Forensic Faith

Some people believe that the word apologetics means to apologize for something, but it actually means a way to defend what you believe. Most Christians fail miserably to defend their faith when push comes to shove. They know what they believe but they can't prove or defend it when it comes to someone who wants to know more. How then can we, as parents, provide the means to do just that, when sending our kids off to public schools and colleges only to have our kids unable to communicate effectively the case of faith in Jesus Christ?

The answer is so simple, and I myself found out the hard way when I opened up Forensic Faith, by homicide detective and former atheist, J. Warner Wallace. He found that by using the very same principles he used to re-open cold cases, and applied it to discovering the claims of Christianity, Jesus, the resurrection, God and if the Bible is in fact true. He pointed out something that is missing in churches and youth groups everywhere, that we are spending countless hours, teaching our children about the Bible and Jesus, but failing to train them in defending their faith, so when they leave home, they can be confident in their answers of why they believe what they believe. Just like our military and police don't receive teaching on their jobs or skills, they are trained in every potential situation that might come up in their line of work, that this is the very reason so many are walking away from their faith in Jesus temporarily or often times for good. We are missing the point of what we, as parents, teachers, pastors and others, should be doing in helping our children to be deployed into a world that is growing increasingly hostile towards Christians.

J. Warner Wallace is the author of Cold-Case Christianity and God's Crime Scene, helps readers understand that the very sample principles and techniques he used to re investigate cold cases is the very same techniques he teaches to defend our faith and belief in Jesus. He invites readers to answer 7 simple questions in under 21 minutes to show you where you need to spend more time in training yourself in preparing to defend your faith. These are your areas where you are weak and need to devote some time and training should you need it. They are: 1. Why are you a Christian? 2. What evidence do you have to believe God exists? 3. Why do you trust what the Bible says about Jesus? 4. Why would God send people to hell just because they don't believe in Jesus? 5. If God is all-loving and all-powerful, why is there so much evil in the world? 6. If God is the creator of everything, who created God? 7. Why would a loving God command the total destruction of all of Israel's enemies (including their children and livestock)?

I received Forensic Faith by J. Warner Wallace compliments of David C Cook Publishers and Litfuse Publicity. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise.  I can't recommend this book enough to Christians. This is exactly what should be happening inside our youth programs and churches, not only for our children but for new believers and old believers as well. Most people haven't even read their Bibles from cover to cover, and the Bible is our "casebook" that we rely on to determine our relationship with Jesus Christ. Why are so many people walking away from their faith? How as parents can we accurately answer our children's doubts when they have them? This book is the perfect engaging resource to help you know why you believe what you believe and help you to truly understand everything you ever wanted to know about defending the faith we so desperately hold on to. This book provides the training we need as well as resources to help you launch your own investigation into forensic faith. I easily give this book a 5 out of 5 stars and also recommend you pick up Cold-Case Christianity and God's Crime Scene which are referred to in this book as well for more ways to become an expert detective and investigator of the Christian faith.

For more information about Forensic Faith, J. Warner Wallace or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Forensic Faith by J. Warner Wallace

You can find J. Warner Wallace on Facebook to stay up to date on all the latest information to defend the Christian faith.

To read more reviews on Forensic Faith, please visit Litfuse Publicity's book tour page.

The Apologetics Study Bible for Students

The Christian walk of faith is certainly one of that requires a lot of faith, but also a trust in a God that we, as a generation has never seen. The world for most students who are attending public school and colleges are those in whose faith will be put to the ultimate test, to stand for the truth in an ever changing world that is growing more hostile to the Christian faith. Will our generation of children be able to stand strong in the coming storm? Will they have all the answers they need to defend what they believe? Is there a tool that can help them with the challenging questions that will be asked of them? I believe there is!

Sean McDowell is the general editor for the Apologetics Study Bible for student, a tool I believe will be useful for answering those difficult and heartfelt challenges about their faith and the life that they have chosen. It is designed to help students be equipping them with the truths of Scripture that enables them to articulate their faith. A better way to think of it, is Christian apologetics 101, which isn't about apologizing for their faith, but helping them understand how to defend it in today's growing and changing world.

The HCSB or Holman Christian Study Bible edition offers them introductions into each of the sixty six books of the Bible along with some amazing study notes to provide evidence of the reliability and truthfulness of Scripture. There are also 120 articles scattered throughout written by today's leading Christian thinkers like Sean McDowell, Bayard Taylor, Daryl Rodriguez, Alison Thomas, Frank Turek, Steve Russo, Ryan Sharp, and many, many more that deal with such topics like "Why Are Some Christian's Hypocrites, How Can I Be Sure I am Saved, If God Made Everything, Why Shouldn't I Smoke Pot, Why Would A Good God Send People to Hell and so many others that deal with the kinds of questions being asked by people today that our children and teens deal with. What better way to answer them than with the right tools and scriptures to reference!

