The Beginning of the Two Humanities

Gary DeLashmutt

Genesis 4:1-16

In the story of Cain and Abel, we see man approaching God in 2 different ways, and God is pleased with one and displeased with the other. This contrast teaches us that God desires personal trust over mental assent and a reverent heart over religious formalism. God's interaction with Cain shows that while we can harden our hearts against God, God will never stop pursuing us.

Predictive Prophecy

Ben Foust

Genesis 4:1-16

Uniquely among religious texts, the Bible uses predictive prophecy to self-authenticate its message as the Word of God. In contrast to many so-called prophecies of our day, the Bible provides clear, specific, and verifiable predictions of future events hundreds of years before they came to pass. This evidence gives us confidence that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and that its claims are trustworthy.

The Supremacy of Christ

Ryan Lowery

Hebrews 1:1-2:4

Why should Jesus be an authority in my life? The author of Hebrews gives two reasons: because of who he is and because of what he has done. Hebrews repeatedly cites the Old Testament to show that Jesus fulfills many prophesies, demonstrating who he is. And Jesus took our sins on himself on the cross, demonstrating his love for us. The audience of Hebrews were under intense pressure to deny Jesus. Hebrews is reminding them that there is only one way to be made right with God (through Jesus) and it's not tradition or religion but relationship.

Goodness Without God - A Natural Delusion or a Delusion of Naturalism?

James Rochford

Hebrews 1:1-2:4

Can we have goodness without God? Typical human experience tells us that there are objective moral evils along with subjective beliefs and morals. But as we observe the logic of naturalism, we see that there is no basis for having objective morals. This presentation follows three steps in the argument of theism versus naturalism. First, if naturalism is true, objective moral values and duties do not exist. Second, objective moral values and duties do exist. And finally therefore, naturalism is false.

The Opiod Crisis and the Church

Dave Sayers

Denise Sayers

Hebrews 1:1-2:4

Dave and Denise Sayers of Real Life Ministries in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho share information about the opiate crisis in the US, it's causes and various waves. Speaking as both recovered addicts and Christ-followers, they give information and details about Real Life's program for recovery that has led many to both physical and spiritual healing.

What was Meant for Evil, God Uses for Good

Joke Van Opstal

Revelation 21:3-4

Being a Christian does not exempt anyone from suffering. No matter how many good things we may do for God, we will still experience suffering, because suffering is not the result of God's punishment on us. Suffering is a tool for our sanctification, to help us grow and develop stronger character. As we grow to know our God, we see that his picture is much bigger than ours, and he is weaving a story through our suffering to bring about good, though we may not see it in the midst of our trials. We have a choice to make in how we respond when faced with suffering: we can give up in bitterness or hold fast to the Lord's promises and His eternal hope.

Evidence of Evil

J. Warner Wallace

Revelation 21:3-4

One evidence for the existence of God is the reality that transcendent, objective moral truths exist. Through personal examples and through our own justice system, there emerges a transcendent, objective being to whom we are obligated, above even the current law itself. If moral truths do not come from individuals nor from groups, they are either an illusion or an evidence for a creator God. The persistent presence of evil and injustice causes us to turn toward an objective source to define evil. As we explore the idea of evil, we begin to explore the character of God and how a loving and all-powerful being could allow evil to exist in our world.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - The Use and Misuse of Presuppositions in Apologetics

Dennis McCallum

Revelation 21:3-4

There are several main types of apologetics, including classical, evidential and presuppositional. While presuppositional apologetics can be good, there are many bad examples as well. A good example of a presuppositional apologetic would be one in which there is internal consistency, where one matches his or her conclusions with the presupposition, and where one can show inconsistency between non-Christian assumptions and desired conclusions. If this occurs, we can show friends the need for a different starting point, a different underlying and foundational belief. As we examine bad examples alongside the good, we can better use this type of apologetic in our own lives.

Trinity Basics for Spiritual Conversations

Dave Schutter

John 3:16

The reality of the Trinity is an important truth both to support our discipleship and our evangelism. As we see Scripture's witness to God as the Trinity, we mature in our faith and grow in our confidence, which in turn helps our evangelistic conversations improve. Through studying the Trinity in Scripture, this doctrinal truth can become a truth that is both relational and relevant for us. This workshop helps us extract key truths about the Trinity from Scripture and consider how to thoughtful converse about this topic with non-Christians.