A  n  n  o  u  n  c  i  n  g  !
Does God Exist?
Summer Seminar!
A Five-Day Intensive Program of Study of Christian Evidences and Ways to Serve Others
When: June 21-25, 1999
Where: College Street Church of Christ, Lebanon, Tennessee
Cost: FREE -- You provide room, board and transportation.
Requirements: An interest in Learning
Designed for: Church leaders, teachers, personal workers

The purpose of the "Does God Exist?" program is to provide thinking, seeking people with scientific evidence that God does exist and that the Bible is His Word.  It is our conviction that all men can logically, intelligently, and rationally believe in God.  The "Does God Exist?" program offers books, audiocassette tapes, correspondence courses, vidwo tapes, and other materials.  These materials are offered either free or on a loan basis.  We also are more than willing to correspond with you and provide you with whatever help we can for whatever needs you might have.

Registration Form
Information Concerning the Does God Exist? Summer Seminar June 21-25, 1999

Introduction: Paul admonished Timothy to train others to preach the Gospel. For 30 years, John Clayton has been involved in challenging atheism, agnosticism, skepticism, evolutionism, and faith problems in the Church.  Every summer, the Does God Exist? work has done a special seminar to train others to do what John is doing.  The idea is to give them the materials and assist them in refining their own talent and ability to fight the destructive views that swirl around us all.

Cost and Materials: There is no cost for the seminar. All materials passed out will be provided free of charge  The Does God Exist? program will provide donuts, coffee, tea, milk and juice in the morning. Lunch will be provided consisting of sandwiches, relishes, and some donated desserts.

Travel and Housing: Participants will need to arrange their own travel and housing. If you get to Nashville or Lebanon via train, bus, or plane, we can pick you up and transport you during the program. There are a few members of the College Street congregation who have agreed to house a few adults (no children, please). This is limited, but if you want to try to arrange something, write to the college St Church of Christ (Attn: Linda Ezell, 134 S. College St., Lebanon, TN 37087 or call Linda (Phone: 615-144-9502). She is one of the secretaries who work with this Church.

Schedule: A tentative schedule and outline of the program is enclosed. Anyone may visit, but to be a participant and receive the free materials you must attend all sessions. The optional sessions are for anyone and are just that--optional. They are lessons on how to apply the things we are learning.

Babysitting: This is not a program for children. High school seniors and college students should be able to handle the material, but not below that. We Will hire some local members of the Church to babysit at the building during the daytime sessions if there is a need. This must be pre-arranged. At night, there will be a VBS children can attend.

Credit: In previous years, several colleges and school systems have been willing to give credit for things that we did. Giving them a copy of my credentials and the enclosed outline will help them decide if they will do so.

Registration:  If you are interested in attending the 1999 Does God Exist? Summer Seminar in Lebanon, Tennessee, we need to hear from you.  Pre-registration is requested.  We must have adequate materials made up and the logistics of meals set up, etc.  To do so requires us to know how many will be there.

Registration Form

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

      Monday. June 21
       10:00-1:00    Registration
       1:00-1:30      Devotional
       1:30-3:00      Session 1 Introductions
Break
       3:30-5:00      Session 2
Supper
       7:00-8:30      Session 3*

      Tuesdav. June 22
       8:00-8:30      Devotional
       8:30-9:00      Coffee, tea, donuts, and quiz
       9:00-10:30     Session 4
       10:45-12:00    Session 5
Lunch
       1:00-2:30      Session 6
       2:45-4:30      Special Session 1
Supper
       7:00--8:30     Session 7*

      Wednesdav. June 23
       8:00-8:30      Devotional
       8:30-9:00      Coffee, tea, donuts, and quiz
       9:00-10:30     Session 6
       10:45-12:00    Session 9
Lunch
       1:00-2:30      Session 10
       2:45-4:30      Special Session 2
Supper
       7:00--8:30     Session 11*

      Thursday. June 24
       8:00-8:30      Devotional
       8:30-9:00      Coffee, tea, donuts, and quiz
       9:00-10:30     Session 12
       10:45-12:00    Session 13
Lunch
       1:00-2:30      Session 14
       2:45-4:30      Special Session 3
Supper
       7:00--8:30     Session 15*
       8:45-10:00     Special Session 4

