I do recognize some of you from last year and it's been great talking with you also at our table.

So thank you.

My task for this first session this morning is to talk about presuppositionalism and apologetics.

So before we begin, why don't we just say a word of prayer together?

Our Lord and our God, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts

be pleasing and acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our rock and our Redeemer.

Open my lips and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.

Forgive us our sins, Lord, we pray.

For Christ's sake. Amen. So one of the critical issues, one of the critical subjects as we think about

Christendom 2.0 is of course the presentation and defence of the faith,

giving a defence. Now, the requirement to get fit, which is literally what First Peter 315 is all about, to get fit, to be ready to prepare

ourselves to give an apologia, an apologia, a defense of the faith is memorably set out by

the Apostle Peter to the church as a whole. But honor the Messiah as Lord in your hearts,

always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason, for the hope that is in you.

However, do this with gentleness and respect, keeping your conscience clear so that when you are accused,

those who denounce your Christian life will be put to shame.

So we know that's our task.

It's a task for all of us, but the way we go about that task has been a matter of discussion,

of debate and of dispute.

And I want to say to start with, and what's most important to keep in mind

taking seriously this calling as an act of obedience is that this is ultimately about the glory of God

and the extension of his kingdom.

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