There are also those Scriptures that other religions and people try to twist to make us question our own understanding of the Bible, along with 50 Bone and Dirt features that highlight important archaeological discoveries with an apologetics value with quotes from influential people throughout history. There is also 25 tactics to equip students to withstand opposition to Christianity by outlining tactics and strategies for handling frequently heard anti-Christian arguments. Finally there are also 20 personal stories that will help encourage and strengthen readers in their faith by describing how God has worked dramatically in other people's lives and 20 Fast Facts that compare such differences as the Bible versus the Koran, Atheism, America's Christian Heritage, Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Darwin's Evolution Theory as well.

This is the perfect gift for your middle school student and up because it is more than the Bible it is a tool that will enable them to stand up for what they believe in and know right where to go for the answers. A wonderful graduation gift for any student of the Christian Faith and one that I highly recommend. It comes with indented tabs to enable quick reference into the Bible, and my favorite is how it is written to appeal to students in each section such as "What is going on here?" helps them to understand why a particular book of the Bible was written and what had been happening in the land as it was addressed! My 16-year-old daughter LOVES having this Bible to use in her youth group and loves the videos that you have access to by picking up a copy of this Bible as well. They have encouraged her in ways reading articles would never reach her for defending her faith! I would rate this one a 5 out of 5 perfected stars and think every student should own one! I received The Apologetics Study Bible for Students compliments of B and H Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review aside from a free copy of the Bible. The opinions contained here are my own. I think our generation of teens deserves the gift of a Confident Faith and this is just the right resource for them to find it! Now for the best part.

Thanks to the generosity of B and H Publishers, they are offering giveaway copy of the Apologetic Study Bible for Student to one lucky follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart. Here are your guidelines to enter:

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart. 

2. Be a resident of the US or Canada. Please No P.O. Boxes.

3. Leave me a comment below telling me why you'd love to win a copy of the Apologetics Study Bible for Students and how you plan on using it. Don't forget to include your email address so I can make sure if you are the lucky winner, I have a way to reach you. You can even use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

I will notify the winner of this giveaway on October 12th, so make sure you include your email address with your comments below to be eligible to win.

For more information about The Apologetics Study Bible for Students HCSB, Sean McDowell or where you can pick up a copy of this amazing Bible today, please click on the links below:

The Apologetics Study Bible for Students

To access the Study Videos, simply click here and begin your own journey into Apologetics!

To purchase a copy of the Apologetics Study Bible for Students, please click here.

For more reviews on The Apologetics Study Bible for Students, please visit B and H Publisher's website. 

Apologetics Study Bible For Students - Review and Giveaway

The Christian walk of faith is certainly one of that requires a lot of faith, but also a trust in a God that we, as a generation has never seen. The world for most students who are attending public school and colleges are those in whose faith will be put to the ultimate test, to stand for the truth in an ever changing world that is growing more hostile to the Christian faith. Will our generation of children be able to stand strong in the coming storm? Will they have all the answers they need to defend what they believe? Is there a tool that can help them with the challenging questions that will be asked of them? I believe there is!

Sean McDowell is the general editor for the Apologetics Study Bible for student, a tool I believe will be useful for answering those difficult and heartfelt challenges about their faith and the life that they have chosen. It is designed to help students be equipping them with the truths of Scripture that enables them to articulate their faith. A better way to think of it, is Christian apologetics 101, which isn't about apologizing for their faith, but helping them understand how to defend it in today's growing and changing world.

The HCSB or Holman Christian Study Bible edition offers them introductions into each of the sixty six books of the Bible along with some amazing study notes to provide evidence of the reliability and truthfulness of Scripture. There are also 120 articles scattered throughout written by today's leading Christian thinkers like Sean McDowell, Bayard Taylor, Daryl Rodriguez, Alison Thomas, Frank Turek, Steve Russo, Ryan Sharp, and many, many more that deal with such topics like "Why Are Some Christian's Hypocrites, How Can I Be Sure I am Saved, If God Made Everything, Why Shouldn't I Smoke Pot, Why Would A Good God Send People to Hell and so many others that deal with the kinds of questions being asked by people today that our children and teens deal with. What better way to answer them than with the right tools and scriptures to reference!

