Tag Archive for: Alisa Childers

Why Are Christians Supporting Unbiblical Positions? with Megan Basham, Alisa Childers, & Natasha Crain

Why are so many popular figures who claim to be Christians supporting anti-Christian positions and is there anything we can do about it? In this special midweek podcast episode recorded LIVE from CrossExamined Instructor Academy 2025 in Charlotte, NC, Frank sits down with Megan Basham, Alisa Childers, and Natasha Crain to discuss some of the popular secular ideas that plague the modern Church and answer questions like:

  • Does calling out sin and false teachers cause division in the Church?
  • What are four secular beliefs that promote the authority of self vs. the authority of God?
  • What are some incentives for going along with the flow instead of standing up for biblical truth?
  • Why are truth claims seen as power grabs for those who push back against biblical Christianity?
  • What does sourdough baking have to do with deceptive ideas?
  • Why is it important to get uncomfortably specific when it comes to calling out false teachers and their ideas?
  • What are some good resources for both adults and kids who want to embolden their Christian faith?
  • Are we on the verge of another great awakening or revival in the Church?

Be sure to check out some of the valuable resources for both kids and adults that were mentioned during the episode in the list below, and stay tuned for more podcast episodes recorded from CIA 2025!

If you enjoyed this podcast episode PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY BY SUPPORTING OUR MINISTRY HERE. 100% of your donation goes to ministry, 0% to buildings!

Resources mentioned during the episode:

Fearless Faith Self-Paced Online Course – https://bit.ly/4kmld3g
Train Your Brain (online logic course for kids & adults) – https://bit.ly/4lMq6ni
Shepherds for Sale by Megan Basham – https://www.amazon.com/dp/0063413442
World Watch News – https://worldwatch.news/
Natasha’s books – https://natashacrain.com/books/
Alisa’s books – https://alisachilders.com/

Download Transcript

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10 Historical Facts About Jesus From Non-Christian Sources

If you have ever been involved in religious discussion on Facebook or Twitter, you have probably come across some version of the comment below:

 

I just think it’s interesting that the only book that even talks about Jesus is the Bible! I’m not even sure we can prove he actually existed.

Although this assertion is largely rejected by scholars in all spheres of historical and biblical studies, it tends to pop back up on social media like a never-ending game of digital whack-a-mole. The truth is that Jesus is not only documented in the eye-witness testimony compiled in the New Testament, but He is mentioned as a historical person by several non-Christian sources within 150 years of His life. From those sources, we can learn 10 things about Jesus without even opening a Bible:

​1. He was known to be wise and virtuous. 

This fact was reported by Jewish Historian Josephus, who was born around AD 37. In his Antiquities of the Jews, he reports:

At this time there was a wise man named Jesus. His conduct was good, and [he] was known to be virtuous.[1]

​2. He had a brother named James. 

In recounting the stoning of James, Josephus records:

So he assembled the sanhedrin of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others; and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned.[2]

​3. He was known to perform miracles. 

Celsus was a  2nd-century Greek philosopher and a fierce opponent of Christianity. In what is known to be the first comprehensive intellectual attack on Christianity, he tried to resolve why Jesus was able to perform miracles. The story is wild—but the main point is that by trying to explain away the miracles of Jesus, he is actually affirming that they happened:

Jesus, on account of his poverty, was hired out to go to Egypt. While there he acquired certain powers which Egyptians pride themselves on possessing. He returned home highly elated at possessing these powers, and on the strength of them gave himself out to be a god.[3]

​4. He was crucified under Pontius Pilate. 

​This fact comes to us from one of the most trusted historians of the ancient world. Cornelius Tacitus was born in AD56 and served as a respected senator and proconsul of Asia under Emperor Vespasian. He wrote a history of the first century Roman Empire, which many historians consider to be the “pinnacle of Roman historical writing.”[4] He notes:

Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus.[5]

Josephus confirmed:

Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die.[6]

​5. His crucifixion was accompanied by darkness and an earthquake.

This fact was originally recorded by a Samaritan historian named Thallus, who was alive at the same time Jesus was (AD 5-60). He wrote a 3-volume history of the 1st-century Mediterranean world, which unfortunately no longer exists. But before his writings were lost, he was cited by another ancient historian, Julius Africanus, in AD 221. Africanus described Thallus’s account of what happened during Jesus’ crucifixion:

On the whole world there pressed a most fearful darkness; and the rocks were rent by an earthquake, and many places in Judea and other districts were thrown down.[7]​

6. He had many Jewish and Gentile disciples.

Josephus wrote:

And many people from among the Jews and the other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. And those who had become his disciples did not abandon discipleship.[8]

​7. He lived during the time of Tiberius Caesar.

Julius Africanus also reported that another ancient historian, Phlegon, confirmed the darkness at the time of Jesus’s death and that Jesus was alive “in the time of” Tiberius Caesar:

Phlegon records that, in the time of Tiberius Caesar, at full moon, there was a full eclipse of the sun from the sixth hour to the ninth.[9]

​​8. His disciples believed that He rose from the dead.

