The Cold-Case Christianity Podcast

J. Warner Wallace
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The Cold-Case Christianity Podcast is hosted by J. Warner Wallace. J. Warner is a Dateline featured cold-case homicide detective, Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, adjunct professor of apologetics at Biola University and a faculty member at Summit Ministries. The Cold-Case Christianity podcast explores the evidence for God's existence, the reliability of the Bible and the truth of the Christian worldview. Please visit our website at www.ColdCaseChristianity.com.

  1. Jesus Is NOT God – Or Is He?

    1D AGO

    Jesus Is NOT God – Or Is He?

    Jesus is NOT God…or is He? In this episode, I walk through the claim that "Jesus is NOT God" and treat it like a case file—testing it against Scripture, the beliefs of the earliest Christians, and the logical consequences if this claim were actually true. We'll look at key passages often used to deny Jesus' deity, examine what the first followers of Jesus really believed about Him, and ask what happens to the gospel, salvation, and worship if Jesus is only a good teacher and not God in the flesh. If this conversation is helpful, please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review—it really helps more people discover this content and think more carefully about what they believe and why.

    1h 5m
  2. Global Flood or Ancient Myth? What the Evidence Really Shows

    MAR 25

    Global Flood or Ancient Myth? What the Evidence Really Shows

    Is the story of Noah's flood just another ancient myth, borrowed from earlier pagan texts, or a record of a real historical catastrophe? In this episode of the Cold-Case Christianity podcast, J. Warner Wallace applies his investigative experience as a cold-case homicide detective to examine the Genesis flood account. He compares it with stories like Atrahasis and the Epic of Gilgamesh, traces worldwide flood traditions, and asks whether all these ancient memories point back to a single, real event. Along the way, he explores questions about miracles, philosophical naturalism, geology, the scope of the flood (global or regional), the ark's feasibility, and the moral difference between the biblical God and the capricious gods of other ancient cultures. If you find this episode helpful, please follow the podcast so you never miss an update, and take a moment to rate and review the show—your review really helps more people discover Cold-Case Christianity.

    1h 3m
  3. Is Jesus REALLY God? The 3 Chapters That Settle It

    MAR 18

    Is Jesus REALLY God? The 3 Chapters That Settle It

    In this episode of the Cold-Case Christianity Podcast, J. Warner Wallace tackles one of the most important questions in the Christian faith: Is Jesus truly God, or just a created agent of God? Limiting the "evidence" to three key passages—John 1, Colossians 1, and Hebrews 1—he works through the text like an investigative case file, showing how each "chapter one" presents Jesus as Creator, sustainer, redeemer, and the visible image of the invisible God. Along the way, he explains terms like "firstborn of all creation" and "the exact imprint of His nature," clarifying why the earliest Christians worshiped Jesus and why Christianity collapses if He is anything less than God incarnate. If you've heard that Paul invented a different Jesus, that the Gospels don't teach His deity, or that early Christians didn't worship Him as God, this episode will help you rethink those claims and better explain Jesus' identity to the people you love. If you find this conversation helpful, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the podcast with a friend—it really helps more people discover the case for Christianity.

    1h 6m
  4. Alien Shock: Would First Century Christians Even Recognize Our Churches?

    MAR 11

    Alien Shock: Would First Century Christians Even Recognize Our Churches?

    Would first‑century Christians even recognize what we call "church" today? In this episode, J. Warner Wallace uses a simple "alien thought experiment" to examine how closely (or how poorly) our modern church models resemble the church described in the book of Acts. Drawing from his own journey—from walking into a megachurch as a 35‑year‑old skeptic, to serving in a mid‑sized church, to planting a home church—Jim explores where we may have drifted from the New Testament pattern and how we can realign our communities with the biblical design for gathering, mission, and discipleship. This conversation will challenge how you think about Sunday services, church size, programs, and what it really means to live as the people of God in the world today.​ If this episode was helpful, please subscribe to the Cold-Case Christianity podcast so you never miss a new show, and take a moment to rate and review the podcast on your favorite platform—your review helps more people discover the truth of the Christian worldview.

    1h 10m

  5. MAR 4

    John 1 Destroyed My 'Just-a-Prophet' Jesus: A Cold-Case Detective Makes the Deity Case

    This episode walks through John 1 verse by verse to show why the apostle John leaves no room for a "just-a-prophet" Jesus and instead presents Him clearly as the eternal, divine Word of God. Drawing on cold-case investigative principles and the cumulative-case approach he used in homicide trials, J. Warner Wallace explains how the language, structure, and Old Testament echoes in the opening of John's Gospel build a powerful case for the full deity of Christ.​ You'll hear how early Christians came to embrace the triune nature of God not by importing philosophy into the Bible, but by trying to stay faithful to everything Scripture says about the Father, Son, and Spirit. The episode also addresses common objections from those who deny Jesus' deity while still claiming to follow Him, and offers practical guidance for talking with friends and family who affirm a "human-only" Jesus.​ If this conversation helps you think more clearly about who Jesus really is, please subscribe or follow the podcast and take a moment to leave a rating and review in your app—your feedback helps more people discover the show and explore the case for the Christian worldview.

