Q:  Welcome to Bible Geek Gone Wild, Bill. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how long you’ve been involved in apologetics?

Thanks for having me. I’ve been married for almost 18 years, have my own graphic design business, am a tennis junkie, love suspense movies, have a gift for recalling factoids (my wife calls it “junk”), and love campy, cheesy 80s stuff.

I’ve been involved in apologetics since about 1994 when a family member gave me a used copy of Norman Geisler’s When Critics Ask. But I realized I was deficient in being able to defend my faith after being challenged by a friend in art school as well as by the (very) wide assortment of worldviews there.

Q:  Was there a certain event or experience that prompted you to write ‘Meet the Skeptic?’ 

There was no specific event, but more of an awareness that there are a lot of apologetics resources out there that people will never read because they are intimidated. They think they must memorize volumes of data in order to engage someone with a different worldview. Remembering specific answers always helps, but over the years after going from one apologetics topic to another, I began to realize that there are core ideas that objections share. It seemed reasonable to me that addressing those ideas first (I call them Root Ideas) in conversation made more sense than playing the typical game of intellectual ping-pong that can lead nowhere.

Q: Who will benefit most from reading this book?

Anyone who has the desire to make a difference in a non-believer’s thinking. I’m finding that college students in particular seem to like the book. I think it’s because they function in a highly diverse environment in which their faith is challenged. The book offers them a framework in which to sort the diversity of ideas they are encountering, so it fills an immediate need.

I’ve also taught the material to high school students who really seem to gain confidence and interest in apologetics in general because they can see that there is some order to all of the ideas floating around out there. I think it gives them more of a sense of purpose in learning to defend their faith. And of course, it can benefit any adult who wants to be more informed about his beliefs and more able to share them with co-workers and associates.

Q: In the book, you organize skepticism into four categories: spiritual, moral, scientific, and biblical. In your experience have the skeptics you’ve encountered been “single category” skeptics or should budding apologists expect to encounter skeptics who express their skepticism in multiple categories?

 Thanks for making the distinction between skeptics and skepticism. My book is not about labeling skeptics, rather, it is about identifying skepticism (p. 33). Wouldn’t it be nice if we could size up a person after a few minutes of conversation and say, “Congratulations, you are an [XYZ] skeptic!”  But that’s obviously not realistic. People are complicated. Everyone has an opinion about the afterlife, how people should live, where life came from, and whether or not God (if He exists) has spoken (and if so, how?).

People do have dominant aptitudes and favorite interests so those things will naturally come out more in a conversation. However, you may engage someone one day on a Scientific issue and the next day have a follow-up conversation that heads in the Moral direction. In fact, this is quite common because all of the categories are connected. For example, an atheist with a scientific bent may say that he relies on pure scientific investigation to inform him about the world, but often he has already eliminated God from the picture because he thinks God is unfair and unjust – that’s a Moral concern. Eventually, if a dialogue goes on long enough, it will become a Biblical conversation because the Bible has the ultimate answers to life’s big questions, and the Bible, specifically Jesus, is where we’re trying to lead a skeptic anyway.

Unpeeling the layers by asking good questions can help us identify what kind of skepticism is occupying someone’s thinking – and they may have more than one. But if we can identify the category at the time, we can focus that conversation in a more meaningful direction. Another conversation may be necessary to unpack another aspect of their mindset.

The object is to have meaningful exchanges, not one-upmanship contests.

Q:  In addition to ‘Meet the Skeptic,’ can you recommend other books / resources for Christians who desire to be properly equipped to defend their faith? 

In the back of the book, I recommend four introductory resources that correspond to the four categories of skepticism. These are only a start, but will hopefully be a catalyst for further investigation:

SPIRITUAL:  A Ready Defense – Josh McDowell

MORAL:  Relativism: Feet Firmly Planted in Mid-Air – Francis J. Beckwith and Gregory Koukl

SCIENTIFIC:  Defeating Darwinism by Opening Minds – Phillip Johnson

This short book does a great job of summarizing the creation/evolution debate. But for specific resources on this subject, consult the abundant and astute materials produced by Answers In Genesis (answersingenesis.org).

 BIBLICAL:  More than a Carpenter – Josh McDowell

Q:  Let me close with a final question I ask of all published authors. What advice would you give to first time / aspiring authors?

Be honest with yourself about your passion and your aptitude. Just because you have a passion for something doesn’t mean you should write about it.

