06Dec 2024 by Post

World Religions in Seven Sentences with Dr. Doug Groothuis

christian, Christian Apologetics, Christianity, Dr. Doug Groothuis, Dr. Frank Turek, Gospel, morality, philosophy, Podcast, religion, theology, World Religions
How much do you know about the major world religions? Whether it’s atheism, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, or one of the many Eastern religions, humanity holds a wide array of beliefs about who God is and if He even exists at all. But what if more Christians dedicated time to learning about other religions? How could this strengthen our faith along with our ability to share the Gospel? We’re kicking off December with renowned Christian apologist and philosopher, Dr. Doug Groothuis, professor at Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, MI and the author of 20+ books, including his latest work, ‘World Religions in Seven Sentences: A Small Introduction to a Vast Topic‘. In this episode, Frank and Doug discuss the inspiration behind the book and unpack some of the core beliefs of…
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04Dec 2024 by Post

Jesus: Santa Claus for Adults?

4. Is the NT True?, Apologetics, Atheism, Christianity, Christmas, FreeThinkingMinistries.com, Gospel, Grinch, Jesus, Santa Clause, Tim Stratton
It’s common for atheists to be a “Grinch” over the Holidays and exclaim that Jesus is just a “Santa Claus for adults!” When I hear that claim, I immediately respond with a question: “What do you mean by that?” If one means that children often believe in fictional fairy tales and adults believe in fact-based evidence, then I agree – Jesus is for adults (and actually people of all ages)! But I don’t think that’s the intent behind this claim. I believe the intent of the atheist (“Grinch”) is to convey that little kids believe in a fictional Santa Clause and many adults believe in fiction too – Christianity. How the Grinch Stole Christ out of Christmas Well, why think a thing like that, Mr. Grinch? Is belief in Jesus —…
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02Dec 2024 by Post

Pastoral Counseling and the Resurrection of Jesus

bellatorchristi.com, Gospel, Pastoral Counseling, pastors, psychology, Resurrection, Theology and Christian Apologetics, Therapy, TJ Gentry
When reflecting on over forty years of pastoral ministry carried out in numerous forms and contexts, two recurring realities emerge as most prominent in my experience. First, people are often profoundly troubled and deeply hurting amid the moral chaos and cultural decay of a sin-stricken world, resulting in a brokenness that reaches the deepest recesses of the human mind and heart. Second, the gospel—the hopeful proclamation of the now-and-not-yet kingdom of God as manifested in the deity, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ—is the greatest source of healing for individuals, families, churches, and cultures.[i] “The gospel—the hopeful proclamation of the now-and-not-yet kingdom of God as manifested in the deity, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ—is the greatest source of healing for individuals, families, churches, and cultures.” In a word, the…
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27Nov 2024 by Post

Do you Dare to Really Know Jesus?

4. Is the NT True?, christology, Gospel, HeavenNotHarvard.com, Jennifer Defrates, Jesus, resurrection Categories: Is the New Testament True?
If you would consider to dare to know Jesus, I invite you to give Him some serious thought today. Whether you’re a Christian or not, you probably claim to know Jesus, at least in broad strokes. In fact, worldwide, no one person has influenced history more than Jesus. The way we even measure history has been using His birth since A.D. 532. While using “BC” (Before Christ) has become less politically correct, the era still changes approximately at His birth. But which Jesus do you know? There is only one historical Jesus in reality. But how He is painted, described, even taught can vary wildly. And sadly, not every person who describes herself as a Christian even knows the real Jesus. We live in a culture of busy. We don’t have…
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26Nov 2024 by Post

Top Ten Ways to Advance the Gospel at Holiday Dinners – 2024 Edition

Christian Apologetics, Christianity, Dr. Frank Turek, family, friends, Gospel, Holiday, Holiday dinner, morality, philosophy, Podcast, religion, Thanksgiving, theology
Are you dreading the upcoming holiday dinners where you’ll be in close proximity with friends, family, and loved-ones who aren’t Christians? Let’s face it—holiday gatherings with friends and family who don’t share your worldview can feel awkward. But they’re also incredible opportunities to share the Gospel! If you’re in search of some practical tips to make faith conversations a little less painful this Thanksgiving and Christmas, listen up! In this week’s podcast, Frank shares 10 practical strategies to help you navigate holiday faith conversations with confidence and without making a scene. He’ll answer questions like: Are you setting realistic goals for sharing your faith? Why is listening often more impactful than debating? What role should prayer play when evangelizing? What are 3 tactical questions that you can ask and what common…
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20Nov 2024 by Post

