Volume 8 / Issue 5 | May 2021
The Apologetics Newsletter
of the Missouri Baptist Convention
In this issue: The doctrine of the Incarnation ... Who is the angel of the LORD? ... Register now for Footing Before Foundation ... New resources on the inerrancy of Scripture ... and more!
What is the doctrine of the Incarnation?
The doctrine of the Incarnation - God becoming flesh in the person of Jesus of Nazareth - is central to historic Christianity. Get it wrong and many other non-negotiable doctrines of the Christian faith quickly veer into counterfeit territory.
Who is the angel of the LORD?
A mysterious figure appears or is mentioned in more than 50 Old Testament passages. He appears as a man, a voice from a burning bush, and a blazing rider in a cherubim-propelled chariot-throne. Who is this remarkable character best known as the angel of the LORD? Check out the YouTube video in which Rob Phillips provides an overview of Jesus Before Bethlehem: What Every Christian Should Know About the Angel of the LORD.

The letter to the church at Thyatira
Thyatira is a military town that also boasts guilds dealing in metals and fabric. Guild members celebrate their patron deities in festivals that lure many Christians. The city is known for its temple to Apollo, the sun god. Thyatira is the smallest of the seven cities Christ addresses in Asia Minor, yet it receives the longest letter, and one of the strongest rebukes, from Jesus.
Register now for Footing Before Foundation
Registration is now open for summer and fall sessions of Footing Before Foundation: Apologetics, a 12-lesson online course for high schoolers - adults that equips you to build your faith on the truth of Christianity. Hanna Sims of the Missouri Baptist Apologetics Network, and a member of Red Bridge Baptist Church in Kansas City, teaches the course.

The letter to the church at Pergamum
Also known as Pergamos, this city lies 20 miles inland from Smyrna. It is known for its wealth, much like Ephesus and Smyrna, but it stands alone in its wickedness - so much so that Jesus says Satan's throne resides there. What makes Pergamum so wicked? And what are followers of Jesus there to do about it?
New resource on the inerrancy of Scripture
For Christians, God's Word is the ultimate authority, and it is true in all it affirms. Yet the attacks on the veracity of Scripture are growing increasingly shrill and require a response. Dave VanBebber of the Missouri Baptist Apologetics Network has just released a new book that articulates with clarity the historical position of inerrancy.
Join the Missouri Baptist Apologetics Network
Nearly two dozen Missouri Baptist pastors and lay leaders make up the Missouri Baptist Apologetics Network. Their wide-ranging expertise helps equip followers of Jesus across the Show-Me State to defend the Christian faith with gentleness and respect (1 Pet. 3:15-16). Interested in joining the network? Inviting a member to speak at your church?
Now on Audible: Jesus Before Bethlehem
High Street Press, the publishing imprint of the Missouri Baptist Convention, now offers its newest resource, Jesus Before Bethlehem: What Every Christian Should Know About the Angel of the LORD, as an audio book on Audible. This 335-page resource explores dozens of Old Testament Christophanies, or appearances of the preincarnate Christ. Written for pastors and laypersons, the study is designed to show how the eternal Son of God has always taken a personal interest in those He created to be His imagers on earth.

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