CROSSING BRIDGES AT NIGHT IN THE AMAZON …storage.cloversites.com/centralgospeltemple/documents/Loop...november 2013 • issue no. 39 the loop is a communication piece of central

NOVEMBER 2013 • ISSUE NO. 39

THE LOOP IS A COMMUNICATION PIECE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH

CROSSING BRIDGES AT NIGHT IN THE AMAZONCarrying our Hope a world away to a people who are close to God's heart

JESUS. REAL MAN ORFICTITIOUS LEGEND?Examining the historical evidencefor the life of Jesus

baptismw e e k e n d

November 23+24

Nov.23 - 6pm [NF Campus]

Nov. 24 - 9am | 10:30am | 12noon [Scott Campus]

For more information email: [email protected]

Copy Editors

The Loop is edited by volunteers.

Lindsay Morton

Susan Gerbes

ProductionThe Loop is printed by Bertie Printers in Stevensville, ON

bertieprinters.com

On The Cover

A dangerous bridge crossing at night in Ecuador. Taken during our recent mission scouting trip.

Photo: Drew Unruh

06 | EDITORIAL by Andrew Plett

Our Hope Is Real

08 | THE LEAD PASTOR'S DESK by Bill Markham

Everyone Loves A Good Story

18 | DOWNTOWN CAMPUSBeing A Message Of Hope Downtown

20 | MISSION OPPORTUNITIES by Jonathan Gallo

Our Passion To Meet Spiritual And Practical Needs

DEPARTMENTS

10 | CROSSING BRIDGES IN THE AMAZON by Justin Driedger

Highlights From Our Recent Scouting Trip To Ecuador

23 | JESUS: REAL MAN OR FICTITIOUS LEGEND?A Look At The Historical Evidence For Jesus

31 | YOU CAN FIND HOPE FOR YOUR LIFE God's Plan For Salvation

FEATURES

33 | CALENDAROctober 2013 events across all campuses.

34 | CONTACT INFORMATIONCentral’s staff directory.

INFORMATION

CONTENTS

7 THE LOOP - A MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH6 THE LOOP - A MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH

FROM THE EDITOR

Our Hope Is RealThe dictionary defines hope this way: a person or thing in which expectations are centered. How true. We have hope, and it isn't simply and emotion, it is a person whose name is Jesus.

I get frustrated when people insinuate that because I am a Christian I have somehow abandoned logic, reason or any intelligence that I might otherwise have.

An anchor in my life is the fact that my faith is not based on how I feel - rather, it is based on the reality of what Jesus did for us all on the cross.

There are so many mornings that I wake up and feel less than exemplary in so many areas of my life. So many times I feel like a failure to my wife and boys and most importantly to God.

If my hope was based on how I felt on any given day I would probably go crazy riding the emotional highs and lows of each passing minute. Here's the great news! My hope isn't based on how I feel, whether I feel close to God or not; it is based on what Jesus did for me- end of story.

You may thinking, "that's nice Andrew, but what if Jesus is nothing more than a figure of mythology and human creation?" If that were the case we'd all be in trouble.

There isn't a credible historian out there who would contest the fact that Jesus was a real person. And if he was a real person we should probably examine what he said and did and apply rigorous testing that verifies or discredits those claims and events. For centuries people have tried to dismantle Christianity and the more they dig the more they find to validate the life of Jesus. And that's not all, when you start looking deeper into the Bible you discover that the whole book is rooted in history with detail after detail being verified by historians and archaeologists time and again.

To put my hope in Jesus isn't blind foolishness, it is rational and logical and I love that. God can move me to the core of my heart with His love and grace and I can apply to full faculty of my mind at the same time.

There is a famous train of thought that has been used for decades to articulate the available options when it comes to the Jesus of the Bible. Either he was a liar who fabricated everything he talked about, he was a lunatic because He claimed to actually be God, or He is Lord, who He says He is. There are no other options.

When you take a balanced and objective look into the life and claims of Jesus, I believe you cannot rightfully choose an option other than He is who He says He is - Lord.

In this issue of the Loop we are not only highlighting the amazing things that God is doing in the life of our church right now, we are also equipping you with some intellectual teaching on the historicity of Jesus so that your hope is fortified and built up on truth.

In addition to those elements we've also added a page (31) that is meant to be a resource for you in your conversations with friends and family who don't know Jesus. Sometimes it is good to come back to the basics and that's exactly what this piece is.

If you happen to be reading this magazine (maybe you've stumbled upon it somewhere in the city) and you haven't made a decision to surrender your life to Jesus, can I encourage you to examine the evidence for Jesus (pg. 23) and take a look at what He has willingly done for all of us. We're not talking about blind faith here, we're talking about faith that is anchored in the real person of Jesus.

If you have made a decision to follow Jesus, we'd love to hear about it and take time to answer any questions you might have. You can simply email our LifeGroups Pastor [email protected] and we'll be happy to chat with you about what it means to live for Jesus.

This month we are talking about Hope, and Hope is a person whose name is Jesus.