In his commentary regarding the disciples’ reaction to Jesus’ death, Josephus recorded:

[Jesus’ disciples] reported that He had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion; and that he was alive….[10]

9. His disciples believed He was God, and they met regularly to worship Him.

Pliny the Younger lived from AD 61-113 and was an influential lawyer and magistrate of ancient Rome. In a letter to Emperor Trajan he wrote:

They [Christians] were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves by a solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up.[11]

​Lucian of Samosata was a 2nd-century Greek satirist known for his wit and sarcasm. Even though Christians were the object of his snark, he affirmed certain details about them:

The Christians, you know worship a man to this day—the distinguished personage who introduced their novel rights, and was crucified on that account….it was impressed on them by their original lawgiver that they are all brothers, from the moment that they are converted, and deny the gods of Greece, and worship the crucified sage, and live after his laws.[12]

10. His disciples were willing to suffer and die for their beliefs.

The persecution and suffering of early Christians was recorded by Suetonius, the official secretary of the Roman Emperor Hadrian around AD 121. He documented that they were expelled from Rome in AD 49 by Claudius:

Because the Jews at Rome caused constant disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus (Christ), he expelled them from Rome.[13]

and: ​

Nero inflicted punishment on the Christians, a sect given to a new and mischievous religious belief.[14]

Tacitus also confirmed Nero’s persecution of early Christians:

Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace.[15]  

Conclusion: 

From non-Christian and even anti-Christian sources, we can be sure that Jesus in fact existed, was crucified, was believed to be resurrected from the dead, and His many followers were willing to suffer and die for that belief.  ​The next time someone claims that there is no evidence for Jesus outside the Bible, be sure to share these 10 facts with them! ​​​​​​

References: 

[1] Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 18.3.3 (There are more specific, fantastical, and supernatural versions of this quote in antiquity that are believed to have been interpolated. The quote I cite in this article is the one that most scholars agree is authentic. See Shlomo Pines, An Arabic Version of the Testimonium Flavianum and Its Implications, Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities: Jerusalem, 1971, cited in J. Warner Wallace, Cold Case Christianity)

[2] Josephus, 20.9.1

[3] Origen, Contra Celsum, 1.28

[4] Ronald Mellor, Tacitus’ Annals, p. 23

[5] Tacitus, Annals, 15.44

[6] Josephus, 18.3.3

[7] Ante-Nicene Christian Library: Translations of the Writings of the Fathers Down to A.D. 325, eds. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, vol. 9, Irenaeus, Vol. II— Hippolytus, Vol. II— Fragments of Third Century (Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1870), 188. (Cited in J. Warner Wallace, Cold Case Christianity.)

[8] Josephus, 18.3.3

[9] Ante-Nicene Christian Library, eds. Roberts and Donaldson, vol. 9, 188. (Cited in J. Warner Wallace, Cold Case Christianity.)

[10] Josephus, 18.3.3

[11] Pliny the Younger, Book 10, Letter 96

[12] Lucian, The Death of Peregrine, 11-13

[13] C. Suetonius Tranquillus, Divus Claudius, 25.4

[14] Suetonius, The 12 Caesars, Nero Claudius Ceasar, XVI

[15] Tacitus, Annals, 15.44

Recommended Resources: 

The New Testament: Too Embarrassing to Be False by Frank Turek (DVD, Mp3, and Mp4)

Why We Know the New Testament Writers Told the Truth by Frank Turek (DVD, Mp3 and Mp4)

Another Gospel? by Alisa Childers (book)

Person of Interest: Why Jesus Still Matters in a World that Rejects the Bible by J. Warner Wallace (Paperback), (Investigator’s Guide).

 

Alisa Childers is an American singer and songwriter, best known for being in the all-female Christian music group ZOEgirl. She has had a string of top ten radio singles, four studio releases, and received the Dove Award during her time with ZOEgirl. In later years, Alisa found her life-long faith deeply challenged when she started attending what would later identify as a Progressive Christian church. This challenge pushed Alisa toward Christian Apologetics. Today you can read, listen and watch Alisa’s work online as well as purchase her recently published book on Progressive Christianity titled Another Gospel.

Originally posted at: https://bit.ly/3Ybe4dW

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I Never Expected to Doubt

“Oh Jesus! Jesus!” My spirit sprung to prayer with catlike reflexes as I watched my 2-year-old daughter tumble down the 15-step staircase. I stood helpless as her little body hurled toward the hardwood floor.

She stood up without a scratch . . . but my soul didn’t. In that moment, I was never more aware of the wound that had been festering for months.

The wound was doubt.

Experiencing Doubt

I had been experiencing doubt about God’s existence and the Christianity I had believed to be true my whole life. But until that moment, I didn’t realize how deeply that doubt had wrapped itself around my mind. To the casual observer, my daughter fell, I prayed, and she was okay. But for the first time in my life, I wasn’t so sure it was divine intervention. For the first time I felt foolish . . . for praying.

I felt silly for crying out to God in that desperate moment. It was terrifying to realize the faith that had once been my identity now seemed more like a child’s fairy tale than the explanation of reality.

For me, doubt was an entirely new concept. Growing up, I watched God’s power at work in people’s lives, in my life. I knew God was real. I knew Jesus died for my sins, was resurrected, and was coming again. I knew the Bible was his Word, and I couldn’t be convinced otherwise. I was active in youth group, went on mission trips, and emerged as a trusted leader among my peers. I was the kid who no one would have dreamed would doubt her faith. I was the kid no one worried about, the one who would be just fine.

