By: Harry Edwards
Apologetics.com, founded in 1999, emerged from a unique decision made by its founder, Harry Edwards. While completing his Master of Arts in Christian Apologetics at Talbot School of Theology (Biola University), Edwards faced the typical final hurdle: a thesis paper. However, he proposed an unconventional approach. Instead of submitting a conventional paper, he suggested launching a nonprofit organization in its place, a dynamic ministry that could endure beyond any single document and continue serving the church long after graduation. This proposal was approved, the URL apologetics.com was secured (a remarkable feat in the late ‘90s), and a 501(c)(3) was established. What began as a class project swiftly transformed into a calling.
From its inception, Apologetics.com has operated as a volunteer-driven ministry. Our earliest contributors were graduate students in theology, philosophy, and apologetics; friends who shared a profound passion for defending the truth claims of Christianity and a conviction that the church yearned for accessible, cogent answers to the probing questions of the faith. This volunteer ethos has remained steadfast throughout our existence. It has influenced our motto, “Challenging Believers to Think and Thinkers to Believe,” and has guided our operations for over two decades. We have never been a platform for a single voice; instead, we have fostered a community of thinkers who believe that loving God with all your mind is not merely an optional aspect of the Christian life; it is the essence of discipleship.
Long before “content creation” became a career path, we were already doing it. For over 25 years, Apologetics.com hosted a late-night, call-in radio program in Los Angeles. This program took live questions from skeptics, seekers, and believers grappling with challenging questions about faith, science, ethics, and Scripture. We even launched the first apologetics podcast on Apple’s platform before podcasting was a recognized medium. Our early articles, debates, and recordings went beyond the boundaries of Southern California and reached audiences far and wide. Thanks largely to the reach of our top-level domain, what began as a graduate school experiment turned into a globally accessible library of apologetics resources. This library equipped pastors, students, parents, and curious skeptics on nearly every continent.
Today, we are embarking on a new chapter. Apologetics.com is partnering with Apologetics Canada to expand our shared mission of equipping the global church to understand, defend, and share the truth of the Gospel. The connection between our organizations runs deep. Apologetics Canada was founded in 2010 by Andy Steiger, who initially honed his skills as a regular voice on the Apologetics.com Radio Show. Subsequently, he launched what was then known as Apologetics.com Canada later changed to Apologetics Canada Andy and Harry share the same philosophy of ministry: a conviction that the world is changed through the Gospel and its faithful defense, lived out in love for God and people. Under Andy’s leadership, this collaborative effort between our two organizations, leveraging decades of resources, relationships, and ministry experience, continues to better serve a church that needs apologetics now more than ever. The mission hasn’t changed. The team just got bigger.