Andrew Plett-

Communications PastorCentral Community

Church

▾[email protected]

@aplett

Multiply Gathering: Friday November 8th at 7pm Live teaching Simulcast with Francis Chan and David Platt.

RSVP to [email protected] by Wednesday November 6 to reserve your place.

A simple, practical, biblical, helpful, and personal tool for disciples of Jesus who want to make disciples of Jesus

details:

For more details and information about this event you can check out the FAQ:multiplymovement.wordpress.com/2013-multiply-gathering-faqs/

8 THE LOOP - A MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH

EVERYONELOVES A GOODSTORYBelieve it or not everyone has a story worth sharing. You never know, God may use your story to radically impact someone else's life.

Bill Markham-

Lead Pastor ofCentral Community

Church


@billmarkham

EVERYBODY LOVES A GOOD STORY!

From the time we were young children, we have loved the power of a story. Whether it was a fairy tale or a true account, we would find our own experiences reflected in the plot and characters presented. Story telling has always been a part of human experience and for good reason. Stories allow us to learn and explore. To ask the tough questions and find answers in the events, real or imagined, of others.

YOU HAVE A STORY!

From the time you were conceived, your story was being written. As you read this, you have already had a series of conflicts and resolutions, protagonists and antagonists (in simple terms the heroes and the villains), plot and character developments. All of these things combined have shaped who you are today. So, do you like your story?

GOD IS A PART OF YOUR STORY!

We believe that God is a part of every story. Whether you are aware of it or not, God is pres-ent. Some of you have maybe written Him into your story as the protagonist, but He has never been that. The Bible reminds us that He died so that we could understand and experience His Love (John 3:16). The Bible states that our story starts poorly (“for all have sinned...the wages of sin is death” Romans 3:23; 6:23), but that if we are willing, God can turn our story around (“...

but the gift of God is eternal life” Romans 6:23). We know that freedom is found when we stop living in our story and start living in His Story. For those of us who live in this reality we have an amazing story to tell.

IT’S TIME TO TELL YOUR STORY!

The Bible reminds those of us who are living in God’s story that we must “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect...” (1 Peter 3:15). This month's series is all about equipping you to do this. We want to equip you to under-stand, change, and share your story. We are going to be exploring the reality that one of our most powerful weapons against evil in this world is our testimony (Revelation 12:11).

The truth is, no one can argue about what you have experienced. No one can take it away from you. Your story is powerful.

SO, WHO IS WRITING YOUR STORY?

If you don’t like the way your story is going, we want God to help you write a new one. If you have a God story, we want to equip and encourage you to share it. If you don’t feel like you have a story, we are going to open the Bible and find your story there.

Sunday Dec 1st 6PM . $30/Ticket . Club Roma Purchase tickets in the lobby Starting Nov 10th

eat. sing. and be merry.

LEAD PASTOR

CROSSING BRIDGESAT NIGHT IN THE AMAZONJustin Driedger-NF Campus Pastor &Director Of Campuses

▾[email protected]@jdriedger

Over the past several months we have began a journey to explore God's heart for our next 10 years of international mission. Among other things, this venture landed us in the

country of Ecuador. You might ask how did you end up there? And the answer was simple: we had some friends in the business sector that were already doing work to d-worm the entire population of Ecuador (parasites are a major problem, robbing people of over 25% of their nutritional intake).

Through relationship we realized we collectively had a dream to see a community transformed. So through prayer, and with thoughtful consideration we thought it only made sense to see if we could work together.

▾ Continued On Page 12 ▸ Photo: Drew Unruh

Bridge crossing at night in the Amazon jungle. The team had to cross on foot so the weight of the vehicle with everyone in it wouldn't compromise the integrity of the bridge.


During this trip, we set out to explore 4 areas which we had identified inside the Amazonia to see if there was a village that we could partner with. I’m pleased to say I think we found it.

Our journey began in Quito (The Capital City). From there we traveled into the heart of the Amazonia, meeting with church leaders, clinics, and schools and anyone who would stop to talk to help us understand where the need is. It was incredible to have many God-orchestrated conversations which I believe led us through the amazon jungle and over a particularly sketchy bridge into a little village called Combatza.

This village is really special for many reasons, the first being that we should have never been in this village. A village like Combatza is a community of the Shuar tribe of indigenous people, where the only way to enter into these types of villages is to be invited. Because of a referral we had been given from a church in Secua (a nearby town) we were able to meet the president of this community and begin a conversation.

HERE’S WHAT WE LEARNED.

This is a brand new three-year-old community of about 240 people. This village is only made possible because of the road infrastructure which has been developed in the last three years. They have not worked with any outside partners and as a result don’t have the baggage of being over promised and under-delivered. Trust is available to be earned. One of the things that peaked our interest about this village is that there was a small group of Pentecostals with no resources trying to get a church off the ground and we became excited of the potential to help them build their own church.

Christianity is the #2 religion in the nation after Catholicism and so the people are very open to an evangelical church. There is a small school with 3 rooms for 95 children that has a lot of potential to be developed. Ramon, the president of this community said to me, his dream was "to see these children grow up to be leaders in the

▾ Continued From Page 10

church and leaders in the community.” I couldn’t agree more. There is a clinic where a doctor comes to visit every 15 days because of transportation limitations. There is a major need for a daycare for children ages 0-5 whose parents are working in the fields and as a result these children

don’t eat. There is opportunity to work with the government to establish this. A community centre is another need down the road.

