I would like to give some basic thoughts on how to respond to an oft posed atheistic objection: Do I eat shellfish? Absolutely. Do I wear clothes of mixed cloth? Yes. This again is another very common mistake that many lay skeptics make. Ironically this was not a big complaint from atheists in generations past because they were familiar with the Christian theology of the New … [Read more...]
A Look at Messianic Prophecy
Introduction Anyone who has studied evidential apologetics will see that many apologists have laid a great emphasis on messianic prophecy as one of the keys to demonstrating Jesus is the Jewish Messiah. One thing that is left out of these discussions is that when it comes to prophecy, it is not always predictive. The Greek word for fulfill is πληρόω (pleroo) – which has a much … [Read more...]
Christians, Jews, and the Baby Messiah (Part 1)
I’ve had the privilege of speaking with many Jewish people through the years about their Messiah. I’ve found a lot of common ground with them about prophecies concerning the Messiah. However, I’ve also come across some major disagreements. For those Jews who believe the Messiah will be a person, one thing we can agree on is that the Messiah begins life as a baby. Question is, … [Read more...]
Voodoo, the Spiritual Healer, and Confronting Cultural Bias
This past Sunday night, my wife and I went to a gay friend’s “Christmas” party. It’s always an opportunity to enter into the Midianite camp as Gideon had been directed to do to overhear what the Midianites were saying about Israel. It’s also been a wonderful opportunity to share our faith and to shake loose some stereotypes about Christians. One lovely woman – a spiritual … [Read more...]
The Establishment Clause, Religious Expression and a "Christian Nation"
I personally do not care for the term “Christian Nation” because it implies a Church-State union that is contrary to the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution. History teaches us that whenever religion has become politicized, it has been abused. We see this phenomenon in the history of Christianity and in many Islamic nations today. However, I also believe that … [Read more...]
Unbelievable radio interview – Mormonism
I recently enjoyed part 1 of a two part radio interview hosted by Justin Brierley over at the Unbelievable podcast. Brierley contributed the least to the dialogue and mostly facilitated the conversation between his two guests, Bobby Gilpin of the UK Partnership for Christ and Charles Dayton, a lifelong Mormon. I enjoyed it for several reasons, all of which highlight many of the … [Read more...]
Jesus' Birth: How undesigned coincidences give evidence for the truth of the Gospel accounts
There are many charges raised against the historicity of the birth narratives of Jesus Christ. These run the gamut from objections based upon alleged contradictions to inconsistencies in the genealogies to incredulity over the possibility of a virgin birth. Rather than make a case to rebut each of these objections in turn, here I will focus upon using undesigned coincidences to … [Read more...]
Review: David Fitzgerald's Nailed
Last year, I met popular skeptic and Christ-myth proponent David Fitzgerald at a debate and agreed to read and review his book Nailed. I read it almost immediately, but never got around to reviewing it. After reconnecting with him recently, I agreed again to review it and then dialogue with him a little about the book. … [Read more...]
A Question for Christmas: Who is Jesus Christ, really?
(pt.1 of 4) This is perhaps the most important question, apologetically and evidentially, regarding Jesus Christ in all of the Scriptures. If the Bible is true, then how a person answers this simple question will determine where an individual will spend their eternal destiny. Especially at this crucial time of celebrating the Christmas season, are you personally able to … [Read more...]
Who Am I? A Study of Who We Are In Christ: Part 2
Here is a link to Part 1: Who Am I? Part 1 Well before we get into full blown testimony mode, let’s dig into how we became Christian in the first place. The description and requirement for salvation is outlined in Romans 10:9-10. “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the … [Read more...]