Course
The foundational question in 21st Century world culture is not whether Christianity is true. Instead, it is whether a personal God exists, other than in the imagination and wishful thinking of theists. In this course, Dr. Don details three easily understood and persuasive reasons which reveal the “fingerprints” of God: the argument for intelligent design in nature, the validation of the historicity of the incarnation of Jesus Christ, and the common experience of life transformation of people everywhere who are born again through faith in Jesus. Indeed, the Bible states that the testimony of nature, history, and life transformation render people “without excuse” if they deny the existence of a personal creator God (Romans 1:18-20).
APPLICATIONS for USE
- Personal study
The course can be completed through individual study and at each person’s pace and convenience. - Small group/Christian education class/Home school
A group facilitator will find that the course is divided into three sections, one for each of the three fingerprints of God (reasons supporting God’s existence). A video instructional segment by Dr. Don (20, 29 and 21 minutes, respectively) is included in each section, along with an introduction, identification of the key issue, activities and follow-up discussion questions. The group facilitator can use all this information for planning and for leading the group discussion. An answer is provided for each discussion question to clarify what the author intended and to make facilitating easier. An option is to make the books, Surprised by Faith and Making Sense of Creation and Evolution, available for those in the group who desire to broaden and deepen the subject matter beyond what the course covers. - Youth curriculum
Christian high school graduates who enter colleges and universities today face a significant worldview challenge. Many students leave their university experience with a shaken faith or none at all. Homes and churches that prepare their youth with apologetic evidence for God, the Bible, Jesus, and creation will be rewarded with assurance that their sons and daughters will more likely be sustained in their faith. As a former college biology and bible professor myself, I know the value of a course like this for high school youth before they graduate. I also recommend the course, FaithSearch Discovery, as an apologetic preparation for youth before college. It is also available free in the Bible Learning Center.
There are no required materials for this course. It is recommended, for a more comprehensive understanding of the subject, that you consider reading the complementary resources below (available at www.faithsearch.org). Appropriate chapters and pages are listed in the course outline below.
- Surprised by Faith (SBF), 160 pages
- Making Sense of Creation and Evolution (MSCE), 60 pages
OUTLINE of the VIDEO SEGMENTS
Running Time Optional Support
(Min.) Materials (pages)
Part One
The Fingerprints (Evidence) of God in Nature 20 MSCE Chs. 4-5
- Intelligence is the intuitive conviction from even a
casual observation of nature 5 - Nature can only reveal “that” an intelligent
Creator must exist, not “who” it is - The scientific evidence of intelligent design 13
- Design is a more reasonable explanation than chance
for objects that are improbable and highly specified - SETI and software illustrate that specificity points
to an intelligent source - The high specificity of human DNA points to an
intelligent Creator
- Without excuse (Romans 1:18-20) 2
Part Two
The Fingerprints (Evidence) of God in History 29 SBF Chs. 2-3
- History reveals “who” God is 3
- The evidence for the Bible as reliable history 22 MSCE p. 52
- The eyewitness evidence
- The number and early date of Gospel manuscripts
- The abundance of archaeological evidence
- The eyewitness testimony of the claims and actions of Jesus 4 MSCE pp. 53-54
Part Three
The Fingerprints (Evidence) of God in Transformed Lives 21 SBF Ch. 6
- The human condition and God’s plan of redemption 3 MSCE pp. 54-56
- A new creation 1
- The path to faith 3
- The evidence of personal testimony 12
- Your response 2 SBF pp. 132-8
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TOTAL Video Minutes 70