Water f i ltrat ion plagues this part of the world with little to no natural springs available. There is also a sports director in this community who

has a village full of children who love soccer, but he has no resources to provide sports equipment for them. These are just a few of the things that we discovered. Through our conversation I realized that this was a village that had a vision for what could be and if we were to partner together, we could see many lives changed over the next 10 years.

SO WHAT’S NEXT?

Well currently we are working with our business friends to establish a Foundation covering where we can we have official status in the country of Ecuador. On our side of things, it’s important to understand that in this type of a relationship, that we don’t have a saviour complex which isn’t sustainable or healthy and can actually be quite damaging for the witness we want to have. Instead, we want to begin small through relationship and slowly begin establishing trust and work our way into building projects over the next couple years. So while we are establishing the foundation, we would like to again revisit this village and continue our conversations in December of 2013 and bring sports equipment (ie soccer balls, jerseys, shoes, etc) as Christmas gifts and continue our conversations with the leaders of this community dreaming of what could be. From there we will determine next steps for 2014 and the years to come.

All in all, we are excited, not because of what we are doing but rather because we believe God is in it. If God tells us to do something different we will, but for now we feel like this is an exciting new venture that He is orchestrating and opening doors to have happen. We encourage you to pray about ways you might join us in engaging this brand new community over the next number of years, whether that be financially, coming on a trip, providing supplies, or most importantly, praying.

▸ Photo: Drew Unruh

Opposite Page:

Ramon, President of the Combatza village in Ecaudor wants to see the children of his village "grow up to be leaders in the church and in the community."


Combatza Village: A brand new three year old communitywith roughly 240 residents in it.


Cotopaxi volcano: The second highest volcano in the world



The Scouting Team: Kevin, Natalie, Justin, Ron, Pepe

Being AMessage Of HopeDowntownBringing Hope to our downtown one helping hand at a time.

Imagine the hope that filled Abram’s heart when he heard God speak the words to him, “I will bless you….and you will be a blessing.” (Gen 12:2) Surely he held this promise close to his heart as he set out on his journey to a new land!

As Downtown Campus pastor, I am continually amazed at the generous, caring people who God has brought together at our campus. I consider myself very fortunate to work alongside so many individuals who, like Abraham, have been “blessed to be a blessing.” Whether it’s through volunteering at our Sunday morning experiences, serving at our daily CoffeeHouse, or faithfully giving of “time, treasure, and talent,” we have incredible opportunity as we bear the message of “hope” to those who live in the downtown core of our city. Often when we encounter many who come from such broken, seemingly hopeless situations, we are encouraged to reflect on the

fact that “with God, all things are possible!” As long as there is God, there is hope! One thing we have discovered at our campus is that the opportunities are endless to give of ourselves. What blows our minds is how much we receive in return, when we simply look outside ourselves and consider what we can do to help others.

Perhaps it’s sharing a word of encouragement with someone who’s feeling down or it's “flippin’ pancakes” before our Sunday morning experience. Whatever the case may be, our volunteers are experiencing the promises of God in action. It is an amazing realization that as we pour out, God pours in, and He has a bigger bucket!” We are so grateful, not only for the church we belong to, but also for the community we get to serve. Let us continue to bring hope to the heart of our city, as we faithfully follow the God who is our Hope.

Shawn Paul-

Downtown Campus Pastor


DT Campus November

ALPHAWednesdays at noon, Nov 6, 13, 20.

IGNITEA worship and prayer experience, Nov 3

KIDS' FILM FESTAn amazing kids' movie experience, Nov 9 (2-4pm)

FRESH WIND | FRESH FIREA campus-wide study on the power of prayer, Nov 7, 14, 21, 28 (6:30pm)

COFFEE HOUSEMon - Fri, 9am - 12noon

DOWNTOWN CAMPUS

Did you know that every night over 200+ peo-ple in our region find refuge in a shelter and over 100+ others take cover under a bridge or in an alleyway? Did you know that over 10,000 people are waiting for affordable housing in the Niagara region and out of that number 2400 have been classified "at risk of ending up homeless?" Some are living with friends, dealing with mental health issues, are recently widowed, and a host of other scenarios.

In spite of these overwhelming statistics, the Punton Family from Central has been making a difference for the last 11 years. Each Christmas season, they host a Christmas Open House to help

Jonathan Gallo-

Mission DirectorCentral Community

Church


Shoes, Winter Boots, Rain BootsWinter Coats, Raincoats, Fall/Spring Jackets

Snow Suits, Snow Pants

DROP OFF LOCATIONS

You can leave your donations in the Warm Niagara barrels (blue) in the Lobby of our three campuses

A WARM COATCAN BRING HOPEAs a church not only are we are passionate about helping people spiritually, but practically as well: that is part of our mandate. This winter, you can help us make a practical differ-ence in our region with the simple act of donating your gently used winter outerwear.

clothe the homeless. From humble beginnings to an elaborately planned time of fellowship, Christmas treats, and decorations - they have col-lected hundreds of coats and other warm clothing that finds its way to our city's most needy.

