The Missouri Baptist Convention is making it easier for MBC churches to train their congregations to defend the Christian faith.
The MBC has launched the Missouri Baptist Apologetics Network, a group of church leaders committed to the defense of the Christian faith and called to equip believers to more effectively share their faith.
Each leader is an active member of a Missouri Baptist church and engaged in an apologetics ministry.
Inaugural members of the network are Eugene Curry (816.741.1411, ecury@parkhillbaptistchurch.org), senior pastor of Park Hill Baptist Church, Kansas City; Bill Victor (573.680.4265, bvictor@mobaptist.org), elder-teaching pastor at Missio Dei Community Church, Columbia; and Julie Loos (636.227.1383, julieloos@ratiochristi.org), director of prayer and women’s outreach for Ratio Christi, an evangelical non-profit organization that strengthens the faith of college students.
These leaders are available to speak in churches and at conferences. Information about them and their areas of expertise are found at mobaptist.org/apologetics. Topics range from arguments for God’s existence to apologetics training for women and children.
“Our vision is to equip every Missouri Baptist to defend the Christian faith with gentleness and respect, according to 1 Peter 3:15-16,” said Rob Phillips, network coordinator and apologetics strategist for the MBC. “That’s what apologetics means: a reasonable defense of the Christian faith.”
The demand by MBC churches for apologetics training is growing since the convention began an apologetics ministry in 2012, said Phillips. The network is the MBC’s effort to connect gifted Missouri Baptist apologists with more local churches to help them make disciples.
Each network member is an MBC-approved Christian apologist committed to equipping others to defend the faith by speaking and providing resources that enable Missouri Baptists to become bolder and more effective in sharing Christ with others. More apologists are to be added as the network grows.