Before New Leaf Publishing called, I self-published Meet the Skeptic the first time because I was equipped to do that. I have a passion for apologetics, a degree in English, and am professionally trained in designing and producing media. But if you can’t produce a book in a professional manner on your own, don’t self-publish it. Assess the uniqueness of your subject, craft your writing, and pray for direction pursuing publishing opportunities.

Lastly, there will be times when you will get sick of writing your book and think that nobody will read it. I definitely did, and I think this is normal. Take a break. Then if God is still fanning the flames, keep going.

Many thanks to Bill for taking the time to participate in this interview. Those interested in learning more about Bill can follow him on the web at MeetTheSkeptic.com, facebook, and Twitter.

Related Media:

Books by Bill Foster:

Q:  Welcome to Bible Geek Gone Wild, Anthony. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how long you’ve been writing?

A: I grew up in Atmore, Alabama, but spent most of my formative years near Columbus, Ohio (O-H-I-O!!). My dad taught at Rosedale Bible Institute, a small Mennonite Bible college. I attended Rosedale, then transferred to Cedarville University to finish an English Education major.

While at Rosedale, I met and I married my lovely southern bride, Sheila. In 1997, we moved to Traverse City, Michigan. I am currently teaching part-time at Traverse City Christian School (logic and world views) and Spring Arbor University (as an adjunct at a university center here in town), and pastoring at Church of the Living God. Sheila and I have been blessed with three sons, and we just celebrated our 21st anniversary.

This is my first book, though I have been writing since college (poetry, essays, editorials, etc). I even wrote a novel once just to see if it was as difficult as people say. By the grace of God, the general public has been spared from direct contact with it.

Q:  The cover of Learning to Jump Again, shows a boy staring down from a very high table. You can’t help but think he’s contemplating whether or not to jump down. Is this picture representative of how you felt as you moved through the grieving and healing process?

A: Absolutely. The title comes from an incident during a family vacation. While the boys and I were swimming at a hotel pool, Vincent, my youngest, thought it would be fun to jump into the pool and make me catch him. He got bored, of course, and apparently decided it would be even more fun if he scared me half to death by running to the other side of the pool and trying to jump in to the deep end before I could get there. I got there, but barely.

The more I reflected on that evening, the more it seemed to capture how I felt when my dad died. God was the father; I was the kid running around the pool of life, jumping and knowing God would catch me. When my dad died, I felt like I had jumped -or been pushed – into the deep end, and God had not been there for me. I knew in my head that wasn’t true – during some moments of grief, I experienced times of connection with God that were beautiful. But on a more subjective level, that was how I felt.

Q:  It’s rare that you encounter a book where the author shares their own journal entries, especially about something as personal as the loss of a parent. What made you decide to share your story with a broader audience?

A: Many times, I wondered if what I thought and felt after dad’s death was normal. Some days, dad’s loss seemed insurmountable; most days, God seemed absent from the world. I wrestled with fear, cynicism, and depression. As a pastor and Christian school teacher, I often wondered just how much I should let others see where I was – which is another way of saying who I was.

God eventually brought the stability and freedom that comes from grounding the “who I was” in Him. I began to post some of the journal entries as Facebook notes, and was overwhelmed by the response. At that point, I reluctantly acknowledged that He had brought me through that valley for the sake of others whose stories mirrored mine.

Q:  Having lost my own father, your journal entries resonated with my own experiences. Can you share some of the responses you’ve received from other readers?

A: Though words are inadequate, I’m sorry for your loss, Shaun. I am gratified when readers find that the book resonates…but that also means there is a reason for the resonation, and for that I grieve with them (and you).

There are two responses almost without fail.

First, the experience of reading the journal is cathartic. There is something about knowing we are not alone in our grief that breaks things open. It’s as if the solidarity of grief gives readers permission to fully grieve. I think that’s biblical, by the way. Jesus was “a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.” Unfortunately, many Christians try to minimize the impact of grief, as if grieving is unspiritual. I believe that the true beauty of hope can only be fully understood after we allow ourselves to settle into the depths of our grief.

Second, readers find hope. Many have shared that their church and their friends were simply not safe enough for them to open up about their journey. Just knowing that they are not alone, and that there are people and places that will embrace them, brings them a measure of peace – and some measure of courage to reach out again to those around them.

