A former atheist who came to faith, Mary Jo Sharp has experienced two worlds of American culture: the post-Christian culture of the Pacific Northwest and the evangelical culture of the Bible Belt. She first encountered apologetics in her own spiritual search while seeking answers. Mary Jo is now an assistant professor of apologetics at Houston Baptist University and the founder and director of Confident Christianity Apologetics Ministry and the author of Why I Still Believe. A clear communicator with a heart for people, Mary Jo finds great joy in sharing the deep truths of her Lord and Savior.
Dr. Rebecca McLaughlin holds a PhD in renaissance literature from Cambridge University and a theology degree from Oak Hill College in London. She is a speaker, writer, and author of 10 Questions Every Teen Should Ask, The Secular Creed, and Confronting Christianity, named “2020 Book of the Year” by Christianity Today.
Dr. Sean McDowell is a gifted author and speaker with a passion for equipping the church, and in particular young people, to make the case for the Christian faith. He connects with audiences in a tangible way through humor and stories, while imparting hard evidence and logical support for viewing all areas of life through a Biblical worldview. Sean is an Associate Professor in the Christian Apologetics program at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. He is the author, co-author, or editor of over 20 books, including The Fate of the Apostles, So The Next Generation Will Know (with J. Warner Wallace) and Evidence that Demands a Verdict (with Josh McDowell).
Rachel Gilson (M.Div) serves on the leadership team of Theological Development and Culture with Cru, and is the author of Born Again This Way: Coming Out, Coming to Faith, and What Comes Next (The Good Book Company, 2020). Her writing has appeared in Christianity Today and for Desiring God and The Gospel Coalition, and she speaks nationally and internationally at churches and on college campuses. Rachel is pursuing a PhD in public theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and lives in the Boston area with her husband and daughter.
As a Christian apologist, Adam Coleman is passionate about equipping Christians with evidence for the faith and engaging the culture. He is a husband, father of five busy children, social worker, writer, and public speaker. Upon graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Master’s in Social Work, Adam began a career of community development, mentoring youth, and service to our nation’s veterans. Adam is the founder and president of Tru-ID Apologetics Ministries (YouTube channel, Tru-ID Podcast) and a contributing author in a recently published work titled, Urban Apologetics: Restoring Black Dignity with The Gospel.
Possessing a heart for discipleship, and an affinity for adolescents and teens, Matt Davis has been serving in student ministry since 2004 and currently is the Student Pastor at Bayou City Fellowship, a church in his hometown of Cypress, Texas. He holds a BS in English Literature from Rice University and a M.Div from Fuller Theological Seminary. Matt has served as the volunteer chaplain for the Mission Northeast and Kingwood Pines Psychiatric Hospital, and previously worked for L’Abri Fellowship International, Here Come Better Days, and served as a missionary in Barcelona, Spain. His desire is for students to come to know Jesus through His Word.
Tim Barnett is the creator of the popular apologetics resource Red Pen Logic (YouTube channel, Facebook, Instagram) which ”helps assess bad thinking by using good thinking.” Tim is a passionate defender of the Christian faith and helps followers think clearly about what they believe and why they believe it. He has worked as a speaker for Stand to Reason since 2015 and a professional teacher since 2008, employed in both the private and public sector. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Physics from York University, a Bachelor of Education from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, and a Master of Arts in Philosophy from Southern Evangelical Seminary.
Leigh McLeroy is a gifted writer, speaker and Bible teacher, and the author, editor or collaborator of more than 20 CBA titles in the last 20 years. She has developed curricula for churches, worldwide church planters and para-church organizations and has taught teenagers, young adults and adults in the church for more than 30 years. Leigh holds an undergraduate degree in journalism from Texas A&M University, and a Master of Cultural Apologetics from Houston Baptist University.
Ministry Architects is a highly-skilled team of pastors, teachers, executives, youth workers, children’s pastors, writers and professors. We help churches and organizations find clear direction and sustained momentum backed up by properly aligned resources.
The mission of TENx10 is to make faith matter for 10 million teenagers over the next 10 years. Each year in the United States, over 1 million young people are likely to walk away from the church and from the full, abundant life Jesus offers. We’re a collaborative discipleship movement, rallying all parts of the Church to reimagine how we form the faith of young people — together.
The L’Abri Communities are study centers where individuals have the opportunity to seek answers to honest questions about God and the significance of human life. L’Abri believes that Christianity speaks to all aspects of life.
OX FOR GOOD is a creative agency committed to making the world better. Based in Chicago, OX helps organizations doing good in the world to maximize their impact through storytelling and strategy.
Each member of OX is passionate about connecting to young people with honest, relevant content that works. The team is a diverse group of strategists, artists, and storytellers with a combined 71 years of experience serving in youth ministry themselves.
“Who is God?” “Where is God?” “Am I doing this faith thing right”? “Do I want to do it at all?”
So many questions, and they’re huge—almost too big and definitely a little too scary to tackle alone. Sometimes it just seems safer to shut them out, keep things moving, and ignore the dark altogether.
But when we look at the Bible, we see Jesus asking questions all the time. Disruptive questions. Unpopular questions. Questions with no obvious answer.
But weirdly, it seems like Christians today are shying away from asking those real world questions. Instead, we’re often told to accept the answers given to us and maintain the status quo.
So here’s the question: What if the dark weren’t something to be afraid of? What if there were a way for us to find a light and maybe even see the bigger picture?
Darkroom is your space to have a moment in the unknown. A second to think. A chance to get it all out. It’s where you can ask the big questions about faith and pick apart the small details that maybe go overlooked.
It’s where you can wonder out loud and be OK knowing you might not get the answers you want, but you’ll find the response you need.
As you navigate the twists and turns of life, faith, and your place in the world, why go it alone? Become part of a welcoming, safe space where you can ask away and be in good company.
Darkroom is where you’ll find thought-provoking convos, perspectives that help you engage your world, and room to just be yourself.
No matter where you are in your faith journey, however you identify as a person, or wherever you are in the world—there’s room for you here. Whatever baggage you’re bringing, we’re here to take a load off. Whatever your question is, we’ll bet you’re not the only one.
Darkroom isn’t where you’ll be preached at, talked about, dismissed, or made to feel less-than.
Darkroom is a catalyst for conversations that open your mind, push you forward, and light a spark within.
We believe that faith often develops in the dark, and that many times, spiritual growth starts with comfort in the not knowing. So, go ahead. Break the silence. Get it off your chest. Ask the unaskable. Doubt the undoubtable. Say it like you see it. Here there’s room for your eyes to adjust and your perspective to take shape.
You’re invited to join us, stay curious, keep questioning, and find your way in the Darkroom.
Are you a youth minister or leader? Check out our Leader page to download Darkroom videos, as well as discussion guides, overviews and study materials.
We’ll give you all the tools you’ll need to lead and engage students in discussions on key faith questions.
Oh, and did we mention? Every one of our resources are available to you right now, free of charge.
Darkroom is produced In partnership with OX CREATIVE
We collabed with OX Creative to bring Darkroom to life. OX helped us create the look, feel and sound for Darkroom, and co-produced the Darkroom film series. Based out of Chicago, IL, OX is a creative agency boasting a talented team of strategists, artists and storytellers with a mission to create world-class creative for a better world.
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