In October Mary Jo participated in an audience Q&A panel session as a part of the Unbelievable? USA Conference at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, CA. Listen to her discussion along with Ruth Jackson, John Lennox, Mary Jo Sharp, AJ Roberts, Brian Brodersen and Bobby Conway.
Justin Brierley and Mary Jo also sat down to talk about her book Why I Still Believe.
You can watch the video of the panel discussion and interview here.
Mary Jo sat down with Ryan and Seth to record a podcast in between her teaching sessions last month at the Arkansas Lead>Defend Conference.
There’s a lot going on in the world right now, with the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic and health situation it poses for many of us. I’ve watched as Christian ministries step up to offer some encouragement via social media, and these messages are a welcome balance to the daily news, which can dishearten, if not frighten us. In a time that can feel so uncertain, sometimes we need a little something to help us work through our thoughts and feelings.
So, it is with that general spirit in mind, that I offer up a discussion series on YouTube that I’m calling, “Author Chat.” The series is a collection of one-minute videos in which I answer one question from the back of each chapter of “Why I Still Believe.” I’ll post one of these short videos per week and you are then invited to discuss your own responses in the comments section. My hope is that not only will you find some small reprieve from all that we have to handle right now, but that you will also have a chance to work through some of your own thoughts about the Christian faith.
I’m looking forward to hearing everyone’s thoughts on each question as well as other sections of each chapter that stood out to you. When you subscribe to the channel you will receive email notifications each time we post a new video.
Looking for a copy of Why I Still Believe? In addition to Amazon.com, which is currently low on stock, check out these resources: BarnesandNoble.com, BooksaMillion.com, ChristianBook.com, FaithGateway.com, https://getitlocaltoday.com/, and https://bookshop.org/, you can also download the eBook or audio book!
Mary Jo was a guest on Solas PEP Talk Podcast with Andy Bannister. Andy asked:
How can we present the gospel through our lives and in our churches when, unlike Christ Himself, we are far from perfect?
As they discussed Why I Still Believe Mary Jo and Andy consider how navigating the tricky waters of hypocrisy or painful experiences is so important in bringing friends and family to Christ.
Recently Nancy Flory interviewed Mary Jo for The Stream. Here’s a Preview:
Why I Still Believe: A Former Atheist Shares Her Story on Why She Became a Christian and an Apologist
Mary Jo Sharp’s agnostic parents introduced her to nature, science and art. The amount of beauty that she saw in the world, especially in nature, impressed her. She felt a sense of wonder and awe at the universe. “I began to wonder what all of this meant. Was it just that we lived and died and there was nothing more to it? It didn’t seem to match up with my experience of it.”
In a way, her agnostic parents accidentally pointed her to Christianity.
Mary Jo, a former atheist from the Pacific northwest, is now a Christian author and apologist. Her newest book is Why I Still Believe: A Former Atheist’s Reckoning With the Bad Reputation Christians Give a Good God. Mary Jo spoke with The Stream about her book and how she became a Christian, even with agnostic parents.
As a musician, she played works of art intended to move people. “I thought, ‘Move them to what? What are we looking for? What are we trying to experience?’” She began to look for the meaning behind all of the beauty she saw in the world.
In high school, Mary Jo’s Christian band director talked with her about Christ. He then gave her a Bible. When she read the Bible, it all made sense — beauty, goodness and truth; a sense of right and wrong; and justice and injustice. “It was giving a grounding to all of those things. And that’s how I moved out of my youthful atheism into belief that there must be a God behind the universe.”
Mary Jo gave her life to Christ at 20. She decided to go to church for her first worship service. She put on her best dress. But when she stepped inside the church, the pastor’s wife confronted her. She told Mary Jo that she needed to find more appropriate clothing — “something that doesn’t show cleavage.”
Mary Jo wrote in her book that “first-time church attendance should come with a disclaimer. Churches could post a sign or place fine print at the bottom of the bulletin: ‘Church attendance may cause extreme discomfort. Side effects of interactions with humans include, but are not limited to, doubt, anger, disappointment, and disillusionment.’” She immediately began to distrust the church leaders. Read the rest of the article here
To learn more about The Stream head to their About Page here.
Mary Jo was a recent guest on Christ, Culture & Coffee Podcast with Robby Lashua. Robby is also the Pastor of Apologetics at Desert Springs Community Church and Associate Professor at Mission Bible Institute.
You can listen to the their interview on SoundCloud Spotify or iTunes Episode 96: From Atheist to Christian Apologist-Special Guest Mary Jo Sharp or you watch their conversation on YouTube!
Though I know you are not a person, apologetics, I’m going to show you some affection on this day of celebrating love.
Apologetics, you are often misunderstood. I read about you in articles that treat you as though you are some snobby endeavor for pretentious Christian intellectuals. Sure, some would say, you have your merits when people begin to doubt their faith, but overall you are quite often viewed as a suspicious figure. Some think you are to be used sparingly…just in case you show your “true self.” And I can only image what people may think you are: some raging monster of objective truth that doesn’t care about a person’s feelings as long as you win the day.
However, I know that’s not who you are. If we steal the heart out of you, like Te Fiti in Moana, you can seem to be that raging force of a lava-spewing argument volcano. But that’s not an accurate representation of you. Like Te Fiti, you’re a life-giver. You are a truth-teller, a means towards understanding human flourishing. You make stories come alive. You walk alongside the truth of the Gospel, in support of all that Jesus has done for us. You are a disciple of the Master. You are one part of a flourishing human life.
It seems to be that the problem lies within us, with people. How we utilize you is the issue at hand. If we use you out of selfishness, then you appear to be something you are not. You can appear to be a means of oppression or instrument of control…a weapon. Your dearest friend, the Gospel, encounters the same problem with us humans. Sometimes, we even start out our relationship with you for non-selfish reasons: searching for truth, love, forgiveness, and redemption. Yet, all too frequently, we begin to fall back into our old vices. We begin to allow selfishness and pride to subtly sneak into our conversations with others. We forget to love God’s beautiful creation and would rather have something to buttress our own views and emotions…and in doing so we rip your heart out…the heart that is the Gospel, the self-sacrificing love of Christ.
So, today, I want to show you that I don’t place the blame on you, apologetics. You are an instrument that God has given us as one means of loving our neighbor as ourselves, or to do good to those who don’t necessarily do good to us. We are the ones that choose how we will utilize you. We are the ones with the fallen nature who so often abuse our good gifts. My apologies, apologetics, for not using you in a spirit of truth and love.
Mary Jo was interviewed by Nick Peters, host of Deeper Waters Podcast. You can listen to their conversation about Why I Still Believe here.
Nick previously interviewed Mary Jo. Back in 2014 they discussed the topic Why Apologetics?
Mary Jo was a guest of the Wesley Seminary Podcast recently. Listen to her interview on podcast #117 titled From Atheist to Apologist
Mary Jo discusses her latest book Why I Still Believe with Rev. Aaron Perry, Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology and Leadership at Indiana Wesleyan University.
Mary Jo recently discussed her book Why I Still Believe with John Stonestreet on his podcast Break Point.
John began by asking and answering an important question. “Do the hypocrisy and failings of Christians invalidate Christianity? Of course not, despite what the media or the waves of ‘I was a former evangelical’ narratives would have us believe.”