I became a Christian at the same time I became a “Not Mormon”. By taking an investigative approach to the Christian and Mormon scripture (as I’ve described in Cold-Case Christianity), I was able to verify the truth claims of Christianity, even as I falsified the truth claims of Mormonism. This …
Read More »Why “Closure” Requires A Christian Worldview
In my career as a cold-case detective, i frequently celebrated when a jury came back with a guilty verdict. But when I read the press clippings and reports related to my cases, I nearly always observe that reporters write about “closure”. One article cited a police official who said, “We …
Read More »Talking with Atheists: A Few Observations from Berkeley
Brett Kunkle, Sean McDowell and I took students to Berkeley for several years, creating and facilitating trips to challenge young Christians and expose them to the arguments they may eventually face in their university experience. We typically invited local atheists to join us on these trips to make the case …
Read More »Christian Leaders: Here’s the Quickest Way to Change Our Christian Culture
I’ve been both a youth and a lead pastor, and as such, I’ve struggled to find a way to change the culture of the groups I’ve led. There were times when I fretted about the theological maturity of my group or their ability to defend the truth claims of Christianity. …
Read More »What Criminal Trials Teach Us About Objective Moral Truth
I’ve been involved in numerous criminal trials over the years, most involving cold-case murderers. In many of these cases, the outcome was influenced (in large part) by activity outside the presence of the jury. There are legal rules both sides must follow when conducting the prosecution and defense. Sometimes these …
Read More »Four Reasons You Should Attend the CrossExamined Instructor Academy
Frank Turek, has been a dear friend, co-laborer and mentor. He’s the author of I Don’t Have Enough Faith To Be An Atheist, and Stealing from God, and a popular speaker on college campuses, churches and conferences around the country. Frank does more than train Christians, however. Frank trains trainers. …
Read More »Parents: Don’t Train Your Kids On Your Own
I became a Christian when my first two children were very young. They have no memory of me prior to my conversion. But all four of my kids were raised in Christian community. I didn’t train, mentor or prepare them on my own, and you shouldn’t either. Young Christians are …
Read More »Why You’ll Have to Modify Whichever “Apologetics” Curriculum You Choose
I get one question in the mail more than any other: “Jim, I’m leading a (men’s group / women’s group / youth group) at my church and I want to teach apologetics. What curriculum should I use?” That question was the impetus for the creation of three lines of adult …
Read More »Are There Different Degrees of Punishment in Hell?
Are all sins the same in the eyes of God? Is lying just as bad as murder? The answer is not as simple as it may seem. In one sense our moral failings are exactly the same: Our sins (regardless of severity) expose our imperfection and separate us from the …
Read More »Will We Have the Freedom to Sin In Heaven? (Podcast)
In this blast from the past, J. Warner reflects on his first trip to Summit Worldview Academy and answers listener email related to teaching apologetics curriculum, the nature of free will and sin in heaven and the necessity of hell. Subscribe to the Cold-Case Christianity Weekly Podcast on iTunes, or …
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