You can join them! Come on out on November 24, 2013 from 2pm – 6pm at 53 Ziraldo Rd, St. Catharines, Ontario. Bring along a donation (Coats and boots for all ages, warm socks for all ages, hats, gloves, mitts, scarves, undergarments, long underwear and personal hygiene products (no mouth wash please) for both male & female of all ages.) for the large red box at the front of the house! Hope to see you November 24!

No one should face winter without the proper attire. This year donate your gently used or new winter outerwear to help men, women, and children

who can’t afford to stay warm this year.

MISSION+CAUSES

Jesus:Real Man Or Fictitious

Legend?Did Jesus Christ really exist, or is Christianity a legend built

upon a fictitious character like Harry Potter?

Did Jesus Christ really exist, or is Christianity a legend built upon a fictitious character like Harry Potter? For nearly two thousand years most of our world has considered Jesus a real man who had exceptional character, leadership and power over nature. But today some are saying he never existed.

The argument against Jesus’ existence, known as the Christ-myth theory, began seventeen centuries after Jesus is said to have walked the rocky hills of Judea. Ellen Johnson, president of American Atheists, summarizes the Christ-myth view on CNN TV Larry King Live:

There is not one shred of secular evidence there ever was a Jesus Christ…. Jesus is a compilation from other gods…who had the same origins, the same death as the mythological Jesus Christ.

The stunned host, replied, “So you don’t believe there was a Jesus Christ?” Johnson fired back, “There was not…there is no secular evidence that Jesus Christ ever existed.” King immediately requested a commercial break. The international television audience was left wondering.

▾ Continued On Page 24


Skeptics cited this apparent lack of evidence as ammunition for their Christ-myth theory. However, in 1961 archaeologists discovered a block of limestone inscribed with the name of “Pontius Pilate prefect of Judea.” And in 1990 archaeologists discovered an ossuary (bone box) with the inscription of Caiaphas. It has been ver-ified as authentic “beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Also, until 2009, there was no tangible evidence that Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth existed during his lifetime. Skeptics like Rene Salm regarded lack of evidence for first-century Nazareth as a deathblow to Christianity. In The Myth of Nazareth Salm wrote in 2006, “Celebrate, free-thinkers.… Christianity as we know it may be finally coming to an end!” However, on December 21, 2009, archaeologists announced the discovery of first-century clay shards in Nazareth, con-firming that this tiny hamlet existed during the time of Christ.

Although these archaeological finds don’t prove that Jesus lived there, they do support the Gospel accounts of his life. Historians note that mount-ing evidence from archaeology confirms rather than contradicts the accounts of Jesus.”

EARLY NON-CHRISTIAN ACCOUNTS

Skeptics like Ellen Johnson cite the “lack of secular history” for Jesus as evidence that he didn’t exist. Yet there is very little documen-tation for any person from the time of Christ. Most ancient historical documents have been destroyed through the centuries, by wars, fires, and pillaging, or simply through weathering and deterioration. According to E. M. Blaiklock, who has catalogued most of the non-Christian writ-ings of the Roman Empire, “practically nothing exists from the time of Christ”, even for great secular leaders such as Julius Caesar. Yet no his-torian questions Caesar’s existence. And since he wasn’t a great political or military leader, Darrell Bock notes, “It is amazing and significant that Jesus shows up at all in the sources we have.”

So, who are these sources Bock mentions? Which early historians who wrote of Jesus did not have a Christian agenda? First of all, let’s look to Jesus’ enemies. Jewish Historians: The Jews had the most to gain by denying Jesus’ existence. But they always regarded him as real. “Several Jewish writings refer to Jesus as a real person whom they opposed. Noted Jewish historian Flavius Josephus wrote of James, “the brother of Jesus the so-called Christ.” If Jesus wasn’t a real person why wouldn’t Josephus have said so?

In another somewhat controversial passage, Josephus speaks more extensively of Jesus. At this time there was a man who was called Jesus. His conduct was good, and he was known to be virtuous. And many people from among the

ANCIENT HISTORY SPEAKS

Let’s begin with a more foundational question: How can we distinguish a mythical character from a real person? For example, what evidence convinces historians that Alexander the Great was a real person? And does such evidence exist for Jesus? Both Alexander and Jesus were depict-ed as charismatic leaders. Both reportedly had brief careers, dying in their early thirties. Jesus is said to have been a man of peace who conquered by love; Alexander a man of war who ruled by the sword.

In 336 B.C. Alexander the Great became king of Macedonia. A military genius, this handsome, arrogant leader swept through villages, towns, and kingdoms of Greco-Persia until he ruled it all. It is said that he cried when there were no more worlds to conquer.

The history of Alexander is drawn from five ancient sources written 300 or more years after he died. Not one eye witness account of Alexander exists. However, historians believe Alexander really existed, largely because the accounts of his life are confirmed by archaeology and his impact on history.

