Blog Archives - Page 3 of 23 - Timothy Paul Jones

Apologetics: Were the Stories of Jesus Based on Pagan Parallels?

12th November 2020

Pagan parallels to Christianity! Is it possible, as some people claim, that the stories of Jesus were based on Pagan myths? It’s an accusation that’s been around a long time. Even in ancient times, critics of Christianity noticed some parallels between Christian beliefs and pre-Christian myths. In the late second century, a philosopher named Celsus charged, “The […]

Apologetics: Final Examination for Fall 2020 On-Campus Christian Apologetics Courses

10th November 2020

It’s that time again! Below, you will find the final examination for my on-campus courses in Christian Apologetics this semester at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Students: Once you open the file, you must complete the examination in its entirety. There is no time limit, but the only resources you may use are your own […]

Josh Chatraw and Stephen Presley: How to Do Apologetics Like the Early Church

20th October 2020

It’s a two-for-the-price-of-one sale this week at Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast! (Actually, it’s “two-for-the-price-of-none,” since you don’t actually have to pay to listen to the podcast anyway.) In any case, the focus is apologetics in the early church. The festivities begin with church historian extraordinaire Stephen Presley, who joins us to talk […]

Alisa Childers: The False Gospel of Progressive Christianity + “I Want to Know What Love Is” (Foreigner)

6th October 2020

Welcome to the first-ever—and probably the only-ever—episode of Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast that’s focused on love. And so, pull up a chair, strap on your headphones, grab your favorite scissors and your red construction paper, and prepare to cut out some paper hearts. (And, by the way, why hasn’t anyone ever […]

Russell Moore: The Search for a Satisfying Story + “He Went to Paris” (Jimmy Buffett)

22nd September 2020

Sometimes, the best defense of the gospel isn’t a better argument but a better story. That’s why the previous episode about Josh Chatraw’s book Telling a Better Story and this episode with Russell Moore both focus on narrative apologetics. Also: after an episode in which your intrepid cohosts dredged the depths of some of the […]

Apologetics: How Much Intellectual Common Ground Is There Between a Christian and a Non-Christian? Common Notions and Common Ground in the Writings of Cornelius Van Til

19th September 2020

The thinking of a Christian and a non-Christian diverges at the most basic level. The believer in Jesus Christ sees all of reality from the cognitive perspective of an individual who lives with “the mind of Christ” and whose life is shaped by the Word of God (1 Corinthians 2:16). This does not cause Christians […]

Church History: When Did Churches Stop Baptizing by Immersion?

27th August 2020

As part of my research for the chapter on baptism in a book written by the faculty of Southern Seminary, one of the questions I wanted to answer was, “When did churches leave behind the New Testament practice of immersion?” The answer is, “Far later than you probably think.” Most of the students I teach […]

Timothy Paul Jones and Garrick Bailey: How to Do Apologetics in a Skeptical Age

18th August 2020

Have you ever heard terms like “presuppositionalism,” “evidentialism,” or “classical apologetics”? Have you wondered if there’s an easier way to understand apologetics? Maybe you’ve even wished that people could defend the Christian faith in a skeptical age without talking about these terms at all. If so, this episode is for you! (Actually, every episode is […]

Ted Cabal: Creation and the Age of the Earth + “Let There Be Rock” (AC/DC)

4th August 2020

This episode is packed with answers in Genesis—but, believe it or not, when we say “Genesis” we’re not talking about the group that’s been fronted by Phil Collins since the early 1970s from which Mike + the Mechanics was a spinoff. The focus of this week’s episode is the other Genesis, the one at the […]

Lisa V. Fields: Apologetics through Eyes of Color + “Crossroads” (Robert Johnson)

28th July 2020

The blues, Robert Johnson, and The Jackson 5 are a few of the stars of this week’s episode of Three Chords and the Truth: The Apologetics Podcast. Lisa V. Fields—popular apologetics speaker and founder of the Jude 3 Project—joins Timothy to discuss a recent apologetics curriculum from Jude 3 Project. Along the way, Lisa reveals […]

Apologetics: Final Examination for Summer Apologetics Courses

21st July 2020

This is the examination that students in my live summer apologetics courses at Boyce College and at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary will be taking this week. If you’re interested in what they’re learning, take a look and see how you might answer these questions! Click here to download the final examination: 28700 Christian Apologetics […]

Apologetics: Who Wrote the Gospels?

17th July 2020

Open your Bible to the table of contents and take a look at the list of books in the New Testament. There, you’ll find the Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John leading the list. But were Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John really the ones who wrote the Gospels? If so, how do we […]

Culture: Why Pay Taxes?

13th July 2020

This week, millions of Americans will once again endure the filing and, in some cases, the payment of taxes—three months late, this time around, due to the challenge of the coronavirus pandemic. Taxation has never been particularly popular among Americans, having once incited several dozen Bostonians to dress up as Mohawk warriors and toss tea […]

Vocab Malone: Speaking Truth to Hebrew Israelites + “One Vision” (Queen)

30th June 2020

Your intrepid cohosts have been watching lots of films with their families during this season of social distancing, so it’s not surprising that so many movies make appearances in this week’s episode. The first film that shows up is the 2016 Netflix film Barry, a fictional look at what Barack Obama’s first year at Columbia […]

Culture: How Scripture Became Part of the Story that Ended Slavery

19th June 2020

For centuries, the Scriptures were twisted and distorted to provide support for racism and race-based slavery. It is no exaggeration to state that the enslavement of African Americans would never have persisted as long as it did without the support of persons who claimed to follow Scripture. At the same time, Christian ethics were also one […]

J.V. Fesko: Reforming Apologetics + “Freewill” (Rush)

16th June 2020

Welcome to the Deeper-Than-Usual Episode! This episode has been named “the Deeper-Than-Usual Episode” mostly because it is a bit deeper than usual. Dr. J.V. Fesko—professor of systematic and historical theology at Reformed Theological Seminary, author of Reforming Apologetics, and all-around very deep person—joins the dynamic duo to discuss many deep things. Dr. Fesko momentarily risks his […]

Family Ministry: Free Curriculum for Equipping Children’s Ministry and Student Ministry Volunteers

8th June 2020

You now have access to free training curriculum for family ministry, for youth ministry and children’s ministry volunteers in your church.

Matthew Levering: Why Reason and the Physical Resurrection of Jesus Matter + “Stairway to Heaven” (Led Zeppelin)

26th May 2020

Reason, resurrection, and the physical world are the focus of the most action-packed episode of Three Chords and the Truth ever produced. The primary reason why it’s so action packed is because the Toybox Hero Tournament includes a special cohost who is far more exciting than either of your intrepid cohosts. Renowned theologian Dr. Matthew Levering […]

Robert Plummer: Do the Gospels Tell the Truth? + “Truth, Goodness, and Beauty” (The Cure)

19th May 2020

What does it mean to say that the Bible tells the truth? Do the Gospels tell the truth? And what should Christians do when they find a claim in the Bible that looks like a contradiction? Do the Gospels Tell the Truth? New Testament scholar and Daily Dose of Greek mastermind Rob Plummer joins Garrick […]

J. Warner Wallace: A Cold-Case Detective Looks at the Gospels + “Another Brick in the Wall” (Pink Floyd)

12th May 2020

What happens when a cold-case detective applies his investigative skills to the New Testament Gospels? Find out as Timothy meets up with award-winning detective and bestselling apologetics author J. Warner Wallace. In addition to being a detective and apologist, Wallace is also a guitarist, bassist, and—Timothy is thrilled beyond words to discover—a fan of Steve […]