Evidence that helps us to accept Christian faith, and believe in God, MUST meet sound criteria! That evidence must be genuine AND thereby capable of standing the test of time.

Indeed, ‘quality of evidence’ was critical during my own search for belief in God!

(I am from a senior auditing background. And the majority of my advisory team are Christian clergy. To glimpse the ‘who’, ‘how’ and ‘why’ of this website again please click here.)

The “About this website” article also states that this site’s main objective is to give you, the reader, the ability to test the truth and accuracy of Christian faith and its effectiveness when applied to our lives. That is like I did, as the senior auditor that I was, when I began my own detailed ‘appraisal’.

YES, I seriously put Christianity (i.e. Christian faith) into practice within my life, gathering the evidence I needed, then evaluated the end results.  And yes again, I firmly came to believe that God IS ‘real‘!

SO, how DO we effectively build our belief in God? Indeed, ‘belief’ that WILL stand the test of time. Well, as suggested already, by applying “evidence based practice” to our journey of faith. And if it works for me, I am sure it will work for anyone else!

Please glimpse the image in the intro above. That professional methodology follows these five steps:

  1. Ask by defining your needs: e.g’s. “Can I believe in God?” And, “Can Christian faith deliver positive outcomes in life as a result?”
  2. Acquire by ‘finding’ the evidence necessary to meet your defined needs.
  3. Appraise that evidence to see whether it really is ‘genuine’.
  4. Apply that ‘genuine evidence’ to your questions, to know whether it offers the ‘level of proof’ you need?
  5. Analyse the processes continually for effectiveness and possible improvement.

1.    ‘ASK’ THE QUESTIONS

Yes, the first step listed above states that each of us needs to know, “Can I believe in God?” and, “Can Christian faith offer positive outcomes in life as a result?”

Let’s now work through the rest of the steps …

2.    ‘ACQUIRE’ THE EVIDENCE

This website tries to guide you in your search for that evidence you need so as to believe. You can for example begin by reading the article, “How to believe in God”. It also gives advice on how to use the rest of the website to expand your search for answers and results regarding that subject.

BUT firstly … please read on through the rest of THIS article for a brief explanation of where evidence CAN actually be found in both the Church and within our lives.

2.1    Evidence in church

The Christian Church itself, from my experience, is a great place for guidance PLUS evidence in its own right. The article, “God’s presence in the Church” offers an overview.

For starters, our ‘chosen church‘ helps each of us, in a Bible-based approach to understand Christianity AND our loving God. That is, to build our “faith”. As I continually state on this website, we need to understand WHAT we are trying to believe in, BEFORE we go in search of proof.

I am also CONFIDENT that you CAN experience events there in most areas of the Church, actually relevant to evidence of God’s presence/ existence itself. And some are even categorised by me as ‘palpable’. In some cases, YES, you can literally ‘feel them‘ (i.e. spiritual experiences) as they happen to you. And I’ve added a little about the world-wide “Pentecostal/ Charismatic movement” later in this article under subheading 4.2 below. This is all related to Bible-based stuff too. If you have ANY doubts about all of this, just stay with me please.

Mind you, not all spiritually-based experiences available throughout the entire Christian Church are of that strength mentioned above. However, it IS possible to experience events, that Christians have long interpreted as God ‘engaging with them’ in their church, in a MUCH gentler way. And that occurs in almost any church service … anywhere. Once we know ‘how to recognise them‘ of course.

2.2    Evidence in everyday life

When it comes to day-to-day life, we CAN also recognise what I refer to as ‘God’s presence there‘ through faith-based experiences. And as a result, we can regularly experience the benefits that flow from that evidence. That is as we willingly engage/ connect with God, there in our lives, as the Bible advises and supports.

It’s all about “God’s unconditional love for us”, God’s grace, as the Bible explains! That’s briefly discussed under Heading 1 in the article “Christianity explained simply“. A deeper explanation of “grace” can also be found in the article actually titled, “God’s Grace; God’s unconditional  love“.

Bear in mind that the evidence of God’s presence, recognised during life, will NOT be as dramatic as in the “Pentecostal/ Charismatic movement”. No, it’s usually a case of ‘more of the same’, ‘more of the same’, ‘more of the same’ etc. That is, these events just keep ‘cropping up’. And I’m NOT writing about “flukes” just happening now and then! I’m meaning ‘high odds of things’ related to purposeful support from God happening, again and again, in your life as you ‘walk with the Lord’, again just as the Bible guides and supports. And I’m really talking about ‘positive outcomes‘ for you, and others known to you, as solid examples. Eventually it CAN literally all come to seem … well …  natural, expected and oh, so very real.

