Apologetics goes and tells what is logical. Encountergetics goes and tells what has been seen and heard. Jesus put it this way: “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.” (Luke 7:22)

Apologetics communicates the case for Christ. Encountergetics demonstrates the presence and reality of Christ.

Apologetics uses reason, logic, and historical evidence to present, explain, and defend the teachings and claims of the Christian religion. Through the centuries it has helped lead many people to profess Christ by aiming for the mind.

Encountergetics depends on sacrificial love, compassion, humility, the fruit of the Spirit, testimonies, the witness of the Spirit, and the gifts of the Spirit to help people personally encounter, surrender to, and obey as Lord and Master the risen Jesus. Through the centuries it has demonstrated the present living reality of Jesus and brought many people into an intimate dynamic life-changing relationship with Him by targeting the heart.

Apologetics lectures.
Encountergetics loves.
Alologetics sermonizes.
Encountergetics serves.
Apologetics defends.
Encountergetics forgives.
Apologetics explains faith.
Encountergetics trains faith.
Apologitics rationalizes prayer.
Encountergetics radiates prayer.
Apologetics recycles religion.
Encountergetics disciples people.
Apologetics relates information.
Encountergetics radiates Christ Himself.
Apologetics arguers with those who disagree.
Encountergetics blesses those who curse them.
Apologetics gathers people to sit and listen.
Encountergetics gathers people to “taste and see.”
Apologetics wants people to come to doctrinal assent.
Encountergetics wants people to come to the risen Jesus.

Too much apologetics can bore people and make them apathetic. Encountergetics is never boring. It makes people energetic to follow and obey the living Jesus. Any gathering that cools Christians down instead of firing them up to love and obey Jesus more is quenching the Holy Spirit. Church too often is about passively listening to apologetics instead of actively experiencing encountergetics.

I recently went to church. This is what I saw and heard. People were singing songs about the Lord, a few of them passionately. After the singing everything changed. A nice welcome, quite a few announcements, and the collection of money made people passive. Everybody present was seated and listing to a long talk, many of them appearing to be dazed, distracted, or bored. Some were getting out of their seats and wandering about.

The speaker seemed to be unaware that he wasn’t holding the attention of many of the people in the audience. I beheld apologetics, not encountergetics.

Is there not a more effective way to present the living, resurrected Jesus? Is anyone present receiving anything from the Lord? If so, why not allow them to share it with the congregation?

Jesus is far beyond church. He’s here and there and everywhere and active anywhere we will not quench His Spirit.

When churches gather, they seldom allow people to assemble themselves together heart-to-heart and person-to-person. Yet the Bible says, “Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together.” (Hebrews 10:25)

Too often what is said in church stays in church. Too many Christians walk away from the Sunday morning apologetics and don’t even remember what was said, much less go and put it into effective daily action. Churches desperately need encountergetics!

Testimonies about Jesus are remembered. They release life into church services, (Revelation 12:11) yet they are rarely allowed. They make people hungry and excited to daily experience and obey Jesus.

In church people hear apologetics and connect ears-to-preacher. Yet God wants people to connect heart-to-heart with Him and with one another. That requires encountergetics!