A Word For Defenders of the Faith by C. S. Lewis

“To be ignorant and simple now—not to be able to meet the enemies on their own ground—would be to throw down our weapons and to betray our uneducated brethren who have, under God, no defense but us against the intellectual attacks of the heathen. Good philosophy must exist, if for no other reason, because bad philosophy needs to be answered.” –C.S. Lewis

What Did Jesus Teach About the Bible?

Jesus affirmed that the Bible was:

1. Without Error (John 17:17)

2. Historically Reliable (Matthew 12:40, 24:37-39)

Jesus affirmed as historically true some of the most disputed passages of the Old Testament, including the story of Jonah in the whale (Matthew 12:40), the destruction of the world by a flood in the days of Noah (Matt.24:37-39) , and others

3. Divinely Authoritative (Matthew 4:4-10)

4. Scientifically Accurate Regarding the Origin of Man (Matthew 19:4-5)

For example, when He taught on marriage He referred to the literal
creation of Adam and Eve (Matthew 19:4-5)

5. Infallible (John 10:35)

6. Indestructible (Matthew 5:18)

If Jesus was a prophet of God, as even the Qur’an teaches, or even if He was a good teacher (as so many are willing to believe today) it would be wise for us to take His Word on the matter.

Anyone Can Say They Are God

Anyone can say they are God, but Jesus did more than claim to be God, He backed up His claims. He proved that He was the Son of God (equal with God, John 5:18) by:

1. Fulfilling hundreds of Old Testament prophecies
2. Performing numerous miracles
3. Living a sinless life
3. Resurrecting from the dead

It's one thing to make grandiose claims, it's another thing to back them up.

The Existence of Evil and Suffering Actually Turns Out to be a Strong Evidence for God's Existence

The very thing that the skeptic says disproves the existence of God (the existence of evil and suffering in the world) is actually a strong evidence that there must be a God. Here is how we might reason this to be the case:

1. Evil exists in the world.

2. Evil is a departure from the way things ought to be.

3. If there is a way things ought to be, there must be a designed plan (or designed standard) for the universe.

In his book, Handbook of Christian Apologetics, Peter Kreeft said, "the very fact of our outrage at evil is a clue that we are in touch with a standard of goodness by which we judge this world as defective, as falling drastically short of the mark” (p. 123).

4. There cannot be a designed plan for the universe without a designer of the universe.

5. Evil is mankind’s departure from this designer’s standard and that designer is God.

For more help on the compatibility of evil and suffering with a loving, all-powerful God, click here.

THE DA VINCI CODE: Examined and Refuted

The Da Vinci Code is adversely affecting the way millions of people around the world view the Gospel, the church, Jesus and the Bible. Written by Dan Brown, the book has sold more than 25 million copies since it was first published in 2003. If you are like most Christians, you don't have the time, or the desire, to read the book. Unfortunately, your friends, family members and coworkers do! If you'd like to know a little about the book and some of the problems with Dan Brown's erroneous claims, we have put together a short article here that we believe will be helpful to you. With the movie coming out May 19, 2006, it is important that Christians be prepared to answer the questions that people will have. I would be happy to come and speak to your church on this topic. If you, or your pastor, are interested, you can email Always Be Ready at Info@AlwaysBeReady.com. I do not charge for guest speaking. Contact me soon, my calendar is filling up as we get closer to the movie release date. We also have a DVD on this topic.

Charles Spurgeon on the Book of Mormon

“One of the most modern pretenders to inspiration is the Book of Mormon. I could not blame you should you laugh outright while I read aloud a page from that farrago.” –Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892), British preacher.

National Geographic Society Comments on the Book of Mormon

“Archaeologists and other scholars have long probed the hemisphere’s past, and the Society does not know of anything found so far that has substantiated the Book of Mormon.”
–The National Geographic Society, August 12, 1998. View actual document here.

The Amazing Influence of that Babe in the Manger

“This Jesus of Nazareth, without money and arms, conquered more millions than Alexander, Caesar, Mohammed, and Napoleon; without science and learning, He shed more light on things human and divine than all philosophers and scholars combined; without the eloquence of schools, He spoke such words of life as were never spoken before or since, and produced effects which lie beyond the reach of orator or poet; without writing a single line, He set more pens in motion, and furnished themes for more sermons, orations, discussions, learned volumes, works of art, and songs of praise than the whole army of great men of ancient and modern times.”
–Philip Schaff (1819-1893), historian; The Person of Christ, 1913, pp. 29-30.