Q:  Are there any upcoming books or writing projects you can share with my audience?

A: Too soon, too soon! I would love to write a book about looking at life honestly. Christians often read the Bible in ways that support how they want to the world (or even God) to be, not how the world (or God) actually is. When I preach, I find that I am starting more and more sermons with, “I just want to be honest about life.” If anyone is interested in what this might look like, I am taking this approach as I stumble into the world of blogging (learningtojump.blogspot.com).

In the meantime, I am part of a group in Traverse City (along with my friend Scott Smith, sarcasticxtian.com) that is looking to get a community-wide theology/philosophy group off the ground. For a while, there was a group in town for college students, and we discussed everything: politics, ethics, religion, philosophy, entertainment. I was challenged and invigorated by the civil but direct interchange of ideas between Christians and non-Christians.

We are planning on re-starting this soon. Right now, no one runs a forum like this. How cool would it be if Christians got the ball rolling? Any prayers are appreciated!

Q:  
What advice would you give to first time / aspiring authors?

A: 1) This is not original, but it’s true: write what you know. If it doesn’t flow out of you, let someone else write it.

2) Writing is easier than publishing. If your manuscript is “unsolicited,” you have your work cut out for you. Be sure you are committed.

3) If you can afford to have someone else do your publicity, do it. I am not able to do that, so I am on what I call my “Shameless Self-Promotion Tour.” I basically have to go to everybody and say, “Hey, you should read my book because it’s really awesome!” That’s awkward.  Once the New Year rolls around, I think I’ll change the name to “Toot My Own Horn 2012.”

Once again, many thanks to Anthony for taking the time to participate in this interview. Those interested in learning more about Anthony can follow him on the web at learningtojumpagain.com, learningtojump.blogspot.com, and facebook.

Related Media:

Books by Anthony Weber:

Q: Welcome to Bible Geek Gone Wild, Julie. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how long you’ve been writing?

A: Thank you for having me here! I have been married to my husband for 10 years, have two daughters, aged 3 and 3 months, and have been a Christian for six years. My family and I live in Brisbane, on the east coast of Australia. I have been writing since I could hold a pencil in one hand and form words. I used to take my stories to my teacher to show her in second grade. They were pretty obvious copies of the Enid Blyton and C.S. Lewis stories I had read, but we all have to start somewhere! By the time I was twelve, I decided to give writing a novel-length story a try. I was hooked, and spent my teens writing more ‘novels’, which were essentially an opportunity to practice my own style. It wasn’t until I became a Christian that I began to think seriously about writing in the service of God, and asking Him to show me if that was His will for me.

Q: Master Books published the three books in your Dinah Harris Mystery trilogy, can you share who or what was your inspiration for the character of Dinah Harris?

A: I wrote the character of Dinah Harris very deliberately. She was intended to be a flawed, fallible person just as we all are. Perfect characters need not apply in my books! She is a person who has a tough exterior to hide her vulnerabilities, a sarcastic sense of humor to cover awkwardness, and defensiveness to cover her flagging self-esteem. She often says the wrong thing and often gets angry too quickly. On the flip side, she is deeply empathic, focused on doing the right thing, willing to admit her mistakes, and struggling to make sense of her life. She is a mixture of personality traits I’ve observed in myself and other people over the years. Essentially I wanted to create a character who struggles with many of the same temptations and sins that regular people struggle with daily.

Q: In Deadly Disclosures, you masterfully weave in a defense of creation and intelligent design over evolution, why did you feel it was important to tackle this critical subject in your first novel?

A: One of the reasons I became a Christian was because of apologetics – a reasoned defense of the Christian faith. Central to that defense was the big question: evolution is so entrenched in the secular world, surely it must be right? If so, it means the Bible is wrong, and if that’s the case, then Christianity loses it’s credibility. It was through the testimony of Answers in Genesis that I came to learn that in fact, the scientific evidence we hear about actually confirms the Bible’s account of how life came to exist on the earth. Evolution has never been “proven” in the scientific sense of the word. As I came to realize that the Bible was trustworthy right from the very first page, I could believe the rest of the Bible – most importantly, the gospel message. Because it played such a big part of my own conversion, I wanted to share this with my readers. I also want to address the common misconception that to be a Christian means that you have to abandon your intelligence. I hope to challenge skeptical readers!

Q: Is Pieces of Light the last we’ll hear of Dinah Harris?