    1h 10m
  6. Rethinking Love: Why Covenants, Not Contracts, Change Every Relationship (Married or Single)

    FEB 25

    Rethinking Love: Why Covenants, Not Contracts, Change Every Relationship (Married or Single)

    This episode reframes how we think about love and relationships by contrasting fragile, contract-style arrangements with the resilient, biblical model of covenant. Drawing from marriage research, Scripture, and decades of walking with couples in crisis, J. Warner Wallace explains why seeing marriage (and other key relationships) as covenants radically changes how you date, marry, and relate—whether you are single, engaged, or married.​ You'll hear why people who "love marriage" itself tend to have stronger, more sacrificial relationships, how your marriage (or singleness) is always preaching something to the watching world, and why thinking of relationships as contracts actually trains us to look for exit clauses instead of opportunities to serve. The episode unpacks the idea of a 100–0 covenant mindset—giving 100% with 0% demand in return—as an expression of a deeper covenant with Jesus, and shows how this posture can transform conflict, expectations, and long-term commitment. If this conversation is helpful, please subscribe or follow the podcast and take a moment to leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app so others can find it as well. You can also find and subscribe to the show by searching "Cold-Case Christianity with J. Warner Wallace" in your podcast platform of choice.​

    1h 3m
  7. Trauma, Murder, and God's Plan: Why Your Worldview Determines Your Wounds

    FEB 18

    Trauma, Murder, and God's Plan: Why Your Worldview Determines Your Wounds

    This episode wrestles with trauma, murder, and suffering, and explains why the way you see the world—your worldview—largely determines how deeply you are wounded and how you process life's most painful events. Drawing from real cold-case homicides and personal conversations with victims' families, J. Warner Wallace shows how expectations about God, goodness, justice, and life itself either shatter under the weight of evil or are refined and strengthened when they match reality.​ You'll hear how an underdeveloped or shallow view of the Christian faith can collapse when tragedy strikes, and why a robust, well-thought-out Christian worldview can actually prepare you for suffering rather than promise you a pain-free life. The episode summarizes key ideas from J. Warner's work on the problem of evil—why God might allow horrific events, how this relates to free will, eternity, and human sin, and why Christianity offers not just an explanation for suffering but hope and meaning in the middle of it.​ To go deeper on these themes of evil, justice, and the Christian worldview, check out J. Warner's book The Truth in True Crime here: https://amzn.to/3LNWxp6  If this conversation helps you think more clearly about trauma and God's plan, please follow/subscribe to the podcast and take a moment to rate and review it in your app—your feedback helps more people discover this content and process their own suffering through the lens of the gospel.

    1h 6m
  8. Stop Chasing Platforms: Why Real Christian Service Isn't About Ministries, Money, or Fame

    FEB 11

    Stop Chasing Platforms: Why Real Christian Service Isn't About Ministries, Money, or Fame

    This episode challenges the modern obsession with platforms and "ministry success" and asks whether followers of Jesus have quietly replaced real service with a pursuit of visibility, funding, and fame. Drawing from years of case work, tentmaking ministry, and mentoring aspiring apologists, J. Warner Wallace contrasts the quiet, often unseen work of everyday Christian service with the drive to build brands, launch organizations, and chase numbers in the name of the gospel.​ You'll hear why Scripture calls believers to serve without needing applause, income, or a 501(c)(3), and how simple daily acts—loving your local church, discipling a few people, posting faithful content, caring for the hurting—can have more eternal impact than any "big" platform. The conversation also addresses the real dangers of pride, comparison, and monetization, and offers a practical vision for using gifts, tools, and even book sales as fuel for generosity and ministry rather than as measures of personal worth.​ To go deeper on these ideas about motives, identity, and calling, check out J. Warner's book The Truth in True Crime here: https://amzn.to/3LNWxp6 If this episode encourages or challenges you, please follow/subscribe to the podcast and take a moment to rate and review it in your app—your feedback helps more people discover this content and rethink what real Christian service looks like.

    56 min
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About

The Cold-Case Christianity Podcast is hosted by J. Warner Wallace. J. Warner is a Dateline featured cold-case homicide detective, Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, adjunct professor of apologetics at Biola University and a faculty member at Summit Ministries. The Cold-Case Christianity podcast explores the evidence for God's existence, the reliability of the Bible and the truth of the Christian worldview. Please visit our website at www.ColdCaseChristianity.com.

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