Welcome to Apologetics!
In this event, students answer a question that requires them to present a defense of basic tenets of the Christian faith. They can prepare notes in advance, but they only have four minutes to get ready to speak on the topic they select.
Judges for this event must affirm the Apologetics Judge Statement of Faith.
How This Event Works
We have a published list of foundational and application questions about the Christian faith that students can study and research in advance. They can prepare written notes for each question and store those notes in a box which they are allowed to bring to the round, but they don’t know which questions they will face until they arrive in the competition room. Once they draw a “topic card” with their two choices, they have four minutes to find any notes they would like to use from their box, check anything they would like to review in the Bible, and prepare the speech they will deliver.
Strengthen Your Faith
Featured Resources
Learn how to tackle this rewarding event.
Apologetics Journal: Preparation Prompts & Help
This 200+ page Google Doc, accessible from any mobile device, is perfect for recording your discoveries and strengthening your faith. You’ll find three levels of study resources along with additional links to fuel your investigation of 48 Foundational Questions and 48 Application Questions about the Christian faith. Create your own digital journal by making a personal copy. Then, click on the topics from the Table of Contents to record stories, scriptures, or sermon notes. Not ready for digital? Then print the journal and write your discoveries by hand.
Intro to Apologetics Kit
With six hours of instruction and activities, an easy-to-follow facilitator guide, printable student activity packets, and slides, even a novice parent can successfully lead students through Intro to Apologetics. Recordings of the live event are also available for family or group use.
Apologetics Intensive Kit
Go beyond the basics. Students discover how to address the relevant issues of today with the timeless truth from Scripture. Now we’ve packaged our resources into a convenient Intensive Kit so that you can facilitate conversations with your students at home or host a local event with friends.
With six hours of instruction and discussions, an easy-to-follow facilitator guide, printable student journals, and slides, even a novice parent can successfully lead students through this intensive. Recordings of the live event are also available for family or group use.
Apologetics FAQs
Why should I participate in Apologetics?
Apologetics has great personal value. Like the other Limited Preparation events, Apologetics provides students with heightened analytical skills, increased adaptability, and increased performance skill. Students will also:
- Build their faith. Apologetics invites students to investigate not only what they believe but why they believe it.
- Increase ability to help others. Apologetics allows students to challenge, encourage, and edify others.
- Prepare their hearts for what God has in store for them. As students prepare to share, the most important thing they can do is prepare their heart.
What if my limited prep topic is not releasing in an online competition room?
- Verify that the draw time has arrived. (Competitors can draw any time after the assigned time but not before. Check the time-zone of your computer.)
- If the draw time has just arrived, wait at least 60 seconds and try again.
- Check that the clock on the device is set to the correct time and aligns with the times shown on postings. (Posting times are based on the time-zone setting of the device, but it is possible for the clock to be manually set to a different time.)
- If draw time is not the issue, the problem is generally with the competitor’s connection speed. Keep trying and take steps to improve the connection speed.
Do we still have a grace period for speeches exceeding the time limit?
The automatic 2-rank penalty will only be applied after 15 seconds of the speech time limit. Find clarification on overtime in the event guidelines under “Timekeeping Protocols” (see Apologetics as an example), in the Speech Head Judge Instructions, and as an example of a timekeeping rule penalty in the Compliance Penalty Addendum. Keep in mind that while the grace period allows for small mishaps and miscalculations, judges may still consider the time limit of the speech event as they rank. We advise competitors to prepare for these variables by continuing to practice a speech under the time limit.
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