But now, in my early 30s, I wasn’t fine. I had just spent four months enduring the skepticism and intellectual attack of an agnostic “pastor” who invited me to be a part of a study group at church. A pastor who won my respect and trust had dismantled my faith, one belief at a time.

Doubt Isn’t the Opposite of Faith

By God’s grace and unfathomable mercy to me, my faith was rebuilt. But during my time of doubt, I suffered from an all-too-common misunderstanding about what biblical faith is. I thought doubt and faith were opposites—that if I questioned what I believed, I’d somehow be a failure in God’s eyes. But this definition of faith has more in common with how atheists understand faith than how the Bible defines it. Atheist Richard Dawkins defines religious faith as “blind.” In a debate with John Lennox, he said, “We only need to use the word ‘faith’ when there isn’t any evidence at all.”

But in the Bible, “faith” means trust, not blind belief. We all put our trust in various things every single day. Every time we drive our car across a bridge, we trust it will hold up like it has many times before. We trust, not because we have 100 percent proof, but because we have good evidence to believe the bridge won’t collapse.

Doubt isn’t the opposite of faith. Unbelief is the opposite of faith.

As Tim Keller writes:

A faith without some doubts is like a human body without any antibodies in it. People who blithely go through life too busy or indifferent to ask hard questions about why they believe as they do will find themselves defenseless against either the experience of tragedy or the probing questions of a smart skeptic. A person’s faith can collapse almost overnight if she has failed over the years to listen patiently to her own doubts, which should only be discarded after long reflection.

According to Keller, the strongest form of faith is one that has wrestled through doubt. The Bible is full of great examples. Here are three doubters Jesus responded to with mercy.

1. The Desperate Father
Mark 9 tells the story of a man desperately trying to find healing for his son who was demon-possessed. This particular demon caused the boy to become mute and would often seize him, throwing him into fire or water to kill him. The man asked Jesus to have pity on him and heal his son. Jesus responded, “All things are possible for one who believes.” Without hesitation, the man cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24).

Help my unbelief. It’s a simple, heartfelt prayer that Jesus readily answered by healing his son. He commanded the demon to come out and restore the boy to health and wholeness.

The man asked for help with his doubt, and Jesus came to his aid.

2. John the Baptist
If there’s any biblical figure who should have no reason to doubt, it’s John the Baptist. This is the man who was filled with the Holy Spirit before he was even born. This is the man who came out of the wilderness proclaiming the coming Messiah. This is the man who baptized the Son of God, witnessed the Holy Spirit descending like a dove, and heard the audible voice of God. Yet at the end of his life, while rotting in Herod’s prison cell, he doubted. “Are you the one who is to come or should we look for another?” (Matt. 11:3).

This is the question he sent his disciples to ask Jesus—and Jesus didn’t scold him for asking. He didn’t reply, “John, you shouldn’t doubt!” or “We don’t ask those types of questions here!” No. Jesus performed miracles in front of John’s disciples and sent them back to testify, even referencing a prophecy about himself that John would understand.

John asked for reassurance, and Jesus was happy to oblige.

3. Thomas
Thomas is often referred to as “Doubting Thomas,” but I don’t think that’s accurate. Thomas was more of a skeptic than a doubter—which is quite reasonable considering the situation. The resurrected Jesus had appeared to the other disciples. When they told Thomas about it, he replied, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe” (John 20:25).

Like today, resurrections weren’t everyday occurrences in the ancient world. If they were, they wouldn’t be considered miracles. It was perfectly rational and intelligent for Thomas to ask for evidence to back up the claim of his fellow disciples. When Jesus finally appeared to Thomas, he didn’t shame him for his skepticism. Instead, Jesus said, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe” (John 20:27). It was only after offering evidence that Jesus instructed Thomas to believe.

Thomas asked for evidence, and Jesus delivered it.

Doubt toward God

In his book Doubting Toward Faith, Bobby Conway writes that doubt is directional. We can doubt toward God, or we can doubt away from him. If you’re struggling with doubt, I encourage you to doubt toward God. If you can’t think of what to pray, pray like the great men of faith who came before you:

  • Ask for help
  • Ask for reassurance
  • Ask for evidence

God is waiting to help and reassure you. The evidence for his existence and the truth of Christianity is plentiful. We don’t need to be afraid of doubt—the gospel can stand up to skepticism and questioning. Jesus could handle the doubts and questions of the desperate father, John, and Thomas. He can handle yours too.

Recommended Resources: 

Another Gospel? by Alisa Childers (book)

Can All Religions Be True? mp3 by Frank Turek

Counter Culture Christian: Is the Bible True? by Frank Turek (Mp3), (Mp4), and (DVD)        

How Can Jesus be the Only Way? Mp4, Mp3, and DVD by Frank Turek

 

Alisa Childers is an American singer and songwriter, best known for being in the all-female Christian music group ZOEgirl. She has had a string of top ten radio singles, four studio releases, and received the Dove Award during her time with ZOEgirl. In later years, Alisa found her life-long faith deeply challenged when she started attending what would later identify as a Progressive Christian church. This challenge pushed Alisa toward Christian Apologetics. Today you can read, listen and watch Alisa’s work online as well as purchase her recently published book on Progressive Christianity titled Another Gospel.

