2023 Session Descriptions
Sunday, June 25
Keynote Session: Frank Turek, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist
Based on his best-selling book (written with Norman Geisler), Frank discusses why Christianity is a reasonable faith—more reasonable than all other belief systems and more rational than unbelief (atheism). Frank will introduce the four basic questions that Christianity answers that makes it the most reasonable faith: Does truth exist? Does God exist? Are miracles possible? and Is the New Testament True? He’ll take a deeper dive into these questions with students on Monday.
Monday, June 26
Session 1: Frank Turek, Does God Exist?
There can be no Word of God unless God exists. Students will learn three powerful arguments for the existence of God—two scientific and one philosophical. Those arguments will be established without any reference to the Bible.
Session 2: Frank Turek, Are Miracles Possible?
If miracles don’t happen (as most university professors and atheists believe), then Christianity is nonsense. The course will show you that not only are miracles possible, but the greatest miracle of all, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, has already occurred—and we have scientific evidence for it.
Session 3: Frank Turek, Is the New Testament True?
Unless truth exists, God exists, and miracles are possible, the New Testament doesn’t have a prayer. But after establishing those points, there are five main reasons to believe the New Testament is historically accurate—Jesus really did die and rise from the dead for the sins of the world. From the accuracy of the New Testament, the accuracy of the Old Testament can be established as well.
Session 4: Frank Turek, If There Is a Good God, Why Is There Evil?
The problem of evil—coexistent with a good God—is one of if not the most frequent argument against God and Christianity. But what if the concept of evil itself doesn’t even make sense without God?
Session 5: Frank Turek, If There Is a Good God, Why Is There Evil? (Continued), plus Q&A
Frank will continue his previous session—one of the most important questions that Christians must answer for their faith.
Session 6: Frank Turek, How Should We Respond to Transgenderism?
Description to come
Tuesday, June 27
Session 1: Todd Cothran, Seeing the World As It Is—and Finding Your Place In It
Why is it so important to develop a biblical worldview? Pastor Todd discusses how to stand strong in a world full of empty and deceptive philosophies. By understanding the world as it is, we will see more clearly our own place and purpose in it.
Session 2: Russ Crawford, Taking into the Night What You Learned in the Light
Apologetics gets personal when adversity enters your life. Russ will give a personal account of the importance of thinking critically about faith before the time of suffering and doubt comes.
Session 3: Russ Crawford, Fallacious Fog: An Introduction to Thinking Critically
In a culture filled with false ideologies, many of which are sophisticated, Russ guides students in the use of logical/intellectual tools that help us see clearly through the fog of “bad arguments.”
Session 4: Rob Spinney, What Is Expressive Individualism and Why Will It Make You Miserable?
We Christians know we should follow the Lord Jesus Christ daily and not pursue our own selfish desires. We know we should trust God’s Word and not rely on our feelings. And we know that all our thoughts and actions must be governed by the Bible, which is the only reliable authority. So why is it so easy to fail in these areas? One of the reasons pertains to something that has happened in America over the past thirty-five years, namely expressive individualism.
Session 5: Rob Spinney, How to Fight Against Expressive Individualism
Thanks to today’s mentality of expressive individualism, it is especially challenging to live as a faithful disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. How can God’s people fight back against expressive individualism? What is a strategy for finding contentment and fulfillment in Jesus?
Wednesday, June 28
Session 1: Sam Raju, A Personal Apologetic
Yes, we are called to preach the gospel in order to witness to our faith (“always . . . prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks us to give the reason for the hope that we have” [1 Peter 3:15]). But often the most powerful apologetic—or defense of the Christian faith—is a life well lived, a life lived in alignment with the holiness to which Christ has called us. When this happens, we avoid setting up barriers to others coming to faith, such as lives of hypocrisy and double-mindedness.
Session 2: Sam Raju, The Problem of Pain and the Goodness of God
Why is there evil? Why is there suffering? How do we reconcile the existence of an all-powerful and perfectly good God with the existence of evil? This question has engaged the best of minds through the centuries. The Greek philosopher Epicurus captures this problem for us: “Is [God] willing to prevent evil, but not able? then is he impotent. Is he able, but not willing? then is he malevolent. Is he both able and willing? whence then is evil?” Does the existence of evil preclude the existence of God?
Session 3: Alisa Childers, Recognizing Progressive Christianity (VIDEO)
Students will watch recorded video segments of author, speaker, podcaster, and former Christian recording artist Alisa Childers, whose book Another Gospel? “describes her intellectual journey . . . as she wrestled with a series of questions that struck at the core of the Christian faith.” Rather than “deconstruct” or leave the faith, Alisa found her faith being “rebuilt,” this time on solid ground (evidence) rather than simply on what she had been taught to believe.
Session 4: Luke Forister, An Eternal Identity
Sharing from his own transformation story, Luke will discuss the ultimate fulfillment of two great human needs—fitting in and standing out—and how they can only truly be filled in Christ.
Session 5: Keith McCurdy, What Shapes Our Perception?