There are also those Scriptures that other religions and people try to twist to make us question our own understanding of the Bible, along with 50 Bone and Dirt features that highlight important archaeological discoveries with an apologetics value with quotes from influential people throughout history. There is also 25 tactics to equip students to withstand opposition to Christianity by outlining tactics and strategies for handling frequently heard anti-Christian arguments. Finally there are also 20 personal stories that will help encourage and strengthen readers in their faith by describing how God has worked dramatically in other people's lives and 20 Fast Facts that compare such differences as the Bible versus the Koran, Atheism, America's Christian Heritage, Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Darwin's Evolution Theory as well.

This is the perfect gift for your middle school student and up because it is more than the Bible it is a tool that will enable them to stand up for what they believe in and know right where to go for the answers. A wonderful graduation gift for any student of the Christian Faith and one that I highly recommend. It comes with indented tabs to enable quick reference into the Bible, and my favorite is how it is written to appeal to students in each section such as "What is going on here?" helps them to understand why a particular book of the Bible was written and what had been happening in the land as it was addressed! My 16-year-old daughter LOVES having this Bible to use in her youth group and loves the videos that you have access to by picking up a copy of this Bible as well. They have encouraged her in ways reading articles would never reach her for defending her faith! I would rate this one a 5 out of 5 perfected stars and think every student should own one! I received The Apologetics Study Bible for Students HCSB compliments of Propeller LLC and Holman Bible Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review aside from a free copy of the Bible. The opinions contained here are my own. I think our generation of teens deserves the gift of a Confident Faith and this is just the right resource for them to find it! Now for the best part.

Thanks to the generosity of Propeller LLC, they are offering giveaway copy of the Apologetic Study Bible for Student to one lucky follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart. Here are your guidelines to enter:

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart. 

2. Be a resident of the US or Canada. Please No P.O. Boxes.

3. Leave me a comment below telling me why you'd love to win a copy of the Apologetics Study Bible for Students and how you plan on using it. Don't forget to include your email address so I can make sure if you are the lucky winner, I have a way to reach you. You can even use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

4. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller/FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

I will notify the winner of this giveaway on August 21st, so make sure you include your email address with your comments below to be eligible to win.

For more information about The Apologetics Study Bible for Students HCSB, Sean McDowell or where you can pick up a copy of this amazing Bible today, please click on the links below:

The Apologetics Study Bible for Students

To access the Study Videos, simply click here and begin your own journey into Apologetics!

To purchase a copy of the Apologetics Study Bible for Students, please click here.

There is even an incredible Confident Faith prize giveaway happening you can enter daily for a Free Bible, mini Apologetic library or a trip for two to hear some great Christian thinkers at the NCCA conference.

Defending the Faith

How would you answer the following questions about your faith:

Why do you believe in God?

What are your reasons for thinking God is real and that the Bible is a reliable text inspired by God?

"In his first letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul says that if it is not absolutely true that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, then our faith in God is useless and we are giving false testimony (1 Corinthians 15:14-15). This is why we must be brutally honest with ourselves about what we believe and why: so that we can grow in our own faith in God and move toward maturity in Christ.

You, as a person who professes God as the giver of all truth, should be asking yourself these questions before anyone else asks them of you. It is a matter of being responsible with your beliefs. However, let me be careful to say that you can have doubts and believe in God. Just because people have doubts about their faith doesn't mean they have to abandon ship. Doubts are not confirmation that a ship is sinking, but if you question the sturdiness of your vessel, would it not be wiser to examine its soundness before you simply leap into the sea? Even if you still do not have 100 percent confidence that the ship will stay afloat, you also do not have 100 percent confidence that it won't! Do you really need 100 percent confidence that the ship is secure to stay aboard? Would 10 percent, 20 percent, or 40 percent doubt in one's ship be reason enough to jump overboard? No, of course not! You only abandon ship once you are certain the ship is sinking, and as the gales and tempests of this life come, I contend that the more you study, the more you will find that no other ship but the mighty ark of our Christian faith will bear us safely through every challenge and storm. And if we have this confidence in our own faith, the more persuasive we will be as we thoughtfully interact with the ideas and questions of people from other belief systems."

In the book, Defending the Faith by author Mary Jo Sharp, she takes a look at what is often times lacking within the church, a need for women to be taught how to defend their faith in a way that works for women. It is an honest look into what we need, as women, to help us not only be prepared to answer the questions above with honesty and confidence but how to grow and remain strong in our faith. If left to our own devices, we will simply limb along taking scripted responses from others as a simple way of providing the answers we hope are true to ourselves.

