Every year thousands of Muslims make a pilgrimage to Mecca to the tomb of Muhammad. Likewise, followers of Confucianism visit the grave of Confucius in Qufu, Shandong Province of China. Similarly, the Temple of the Tooth or “Dalada Maligawa” is believed to house some of the cremated ashes of Buddha. Having been buried centuries ago, the physical bodies of these religious founders are slowly turning to dust as millions journey to pay honor and respect. Christianity is unique in that we serve a risen Savior. There are no remains to which to pilgrimage. Our Savior Jesus Christ fully conquered death. For those skeptics who vehemently cling to naturalistic causes for everything, the bodily resurrection of Jesus seems ludicrous. They laugh at the very notion. Yet, what does the evidence prove? Here’s what I intend on teaching my children about the resurrection. Everything hinges on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, “And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:14-17).  Simply put, if Jesus could not make it out of the tomb, we do not have any hope. When you consider the

We all know one. You know, those young kids who can rattle off questions at speeds that make most Indy drivers jealous. “Why is the sky blue? Why is water wet? What is dirt made of? Can worms smell? How do fax machines work?” While we encourage our young children to imagine and pretend, we often are rewarded with some very colorful, if not mind-boggling questions. Most of these questions we either answer quickly or simply, and then change the subject. Or, we use alternative strategies like food or videos. But what happens when our children begin asking us tough questions that have to do with matters of faith? What happens when our children come home from school and want to know how dinosaurs fit in with the Bible? Or what do we tell them upon discovering that their science class is studying evolution? Oftentimes, these important questions are left unanswered as our children are instructed to quickly “wash up and get ready for dinner.” Unfortunately, today many parents find themselves reacting to questions and topics, rather than planning ahead. As Christian parents, we need to be proactive rather than reactive. We need to be on the front line, teaching our children the truth about the world around us as they grow, because if we don’t, there is someone out there more than willing to teach them another version. Possessing a belief in God is not enough. Our children (and grandchildren!) need to know how to defend that belief. The

Most of us have been there at one point or another–looking for somewhere to eat on a busy street. It never fails, whenever adults are really craving something good, one of those fast food restaurants with a playground appears out of nowhere. With neon lights and giant slides beckoning, it immediately captures the attention of anyone under the age of twelve. Suddenly the backseat becomes a chorus of little voices begging to go to the restaurant with the playground. In fact, most children choose their favorite restaurant not for the food, but rather the presence and size of the playground and the type of toy that comes in the value meal. History will record that twenty-five years ago playgrounds in restaurants were almost as scarce as dinosaurs. Today, you can find two or three within the same city block. Kids love it because they get to play. Parents dread it because the food is not very healthy and is often less than appetizing (and more than a few of us have had to bend and snake our way up through the tubes in order to rescue a crying child who made it to the top, but was to scared to come down!). But the playgrounds work! They entice children (and their hesitant parents) by the millions. In fact, the majority of fast-food restaurants under construction today possess these colossal recreational areas. Interestingly, we find that this concept of attracting larger numbers through entertainment did not stop with fast-food restaurants. Churches

The story could be repeated in just about any congregation. A young man grows up in the church. Following his baptism, he takes an active role in leading singing and waiting on the Lord’s Table. Everyone that is familiar with this young man says the same thing: “He is a strong Christian.” And yet, within months after entering college, this “strong Christian” is on the path to becoming an unbeliever. His decision to leave the church was not sudden. Rather, it occurred over several weeks as this young man wrestled with questions tossed out by his newfound friends. The problem was this young man never developed a foundation for his faith. In fact, a great deal of his belief system was built around the beliefs of his parents. And to compound the problem, on occasions when this young man sought out answers on which to solidify his faith, he commonly received the same answer: “Well son, we don’t know the answer for everything. Sometimes you just have to believe — you have to take a blind leap of faith.” In other words, this young man “believed” but he did not know why he believed. He was living an “inherited” religion. So picture an eighteen-year-old who suddenly finds his faith challenged. His friends (and professors) confront him with questions and information that directly conflicts with his belief in the God of the Bible. And sadly, all this young man has to defend himself with is the notion that he had taken a “blind