Our perceptions—of ourselves, of others, of everything—shape how we live. So the question is, what shapes our perception? Is it Truth grounded in Scripture, or is it our ever-shifting feelings and experiences? Do we get to define our own truth, or is there something more solid that we need to base our perceptions on, in order to live a sturdy instead of a fragile life? Keith will lay a foundation for the principles that help students grow into adults able to face life’s challenges with maturity, resilience and perseverance.
Session 6: Keith McCurdy, Do I Want to Be the Statistic of My Generation?
As students, how can you live a life informed by Truth so that you grow into a natural, godly leader—instead of becoming a statistic of your generation? Part of the answer is that you do not shy away from difficulties and challenges due to an outsized desire for self-protection. Those who learn to work hard and struggle well are better able to handle the rigors of relationships and life and are positioned to experience true joy and fulfillment.
EVENING SESSION: Keith McCurdy, Raising Sturdy Kids
As we have gone further down the road of embracing the “therapeutic” approach to parenting, we have lost both our ability to parent well and raise children who can handle the normal rigors of life. The eventual outcome of embracing the “therapeutic” paradigm is a student body and parent community that are naturally averse to being challenged and to working hard, and who struggle to truly contemplate that which it True, Beautiful, and Good. Keith will help parents understand approaches to raising “sturdy kids”—young people who are prepared to live well in the midst of a broken world.
Thursday, June 29
Session 1: Bill Basener, The Current State of Evolutionary Science
What do the latest experiments in biology indicate about evolution? A researcher and scientist himself, Bill will share about the current state of scientific research on mutations and selection, and how these processes are more likely to break complex biology than to create them in any Darwinian manner.
Session 2: Todd Cothran, The Top 5
Many in our society toe the line that science and faith are at odds with each other, and it can be easy for Christians to “freeze” or get overwhelmed when presented with claims that contradict (or appear to contradict) the Bible. Students will gain a big-picture understanding in this area, as Pastor Todd looks at the top five problems facing modern evolutionary theory along with the five strongest pieces of evidence that point to an intelligent designer.
Session 3: Peter Forister, Christianity and Environmentalism: How to Engage Creation Topics in Today’s World
Christians are commanded to be good stewards of the natural world. What do biblical stewardship and enjoyment of creation look like in the modern age of politically-charged environmentalism and godless naturalism? Peter brings a unique perspective to this realm through his passion for natural phenomena and background as a meteorologist, storm chaser, and nature photographer.
Session 4: Adam Coleman, Who Are You?: A Biblical Approach to Identity Formation
“Who am I?” is among the most fundamental questions we encounter in the human experience. All around us, there are any number of influences that impose unhealthy ideas on us concerning who we are or who we “ought” to be. The identity question is a crucial one because how we answer it significantly impacts how we understand ourselves, interact with others, and walk with God. Adam explores how identity is formed, what happens when our identities are not properly anchored in Christ, and insights from Scripture that should inform how we develop our identity.
Session 5: Adam Coleman, Can Our Identity Point Us to God?
Does God exist? Absolutely! As Christians we have a plethora of evidences and arguments at our disposal by which we can show there are rational grounds to affirm the existence of God. In addition to popular arguments like the kalam, moral argument, teleological argument, and others, identity—more specifically the process by which we come to develop our identity—relies upon rational faculties that are best explained by the existence of God. In essence, the very fact that we can form a sense of identity is better explained by theism than naturalism.
Session 6: Elizabeth Parr, The Beacons Are Lit!
Elizabeth discusses how hope transforms our Christian perspective on human life and equips us to respect and nurture the lives of ourselves, those most dear, and those most helpless. She also provides experience-shaped strategies for ministering in “hopeless” contexts and for championing the sanctity of life to people with mindsets of despair.
Friday, June 30
Session 1: Luke Forister, Restless Battleground: Pursuing Christ in the Digital Age
Is social media good, bad, or neutral? Luke will review how the timeless biblical ideas of self-control, stewardship, and being a witness for Christ can help young people navigate the moral maze of our online world.
Session 2: Renee & Todd Cothran, Real Relationships
Friendship is one of the most precious gifts this life affords. However, real friendships can be difficult to develop and maintain, especially in today’s social media age. Pastor Todd and his wife, Renee, will discuss how to be the kind of friend everyone longs to have—the kind of friend the Bible calls us to be.
Session 3: Multiple Speakers, How to Think & Live Like a Missionary in Any Context
After we come to a saving knowledge of Christ, we are called to defend and proclaim our faith to our neighbors both near and far. In a sense, we’re all full-time missionaries—in whatever context we find ourselves. We will hear from missionaries in Charlottesville, VA, and Paris, France, to help us understand what it’s like to share our faith with those who come from diverse backgrounds/contexts—bringing with them a variety of different assumptions about God and faith.
Session 4: Todd Cothran, How Christians Have Changed the World—& How You Can Too
How have those who follow Christ changed their world for the good of others? In more ways and in more disciplines than you can imagine! After highlighting specific individuals in church history, Pastor Todd will encourage students to be salt and light in a world that loves the dark.
Session 5: Todd Cothran, Now What?
Pastor Todd will encourage students to reflect on and apply what they have learned throughout the week as they leave and go about their lives.