Sean McDowell

Sean McDowell is a Christian apologist, gifted speaker, writer, and teacher. He is especially passionate in teaching the next generation to view the world from a Biblical worldview. He has spoken in many colleges, churches, and conferences. He has also spoken for several large organizations as well as several radio shows. Sean is great writer and has been the author, co-author, or editor of over eighteen books. He also commonly writes blogs that answer a wide variety of questions for many different topics. Sean McDowell also is an Associate Professor in the Christian Apologetics program at Biola University and he teaches a high school Bible class.

Biography
Dr. Sean McDowell is a Christian apologist that is passionate in changing how truth is taught to youth. He is a gifted apologist and has spoken in many churches, schools, and conferences. He connects to his audience using tangible stories while imparting logical evidence for a Biblical worldview. He has even been listed among the top 100 Christian apologists in the world. He has spoken for large organizations such as Focus on the Family, the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview, Backyard Skeptics, Cru, Youth Specialties, Hume Lake Christian Camps, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Association of Christian Schools International. Sean has also spoken on several radio shows. He is also a very active writer and has been the author, co-author, or editor of over eighteen books. Sean also posts blogs regularly about many different subjects. His blogs cover everything from apologetics to everyday problems and temptations people deal with. Sean discusses these problems under a Biblical worldview and one can learn much through reading them. They address many issues and are a great reference to look back to.

He received his bachelor’s degree from Biola University in La Mirada, California. After that he graduated summa cum laude from the Talbot School of Theology where he earned a master’s degree in Theology and another in Philosophy. He then earned his Ph.D. in Apologetics and Worldview Studies at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Dr. Sean McDowell currently teaches as an Associate Professor in the Christian Apologetics program at Biola University. Sean also still teaches a high school Bible class, which allows him to remain in touch with youth culture. He is able to have a close hand view of the up and coming generation. This allows him to tailor his message to the problems the youth are dealing with. It allows him to be a more effective apologist to youth. He is also able to share this information with other Christian apologists so they can be more effective in their ministries as well. Also, in 2008, he received the Educator of the Year award for San Juan Capistrano, California, where he lives with his wife and three children.

Blogs
Sean McDowell post many blogs regarding a wide variety of subjects. Some of the subjects he discusses in his blogs are apologetics, Biblical trustworthiness, science, other religions, book reviews, and many other subjects. One can find guidance in many areas through going through some of his blogs. In one of his blogs, he discusses what he believes to be the best evidence for the Christian faith. He believes that the best evidence lies in a "clear, simple presentation of the claims of Christ and who he is, in the power of the Holy Spirit." Even though he notes that other things make great evidence for the Christian faith such as historical evidence for the resurrection and the evidence of a designer in the world, he says that the best evidence for God simply lies in his great power and the life-changing power of the Gospel.

In a recent blog Sean Mcdowell posted an interview with Brian Johnson about intelligent design. In the post, DNA was mentioned to be one of the best evidences for intelligent design in the human body. Three things were pointed to in DNA that supports intelligent design. The first is that it is information that governs all of the cells. Information comes from intelligence, which is a big piece of evidence for intelligent design. The second and third things that points to intelligent design in DNA is its error correction system and the DNA repair mechanism. Both systems are incredibly complex and seem to point to an intelligent designer.

Apologist Tips
Sean McDowell commonly posts tips to help others in Christian Apologetics. He wants to help others to defend the faith more effectively. He recently posted a blog where he outlined his top 10 tips to other Christian Apologists. Many of these tips come from his own life experiences in the Christian Apologetics ministry. Here are the top 10 tips he gave to be more effective in apologetics:


 * 1) "Remember, the Bible doesn’t approve of everything it records."
 * 2) "Speak truth with gentleness. Avoid the temptation to compromise truth or speak harshly (Col. 4:6)."
 * 3) "You don’t have to have all the answers. Admit if you don’t know an answer, but then go find it."
 * 4) "Don’t merely make the case that Christianity is true. Make the case that it is good and beautiful."
 * 5) "We are called to make good arguments, but not be argumentative (1 Peter 3:15)."
 * 6) "You may disagree with others, but remember, people hold views for reasons they perceive as good."
 * 7) "Approach others with the idea that you may have something to learn from them."
 * 8) "Tolerance is no longer agreeing to disagree but the silencing of seemingly offensive views."
 * 9) "Interpret your experience in light of Scripture, rather than Scripture in light of your experience."
 * 10) "Make good arguments and defend truth, but remember, the deepest need of the human heart is for love."

