is It Difficult to Define a Woman?

Why has it become so hard to define a woman? Alan looks at a few definitions that are offered, explains what’s wrong with them, and then offers his own definition.

Solid Ground

Christian Living

Silly Putty Bible Study

Some evangelicals search the Bible for a personal “word” from the Spirit that is unrelated to the text’s original meaning, and the results can be silly or even dangerous. Regardless of the outcome, this practice is always a bad habit. Here’s why.

I’d Like to Have an Argument, Please

Careful thinking is an indispensable tool for all who are interested in knowing the way the world really is, for those who really do love truth. Thankfully, the tools of thinking are simple ones that anyone can learn to use. Here’s what you need to assess a basic argument.

Faith Is Not Wishing

True biblical faith is essential for salvation. But faith—and its relation to evidence—is often deeply misunderstood in a way that hurts Christianity and harms Christians. Here’s what the Bible has to say about the true nature of faith.

Mélange – Part 2

How much sin can God forgive? Does it matter if we evolved? Why did God...? What role should Christianity play in our government? Greg addresses these topics and more in this issue of Solid Ground.