Do You Need Help Sharing the Truth With Someone Involved in Scientology?

John Weldon, a Christian apologist and author, has written a good article on Scientology. He examines the origin of the religion and how their beliefs compare with Biblical teaching. Click here to read.

So Much for Free Speech in North Dakota: Students Forbidden From Debating Intelligent Design

So much for free speech in North Dakota. Science Daily reports that, "Students in North Dakota debating programs have been banned from broaching the topic of intelligent design." Click here to read the Science Daily article. This is actually going to be detrimental to the Darwinist camp. The last thing I would want do, if I did not want my children to take interest in the intelligent design movement, is tell them they cannot talk about it! We pray that this decision will result in more kids investigating the compelling evidence for a Designer.

20 Reasons To Believe That Jesus is God

There are a variety of different beliefs amongst the different religions as to who Jesus was and is. Some say He was an enlightened man. Others say He was an an angel or just a good teacher. Christians affirm that Jesus was, and is, God the Son, coequal in nature with the Father and the Holy Spirit. But on what grounds do we believe this to be so? The answer is the Bible, the inspired, infallible Word of God. That is our authority on the issue. If you are unsure of what to believe about Jesus--perhaps a Jehovah's Witness or Mormon has confused you on this issue--please click here. I outline, on one easy-to-read page, 20 reasons why Christians believe Jesus is God. Hope this helps you. God bless.

Do You Love the Truth?

Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) said in his day, "Truth is so obscure in these times, and falsehood so established, that, unless we love the truth, we cannot know it." Of course, the same is true today. How is one to know the truth? The answer is found in the Gospel of John, chapter 8. Jesus said, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31-32).

New DVD: The Bible vs. Book of Mormon

Living Hope Ministries in Utah has just produced and released an amazing new DVD entitled THE BIBLE vs. THE BOOK OF MORMON. Comparing side by side the claims and evidences of both the Bible and the Book of Mormon, this DVD clearly and powerfully demonstrates the truthfulness of the Bible and the fiction of Joseph Smith's Book of Mormon.

Always Be Ready has this DVD on sale right now for just $14.95. Click here to see our DVD section. This is a great DVD to give to your Mormon friend, coworker, or family member. For more on Mormonism, we also have the DNA vs. THE BOOK OF MORMON DVD in stock, also produced by Living Hope Ministries. You can read more about it when you view our DVD selection. God is using both of these resources to lead many Mormons out of darkness and into the light.

Darwinism: "Masquerading As Science"

Dr. Jonathan Wells, who earned two doctorates, one in molecular and cell biology from U.C. Berkeley and another from Yale recently said, "My conclusion is that the case for Darwinian evolution is bankrupt. The evidence for Darwinism is not only grossly inadequate, it's systematically distorted. I'm convinced that sometime in the not-too-distant future--I don't know, maybe twenty or thirty years from now--people will look back in amazement and say, 'How could anyone have believed this?' Darwinism is merely materialistic philosophy masquerading as science, and people are recognizing it for what it is....When you analyze all of the most current affirmative evidence from cosmology, physics, astronomy, biology, and so forth--well, I think you'll discover that the positive case for an intelligent designer becomes absolutely compelling." (Interview with Lee Strobel, The Case for a Creator, 2004, p. 65-66)

How NOT to Witness to a Jehovah's Witness

Many Christians aren't sure how to go about witnessing to Jehovah's Witnesses on their doorstep. Here is an example of how NOT to do it. The L.A. Times on December 9, 2005 reported:

"A woman who used a butcher knife to beat a Jehovah's Witness who knocked on her door on Christmas Day was sentenced to three months in jail....The Jehovah's Witness had shown up at Infusino's [the woman with the knife] apartment by mistake and was looking for a neighbor who was interested in the religion. She apologized for the error and tried to leave, but Infusino grabbed her by the hair and pulled her into the apartment."

Do you need help with witnessing to Jehovah's Witnesses? Click on the JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES link on ABR's homepage www.AlwaysBeReady.com.

