This document summarizes the stories of several individuals who set out to disprove Christianity but ultimately became convinced of its truth claims after examining the evidence. It describes how an attorney named Albert Roper conducted a legal investigation into the resurrection of Jesus Christ and concluded that the evidence supported it. It also tells the story of how journalist Frank Morison intended to write a book disproving the resurrection but instead wrote one arguing in its favor after his own investigation. Similarly, student Josh McDowell accepted a challenge to intellectually examine Christianity but eventually became a Christian after failing to refute the proof of Christ and the resurrection. The document suggests these stories illustrate how attempts to destroy Christianity have instead led people to its historical truth

1. Why is it thought
incredible?
From: Morgan, R. J. (2000). Real stories for the soul Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

2. Whatever our
philosophy or
theology, everyone
has moments when
we doubt our beliefs
and believe our
doubts.
Even Christians
occasionally ask, “Is
the Gospel really
true?”
Anticipating that, Jesus
gave us a massive
amount of evidence for
the authenticity of His
resurrection and
provided “many
infallible proofs” that
He had indeed risen
bodily from the grave
(Acts 1:3).
It reassures us that
these “proofs” have
convinced even the
most skeptical.

3. Albert L. Roper was a
prominent Virginia
attorney, and a graduate
of the University of
Virginia law school, who
eventually became
mayor of the city of
Norfolk.
He once began a thorough
legal investigation into
the evidence of the
Resurrection of Christ, by
asking himself the
question

4. Can any intelligent
person accept the
resurrection story?
After examining the
evidence at
length, he came
away asking a
different question:
Can any intelligent
person deny the
weight of this
evidence in
support of the
Resurrection?
Frank Morison also set out
to disprove the
Resurrection of Christ.
He was an English
journalist who viewed
Christianity as a
collection of mythical
stories, he decided that
if he could prove that
Christ’s resurrection was
a myth, he could
discredit all of
Christianity.

5. Not only was he unable to disprove the
resurrection, but he was also
compelled to become a Christian
himself.
And his book? It is a powerful argument
in favor of the resurrection, called
Who Moved This Stone?
It is “… essentially a confession,”
Morison says, “the inner story of a
man who originally set out to write
one kind of book and found himself
compelled by the sheer force of
circumstances to write a different kind
of book.”

6. Josh McDowell entered
university as a young
man looking for a
good time and
searching for
happiness and
meaning in life.
He tried going to church,
but found religion
boring.
He ran for student
leadership positions,
but was disappointed
by how quickly the
glamour wore off.
He tried the party circuit,
but he woke up
Monday mornings
feeling worse than
ever.
He noticed a group of
students studying the
Bible and he became
interested in the
peacefulness of one of
the young ladies in the
group.

7. He asked her why she
was so full of peace
and joy.
She looked him straight
in the eye, smiled, and
said, “Jesus Christ.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake,”
he retorted, “don’t give
me that garbage about
religion.”
She replied, “I didn’t say
religion; I said Jesus
Christ.”
The students invited him
to intellectually
examine the claims of
Christ and the
evidence for
Christianity.
He accepted their
challenge, and after
much study and
research, finally
admitted he couldn’t
refute the proof
supporting Christ or
Christianity.

8. Josh was eventually
baptized, and his
research became the
background for his
book Evidence That
Demands A Verdict.
A student asked him,
“Professor McDowell,
why can’t you
intellectually disprove
Christianity?”
“For a very simple
reason,” replied
McDowell. “I am not
able to explain away a
documented event of
history -- the
Resurrection of Jesus
Christ.”

9. These stories are but a
few of the many times
that people have
sought to destroy
Christianity and the
Christian belief in the
Resurrection of
Christ.
In their effort to
“debunk” Christianity
their objections led
them to the historic
truth.
Christ is not only
found in the Bible but also in
the historical writings of the
times.
In Acts 26:8 we hear St. Paul
ask the rhetorical question,
“Why is it thought incredible
by any of you that God
raises the dead?”
This life is not the end, but the
beginning of eternity with
the Resurrected Christ
Jesus.
Are you ready?