Alex McFarland is an American public speaker, author, educator, and advocate for
Christian apologetics
Christian apologetics ( grc, ἀπολογία, "verbal defense, speech in defense") is a branch of Christian theology that defends Christianity.
Christian apologetics has taken many forms over the centuries, starting with Paul the Apostle in ...
. He currently serves as Director of the Christian Worldview Center at
North Greenville University
North Greenville University is a private Baptist university in Tigerville, South Carolina. It is affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention (Southern Baptist Convention). It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and ...
in
Greenville, South Carolina
Greenville (; locally ) is a city in and the seat of Greenville County, South Carolina, United States. With a population of 70,720 at the 2020 census, it is the sixth-largest city in the state. Greenville is located approximately halfway be ...
and as organizer of the Truth for a New Generation Conferences. He also co-hosts the radio program "Exploring the Word" that airs on
American Family Radio
American Family Radio (AFR) is a network of more than 180 radio stations broadcasting Christian Conservative Christianity, Christian-oriented programming to over 30 states.Southern Evangelical Seminary
Southern Evangelical Seminary is a Christian college in Matthews, North Carolina, United States.
History
The seminary was established in 1992 by Norman Geisler and Ross Rhoads. The college, Southern Evangelical Bible College (SEBC), was estab ...
from 2006 - 2011. He is director of the Center for Christian Worldview and Apologetics at
North Greenville University
North Greenville University is a private Baptist university in Tigerville, South Carolina. It is affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention (Southern Baptist Convention). It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and ...
.
McFarland is a speaker for evangelical Christian audiences.
Childhood and education
Alex McFarland was born and raised in North Carolina where he attended the
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG or UNC Greensboro) is a public research university in Greensboro, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina system. UNCG, like all members of the UNC system, is a stand-al ...
. He later completed a master's degree from
Liberty University
Liberty University (LU) is a private Baptist university in Lynchburg, Virginia. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia (Southern Baptist Convention). Founded in 1971 by Jerry Falwell Sr. and Elmer L. Towns, Liberty i ...
in
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. First settled in 1757 by ferry owner John Lynch (1740–1820), John Lynch, the city's populati ...
in Christian Thought and Apologetics. In 2017 he returned as the university's Convocation speaker.
He lives in North Carolina with his wife.
Career
McFarland's 2000 ''Tour of Truth'' saw him preach the Gospel in all 50 states in 50 days. Hawaii was the first stop in a 17,000-mile tour during which McFarland preached in one church in each of the fifty states. McFarland and his wife traveled in an RV accompanied by three college students working as interns, and a married couple who did the driving. In
Easley, South Carolina
Easley is a city in Pickens County (with parts extending into Anderson County) in the State of South Carolina. Most of the city lies in Pickens County, with a small portion of the city in Anderson County.
In 2001, Easley hosted the Big League ...
on day 32, a lightning strike fried the computer modem, and a German Shepherd bit McFarland's arm outside a
Chase, Maryland
Chase is an unincorporated community in eastern Baltimore County, Maryland, United States.
Geography
Chase is located at (39.3634413, -76.3710704). Chase is located on the waterfront of the Gunpowder River, Middle River, Dundee Creek, Saltpeter ...
church. He wrote his first book, ''50 States in 50 Days: The "Tour of Truth" Story, and How 9 People Made the Journey of a Lifetime Across America''.
McFarland later served at
James Dobson
James Clayton Dobson Jr.
(born April 21, 1936) is an American evangelical Christian author, psychologist, and founder of Focus on the Family (FOTF), which he led from 1977 until 2010. In the 1980s he was ranked as one of the most influentia ...
's
Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family (FOTF or FotF) is a fundamentalist Protestant organization founded in 1977 in Southern California by James Dobson, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The group is one of a number of evangelical parachurch organizations ...
as Director of Teen Apologetics based on
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality in, and the county seat of, El Paso County, Colorado, United States. It is the largest city in El Paso County, with a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States Census, a 15.02% increase since ...
. In 2006, he accepted the position as third president of
Southern Evangelical Seminary
Southern Evangelical Seminary is a Christian college in Matthews, North Carolina, United States.
History
The seminary was established in 1992 by Norman Geisler and Ross Rhoads. The college, Southern Evangelical Bible College (SEBC), was estab ...
in
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
where he served for nearly five years.
Since 2011, McFarland has served as Director of the Christian Worldview Center at North Greenville University in Greenville, South Carolina. In addition, he co-hosts a radio program called "Exploring the Word" on
American Family Radio
American Family Radio (AFR) is a network of more than 180 radio stations broadcasting Christian Conservative Christianity, Christian-oriented programming to over 30 states.
McFarland created the Truth for a New Generation apologetics conferences. He argues that the United States, especially on university campuses, has become hostile to Christian believers. In his 2017 book 2017 ''Abandoned Faith: Why Millennials Are Walking Away and How You Can Lead Them Home'', McFarland and his co-author Jason Jimenez argue millennials drift away due to "the breakdown of the family," in America.
Bibliography
* ''Abandoned Faith: Why Millennials Are Walking Away and How You Can Lead Them Home''with Jason Jimenez (Focus on the Family, 2017)
*10 Issues That Divide Christians
*10 Answers for Atheists: How to Have an Intelligent Discussion About the Existence of God
*10 Answers for Skeptics
*10 Questions about Prayer Every Christian Must Answer: Thoughtful Responses about our Communication with God
*10 Questions Every Christian Must Answer: Thoughtful Responses to Strengthen Your Faith (with Elmer Towns)
*50 States In 50 Days: The "Tour of Truth" Story, and How 9 People Made the Journey of a Lifetime Across America
*Stand Strong: In College
*STAND: Core Truths You Must Know for an Unshakable Faith
*Stand: Seeking the Way of God: A Discovery of Genesis 37-47
*Stand: Diving into God's Words: A Discovery of Psalm 119
*The 10 Most Common Objections to Christianity
*The 21 Toughest Questions Your Kids Will Ask about Christianity: & How to Answer Them Confidently
*The Assault on America
*100 Bible Questions and Answers