About the Author

Now a bit about me, your humble author: I am a semi-pastor. Although I have apprenticed under an ordained minister, I haven't been to seminary, or to Christian college. I spend a considerable amount of my time explaining Evangelical Christianity to international college students and friends in my local community, and to people who visit my website, oddparts.com, and I teach at a local church.
My college background was astrophysics, and thus, a few years ago I was a devout atheist who argued strongly with my Christian friends over their "stupid religion". I found that many of my friends who claimed to be Christians couldn't explain Christianity to me. They didn't really understand the subject - they had "just believed" since childhood and couldn't bridge the gap to my questions. They had no answers, and thus I felt that Christianity had no answers either. I needed a logical track; I needed logical answers. For I understood that the questions posed by religion are the most important questions to be answered. So I continued to search and tormented my poor Christian wife with questions.
When we moved to Atlanta, I took the opportunity of a neighbor's invitation (thanks, Mike!) to attend a local Evangelical church service -- where I listened to Dr Douglas Macintosh, who has since authored several excellent books on Christian beliefs with Moody Press. Dr. Macintosh is a mature Evangelical Christian who understands Christian beliefs and expresses them in an exceptionally clear manner every Sunday morning and evening. In his sermons, he didn't rant and rave -- he taught. And thus I finally had my questions answered by one who understood the subject. I understood that Christianity attracted all those greats of philosophy because it is so very rational. When you dig into it, Evangelical Christianity really does make sense.
Since then, I have read and studied and read some more. Plus, I have the benefit of years of Dr. Macintosh's and many other teachers' sermons. People tell me that I have a gift of explaining things on paper -- perhaps I do. You can be the judge.
In any event, this book is an attempt to clearly distinguish between what is truly Evangelical Christian belief -- and what is mere myth and Hollywood fantasy about Christianity and Evangelical Christians. For if you are going to report on Evangelical Christians, sell to Evangelical Christians, represent Evangelical Christians, or become an Evangelical Christian, you ought to understand what we really believe.