Are You a College Student with Liberal Professors? Sean Hannity Wants to Help You

Sean Hannity (a conservative Christian talkshow host for Foxnews) wants to help expose liberal propaganda and intimidation by university professors. Here is an excerpt from World Net Daily who has an article on this today. Sean said, "All you college kids out there, check your state laws, check your campus laws...Get your little tape recorders if legal, and I want you to start recording these left-wingers. Bring it to this program [Sean's radio program] and we'll start airing it every single time on this program....whenever you have the left-wing professors that are abusive to conservatives, that degrade you, that call you names, that use ad-hominem attacks, that are punishing you for your political point of view, that are purposely trying to indoctrinate you with extremist left-wing views – if it is legal, tape them. If it is not legal, take verbatim notes, get witnesses, bring these articles to the school newspapers, bring it to the local media. Expose these people for the abusive professors that they are, and I guarantee you when there's a series of these instances where we expose these people, I guarantee you this indoctrination process is going to stop dead in its tracks....Fear is a great motivator, and the fear that these left-wingers are going to get fired or be held accountable for their mean-spirited comments against people or their indoctrination is going to be the single-biggest motivation we ever see to get them to stop doing what they're doing to college kids around the country." Read the entire article here.

How Americans View Muslims Post 9-11

"Just before the September 11 attacks, a Gallup survey showed that 45 percent of Americans had favorable views toward Muslim-Americans. Today, 59 percent do. Imagine it--Islamic extremists attack America, and we think more of Islam than before the attack!" -Charles Colson, Lies That Go Unchallenged in Popular Culture, p. 356, 2005.

Do You Have Kids? Help Them Know Why They Believe What They Believe

"Studies have shown that when students lack good defenses, their faith erodes. And two-thirds will forsake Christianity by their senior year of college." Read the rest of this article from THE CHRISTIAN POST here.

Reading this article, I was again reminded of the importance of parents training their kids, from a young age, to know why they believe what they believe. Many parents, who simply tell their kids what to believe, are brought to tears when their college-age kids walk away from the Lord. Do you have young kids? Do you have grandkids? Look for opportunities to talk to them about some of the evidences for God's existence, the trustworthiness of the Bible, etc. Do you need help preparing or learning about some of those evidences? See our notes on our main page at www.AlwaysBeReady.com.

Seventy Percent of Americans Believe Jesus is the Son of God

THE WASHINGTON TIMES reports today that, "Traditional religion is still the bedrock of America, with "very large majorities" of the public steadfast in their belief in God and the birth and Resurrection of Jesus Christ -- with belief in astrology, ghosts and other New Age hallmarks lagging behind. Overall, 82 percent of Americans believe in God, according to a recent Harris poll, which also revealed that 73 percent also believe in miracles, 70 percent in life after death, 70 percent in the existence of heaven, and 70 percent that Jesus is the Son of God. In addition, 68 percent believe in angels and 66 percent in the Resurrection of Christ. Six out of 10 believe in the devil and the existence of hell." Click here for the rest of the article.

Famous Atheist Abandons Atheism for Belief in Intelligent Designer

This is no longer news to some of you, but worthy of posting here for those of you who haven't yet heard. Antony Flew, a world-renowned atheist, author and debater, has abandoned his atheism in light of the latest scientific evidence. Read about his change of mind here. He is not yet a Christian, only a theist, but we pray that God will continue to lead him into the truth.

Scientists Who Are Critical of Darwinian Evolution

Did you know that some of the brightest scientists in the world, from some of the most prestigious institutions in the world (including Cambridge University, Stanford, Cornell, MIT, Princeton, Harvard, etc.), are critical of Darwinian evolution? Often times the liberal media seeks to portray Christians as uneducated, uniformed idiots for believing in a Creator. If you have ever been tempted to feel this way, know that when you affirm a belief in a Creator, you are actually standing with a group of very educated scientists who hold Ph.D.s in a plethora of different fields.

To see a list of scientists who are critical of Darwinian evolutionary theory click here (pdf file).

Easy Way to Inoculate Your Neighbors Against Cults

Have Mormon missionaries or Jehovah's Witnesses been through your neighborhood? Here is a great and easy way to warn your neighbors about both groups and at the same time share what the Bible really teaches. Go to this link over at the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry and download a free door hanger warning tract that you can print out. These work great! Help spread the truth.