      Friday. June 25
       8:00-8:30      Devotional
       8:30-9:00      Coffee, tea, donuts, and quiz
       9:00-10:30     Session 16
       10:45-12:00    Session 17 and close
Lunch

*These sessions will be held with the College Street congregation included

Special Session 1
The use of evidences in instilling faith in children

Special Session 2
Bible school problems and how to address them--curriculum, logistics, special events

Special Session 3
The use of apologetics in helping the Church grow through

Special Session 4
UFOs, ancient astronauts, the Bermuda Triangle, Loch Ness, miracles, etc.

Does God Exist?
1999 Seminar Syllabus

  1. Introduction
    1. The Nature of science--Lab--shoe box
    2. The nature of proof of God's existence.
    3. Faith verses proofs and evidences
    4. Atheism, agnosticism, skepticism
  2. The nature of cosmos and how we measue it
    1. The structure of the solar system.
      1. How measurements are made in the solar system
        1. Parallax
        2. Spectrographic analysis--lab--spectra
        3. Motions in solar system--lab--Doppler
      2. The Physics of the solar system--Demo
        1. Angular momemtum
        2. Angular velocity
    2. The structure of the galaxy
      1. Properties of galaxies
      2. Different types of galaxies--lab
    3. Galactic motions--expanding universe
    4. Stellar studies
      1. Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram--lab
      2. Unusual stars
      3. Black holes
  3. Creation Cosmologies
    1. Gen. 1:1--Hebrew meanings
    2. Atheist viewpoints
    3. Linear verses cyclic time--virtual time
    4. Multi-universe theories and evidences
    5. Scientific support for time having a beginning.
      1. Galactic motions and acceleration
      2. Hydrogen depletion
      3. Second law implications
    6. Arguments and responses
  4. The concept of cause vs. no cause
    1. Biblical concepts of God
      1. Elohim, Yaweh, Adonai
      2. "Bara" as a major biblical point.
    2. No-cause proposals and their weaknesses
  5. Design vs. chance as causal mechanisms
    1. Motivations for the chance argument
      1. Huxley
      2. Evolution
      3. Atheism
    2. Weaknesses of design arguments
      1. Ad hoc views
      2. Necessary chance
      3. Pain, suffering, and disaster
      4. Probability weaknesses
    3. Intuitive design--examples
    4. Architectural design--examples
    5. Irreducible Complexity
    6. Anthropic Principle views--examples
  6. The nature of God
    1. Misconceptions about God's nature--Examples and their causes
    2. Flatland by Abott and its implications
      1. Answers to the race, sex omnipresence, eternal nature and origin of God.
      2. Einstein's verification of Abbott's ideas
    3. Why did God create man?
      1. Origin of evil
      2. Role of angels and of man
      3. Concept of spiritual terrorism
  7. The inspiration of the Bible
    1. Universal, partial, plenary concepts
    2. Internal evidences
    3. Bible errors and eheckability
    4. System design
    5. Moral arguments
    6. The Church as a perfect design
    7. Life-changing claims and miracles
  8. Evolution as a challenge to inspiration
    1. Misuseof term "creation"
    2. Evolutionary assumptions
    3. Factual evolution--lab
    4. Biological arguments for evolution
      1. Morphology, physiology, embryology
      2. Mutations and genetics
        1. Genetic arguments for disease and homosexuality
        2. Cloning and genetic engineering
      3. Vestigial structures
    5. Fossils and evolution--Brachiopod lab
    6. Jurassic Park and Genesis--dinosaurs
    7. Uniformitarianism/catastrophism--dinosaur extinction--lab
    8. Dating methods and the age of things; church and denominational views
    9. Genesis 1 hermeneutics and theories
    10. Genesis and the fossils
    11. Latest finds and implications
    12. Evolution's proof of God
    13. Current heroes and villians in the creation/evolution debate
  9. The evolution of man
    1. Man as a being in the image of God
    2. Man as defined anthropologically--Lucy lab
    3. Theories of man's evolution and their errors.
    4. The role of race
    5. Implications of evolutionary beliefs
    6. Concepts of heaven and hell and their implications

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