I was on my way out the door of our office to visit a coworker and his wife who were at the hospital delivering their second child when the call came. Hearing the voice of a dear friend on the other end of the line, I settled down into one of our secretary’s chairs near the front door. In less than three minutes he turned my world upside down, forcing me on a long, hard, emotional roller coaster ride. He started out by telling me he had some good and bad news. The good news was that he and his dear wife had learned they were pregnant a couple of months ago. As I began to congratulate and tease him on what would be his third child, he quickly interrupted me and dropped the bombshell — his wife had just experienced a miscarriage. As I sat there in free fall, I groped for the right things to say. There I was about to rejoice with a coworker who was having a baby in the hospital, and yet at the same time my best friend just revealed that he and his wife had lost one. As I inquired as to how he and his wife were doing, my friend went on with some of the details of the pregnancy. If this had occurred a couple of years earlier, my wife and I would have been on their doorsteps within minutes (literally) — even if all we did was sit in the

It was one of the most gut wrenching things I have ever had to witness. During my undergraduate years, I worked part-time at a facility that cared for Alzheimer’s disease patients. Day after day, I would watch family members come to care for their loved ones. And day after day, they would leave in tears having not been recognized by their own spouses or children. Ailments of dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s tear at the very roots of many families across this nation. As such, millions of research dollars have been spent looking for a cure. In fact, one can barely watch the evening news without hearing about the latest scientific discovery. Without fail, most of these research reports discuss the “potential” benefits of fetal tissue or embryonic stem cells. The media has inundated us with the idea that unless we use tissue from aborted babies or embryos, we will never be able to conquer these dreaded diseases. But is this the truth? Do aborted fetuses and leftovers from in vitro fertilization offer a cure? The truth is, we have been fed a lie that the media continues to use to justify the 1.2 million infants killed by abortion each year (see https://www.apologeticspress.org/rr/rr2002/r&r0207a.htm) and the 400,000 embryos that have been plunged into the icy depths of liquid nitrogen (see https://www.apologeticspress.org/inthenews/2003/itn-03-17.htm). We are continually told about the “potential” benefits of these embryonic tissues. But science has shown otherwise, not once, but twice! In a telling article titled “Strike Two

The phone call was like many we receive at our offices. Someone had come across an article on our Web site, and wanted to talk to someone about it. In the course of our conversation, the young man spoke passionately about his beliefs, defending what he felt was right. About fifteen minutes into the conversation, he made the following comment: “Yes, I feel like I must speak up and be heard, similar to the homosexuals today who desire equal rights.” Up until that moment, we were having a healthy conversation and were both able to communicate various views and ideas. But with those words, our conversation took an abrupt turn. I told this young man that this is where he and I “were definitely going to part ways.” (Obviously, this individual was not familiar with Apologetics Press, and our stance to defend New Testament Christianity). Having struck a nerve, the caller asked me if I was kidding. In amazement, he went on to comment that he could not believe I did not want all people to “share equal rights.” I assured him that all people were created in the “image and likeness” of God (Genesis 1:26-27), but that did not stop people from committing acts that God would not endorse (e.g., rape, murder, stealing). He then questioned my love for others, and asked, “How can someone who professes Christianity treat others with such disdain.” Sadly, the world has done an excellent job of teaching this young man that anyone who

We are dreading it like the plague — and yet, we know there is nothing we can do about it. Our children will grow up, and one day leave home to build their own families. God blessed my wife and me with two precious children, who have brought a lifetime of joy and happiness in the few years he gave them to us for care and safekeeping. With bedraggled hair and lines on their faces, we have soaked up their morning time smiles. And with comforting arms and a plethora of nightlights, we have conquered nighttime monsters. All the while, watching their beautiful handprints fill our house. But the time will come when they grow up and move away, no longer under our guidance and care. Thus, this open letter to you. I don’t know what day it will be, or in what town you will likely see them. But chances are, in this “small world,” your paths will cross one day. I hope on that day, you will remember this letter and help their mom and me out. Believe me when I tell you that we are praying for that day. For you see, as parents, we want nothing more than to hear Almighty God say to our children, “Well done good and faithful servants…enter thou into the joy of the Lord” (Matthew 25:23). We want them in heaven! Their souls mean more to us than all the material possessions on this planet. We are simply asking you to

She sat across my desk and desperately longed for an answer. Should she respond to the invitation and repent of sins — such as missing the worship assembly (cf. Hebrews 10:25) and using bad language (Colossians 3:8) — or should she just not worry about it? This was not the first time I had been asked this question during a counseling session. But it was the first time that I did not immediately say, “Yes, you should repent.” The young lady who was sitting across from me was suffering from a mental illness — something our society handles very poorly. Yet according to recent statistics, this woman is far from being alone. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates 22.1 percent of Americans ages 18 and older — about 1 in 5 adults — suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in any given year. When applied to the 1998 U.S. Census residential population estimate, this figure translates to 44.3 million people. Of this 44 million, a fraction develops conditions that require major treatment and medication. Today 4 of the 10 leading causes of disability in the U.S. are mental disorders — major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Many of these individuals possess unstable neural chemistry — to the degree that they are unable to function in society or distinguish right from wrong. What is Their Condition In God’s Eye’s? The woman’s question was valid. She knew that after she stopped taking her medication she had lapsed into a