Likewise, to determine if Jesus was a real per-son, we need to seek evidence for his existence

in the following areas: 1. Archaeology 2. Early non-Christian accounts 3. Early Christian accounts 4. Early New Testament manuscripts 5. Historical impact

ARCHAEOLOGY

The sands of time have buried many mysteries about Jesus that only recently have been brought to light. Perhaps the most significant discover-ies are several ancient manuscripts unearthed between the 18th and 20th centuries. We will look closer at these manuscripts in a later sec-tion. Archaeologists have also discovered numer-ous places and relics that agree with the New Testament accounts of Jesus. Malcolm Muggeridge was a British journalist who considered Jesus a myth until he saw such evidence during a BBC television assignment to Israel.

After reporting on the very places written about in the New Testament account of Jesus, Muggeridge wrote, “Acertainty seized me about Jesus’ birth, ministry and Crucifixion…I became aware that there really had been a man, Jesus….”

However, prior to the 20th century no tangi-ble evidence existed for the Roman governor Pontius Pilate and the Jewish chief priest Joseph Caiaphas. Both men were central figures in the trial leading to the crucifixion of Christ.

In his early years as an atheist Oxford literary scholar C. S. Lewis also considered Jesus a myth, thinking all religions were simply inventions. Years later, Lewis was sitting by the fire in an Oxford dorm room with a friend he called “the hardest boiled atheist of all the atheists I ever knew.” Suddenly his friend blurted out, “The evidence for the historicity of the Gospels was really surprisingly good…It almost looks as if it had really happened once.”

Lewis was stunned. His friend’s remark that there was real evidence for Jesus prompted Lewis to investigate the truth for himself. He writes about his search for truth about Jesus in his classic book Mere Christianity.

So, what evidence did Lewis’ friend discover for Jesus Christ?

▾ Continued From Page 23 Jews and other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified, and he died. And those who had become his disciples did not abandon his discipleship. They reported that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion and that he was alive. Accordingly, he was thought to be the Messiah.”

Although some of his words are in dispute, Josephus’ confirmation here of Jesus’ existence is widely accepted by scholars. Israeli scholar Shlomo Pines writes, “Even the most bitter oppo-nents of Christianity never expressed any doubt as to Jesus having really lived.” World historian Will Durant notes that no Jew or Gentile from the first-century ever denied the existence of Jesus. Roman Historians: Early Roman historians wrote primarily of events and people important to their empire. Since

Jesus wasn’t of immediate importance to the polit-ical or military affairs of Rome, very little Roman history referenced him. However, two important Roman historians, Tacitus and Suetonius, do acknowledge Jesus as a real person. Tacitus (a.d. 55-120), the greatest early Roman historian, wrote that Christus (Greek for Christ) had lived during the reign of Tiberius and “suffered under Pontius Pilate, that Jesus’ teachings had already spread to Rome; and that Christians were considered crim-inals and tortured in a variety of ways, including crucifixion.”

Suetonius (a.d. 69-130) wrote of “Chrestus” as an instigator. Most scholars believe this is a reference to Christ. Suetonius also wrote of Christians hav-ing been persecuted by Nero in a.d. 64. Roman Officials: Christians were considered enemies of Rome because of their worship of Jesus as Lord rather than Caesar. The following Roman govern-ment officials, including two Caesars, wrote let-ters from that perspective, mentioning Jesus and early Christian origins. Pliny the Younger was an imperial magistrate under Emperor Trajan. In a.d. 112, Pliny wrote to Trajan of his attempts to force Christians to renounce Christ, whom they “worshiped as a god.” Emperor Trajan (a.d. 56-117) wrote letters mentioning Jesus and early



Christian origins. Emperor Hadrian (a.d. 76-136) wrote about Christians as followers of Jesus.

Pagan Sources: Several early pagan writers briefly mention Jesus or Christians prior to the end of the second century. These include Thallus, Phlegon, Mara Bar-Serapion and Lucian of Samosate.[21] Thallus’ remarks about Jesus were written in a.d. 52, about twenty years after Christ. In total, nine early non-Christian secular writers mention Jesus as a real person within 150 years of his death.

Interestingly, that is the same number of secular writers who mention Tiberius Caesar, the Roman emperor during Jesus’ time. If we were to consider Christian and non-Christian sources, there are forty-two who mention Jesus, compared to just ten for Tiberius.

HISTORICAL FACTS ABOUT JESUS:

These early non-Christian sources provide the following facts about Jesus Christ: Jesus was from Nazareth. Jesus lived a wise and virtuous life Jesus was crucified in Judea under Pontius Pilate during the reign of Tiberius Caesar at Passover time, being considered the Jewish king. Jesus was believed by his disciples to have died and risen from the dead three days later. Jesus’ enemies acknowledged that he performed unusual feats.

Jesus’ disciples multiplied rapidly, spreading as far as Rome. Jesus’ disciples lived moral lives and worshiped Christ as God. This general out-line of Jesus’ life agrees perfectly with the New Testament. Gary Habarmas notes, “In total, about one-third of these non-Christian sources date from the first century; a majority originate no later than the mid-second century.” According to the Encyclopedia Britannica ”These indepen-dent accounts prove that in ancient times even the opponents of Christianity never doubted the historicity of Jesus.”

