When the world is full of division and chaos, it is often easy to get lost in our worldly problems. We begin to ask ourselves questions about the meaning of it all, the origin of it all, and about the one who was said to save us all. J. Warner Wallace tackles these tough questions head-on in his book, Person of Interest: Why Jesus Still Matters in a World That Rejects The Bible. In this book, our author (and real-life detective) investigates Jesus using the same approach he uses in missing-person murder cases. This book examines Jesus's influence on the world from the timing of his arrival to the aftermath of his death and resurrection. Wallace investigates everything from art to music to education, architecture, literature.... the list goes on and on. He pulls evidence of Jesus' significant impact on the world from every source you could possibly think of.

While reading this book, we follow Wallace's investigation and see him move from atheist to Christian as he learns more about our savior and His true impact on the world. This book is illustrated, easy to read, and compelling enough to keep you reading for hours on end. There are 336 well-written pages, including an extensive "case notes" section in the back full of resources for further investigation. The paperback book is available through most retailers for $15-$20. All retailers are listed and linked on the book's website. On the website, you can even download a sample chapter for free!

I just finished reading Person of Interest amid the holiday season. Moving through such a busy season, I often forget to pause and remember what this season is truly all about. Each night, after getting the children to bed, I have enjoyed having an hour or two to myself to read in the quiet- learning about and reflecting on the impact Jesus had on our world. As a homeschool mom, my brain is constantly firing, and I am easily distracted. I can tell you, however, that Person of Interest completely held my attention. From cover to cover, I was enthralled with the detailed investigating, illustrations, real-life connections, and rock-solid arguments for the undeniable truth of Jesus's time here on earth, as well as the "fall-out" after. Wallace even takes us along with him on a murder investigation he was working on while investigating Jesus. 

The way that J. Warner Wallace approaches his examination of Jesus is brilliant. As a "no-body" homicide detective, he has the difficult job of solving these mysterious crimes without any hard evidence. Instead, Wallace investigates by examining the events leading up to the event and the events that occurred immediately after to determine what happened in between events. This formula is the same one he uses to investigate Jesus Christ! What happened before Jesus came? Why did He come at that exact time? What happened immediately after? What was His impact on the world then? Aside from the simple yet incredibly helpful illustrations and diagrams in this book, one of my favorite pieces was that Wallace included common objections to Christianity in the margins and used historical facts to debunk these objections and explain the truth.

Person of Interest will strengthen your understanding of Jesus, and in turn, strengthen your faith. If you struggle with skepticism and have questions about why Jesus still matters today, read this book. It is engaging, compelling, wonderfully written, and full of truth.

- Product review by Danielle Lenz, The Old Schoolhouse® December 2021