Please also see the heading, “God in life” in the Menu Bar above. And yes, maybe later just begin by reading the article, “God’s presence in our lives” for overall guidance.

2.3    Evidence in the Bible

It is also true to say that we can even find recognisable hints of God’s very existence within and throughout the Bible itself. Yes, it CAN take time, but amazing threads, themes etc run through its entire contents. I am talking about ‘deep and meaningful’ stuff in there, offered by 35 plus writers over 1,500 odd years, that more than likely didn’t just happen through incredibly good luck!

Have a quick look at the article, “Jesus as God” for simple examples. Your “church of choice” will also guide you, highlighting those related threads and themes, as you build your Bible-based knowledge there.

And remember that helpful hints, related to current challenges facing you in life, may just unexpectedly ‘pop out‘ from Bible scriptures as you read them through the week! No, that is not uncommon at all.

3.    ‘APPRAISE’ THE EVIDENCE

Fundamentally, this step relates to deciding whether the evidence we have located IS really ‘genuine’. It is a vital step, at that.

But, what DO I mean by the term “genuine evidence”? Well, for someone of my professional background, ‘definitions’ of evidence that CAN prove something to us will include words like “valid” and “relevant” for starters.

In simple words: we may accept that evidence, gathered by us, of God’s presence and impact on our lives is ‘genuine’ … if as a minimum it fits the following framework:

  • Firstly, evidence as defined above must be based on OUR OWN experiences
    (it is ‘valid’ evidence).
  • Secondly, evidence MUST be compatible with the Bible
    (it is ‘relevant’ evidence).

Now, that last point above WILL need us to apply ‘personal’ Bible-based knowledge during that appraisal process. Indeed I DID come to understand that we must understand relevant Bible scriptures before trying to apply them to our related experiences in life.

You see, we cannot just THINK we know what the Bible says, or means, without first gaining real knowledge of it, i.e. before using it to appraise evidence. And … hmmm … yes, I personally learnt that the hard way, just how important genuinely ‘related’ knowledge was to developing sound faith. Examples of poor judgement, in this regard, during my younger years really came to challenge my faith and belief with passing time. Yes, in my late teens, I ended up a serious atheist  as a result.

BUT when I tried Christian faith, the “second time around”, as that experienced auditor I had become, I certainly applied serious Bible-based knowledge and logic to it all. For example, when I tried ‘praying for things‘ that way, yes, I had a much better chance of seeing positive outcomes flowing from God. And of course that all helped me to became the ironclad believer I am now.

YES we really should spend quality time, during our journey of faith, reading the Bible AND attending church. We need them both to give us sound Christian faith! And it is that level of ‘faith’ which really leads us to our ‘evidence based’ belief in God.

4.    ‘APPLY’ THE EVIDENCE

Let us now look at how we CAN individually make our OVERALL ‘credible’ judgements based on the ‘genuine evidence’ that we HAVE gathered through the use of our faith . That is, DOES the “evidence” we’ve gathered actually offer enough proof of God’s presence: his very existence? Does it REALLY indicate to us that God, as a minimum, APPEARS to be real? And importantly DO ‘our lives have a greater quality‘ as a result of God’s presence there?

Also, as already explained, our evidence must NOT be in conflict with our Bible-based Christian faith!

Let’s discuss then what the words “enough proof”, in this regard, really means for us here.

4.1    Minimum ‘evidence’

Certainly, we each need to gather enough evidence to ‘satisfy ourselves’ that God IS present in our lives and our church, i.e. God is real. AND obviously, if the evidence we find is powerful enough, we won’t need as much of it to accept that God is.

But, let me also highlight here another example of what “proof of God’s existence” does NOT mean on this website. It does NOT refer to ‘proving in a scientific’ sense.

No, the average human being normally just accepts things as ‘believable’ in life when they do locate enough seemingly ‘genuine evidence‘ to support the standard of “beyond reasonable doubt”. That is they DO consider they have enough proof at that point of time.

Now … that level of proof is sufficient in a court of law, AND it is ‘primarily’ accepted as just as reasonable in our search for evidence of God.

4.2    But, how ‘real’ CAN the proof of God’s existence be?

Remember the powerful events and experiences, that I mentioned earlier, available in churches within the Pentecostal/ Charismatic ‘movement’. Some are ‘palpable’ (yes again, I state that you CAN feel them). Other events there can also truly ‘rattle your cage’ particularly when you or someone, known to you closely, DOES obviously experience them. And NO exaggerating!