Initially, United States citizens were angry that the Iraqi Minister of Information, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf, was spinning a different description of what was occurring during Operation Iraqi Freedom. That anger soon morphed into laughter as it became apparent that this man was living in his own little world, and only telling the cameras what he knew his boss wanted to hear. In fact, many Americans began purposely tuning in to his press conferences, as if they were a stand-up comedy routine. This man continued to deny the obvious, even as the tanks of coalition forces rolled into Baghdad — right up to the location where he was staying. He knew the truth, but he also knew what certain people wanted to hear. As such, he took on the name of “Minister of Misinformation” within the press, and around dinner tables all across this country. Sadly, I believe that many in the religious world suffer this same mentality. Whether they are preachers, teachers or scholars, they know what the Bible says, yet, they continue to preach and teach something else. Many have spent years studying the Bible, and can quote passages verbatim. But when it comes to preaching the truths that are contained within God’s Word, they retreat to their own little world and preach what they know people want to hear. For instance, Jesus made it plainly clear that he was going to establish one church, of which he serves as the Head (e.g., Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 4:4; Ephesians 1:22-23). Yet, week after week,

Dear friend, I have been contemplating this letter for a long time, and have only now gotten up the courage to write it. Even as I pen these words, my stomach churns in nervous anticipation. The reason for it is quite simple. I want you to know about the very best thing that has ever happened in my life. I want to make sure before I die that I introduce you to my “first love.” You often comment that I seem so happy all the time. Allow me a few minutes to explain why. But before I explain, let me share with you why it has taken me so long to write this letter. Our relationship stretches back through many smiles and many tears, and throughout that time, I knew that you were someone I could count on. Each one of those smiles and tears represents a lifetime of cherished memories. You know my favorite foods, that I love lasagna and don’t like liver. You stood by my side on several occasions when it seemed like the entire world was against me. You have lifted my hand high as we celebrated victories and held my hand through my defeats. In many ways, we are like two peas in a pod. And it’s this relationship that has kept me from writing this letter. I cherish our relationship so much that I don’t ever want anything to jeopardize it or see it falter. So, I beg you to read the remainder of

“In the beginning was matter, which begat the amoeba, which begat the worm, which begat the fish, which begat the amphibian, which begat the reptile, which begat the lower mammal, which begat the lemur, which begat the monkey, which begat man, who imagined God.” This, according to atheist Charles Smith, is the genealogy of man. Sadly, he is far from being alone in his views of man’s origin. In fact, a vast majority of modern-day scientists cling vehemently to this Darwinist view of origins as “gospel” on the matter. It has become the light under which all new data is examined. It has become their religion — one for which they will fight in order to secure its place in academia. And it appears that they are winning. While you may find the concept of men evolving from some primordial slime repulsive or sickening, the reality of the current political climate is far worse. For in our country, the only theory about man’s origins allowed in the classroom is this fallacious concept of organic evolution: amoeba to man. And although our country declared its independence with these words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” (emp. added), we now live in a land where we can no longer discuss that Creator in the classroom. When Thomas Jefferson penned those famous words, he illustrated that from the very beginning,

If one were to believe everything that the scientific community has offered regarding man’s origins, we would find that very few theories include acts by a supernatural Creator. In fact, scientists are quick to point out that the universe took billions of years to form, and thus it would be absurd to believe that it was created in just six days. For instance, consider what Thomas Hayden recently wrote when he added another “certainty” of life, besides taxes and death. His effort to shore up the ever-faltering theory of evolution was the cover story of the July 29, 2002 issue of U.S. News & World Report. In explaining “how evolution works, and why it matters more than ever,” Hayden stated: “It’s an everyday phenomenon, a fundamental fact of biology as real as hunger and as unavoidable as death” (2002, 133[4]:43). Sadly, this type of grandstanding and propagandizing in the media occurs all too often. And people by the millions accept it as the “final word” on the subject — without any real knowledge as to what the evidence truly reveals. Even within the church, Christians often subconsciously find themselves favoring science over the Bible. We have forgotten the Truth on the matter, which can be summed up simply with the first ten words that appear in the Bible: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1, emp. added). If this is not true, then every word that follows should be called into question. Because of the prevailing idea of an

