In the December 2007 issue of Christianity Today, Darrell Bock wrote an article pointing out the need for churches to equip their people in answering common objections to Christianity that have become popular in recent days. It is not unusual, for example, for people to say, "Well, what about all those other gospels that never made it into the Bible?" Or, "Don't you know that history is written by the winners and
now that we can hear the losers, we need to revise the Bible's story?"
To this challenge Bock says,
Church leaders need to do a better job of teaching not only what is in the Bible, but what is going on around the Bible. How many churchgoers know the history of the Canon? Works by F.F. Bruce and Bruce Metzger tell that story well. How many churchgoers understand the debate swirling around the "lost" Gospels? Books by Ben Witherington (The Gospel Code), Craig Evans (Fabricating Jesus), Dan Wallace (Reinventing Jesus) and me (The Missing Gospels) address these issues for a popular audience.
Bock suggest that"becoming quipped for such discussions may require seminars organized by local churches. Imagine churches working together to help believes contend for the truth in their communities."
He also says youth leaders need this help also.
"How many high school students are prepared for what they will hear about Christianity and the Bible in college classrooms?. . . We need to understand that public discussion of the Christian faith has changed -- permanently."