Did Jesus Christ really rise from the dead? Few questions are more important. The resurrection is not a minor or optional Christian doctrine—it stands at the very heart of the Christian faith. The apostle Paul went so far as to say that if Christ has not been raised, our faith is futile (1 Corinthians 15:17). Christianity ultimately stands or falls on whether Jesus actually walked out of the grave.
So what evidence is there that the resurrection really happened? Was Jesus’ tomb actually empty? Could His disciples have stolen the body, gone to the wrong tomb, or merely hallucinated appearances of Jesus? Is it possible that the resurrection story developed as a legend years later? And what best explains the dramatic transformation of Jesus’ disciples and the sudden rise of Christianity in the very city where He had been publicly crucified?
The resurrection is a miraculous claim, but Christians do not believe it without evidence. The resources below examine the historical case for Jesus’ resurrection, respond to alternative theories proposed by skeptics, and provide compelling reasons to believe that the tomb really was empty and that Jesus Christ truly rose from the dead.
FEATURED ARTICLE:
“FIVE REASONS I BELIEVE JESUS ROSE FROM THE GRAVE” by Charlie Campbell
CONTENT:
– Introduction
– The Rise of Christianity in Jerusalem
– The Incredible Persecution and Deaths Endured by the Disciples
– The Shift in Beliefs and Practices by Thousands of Jews
– The Evidence for the Trustworthiness of the Bible
– None of the Skeptics’ Theories for the Empty Tomb Are Convincing
• The Jesus is a Myth Theory
• The Stolen Body Theory
• The Lost Tomb Theory
• The Hallucination Theory
VIDEO:
“Evidence for Jesus’s Resurrection” by Charlie Campbell (Recorded at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, CA)
For more videos by Charlie Campbell, click here. To schedule Charlie to speak at your church, click here.
ADDITIONAL ARTICLES:
“Quotes on the Resurrection” from a variety of authors
“Concise Answers to Atheists’ Objections to Jesus” by Charlie Campbell
“Evidence for the Resurrection” by Josh McDowell
“The Resurrection: Fact or Fiction?” by Pat Zukeran
“If I Had Faked the Resurrection” by Josh McDowell
“Christ in His Resurrection” by John Walvoord
“The Resurrection: ‘According to the Scriptures’?” (Where was it prophesied in the Old Testament?) by Herald Gandi
“A Response to The Lost Tomb of Jesus Documentary” by Charlie Campbell
“The Guard at the Tomb” by William Lane Craig
“Good Friday Should Probably Be Good Thursday” by Charlie Campbell (More on this by Dave Hunt and Roger Rusk)
“The Sequence of Christ’s Post-Resurrection Appearances” by Elizabeth Mitchell (AIG)
Did Jesus go to Hell after the crucifixion? No. See articles by John Piper, Randy Alcorn, and Ricky Powell
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:
THE CASE FOR THE RESURRECTION
(DVD or mp4 video) by Charlie Campbell
Critics have leveled numerous attacks on the resurrection of Christ and supplied a myriad of theories to explain the empty tomb. In this video Charlie Campbell responds to their theories, claims, questions, and objections as he builds a compelling case for Jesus’ resurrection. His presentation revolves around five different lines of evidence, easily remembered with the acronym R.I.S.E.N. Length: 58 minutes
THE LOST TOMB OF JESUS: A Response to the Discovery Channel Documentary
(DVD or mp4 video) by Charlie Campbell
The Lost Tomb of Jesus, a two hour documentary that aired nation wide on the Discovery Channel, makes the startling claim that Jesus did not rise from the grave as the Bible says (e.g., Matthew 28:6) but that He died and was buried in a cave with His family, including His wife and child. The documentary, which claims to have DNA and statistical evidence in its favor, goes on to assert that the place where Jesus was buried has been discovered near Jerusalem. Could this be true? In this hour long video Charlie Campbell responds to the claims in the documentary and lays out compelling evidence that the Biblical account of the resurrection is actually true.
