Posts Tagged ‘ case for christ ’

House to House: Building Our Faith

February 28, 2009
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Faith is one of those words that can be tough to pin down. Some folks say it means a blind leap in the dark. Others say it is exclusively evidence-based. Which is it?

I think the answer is both. Real faith is not kept in contradiction to reason, but it extends beyond reason. Faith begins in evidence and moves out from it-even when believing is difficult. The word used in the New Testament for faith is pistis, a word which is also translated as trust. It’s not merely mental agreement: “Yeah, I think that’s right.” It is belief that produces trust that produces action.

Have you heard these scriptures lately?

  •          “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1 ESV)
  •          “And without faith it is impossible to please God.” (Hebrews 11:6 ESV)
  •          “…the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” (James 1:3 ESV)
  •          “Faith, by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 1:17 ESV)

Perhaps the most piercing scripture off all is the question that Jesus asked nearly two thousand years ago: “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8 ESV)

If Jesus asked that question of you alone, what would the answer be?

Faith is absolutely essential for God’s people. It’s not optional! It must be the kind of faith that trusts and obeys even in moments of doubt.

The church at Burns wants to help make sure that the answer to Jesus’ question is a resounding YES! To that effect, we’ve planned several things we’d like to let you know about. These are all designed to help us all build our faith.

We’ll soon be offering The Case for Christ series, by Lee Strobel. Visit with us at 6 pm on Sunday nights in the months of March, April, and May to see a video series by an atheist-turned-believer who explored the evidence about Christianity. After the videos are over, we’ve invited some experts to come share even more evidence that they’ve seen in their work. There will be time for discussion and questions. Don’t worry; this material, although it is deep, is very accessible.

You’ll see a lot of us in the month of June, too! We’re planning to come door-to-door in the third week of June to see if there’s any way we can help you on your spiritual journey. We’ll be offering Bible studies and good, Bible-based materials for your consideration.

We hope that you will join us whenever you can, and it is our prayer that when Christ returns, He will find faith in you! Please let us know if we can help. You may contact our office at 441-3984 or by email at office@burnschurchofchrist.org. Check our website for more specific information: http://www.burnschurchofchrist.org

Examine the Evidence

February 23, 2009
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Examine the Evidence
 

Is faith compatible with science? Does God exist–and if He does, why all the suffering? Can we trust the Bible?

Lee Strobel asked these tough questions more than once in his life. As a young professional, the legal editor for the Chicago Tribune, he knew for a fact that religion was a crutch–something made up to help the weak. When his wife became interested in faith, he thought it was going to be more of an annoyance than anything! With his reporter’s notebook in hand, he decided to examine the evidence. The atheist is now a world-renowned apologist helping others step through the same evidence he looked at–in an investigation of a lifetime!

We invite you to join us for a special three-month series on Sunday nights at Burns: Examine the Evidence. We want to look at tough questions like these and see what answers we can find from experts and the word of God. Strobel has produced three video sets, The Case for Faith, The Case for a Creator, and The Case for Christ. These videos are full of great information for anyone!

If you’re a beliver–come, and learn more about your faith. If you’re a seeker–come, and see what it is that means so much to us. If you’re convinced that we’re crazy–come and see for yourself!

We’ll show these interactive videos on Sunday nights at 6pm along with supplementary lecture materials and group discussion. In addition, we’ve planned four special nights of guest speakers. We have sought out experts who know their materials to help us examine the evidence.

We have invited Dr. Steve Cantrell, a surgeon who is involved in cancer research, to present evidence examining the resurrection of Jesus. Dr. Cantrell was recently published in Think magazine on this topic and has served for several years at the Crieve Hall congregation in Nashville.

Dr. Joe Deweese from Walnut Street will make two presentations examining the evidence for God from the perspective of a scientist and biochemist. Dr. Deweese has presented material at Walnut Street and will teach at Lipscomb as well. He is now finishing his work at Vanderbilt.

Our third guest is Dr. Dale Manor from Harding University. Dr. Manor is an archaeologist and professor of Old Testament Studies. He is the field director of Tel Beth-Shemesh excavations in Israel. You may have recently heard him present at the Fairview Church of Christ or at Freed-Hardeman University’s lectureship.

These men will guide our study and answer questions as we work to examine the evidence! Please join us for this investigation of a lifetime!

  • March 1 Faith in a World of Reason?
  • March 8 The Gospels: Eyewitness Testimony
  • March 15 Friends and Foes: Extra-Biblical Testimony
  • March 22 Who Is the Real Jesus?
  • April 5 The Resurrection: It Happened.
  • April 12 A Doctor’s Look at the Resurrection Dr. Steve Cantrell, MD, DDS
  • April 19 Science and God: Incompatible?
  • April 26 A Scientist’s Look at the Universe Dr. Joe Deweese, PhD Biochemistry
  • May 3 A Biochemist’s Look at Intelligent Design Dr. Joe Deweese, PhD Biochemistry
  • May 10 An Archaeologist’s Look at the Bible Dr. Dale Manor, PhD Archaeology 
  • May 17 How Did It All Start?
  • May 24 Design? Intelligent?
  • May 31 Philosophical Evidence for God 

Download a printable flier with schedule of speakers and topics.

A Struggle for Faith

February 20, 2009
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So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27

Today we are faced with diabolical problems of life and death proportions.  Some in our world have no respect for life.  They bring destruction wherever they walk. It is a sad fact of life that a woman in Afghanistan can walk into a group of men, women and children and pull the fuse and blow up herself and 31 others.  It is a sad fact that a man can open his door to people he knows and end up being beaten with a baseball bat and left for dead.

The dignity of man is being assaulted on every front in this 21st century.  Until we get back to the Bible and its definition of man, we will end up with utter destruction of the fabric of human society.  Humanitarians on this globe assail the inhuman treatment of human beings in remote places in our world.  They get their respect for man from the Bible.  Man is unique because he is created by a unique God.

We celebrate the birth of Darwin’s Origin of the Species not understanding that it was the beginning of the end for the dignity of man.  If our ancestors crawled out of the sea as some slim ball in the eons of the past, where is the dignity of man?  Physical Anthropology defines man in grossly different terms than the verse above.  Defining man from a physical standpoint leaves much to be said. 

The Burns Church of Christ is about to launch a defense of the dignity of man.  March, April and May we will have Sunday nights devoted to evidence of Christ and the world he created.  Plan to be present at 6:00 each Sunday night and bring your children, family and friends.  The videos and lectures will stimulate you mind and challenge the current climate. 

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