Bobby Conway - Does God Exist?: And 51 Other Compelling Questions About God and the Bible

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

This book is dedicated to my lifelong friend Jonathan Ross, for entertaining a thousand questions and more.

Thank you for believing in me and helping me live the inquisitive life.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Verses marked NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Verses marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible , New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Verses marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Emphasis to Scripture is added by the author.

Cover by Dual Identity, Inc.

Published in association with William K. Jensen Literary Agency, 119 Bampton Court, Eugene, Oregon 97404.

DOES GOD EXIST?

Copyright 2016 Bobby Conway

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97402

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

ISBN 978-0-7369-6262-9 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-0-7369-6263-6 (eBook)

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CONTENTS

W hat book would you recommend for my son? I raised him as a Christian, but hes not a believer any more. Every time we talk, he bombards me with questions. I need better answers. Sometimes Im not even sure where to begin.

Emails like this one (from the father of a 19-year-old university student) appear regularly in my inbox. Im not sure which is more discouraging: the growing number of young Christians who are walking away from the Church, or the regular despair I hear from parents who seem ill-equipped to answer their kids questions. As a youth pastor, I saw the problem with my own eyes. We live in a culture that is less accepting of Christianity than ever before. Its an aggressive culture driven by media, technology, and information. If young Christians are to survive in this setting, we, as the Church, need to be ready to make a defense to everyone who asks [us] to give an account for the hope that is in [us] (1 Peter 3:15), by leveraging the media, technology, and information age in which we live.

No one is doing this better than the One-Minute Apologist, Bobby Conway. When I first discovered one of Bobbys videos and watched him make the case for Christianity in a brief, powerful, online presentation, I thought, Dang, why didnt I think of that? Bobby has been interviewing the worlds leading apologists to provide credible answers to curious questions for several years now, and hes addressed hundreds of questions, challenges, and objections to the existence of God. Hes been sitting across the microphone from the best Christian Case Makers in the land; hes heard every objection and considered every reasonable response.

More importantly, hes learned how to engage the culture. Bobbys video ministry is a gateway ministry, introducing believers and skeptics to experts in the field while presenting brief responses to the objections offered by the culture. These videos have been viewed by thousands of people who are looking for an answer, a starting point, or a word of encouragement. Bobbys visual, targeted, culturally relevant approach has helped many people navigate their doubts and strengthen their faith.

Now Bobby has taken what hes learned sitting alongside the best apologists and crafted another effective resource for those who have questions about God. Like his video ministry, Does God Exist? is concise, targeted, and culturally relevant. If youve got a question about God, I bet theres an answer in this book. Does God Exist? reflects the diversity of Bobbys One-Minute Apologist videos. Youll find responses to important metaphysical questions, refined theological issues, and timely moral concerns. Bobby will help you address the culture effectively even as you answer your own doubts and concerns. This is a book youll return to often.

I know the temptation with books like these, however. You will definitely want to give this book to your kids, family members, or friends who have questions about Christianity. Its perfect for the father who emailed me about his son. But let me caution you: Does God Exist? is more than a book you can give away . Its a book you need to read and master. This is an incredibly accessible resource; you can easily train yourself to make the case for Christianity by reading each chapter and watching the associated videos. So take the time to examine its contents, think about what youve learned, consider the questions at the end of each chapter, and research the expert case makers Bobby has introduced. Does God Exist? will show you where to begin and help you respond with better answers.

J. Warner Wallace, Cold-Case Detective and Author of Cold-Case Christianity and Gods Crime Scene

Who questions much, shall learn much, and retain much.

F RANCIS B ACON

A re you the inquisitive type? And do you find yourself a little on the curious side? Were you the child always raising your hand in class? If so, thats nothing to be ashamed of. Asking questions is part of the learning process. Great learners ask great questions . And there is no such thing as a dumb question if youre genuinely seeking to learn. Regrettably, many people stunt their learning simply because theyre too embarrassed to ask questions. Thats unfortunate.

But think about it. The only person who doesnt need to ask questions is God. Thats because He knows everything. God doesnt need to raise His hand. He doesnt use Google. And He certainly hasnt enrolled in a PhD program. Hes all-knowing. Theologians refer to this as Gods omniscience . Must be nice, huh?

So we think. But would you want to know everything?

The good.

The bad.

And the ugly?

I dont think so. Maybe the good, but certainly not all the ugly. Lord knows theres enough going on in the world that we dont need stuck in our heads. We can be thankful for some good old-fashioned ignorancefor Gods shrouded grace. It even seems that God wanted Adam and Eve to remain in the dark about the ugly (see Genesis 2:15-17).

Curiosity taken to its extreme can be dangerous. There are some things that we must be content not knowingthings that reach beyond the finite. That should be freeing. But fortunately, theres a lot that we can know. And should know. While we cant discover the answers to all our questions, we can find the answers to some of them.

Im thankful for that.

For many years Ive been passionate about tracking down the answers not only to other peoples questions but also to my own. I have the privilege of hosting an internationally recognized program called The One-Minute Apologist where our motto is providing credible answers to curious questions. And thats what I hope to do in this book. Im seeking to do in written form what I already do through my weekly videos. My aim is to provide short answers to sincere questions. Also, to help maximize your curiosity quest, Ive included at the end of each chapter a thought to ponder, a memory verse, a question to consider, and a corresponding video from my One-Minute Apologist YouTube program.