Common Sense Questions A "Church of Christ Preacher" Cannot Clearly Answer
Jesus made a bold statement: “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). But here’s the question—how can we know the truth? He gives us the answer in the verse right before it: by abiding in His word and being His disciples (John 8:31). (I wrote more on knowing the truth in my last post “The Lie Satan Wants You to Believe”)
This idea of knowing the truth is foundational to Christianity. It’s not just about belief; it’s about confidence—confidence in what we believe, why we believe it, and how to share and defend it. Yet, if I’m honest, I’ve met far too many members of the church who don’t feel confident in defending the truth.
And here’s the hard reality: some members don’t know the truth as well as they should.
Many Christians rely heavily on their preacher or elders to explain things. But what happens when even they aren’t teaching the truth plainly or confidently? Unfortunately, this lack of deep understanding has led to stagnation and even decline in many congregations.
Why This Matters
If the church doesn’t know the truth—or doesn’t feel confident defending it—it’s no wonder we struggle to grow. To be a light to the world, we must be ready to explain our beliefs with clarity and courage. That’s not just the preacher’s job; it’s the responsibility of every Christian.
So, how do we address this? How do we become confident in knowing and defending the truth?
A Bold Challenge: Answering the Hard Questions
I’ve thought a lot about how to encourage and equip others to defend the truth. Here’s what I’ve landed on: we need to tackle the hardest questions and criticisms about the church of Christ head-on.
If you’ve spent any time around critics of the church, you’ve probably heard it all:
“The church of Christ is a cult.”
“You believe in works-based salvation.”
“You’re just followers of Alexander Campbell.”
“Why do you emphasize baptism so much?”
“Your worship practices are outdated.”
These aren’t new challenges, but they’re the ones that seem to rattle people the most.
There is a tract that hurls many criticisms. It is titled “Common Sense Questions a ‘Church of Christ’ Preacher Cannot Clearly Answer.” It claims, “No Church of Christ preacher can satisfactorily answer any of the questions posed.”
Well, I’m no full-time preacher. I’ve never been to Bible college or preaching school. But guess what? I don’t have to be.
Because here’s the truth: anyone who abides in Jesus’ word can answer these questions without fear. Knowing the truth doesn’t require a special degree or title. It just requires dedication to God’s word.
Let’s Show What the Truth Can Do
Over the coming weeks, I’m going to dig into these criticisms. I’ll show how the truth of God’s word answers every question and refutes every false claim.
If you’ve ever struggled to feel confident defending your faith, this is for you. If you’ve ever been stumped by a tough question or criticism, this is for you. And if you’ve ever wanted to deepen your understanding of God’s word, this is definitely for you.
The truth is on our side, and we have nothing to fear.
If you’re curious to preview the questions I’ll be addressing, you can check them out here.
Let’s abide in His word, know the truth, and set the world free with the Gospel of Christ.