Once, while giving a Muslim friend a ride, I asked him, "Tamir, why should I become a Muslim?"

"To have a community," he said, and "to enjoy a sense of purpose."

I replied, "I can find these in Christ."

"Well, why should I become a Christian?" he said.

"Tamir," I exclaimed, "I thought you'd never ask!"

Unfortunately, many Christians aren't equipped to answer Tamir's question because they are intimidated by potential intellectual challenges. What about evil? How do Christians understand the many world religions? But with some guidance, and armed with the knowledge that their faith can withstand intellectual scrutiny, Christians can converse engagingly with doubters and skeptics.

Pastors should use the pulpit and the classroom to equip their congregations with the basics of apologetics. Consider preaching a sermon series on some of the apologetic material in the Gospels, Acts (which uses words like "eyewitnesses," "(make a) defense," "persuade," "reason"), and 1 Corinthians 15. Preach a series ...