The Widening of God’s Mercy – Book Review

4. Is the NT True?, Apologetics, Christianity, Christopher Hayes, Culture and Politics, Duke, Fuller, gay marriage, Gospel, Homosexuality, Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, LGBTQ, New Testament Ethics, Progressive Christianity, Richard Hayes
In the mid-1990’s a Theology professor at Duke Divinity School, named Richard Hayes, wrote a book called The Moral Vision of the New Testament: Community, Cross, New Creation, A Contemporary Introduction to New Testament Ethics. It made waves in the Evangelical world because it was the first time a relatively liberal theological scholar took a definitive stance on the biblical sexual ethic. For decades conservative Christian scholars and pastors have cited Hays’s work in this book as evidence that scripture speaks clearly on issues concerning human sexuality and morality. There were other, more conservative, names that had come to the same conclusions as Hays prior to and after his book was published. However, the very fact that someone of his pedigree, hailing from such a scholarly institution as Duke University, so…
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18Nov 2024 by Post

Did the Idols of the Old Testament Actually Have Power?

3. Are Miracles Possible?, Apologetics, BellatoriChristi.com, Christianity, Daniel Sloan, False Gods, Gospel, idolatry, Idols, paganism, polytheism, Theology and Christian Apologetics, World Religions
One of the questions that people ask when they read through the Old Testament is “did those little statues that people worshipped actually have any power behind them?” Many scholars agree that people believed that the idols themselves did not hold power but instead represented the pagan gods. The Old Testament itself has two major views on idolatry, one located in the prophets and another located in Deuteronomy. Idolatry in the Prophets The prophets identify idolatry as a major issue within both Israel and Judah during their time and argue that idolatry is worthless.[i] For example, in Isaiah 41, Isaiah 44, and Jeremiah 10, the prophets make it clear that idolatry is useless and meaningless. It holds no power because the idols themselves are created and the gods that they…
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11Nov 2024 by Post

Is Deconstruction the Same Thing as Doubt?

Apologetics, Christianity, Deconstruction, Doubt, Family Apologetics, Gospel, Hillary Morgan Ferrer, Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, MamaBearApologetics.com, youth exodus
A clip from Skillet frontman John Cooper has recently been making the rounds on social media. In it, Cooper is heard saying that “it is time to declare war on this idolatrous deconstruction Christian movement.” And just like that, the Christian community split. One set of people claims that Cooper is causing further harm to Christians who are already struggling with their faith. The other set of people is praising Cooper for taking a stand against the so-called “Christian deconstruction movement.” So which is it? What Do We Mean By The Deconstruction Movement? The process of deconstruction usually goes like this: an influential, self-proclaimed Christian announces to their thousands/millions of fans that they no longer believe in the faith on which their careers were built. Through the process of “deconstruction,” they…
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06Nov 2024 by Post

Top Apologetics Books for Beginners

Apologetics, apologetics books, Christianity, Gospel, https://ischristianitytrue.wordpress.com/, J Steve Lee, Reading List, Reading recommendations, Steve Lee, Theology and Christian Apologetics
Sean McDowell, professor of Christian Apologetics at Biola University, on his blog, lists the top ten apologetic books for beginners with short descriptions of each. He includes: Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis More Than a Carpenter, by Sean and Josh McDowell The Reason for God, by Tim Keller The Case for Christ, by Lee Strobel Cold-Case Christianity, by J. Warner Wallace Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions, by Greg Koukl Love Thy Body: Answering Hard Questions about Life and Sexuality, by Nancy Pearcey On Guard: Defending Your Faith with Reason and Precision, by William Lane Craig Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World’s Largest Religion, by Rebecca McLaughlin Evidence that Demands a Verdict, by Sean and Josh McDowell I would add the following books to the list: I Don’t…
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04Nov 2024 by Post

The DNA Replisome: A Paradigm of Design

2. Does God Exist?, Apologetics, biology, Christianity, DNA, Evolution News and View, genetics, Gospel, Intelligent Design, Jonathan McLatchie, JonathanMclatchie.com, science, teleological argument
The DNA replisome is one of the most remarkable molecular machines, involving a complex of different proteins, each of which is very specifically crafted to fulfill its role in the process of replicating the genome in preparation for cell division. The rate of DNA replication has been measured at a whopping 749 nucleotides per second[1] and the error rate for accurate polymerases is believed to be in the range of 10-7 and 10-7, based on studies of E. coli and bacteriophage DNA replication.[2] One of the best animations of this incredible process is this one by Australian animator Drew Berry. It is difficult to look at an animation such as this (which is drastically over-simplified) and not come away with the strong intuition that such an intricately choreographed machine is the product of masterful…
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