Are there things Christians can learn in a small-group Bible study from a decades-old murder? Former Los Angeles cold-case detective J. Warner Wallace — now an author, speaker and apologetics expert — believes so.
Studies show a majority of Americans consume true crime content through movies, television and various social media platforms. Some might describe it as an obsession.
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Christian worldview
Wallace believes this cultural obsession for true crime can be helpful in leading people to Scripture for the first time — and helping other Christians defend it.
Wallace — nicknamed by some as the “Evidence Whisperer” — released a video study in 2024, “The Truth in True Crime,” based on a book he released earlier that year. Now on a Sunday morning at church, or even in a secular book club, a small group can learn how a homicide that Wallace helped solve decades ago is relevant to explaining a Christian worldview — and what it tells us about humanity.
For those who may not know Wallace, some of his cases and detective work have been featured on NBC’s Dateline and other networks and media platforms. He earned a role years ago in God’s Not Dead 2. He also is an adjunct professor of apologetics at Gateway Seminary, where he earned a master’s degree in theological studies. In April, Wallace and his son, Jimmy, released a graphic novel, “Case Files Vol. I: Murder and Meaning.”
Whether in a graphic novel or his 15-week video series, Wallace connects what he learned as a longtime Los Angeles County detective to helping people find true meaning and their identity in Christ.
Evidence for Christianity
Wallace, who didn’t become a Christian until he was 35, also seeks to help others discover why Scripture is relevant and can be trusted. Tackling tough questions comes with the territory.
Wallace says he is used to questions on why a killer did the unthinkable, but he wanted to explore another question: “What did you learn about human nature as you were investigating the case?”
“It turns out all these observations you might make in criminal cases,” he says in the study, “they’re also on the pages of an ancient book called the Bible — true crimes, human nature, rules for life and evidence for Christianity.”
The hope is to help those who watch “pick up a guiding principle or two to help you thrive and flourish as a human created in the image of God,” he says.
“While every session includes a real-death investigation,” he notes, “I’ve exchanged details between cases to protect the identity of the victims and suspects, and I’ve altered the story lines to protect ongoing investigations. We’re going to chase a few leads together.”
Finding identity in Christ
In one of the first lessons, Wallace shares how he struggled with his own identity when he retired from law enforcement and suddenly felt like a “was” as he drove away from the police department.
For many years, he admitted, his identity was wrapped up in solving horrific crimes and bringing criminals to justice. But one day that life was over.
Wallace goes on to point the audience to how he, like everyone else, must grapple with his purpose in life and what matters most.
“When we trust Jesus for our salvation, we change our identity as fallen, imperfect creatures destined for the grave to redeemed children of God who have a life in His name,” he noted. “We seek identity and purpose because we were created for identity and purpose in God. We were created to be known, not simply by other created beings, but by the Creator Himself.”
Learn more at coldcasechristianity.com.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Shawn Hendricks, content editor for TAB Media.
