Restore Conference: Reason for Faith to Coexist? The question of (in)tolerance

This year’s Restore Conference: Reason for Faith once again delivered quality Biblical teaching to the Clemson community with five hundred in attendance.  The conference focused on preparing our congregations, Clemson Presbyterian and Crosspoint, and other Christians within the community to engage unbelievers with the Gospel—to reason for faith.

Dr. Bruce Ashford, dean of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Dr. Ligon Duncan of First Presbyterian, Jackson, Mississippi taught in our three general sessions.  Dr. Ashford discussed how the Biblical narrative explains the whole world and Dr. Duncan discussed the exclusivity of the Gospel and exposited Acts 17. 

In addition to the main sessions, the conference offered eleven breakouts ranging from more practical application discussions to heavier theological training.  Topics ranged from new claims of atheism to engaging atheists with the Gospel to dealing with doubt to discussions of after life. 

The conference provides much more than a great opportunity to sit under great teachers of God’s Word.  The conference also unites evangelical Christians of different denominations and campus organizations as we worship God together through music and Biblical teaching.

The conference also allows for great times of fellowship in between sessions whether grabbing a snack, eating lunch, or volunteering.

Also, the conference bookstore allows for further reading and investigation of topics addressed throughout the conference.

This year, the conference provided a youth track where the youth looked to navigate through life and hold fast to Biblical truths as anchors in their life.  After the Friday portion of the conference, many of the youth discussed the teachings further in respective host homes and stayed up late hanging out with each other.

I am thankful that I had the opportunity to use my gifts to serve Crosspoint Church and the community for the sake of the Gospel.  I am blessed and encouraged by how well the conference went.  God truly blessed us this year with great teaching and proclamation of His Word, opportunities to sing worship to him, to encourage one another, and to serve for the edification of one another and the advancement of the Gospel. 

Look for media recordings at: www.restoreconference.org

One of the important facets of this conference was to equip local believers to engage the community with the Gospel with the event Coexist? The question of (in)tolerance.  Ravi Zacharias and John Njaroge arrive at Clemson University’s Littlejohn Coliseum on March 8^th to challenge the idea of religious tolerance and the intolerance of any religion that claims an exclusive access to God as Christianity proclaims.  The format will include a forty-five minute teaching from Ravi followed by a question and answer session.  It is our hope to engage the pluralists and skeptics among Clemson’s campus with the exclusive Gospel of Jesus Christ.  When Ravi and John leave, it is up to us, the evangelical Christians, to continue to engage our community with the Gospel and to reason for faith.

www.coexistclemson.com

Praise be to God!  For He alone is worthy of praise!  And it is only by the blood of Christ that man can be reconciled before God.  Pray for the salvation of souls in the Clemson community, that the Spirit would convict the lost with the Word of God.

The Classroom of God

God has been teaching me a lot about trust during this current semester of Generation-Link.  Last semester, I asked him to cause me to trust him COMPLETELY.  Little did I know, he would take my prayer very seriously, and use some methods to answer it that I wouldn't have asked for.  

What is trust?  Is it believing that God will keep me from harm and trouble?  Is it believing that when I'm suffering he will relieve me?  Is it believing that God will grant me a relatively happy and care-free life?  If you had asked me last semester, I wouldn't have said that this was really what I believed about trust.  But this past month's experiences with suffering have shown me otherwise.

This past month I have gone through the hardest period of time in my life so far.  I don't mean to sound overly dramatic.  The details of this struggle don't really matter.  The short of it is this.  I was suddenly overcome every morning when I woke up with the most horrible, uncontrollable fear and anxiety I have ever experienced.  For almost a month, I didn't want to get out of bed in the mornings.  I couldn't eat most of the time.  I vomited regularly.  I couldn't spend a moment by myself at my apartment.  I made multiple visits to the doctor and tried various medicines to help.  I read God's Word but felt that God had forsaken me.  I pursued counseling and help from anyone and everyone.  I struggled to believe that a good God wouldn't respond immediately to my cries for help.  And yet throughout this whole time, I longed for heaven more than I ever have before.  Through this desperate period of time, God began to teach me what trust really is.  

