Former atheist Lee Strobel investigated Christianity and surprisingly came to believe it was true based on evidence. They discuss Lee's journey from atheism to Christianity, the role of relationships in disbelief, exploring different perspectives, investigating the resurrection of Jesus, the impact of a spouse on the journey of faith, and the importance of academic study.
Lee Strobel's journey from atheism to Christianity emphasizes the role of investigating evidence and embracing different perspectives.
Personal transformations, like Lee Strobel's wife's spiritual experience, can challenge relationships but ultimately bring individuals closer to understanding Christianity.
Embracing Christianity transformed Lee Strobel's daily life, impacting his behavior, values, marriage, and parenting for the better.
Deep dives
Swimming with the Current of Evidence
The podcast episode follows the story of Lee Strobel, an investigative journalist and former atheist who became a Christian. Lee shares his journey of exploring the evidence for Christianity, starting from his initial skepticism to embracing faith. He emphasizes the importance of following the direction the evidence is pointing, which led him to a belief in God. Lee's transformation had a profound impact on his worldview, philosophy, relationships, and career. He eventually left his successful journalism career to become a vocal advocate for Christ and dedicated his life to sharing the message of Christianity.
The Power of Personal Transformations
In the podcast, Lee acknowledges the role of personal transformations in leading atheists to consider other perspectives. He shares the story of his wife, Leslie, who had a profound spiritual experience and became a Christian. Lee explains how this challenged their marriage and caused tension as they grappled with questions of truth and faith. He highlights the importance of open-mindedness and being willing to investigate different perspectives, even if the initial intention is to disprove them. This personal journey of transformation ultimately brought Lee and his family closer to an understanding of Christianity.
The Impact of Faith on Daily Life
Lee describes how embracing Christianity completely transformed his daily life. He shares the challenges he faced in his relationship with his father and how discovering the concept of a heavenly father changed his perspective. Lee's decision to become a Christian not only influenced his own behavior and values but also had a profound impact on his marriage and parenting. He emphasizes the significance of living in alignment with the teachings of Jesus and the joy and fulfillment he found in following the path of faith.
Exploring the Evidence for Christianity
Lee Strobel discusses his journey from atheism to Christianity, highlighting the importance of investigating different perspectives and examining evidence. He emphasizes the role of historical investigation, particularly focusing on the resurrection of Jesus. Strobel shares the impact of the conviction and willingness to die for their belief that the disciples had, which he found to be a compelling piece of evidence. He also encourages skeptics to approach the question of God's existence with an open mind and to consider the available evidence.
Engaging with Skeptics and Practicing Practical Apologetics
Strobel provides insights on engaging with skeptics, emphasizing the importance of respect, love, and empathy. He suggests asking skeptics what question they would ask God if they could, as a way to understand personal obstacles or objections. Strobel highlights the need for Christians to demonstrate Christ's love through actions and to genuinely care for and relate to those who do not believe. He encourages Christians to be genuine and seek to understand the emotional, intellectual, and spiritual hindrances that skeptics may face.
Former atheist Lee Strobel investigated Christianity in order to disprove it, but surprisingly came to believe it was true based on the evidence.
Lee' Resources:
The Lee Strobel Center for Evangelism and Applied Apologetics: www.strobelcenter.com
Books:
Is God Real?
The Case for Christ
The Case for Faith
The Case for the Creator
The Case for Heaven
Spiritual Mismatch with Leslie Strobel
The Unexpected Adventure with Mark Mittleberg
many others
Resources mentioned by Lee:
Simon Greenleaf, The Testimony of the Evangelists: The Gospels Examined by the Rules of Evidence
Albert Schweitzer, The Quest of the Historical Jesus
Norman Geisler, Roots of Evil
J.I. Packer, I Want to Be a Christian and Knowing God
Josh McDowell, Evidence that Demands a Verdict and More Than a Carpenter
John Stott, Basic Christianity
Frank Morrison, Who Moved the Stone?
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity and Screwtape Letters
John Warwick Montgomery, Where is History Going: Essays in Support of the Historical Truth of Christ, The Is God Dead? Controversy, How Do We Know that There’s a God?
G.K. Chesterton, The Everlasting Man
Thomas Aquinas, The Summa Theologica
Blaise Pascal, Pensees'
Francis Schaeffer, The God Who was There
Bertrand Russell, Why I'm Not a Christian
For information for CSLI events and resources, visit www.cslewisinstitute.org
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