EVIDENCE FOR THE BIBLE: Compelling Reasons the Bible Can Be Trustedd
Can the Bible really be trusted? Critics of Christianity often claim the Bible is nothing more than an ancient collection of myths and legends. But does the evidence support that conclusion? In Evidence for the Bible, apologist and speaker Charlie Campbell presents ten compelling lines of evidence for the trustworthiness of Scripture in a clear, accessible, and engaging way. Explore evidence for the Bible through:
• Historical Sources that Verify Biblical Events
• Scientific Discoveries
• Archaeological Evidence
• Fulfilled Prophecies
• Ancient Scrolls and Manuscripts
• Answers to Skeptics’ Objections and Questions
• Questions for further reflection and small group discussion
ONE-MINUTE ANSWERS TO SKEPTICS: Concise Responses to the Top 50 Objections & Questions
Could you use help answering atheists, skeptics, and agnostics’ top 50 objections and questions about God and the Bible? Objections like:
• “Why doesn’t God just appear to us in a public setting and prove He exists?”
• “The New Testament authors stole details for Jesus’s life story from religions that were around long before Christianity!”
• “The God of the Old Testament commanded the Israelites to commit genocide!”
• “The Bible condones slavery! Only evil, selfish men would concoct a book like that!”
• “You think Christianity is true because you live in the West and were brought up in the Christian faith. If you had been born in India, you’d be a Hindu!”
Learn how these and other objections and questions can be answered.
EVOLUTION—Following the Evidence: Fossils, DNA, and the Question of Origins
Where did we come from? For more than 150 years, the theory of Darwinian evolution has been presented as the scientific explanation for the origin and diversity of life. From school textbooks to nature documentaries, it is often described as settled science. But is it? In this clear and engaging investigation, Charlie Campbell examines some of the most important lines of evidence related to origins—fossils, DNA, biological complexity, natural selection, and human uniqueness—and asks a simple but profound question: What best explains what we actually observe? Rather than asking readers to ignore science, this book invites them to look more closely at it. Along the way, it explores whether the evidence more naturally fits an unguided evolutionary process, or the idea of intentional design by a Creator. Each chapter is written in an accessible, step-by-step style, helping readers follow the reasoning without requiring a scientific background. The goal is not confusion or controversy, but clarity. Whether you are a committed Christian, a skeptic, or simply curious, this book encourages you to think carefully about one of life’s biggest questions—and to follow the evidence wherever it leads.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE FOR THE BIBLE:
Archaeologists have unearthed thousands of ancient artifacts, documents, and inscriptions that verify details in the Bible. Join Charlie Campbell for a journey through the ancient land of the Bible (Israel, Egypt, Jordan, etc.) to learn about dozens of these fascinating discoveries. This updated edition features:
• New discoveries
• Concise explanations of finds
• 100+ color photographs
• Bible-history timeline
• Subject and Scripture index
• Questions for discussion
• 300+ footnotes for further study
• Q&A with the author
CHARLIE CAMPBELL'S ENTIRE VIDEO LIBRARY
This tiny USB flash drive contains all 35 of Charlie Campbell’s videos (approx. 50 mins. each) on a wide variety of issues related to the defense of the Christian faith. Just plug it into the USB port on your television or computer (Mac or PC) and begin watching. Click here to order or for more details.
CHRISTIAN FICTION: Spy Thrillers • Military Stories • Romance • Sci-Fi • Comedies + More
Love a good story? Whether it’s a fast-paced spy thriller, a clean slow-burn romance, or gripping historical fiction, you’ll find something you love in ABR's online store. Each novel weaves apologetics naturally into the plot—making these stories not just entertaining, but also great conversation starters with your non-Christian friends. Browse our fiction titles here. Looking for YA fiction for TEENS? Click here. For KIDS, click here.
APOLOGETICS QUOTES: Words That Will Strengthen Your Faith & Equip You to Answer Critics of the Bible
This updated edition now includes more than 500 faith-strengthening quotes by leading defenders of the Christian faith . . .
• Norman Geisler
• Lee Strobel
• John Lennox
• Ron Rhodes
• C.S. Lewis
• Josh McDowell
• Frank Turek
• J. Warner Wallace + lots more
Includes author, subject, and scripture index.
YOUTH APOLOGETICS COURSE
Many teens growing up in Christian homes have not been exposed to the wealth of evidence and good arguments for God’s existence and the trustworthiness of the Bible. Under-equipped and weak in their faith, many young adults walk away from the Christian faith after they move out of the house, if not before. ABR hears this sad story from heartbroken parents over and over. Well, we would love to help prevent this from happening to your son or daughter. Charlie Campbell, the founder of ABR, has developed a “Youth Apologetics Course” that will help EQUIP your son or daughter to STAND STRONG in the truth and “contend earnestly for the faith” (Jude 3). It consists of 10 videos, 2 books, and a fill-in-the-blank workbook that your teen can watch, read, and complete at their own pace at home. Learn more here.