Introduction Things used to be so simple. Fifty years ago, grandmothers asserted that girls were made of “sugar and spice, and everything nice” while little boys were made of “snips and snails and puppy dog tails.” But what happens when a child is born with a mixture of sugar and spice as well as snails and puppy dog’s tails? A recent media explosion (such as a feature on “60 Minutes”) has shined the light on what is commonly being referred to as “intersexed” people — a term used to describe a set of medical conditions that features congenital anomaly of the reproductive and sexual system. That is, intersexed people are born with sex chromosomes, external genitalia or an internal reproductive system that are not considered “standard” for either a male or female. Sadly this condition is real, and unfortunately the victims find themselves in both a physiological and a political battle. Besides any visible abnormalities, these individuals often are sterile, lacking either a complete male or female reproductive system. Additionally, many individuals in the gay and lesbian community are holding up the hands of intersexed people in an effort to say: “Look, we are like them. We were born this way.” However, scientific evidence is becoming available that demonstrates intersexed people are vastly different from homosexuals.   While the term intersexed is not yet found in most current medical dictionaries (e.g., the second edition of the acclaimed Stedman’s Concise Medical Dictionary), hermaphroditism is. This term — used prior to the politically correct era

For less than $30 you can now purchase a “Do-It-Yourself Divorce Kit” that claims to be legal in all fifty states (see “Divorce Kit”). Our society has so effectively streamlined the divorce process that “drive-thru” divorces are advertised in states such as Nevada. By simply driving up to a window, individuals can get the papers filed and pay the necessary fees that begin the divorce process. In just a few weeks an official decree will be mailed to the couple — effectively ending that marriage in the sight of the government. For those who cannot wait those few weeks, one Internet site is now offering its services, making it possible to fly down to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic — where they have the “fastest divorces in the Western Hemisphere.” This legal service invites unhappy individuals to “fly down to Santo Domingo one day, fly home divorced the next!” (see “Nevada Divorce”) The 2002 Census Report documented that the median duration of marriages ending in divorce is just under 8 years (Kreider and Fields, 2002, p.19). In their projections of marital events, they stated that nearly everyone marries, and nearly half of these first marriages will end in divorce. They then added that most of these will then remarry after divorcing from a first marriage. Marriage has become a disposable product in our society — something that, once the user tires of, he or she simply tosses it aside in hopes of then obtaining a new one. Almost one-half

The fight has taken place in many places: pulpits, newspapers, backyards, subways or even at the dinner table. What makes a church the church? Are all churches the same, and if not, how can we prove it? Members of denominations stand firm in their belief that all churches are basically the same, and therefore the attitude prevails that “you have yours and I have mine.” Unfortunately many Bible studies end at this juncture, because Christians are not sure how to proceed. Should they simply accept this answer in an effort to “keep the peace,” or should they dig in their heels and prepare for the fight that might well ensue? Thankfully God’s Word makes the decision much easier. Using just seven short Scriptures, it is a simple matter to lay out the history of the one true church, which then allows Christians the opportunity to ask: “Are you a member of this church that the Bible describes?” This same idea has even drifted into the church of Christ, as individuals seek to please men and build houses of entertainment under the guise of “community churches.” I encourage you to write down the following Scriptures, which will prove to be a useful tool in answering the question, “Aren’t all churches basically the same?” Matthew 16:13-18. In this passage, Christ states: “And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom

Somewhere buried in the recesses of my brain are the smells of paste, the textures of construction paper and No. 2 pencils, and the sounds of chalk writing out lessons on a chalkboard. Those memories of elementary school recall to mind teachers’ names and faces, and the classroom textbooks — textbooks such as the McGraw-Hill history book that I used in the fifth grade. Somewhere concealed in those pages was the story of Christopher Columbus and his famous journey to America. I remember, as most Americans do, being taught that ancient people during Columbus’ day believed the Earth was flat. As such, textbook pictures often showed a map with a boat at the edge ready to either fall off or be devoured by a wicked sea creature. While we do not know the exact date when people began accepting the fact that the Earth was round, we do know that the images that NASA provided — images from astronauts who had turned their cameras back towards the Earth — left little doubt in the minds of most people of the circularity of our home planet. The Earth is round — and here in the year 2002 we can pat ourselves on the back for recognizing such. Yet God’s Word foretold this fact literally thousands of years ago. Isaiah, in speaking of God, stated: “It is he who sitteth upon the circle of the earth” (40:22). The Hebrew word Isaiah used for “circle” is the word khug, which means literally something with “roundness,” a “sphere.” But,