Back in March (2019), right off the back of an adrenaline rush of the intellectually stimulating world of Christian apologetics, I shared the interest with my two close friends about starting a YouTube channel to present matters in the field of apologetics to netizens. Though it seemed out of the blue, it had been brewing in my heart for some time.
Time for a flashback.
My introduction to the field of apologetics took place right when I was a kid, albeit I didn’t know the first thing about apologia. There were questions about “how long did it take God to create the earth” and “whether God wrote our names in the Book of Life after we accepted Christ or even before our birth” (it was a while back that I recalled this and noticed that I had pondered about the highly debated topic of predestination!). My parents were all into honouring and hosting servants of the King and hence I had multiple instances where I sat at the feet of and listened to one of the maestros of Christian apologetics, erudite author, profound theologian, and expert orator Kerala has ever produced – Pastor K O Thomas. Since then debates and lectures on biblical topics would invigorate me into attending them.
But as I said, I didn’t know what apologetics was nor how it helped further the cause of the Good News. Until late 2017.
My long- time mentor, friend, and spiritual father-figure Pastor Jerin Thomas (Canada) pitched the idea of cultivating a habit in reading, particularly in apologetics and theology to make my solo time in hostel productive. That’s when I decided to give apologetics a proper try. I began with getting my hands on McDowell classics like More than a carpenter and Evidence that demands a verdict and Lee Strobel’s The Case for Christ.
And there I was. Thrilled by the field of Christian apologetics. Satisfied with how it defended my faith. Wondering why I didn’t start early. Stunned by the plethora of resources out there. Excited to see the Amazon delivery agent soon. Thankful to God for introducing me at the right time.
…And we’re back in.
When I knew God was asking me to start a Christian initiative (of sorts, at least that’s how I saw it back then) I asked him “Why me?”.
Christian apologetics, in my eyes, wasn’t a field that was in a severe dearth of organisations, speakers, history or resources. In fact, since the second century A.D apologists , like Justin Martyr, were prominent. So, God, I asked, what can I, someone who is new to the field, do? His response was a gem that I’ll cherish and impart for the rest of my life;
“I am the gardener. Just be the plant. I’ll grow it. I know how everything will fit into the garden at the end.”
So prayerfully with the support of my friends, I started SAFT Apologetics. We decided podcasts were the way to go ahead and SAFT Podcast was born. Down the line, as they had to part ways with SAFT, God sovereignly brought Ankit (you might know him as Piyush) into the team. Being from a missionary family that has been at the helm of advancing the gospel through India Campus Crusade for Christ in varied positions, the support and guidance Ankit brought were invaluable.
So we carried on. Our trust was, since inception, placed in the One with whom there is no turning of shadows (James 1:17). We knew that the Author and Perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), the One who called us will lead us to fruition, a truth best captured in the words of Hudson Taylor:
“God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply.”
As we begin a new phase of our journey, we invite you to join hands with us as we spearhead this mission for our God and Soli Deo Gloria; and we shout:
‘Onwards to God!’
In service of the King,
Jacob Varghese
