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A few years after graduating from the University of Oregon, I was confronted with the historical claims for the veracity of the Christian faith.  In response to the evidence, and God’s gracious offer to forgive my sin and give me a new life In Christ, I trusted in Jesus Christ as my Savior.  

Six month later, I enrolled in graduate school at Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland, Oregon.  Three years later, I graduated and joined the staff of a non-denominational ministry to college students.  As a staff member of Campus Crusade for Christ, I met my bride, Jane Fletcher from Atlanta, Georgia, and later as the pastor at Grace Bible Church, in College Station, Texas, we continued to share the good news that Jesus of Nazareth was and is the Messiah promised in the Hebrew scriptures, that He died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sin, and He rose victoriously on the first Easter Sunday morning. 

These ministries lead to many students having life changing experiences by trusting in Jesus Christ as their Savior.  Click here for a testimony from a Duke student (a reprint from an article he later wrote for Moody Magazine). 

During these years, I presented Christian evidences to many groups, and in hundreds of person to person conversations with skeptics on secular college campuses.  Through repeated use, I developed some presentations I shared over and over again.  The following books and audio CDs include most of the content from these presentations.


As a new believer enrolled in theological seminary, I needed to understand the Bible’s big picture.  My English Bible professor recommended several books, and I devoured them.  This launched my teaching a Bible study series to help others who also need a handle on the Bible’s progressive revelation from God.  Over many years, I have taught this series about forty times on campus, for student retreats, from the pulpit, and in living rooms. 

When my son told me I was going to be a grandfather, I put the content of these studies in book form.  Knowing that most people do not look up most references, and wanting the book to follow the flow in the studies, I included all referenced scriptures in the book -- over 700 verses.  They are all in bold print so the reader will know when it is the Word of God, and not merely my thoughts.  This is a teaching book, and a good one for use in small group studies.


After finishing my first book, some friends asked if I was going to write a second book.  My first response was, “The first book took me thirty years, and I don’t think I have another thirty years.”  But, I came up with a second thirty year book.  Most chapters use personal ministry experiences to teach selected subjects.  Click here to read the back cover indorsements from Dr. Earl Radmacher, Senator  Mark O. Hatfield, Dr. D. James Kennedy, Dr. Charles Stanley, and former Youg Life staff member John Wayland.


Most of the ontent in this CD is from my book The Master Plot of the Bible.  When I first developed it, I used the subtitle from the book, and titled it Old Testament Roots for New Testament Faith.  I called a friend from my youth to tell him about this CD before I sent it to him.  In our conversation, he responded, “When you talk about the Old Testament and the New Testament, I don’t know what you are talking about.  Those terms mean nothing to me.” 

So the next week I asked twenty people in a Houston restaurant, “What is the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament in the Bible?”  Fifteen of these citizens ble Belt responded, “I don’t have any idea.”  The other five had pretty weak answers, including a computer geek who used his logic and said, “”Let’s see.  The first Bible was the King James, so I guess  the New Testament is a new version.”  I asked him if he ever want to church, and he responded, “When I was in High School I was part of a youth group, but if was mostly fun and games.”    

This lead me to change the title to Understanding Bible Prophecy, and retained the previous title as a sub-title.  And, I re-recorded the first track and took a Vince Lombardi approach.  On the first day of his practice with his Green Bay Packers, that great coach extended his arm with some pigskin in his hand and said, “Gentlemen, this is a football.”  While I do not give my first track this title, it is my version of “This is a Bible.”

While the title of this CD refers to Bible prophecy, the focus is on the Old Testament history and it’s foundation for prophecies that establish beyond any reasonable double that Jesus of Nazareth was and is the Messiah promised by God, and that the Children of Israel are God’s chosen people.  (Old Testament prophecies about Israel clearly establish that God has left his fingerprints in the Scriptures.)  While one track does deal with His promised return, the focus in his CD is more on prophecies that have been fulfilled, rather than looking toward future events.  I do believe this CD will lay a foundation that will help people better understand Christian books by other authors that look to the future.      


I see four foundation for a faith based on evidence.  The Messianic Prophecies in the Old Testament, the prophecies about the nation of Israel, the historical evidence for the resurrection of Christ, and the testimony of a changed life.  The first two are in the Understanding Bible Prophecy CD, and the third is the focus of this CD.  Some mention of the fourth is in the following three CDs. but it is most powerful in the life of individual believers.

I presented the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ many times to college students on secular campuses from coast to coast.  Quite often, I would challenge the students by asking. “If you can find any faulty presupposition, any faulty logic, or give me any other reasonable explanation for the evidence, other than that Jesus Christ actually rose bodily from the grave, three days after He died on the cross, I want to hear it.”  In over forty years of sharing this evidence, I have not had one person challenge it.  In his endorsement of these CDs, Josh McDowell commented:



After presenting evidence that verifies Faith in Christ is presented, I often had to field “Yes, but” questions.  This CD has my answer to the most Frequently Asked Questions that were posed to me by skeptics.  Much of their content is also in my books.  Topics dealt with are the absurdity of someone demanding absolute proof, questions about the inspiration of the Bible, questions about people of other religions and those who have never heard of Jesus, the problem of a Holy loving God allowing pain and suffering (a short exposition of the book of Job), doesn’t the theory of Evolution eliminate the need to believe in God, and the hypocrisy of believers.  


The title tells it all.  I do not claim my way of sharing the Gospel is the best way.  But, this CD will have some good suggestions for anyone who wants to be more effective in sharing their faith.


A CD with some motivational stories, including some history from the 1960’s that every pastor should consider.


While I believe these books and CDs will be helpful for people of all ages (from about Jr. High age on up), I have great concern for the future of the church in America.  Josh McDowell has uncovered some scary statistics.  Among our churched youth: 

     * 63% don't believe that Jesus is the Son of the one true God.
     * 51% don't believe that Jesus rose from the dead.
     * 68% don't believe that the Holy Spirit is a real entity.
     * Only 33% of churched youth say the church will play a part
         in their lives when they leave home.

And, the Southern Baptist have found that well over 80% of churched youth (including those in home schools and private Christian schools) depart from the church shortly after they leave home. 

In Rusty Wright’s testimony in the link above, he commented, “I wanted to know if Christianity was true.  After trusting Christ as Savior, I still had questions.”   Apparently many of our young people have the same kind of doubts.   My prayer is that these CDs will help address this problem.