Apologetics for a New Generation: A Biblical and Culturally Relevant Approach to Talking About God (ConversantLife.com®) [Paperback]

Sean McDowell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2009 | Series: ConversantLife.com®

Many teenagers leave home for college but don’t take their faith with them. Popular writer and speaker Sean McDowell offers a solution for this problem: a new way of approaching faith that addresses the questions the emerging generation is asking and that incorporates a radically humble and relational approach.

An impressive list of contributors including Dan Kimball (They Like Jesus but Not the Church), Brian Godawa (Hollywood Worldviews), and Josh McDowell show that today’s apologetics must employ...

• a clear connection with everyday life
• an invitation for people to express their doubts and wrestle with tough questions
• a culturally savvy understanding of the way secular people view Christians
• an engaging methodology that captures the imagination before engaging the mind
• a strong emphasis on the resurrection and how it changes everything

This resource is imperative for leaders who are ready to engage a new generation with the claims of Christ.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Harvest House Publishers; Original edition (March 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0736925201
• ISBN-13: 978-0736925204
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #186,886 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sean McDowell is a high school teacher, speaker, and author. He graduated summa cum laude from Talbot Theological Seminary with a double master's degree in philosophy and theology. He is currently pursuing a PH.D. in Apologetics and Worldview Studies. He is the author of Ethix: Being Bold in a Whatever World, and coauthor of Understanding Intelligent Design, Evidence for the Resurrection, and Is God a Human Invention?. Sean is also the general editor for Apologetics for a New Generation and The Apologetics Study Bible for Students (BH, 2010). Sean was named Educator of the Year for San Juan Capistrano in 2007-08. His apologetics training has received exemplary status from the Association of Christian Schools International. He has been a guest on radio shows such as The Hugh Hewitt Show, The Michael Reagan Show, Focus on the Family, The Bible Answer Man, Point of View, and The Frank Pastore Show. You can read Sean's blog and contact him for speaking events at http://www.seanmcdowell.org. In April 2000, Sean married his high school sweetheart, Stephanie. They have two children, Scottie and Shauna, and live in San Juan Capistrano, California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Help for Sharing Christ with the Logical Mind, March 21, 2009

By 

Stacey (Las Vegas, NV USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Apologetics for a New Generation: A Biblical and Culturally Relevant Approach to Talking About God (ConversantLife.com®) (Paperback)

Sean McDowell's "Apologetics for a New Generation" is a thoroughly intellectual and completely surprising read. This book is a compilation of the writing of several apologeticists (is that a word?) who have experienced the power of the intellectual witness. What really took my breath away in the first few pages was that the main respondents to this type of witness ranges in age from the mid-teens to the late twenties! (I didn't give this age group enough credit!) Peppered between the chapters are short interviews with various other intellectuals who have experienced the logic of coming to Christ. I was thrilled to see contributions by Mark Matlock, a youth pastor who gets my daughters' attention at his conference every year, and Lee Stroebel, the author of "The Case For Christ".

The appeal of the book is that many of us Christians are unprepared to witness intellectually to anyone. We can recall our testimonies and share our faith, but that doesn't mean a hill of beans to those who are looking for facts on which to base their decision for Christ. This book introduces thoughts and resources to help us prepare to be more factual witnesses. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to be more prepared to answer why they have the faith they do.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Effective Apologetics for A New Generation, October 14, 2009

By 

Mike Robinson "Mike A Robinson: Apologetic An... (USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Apologetics for a New Generation: A Biblical and Culturally Relevant Approach to Talking About God (ConversantLife.com®) (Paperback)

Sean McDowell is one of a new generation of Christian apologists. He is the son of the wise and well-traveled writer Josh McDowell. It is not surprising that he produces a book that trains college and high school Christians in defending Christian truth in a winsome manner. He aims to help young people think about the big issues in life as he provides a simple and empathetic friendship-style approach for this age group.
Apologetic advice and instruction come from Dan Kimball, Brett Kunkle, Josh McDowell, Brian Godawa, and other famous Christian scholars. The diverse authors work together to assist the reader in becoming an understanding, emotionally attractive, and intelligent witness for Christ. Difficult issues, doubt, and truth are carefully examined. Yes numerous winning answers are given, but the reader is smoothly taught how to think and how to engage the world in an effective and Christi-like approach by cultivating concern and love for the lost.

Jude 3 "Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints."

The Christian distinction of the Resurrection of Christ is unmistakably declared, analyzed, and defended with a clear and plain emphasis. This is a book that will not only educate young people, but it will move them, as it instills a confidence in the exclusive claims of Jesus Christ. If you desire to be a more capable and understanding witness of biblical truth, I suggest you buy this book.


The Necessary Existence of God: The Proof of Christianity Through Presuppositional Apologetics

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT must read, February 13, 2010

By 

Dr. Sams "Dr. Sams" (Columbia, SC) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Apologetics for a New Generation: A Biblical and Culturally Relevant Approach to Talking About God (ConversantLife.com®) (Paperback)

Sean McDowell represented on this book! It was GREAT


a must read for every believer

it will motivate your move towards evangelism and educate you in the area of apologetics. I was blessed by Sean and John's collaboration and the viewpoint on Relativism and Lee Strobel's interview and pretty much everything in the book was phenomenal!