My Case for Christ

I have been reading "Hole in the Gospel" by World Vision President Richard Stearns. Stearns holds a bachelor's degree in neurobiology from Cornell University and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining World Vision as their current president, he worked for Gillette, was president of Parker Brothers Games and president and CEO of Lenox.

I would classify him as a highly intellectual person.

Richard Stearns became a Christian in his mid 20s but not until he fully researched his questions and investigated whether there really is a God. As someone who holds a bachelor's degree in neurobiology, he admitted that his years of studying science at Cornell had helped him "build quite the rationalistic fortress against anything supernatural." (p. 80)

As a skeptic, he would need a lot of "intellectual proof before he could put his faith into anything but himself." He dug into books about Christianity and read the entire Bible. During several months of studying the Truth, he finally found the answers to many of his questions that he could not answer with his deep knowledge of the inner workings of the natural world.

This is what he wrote about those unanswered questions:

"I could give you a detailed explanation of photosynthesis, but still could not explain the beauty of a flower. I could tell you about phylogeny, ontogeny, and genetics, but I could not explain the miracle of a simple butterfly. I could read about the solar system, the life cycles of stars, and the big bang, but I could not explain how they had all come to be in the first place. There was a cavernous hole in my worldview that I had conveniently ignored." (p81)

I believe Mr Stearns has built his Case for Christ.

For me, I hold a degree, I have travelled a fair amount through previous employments and through studying abroad, so I would call myself somewhat worldly. But I wouldn't classify myself as an intellectual. I'm someone who likes to shoot from my hip, not think about something too long and just go for it. In other words, I'm not much of a planner or a deep thinker but things still seem to go well for me or at least work out for me.

Coming to know Christ was a decision I made not with the influences of my education and my world travels but because I value my future and I want to know where I'm going after this life on earth. God got my attention without me having to do the in-depth research that Stearns has done. I didn't have to spend years trying to prove that there is not a God. For me, it was about seeking the SOURCE of TRUTH in life. God's Word has played the biggest role in affirming my beliefs and finding TRUTH.

I also know that from life experiences, there is no way there can't be a God. Like with our adoption journey for example, as if adoption isn't a big enough miracle in itself,there have been too many miracles to call coincidences. There are so many experiences that will hold a special place in my heart, many that I am happy to share only for God's glory.

And the best benefit of being a Christ follower is the peace I have knowing where I'm going after I pass on from this life.

Letting down my pride and allowing God to enter into my life was the easiest way to find God. God is just waiting to love on each one of us. But not everyone comes to know God in the same way, so if it's through much research and deep, intelluctual thinking that will lead someone to Christ, like in Stearns case, that works too.

That's my Case for Christ.


                                Happy Easter!!