Apologetic: Did the Resurrection Really Happen?

Topic:

The resurrection of Jesus is the basis of our salvation. In dying and rising from the dead Jesus conquered death and defeated sin. Paul writes that if Christ didn’t rise from the dead or faith is worthless and we are to be pitied (1 Cor 15:14-19). Is there really reason to believe Jesus rose from the dead as the Bible said he did?

Facts of the Resurrection: (Adapted from an article by Sean McDowell)

Miracles happen. Even today countless people have stories of being healed without any medical explanation, getting checks or money to cover expenses that a person had no money to pay for, and countless little miracles that we often miss.

Jesus Died. All four gospels agree about this. Jesus was crucified by Romans. The Romans were professional killers and would not make a mistake. Crucifixions have not been practiced for hundreds of years because of the brutality of them. If Jesus were sentenced to be crucified it would happen. In John 19 water and blood come out of Jesus’ side. Biologically this can only happen when someone is dead. Jesus’ death by crucifixion is recorded by ancient historians (Josephus and Tacitus)

The Tomb was Empty. It was a new tomb. When the women and the disciples went to see Jesus’ grave it was empty. Women would be the least credible people in Jesus day to report about anything let alone Jesus coming back to life. The government trying to cover up what happened by saying the apostles moved the body suggests they were scrambling and needed to come up with another plausible story.

Jesus Appeared to People After His Death. The gospels tell us that Jesus appeared to the women in the garden, the apostles, and even 500 people at once. When the gospels were written, many of these people were still alive and would have been able to speak up if something was being misconstrued.

Biblical foundation:

Read the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ death and resurrection in Matthew 27:33-28:20, Mark 15:22-16:20, Luke 23:33-24:53, Acts 1:1-11 (The end of Luke’s account), John 19:16-21:25.

Where to start: 

There is significant evidence for the reliability of the Bible including the Gospels. Many people try to discredit the Gospels because it means they don’t have to deal with what Jesus said and did. We can be confident in Christ and God’s work in us because of the resurrection.

Where to learn more:

The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel is one of the strongest apologetics for Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

Evidence for the Reliability of the Gospels

Evidence for the Resurrection

Apologetic: Is The Bible Reliable?

Topic:

Faith plays a major role in Christianity. Many people criticize this fact, but our faith is not blind. We have knowledge about God from general revelation (nature) and special revelation (those things about God revealed by the supernatural, especially Scripture). We can trust this and have our own experiences with God through our relationship with him. The Bible is foundational in what we know about God. It is often described as his love letter to us that reveals who he is and what he has done. People try to discredit the Bible as a way to disprove God or poke holes in our faith. The Bible is historical and reliable.

Facts:

1. The Bible has 66 books written by 40 authors over 1600 years. 

2. All the books agree with each other and fit in to the same grand story of God. 

3. The Bible was written in Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic.

4. There are over 4000 manuscripts or copies of books of the Bible. Other ancient texts such as Plato and Aristotle are based on a handful of manuscripts from more than a thousand years later.

5. The copies can be traced back to within 35-100 years of when the original would have been written. 

6. There are multiple copies of each book. The “errors” from one manuscript to another can be credited to copying mistakes and do not significantly alter the meaning of what is written.

7. Our modern translations are based on the best and oldest manuscripts of each book and are translated by committees to remain faithful to the original message. 

8. Archeology has continually affirmed the historical accuracy of the Bible. Some places archeologists have discovered were only known about from the Bible.

Biblical foundation:

The Bible is the inspired word of God spoken through people (2 Tim 3:16). The Holy Spirit worked in them (2 Peter 1:21). The Bible can be trusted for salvation through faith in Christ, right beliefs, and growing in God. The Bible is inerrant (without errors) and authoritative.

Where to start:

There is a lot of research and a lot written about the reliability of the Bible and the Gospels. Start with what someone is challenging about the Bible and look into it. You can find solid answers to these concerns and learn a lot more in the process.

