Can We Trust the Jesus of the New Testament?

We're told that our culture "loves Jesus but not the church." But if the picture we have of Jesus in our Bibles can't be trusted, will people lose their interest in Jesus, too? 

Enter Bart Ehrman, a scholar who argues that very little of the Bible can be trusted to tell us who Jesus really was. His arguments are retreads and sometimes overstated, but he has gained a hearing in popular circles beyond the university.  North American Mission Board apologist Mike Licona offered his response to Ehrman in a week-long series:

Part 1: Bart Ehrman: A skeptical scholar not to be ignored

Part 2: The problem of authorship: Who wrote the Gospels?

Part 3: The problem of dating: When were the Gospels written?

Part 4: The problem of differences: Do the Gospels contradict one another?

Part 5: Why were the four N.T. Gospels selected and not others?

Note that this post is labeled "The Anchor Course Week 1: I Believe." Look for future posts that support the 8 statements of the Apostles Creed that we cover in my book The Anchor Course: Exploring Christianity Together, a study of the Christian faith for seekers and new believers.