This really happened. To me. About thirty minutes ago.

I walked in a Christian stupid-trinkets-shirts-music-and-everything-but-books store to browse while I had some logos put on a few shirts at another store. After looking around for awhile, I asked one of the clerks where I could find apologetics. Turning to head to a computer terminal, she said, “I know we don’t have any but I think we can order them.”

To be honest, I wasn’t puzzled by her response and quietly followed her to the computer. Another clerk tried to help her.

“Well, we don’t have any and it doesn’t look like we can order them, either,” she said.

“How about books on apologetics?” I asked politely.

“Books!?!” she replied somewhat incredulously.

She typed a bit on the computer; the other clerk – he looking no less confused than she – looked on. She then asked:

“How do you spell apologetics?”

“Ah,” I said, trying to be kind and fatherly. “That would be a-p-o-l-o-g-e-t-i-c-s, as in apology. It means to be able to give a defense for your faith.”

“Oh,” she said. “Let me ask another clerk.”

She did this and the third clerk, a young lady not much older than the first, said that the books on apologetics were in with basic reference works and books on theology.

“Thank you,” I replied as I resumed my browsing.

Please, pray for the church.


2 Cor 1:13