EARLY CHRISTIAN ACCOUNTS

Early Christians wrote thousands of letters, ser-mons and commentaries about Jesus. Also, creeds

which speak of Jesus, appeared as early as five years after his crucifixion.

These non-biblical writings confirm most New Testament details about Jesus, including his crucifixion and resurrection. Incredibly, over 36,000 complete or partial such writings have been discovered, some from the first century. These non-biblical writings could reconstruct the entire New Testament except for a few verses.

Each of these authors writes of Jesus as a real person. Christ-mythers disregard these accounts as biased. But the question they must answer is: How could a mythical Jesus have so much written about him within a few decades of his life?

THE NEW TESTAMENT

Skeptics like Ellen Johnson also dismiss the New Testament as evidence for Jesus, calling it “biased.” However, even most non-Christian historians consider ancient New Testament man-uscripts as solid evidence for Jesus’ existence. Cambridge historian Michael Grant, an atheist, argues that the New Testament should be con-sidered as evidence in the same way as other ancient history:

If we apply to the New Testament, as we should, the same sort of criteria as we should apply to other ancient writings containing historical mate-rial, we can no more reject Jesus’ existence than we can reject the existence of a mass of pagan personages whose reality as historical figures is never questioned.

The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke & John) are the primary accounts of Jesus’ life and words. Luke begins his Gospel with these words to Theophilus: “Since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus.”

Noted archaeologist Sir William Ramsey origi-nally rejected Luke’s historical account of Jesus. However, he later acknowledged, “Luke is a his-torian of the first rank.… This author should be placed along with the very greatest historians.…



28 29THE LOOP - A MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH THE LOOP - A MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH

Luke’s history is unsurpassed in respect of its trustworthiness.” The earliest accounts about Alexander were written 300 years after him. But how close to the life of Jesus were the Gospels written? Would eyewitnesses to Jesus have still been alive, or was there enough time for a legend to have developed?

In the 1830s, German scholars argued that the New Testament was written in the 3rd centu-ry, much too late to have been written by Jesus’ apostles. However, manuscript copies discovered in the 19th and 20th centuries by archaeologists proved these accounts of Jesus were written much earlier. William Albright dated all the New Testament books “between about a.d. 50 and a.d. 75.” John A. T. Robinson of Cambridge dates all New Testament books by a.d. 40-65. Such early dating means they were written when eyewit-nesses were alive, much too early for a myth or legend to develop.

After C. S. Lewis read the Gospels he wrote, “Now, as a literary historian, I am perfectly convinced that…the Gospels are…not legends. I have read a great deal of legend and I am quite clear that they are not the same sort of thing.”

The quantity of manuscripts for the New Testament is enormous. Over 24,000 complete or partial manuscript copies of its books exist, putting it far above all other ancient documents. No other ancient historical person, religious or secular, is backed up by as much documenta-tion as is Jesus Christ. Historian Paul Johnson remarks, “If we consider that Tacitus, for exam-ple, survives in only one medieval manuscript, the quantity of early New Testament manuscripts is remarkable.”

HISTORICAL IMPACT

Myths have little, if any, impact on history. The historian Thomas Carlyle said, “The history of the world is but the biography of great men.”

There is no nation or regime which owes its foun-dation or heritage to a mythological person or

god. But what has been the impact of Jesus Christ? The average Roman citizen didn’t feel his impact until many years after his death. Jesus marshalled no army. He wrote no books and changed no laws. The Jewish leaders and Roman Caesars had hoped to wipe out his memory, and it appeared they would succeed.

Today, all we see of ancient Rome is ruins. Caesar’s mighty legions and the pomp of Roman imperial power have faded into oblivion. Yet how is Jesus remembered today? What is his enduring influence? More books have been written about Jesus than about any other person in history.

Nations have used his words as the bedrock of their governments. According to Durant, “The tri-umph of Christ was the beginning of democracy.” His Sermon on the Mount established a new par-adigm in ethics and morals. Schools, hospitals, and humanitarian works have been founded in his name. Over 100 great universities — including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, Columbia, and Oxford – were begun by his followers. The elevated role of women in Western culture traces its roots back to Jesus. (Women in Jesus’ day were considered inferior and virtual nonpersons until his teaching was followed.)

Slavery was abolished in Britain and America due to Jesus’ teaching that each human life is valu-able. Amazingly, Jesus made all of this impact as a result of just a three-year period of public ministry. When noted author and world historian H. G. Wells was asked who has left the greatest legacy on history, he replied, “By this test Jesus stands first.”

Yale historian Jaroslav Pelikan writes of him, “Regardless of what anyone may personally think or believe about him, Jesus of Nazareth has been the dominant figure in the history of Western culture for almost twenty centuries… It is from his birth that most of the human race dates its calendars, it is by his name that millions curse and in his name that millions pray.”

If Jesus didn’t exist, one must wonder how a myth could so alter history.