This relevant evidence can certainly be both ‘personal’ and ‘irrefutable’ for each of us, as far as my auditor brain is concerned. Please read the article, “Experiencing the Holy Spirit” for supporting information. Or try reading the article, “Are experiences of the Holy Spirit real?” for my final evaluation of the ‘phenomena‘ on offer from the Holy Spirit.

Now you may well think the following example of mine is fairy-tale stuff! But my wife and I first became involved with the ‘movement’ in our early years of attending churches. And, as one example, I witnessed a healing miracle there. The miracle actually involved my wife. And it was ABSOLUTELY ‘for real‘. I mean her previously destroyed brain cells, resulting from a stroke long before, were ‘just’ replaced right there and then in that church healing service! Yes as a result, body functions, that had been seriously damaged, were fully restored!

BUT always remember again, PLENTY of evidence on a smaller scale can also be found in your ‘day-to-day life‘, and within just about ‘every church‘ out there. This is particularly likely once your relationship with God grows ‘closer’ and more ‘faithful’. The evidence, as such, just becomes all the more recognisable. And with time, as we become faithful Christians, each of us CAN indeed come to hold belief, again virtually ‘without doubt’. My word, YES!

4.3    Proof is often yours only

So, proof of God’s presence CAN be so very convincing to each of us … because we CAN indeed experience it/ witness it in action. And yes it CAN fit that ‘framework for evidence’ detailed above.

Your proof may not convince others though

Bear in mind though, as absolutely ‘special’ some of this proof may be to us as individuals, it CANNOT be termed “scientific” OR classified as “objective” by everyone else.

So, it may be ‘rock-solid’ to each of us, yes! Possibly even ‘irrefutable’ to us, yes! But, *scientific? No! And again we CANNOT usually pass our evidence on to everyone else, so that they might also be ‘convinced’, under normal circumstances.

(*However, that does NOT mean ‘science’ and ‘Christianity’ are in conflict. Please click here.)

Normally, to an outsider, our own ‘findings’ can only be considered as ‘subjective’ information to them at best. I am the first to admit that a so-called ‘third party’ cannot normally verify OUR religious beliefs, or the overall proof we have each obtained, in order for them to also ‘believe’.

You see, God normally ‘proves himself‘ to each of us ‘individually‘, say in our everyday lives. And for that to happen WE must willingly connect with God. Oh yes, God may well encourage us to connect with him. But normally WE must do the engaging, particularly in everyday life.

So, as I have explained above, your experiences probably won’t mean much to an outsider?

A simple example of mine

Here is an example, AND a serious one at that. I relayed details of my wife’s ‘miracle healing‘, that I mentioned above, to a close family relative.  That ‘relative’ truly knew of my wife’s pre-existing, long-term stroke damage. He WAS aware that her doctor had made it clear that her remaining damage, to body functions, was most likely permanent. And that relative also knew the stroke damage, impacting body functions, HAD now disappeared after that relevant church healing event. But, as a hardened atheist, he would NOT believe our explanation of events.

He just wrote it all off as a natural “spontaneous healing event”! I retaliated with these words, “What … that just happened as a Christian healer’s hand touched her during that church service?” He shrugged, unable to even accept the possibility of any supernatural cause!

5.    ‘ANALYZE’ THE PROCESSES

Remember also, each of us must continually keep analyzing all of our ‘evidence gathering processes’ for credibility, effectiveness and possible improvement.

Evidence and acceptance of it, as actual proof, MUST fit that ‘framework’ provided above. That is, if it is to be used for “Building sound faith” and “Proving that God is real“, i.e. courtesy of the Lord. Indeed, all as explained in the article, “What does faith offer us?”

6.    CONCLUSION

So, for a Christian, sound Christian faith and true ‘belief’ in God, really CAN shape up through the use of ‘evidence-based practice’.

The ‘genuine evidence’ for analysis, within that practice, is gained through our own personal and positive experiences of faith. AND that can occur within ‘our lives‘, ‘the Church‘ plus even when reading ‘the Bible‘.

But again, due to the personal nature of our own faith and belief, it IS unlikely that we CAN convince other people to accept our results as valid for them. Everyone simply has to do it all for themselves by starting out on their own ‘journey of faith‘. They gather their own evidence for ‘appraisal’ and ‘application’ as they travel. And that journey, with its potentially valid experiences, MUST soundly comply with the Bible’s contents.