Street Smarts - by Gregory Koukl (Paperback)

About the Book

In Street Smarts, Gregory Koukl shows Christians, step by step, how to maneuver effectively and comfortably in conversations using questions in an artful way to expose the flaws in the thinking of challengers who disagree with their beliefs.

Book Synopsis

How to engage in productive conversations with those who challenge your Christian convictions.

Gregory Koukl's best-selling book of practical apologetics, Tactics, wrote the game plan for discussing your Christian convictions with skeptics. In this follow-up, Koukl--a leader of clear-thinking Christianity--reveals the fundamental flaws in common, current challenges to Christian beliefs and values and provides step-by-step strategies to question and reveal those shortcomings.

Street Smarts offers model questions and sample dialogues to help guide believers in persuasive conversations about hot-button issues like:

• Relativism
• The trustworthiness of Scripture
• The claims of the Gospel
• Abortion
• Marriage, sex, and gender

This book will teach you how to tackle those discussions that believers often avoid because they feel out of their element, vulnerable, or exposed. Lucid, well-organized, and easy-to-follow, Street Smarts provides a specific set of questions--the same questions Koukl uses in his own encounters--that are embedded in sample mini-dialogues that you can use to have fruitful debates with non-believers.

Review Quotes

'Another gem from Greg Koukl! Whether it's slavery, genocide, the inerrancy of the Bible, or science and faith, you'll be a lot smarter on the street after you read this book.'-- Frank Turek, author of I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist

'Do you fear conversations about Christianity and biblical morality? In a world that has never been more polarized and divided, Street Smarts is the perfect resource for this cultural moment.'-- Alisa Childers, author of Another Gospel and Live Your Truth--and Other Lies

'Filled with practical advice, Street Smarts is the perfect book for those who want to walk with others through the intellectual and existential challenges of our cultural moment.'-- Dr. Stephen C. Meyer, author of Return of the God Hypothesis

'Greg Koukl has a unique gift for clarifying complex issues. This book provides concrete guidance on how we can maneuver in tough conversations to impact culture for Christ. You'll be amazed at your ability to engage your critics in a winsome and attractive way.'-- David Limbaugh, NY Times bestselling author of The True Jesus and Jesus on Trial

'Greg Koukl is a master in showing Christians how to defend biblical truths. His sample dialogues give real-world illustrations of how to handle any challenge. Street Smarts goes straight on my reading list for future classes!'-- Nancy Pearcey, professor, scholar, and author of Total Truth

'Greg Koukl is my 'go-to' source for guidance navigating tough conversations about Christianity. In Street Smarts, Greg raises the bar. This book will take your Christian conversations to a new level.'-- J. Warner Wallace, "Dateline" featured Cold-Case Detective, and author of Person of Interest and The Truth about True Crime

'Greg Koukl is well-known for his Socratic questioning approach--a more appealing way to use apologetic arguments in our case for Christianity. Street Smarts goes further, providing application to philosophic positions and particular challenges. Well written; highly recommended!'-- Gary Habermas, Distinguished Research Professor, Liberty University

'If you liked Greg Koukl's earlier book, Tactics--and who didn't?--then you're going to love this new work.'-- Mark Mittelberg, author of Contagious Faith and Confident Faith, and Executive Director of the Lee Strobel Center for Evangelism and Applied Apologetics at Colorado Christian University

'If you shrink back from evangelism, this book is for you. Don't let tough questions deter you. This is a savvy guide to using strategic questions as a way of influencing people for Christ.'-- Lee Strobel, best-selling author, founder of the Lee Strobel Center for Evangelism and Applied Apologetics at Colorado Christian University

'Koukl answers the critic's toughest challenges--and maybe even the believer's own doubts--but then adds the specific tactical questions necessary to help them navigate difficult conversations safely, graciously, and effectively. Of great value for practical apologetics and evangelism!'-- William Lane Craig, author of Reasonable Faith

'Koukl's crisp, clear, and careful writing style made it an absolute joy to read. I could not recommend this book more highly to thoughtful Christians and apologists of every stripe.'-- Craig Hazen, Director, Graduate Program in Christian Apologetics, Biola University

'Many Christians know what they believe about these controversial cultural issues but not why and are left stumped, steaming, or silent. Greg helps us engage these topics with clarity and compassion and to apply the right tactics to the tough conversations.'-- John Stonestreet, President of the Colson Center and host of BreakPoint

'On every page of this book you'll learn what to say and how to say it, even when dealing with today's thorniest issues.'-- Jeff Myers, Ph.D., President, Summit Ministries

'On full display in Street Smarts are Greg's many gifts, including his uncanny ability to engage his critics with both charity and rigor. Even if you find yourself, as I do, not agreeing with every single point that Greg makes, he gives you the blueprint on how to move forward and think through the many contested issues that bedevil our age.'-- Francis J. Beckwith, Professor of Philosophy, Baylor University

'Street Smarts addresses the exact topics necessary to help us dialogue effectively with our friends who desperately need the truth.'-- Dan Kimball, author of How (Not) To Read The Bible

'Street Smarts gives you the philosophical framework as well as the practical dialogues needed to defend Christian beliefs and practices.'-- Dr. Christopher Yuan, author of Holy Sexuality and the Gospel and producer of The Holy Sexuality Project video series for parents and their teens

'Street Smarts is the book I wish I had when I first set out to learn to defend my faith. An indispensable guide for any Christian navigating difficult conversations in today's hostile culture!'-- Natasha Crain, author of Faithfully Different and Keeping Your Kids on God's Side

'Street Smarts is Greg's best work. It is a fun, engaging read that exhibits 'street savvy'--a real understanding of the culture in which we live and breathe and have our being.'-- J.P. Moreland, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University

'Street Smarts puts one of the sharpest Christian apologists in the country in your back pocket. It provides blueprints on a variety of timely topics to help us with the conversations we all need to have in a post-Christian world.'-- Scott Klusendorf, President of Life Training Institute, author of The Case for Life

'Street Smarts reminds all those who have been called to 'till the soil' that their contributions to evangelism are no less important than those who reap the harvest.'-- Hillary Morgan Ferrer, Founder and President of Mama Bear Apologetics

'The wisdom in this book comes from a lifetime of engaging people on the 'street.' Greg will teach you the skill of using questions in your interactions with skeptics and build your confidence to carry it out with grace and truth.'-- Sean McDowell, associate professor of Apologetics at Biola University, coauthor of Set Adrift

'This book offers effective tools to equip believers who, by God's grace, can help unbelievers move closer to considering and embracing the gospel.'-- Paul Copan, Pledger Family Chair of Philosophy and Ethics, Palm Beach Atlantic University