Originally posted at: https://bit.ly/40kTb1j

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Was Jesus Really Born of a Virgin? Does It Matter?

“It doesn’t really matter if Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit or by Joseph’s seed. What matters is that Jesus came to earth, died, and was resurrected.”

This is more or less what was said in a conversation I had several years ago with a now self-proclaimed progressive Christian. At the time, he was trying to work out his theology. Today, his words ring with expectancy to be answered. Was Jesus born of a virgin? Does it matter in regard to our faith if He was?

Virgin Birth: Negotiable or Not?

The virgin birth of Jesus Christ has always been considered a non-negotiable core doctrine of Christianity and is mentioned in the earliest creeds. Among Christians, this doctrine wasn’t broadly questioned until a period of history referred to as “the Enlightenment”. Sometimes called “the Age of Reason,” the Enlightenment was an intellectual movement that took place primarily in the 18th century. It has had an incalculable impact on Western culture, profoundly affecting the way people think about philosophy, politics, religion, and science.

As science was given precedent over religion, one of the trends to emerge during the Enlightenment was skepticism towards anything miraculous or supernatural. In other words, believing in the miracles recorded in the Bible such as the virgin birth is superstitious and unscientific, so they must be mythological. This seems to be a popular view among progressive Christians today.

​Does the Bible teach that Jesus was actually born of a virgin? 

The prediction, 700 hundred years before Christ (Isaiah 7:14):

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

The fulfillment (Matthew 1:22-23):

Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel.

Seems pretty simple, right? Isaiah predicted the Virgin Birth and Matthew records that prediction coming true. Not so fast.

A common claim among skeptics is that the word translated “virgin” really just means “young woman” or “maiden,” and there is no reason to assume that Mary was a virgin.

Young Lady, Virgin, or Both?

This reasoning might make sense if we were only reading these Scriptures with a Western, American mindset. With any Scripture, however, we have to look at it through the lens of the culture in which it was written. The Hebrew word in question is almah, which does mean “young woman” or “maiden.” However, in ancient Hebrew culture, all young women of marriageable age were considered to be virgins. Strong’s Online Concordance notes:

There is no instance where it can be proved that this word designates a young woman who is not a virgin.

There is another Hebrew word that specifically means “virgin” (bethulah), but it’s likely that Isaiah preferred almah because he wanted to communicate that the virgin would also be young. Long before the virgin birth was an established doctrine, 70 Hebrew scholars must have agreed, because when they began translating the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek, they translated almah as parthenos, the Greek word for “virgin.” Apparently, they understood exactly what that word meant in context.

Mary herself clearly stated that she was a virgin in Luke 1:34. When the angel told her she would conceive a child, she was perplexed and asked, “But how can this be, since I have not been intimate with a man?”

Does it matter if Jesus was born of a virgin?

As with most core doctrines, the case for the virgin birth of Jesus doesn’t just come down to one or two Bible verses. Scripture teaches that Jesus is fully God and fully human. He literally has two natures. It was necessary for Him to be born of a woman, to fulfill the promise God made to Eve in Genesis 3:15. If Jesus had not been born of a woman, He would not be fully human, and could not have been the promised Messiah.

As I’ve written previously, Scripture teaches that humans inherited a “sin nature” from Adam, and it would seem that sin nature gets passed down through the line of the father (Rom. 5:12, 17, 19). According to Hebrews 7:26, Jesus did not have a sin nature. Also, it’s important to note that Jeremiah prophesied that there would never be a king of Israel who was a descendant of King Jeconiah (Jer. 22:28-30). Matthew 1:12-16 tells us that Joseph was in fact, a descendant of Jeconiah.

If Jesus had been conceived by the seed of Joseph instead of by the Holy Spirit, He would have received a sin nature, and would not be fully God. As a descendant of Jeconiah, He would not have had a right to the throne of Israel, and He could not have been the promised Messiah.

Prophesied by Isaiah and fulfilled by Jesus, the virgin birth allowed for Jesus to be both fully God and fully human, unstained by sin, and God Incarnate. The doctrine of the virgin birth matters because it must be true for salvation to even be possible.

Recommended Resources:

Another Gospel? by Alisa Childers (book)

Why We Know the New Testament Writers Told the Truth by Frank Turek (DVD, Mp3 and Mp4)

Jesus, You and the Essentials of Christianity by Frank Turek (INSTRUCTOR Study Guide), (STUDENT Study Guide), and (DVD)      

Reflecting Jesus into a Dark World by Dr. Frank Turek – DVD Complete Series, Video mp4 DOWNLOAD Complete Series, and mp3 audio DOWNLOAD Complete Series

 

Alisa Childers is an American singer and songwriter, best known for being in the all-female Christian music group ZOEgirl. She has had a string of top ten radio singles, four studio releases, and received the Dove Award during her time with ZOEgirl. In later years, Alisa found her life-long faith deeply challenged when she started attending what would later identify as a Progressive Christian church. This challenge pushed Alisa toward Christian Apologetics. Today you can read, listen and watch Alisa’s work online as well as purchase her recently published book on Progressive Christianity titled Another Gospel.