This is a wonderful book that I would see could dramatically impact the ministry opportunities in the church, home and community because of the compassionate needs women have to help others in need. If we continue to work together to really provide a hard line study into growing our faith, studying what God's Word has to stay about things, we can not only answer questions asked of us but also coach those we interact with every day in those same areas. We are instructed as a church to provide that type of teaching within our body and community and I think Mary Jo does an exceptional job at not only showing us why it's necessary but also how to go about beginning the process. She definitely has inspired a fire in this reader's soul to provide my own answers to these questions above and many more.

I received Defending the Faith by Mary Jo Sharp compliments of Kregel Publications for my honest review. I have not received any monetary compensation for a favorable review. This is a must needed subject for the churches, more so now than ever before and I would encourage church leaders and women in the ministry to pick up a copy to encourage this type of growth within the women of the church through small group and personal Bible Studies. I can only imagine how powerful this would be for any woman to have the upmost confidence in being able to defend her own faith in Jesus Christ to anyone who asks. I rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Defending the Faith, Mary Jo Sharp or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Defending the Faith by Mary Jo Sharp

Reasons for Hope in The Mosaic of Your Life

Sometimes the broken pieces of each our lives is there for a purpose. If would could share with people that times that God had used those circumstances to come into our life and make us better individuals and help us grow through our spiritual trials, we should be share those with people we come into contact with daily. Using those times of brokenness to connect with what God has done for each of us in our life.

This is what God had in mind for all those storms and trials in our lives. Those of us that weather through them can honestly say, we know what its like and we've been there and made it out the other side. Not only that, but here is what I personally learned by going through it. In the book, Reasons for Hope: In the Mosaic of Your Life by Carl Kerby, he shows people how we can get through life through sharing our trials with others. It helps show people what God's purpose is in our lives and how we can use that as a way to bring others to God. I received this book compliments of B & B Media Group for my honest opinion and think the author creates a fresh perspective on just how can witness to others through our personal pain. He shares his own struggles of being a son of professional wrestler and then trying to find his own way in life when so many doors seem to close. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion and find his stories very related to what we encounter in life.

"Life is not always picture-perfect, and sometimes it is difficult to see God’s plan or purpose—especially during difficult times. Reasons for Hope: In the Mosaic of Your Life, by sought-after speaker Carl Kerby, researches the many aspects of faith that will encourage everyone looking for hope in today’s troubling times. With humor and passion, Carl answers questions about suffering, evolution, relativism, faith and more, strengthening his readers and equipping them to offer true hope to a broken world.

“In a mosaic, the artist arranges pieces of cut or broken stones or tiles to create a decorative pattern. We may struggle to grasp the overall design of a mosaic when we’re looking at the individual pieces up close, because what we see looks like a piece of junk, broken and useless. But when we step back far enough to view the entire mosaic, we get a new perspective, and we see the intricate beauty of the finished masterpiece. That enables us to grasp the original intent of the artist,” explains Carl Kerby. Reasons for Hope chronicles Carl’s rocky start as the son of a professional wrestler and takes readers from his difficult teen years and his military career to his stressful responsibility as an air-traffic controller at one of the nation’s busiest airports and ultimately to his ministry calling as a speaker. Carl reveals how God has created a beautiful mosaic from the broken pieces of his life, held together by the saving grace of the cross of Jesus Christ. As readers join in Carl’s journey, they will come to understand how the bigger picture of their own lives reveals a unique and beautiful mosaic.

Using his dynamic and infectious passion, Carl reveals God’s hand throughout his life, from childhood to adulthood, from unbelief to belief. No matter what the circumstances, God gathers up the broken pieces of life and forms them into something beautiful, all according to His purpose and plan. Carl’s story will not only give reasons for hope but will also encourage readers to share their only true hope, Jesus Christ. Readers will walk away knowing that the broken pieces of their lives are used by God to make beautiful and useful vessels for His work."

About The Author:

Carl Kerby is president and founder of Reasons for Hope (rforh.com), founded in 2011 as a response to a calling from God to proclaim the authority and authenticity of the Bible. He was previously a founding board member at Answers in Genesis for ten years and served there for over fifteen years. Before that he worked as an air-traffic controller at O’Hare International Airport. Kerby’s love for Jesus fuels a passion to engage the minds and hearts of youth and adults so that they can know the truth of God’s Word. He is a sought-after speaker both in the United States and abroad. Yet his most cherished accomplishment is his 29-year marriage to his wife, Masami, and his roles as father to his children, Alisa and Carl, Jr., and as grandfather to Trey.

For more information on this book, the author, and where to pick up a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

Reasons for Hope: In the Mosaic of Your Life by Carl Kerby