Nat Crawford - Executive Coach, Speaker, Leader

Are Christians crazy for believing that Jesus physically rose from the dead? Each and every Easter, we are faced with the claim that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. That is if you can get past all the fluff of Easter bunnies and Cadbury Eggs. Beyond the commercialized and secularized version of "Easter" is the true Easter. The real reason why we celebrate each Spring. But I think the question of “Is an actual resurrection of Jesus the best possible explanation for the claims of the apostles that Jesus historically and physically rose from the dead?" should be explored. Skeptics and believers should wrestle with this question. Because as the apostle Paul wrote, “If Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless” (1 Cor. 15:14). So is an actual resurrected Jesus the best explanation for the claims of the apostles? Let’s look quickly at the many possibilities and let us all be willing to follow truth to wherever it leads. Th...

*Updated 12/19* Good news: this blog series is coming to an end. We are trying to look broadly at Jesus’ teaching and lifestyle as it relates to socialism. It is not uncommon to hear both secularists and Christians ponder if Jesus promoted socialism. The past three weeks we've looked at Jesus' teaching about how we are to care for the poor. In case you haven't read these yet, you can go read Part 1 , Part 2 , or Part 3 at your convenience. This week we’ll address how Jesus handled the sick and next week we’ll look how Jesus dealt with taxes. The Sick “Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon h...

In the next couple of weeks I'll get back on the blog track. Until then I wanted to let you know about some upcoming classes I'll be teaching. Beginning February 2 through March 9, 2014, I will be teaching "Tactics in Defending the Faith." During our six one-hour sessions, you'll learn how to: Initiate conversations effortlessly Stop challengers in their tracks and turn the tables Graciously and effectively expose faulty thinking Maneuver through mine fields Present the truth clearly, cleverly, and persuasively Class will meet at 9am at First Free Church,  3280 S. 84th St. Best of all, there is no cost to attend. Beginning March 30 through April 13, 2014, I will be teaching a class called "In Defense of the Resurrection." We will   we will look at topics surrounding the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We will address the following challenges: Can we trust the Bible’s account?   Is Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection mentioned outside o...

First, let me apologize for my tardiness! I recently was on a missions trip for two weeks and starting my final undergrad class. But I am glad to be blogging again! Today, I want to keep it brief. It is the Easter season. This is the time we remember the triumphant work of Jesus Christ. Christ took on Himself the sin of humanity. The sinless lamb was slain. But that is not where it ends. After three days in the grave He rose and exited the tomb. That is what I want to address today.  How do we know Jesus' resurrection is legit? An important starting point is that scholars, both Christian and non-Christian agree that Jesus was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. "When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him . And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in ...