Originally posted at: https://bit.ly/4f3rRZP

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Dear Christian: Please Don’t Unhitch Your Faith From the Old Testament

How should Christians understand the Old Testament? Since the birth of Christianity, this has been a topic of hot debate, and to this day many Christians don’t really understand how their faith in Jesus interacts with what they read in the Old Testament. It can be tempting to ignore it—or throw it out altogether.

Many Christians have no idea how to read the Old Testament and are under the impression they are supposed to obey every command God gave to Israel. While it’s true that we, as Christians, no longer need to sacrifice animals, engage in purity rituals, and stone people for certain sins, God’s moral law revealed in the Old Testament is based on His nature and character, which is unchanging—and still applicable today.

In Acts 15, New Testament church leaders met to decide whether or not Gentile believers needed to be circumcised according to the Law of Moses. The dispute in Acts 15 did not concern the ethical or moral components of the law, rather it was about how circumcision would bring the full weight of the ceremonial law down on the new gentile believers. But rather than being a departure from the entirety of the Old Testament, the guidelines this council applied to the gentiles actually came from the moral components of the Old Testament law. (Lev.7-8)

As early as the 2nd century, a heretic known only as Marcion taught that the God of the Old Testament could not be the same as the God of the New and that Jesus came to abolish the Old Testament. This two-god theology caused Marcion to create his own canon of scripture, cutting out the entire Old Testament—something the early church quickly rejected. You might say Marcion was the first to “unhitch” the New from the Old.

It can still be tempting today to diminish or disregard the Old Testament. Here are three reasons why you shouldn’t unhitch your Christianity from the Old Testament:

1. Jesus didn’t unhitch Christianity from the Old Testament.

The Old Testament served as the bedrock upon which Jesus founded his ministry and even his identity—quoting it directly or in general dozens of times. In fact, the Old Testament is cited over 200 times in the Gospels alone.

During his famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus specifically said he had NOT come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). More importantly, he followed that statement with high praise for the law and for those who teach others to obey it (5:19).

Jesus once told a story about a rich man who lived in luxury and a poor man who lived in suffering (Luke 16:19-31). The rich man died apart from God and went into eternal torment, while the poor man died righteous and went to the “bosom of Abraham.” Distressed that his brothers would receive the same fate, the rich man begged Abraham to send Lazarus to warn them. Abraham’s response was telling: “They have Moses and the prophets,” suggesting that this man’s relatives might find salvation in the Old Testament. The rich man argued that what they really need to see is Lazarus come back from the dead, but Abraham responded, “If they do not respond to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced, even if someone rises from the dead.” “Moses and the prophets” is parallel to the phrase “law and prophets” used by Jesus in Matthew, and it was a common idiom for what we now call the Old Testament.

Jesus once rebuked the Pharisees for challenging his authority, and he even made the bold claim that they had never even heard from God (John 5:37). This accusation may seem strange, as the Pharisees were known for their understanding of the Law. But Jesus went on to say, “You study the scriptures thoroughly, because you think in them you possess eternal life, and it is these same scriptures that testify about me” (John 5:39).

Yet again, the message from Jesus to those who studied the Old Testament was not that the Old Testament would no longer apply, but that through it his work would be made known. To argue otherwise is to attempt to remove the Messiah from his Jewish context and to import a Christ that is foreign to the New Testament.

2. The Apostles didn’t unhitch Christianity from the Old Testament.

We can get a good idea of how the earliest Christians understood their faith in light of the Old Testament by looking at the very first sermon ever delivered by a Christian. In Acts 2, the apostle Peter centers the entirety of his gospel presentation on the writings of the Old Testament. According to Peter, the coming of Christ is the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy (Acts 2:16-21), and the words of David (2:25-36) have verified who he is. Rather than telling the crowd the Old Testament has no application to their lives, Peter preached Jesus directly from it.

As Paul witnessed to Jews in synagogues across the Roman Empire, we read that the Bereans were “more notable” than the Thessalonians because “they examined the scriptures daily to see if (what he said) was true” (Acts 17:11). Again, the Scriptures available to them—and the very ones Paul would have used—were the Old Testament.

Paul defended himself to the Roman government by saying all he had done was to preach what “the prophets and Moses said” (Acts 26:22-23). Paul also wrote, “Everything that was written from former times was written for our instruction” (Romans 15:4). The “our” in question is not the Jews, but Christians. In the same epistle, he stated that the gospel itself was foretold in the Old Testament and that the doctrines and teaching were the same (Romans 1:2-3; 16:26).

Paul almost never divorced his preaching and teaching from the Old Testament Scriptures. In fact, shortly before his execution, Paul sent a letter from his Roman prison asking that a few things be brought to him, including “the scrolls” and “the parchments” (2 Timothy 4:13). While the identity of the parchments is debated, it is virtually unanimous that the scrolls in question were Paul’s copies of the Old Testament. A New Testament Christian, awaiting death, desired nothing more strongly than to read his Bible.

3. The earliest Christian creed didn’t unhitch Christianity from the Old Testament.

Creeds were a way for Christians to learn and recite important doctrines and to pass that information on to others. Arguably, the earliest Christian creed is found in 1 Corinthians 15:3-6, dating back to approximately three to seven years after Jesus’ resurrection. This is a perfect example of what the earliest Christians believed:

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve….

