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What You Have Heard from Me in the Presence of Many Witnesses Entrust to Faithful Men Who Will Be Able to Teach Others Also.”

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What You Have Heard from Me in the Presence of Many Witnesses Entrust to Faithful Men Who Will Be Able to Teach Others Also.” This material is provided by our friends at The Timothy Initiative, which exists to advance Christ's Kingdom by multiplying disciples and disciple- making churches around the world. We encourage you to explore their ministry at www.ttionline.org. “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” - 2 Timothy 2:2 Book 10: Apologetics Church History Spiritual Warfare Dr. Henry Oursler with Dr. Greg Kappas & Rev. Jared Nelms, Eds. Copyright © 2011 TTI. ttionline.org TTI Publications Acknowledgements TTI gives special gratitude to the Docent Group and the leadership of Glenn Lucke and Jared Wilson (Docent Executive Editor for this project). The Docent writer, Michael Graham tackled a large project with grace. We are very thankful to Dr. David Nichols and his research and thinking behind this book. TTI is grateful for Dr. Henry Oursler and his extensive rewrite and to Dr. Greg Kappas and Rev. Jared Nelms for their work to build upon this. This is a combination of three books into one and required meticulous work. TTI also gives thanks to Dr. David Nelms, our Founder/President for his vision and influence to see this New Curriculum written. Dr. Nelms has lived humbly to see you succeed greatly in Jesus Christ. We express our gratitude for the fine, long editorial labor to TTI Executive Editor and Director, Dr. Greg Kappas and the Executive Editorial Assistant and International Director, Rev. Jared Nelms. In addition we thank the entire TTI editorial team of Dr. David Nelms, Rev. Jesse Nelms, Rev. Larry Starkey, Rev. Lou Mancari and Dr. David Nichols. Each of you has given such remarkable grace to us and now to these church planters. TTI is greatly appreciative of the Grace Fellowship elders, pastors, administrative staff, leaders and GF family. TTI was birthed out of this “church for all nations.” Thank you for your generosity in launching this exponential network of church planting movements. TTI’s Board of Directors has given us freedom and focus to excel still more. We are deeply moved by these men and women of God. Our TTI investor base of financial and prayer partners extend around the globe. These individuals, churches, ministries, networks, corporations and organizations are essential and strategic to our collective health and Kingdom impact. Thank you! We thank the TTI Continental Directors, Regional Directors, National Directors and District/Training Center Leaders for your ministry of love and commitment. You are the ones that forge into new and current frontiers with the Gospel. You truly are our heroes. Finally, we are forever grateful to you, the church planter. You are planting an orchard, a church-planting center through your local church that will touch your region and the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are honored to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and you. You will make a difference for our great God as you multiply healthy churches for His glory. We love you and believe in you! TTI Staff Team March 2011 This workbook is the tenth of ten workbooks which assist in equipping church planting leaders to start churches that saturate a region and help reach every man, woman and child with the Good News of our Lord. Below, is the list of this initial Curriculum. TTI Curriculum Workbook Number/Course: 1. Hermeneutics 2. Homiletics 3. Church Planting (New Testament – Acts, Evangelism, Discipleship, Spiritual Life, T4T) 4. Old Testament 1 5. Old Testament 2 6. New Testament Gospels 7. New Testament Pastoral Epistles 8. New Testament General Letters 9. Major Bible Doctrines 10. Apologetics-Church History-Spiritual Warfare Table of Contents Introduction .......................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1: Historical Apologetics ........................................................ 5 Chapter 2: Cultural Apologetics ......................................................... 31 Chapter 3: World Religions & Cults .................................................. 60 Chapter 4: Church History ................................................................ 107 Chapter 5: Spiritual Warfare ............................................................. 155 Conclusion ........................................................................................ 176 Endnotes ........................................................................................... 181 Introduction 1. We are in a Battle! Have you noticed? We’re in a battle! It’s a battle for the Truth of God. It’s a battle that involves the hearts and souls of men and women around the world. As a church planter, you are in the front of these attacks. You are winning converts and preaching the Gospel in lands that have long been controlled by false religions. And the enemy takes notice. We’re in a battle. There are many attacks in this battle. Some are attacks on the Bible. Some threaten to distort our understanding of Jesus and the salvation He has brought. Others are attacks on the credibility of our message. They are all designed to discourage you and stop the planting of new, multiplying churches and the spread of the Gospel. Some attacks come from followers of other religions. Other attacks come from atheists who would say there is no God. Behind all these attacks are Satan and his demonic forces. The devil does not want you to do what you are doing. So we must be prepared for his attacks and arm ourselves with the truth. This book was written to help you: understand why we believe in our Lord, to help you see what God has done through the history of the church, to give you answers that will aid you in ministering to those in your culture, and to help you in your battle against the world, the flesh, and Satan. 1 Peter 3:15-16: But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.1 1 You already have or will be planting a new church in a culture that is most likely very difficult. There will be serious opposition. People will not like what you have to say. They will even insult you and perhaps physically attack you. Many will question why you are doing what you are doing. But when you know the truth, you will be able to stand firm and boldly minister the Gospel in Jesus’ name. John tells us to be firm in our character and to show them the love, grace, and peace of Christ. You will be able to plant a strong church that will plant other churches that will plant other churches. 2. How This Book Will Help You The first two chapters of this book are on Christian apologetics. Christian apologetics is the study and defense of why we believe what we believe. Christian apologetics answers the question, “Is our faith believable?” These chapters offer reasons why our faith makes sense. The first of these chapters is on Historical Apologetics. This chapter explains that Jesus was a historical figure, discusses the truthfulness of the Bible, and shows how the Gospels testify that Jesus was God, and that He died, was buried, and was raised on the third day. This is the heart of the Gospel message that you will proclaim as a new church planter in your village or city. The second chapter is on Cultural Apologetics. This chapter shows the reader how to think Biblically. The Bible is completely true and explains everything we know, see, and experience. There are many religions and philosophies that try to explain the whole world. This is important for you to know because you will encounter some of these religions and philosophies in your ministry. We will also examine six frequent questions that non- Christians raise about the Christian faith. These first two chapters speak to what Peter said, that you must be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. In the third chapter, we will examine twenty-one different world religions and cults. Some of these are religions or cults that are operating in your country. Some of them have very passionate 2 followers. And yet we must remember that God loves these people. He cares for them deeply – and will use you as a church planter and evangelist to present the Gospel to them. The fourth chapter gives an overview of two thousand years of the history of the church. Church history helps us to learn where we came from, what we believe, and important lessons that can be learned from the lives of those who have come before us. Church History will help us to give a reason for the hope that we have in Christ and will help us see where church planting fits into God’s overall plan. The fifth chapter will give Biblical and practical steps in dealing with spiritual warfare. 1 John 2:16 says, For all that is in the world -- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life -- is not of the Father but is of the world. Spiritual warfare is the reality that the world, the flesh, and Satan hate and want to destroy us. In this chapter we will examine these three enemies to the Christian and give practical steps in battling against these enemies. John warns us that we will face conflict when we share our faith with others. You will be more prepared to face opposition when you understand the attacks from the world, the flesh, and Satan. 3. Stand Firm! Paul writes, Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord (1 Cor.
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