A Higher Education

Mary Jo Sharp

School of Christian Thought
Apologetics
  • Assistant Professor of Apologetics
  • Program Coordinator, Apologetics (Minor and MA)
  • External Networking Apologist

Education

  • Research Candidate, Australian College of Theology, PhD
  • MA, Apologetics, Biola University
  • BME, University of Oklahoma

Courses Taught

  • Apologetics Communication
  • Evangelism for Everyone
  • Apologetics and Evangelism in Practice
  • Philosophy of Religion
  • Problem of Evil
  • “Mere Christian” Theology and Apologetics Implications
  • World Religions
  • Christian Tradition and Theology

Teaching Focus

Apologetics, Communication, Philosophy of Religion, and World Religions

Publications

CSB Lifeway Women’s Bible (Holman Bible Publishers, April 2022), Devotional/article author 

 Why I Still Believe: A Former Atheist’s Reckoning with the Bad Reputation Christians Give a Good God (Zondervan/HarperCollins Publishing, November 2019) 

 “The Christian Worldview and the Overcoming of Evil” CSB Worldview Study Bible eds. David Dockery and Trevin Wax (Holman Bible Publishers, 2018) 

 “Why More Women Should Study Apologetics” A New Kind of Apologist: Adopting Fresh Strategies, Addressing the Latest Issues, Engaging the Culture ed. Sean McDowell (Harvest House Publishers, March 2016)  

 Living in Truth: Confident Conversation in a Conflicted Culture (LifeWay Press, 2015) 

 Defending the Faith: Apologetics in Women’s Ministry (Kregel Publications, 2012) 

 Why Do You Believe That? A Faith Conversation Bible Study (LifeWay Press, 2012) 

“Does the Story of Jesus Mimic Pagan Mystery Stories?” Come Let Us Reason: New Essays in Christian Apologetics (B&H Academic, 2012) 

“Does the Bible Borrow From Pagan Myths?” The Defense of the Bible  (B&H Academic, 2012) 

Articles/ Projects

“Is it Okay to Doubt?”  North American Mission Board website (December 2022) 

 “Why are Humans Drawn to Beauty?” SOLAS Center for Public Christianity, Scotland (November 2022) 

 “Why Are Humans So Curious?” SOLAS Center for Public Christianity, Scotland (July 2022) 

 Darkroom Faith, Student Apologetics Short Film Series & Curriculum (Released May 2022), Director of Content

“The Church is Full of Hypocrites!”  The Colson Center, “What Would You Say” Video Series (November 2021), Script Author in Apologetics Series 

 “Relational Intentionality: Why Women Should Be Apologists, Too,” Christian Research Journal Website, June 2021 

 “Christians, Conspiracy Theories, and Credibility: Why Our Words Today Matter for Eternity,” Lifeway Research (February 2021), Contributing author 

 “Can We Trust the Bible?” Facts and Trends Magazine (Winter 2018/Spring 2019), Contributing author 

 CSB Apologetics Study Bible for Students, ed. Sean McDowell (Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), Contributor, expert videos  

“Examining Changes that will Affect the Church in the Next Twelve Months and Beyond,” Facts and Trends Magazine, (Winter 2016), Contributing author  

Bible Studies

Bible Studies for Life, ed. Lynn Pryor
LifeWay Christian Resources, April 2020
“Why the Resurrection Matters” 

The Gospel Project, eds. Brian Dembowczyk, Daniel Davis
LifeWay Christian Resources, Fall 2018
“In the Beginning”
Contributing Author         

The Gospel Project, eds. Trevin Wax, Ed Stetzer
LifeWay Christian Resources, Fall 2016
“Prophets and Kings” 
Contributing Author         

Resilient Faith, “Bible Studies for Life” series
Study of 1 Peter
LifeWay Christian Resources, Summer 2014 

The Gospel Project, eds. Trevin Wax, Ed Stetzer
LifeWay Christian Resources, Winter 2013-2014
“The Meaning of Life”
Contributing Author       

Additional Information

Mary Jo Sharp is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Evangelical Philosophical Society. She is the founder of Confident Christianity apologetics ministry through which she is a researcher, writer, church trainer, and international speaker. She serves on the board of directors, or in advisory roles, for several Christian ministries. Her current work focuses on Islamic epistemology, philosophy of religion, student apologetics, women in apologetics, online apologetics and theology education, imaginative and everyday evangelism, and expanding the role of apologetics as a winsome influence in church, community, and culture.