I was recently asked about resources for kids on the topic of apologetics. Since I thought others might benefit from it, I pass it along to you. This is not comprehensive list, but it’s a good start!! Here is what I wrote:
Obviously, you can quickly get into some heavy philosophy when you discuss worldviews so I tend to hold off on that stuff until they are older. But here is how I would proceed:
With younger kids (5-12): Creation videos and works that show the glory of God in creation (The Privileged Planet, the Privileged Species, ICR’s Unlocking the Mysteries of Genesis and Amazing Creatures that Defy Evolution [on You Tube] are good.) Many of these tend to come from an evidentialist standpoint (i.e. the belief that people are rationally neutral and all they need are the facts) and you will want to correct this with a more biblical (Van Tilian) thinking (people suppress the truth of God’s existence and the truth of His Word and plunge themselves into irrationality).
Middle School (who can handle more difficult material)/High School Kids: I have not seen all of these, but there is a video series from Answers in Genesis called Nuclear Apologetics with Jason Lisle and it is available free on line. It looks good with lots of quotations by the well known reformed apologist, Dr. Greg Bahnsen. But also remember that the Answers in Genesis folks tend to be theologically Arminian and that will show up from time to time. I would also (for older kids) take them through Sproul’s Consequences of Ideas which is a history of philosophy. Bahnsen’s Pushing the Antithesis is also good but I believe is no longer in print. There are some Bahnsen lectures for high school kids dealing with some of the basics too – ask the folks at Covenant Media Foundation which would be good for your particular children’s age group (you may want to buy the “Apologetics in a Flash” that I note in the next paragraph).
High School/College: Some resources would include: Always Ready, Presuppositionalism, and for advanced reading, Van Til’s Apologetics, all by Greg Bahnsen. Articles and MP3’s at Covenant Media Foundation by Bahnsen are also very helpful. For a while they had a flash drive called “Apologetics in a Flash” that has a lot of his material – it was worth the price and they range from basic to advanced but are not listed that way which would have been helpful. Listening to the Bahnsen/Stein debate is also worthwhile; I would recommend you print it out and read it while listening – there’s a lot there. The Bahnsen/Sproul debate is also good to get a feel for the difference between presuppositionalism and classical apologetics. Van Til “Why I Believe in God” and “My Credo” as well as his other books such as Defense of the Faith and Survey of Christian Epistemology. Van Til tends to be heavy, so be ready. I have also read some Nancy Pearcy’s books lately (Total Truth, Saving Leonardo and Finding Truth) and they are excellent; not ‘fully Van Tilian’ but getting there.
These are not all the resources available, but they’ll get you started!
Dan is a native of Detroit, Michigan; a graduate of Hillsdale College in Michigan and Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Dan has worked in the financial area as a CPA and controller as well as in international business and sales. In 1995 Dan entered into the ministry in a Florida church as Sr. High and Singles Pastor. In 2001 he was brought on staff at Woodruff Road. Dan and his wife Christy have two daughters, Anna and Jenna and two sons, Will and Wyatt.
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