J. P. Moreland - The God Conversation: Using Stories and Illustrations to Explain Your Faith

More than a decade ago, I invited one of the authors of this book, J. P. Moreland, to Willow Creek Community Church to give a talk on science and faith. At the end of his presentation, a spiritual skeptic challenged him by saying that miracles overturn the laws of nature and therefore are impossible.

Actually, said Moreland, the laws of nature are the way we describe how the world usually works. If someone drops an apple, it falls to the floor. Thats gravity. However, if someone were to drop an apple and I were to reach over and grab it before it hit the ground, I wouldnt be overturning the law of gravity. I would simply be intervening. In a similar way, God is able to reach into the world that he created by performing a miracle. He isnt contravening or overturning the laws of nature; hes simply intervening.

Moreland said a lot of brilliant things that evening. I recall being impressed with his entire presentation. But all these years later, his simple illustration of the falling apple is what I remember most clearly. Thats what good illustrations do: they bring abstract concepts to life, heighten our interest, and stick in our minds for long periods.

When I became a teaching pastor at Willow Creek, the power of good illustrations quickly became evident to me. As I recited dry data in my sermons, people sat back in their seats. When I launched into an extended explanation of an issue, they seemed to relax. But when I used a colorful example, a compelling story, or an illuminating anecdote, they would sit up, move to the edge of their seats, and lean forward. Their body language said it all: illustrations captivate people. No wonder Jesus told so many parables!

Moreland and his coauthor, Tim Muehlhoff, have done us a tremendous service by compiling this fascinating and practical volume. Theyve drawn upon a lifetime of experience to offer illustrations on a wide range of topics, from the problem of evil to world religions to the resurrection to ethics to the existence of God.

The God Conversation brims with creative material for your spiritual discussions with friends, neighbors, colleagues, and family members. Youll find it to be an invaluable resource as you effectively communicate Christianity in ways that others can grasp. As the late evangelist Paul Little used to say, this is putting the cookies on the bottom shelfthat is, making complex and controversial topics accessible through easy-to-remember nuggets of insight and wisdom.

Heres my prediction: when you finish reading The God Conversation, youre going to feel better equipped and more motivated to reach out to others with the message of Christ. Youll quickly see for yourself how much God can use illustrations to open minds and warm hearts to the gospel.

Oh, and before you start reading, grab a yellow highlighter. Youre going to need it!