Are Christians afraid of talking about Jesus?

My thoughts after interviewing Aaron Pontious, Youth Minister and Christian Apologist.

Are Christians afraid of talking about Jesus? My answer is no. I think Christians are in fact afraid of the questions our skeptic friends might ask about Him, which is what happens after they talk about Jesus. That is a whole different way to approach this topic and this is something that it was mentioned during my interview with Aaron Pontious.

Should Christians know all answers to the most difficult questions? I’ll answer the question with another question, à la Jesus: is that even possible? All of us make decisions about our lives by putting together all the evidence we have at hand, and this evidence is not usually irrefutable proof for us to determine that we are making the right decision. Did I know that my incredible wife was going to be incredible for the rest of our lives together? No, but I still wanted to marry her after putting my faith in the evidence I gathered as we dated and had conversations with each other. As her personality unfolded through conversations, as I saw her acting and reacting to certain situations life was throwing at her, I saw her character and learned about her. With all this information, I made a projection into the future and determined that my faith was supported by good evidence about the fact that my wife was going to be incredible for the rest of her life with me. As of now, I was right. Therefore, faith is the destiny to which we arrive when we walk the path of evidence. Scientists do this every morning in the lab when, for example, a mathematician adds a new variable to an equation because she has evidence and faith that this would take her to a new level of understanding.

Blind faith is something utterly different, but we don’t have time to talk about that right now.

So, Christians don’t have to have all answers to follow Christ, nor an expertise in rhetoric and dialectic. However, the other side of the coin is this: Christians should know how to express the hope that they have in them, and this is why Christian apologetics is crucial in today’s world.

There are two types of skeptics (the same apply to Christians): those who know why they are skeptics, and those who don’t. Those who know why they are skeptics are people who used their reasoning, critical thinking and honesty to search answers to difficult questions and didn’t find them. Usually, they know how to put aside their rational and irrational emotions, and follow the evidence where it leads them. All questions that challenge Christianity must be considered, but questions from skeptics who know why they are skeptics must be celebrated! Usually skeptical unbelievers (and believers) who don’t know why they believe what they believe, they do it exclusively on the basis of emotions (except for specific cases).

How should we answer questions which challenge the Christian worldview?

This is the breaking point in my conversation with Aaron Pontious. He focused not on what to say, but how to say it. What an incredibly humbling way to approach a conversation. Your character, how you treat others, how much you care about the human behind the argument…this is the best “apologia” for the Christian faith. Pay attention to this: Aaron is a person that spent two years studying Christian apologetics, delving into philosophical, theological and scientific arguments for the existence of God at one of the most famous Universities in the world where one can do that: Biola University. But, no…start with the heart.

Aaron Pontious reminded us of something: not all answers are formed by words and conveyed through speech; in fact, answers which don’t use words are usually the ones with the most potential to change the world and people around you.

Be what you say.

Pedro R. García.

Founder of Ask and Wonder.