Where to learn more:

Most of these cover several topics about the reliability of Scripture. Find one that fits you or your students to learn more:

Why You Can Believe the Bible By Every Student, a Christian organization focusing on answers to questions from teens

What To Say When Someone Says The Bible Has Errors By the Resurgence, the theology branch ministry of Mars Hill Church. A thorough and focused answer.

Is the Bible Reliable? - Seven Questions By Bible.org

Can We Trust The Bible? The Top 3 Reasons the Bible is Reliable (Video) Is the New Testament Reliable? Academic and apologetic articles from Stand to Reason a Christian philosophical organization.

Is the Bible Reliable? By Focus on the Family, a leading Christian based family organization

Apologetic: Creation

Topic:

In popular opinion many people consider evolution to be a mainline belief about the origin of everything. While this is the majority position, many people still affirm creation and have doubts about the big bang starting everything. This topic has been controversial for years, while the Christian view is less prominent than it was, Christians are having better conversations about creation and God’s role in it. Much of this has come from proponents of Intelligent Design a movement to present an intelligent designer as a possible origin of everything alongside evolution in biology classes across the country. The question at the center of this controversy can be boiled down to “Does God exist?” Those who support creation or Intelligent Design(usually, but not always) point to God as the source of everything. People who deny God’s existence have to look for another way to explain how everything came to be and they do this by supporting evolution.

Purpose:

The origin of life and everything in the world is a fundamental place to look for God. In looking at creation we find evidence of God and can strengthen our faith in him. A professor once said “If God could create everything out of nothing, the virgin birth and resurrection are no problem.” Starting with creation gives us a sense of the eternality, power, and sovereignty of God.

Biblical foundation:

The Bible can lead to two conclusions about creation. The majority position is that God created the world and everything in it in a Literal 7 days, meaning that each day described in Genesis is a 24 hour day just as we understand days now. Others come to the conclusion of theistic evolution based on the Day-Age Theory. This theory assumes that the days mentioned in Genesis were not literal days, but periods of time. God was the creator, but creation came to be through evolution during the “age” that was each “day” recorded in the Bible. Genesis 1, Genesis 2, and John 1:1-18 give us the clearest understanding what was going on at Creation. God is understood as the creator throughout Scripture. One of the most clear claims by God about his role as creator comes in response to Job challenging God after he has lost everything. God begins to answer Job by saying “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know!” (Job 38:4-5).

Where to start:

In “debating” or discussing this topic respect and grace are important. This topic isn’t limited to the question of origin, but extends beyond religion and science to politics and culture. People can get heated quickly when their views are challenged, which can cause them to stop listening. People can see a car crash and have two different stories about how it happened. The same is true with evidence about creation or evolution. Looking at the same data, people can recognize what supports their view point. Ask probing questions and be willing to listen. Keep in mind that God is the one that transforms people. Your best argument will help plant seeds for faith, but won’t change or save anyone.

What others might say:

Since the implications of this topic (views about God) can bleed into so many areas of life, discussing creation and evolution can get personal and nasty. Recognize that we are all sinners. God’s grace and Spirit in us are changing us, those who don’t know God are still hardened toward God and truth.

Where to learn more:

This subject is debated by some of the smartest people alive. These links will help you understand this topic, but may be a little bit academic.

Intelligent Design: Arguments for a designer

Facts vs. Faith in the debate about Creation and Evolution

Bill Nye Vs. Ken Ham debate. One of the most popular debates on this subject.

Expelled is a documentary looking at how Intelligent Design education is suppressed in favor of evolution. It goes to some extremes, but provides some context for the debate. 

The College Students Back to School Guide to Intelligent Design. This short ebook answers criticism teachers often give of Intelligent Design.

Cutting/Self Injury

The Issue:

Self Injury (SI) or Self Harm happens in many ways. It could be hitting oneself, breaking bones, picking scabs, biting or burning. Cutting is the most common. SI is a coping mechanism like drinking, pornography, or being busy. Cutting can be a medicine to numb out stress and pressure. Many students don’t have the skills to handle the fears, anxiety, and confusion of being a teenager. They look for an external release to the inward conflict they face. Seeking relief in this way can lead to cutting or self injury as a habit. There may be some connection between suicide and SI. Most teens who self injure have no intention to commit suicide, they are trying to cope with the life they are living.

