A young boy asks why Christianity is true, and no one seems to have the answers - His journey to finding those answers leads him to become a world wide leader who affects the Christian faith in a mighty way.
When an illiterate farm boy starts asking why Christianity is true, no one seems to have answers. But after a twenty-year search for the foundations of the faith, he finds more than he ever expected. Paving the way for generations, Norm writes over a hundred books, debates top academic experts, and founds multiple organizations to begin influencing the culture for Christ, training many of today's Christian leaders. From poverty and illiteracy, to becoming the premiere Christian apologist of the 20th century, Norm's story shares how God can work through us to change history, even when we feel "not qualified."—Rachel M Payne
As a young boy growing up in poverty, Norm Geisler accepts salvation by faith. When he realizes he doesn't know how to share any evidence for that faith, he goes on a twenty-year journey to find the answers. Years later, a young woman named Grace goes on a similar journey. But she is unable to find any answers, even in the church, and ends up rejecting her faith. Meanwhile, Norm's knowledge of the answers grows, and he begins to apply them in defending biblical inerrancy, writing over a hundred books, and pioneering public debates on the reasonable evidence for Christianity with top atheists. But his answers still do not reach enough people, and without that firm foundation of reason to support their faith, the church is unable to withstand the secular ideas that take over the culture. As the world seems to fall apart, Grace decides that without reason for her existence, her life is not worth living... until she finds Norm. The answers he shares help her regain her faith, but this time with solid evidence to support it. She chooses to place her faith in Christ, just as Norm's daughter turns from her faith and takes her own life. Norm must test the pain of losing his child against the strength of the answers he has found about the character of God. Today, along with Grace, many Christian leaders' lives are a testimony to the answers Norm found and faithfully shared. This story shows how God can work powerfully through our lives, even though we are "not qualified."
The movie tells the story of a young Norm Geisler being raised in poverty during the Great Depression, who remains virtually illiterate even throughout high school. Through a local church ministry, Norm accepts Christ as his savior, despite his parents' disinterest and resistance. Norm's life is transformed as he joins in ministering to his community, even discovering that he has almost photographic memory as he strives to learn to read the Bible. One day as he evangelizes on the street, a drunk stumps him with an objection to Christianity, and Norm realizes he has no real answers about the faith in which he has placed his trust. This begins his twenty-year educational journey, gaining multiple degrees, including a doctorate, in his search for answers. His newfound knowledge could not have come at a better time, as a battle for the truth of the Bible arises in the church. Norm emerges as a crucial leader in the crafting of three interdenominational statements that provide a logical, evidence-based defense of biblical inerrancy. This endeavor catapults him forward as an author, speaker, and teacher, even as he begins to realize a new need is growing. Due to the church's retreat from engaging in social governance and relying on preaching blind faith, the changing cultural morals beginning to take shape in the 1960's have been left unchallenged, and are beginning to cause widespread corruption and destruction. Almost single handedly, Norm steps forward into the gap to challenge the top atheists and new age philosophers to public debate. He pioneers respectful, logical discussions on the relationship between faith and reason, introducing a bold new model for Christian influence. Students flock to his classes as he founds multiple seminaries to teach the answers he has found, and a new generation of evidence-based believers is born. Meanwhile, a young woman named Grace begins her own search for answers. Although she was raised as a pastor's kid, she cannot find the answers Norm has been sharing anywhere in the church, and rejects the faith she was taught. Her inability to find the truth leads her to want to end her life, until God leads her to Norm. His teachings provide the answers she was looking for, and her faith in God and joy in life is restored. However, as Grace finds her faith, Norm's daughter turns from hers, taking her own life. Norm must face the great pain of losing his beloved child, armed only with the answers he has learned about the character of God and the problem of pain. It is only through these truths that he is able to stand firm in his faith and heal from the loss. Looking back over his career, his students and mentees recognize that God raised Norm up at a pivotal time in the history of the church and society. They share the influence he had on their work, not only in the answers he gave, but in the way he lived the truths he learned.
