We all have enough expertise to begin to question the use of specific words and develop a richer understanding of the biblical text if only we will become interested readers of scripture…. Yes, it’s hard work, but it’s our duty as ambassadors for Christ and as defenders of the faith. (Wallace, J. Warner, “Cold-Case Christianity” 2023; pg 104)
Blessed Sunday my brothers and sisters! I am an avid fan of the “TimeHop” app. I love it because for every day of the year, it pulls up memories from my photos and my social pages, and brings me back to that moment in time to remember and reflect on those special occasions (like the one below). Well, April 28 will soon be one of the most precious memories I will have in my life, and I will share why with y’all tomorrow.
But for today, I am sharing the closing thoughts of J. Warner Wallace from Chapter Five, “Hang on Every Word”, in his amazing work “Cold-Case Christianity”. In Chapter Five, Wallace discusses the art of “forensic statement analysis”, and the importance of this science for detectives when interviewing possible suspects. Detectives around the world take many courses to learn how to analyze the words and mannerisms suspects, victims, and witnesses make to discern when people are lying and when they are telling the truth. I have personally been exposed to the basic building blocks of these techniques in my short time in being a peace officer through my education in the Georgia Police Academy, and by taking “Interviews and Interrogations 1.” What Wallace is urging us to do as “Ambassadors” of the Christian faith, is to analyze and study the words and the translations of the earliest copies of the Gospels to help strengthen our defense of the validity of those world-changing texts. This is our next tool to place in our “Christian Call-out” bag.
I am nearing the end of my reading for “Cold-Case Christianity”. I have learned more than I have ever known in the history of the Apostles and the words they wrote, the Disciples they taught, and the archaeological proof of Jesus and His walk here on earth. I have five more tools to share with you before I begin to share all Wallace discovered in his investigation of Christianity, and I can not wait to get to that point.
In the meantime, here is some amazing new music for you to enjoy. In the military, I have grown to despise acronyms. There are so many that it is confusing, so when I saw the title to the track below, “SBTN”, I, initially rolled my eyes at another four letter catch-phrase. But then when I heard Aaron Cole sing out that phrase, my heart smiled and I found the greatest acronym ever created. There’s the YOLO, those that have FOMO, but there’s only One, and there’s SBTN.
Common Sense Reborn 