The Concern:

Self injury is not limited to the stereotype of troubled teen girls. Many “normal” and “well adjusted” guys and girls self injure. Teens who self injure are looking for answers and hope in a very dangerous way. While suicide or serious harm are not the goal of self injury, it is possible for things to get out of hand and serious damage to occur. When students self injure there are other serious issues going on that need to be addressed.

The Bible:

God created man in his image (Gen. 1:27). There is tremendous value in this. Each of our students were uniquely created for a purpose. Self injury comes out of a false understanding of the student’s value before God who gave his son to die for them. 

In the Old Testament, God made a law prohibiting self mutilation (Lev. 19:28) to distinguish his people from the pagans around them who would cut or mutilate themselves in worship to false gods. While this law is not required of believers the same way today, it demonstrates God’s value of the person and the body and behaving differently than the culture nearby.

Paul in the New Testament talks about the true owner of the body of the believer. In talking about sexual issues in 1 Cor. 6:19-20, Paul says that the body is where the Holy Spirit lives. It is a sacred gift from God that he paid a high price for. The truth of this passage applies to self injury and defiling the temple of the Holy Spirit that is God’s no longer ours as believers.

Places to start:

What you say won't be nearly as important as how you say it. To open the conversation, you might simply say that you know about the cutting, and then convey your concern, love, and your willingness to help.

• Let them know you are there to talk when their feelings get to be too much
• Help them come up with things to do instead of cutting or self-injury
• Pray, listen to worship music, journal, talk to you or a friend, take a nap, exercise, etc.
• Talk about feelings, success, and disappointment in everyday life so they don’t pile up
• Address the trouble they are dealing with, but also help them see the good things in their life.

Places to stay away:

Teens who cut or self-injure have very serious problems that are coming up in unhealthy ways.

• Don’t threaten them or devalue them, instead offer comfort.
• Focusing too much on the cutting (unless there are health issues) while neglecting the deeper issues going on.

Where to learn more:

http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/help_cutting.html#

http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/cutting.html#

http://www.parenting.org/article/understanding-teen-cutting-and-self-injury

http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/cutting-self-harm-signs-treatment

http://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-self-mutilation.html

http://christianstudentsmentalhealth.webs.com/selfharm.htm

Dr. Drew is a popular doctor that students probably know about and may trust for advice. In this case we trust him too. Here is what he says about cutting. http://www.oprah.com/relationships/Teens-and-Cutting-Q-and-A-with-Dr-Drew-Pinsky

6 Weekly Tasks of a LifeGroup Leader

This is a guide for the leaders of all of Beachpoint's LifeGroups to know what is expected of them. It will help you be more effective in leading your LifeGroup and caring for students.

      1.    Pray for your LifeGroup members.

Pray for your people every week! You do the possible and ask God to do the impossible in their lives! Create a list of prayer requests during the group to help you remember what to pray for and what to follow up on! It’s also an excellent way to start off your discussion the following week to see together how God is answering prayer!

2.    Prepare to facilitate your LifeGroup.

A good LifeGroup leader doesn’t arrive unprepared to facilitate the discussion having spent less than 15 minutes looking at the questions. Be sure to carve out time to prepare. If you have a co-leader in the group, at least call to get on the same page, if not to talk about how you’ll work together that week. The earlier you prepare, the less you’ll be caught off guard by a difficult-to-grasp passage, issue or oddly written question. Good preparation will always lead to better discussion!

3.    Let God’s Spirit lead you during the discussion.

Be prepared to lead the discussion questions, but if you sense God doing something, move with Him. Don’t hide behind the Spirit and be unprepared, but don’t fight the Holy Spirit stirring either!

4.    Seek out the one.

      Be on the lookout for someone in your group who may need special attention. The signs can be subtle; they are more quiet than usual, more high strung, or they use language that hints at something that’s going on the inside that they’re afraid to talk about in the group. Chances are good that someone will need you more than the rest that week. When you get the feeling that someone needs some extra attention – you’re probably right and should seek them out for some one-on-one discussion.