Notice the primary beliefs in this early Christian creed—that Jesus died for our sins, was buried and rose from the dead—are inextricably tied to the Old Testament Scriptures.

The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New. The totality of God’s revealed Word is found in the union of both. It might be tempting for 21st century Christians to conclude that the Old Testament is of no use to us, but this is not the example left to us by the apostles, nor is it the example given to us by the church. To do violence to one Testament necessarily damages the other, because it does violence to the revealed Word of God.

Recommended Resources: 

Another Gospel? by Alisa Childers👉📱https://bit.ly/3Ig6KDc  

How Can Jesus Be the Only Way? Mp4👉📱https://bit.ly/3AbN2X1, Mp3👉📱https://bit.ly/3c9lvgV, and DVD👉📱https://bit.ly/3wfyLHx by Frank Turek

Jesus, You and the Essentials of Christianity by Frank Turek: INSTRUCTOR Study Guide👉📱 https://cutt.ly/eIyeiKG, STUDENT Study Guide👉📱https://cutt.ly/OIyegwW, and DVD👉📱https://cutt.ly/aIyelh6

Why We Know the New Testament Writers Told the Truth by Frank Turek (DVD👉📱 https://cutt.ly/pPdbUzq, Mp3👉📱 https://cutt.ly/nPdbDRv, and Mp4👉📱https://cutt.ly/gPdbCCr)

 

Alisa Childers is an American singer and songwriter, best known for being in the all-female Christian music group ZOEgirl. She has had a string of top ten radio singles, four studio releases, and received the Dove Award during her time with ZOEgirl. In later years, Alisa found her life-long faith deeply challenged when she started attending what would later identify as a Progressive Christian church. This challenge pushed Alisa toward Christian Apologetics. Today you can read, listen and watch Alisa’s work online as well as purchase her recently published book on Progressive Christianity titled Another Gospel.

Originally posted 5/14/2018 at: https://bit.ly/4es5Ao5

 

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3 Tips for Dealing with Harsh Comments and Criticism | with Alisa Childers

What can Christian influencers do to prepare for the inevitable avalanche of criticism that comes along with doing ministry online or even speaking out in the public square? Vocalizing your faith in the toxic world of social media comes at an increasingly high cost these days and can lead to depression and anxiety if you’re not careful. So how do you handle internet trolls and keyboard warriors without becoming toxic yourself or ultimately killing your witness for the Gospel?

This week, our friend and Christian apologist, Alisa Childers, joins Frank for another special CIA edition of the podcast to discuss how to deal with criticism effectively and appropriately. No stranger to harsh critiques herself, Alisa will share her unique insights based on past experiences of online attacks and how she learned to navigate the digital battlefield while protecting her faith and sanity in the process. During their conversation, Frank and Alisa will answer questions like:

  • Why is it important to identify ad hominem attacks and is it a privilege to be persecuted?
  • How should your faith impact the type of content that you produce?
  • How do you make your content a lifeboat for people?
  • Should all Christians aspire to have a HUGE online platform?
  • How does Alisa deal with toxic, tenacious followers?
  • Why should Christians have a good theology of suffering?

If you’re making any type of lasting impact in the culture, then you also have an audience of detractors and antagonizers who hate what you’re doing, and that’s ok! Tune in as Frank and Alisa explore how Jesus dealt with the critics of His day and also discuss how to set proper boundaries when it comes to online engagement, maintaining a healthy faith walk, and prioritizing your family. To learn more about boldly living out your faith in a hostile culture and to see Frank, Alisa, and Natasha Crain live in person, be sure to check out the Unshaken conference!

Did you enjoy this episode? HELP US SPREAD THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY BY SUPPORTING THE PODCAST HERE.

Resources mentioned during the episode:

Travel to Mt. Sinai in Arabia and Egypt with Frank! LivingPassages.com
Learn & Teach Logic and Apologetics with your kids this Fall! OnlineChristianCourses.com
Alisa’s website: AlisaChilders.com

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Is Social Justice Hijacking the Gospel?

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Progressive Christian blogger and author John Pavlovitz wrote,  “We believe that social justice is the heart of the Gospel…” Is he right? And what exactly is social justice?

I recently posted an article in which I described Progressive Christian churches as swapping out the gospel for social justice. I got a lot of pushback on this point, but I believe that most of this pushback comes down to a misunderstanding of words.

Some are quick to say, “Social justice is good!” or “Social justice is bad!” without giving any nuanced thought to what the phrase actually means. Recently, I listened to a Mortification of Spin podcast episode called “Hijacking Social Justice,” that brilliantly dove into the history and meaning of the phrase and how it interacts with the gospel. It inspired this article, and I highly recommend listening to it.

What is Social Justice? 

Justice is a strong and consistent theme throughout Scripture, both in the Old and New Testaments. It’s clear that God loves justice, and we ought to care about it too. But what is social justice? American philosopher and novelist Michael Novak wrote:

Social justice is one of the terms most often used in ethical and political discourse. It is also a term used with the least care. I have searched in vain for definitions of it. In its fuzziness and warmth, everyone wants to cuddle it. But virtually no one will give you a forthright definition of it.

A little history….. 

