Of course, there are always going to be some unsettled areas, but for me the overall evidence for Christianity chases away any real doubt that it's true.

Learning about the intellectual basis for Christianity bolsters the faith of Christians-espe cially those who may be experiencing doubts-and prepares them to share Christ with others.

Paul said in I Corinthians 15:17, if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile. So that's the linchpin of the Christian faith, is whether Jesus did indeed, A, live, B, die, and C, was resurrected from the dead, which authenticated his claims of divinity.

In short, I didn't become a Christian because God promised I would have an even happier life than I had as an atheist. He never promised any such thing. Indeed, following him would inevitably bring divine demotions in the eyes of the world. Rather, I became a Christian because the evidence was so compelling that Jesus really is the one-and-only Son of God who proved his divinity by rising from the dead. That meant following him was the most rational and logical step I could possibly take.

I've been following Jesus for 35 years. He's guided me, comforted me, encouraged me, challenged me, befriended me, and been my constant companion since November 8, 1981.

I was thoroughly stunned by the quantity and quality of the evidence for Christ.

I'm noticing an exciting trend around the country: a resurgence of interest in Christian apologetics (the defense of the faith). This is a reaction to the current attacks on the essentials of Christianity that are coming from militant atheists, radical professors, and Internet gadflies.