MYTH VS. REALITY

Whereas mythical gods are depicted as super-heroes living out human fantasies and lusts, the Gospels portray Jesus as a man of humility, compassion and impeccable moral character. His followers present him as a real person for whom they willingly gave their lives. The non-Christian scientist Albert Einstein stated, “No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life.… No man can deny the fact that Jesus existed, nor that his sayings are beautiful.”

Is it possible Jesus’ death and resurrection was plagiarised from these myths? Their case against Jesus was presented in the YouTube movie, Zeitgeist, where author Peter Joseph bold-ly claims. The reality is, Jesus was…a mythical figure….Christianity, along with all other theistic belief systems, is the fraud of the age.

As one compares the Jesus of the Gospels with the gods of mythology, a distinction becomes obvi-ous. In contrast to the reality of Jesus revealed in the Gospels, accounts of mythological gods depict unrealistic gods with elements of fantasy:

Mithra was supposedly born out of a rock. Horus is depicted with the head of a falcon. Bacchus, Hercules, and others were flown to heaven on the horse Pegasus. Osiris was killed, chopped into 14 pieces, and reassembled by his wife, Isis, and brought back to life. But could Christianity have copied Jesus’ death and resurrection from these myths? His followers certainly didn’t think so; they willingly gave their lives proclaiming that the account of Jesus’ resurrection was true.

Furthermore, “accounts of a dying and rising god that somewhat parallel the story of Jesus’ resurrection appeared at least 100 years after the reports of Jesus’ resurrection.”

In other words, accounts of Horus, Osiris, and Mithra dying and rising from the dead were not in their original mythologies, but were added after the Gospel accounts of Jesus were written.

T. N. D. Mettinger, professor at Lund University, writes, “The consensus among modern scholars — nearly universal — is that there were no dying and rising gods that preceded Christianity. They all post-dated the first century.” According to most historians there really are no true parallels between any of these mythological gods and Jesus Christ. However, as C. S. Lewis observes, there are some common themes that speak to mans’ desire for immortality. Lewis recounts a conversation he had with J. R. R. Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. “The story of Christ,” said Tolkien, “is simply a true myth: a myth…with this tremendous difference that it really happened.”

New Testament scholar F. F. Bruce concludes, “Some writers may toy with the fancy of a ‘Christ-myth,’ but they do not do so on the grounds of historical evidence. The historicity of Christ is as axiomatic for an unbiased historian as the historicity of Julius Caesar. It is not historians who propagate the ‘Christ-myth’ theories.”

HERE WAS A MAN

So, do historians believe Jesus was a man or a myth? Historians regard both Alexander the Great and Jesus Christ as real men. Yet the manuscript evidence for Jesus is far greater and hundreds of


years closer to his life than the historical writ-ings for Alexander are to his. Furthermore, the historical impact of Jesus Christ far exceeds that of Alexander. Historians cite the following evi-dence for Jesus’ existence: Archaeological dis-coveries continue to verify the Gospel accounts of people and places they record, the latest being Pilate, Caiaphas and the existence of first-century Nazareth.

Thousands of historical writings document Jesus’ existence. Within 150 years of Jesus’ life 42 authors mention him in their writings, including nine non-Christian sources. During that same time period, only nine secular authors mention Tiberius Caesar; only five sources report the con-quests of Julius Caesar. Yet no historian denies their existence. Historians, secular and religious, readily acknowledge Jesus Christ has influenced our world more than any other person.

After investigating the Christ-myth theory, the great world historian Will Durant concluded that, unlike the gods of mythology, Jesus was a real person. Historian Paul Johnson states that all serious scholars acknowledge Jesus as real. Atheist historian Michael Grant writes, “To sum up, modern critical methods fail to support the Christ-myth theory. It has again and again been answered and annihilated by first-rank scholars.”

Perhaps the non-Christian historian H. G. Wells put it the best regarding Jesus Christ’s existence: Here was a man. This part of the tale could not have been invented.

© 2011 JesusOnline Ministries. This article is a supplement to Y-Jesus magazine by Bright Media


1. RECOGNIZE GOD’S PLAN—PEACE AND LIFEThe BIBLE says ... “For God so loved the world that he gave his one andonly Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish buthave eternal life.” John 3:16

2. REALIZE OUR PROBLEM—SEPARATION FROM GODPeople choose to disobey God and go their own way. Thisresults in separation from God. The BIBLE says ... “For allhave sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternallife in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

3. RESPOND TO GOD’S REMEDY—THE CROSSGod sent His Son to bridge the gap. Christ did this by payingthe penalty for our sins when He died on the cross and rosefrom the grave. The BIBLE says ... “But God demonstrateshis own love for us in this: While we were still sinners,Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

4. RECEIVE CHRIST—AS LORD AND SAVIORYou cross the bridge into God’s family when you prayerfullyask Christ to come into your life. The BIBLE says ... “Yet toall who did receive him, to those who believed in his name,he gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12

HOW TO RECEIVE CHRIST1. Admit your need (I am a sinner).2. Be willing to turn from your sins, and ask God toforgive you (repent).3. Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross and rose from the grave.4. Through prayer, invite Jesus Christ to come in and lead your lifethrough the Holy Spirit (receive Him as Lord and Savior).