Publications
Books
 * The Resurrection and You, with Josh McDowell (Baker Books, 2017)
 * Evidence that Demands a Verdict, with Josh McDowell (Thomas Nelson, 2017)
 * The Fate of the Apostles (United Kingdom, Ashgate Press, 2016)
 * The Beauty of Intolerance, with Josh McDowell (Barbour Publishing, 2016)
 * A New Kind of Apologist (Harvest House, 2016)
 * Same-Sex Marriage: A Thoughtful Approach to God’s Design for Marriage, co-written with John Stonestreet (Baker, 2014)
 * The Bible Handbook of Difficult Verses, co-written with Josh McDowell (Harvest House, 2013)
 * 77 FAQs About God and the Bible, co-written with Josh McDowell (Harvest House, 2012)
 * The GodQuest novel, co-written with Bob Hostetler (Outreach, 2011)
 * The GodQuest, co-written with Stan Jantz (Outreach, 2011)
 * Is God Just a Human Invention? And Seventeen Other Questions Raised by the New Atheists, co-written with Jonathan Morrow (Kregel, 2010)
 * The Unshakable Truth, co-written with Josh McDowell (Harvest House, 2010)
 * The Apologetics Study Bible for Students, General Editor (B&H Publishers, 2010)
 * More Than A Carpenter, update with co-author Josh McDowell (Tyndale, 2009)
 * Apologetics for a New Generation, General Editor (Harvest House, 2009)
 * Evidence for the Resurrection, co-written with Josh McDowell (Regal Publishing, 2009) *Retailer’s Choice Award Winner, 2009
 * Jesus: Dead or Alive: Evidence for the Resurrection Teen Edition, with Josh McDowell & Ariel Allison (Regal Publishing, 2009)
 * Jesus is Alive! Co-written with Josh McDowell (Regal Publishing, 2009) *ECPA Christian Book Award finalist 2010
 * Understanding Intelligent Design: Everything You Need to Know in Plain Language, with William A. Dembski (Harvest House, 2008)
 * Ethix: Being Bold in a Whatever World (B&H Publishing, 2006)
 * Josh McDowell’s Youth Ministry Handbook (Word, 2000)

Book Chapters or Articles
 * "Where the Apostles Really Martyrs?" Christian Research Journal (Spring, 2016)
 * “Responding to Pro-Gay Talking Point,” Christian Research Journal (Fall, 2015).
 * Four lessons for D6 Curriculum: 2.0, including “Why Does God Allow Evil?” “Why Does God Allow Suffering?” “Is Hell Real (In Light of a Loving and Benevolent God)?” “Why Do Evil People Prosper?” (Fall 2015; http://d6family.com/d6-curriculum/)
 * “Do Levitical Prohibitions on Homosexuality Apply Today?” Christian Research Journal, Vol 38, No. 2 (Fall, 2015), 44-49.
 * “Myths of Evolution,” Decision Magazine, March 2015, p. 14.
 * “Teaching Apologetics to the Next Generation,” Christian Research Journal, Vol 38, No. 2 (Jan, 2015), 48-53.
 * “What Skeptics Wish Christians Knew,” Christian Research Journal (May/June, 2011).
 * Sean McDowell & Josh McDowell, Focus on the Family Thriving Magazine interview, (February 2011).
 * Sean McDowell & Josh McDowell, “Youth Culture in Transition,” YouthWorker Journal (May/June 2010), 22-25.
 * “How Ready Are You?” With All Your Mind (Spring, 2010), 1-3.
 * “2012: Is the World Coming to an End?” The Brink Magazine (Summer 2010), 63.
 * “Speaking Truth…In Love” The Brink Magazine (Spring 2010), 63.
 * “Could Jesus Have Survived the Cross?” The Brink Magazine (Winter 2009-2010), 63.
 * “Why Would A Loving God Command Genocide?” The Brink Magazine (Fall 2009), 64.
 * Book Review of Ask Me Anything 2, by J. Budziszewski, Christian Research Journal Volume 32, No. 1 (2009).
 * Book Review of Thank God for Evolution and Saving Darwin, Christian Research Journal (forthcoming in 2009)
 * “Objection Overruled: Answering the Top Ten Objections to Intelligent Design” with William A. Dembski, Christian Research Journal, Vol. 31, No. 5 (2008).
 * “The Doctrinal Difference” Christian Research Journal (March, 2008). This article was reprinted in What is Truth? The Best of the Christian Research Journal (Charlotte, NC: Christian Research Institute, 2009), 58-65.
 * “Apologetics for an Emerging Generation” in Passionate Conviction, edited by Paul Copan and William Lane Craig (Nashville, TN: B&H, 2007).
 * “Is the New Testament Reliable?” Decision, pages 20-22 (November, 2007)
 * “Where the Rubber Meets the Road” Clear Direction (Randall House Publications: June-August, 2007), 6-8.
 * “Apologetics for a New Generation” Christian Research Journal, vol. 30, no. 1 (2007), 20-29.
 * Chapter 34, “Answering Postmodernism” in The New Evidence, by Josh McDowell (Thomas Nelson, 1999).
 * “True for you, but not True for Me” YouthWorker Journal (January/February, 2006), 28-32.
 * “The Worldview Difference” YouthWorker Journal (November/December, 2006), 54.
 * “In Search of Certainty” AFA Journal (January, 2004), 20.
 * “Dating 101” Breakaway Magazine (March, 1998)

Video
Sean McDowell speaking about defending the Christian faith.

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