The Death of Evangelism

Since the beginning, since the disciples disembarked two-by-two from the flood of Pentecost, the concepts of “death” and “evangelism” have been bound together as closely and solemnly as a suicide pact. Even Jesus’ inaugural mission briefings were coupled with strict instructions should any disciple be caught or captured:

“You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 13: 9-11) [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Our Life and Death

Mystery vs. History

Who would you be more likely to believe—someone who says, “Hey, I’ve got some secret facts that were mysteriously revealed to me,” or someone who says, “I’ve searched all the evidence and history and here it is for you to make up your mind on”? Keeping that question in mind, consider these two statements, the first from the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas (c. 110-150 A.D.) and the second from the New Testament’s Gospel of Luke (c. 55-70 A.D.): [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Da Vinci Code, New Testament Reliability Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Exposé that Never Was

In the early 1900s, German criticism of the Bible and the rationalist movement were sweeping over Western Europe and the United States, carrying with them the belief that nothing can happen apart from natural laws. With that naturalistic belief came a skepticism toward the foundation of Christianity—the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

One who was greatly influenced by such skepticism was English journalist Frank Morison, who came to believe that the story of Jesus rising from the dead was nothing more than a fairy tale for adults. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog

DNA: Probably Intelligent?

Seems simple enough, but at what point does something cross the threshold from the simple design found in nature to second-order design produced only by intelligence? Mathematician William Dembski illustrates the difference by having us visualize a rat trying to go through a maze.

In a simple maze, the rat can take one turn and escape from the maze. Even a dim-witted rat could take one turn and escape. But now imagine that the maze is extremely complex, possessing walls and requiring 100 precise turns to reach the point of escape. How likely is it that the little critter will quickly learn all the correct turns and escape? Impossible–unless we have one awfully bright rat. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog

The Gospel of Barnabas: Secret Bible?

Does a “secret Bible” discovered in a Turkish smuggling sting contain the real truth about the identity of Jesus Christ? According to a Turkish official, a 1,500-year-old ancient leather-bound text, secretly hidden for 12 years, could be an authentic version of the Gospel of Barnabas. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Blog

Heretics Confirm the New Testament

The wealthy merchant Marcion (d. c.160 A.D.) didn’t like what he thought was the cranky God of the Old Testament, so he removed this God from his version of the Bible. He amputated the entire Old Testament as well as any New Testament books that to him sounded like the Old Testament. We generally know what was in his Bible, and it contained much of what is in ours. What he amputated is harder to discern. The important point is that Marcion’s partial list of New Testament books in 135 A.D. affirms their acceptance 200 years prior to the Council of Nicaea. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Da Vinci Code, Gnostic Gospels, New Testament Reliability Tagged With: , , , , ,

Could a Myth Alter History?

The argument against Jesus’ existence, known as the Christ-myth theory, began seventeen centuries after Jesus is said to have walked the rocky hills of Judea.

An important distinction between a myth and a real person is how the figure impacts history. For example, the Olympic Games originated on Mount Olympus in Greece, home of the temple of the Greek god Zeus. But Zeus has not changed governments, laws, or ethics.

The historian Thomas Carlyle said, “No great man lives in vain. The history of the world is but the biography of great men.”¹ As Carlyle notes, it is real people, not myths, who impact history. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Historical Jesus, Who is Jesus? Tagged With: , ,

Did the apostles and early Christians worship and pray to Jesus as Lord?

After Jesus ascended, the apostles stunned both Jew and Roman by proclaiming Jesus as “Lord.”¹ And the apostles did the unthinkable and worshipped Jesus, even praying to him as if he was God. Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” as he was being stoned to death (Acts 7:59). [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Who is Jesus? Tagged With: , , ,

Is 2012 the Last Year?

As we celebrate the beginning of 2012, the media is once again buzzing with end-of-world prophecies. December 21, 2012 is the end date of a 5,125-year-long cycle in the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar¹, which some have interpreted as a prediction of the end of the world. Some adherents to this view are now even making “last year on Earth” resolutions. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Claims of Jesus, End Times Prophecy Tagged With: , , , ,

Is Jesus a Myth as Atheists Claim?

Earlier this month, The Christian Post reported that the American Atheists group had sponsored billboards in several states as a part of the group’s “You KNOW It’s a MYTH” campaign. The billboards display pictures of Jesus, Santa Claus and devil images and ask, “What myths do you see?”¹

The promotion of Jesus as a myth has long been a tactic of atheists. But what are the facts? [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Historical Jesus, Who is Jesus? Tagged With: , , , ,
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