National Ministry Conference | Biola University

Overview

Preaching into the Wind: Biblical Preaching in a Skeptical Culture

The 1^st annual national ministry conference

April 27, 2012

Sponsored by the Doctor of Ministry Program of Talbot School of Theology

Preaching is changing. The winds of skepticism are reshaping the attitudes and convictions of our culture. For many the Bible is now just a book. Outdated. Intolerant. Unscientific. Bigoted. Passé. What’s a preacher to do?

The National Ministry Conference invites Dr. Haddon Robinson—preacher, author, educator—along with renowned scholars Michael Wilkins, Don Sunukjian, Garrett DeWeese and Kent Edwards to address this issue. On April 27, 2012, join hundreds of other pastors, preachers and ministry leaders in La Mirada, CA, to learn how today’s preaching can speak clearly and strongly into the harsh winds of skepticism without compromising God’s Word.

Featured Speaker

Dr. Haddon Robinson

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Speakers

Featured Speaker

Dr. Haddon Robinson

Dr. Haddon Robinson is Distinguished Professor of Preaching at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. A native of New York City, Dr. Robinson taught preaching on the faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary for nineteen years and was president of Denver Conservative Baptist Seminary for twelve years. He is the teacher of "Radio Bible Class," a program that airs daily on hundreds of stations around the world, and in 1996, he was named one of "the most effective" preachers in the English speaking world in a survey conducted by Baylor University.

Workshop Speakers

Dr. J. Kent Edwards

Dr. J. Kent Edwards is Professor of Preaching and Leadership as well as Director of Doctor of Ministry program at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. In addition to ministering regularly at churches throughout the country, Dr. Edwards is a popular conference and seminar speaker and lectures internationally in academic settings. He has published numerous articles and papers in the area of homiletics and has served as the president of the Evangelical Homiletic Society.

Dr. Garry DeWeese

Dr. Garry DeWeese is Professor of Philosophy and Philosophical Theology at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. As a former missionary and pastor, he has a passion to help church leaders learn to declare and defend the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in an age of growing relativism and skepticism. He has written several books as well as contributed to academic journals and other publications.

Dr. Don Sunukjian

Dr. Don Sunukjian is Professor of Preaching and Chair of the Department of Christian Leadership and Ministry at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. Dr. Sunukjian holds a PhD from UCLA in communication and the ThM and ThD degrees from Dallas Theological Seminary. He has taught preaching at Talbot since 1996. In addition to his academic career, Don has pastored three churches. His education and experience enable him to teach the Bible with accuracy, clarity, and relevance.

Dr. Michael Wilkins

Dr. Michael Wilkins is Distinguished Professor of New Testament Language and Literature and also Dean of the Faculty at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. His expertise has resulted in authoring many books and articles on biblical discipleship for the academy and the church. Dr. Wilkins’ experience and work is focused on understanding discipleship to Jesus, and how that can transform personal life, family life, and ministry in the church, the marketplace, and the world.

Schedule

Friday, April 27

7:30 AM

Conference Breakfast and Registration
Exhibit Area Open
9 AM

Worship and Welcome
9:30–10:30 AM

"Preaching Into The Wind"
Dr. Haddon Robinson
11:00–11:55 AM

Q&A with Dr. Haddon Robinson
12:00–1:00 PM

Conference Lunch
1:00–2:00 PM
Workshop session #1
- Options:
- Sunukjian — Preaching James
- DeWeese — Empirical Skepticism
- Wilkins — Discipling with Preaching
- Edwards — Cynical Preaching
- Exhibit Area Open
2:00–3:00 PM
Workshop session #2
- Options:
- Sunukjian — Preaching James
- DeWeese — Empirical Skepticism
- Wilkins — Discipling with Preaching
- Edwards — Cynical Preaching
- Exhibit Area Open
3:00–4:00 PM
Workshop session #3
- Options:
- Sunukjian — Preaching James
- DeWeese — Empirical Skepticism
- Edwards — Cynical Preaching
- Exhibit Area Open

Pre-conference Banquet

"The Personal Challenges of Ministering in a Skeptical Culture"

Thursday, April 26, 6:00PM
Cafe Banquet Room

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Workshops

Preaching James as a Logical Flow Rather than as a String of Pearls

Don Sunukjian

Many commentators suggest that James’ letter is simply a "string of pearls"--a loose collection of exhortations, without any real connections between the various parts or any overall unity to the book. If preached this way, however, the messages will be disjointed and unsatisfying to a contemporary culture.

James’ entire letter is focused on the “trials” his friends are going through. His single purpose throughout is to tell us how to act, when we find ourselves in stressful and difficult situations.

The seminar will trace this logical flow through James, and show how it changes the way we preach the book.

Empirical Skepticism: Why the success of science has made religious belief suspect

Garry DeWeese

A familiar bit of "new atheist" propaganda, which resonates in much of our skeptical culture, is that the great success of the empirical sciences has shown that religious belief is irrational. But just how is the argument for this claim supposed to go? And is it a good argument? In this session we'll engage in some basic epistemology, and see how the empiricist claim itself is suspect, and that there can be--indeed, there are--good reasons for the rationality of religious belief.

Discipling our People through Intentional Preaching

Michael Wilkins

Discipleship is often understood to occur in one-on-one settings and/or in small groups, as well it should. But discipleship also goes on in our worship services and large group settings, for better or for worse. The example of Jesus will guide us in this seminar as we see how he used preaching in his earthly ministry to instruct his followers, entice the crowds, and warn religious leaders. We will learn from Jesus how to transfer his example to our own preaching so that every avenue of ministry is geared toward bringing us and our people into greater intimacy of discipleship to Jesus.

Cynical preaching: How to persuade skeptics of biblical truth.

J. Kent Edwards

You may prefer preaching the Bible to the choir, but what if the choir isn’t listening anymore? What if they aren’t even interested?

This seminar will suggest that the keys to preaching in this environment can be found by examining the strategies used by Jesus and the preachers in the book of Acts. These unconventional communicators played a pivotal role in helping the early church grow in a culturally hostile environment, and serve as examples for our preaching as well.

Come and discover from Jesus and the early church how to preach effective biblical sermons in unsympathetic cultural environments.