Our faith in God is not static, or at least it shouldn’t be. It is clear from scripture that God has revealed Himself in nature and in His Son who died for us 2,000 years ago. Christian apologetics has supplemented my faith in more ways than I could have ever imagined. As a father, Christian apologetics has made the most significant impact on my life. Here are three ways apologetics has helped me as a dad.

1. Apologetics enhances my conversations with other parents.

We take our daughters, to the YMCA every day. There my wife can get her exercise, the girls can play, while I read, study, or work (I know I need to work out ok!). Invariably, we meet other parents and strike up conversations. While at the table reading a book on the resurrection or philosophy of religion, fellow parents will ask, “Hey, what are you reading?” I love that question! It allows me to utilize apologetics to promote the Christian worldview. Apologetics enables me to meet other parents where they are in their spiritual journey in hopes that they might know Jesus.

2. Apologetics enhances my conversations with my kids.

I know my kids are incredibly young. However, I’m taking this precious time to prepare for the future. The world we live in is a post-Christian world. Additionally, post-modernism, secularism, and the rise of atheism globally have not taken place in a vacuum, nor is the gospel proclaimed in a vacuum. Christianity is declared with the backdrop of the culture in mind. With this realization, comes the sobering reality that my two daughters will grow up in a world hostile to Christianity. Thus, I need to be prepared. Apologetics helps me prepare for the toughest objections my daughters encounter during formative and young adult years.

3. Apologetics defeats the myth of emotionalism.

Often, Christianity acquires the label of being merely an emotional experience void of any intellectual engagement. Apologetics removes that label because the discipline utilizes philosophy, science, history, art, etc., to show that Christianity is true. Apologetics provides an intellectual framework for an increased emotional connection to God. I look forward as a father to helping my girls deepen their relationship with God through apologetics.

Conclusion

While I could make a more extensive list, these are three reasons why apologetics has helped me as a father. My prayer is that they inspire other fathers to study apologetics too.