Discussion Groups
THE BOOK
All worldviews require a leap of faith, but not all leaps of faith are the same. A “one-stop shop” for the rational evidence for Christianity. The Shortest Leap presents the scientific, historical, biblical, and explanatory underpinnings of the Christian faith, demonstrating that faith in Jesus requires the shortest leap.
In addition to providing proactive evidence for Christianity, The Shortest Leap responds to the numerous shots fired at biblical Christianity by atheists, critics of Christianity, and other skeptics.
With 10 questions for each chapter. (These questions are also provided at the end of each chapter in the book.)
Here is the list of the discussion topics in chronological order:
| Discussion 1 | Introduction: Finding the Shortest Leap | How Everyone Makes a Leap of Faith and It’s Possible to Rationally Evaluate Those Leaps) |
|---|---|---|
| Part I: The Scientific Evidence | ||
| Discussion 2 | Chapter 1: Out to the Stars | (The Evidence from Astronomy and Physics) |
| Discussion 2 | Chapter 1: Out to the Stars | (The Evidence from Astronomy and Physics) |
| Discussion 3 | Chapter 2: Into the Cell | (The Evidence from Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) |
| Discussion 4 | Chapter 3: Back in Time | (The Evidence from Paleontology, Anthropology, and Phylogenetics) |
| Discussion 5 | Chapter 4: Science and God | (What Kind of God the Evidence Reveals) |
| Part II: The Historical Evidence | ||
| Discussion 6 | Chapter 5: Please Believe Me! | (Claims of Truth by Eyewitnesses) |
| Discussion 7 | Chapter 6: Eyewitness Details | (Details That Demonstrate Eyewitness Evidence) |
| Discussion 8 | Chapter 7: Not a Myth | (Overview of Ancient Myths: Osiris, Isis, and Horus, Dionysus, Adonis, Attis, and Mithras) |
| Discussion 9 | Chapter 8: Eyewitness Testimony | (How the Gospel Miracle Accounts and Different Perspectives Lend Them Credibility) |
| Discussion 10 | Chapter 9: More Eyewitness Evidence | (More Signs That the Gospels Record Eyewitness Testimony) |
| Discussion 11 | (Historical Confirmation of Jesus by Non-Christian Sources) | (Historical Confirmation of Jesus by Non-Christian Sources) |
| Discussion 12 | Chapter 11: Archaeological Consistency | (Evidence from Archaeology That Lends Further Credibility to the Bible) |
| Discussion 13 | Chapter 12: The Chain of Testimony | (The Documentary Evidence) |
| Discussion 14 | Chapter 13: Not Gnosticism | (How the Canonical Gospels Differ from Gnostic Gospels) |
| Discussion 15 | Chapter 14: The Anti-Supernatural Opinions | (The Response to Liberal Christian Scholars) |
| Discussion 16 | Chapter 15: Trusting the Selection | (The Selection of the New Testament Books) |
| Discussion 17 | Chapter 16: He Is Risen! | (The Evidence for the Resurrection, Part 1) |
| Discussion 18 | Chapter 17: He Is Risen Indeed! | (The Evidence for the Resurrection, Part 2) |
| Part III: The Biblical Evidence | ||
| Discussion 19 | Chapter 18: Claims of Divinity | (How Jesus Claimed to Be God) |
| Discussion 20 | Chapter 19: Divinity on Display | (How Jesus Demonstrated He Is God) |
| Discussion 21 | Chapter 20: Jesus’ Coming Foretold | (Prophecies of Jesus’ Lineage, Birth, and Triumphal Entry Into Jerusalem) |
| Discussion 22 | Chapter 21: Crucifixion and Resurrection Foretold | (Prophecies of Jesus’ Suffering, Crucifixion, and Resurrection) |
| Discussion 23 | Chapter 22: The Victory to Come | (Prophecies of Jesus’ Second Coming) |
| Discussion 24 | Chapter 23: Old Testament Objects | (Symbols in the Old Testament Pointing to Jesus) |
| Discussion 25 | Chapter 24: Old Testament Fathers | (Ancestors in the Old Testament Pointing to Jesus) |
| Discussion 26 | Chapter 25: Old Testament Leaders | (Leaders in the Old Testament Pointing to Jesus) |
| Discussion 27 | Chapter 26: Old Testament Outsiders | (“Outcasts” in the Old Testament Pointing to Jesus) |
| Discussion 28 | Chapter 27: Spring and Summer Feasts | (Jewish Festivals Pointing to Jesus, Part 1) |
| Discussion 29 | Chapter 28: Fall and Winter Feasts | (Jewish Festivals Pointing to Jesus, Part 2) |
| Part IV: The Explanatory Evidence | ||
| Discussion 30 | Chapter 29: Human Nature and Purpose | (Explanatory Evidence, Part 1) |
| Discussion 31 | Chapter 30: Morality and Other Aspects of Real Life | (Explanatory Evidence, Part 2) |
| Discussion 32 | Chapter 31: Unique Among Philosophies | (What Makes Biblical Christianity Unique) |
| Discussion 33 | Chapter 32: Power to Truly Transform | (The Power of the Gospel to Change Lives) |
| Discussion 34 | Chapter 33: Receiving the Free Gift | (How One Accepts the Gift Through Faith) |