In ancient Greece, Aristotle defined “justice” simply as giving each person his due. In times of crisis, war, and political upheaval, this concept became more complicated. A more general type of justice had to be thought through when it just wasn’t possible to give each individual person their due. Echoing Aristotle, St. Augustine described the task of justice “to see that to each is given what belongs to each.”(1)

​Today, the term is more vague than it was historically and leans toward being associated with more liberal values, rather than justice in general. For example, “social justice” tends to be applied to issues like women’s rights, immigration, and gay rights, while generally not being applied to the millions of babies killed by abortion each year, or the plight of the most persecuted group in the world—Christians.

It would seem that there is an extraordinarily selective use of the term in our current culture. 

Social Justice: a meaningful phrase—or just a cliche? 

“Social Justice” has, in some ways, become a cliche—a catch-all phrase that can mean anything from a call for government action to simply being a good neighbor. Because of this, it’s very difficult to figure out how the term applies to the mission of the Church. In her classic essay, Augustine on Justice, Philosopher Mary T. Clark described St. Augustine’s view like this:

Rightly related to God, man is properly related within himself and to the external world of people and things. 

Augustine believed that it was impossible for people to be “just” in their relation with each other unless their relationship with God was first rightly ordered within themselves.

Justice begins in the hearts of people, not in government programs.  Westminster Seminary Church History professor Dr. Carl Trueman said,

Justice, traditionally and historically, is a function of a virtuous citizenry.  You cannot ultimately legislate justice in the truest sense of the word. You have to produce a citizenry, a society of people, who are virtuously just. You can riot on as many streets as you want. You join as many lobby groups as you want. You can sign as many petitions as you want. But the problem of justice is much deeper than the symptomatic issue of racism (or something like that,) that people are addressing head-on. What we’re really seeing in the vacuous way social justice is being used as a term now, is the vacuous nature of moral society…..There is no agreed moral content that allows us to give any meaningful content to the term “social justice” whatsoever.

Without a commonly agreed-upon definition of morality, “social justice” becomes an entirely subjective term. What’s the best way to promote a virtuous citizenry with a common morality? By the transformation of the hearts of people by the gospel.

What did Jesus say about social justice?

​Jesus said that the most important command is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. After that, to love our neighbor as ourselves. (Matthew 22:36-40) In a sense, this is a call for a meaningful definition of social justice, not a twitter hashtag version. In fact, Jesus commanded that we help the needy and do our giving in secret (Matthew 6:3-4).

When defined Jesus’ way, the “loving our neighbor as ourselves” part of our faith is an outworking of our faith, not the saving part—and other people don’t always know about it.

What is the gospel? 

When defined biblically, there is no contradiction between social justice and the gospel, but it’s very important to understand both terms and how they interact with each other. Now that we’ve defined social justice, let’s define the gospel. In his book, The Story of Reality, Greg Koukl lays out the gospel in four parts: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration.

To put it very simply, God created the world and everything in it and called it good. Humans fell from God’s grace by rebelling against Him (in other words, we messed it all up, and became separated from God.) God stepped into His creation to redeem the people He created, lived a sinless life, and paid for our rebellion (sin) with His death. He defeated death by resurrecting Himself from the dead and has made a way for us to be in His presence forever if we accept His free gift of salvation and put our trust in Him.

Of course, there is a lot of stuff in between all of that, but this is the basic outline. (For an excellent 5-minute presentation of the gospel, watch this video from James White…. seriously—watch it!)

With this definition of the gospel, Jesus sent His followers out to “make disciples of all nations” in Matthew 28. This is exactly the gospel Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, converting 3,000 people in Acts chapter 2.

Is Social Justice Hijacking the gospel? 

As citizens in a free society, it’s perfectly appropriate for Christians to speak to public officials and to utilize their right to vote. There’s a place for a pastor to speak against injustice and oppression in a sermon from the Word of God. But we need the core gospel as our foundation for going out into the world to be salt and light.

We don’t always get to see true social justice on this side of heaven, but this is why the gospel is so beautiful and freeing. Through our mission to bring the gospel into the whole world, freedom is birthed into the hearts of men and women, and often, true social justice will follow. (For example, the work of abolitionists such as William Wilberforce and John Wesley was an outworking of their deep faith in Christ… and a fruitful one!)

When social justice is divorced from its biblical context, it can become, at best, a distraction from the heart of the gospel, and at worst, an unbiblical agenda covered with a Christian veneer.  

In some circles, social justice is hijacking the gospel. But as long as we are clear on what the true definitions of “gospel” and “social justice” are, we won’t be in danger of confusing the two.

Recommended Resources: 

Another Gospel? by Alisa Childers (book)

Legislating Morality: Is it Wise? Is it Legal? Is it Possible? by Frank Turek (Book, DVD, Mp3, Mp4, PowerPoint download, PowerPoint CD)

Jesus vs. The Culture by Dr. Frank Turek DVD, Mp4 Download, and Mp3

Does Jesus Trump Your Politics by Dr. Frank Turek (mp4 download and DVD)

 

Alisa Childers is a wife, a mom, an author, a blogger, a speaker, and a worship leader. She was a member of the award-winning CCM recording group ZOEgirl. Author of Another Gospel (2020), Live Your Truth, and Other Lies (2022), and most recently coauthored The Deconstruction of Christianity (2024), Alisa has become a popular speaker at apologetics and Christian worldview conferences, including ReThink, Unshaken, and Fearless Faith. She has also published at The Gospel Coalition, Crosswalk, the Stream, For Every Mom, Decision magazine, and The Christian Post. You can find out more about her writing and recording ministry at alisachilders.com.

