Category
Applied
Description
There is a subtle confusion between the objectives of evangelism and apologetics, leaving some senior adult church members unknowingly ill-equipped and intimidated to defend their Christian values. The purpose of this Doctor of Ministry action research was to address that intimidation by training seniors in a dedicated faith-values curriculum to become confident apologetic communicators. The intervention leveraged the process of intergenerational values-sharing while training stakeholders to develop their own faith narratives by seamlessly integrating biblical values with relevant apologetic particulars into personal stories to be shared with their grandchildren. In this environment, participants could develop a personal faith narrative that incorporates the biblical values they hold dear, while also emphasizing apologetic content that made a difference in their lives. The project was conducted in a local church setting and employed a mixed-methods approach. The intervention began with a three-week preaching series clarifying the distinct purposes of evangelism and apologetics, followed by a seven-week apologetics workshop. Surveys were administered pre- and post-intervention, with interviews and journals collected throughout the study to measure participants’ attitudes toward apologetics, feelings of intimidation, and growth in epistemic confidence. The exercise in the relational dyad served as a training ground for developing a gentle form of apologetic boldness. This relational model of apologetics also encouraged personal connections, theological inquiry, and heartfelt discussion. So, the intervention focused on an apologetic presentation of the biblical gospel, with a loving concern for the listener, in an intergenerational context.
"Intergenerational Apologetics: A Strategy for Careful Confidence." A DMin Thesis Project.
Applied
There is a subtle confusion between the objectives of evangelism and apologetics, leaving some senior adult church members unknowingly ill-equipped and intimidated to defend their Christian values. The purpose of this Doctor of Ministry action research was to address that intimidation by training seniors in a dedicated faith-values curriculum to become confident apologetic communicators. The intervention leveraged the process of intergenerational values-sharing while training stakeholders to develop their own faith narratives by seamlessly integrating biblical values with relevant apologetic particulars into personal stories to be shared with their grandchildren. In this environment, participants could develop a personal faith narrative that incorporates the biblical values they hold dear, while also emphasizing apologetic content that made a difference in their lives. The project was conducted in a local church setting and employed a mixed-methods approach. The intervention began with a three-week preaching series clarifying the distinct purposes of evangelism and apologetics, followed by a seven-week apologetics workshop. Surveys were administered pre- and post-intervention, with interviews and journals collected throughout the study to measure participants’ attitudes toward apologetics, feelings of intimidation, and growth in epistemic confidence. The exercise in the relational dyad served as a training ground for developing a gentle form of apologetic boldness. This relational model of apologetics also encouraged personal connections, theological inquiry, and heartfelt discussion. So, the intervention focused on an apologetic presentation of the biblical gospel, with a loving concern for the listener, in an intergenerational context.
