My Case for Christ Story

The Case for Christ movie is coming out April 7 and as I watched a screening of the movie at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention, my mind drifted back to 2003 when I first met Lee and Leslie Strobel.

I was volunteering for a Campus Crusade for Christ ministry that reached the workplace and was in charge of an event in San Antonio, Texas to draw members of the Media, PR and Marketing professions. I told our group that in order to intrigue the media, we needed a keynote speaker who was once a skeptic, but now believes. A journalist would be preferable, someone like former Chicago Tribune Legal Editor and author of The Case for Christ author, Lee Strobel. The leader of the group looked at me with doubt in his eyes and said, “Okay, but you might want to have a backup.”

I’m a firm believer you should never accept defeat before you try, so I called up Saddleback Church in California where I thought Strobel was serving as a pastor. They said he was no longer there. Then the church secretary actually gave me Strobel’s home phone number. When I called, I expected to get a recording but Strobel actually answered.

I shared my vision with him of his coming to San Antonio to speak and told him what the goal was. He responded, “Lisa, this sounds great but I am taking a year off from speaking so I can write my next book.”  Disappointed, but knowing that if this was truly of God, he would draw Strobel, I said, “Okay, but would you do one thing for me, Lee?”

“What’s that?”

“Would you pray about this and maybe God will tell you to come to San Antonio.”

“Lisa, if God tells me to come to San Antonio, I’ll come to San Antonio.”

That was good enough for me.

The next few weeks were excruciating as I waited to see if God would draw Lee Strobel to San Antonio, but what happened over those weeks was supernatural and increased my faith.

Every time I’d turn on the radio, Lee Strobel would be the guest. I happened to speak at the hotel that we earmarked for his stay, and when I walked into the women’s restroom, there was a perfectly formed angel made out of tissue paper on the floor.

I joked that Strobel became like the Cheshire cat in Alice in Wonderland, appearing everywhere I turned.

These were signs, and in my spirit, God was confirming this would happen, so I asked our team if they’d be willing to walk on the water.

In this case, walking on the water meant planning the event even though Strobel said “no.”

Booking his flight.

Booking his hotel room.

Working on his agenda.

I’d never taken a leap of faith like this and it was scary. What if I was wrong? I’d look like a crazy woman.

During this time I attended a Leadership Summit featuring popular author and speaker, John Maxwell, successful author and pastor, Max Lucado and author and pastor Bill Hybels. I knew Bill Hybels, lead pastor at Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago, was a mentor for Strobel so my plan was to ask him to help our cause. Hybels spoke in the morning so I planned to snag him after lunch. However, as I searched for him to no avail, I realized I was too late because he flew out after lunch. Dejected, I heard that soft whisper of the Holy Spirit saying, “Talk to Max.” Lucado had just finished speaking and was signing books. I responded, “Okay, but you have to hold him up front while I buy his book.”

I did not attend Max Lucado’s church but I had worked with his literary agent. I was also friends with some of his friends, but had never met him. This would be our first encounter.

So as he signed my book, I shared my vision with him about Strobel. He said, “Cool! Get me his email address and I’ll light a fire under him.”

Three days later, I received an email from Strobel that said, “Lisa, let’s talk about San Antonio.”

That April we held four sold-out events, standing room only at Max Lucado’s church, as well as my church. We held a leadership breakfast honoring Strobel and a couples get together where Lee and his wife, Leslie discussed overcoming an unequally yoked marriage.

I asked Strobel if it was Max’s email that drew him to San Antonio. He replied, “No, I felt a tug from God to come.”

After that, my only response was “Do it again, God. Do it again!”

I loved watching God work in this way. He parted the waters in a seemingly impassible situation. I was thrilled he used me as the conduit. This was also the beginning of my call to full-time ministry. What a way to be drawn into God’s service!

What about you? Is God calling you out of your comfort zone?

Does he want you to “walk on the water” and trust him in a situation?

“Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cred out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately, Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?’” (Matthew 14:29-31).