Tonight, Online Apol will be welcoming Daniel Brown. Daniel competed in Apologetics his senior year, and is excited to give back and share from his experiences. Tonight he will be delving into Category 5. “Through my presentation, I hope to bring something historical, practical, thoughtful, helpful, and Biblical to the table. We will be covering all of Category 5–Definitions, General Questions, and Statement Analysis. I hope it will be an encouraging and equipping evening.” To learn more about Online Apol click here.
1. When did you compete in Apologetics? I competed in apologetics in my senior year of high school, which was the 2015-2016 NCFCA Season, and I loved the experience.
2. Why did you decide to compete? Initially, I was not interested in the category–I felt perfectly happy with the platforms and interpretive speeches I was used to–until my parents urged me to give it a try, and so I did.
3. Are you satisfied with your experience? Each aspect of apologetic speaking has proven well worth my time, from research to synthesis to organization to presentation. Based on my own experience, I believe this category to be the most rewarding in NCFCA, because it demands more of you than just a great stage performance: it asks you to live out the truths in private practice.
4. What would you say to those contemplating Apol? Throughout my four years of competing in NCFCA, I befriended several apologetics competitors who were simply champions in the own right. These people were absolutely phenomenal to watch. I remember how, as a young competitor, I was simply blown away by the Godly behavior of some of these extraordinarily talented young men and women. They knew God. I could see it. They talked with Him on a daily basis. His presence was written on their faces. And I saw something in these competitors that set them apart from the rest of the crowd. Because this difference spoke deeply to my heart, I would urge the more veteran competitors in the league to never underestimate the power of their example. To beginning apologetics students, I would say, Don’t be afraid. For the younger competitors who are just trying to absorb everything, it is always daunting to live up to the standards of the last generation. Never try to manufacture godliness in your own strength–that is a lost cause. Instead, go to God, say “Lord, what do You want to teach me through this category?” Be obedient to His Word; follow His calling on your life; trust in the promises in God’s Word, and you will walk closer to Him.
5. What are you currently pursuing? I an undergraduate student at Pensacola Christian College in Pensacola, Florida. At this time, I believe the Lord is calling me to become a physician, so I am studying Pre-Medicine there.
6. How has doing Apol impacted you? At the outset of my senior year, I thought that competing in apologetics for just a season would mean limited growth and achievement in the category–I only had one year to do it all. Actually, quite the opposite happened. As a college student, I now remember high school apologetics competitions as the bellows which stoked the spiritual fire in my heart, the goads that pricked me toward a good God. Thanks be to Him, those rewards are eternal, life changing, and produce fruits of everlasting joy. My prayer is the same and even better for up and coming apolers.