5.    Direct people towards transformation.

Remember, the LifeGroup is an open door to discipleship. Challenge your group as a group and as individuals to take steps of transformation. It could be getting baptized, or serving, or beginning to read the Bible for themselves; whatever it may be, don’t shy away from leading them in this way!

6.    Follow up with people who weren’t there.

      A short text or phone call goes a LONG way. Make quick connections with the people who missed. Maybe the door will be open for significant conversation, and at the very least they’ll feel cared for and missed! If you’re calling students, try and use their home phone in the hopes that the parents will answer. This parental opportunity can create a great chance for you as the leader to brag on their kid, and in doing so, minister to them!

      How have you seen these tasks benefit your group? Share in the comments.

Youth Ministry Success Pyramid

The goal of youth ministry is for Christ to transform students' hearts and lives. This pyramid is a quick guide illustrating what we value and how we do youth ministry at Beachpoint. 

Thank you for being an invaluable part of our ministry! Your relationship with Christ and caring for our students and their families help make all of this possible.

We love celebrating success. Feel free to share how you have seen God work in these areas in the comments.

Abuse/Violence/Bullying

The Issue:

Abuse/violence/bullying can take many forms. It could be words people say or write (on paper or technology) that cut at people or wear them down. Abuse and bullying can also be physical including being hit or shoved or involving weapons. Sometimes this violence is targeted on purpose, sometimes it is random. How ever abuse/violence/bullying come about students are hurt and can often be devastated by what has happened. They can feel hopeless and worthless or may only be starting to experience feelings that lead them to these desperate places. Abuse/violence/bullying attack a student’s self-image, self-worth, and development.

The Concern:

Our students mean a lot to us and they mean a lot to God. We want them to view themselves as the special competent creation God made them to be. Abuse/violence/bullying attack this self-understanding in a huge way. It diminishes their understanding of how valuable they are and who they were made to be. These tragedies can also lead to many questions about God and how such things could happen under His watch.

The Bible:

Joseph was picked on by his brothers but God was at work preparing Joseph to serve Him greatly. Goliath tormented the Israelites until a small shepherd, David, came and defeated him with Godly confidence. Saul persecuted the church until God appeared to him on the road to Damascus and transformed his life. The Bible tells us stories of redemption and hope. Many of the Psalms are David’s writings when he is been attacked or chased. He vents and pleads for justice on the people oppressing him, but always holds out hope.

Places to start:

Be welcoming and inviting in your group. We all have things that could be made fun of, we don’t need anyone to point them out to us. We want to be relational. This means accepting differences not pointing them out. By leading in being relational with students, you can help them see hope in relationships and find people that really care about them. Help them come up with boundaries that can protect them from future abuse/violence/bullying. Check in with them and encourage them to keep these boundaries. Boundaries take courage, which can be hard for victims to muster.

If students are abused in any way make sure you talk to Brandon or Matt! A report may need to be filed with the police to help protect our students. This can be a challenging process, but it is for their good. Don’t try to protect them yourself.

Places to stay away:

Students who are able to talk about bullying/violence/abuse have often experienced pain over time. They have tried to manage it and cope with it themselves and now they are reaching out for help. Don’t minimize their pain or tell them things will get better with time. They have seen that time usually doesn’t change things and that’s why they are coming to you. Don’t blame them for being the victim. They could have made different choices to avoid a problem, but maybe not. After they have been hurt its too late to talk like this.

Where to learn more:

More verses to look at:

http://www.openbible.info/topics/bullying

http://christianteens.about.com/od/Bible_Verses_On/a/Bible-Verses-On-Bullying.htm

http://www.examiner.com/list/eleven-bible-verses-that-address-bullying

Cyber bullying:

stopcyberbullying.org

wiredsafety.com

More Info:

http://www.freetobeme.com/ive-been-bullied/

(this is not an endorsement of this site, but there is helpful information to understand what your student may be going through)