New Discovery in Megiddo Mentions Jesus

We know from the New Testament accounts and extrabiblical sources (e.g., Flavius Josephus, Suetonius, Cornelius Tacitus, the Jewish Talmud) that Jesus existed. There are more than 30 sources outside of the New Testament, written within 150 years of Jesus' life, that reveal more than 100 facts about His life, teachings, death, and resurrection. In spite of this, we still welcome the additional verification that was recently discovered in Megiddo, Israel. This find not only helps to verify that Jesus lived, but that the early church also thought of Him as God (for more on His deity, click here). Read about the discovery here: https://www.foxnews.com/story/israel-church-a-major-discovery and https://www.foxnews.com/story/israeli-archaeologists-discover-ancient-church.

Is it Reasonable to Believe that God Exists?

What evidence is there that the God exists? Well, for starters, we might point to the very existence of the universe itself. Let’s think about this for a moment. There are only three options for the existence of the universe. One, that it has always been. Two, that it came into being by itself. Three, that it was created. The first option (that the universe is eternal) has been utterly rejected by the scientific community. An overwhelming amount of evidence has ruled out the notion that the universe has always existed. The motion of the galaxies, the background radiation echo, and other evidences all point to the fact that the universe sprung into existence at a particular point in time, something scientists call the Big Bang. Option two, that the universe created itself, is impossible. It would be impossible for the universe to have created itself. Before the universe existed there would not have been anything around to do anything. And we all know that nothing can not do anything. Nothing is nothing. It (if we could even call nothing an it!) can’t see, smell, act, think. Nothing is nothing! So option one and two can be thrown out on scientific and philosophical grounds. Option three, that something or someone outside of the universe created the universe, is the only reasonable option.

When you see a painting on a wall, what proof do you need to establish the fact that a painter exists? Nothing else besides the painting itself. The painting is absolute proof that there was a painter. You don’t need to see the painter to believe that he exists. The painting is all the evidence you need. The painting would not be there if the painter didn’t exist. And so it is with the universe. The existence of the universe itself proves absolutely that there is a creator.

New Apologetics Book Now Available

My new book is done: One Minute Answers to Skeptics' Top Forty Questions. Here's what a few of the endorsers had to say:

"I hope many seekers will give serious consideration to the thoughts so well expressed in this timely and pithy book. Well worth reading."
–CHARLES COLSON

"This is a handy book with helpful answers for busy people."
–Dr. NORMAN GEISLER

"The Christian faith is the most reasonable faith in the world, and Charlie Campbell shows that in a straight forward and down to earth way in this book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and plan to give it away to as many people as I can."
–BRIAN BRODERSEN

In this book I tackle forty of the most popular questions that skeptics and unbelievers ask Christians. Questions like: How do you know that God exists? Hasn't the Bible undergone corruption as it was translated down through the centuries? What evidence do you have that the Bible is actually true? How can a God of love allow evil and suffering? How can a God of love send people to hell? Why aren't dinosaurs mentioned in the Bible? And more!

Click here to purchase. $9.95

Preterism: A Review of Hank Hanegraaff's THE LAST DISCIPLE by Dr. Norman Geisler

Dr. Norman Geisler, President of Southern Evangelical Seminary and author of more than sixty books, tackles and refutes many of the problems with Hank Hanegraaff's peculiar view of the end times expressed in THE LAST DISCIPLE series. Click here.

Did Jesus Ever Exist?

For a great examination of the extrabiblical, historical evidence for Jesus' existence pick up a copy of THE HISTORICAL JESUS: ANCIENT EVIDENCE FOR THE LIFE OF CHRIST (College Press Publishing Company, 1996), by the first rate Christian scholar Gary Habermas. This is a fantastic reference book jam-packed with quotes and references to Jesus from sources outside the Bible. It utterly demolishes the foolish idea that Jesus never existed.

Dating of the Dead Sea Scrolls

Someone emailed us today and asked how we know that the Dead Sea Scrolls actually date back to the time before Christ. That is a great question. First off, why is this important to know? The Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered in 1947, in Qumran, Israel (see photo), help verify that the Old Testament we have today has not undergone any significant corruption. The Dead Sea Scrolls represented every book of the Old Testament, except for the Book of Esther, and date as far back as the third century B.C. How do we know that these scrolls are this old? Teams of scholars determined the scrolls age by examining. . .

1. The pottery that housed the manuscripts

2. The weave and pattern of the manuscript cloths

3. The form of the characters

4. The spelling of the words

5. The coins found alongside the manuscripts

6. They also used Carbon-14 Dating

For more on the reliability of the Bible, click here.