Originally posted at: https://bit.ly/3VNNMxy

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Help! My Loved One Says I’m Toxic! | with Alisa Childers and Tim Barnett

What do you do when someone calls you “toxic” and says they don’t want you in their life anymore? Is it even possible to reason with someone who rejects reason and objective truth? Because deconstruction can manifest itself in various ways and across various types of relationships, there is no one-size-fits all approach to these questions. But how do you determine what to say, how to say it, and when to even set your own personal boundaries in conversations about faith and doubt?

This week, Alisa Childers and Tim Barnett return to continue the discussion on their brand-new book, ‘The Deconstruction of Christianity: What It Is, Why It’s Destructive, and How to Respond.’ Frank, Alisa, and Tim will unpack some of the challenges that come with walking alongside people in the process of deconstruction and tips on how Christians can navigate these unique challenges. What’s the connection between deconstruction and critical theory? Should you feel guilty if you fail to successfully reach an ex-vangelical? How can you discern the motivation behind a person’s decision to deconstruct? All this and more will be discussed in this special follow-up podcast episode!

To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.

You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Tim and Alisa’s book: https://a.co/d/1MnXiDr

Alisa Childer’s website: https://alisachilders.com/

Red Pen Logic on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RedPenLogic

Reality Apologetics Conference (Texas): https://www.realityapologetics.com/tx/

 

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The Deconstruction of Christianity | with Alisa Childers and Tim Barnett

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What is this thing called “deconstruction” that has disrupted, dismantled, and destroyed the faith of so many people? Is it really a quest for truth, or is this radical spiritual makeover motivated by something else? As the deconstruction movement continues to grow in popularity, families and faith communities are often blindsided by individuals who leave Christianity and place the blame on “toxic Christians” or the allegedly “immoral” God of the Bible. How do you keep the line of communication open with “exvangelicals” and what types of questions can help foster meaningful faith conversations?

This week, our friends Alisa Childers and Tim Barnett join Frank to get to the heart of deconstruction and provide answers for Christians looking to tactfully engage people who have been swept up in the movement. During this podcast episode, they’ll discuss the inspiration behind their brand-new book, ‘The Deconstruction of Christianity: What It Is, Why It’s Destructive, and How to Respond‘ and also identify some of the pitfalls that have led many to abandon Christianity altogether. Listen as Frank, Alisa, and Tim answer questions like:

  • What is the motivation behind deconstruction?
  • Why doesn’t Alisa classify her faith crisis as true deconstruction?
  • What’s an exvangelical and where did the term originate?
  • What are Tim and Alisa’s personal experiences with exvangelicals?
  • What are some of the glaring inconsistencies within the deconstruction movement?
  • Should Christians interpret the Bible “literally”?

 

If the deconstruction movement has come knocking on your door, this is the episode for you! As you’ll hear during the conversation, having a strong grasp on the true Gospel and a working knowledge of apologetics can help Christians to escape the draw to deconstruction. Frank, Alisa, and Tim will only scratch the surface in this podcast, so be sure to check out the upcoming midweek podcast where they’ll dive deeper into the consequences of deconstruction, its connection to critical theory, and the best way to communicate with people who call you “toxic”.

To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.

You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Tim and Alisa’s book: https://a.co/d/1MnXiDr

Alisa’s website: https://alisachilders.com/

Tim’s website: https://www.timbarnett.org/

Red Pen Logic on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RedPenLogic

Reality Apologetics Conference (Texas): https://www.realityapologetics.com/tx/

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Is What You Do More Important Than What You Believe? | with Alisa Childers and Natasha Crain

According to the New Testament, producing good fruit is being obedient to the commands of Christ. Jesus Himself even said, “If you love me, you’ll keep my commandments.” It seems that in order to behave the right way we first have to believe the right things–the revealed Word of God. The problem is, as Western society continues to grow hostile towards the biblical Christian worldview, many are embracing progressive “Christianity” as a more appealing alternative. But does this movement have the capacity to help its followers without causing harm?

On this week’s podcast episode, guest hosts Alisa Childers and Natasha Crain use popular memes from the internet to expose the inconsistencies found within the progressive Christian movement and defend the inerrancy of Scripture. They remind us why Christians should continue to view the Bible as the authoritative Word of God and address several important questions including:

    • Does belief in Bible inerrancy equate to Bible worship?

    • Why should we accept the Bible as God’s Word?

    • Is it unloving to accept what the Bible teaches?

    • What role does the Bible play in the life of progressive “Christians?”

    • Are progressive Christians more loving than Christians who believe in biblical authority?

    • Do ancient creeds still have a place in the modern church?

To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST, join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into great discussions with like-minded Christians while providing financial support for our ministry.

Alisa’s website: https://alisachilders.com/

Natasha’s website: https://natashacrain.com/

If you would like to submit a question to be answered on the show, please email your question to Hello@Crossexamined.org.

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