Mark J. Farnham. Every Believer Confident: Apologetics for the Ordinary Christian. Sisters, OR: Deep Rive Books, January 31st 2020. 56 pp.
5 out of 5
Purchase: Amazon
Looking for a beginner’s introduction to apologetics without the book being too heavily laden with philosophy? This book would be for you. I enjoyed this book quite a bit. The author Mark Farnham is a graduate from Westminster Theological Seminary’ doctoral program in apologetics, home of where the father of Presuppositional apologetics taught at. But don’t let that intimidate you, Farnham writes in a style that is aimed for the “ordinary Christian” which I appreciated very much. One thing that stood out to me in this book is the author’s humility even in the beginning of the book. He admit his own struggle in the past with fear and also lack of confidence to evangelize. I appreciate that, since he’s modeling what godliness looks like in apologetics which including admitting your weakness but also trusting in God for help.
After the acknowledgement and introduction the book consists of thirteen chapters and a conclusion. The end of the book also have a bibliography of suggested resources and a page of how to contact the author. After defining what is apologetics in the first chapter the book in chapter two shows that apologetics is biblical before moving to the third chapter on the power of apologetics. Here in the third chapter I appreciated Fanham reminding us that apologetics is spiritual warfare, which we rely on the Spirit even in the task of apologetics and that means practically we pray to God for the salvation of unbelievers. Following this is a chapter titled “Understanding Unbelievers” and it is one of the chapters in the book I really enjoyed. The author’s discussion about what the Bible teaches about unbelievers wasn’t academic but practical: Farnham’s point here is that knowing what God says about the nature of unbelieves will alleviate our fears in witnessing (64). Here the author gives us a study on Romans 1 and its application and it was laid out and well done exegesis. Chapters five through nine really is the bread and butter of the book, going over apologetics’ tactics with chapter ten reviewing what was taught and focus on a case study for readers to practice one’s apologetics. Chapter 11 through 13 is on “Knowing What you believe” which goes over what is basic biblical Christianity since the author argues knowing right biblical doctrines helps us to know what we are defending and also how to defend the biblical worldview. I love this for its true. Also I thought it was interesting he laid out what is Christianity towards the end of the book instead of the beginning and I think that can work too, though it seems most Presuppositional apologetics’ book frontload the theological foundation first and then discuss about apologetics but this book does it differently.
Whether you are new to apologetics or you are a seasoned saint who uses apologetics regularly this book is worthwhile. I love how the book goes over practical help for conversations with nonbelievers. He talks quite a bit about the use of questions and also identifying informal logical fallacies in the book. The book points out how the advantage of use of questions in evangelistic and apologetics’ discussions are many such as encouraging conversations with a nonbeliever to continue in order to share the Gospel to him or her and also unbelievers arrive at the conclusion of their faulty beliefs and are more willing to think about his or her error as a result of questions. I also like his own every day example of evangelism from his life, that’s very encouraging to see him modeling what he teaches!
I recommend this book. The book doesn’t promise to answer everything but it does lay a framework for how to evangelize and defend your faith while giving helpful counsel of apologetics’ tactics at the conversational level.
Thanks for taking time to review this. Very helpful.
Thanks, brother! This looks good.
This is something for those who are theological 101 types! How is your day thus far?
Sweet I can recommend this to Theology 101 types of brothers and sisters.
RE: My day
Thanks, brother! Our oldest son was letting me borrow an extra laptop he had for my job search. He needed it back so all of today was spent coming up with another resource. I’ll have to switch my document software from Microsoft Word (which I don’t have on my jalopy PC) to free Google Docs. I think it’s very doable, I just have to get familiar with it. Very rainy and windy here in ROC so I also drove my wife to the MD and am keeping busy on my iPhone in the parking lot. How’s your day going my friend?
Almost forgot, I do appreciate those books that are targeted towards Theology 101 types like myself.
God does tell us to ‘come as little children’ so simple is a good thing.
Amen; how are you holding up this past week with this virus situation in your part of the country?
We are good. Mississippi has been hit but I live out in the boon docks and only go to town maybe once a week or so…with a mask I might add.
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Sounds like a good read
Thanks! How was it doing your Skype teaching this past week with those precious young souls?
It went well, thanks for asking. I’m looking forward to our next meet at the end of the month. Hope you are keeping well?
Simple is good…:-) Thanks!
I will remember this.
Does he use/teach presuppositional apologetics? If not, what school of apologetics does the author seem to rely on?
He is a Presuppositionalist gathering from this review
[…] 5.) Review: Every Believer Confident: Apologetics for the Ordinary Christian […]
I’m looking forward to good reading during my self-quarantine
We need more lay level Pesup work
Seems like an excellent book SlimJim
[…] Every Believer Confident: Apologetics for the Ordinary Christian […]
Between the two you recommend for intro from your Christmas list, I think I’m going to narrow it to this one that I will purchase. Thank you!
After reading your reviews I narrowed it down to purchasing this work
[…] I have reviewed that book here. […]
Thanks for the review.
You are welcome