Faith Anchored in the Resurrection / Guest Post by Ben Shaw

What does ice hockey have to do with Jesus’ resurrection?

At first glance, probably nothing, and to most people, it sounds totally unexpected. But what if I told you that the world’s leading expert on Jesus’ resurrection was actually the first men’s ice hockey coach at Liberty University?

I was just as surprised to learn that myself.

Before transferring to Liberty, I was a student at Florida Atlantic University. Someone suggested I check out Liberty, but at the time, I had no interest - until I heard they had a hockey team and an amazing rink on campus. That got my attention. I emailed the coach, got accepted, and ended up making the team.

One day, I was walking on campus with our goalie, Dalton Stoltz, when he introduced me to the former hockey coach, Gary Habermas. I thought to myself, “It’s nice to meet the old coach, but I’m confident the team is better now than it was then!”

In any event, I continued playing and going to classes as a marketing major.
Fast-forward to my senior year. I enrolled in a class called Christian Evidences, and one of the required readings was a book titled The Case for the Resurrection, authored by Gary Habermas and Mike Licona.

Wait… what? The former hockey coach wrote a book on Jesus’ resurrection?

I was stunned. As it turns out, Habermas is far more than a coach. He’s a globally respected resurrection scholar who has written dozens of books, published multiple journal articles, and participated in multiple debates with scholars across the world.

As I began pursuing a PhD, I was fortunate enough to become Habermas’ research assistant. Together we studied and worked on several projects. Our major project was his multi-volume series on Jesus’ resurrection called On the Resurrection. The first volume is over 1,000 pages (!) and covers historical methods and evidence for these facts! The second volume is slightly shorter and covers alternative theories. I was the editor of the third volume, which contains over 7,000 footnotes! While such rigorous study and depth are not for everyone, we should all certainly be encouraged that there is such an overwhelming wealth of resources available to us regarding the foundation of our faith!

Habermas is particularly known for developing the “Minimal Facts Approach” (MFA) to Jesus’ resurrection, which is the most popular approach used today. It is a common ground approach that uses (1) facts that are highly evidenced with multiple lines of historical reasoning and (2) data that is widely agreed to be historical by scholars of all backgrounds—believers and unbelievers alike! The MFA allows for a powerful historical case for Jesus’ resurrection that can encourage believers and plant the seeds of the gospel for unbelievers.

What are these “Minimal Facts” (MFs)? You may be very pleased to learn that you already know most of them:

Jesus died on the cross
The disciples had experiences of the risen Jesus
The disciples were transformed and willing to suffer/die
The skeptical James, the Lord’s brother, became leader of the Jerusalem church
Paul converted from being a persecutor to a preacher of Jesus

I doubt many of these facts, with the possible exception of James, are new to you. However, what may be new to you is the fact that these are minimal facts. This means that these are historical facts that have (1) multiple lines of supporting arguments using historical critical methods and (2) are widely accepted by virtually all scholars, including skeptical ones!

Understanding the historical reality of the resurrection is incredibly powerful for disciples. It grounds our faith in an incredible event in which Jesus has conquered death. As we learn these facts, we are better equipped to share with others the reason for the hope within us (1 Pet. 3:15).

What about those who are doubting the resurrection or unbelievers? You may be surprised to learn that the major alternative theories to Jesus’ resurrection cannot explain or account for the MFs! Alternative theories often include views like the disciples stealing the body, or they hallucinated, or made up the whole thing. These theories have repeatedly failed to account for the core facts of Jesus’ resurrection.

Regardless of our external circumstances- trials, temptations, or tribulations - the reality of the resurrection stands firm. This can bring both comfort and conviction, but either way, it is an event that does not change. It is an anchor for believers, and without it we would be lost (1 Cor. 15:13–19). It is little surprise that Paul refers to Jesus’ resurrection as "of first importance” in 1 Corinthians 15:3.

That’s exactly why Pure Encouragement is partnering with CORE Apologetics to host a 6-week seminar on The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus. Together, we’ll dive into these Minimal Facts, explore why alternative theories fall short, and discover why the resurrection is truly the anchor of our faith. The course began Monday, but it’s not too late to join us! The first session was recorded, so you can catch up easily and jump right in with us next week. Don’t miss this chance to grow in confidence, be equipped to share your faith, and experience the life-changing power of the resurrection.

Click here to learn more or sign up—and come ready to be encouraged, challenged, and equipped!