A: I have so many story lines in my head that seem to involve Dinah Harris – I hope not!

Q: Are there any upcoming books or writing projects you can share with my audience?

A: At the moment I’m not specifically working on a project – I’ve just had my second baby and I’m pretty busy trying to juggle two kids and the three books I have out! However, I can reveal that the next book idea I have will deal with the issues of vilification and bullying.

Q: What advice would you give to first time / aspiring authors?

A: Always keep writing; it is a great opportunity to further practice and hone your skills. Work out who your target market is and what your hook is – in other words, why your books will be different from anything else on the market. Begin to build a presence, particularly in the online environment, through social media. Think of your writing not just in creative terms, but in business terms too: how will you sell your books? To whom? Keep learning from authors you admire. Pray for guidance. Finally, never give up!

Once again, many thanks to Julie for taking the time to participate in this interview.  Those interested in learning more about Julie and her writing can follow her  on the web at JulieCave.com, facebook, and twitter.

Books by Julie Cave:

Question 1:  Can you tell me about your background (education, family, etc.)?

• Answer:  I live in Spring Hill, Tennessee, with my wife and two children, but I’m originally from Buffalo, New York.  I graduated from Taylor University in Indiana with a BA in Mass Communications, and was originally planning to work in the film industry.  I did take a semester of college in Los Angeles, and even interned for a film production company there, but ended up switching careers.

Question 2:  According to your bio., you’re a web designer by day.  How’d you get your start in writing?

• Answer:  I started my first book when I was in seventh grade and got about 250 pages into it before I realized I was better suited to short stories! So I guess I’ve always been aware that I wanted to be a writer, but I didn’t write much in high school, and not at all in college.  I didn’t seriously begin to write again until I was in my mid-twenties.  Between 1995 and 2008, when I finished Elisha’s Bones, I wrote five books, with Elisha’s Bones being the first to be published.

Question 3:  Elisha’s Bones is a suspenseful, Biblical archaeology thriller.  What was your inspiration for the story?

• Answer:  The idea for Elisha’s Bones came over dinner with a friend.  Oddly enough, we were talking about how one comes up with story ideas.  I’d made the comment that just about anything could be turned into a good story, and used a recent Sunday school lesson about the prophet Elisha as an example.  Before I was done telling him about the lesson, I realized I had my next story idea.

Question 4:  I enjoyed getting to know the main character of the book, Jack Hawthorne.  Are you anything like him?

• Answer:  There are definitely qualities that I share with Jack.  I can be as sarcastic and acerbic as he is.  And I’m definitely a fact guy: research, empirical experience, etc.  And I enjoy a good cigar.  That said, I don’t think I’m quite as unwilling to embrace responsibility as he is.  At least I don’t think so!

Question 5:  Now that you have your first published novel under your belt, do you have any other projects on horizon?

• Answer:  Bethany House was kind enough to sign me for three books, so there are at least two more coming.  The next one is tentatively titled Hunter’s Moon, and I think it’s targeted for a Spring 2010 release, but don’t hold me to that.  It will be a departure from the suspense genre—more general fiction.  I haven’t a clue what the third book will be about yet.  Do you have any ideas?

Question 6:  Is it possible the adventures of Jack Hawthorne will be continued in a future novel?

• Answer:  When I wrote Elisha’s Bones, I did so with the idea that it would be a stand alone.  But I enjoyed writing it so much that I’d welcome the opportunity to do more.  Right now, though, it looks as if Jack’s on hiatus.  Hunter’s Moon is a completely different story/cast of characters.

Many thanks to Jim Hart at Bethany House Publishers for facilitating the interview and Don Hoesel for participating.  You can learn more about Don Hoesel and his writing at www.donhoesel.com.  Click the Elisha’s Bones cover below to read an excerpt from the book at the Bethany House Publishers web site.  Elisha’s Bones is available from Amazon.com and other booksellers.

Name: Voddie T. Baucham, Jr.
Born: March 11, 1969 in Los Angeles, CA
Married: June 30, 1989 to Bridget
Father to: Jasmine, Trey (Voddie, III), Elijah, Asher, Judah
Education: Houston Baptist University, Southwestern Baptist Seminary, Southeastern Baptist Seminary, University of Oxford, England
Web Sites: www.voddiebaucham.org, www.familydrivenfaith.org
Crossway Books titles by the author: