Apologetics
Description: The competitor is given four (4) minutes to prepare a persuasive, reasoned, and original speech that defends a
tenet of the Christian faith.
Goal: Competitors will be motivated to study, articulate, and defend the core issues of their faith in a knowledgeable,
sincere, and respectful manner. The focus may or may not be evangelistic. The audience’s acceptance of the truth of the Bible should not be assumed. Content is key: greater weight should be given to the speech content, rather than the
presentation style.
Categories 2, 3, & 5 will be covered at the tournament.
Mars Hill
Description: The competitor is given four (4) minutes to prepare a speech to identify theme(s) from books, movies, and other
genres, discuss their appeal and impact to the culture, and then compare and contrast them with a biblical truth(s).
Goals: The competitor learns to relate cultural references to themes common in humanity to find common ground and draw the listener to Christian truths. The competitor will share Biblical principles on a conversational, personal level to inspire reflection, understanding that God’s truth is not divorced from culture. Content is key: greater weight should be given to the speech content, rather than the presentation style.
Current Music, Classic Film and Television, & Literature will be covered at the tournament.