Why you need to read "God’s Crime Scene" by J. Warner Wallace.

Faith Actually highly recommends Cold-Case Christianity author J. Warner Wallace's newest apologetics book, on shelves next month. God’s Crime Scene unravels the greatest mystery of all time—the creation of the universe—walking readers through the cold, hard evidence for the very basis of the Christian faith, and equipping readers to defend it with confidence and factual accuracy.

J. Warner, a seasoned cold-case homicide detective and adjunct professor of apologetics at Biola University, was previously an ardent and vocal atheist during his first years in law enforcement. He always considered himself to be an "evidentialist," convinced that truth is tied directly to evidence. But when, at the age of thirty-five, J. Warner took a serious and expansive look at the evidence for the Christian worldview, he determined that Christianity was indeed demonstrably true after all.

Now a steadfast defender of the faith, J. Warner's skilled and comprehensive analysis of the evidence for biblical truth undermines the claims of many that Christianity is a "blind faith" that doesn't stack up against the facts.

God's Crime Scene is indeed a unique apologetics overview in which J. Warner takes an investigative, evidential approach to the universe as a crime scene. The author walks the reader through the "inside the room or outside the room" methodology used by homicide detectives, which he applies in his investigation of the broad evidence for God's design. He challenges the reader to examine eight important pieces of evidence common to our human observations and experience to discern whether pure unguided naturalism or supernatural intervention best accounts for the evidence at the "crime scene." In doing so, J. Warner masterfully uncovers the compelling evidence for the existence of God and His intelligent design of the universe, drawing from a broad range of philosophical, cosmological, scientific, and moral evidence to build a bold, logical case for the biblical worldview.

J. Warner's book expertly boils down mounds of complex evidence into digestible chunks suitable for the non-specialist, as well as the experienced layperson. Harnessing the important work of the Intelligent Design movement, he looks at a number of key issues, including the remarkable fine-tuning found in the cosmos, the irreducible complexity of biological systems, and the awe-inspiring world of DNA and genetic information. He delves into key philosophical questions such as: "Are moral truths an illusion?" and refutes the myth that moral truths are merely the product of individual beliefs or culture by laying out an evidence-based case for absolutes over relativism. He demonstrates that while our brains and central nervous systems are the stuff of empirical measurement and observation, our emotions, sensations, thoughts, and desires are not, proving attempts to provide merely materialistic explanations of such things to fall down in face of the evidence.

Why should Christians read this book?

Faith Actually has long contended that lazy-mindedness is both unbiblical and dangerous. Biblical truth is worshipfully mind-stretching—not mind-emptying. As believers we must not neglect Jesus' command to love God with our minds as well as our hearts and souls (Matt 22:37). Scripture teaches us that using our minds—our conscious understanding and our God-given ability to exercise reason, discernment, and sound judgment—is a crucial part of our Christian faith (Matt 22:37; Luke 10:27; Rom 12:2; 2 Cor 10:3-6; Phil 2:5). In this vein, Christians are called to respond thoughtfully, with grace- and truth-based wisdom, to the world around us.

Today, many young Christians are growing up without a clear biblical worldview and any training in apologetics. Therefore, they lack the ability to defend, sustain, and live out their faith in a world that has rejected biblical truth. Undoubtedly, the post-modern tendency to base beliefs on feelings and experience over reason and understanding is partly to blame. And, it's certainly hard to stay grounded in a fast-paced, over-stimulated culture in which our time is short and our attention-span, shorter. Many Christians, overwhelmed by life's frantic pace, are turning to touchy-feely, quick-fix spirituality—or as I also like to refer to it, cotton candy for the soul. And for many of those in pursuit of the quick-fix, there's no time for discernment; if it sounds right, it probably is right. If a celebrity pastor tweeted it, it's gospel. If a bestselling self-help author posted it, it's gotta be enlightened. If the word, love, is thrown in there enough times, then it must be loving. Inner truth? I'm sure that's in the Bible somewhere...No time to look it up on BibleGateway though. Apologetics, sound theology, and a clear biblical worldview, however, serve to protect us from false teaching and spiritual confusion.

Additionally, lazy-minded Christianity becomes a stumbling block for the questioning unbeliever. If the Christian testimony can't hold up under scrutiny, why would any thinking person believe it? Certainly, training in apologetics and a clear, well-reasoned understanding of the biblical worldview are vital tools of evangelism in a culture that attempts to make a mockery of God. For as the Apostle Peter exhorts us, we must "always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you." (1 Peter 3:15). And there is lots of God-given evidence to make use of.

In times like these, it's authors like J. Warner Wallace whom we need to turn to. His expertise in investigative research and detective work have been used by God to produce an invaluable apologetics resource that will both build the believer's faith and boldly challenge the unbeliever's lack of it. God's Crime Scene is a thought-provoking, informative, and insightful book that should be in the hands of every believer.