2023 Conference Schedule

(Subject to small changes)

View speaker bios here / View session descriptions here

Blue = for parents in addition to students

Sunday, June 25:

5:00–6:00 p.m. Student/Family Check-In

6:00–8:15 p.m. Kick-off Session for Students + Parents

  • Todd Cothran, Intro & Welcome

  • Keynote Session: Frank Turek, Intro to I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist

Monday, June 26:

8:00–8:30 a.m. Arrival (& check-in for students who didn’t attend Sunday)

8:30–8:45 a.m. Gather, welcome, & worship

8:45–9:30 a.m. Session 1: Frank Turek, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist Part 1: Does God Exist?

9:30–9:50 a.m. Small groups for icebreakers

9:50–10:35 a.m. Session 2: Frank Turek, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist Part 2: Are Miracles Possible?

10:35–10:50 a.m. Break (snacks)

10:50–11:35 a.m. Session 3: Frank Turek, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist Part 3: Is The New Testament True?

11:35–12:00 p.m. Small groups for discussion

12:00–12:10 p.m. Group photo

12:10–12:40 p.m. Lunch break

12:40–12:45 p.m. Skit

12:45–1:30 p.m. Session 4: Frank Turek, If There Is a Good God, Why Is There Evil?

1:30–1:40 p.m. Break

1:40–2:25 p.m. Session 5: Frank Turek, If There Is a Good God, Why Is There Evil? (Continued) plus Q&A

2:25–2:45 p.m. Small groups for discussion

2:45–3:30 p.m. Session 6: Frank Turek, How Should We Respond to Transgenderism?

3:30–3:45 p.m. Fun activity/competition

3:45–4:00 p.m. Gather & close

4:00–5:00 p.m. Optional ThinkWell Bonus Round (students are free to stick around for casual discussion—no agenda)

Tuesday, June 27:

8:15–8:30 a.m. Arrival

8:30–8:45 a.m. Gather & worship

8:45–9:30 a.m. Session 1: Todd Cothran, Seeing the World as It Is—& Finding Your Place In It

9:30–9:40 a.m. Break

9:40–10:25 a.m. Session 2: Russ Crawford, Taking into the Night What You Learned in the Light: The Importance of Thinking Critically

10:25–10:40 a.m. Break (snacks)

10:40–11:25 a.m. Session 3: Russ Crawford, Fallacious Fog: An Introduction to Thinking Critically

11:25–12:00 p.m. Q&A with Russ Crawford; activity (in small groups or partners)

12:00–12:30 p.m. Lunch break

12:30–12:40 p.m. Fun activity/team competition

12:40–12:45 p.m. Skit

12:45–1:30 p.m. Session 4: Rob Spinney, What Is Expressive Individualism & Why Will It Make You Miserable?

1:30–1:40 p.m. Break

1:40–2:25 p.m. Session 5: Rob Spinney, How to Fight Against Expressive Individualism

2:25–2:35 p.m. Q&A with Rob Spinney

2:35–3:00 p.m. Small groups for discussion/break

3:00–3:55 p.m. Fun activity/competition

3:55–4:00 p.m. Gather & close

4:00–5:00 p.m. Optional ThinkWell Bonus Round (casual discussion)

Wednesday, June 28:

8:15–8:30 a.m. Arrival

8:30–8:45 a.m. Gather & worship

8:45–9:30 a.m. Session 1: Sam Raju, A Personal Apologetic

9:30–9:40 a.m. Break

9:40–10:25 a.m. Session 2: Sam Raju, The Problem of Pain & The Goodness of God

10:25–10:50 a.m. Small groups for discussion (& snacks)

10:50–11:35 a.m. Session 3: Alisa Childers (Recorded Video), Recognizing Progressive Christianity

11:35–12:00 p.m. Small groups for discussion

12:00–12:30 p.m. Lunch break

12:30–12:35 p.m. Skit

12:35–1:20 p.m. Session 4: Luke Forister, An Eternal Identity  

1:20–1:30 p.m. Break

1:30–2:15 p.m. Session 5: Keith McCurdy, What Shapes Our Perception?

2:15–2:25 p.m. Break

2:25–3:10 p.m. Session 6: Keith McCurdy, Do I Want to Be the Statistic of My Generation?

3:10–3:30 p.m. Small groups for discussion

3:30–3:55 p.m. Fun activity/competition

3:55–4:00 p.m. Gather & close

6:30–8:30 p.m. Special Session for Students & Parents: Keith McCurdy, Raising Sturdy Kids (1.5-hour talk followed by Q&A) DOWNLOAD THE EVENT FLYER

Thursday, June 29:

8:15–8:30 a.m. Arrival

8:30–8:45 a.m. Gather & worship

8:45–9:30 a.m. Session 1: Bill Basener, The Current State of Evolutionary Science

9:30–9:40 a.m. Break

9:40–10:25 a.m. Session 2: Todd Cothran, The Top 5

10:25–10:35 a.m. Break (snacks)

10:35–10:55 a.m. Mini Session: Todd Cothran, Secrets of the Grand Canyon

10:55–11:40 a.m. Session 3: Peter Forister, Christianity and Environmentalism: How to Engage Creation Topics in Today’s World

11:40–11:50 a.m. Special testimony

11:50 a.m.–12:20 p.m. Lunch break

12:20–12:35 p.m. Fun activity/competition

12:35–12:40 p.m. Skit

12:40–1:25 p.m. Session 4: Adam Coleman, Who Are You?: A Biblical Approach to Identity Formation

1:25–1:35 p.m. Break

1:35–2:20 p.m. Session 5: Adam Coleman, Can Our Identity Point Us to God?

2:20–2:30 p.m. Q&A with Adam Coleman

2:30–2:50 p.m. Small groups for discussion/break

2:50–3:35 p.m. Session 6: Elizabeth Parr, The Beacons Are Lit!

3:35–3:50 p.m. Presentation by Students for Life Reps Anna Miles & Anna Parr

3:50–4:00 p.m. Gather & close

4:00–5:00 p.m. Optional ThinkWell Bonus Round (casual discussion)

Friday, June 30:

8:15–8:30 a.m. Arrival

8:30–8:45 a.m. Gather & worship

8:45–9:30 a.m. Session 1: Luke Forister, Restless Battleground: Pursuing Christ in the Digital Age

9:30–9:40 a.m. Break (snacks)

9:40–10:25 a.m. Session 2: Renee & Todd Cothran, Real Relationships

10:25–10:55 a.m. Special breakout for discussion (guys/girls separate)

10:55–11:55 a.m. Fun activity/competition

11:55 a.m.–12:25 p.m. Lunch break

12:25–12:30 p.m. Skit

12:30–1:15 p.m. Session 3: Multiple Speakers, How to Think & Live Like a Missionary in Any Context

1:15–2:00 p.m. Session 4: Todd Cothran, How Christians Have Changed the World—& How You Can Too

2:00–2:30 p.m. Small groups for discussion

2:35–3:05 p.m. Session 5: Todd Cothran, Now What?  

3:05–3:15 p.m. Personal reflection

3:15–4:00 p.m. Graduation ceremony

5:00–7:00 p.m. BBQ Picnic for Students & Their Families