Trust is NOT believing that God will keep me from harm or trouble.  He COULD, because he is able.  But if he doesn't keep me from harm, he will give me the grace to sustain me through it.  He will give me the grace I need for ANYTHING he allows in my path.  He will provide me with HIMSELF.

Trust is NOT believing that he will always relieve me from suffering.  He COULD, because he is able.  But if he chooses not to, he is still GOOD.  He always does what is for my good and his glory.  Do I really believe that with all my heart when I'm in the midst of suffering?  He is GOOD.  He is most glorified in my suffering or he wouldn't be allowing it!

Trust is NOT believing that God will grant me a relatively happy and care-free life.  He COULD, because he able.  But even during times of great mourning and pain, he can give me the ability to REJOICE because of the gospel.  I have been rescued from my greatest problem through Christ's blood!  I have been healed of my worst disease! I have been credited the righteousness of Christ!  I have been granted an eternal reward in heaven!  This world of pain, sickness, tears and death is not my home.  Praise Him!

No matter what trial I face, no matter what suffering I experience, no matter what struggle or sin I fight daily, God's grace is sufficient for every minute, for every hour, for every day.  The answer to a struggling spirit is nothing short of a thankful heart.  Thanking the Lord for what he has given me, and not dwelling on what I have to do without.  Thanking the Lord for what he has saved me from, and not dwelling on what he is allowing me to experience.

"Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again:  Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me- put it into practice.  And the God of peace will be with you."  Philippians 4:4-9

Even in our sufferings, Lord, let us be content, knowing that you are doing a greater work than we can even fathom.  Let us trust you truly and fully.  Thank you that you always work for our good and your glory.  Give us the ability to believe your Word and rely on you, even in our greatest struggles.

"Thou hast disarmed me of the means in which I trusted, 
and I have no strength but in thee.  

Thou alone canst hold back my evil ways, 
but without thy grace to sustain me I fall.  
Satan's darts quickly inflame me, and the shield that should quench them easily drops from my hand:  
Empower me against his wiles and assaults. 

Keep me sensible of my weakness, and of my dependence upon thy strength.  

Let every trial teach me more of thy peace, more of thy love.  

Thy Holy Spirit is given to increase thy graces and I cannot preserve or improve them 
unless he works continually in me.  

May he confirm my trust in thy promised help, 
and let me walk humbly in dependence upon thee, for Jesus' sake."

Valley of Vision:  "Grace in Trials"

        __________________

"Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."  2 Corinthians 4:16-18


Written by Emily Kurtz.

20/20 Conference

Last weekend, Crosspoint college students made the 5 hour trip to Wake Forest, NC to attend the 20/20 Collegiate Conference at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. The theme of the conference this year was "The Scriptures Come to Life," and we sat under teaching that consistently emphasized a high view of Scripture where Christ is central. Students were able to see how from the book of Genesis all the way to Revelation, God's word points to Christ. Genesis 3:15 gives the first promise that a messiah would come to crush the head of Satan, and the rest of Scripture demonstrates how God is fulfilling His promises in Christ.

The worship music was also extremely Christ-honoring, and our group enjoyed participating in this time of corporate singing. Jesse, who is on staff with Generation LINK, is pictured above.

Part of the conference included breakout sessions where students could attend talks on the topic of their choice. Above is Pastor Jeremy speaking to a group of students in his session called "What does the Bible say about my future vocation?"


Another breakout session that stood out was one entitled, "Is the God of the Old Testament a moral monster?" During this talk, Jeremy Evans spoke about specific passages in the Old Testament that are difficult to understand, continually pointing out the grace of God in the midst of difficult and horrific circumstances. One of the challenges he gave us was to seek answers to the difficult questions because many times it's our laziness that prevents our understanding. Of course our pursuit of understanding must be always rooted in a deep trust in the character and trustworthiness of our great God.


Posted by Savannah Stone