We are not here to "defend" faith. We are here to serve.[W]e can begin to work, with our reason and with God, to help people deal with their pain, suffering, and doubts. Am I going to attack people if they don't agree with me about that? No. But I do worry about them a little bit. For instance, students often have interesting notions about apologetics. Here's a statement from one of them: "Apologetics is a study in the practice of defending the Christian faith against the array of challenges, critical attacks, and scrutinizing questions leveled contrary to it by unbelievers." And another: "Apologetics is the vindication of the Christian philosophy of life against the various forms of non-Christian philosophies of life." No—that is not the New Testament conception of apologetics. I'm not here to defend the Christian faith; the Christian faith defends me. I'm here to help people wherever I am. And sometimes that requires that I make some pretty strong statements, so I will indeed make those statements. I certainly am not talking about being a soft little person who goes along looking sweet and smiley. There's a time to be very strong in your affirmation, but there is no need for defensiveness. There is no need to set out to vindicate yourself, for Christ has already vindicated. Don't worry about it. Help people who are having real trouble in accepting and believing. From The Allure of Gentleness: Defending the Faith in the Manner of Jesus. Copyright © 2015 by Dallas Willard. All rights reserved. Used with permission of HarperCollins Publishers.
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