YOU CAN FIND HOPE FOR YOUR LIFE

PEOPLE GOD

PEOPLE GOD

PEOPLE GOD

DISCOVER HOPE


WEDNESDAYSMorning Prayer (7:15am - Scott)Drop-In (9am - Downtown)Mom’s Time Out (9:30am - Scott) 8am Prayer (Scott)12pm Prayer (Scott)

TUESDAYSDrop-In (9am - Downtown)Women/Men LifeGroup (7pm - Downtown)LifeLessons (7pm - Scott)8am Prayer (Scott)12pm Prayer (Scott)

THURSDAYSNoon Prayer (12pm - Scott)Downtown Prayer (6:30pm - Downtown)8am Prayer (Scott)12pm Prayer (Scott)

FRIDAYSDrop-In (9am - Downtown)8am Prayer (Scott)12pm Prayer (Scott)

NOVEMBERRECURRING EVENTSThese are ministries that take place every week at the same time in the same location. Please note the campus reference beside the event.

NOVEMBERUNIQUE EVENTSThese are unique events for the month of November. They are indicated on the above cal-endar with a grey circle around the date. Please note the campus reference beside the event to confirm which campus you need to go to.

FRIDAY, NOV 01Prayer for the persecuted church (6:30pm)

SUNDAY, NOV 03 Central101 (6pm)

SUNDAY, NOV 17 HymnSing (6pm)

SUNDAY, NOV 24Holy Spirit Teaching4pm

SUNDAY, NOV 24Encounter Worship Service6pm (Scott)

27 28 29 30 31 01 02

03 04 05 06 07 08 09

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

NOV 2013

MONDAYS8am Prayer (Scott)12pm Prayer (Scott)

34 35THE LOOP - A MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH THE LOOP - A MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH

CENTRAL COMMUNITYCHURCH240 Scott St.St. Catharines, ONL2N 1H1905.937.5610

Lead TeamLead Pastor

BILL MARKHAMExt. [email protected]

Associate Pastor

ADAM FRYExt. [email protected]

Operations & Human Resource

MIKE HICKSExt. [email protected]

Communications Pastor

ANDREW PLETTExt. [email protected]

Mission+Campus DirectorCampus Pastor, Niagara Falls

JUSTIN [email protected]

Pastoral TeamLifeGroups Pastor

BRENDA DROSTExt. [email protected]

Pastoral Care

DAVID TOPPINGExt. [email protected]

Campus Pastor, Downtown

SHAWN [email protected]

Professional Counselor

AGNES VRIEZE MSW, RSWExt. [email protected]

Local & Global Mission

JONATHAN GALLOExt. [email protected]

Red Frogs

KEVIN SCHLECHTERExt. [email protected]

Family Ministries Pastor

GIANPAOLO GALESSIEREExt. [email protected]

Youth Pastor

ALEX SMETHURSTExt. [email protected]

Family Assimilation Director

JESSICA SMETHURSTExt. [email protected]

CentralKids Director, Scott St.

COURTNEY DICKExt. [email protected]

CentralKids Director, NF

SARAH [email protected]

CentralKids Director, Downtown

CATHARINE [email protected]

Production Director

DEREK ELLIOTSONExt. [email protected]

Worship Leader

GREG SYKESExt. [email protected]

Worship Leader

MELANIE [email protected]

Live Video Director

DARRICK VANDERWIERExt. [email protected]

Worship Leader

BECCA [email protected]

Communication Designer

TARYN PLUGERSExt. [email protected]

Support TeamAdmin Assistant

JOLENE HARDERExt. [email protected]

Assimilation Director

EMILY GRABATINExt. [email protected]

Director Of Accounting

MONTE MILLARExt. [email protected]

Assistant To Lead Pastor

ASHLEY BERTIExt. [email protected]

Building Superintendent

GREG BURNSExt. [email protected]

Volunteer Coordinator

KARLENE MARKHAMExt. [email protected]

Central Catering

IRIS REGIER Ext. 230

Building Coordinator

CORINNE DURKSENExt. [email protected]

Family Ministries Team

Creative & Production Team

SCO T T SCHULT Z FRANK HAUCKJOE CARUSO JAMIE IDZENGABARRY WILLS PAUL OL ADIPOJOHN SCHROEDER QUINN HOFL ANDRICK RIK K ERINK

Our Board

STAFF CONTACT

SCOTT ST. CAMPUS240 Scott St.St. Catharines, ON L2N 1H1P: 905.937.5610

SERVICE TIMESSunday Morning [9:00am & 10:30AM & 12pm]

DOWNTOWN CAMPUS203 Church Street, St. Catharines, ONP: 289.271.1014

SERVICE TIMESunday Morning [10AM]

NIAGARA FALLS CAMPUS6970 Mountain Rd.Niagara Falls, ONP: 905.325.8224

SERVICE TIMESaturday Evening[6PM]

Documents

CROSSING BRIDGES AT NIGHT IN THE AMAZON …storage.cloversites.com/centralgospeltemple/documents/Loop...november 2013 • issue no. 39 the loop is a communication piece of central