I can't wait for this discussion: Science and Faith: Friends or Foes? - Oct. 12 & 13

Science and Faith: Friends or Foes?

October 12, 2012 - October 13, 2012 - FREE for Students
Covenant Theological Seminary, St. Louis

Are science and faith compatible? Does biology support or undercut human uniqueness? Is there evidence that life and the universe were intelligently designed? Explore these questions and more at this special two-day conference to be held October 12-13, 2012 on the campus of Covenant Seminary in St. Louis.

Featured speakers include Dr. Jay Richards, co-author of The Privileged Planet: How Our Place in the Cosmos Is Designed For Discovery and editor of God and Evolution: Protestants, Catholics, and Jews Explore Darwin’s Challenge to Faith; Dr. Ann Gauger, senior research biologist at the Biologic Institute and co-author of the new book Science and Human Origins; Dr. C. John Collins, Professor of Old Testament at Covenant Theological Seminary and author of Science and Faith: Friends or Foes? and Did Adam and Eve Really Exist?; Dr. Paul Nelson, Adjunct Professor of Science and Religion at Biola University and featured science expert in documentaries such as Metamorphosis and Unlocking the Mystery of Life; and Dr. John West, author of Darwin Day in America and editor of The Magician’s Twin: C.S. Lewis on Science, Scientism, and Society.

Sessions will explore the compatibility of science and faith; the impact of Darwinian evolution on ethics, society, and theology; debates over human origins and human uniqueness; the scientific evidence for intelligent design in cosmology and biology; and C.S. Lewis’s prophetic insights into both the benefits and limits of modern science.

The conference starts Friday night and concludes Saturday evening with the premiere of The Magician’s Twin, a new documentary about C.S. Lewis’s views on science and scientism. The screening will be followed by discussion and Q and A with the contributors to a new book of the same name.

General Admission: Includes admission to all sessions from Friday night thru Saturday night, plus a free book and DVD. General admission does NOT include lunch or dinner on Saturday. A limited number of box lunches can be reserved at the rate of $11 per person by those who pre-register.

Early-Bird Registration (thru Sept. 21, 2012): $25
Regular Registration (from Sept. 22-Oct. 5): $35
FREE for High School, College and Seminary Students

Student Admission: High School, College, and Seminary Students can come for free, but they must register. They will need to show student ID when checking in. Student admission does NOT include lunch or dinner on Saturday. A limited number of box lunches can be reserved at the rate of $11 per person by those who pre-register.

Registration will be open later in July.

http://www.discovery.org/e/3321

God...I'm 'k-kinda busy' (Telephone by Lady Gaga)

As I was listening to the lyrics of Lady Gaga's song Telephone yesterday, I realized that I've been giving God the same line: "You called, I can't hear a thing."

Why can't I hear anything?

"I got no service in the club..."

Yes, God, I'm just too busy right now. I doing so many things at the moment that I'm just unavailable.

"Wha-Wha-Waht did you say, huh?"

I'm not sure what you want from me at the moment, God.

"Your're breaking up on me; I can't hear you."

You see, "I'm kinda busy.

K-kinda busy
K-kinda busy
Sorry, I cannot hear you, I'm kinda busy.

Could you hold on, God? I just need a moment to catch my breath.

Just a second,
It's my favorite song they're gonna play
And I cannot text you with
A drink in my hand, eh?

Yes, I'm doing too much right now to slow down and spend time with you. I might drop something, and I need time to relax.

"You shoulda made some plans with me,
You knew that I was free.
And now you won't stop calling me;
I'm kinda busy."

God, I'm doing all the things you've called me to do and I just time for anything more...

"Stop callin', stop callin',
I don't wanna think anymore!"

I'm feeling very worn out...

"I left my head and my heart on the dance floor.
Stop callin'', stop callin,"

God, I'm just too wrapped up in other things and just don't have any more of myself to give.

"I don't wanna talk anymore!
I left my head and my heart on the dance floor."

God, I don't want to be too busy for you anymore but my flesh is weak is being draw to other things. It's not that I don't want to talk, I've just got so many others things on my mind. I've got big plans, you see...

Lord, please, awaken my soul to your calling. Give me a desire to want you above anything in this world.

John Piper, in his book God is the Gospel, includes a section from a sermon by J.C. Ryle called “Christ Is All” based on Colossians 3:11. In it he said:

"But alas, how little fit for heaven are many who talk of ‘going to heaven’ when they die, while they manifestly have no saving faith, and no real acquaintance with Christ. You give Christ no honor here. You have no communion with Him. You do not love Him. Alas! what could you do in heaven? It would be no place for you. Its joys would be no joys for you. Its happiness would be a happiness into which you could not enter. Its employments would be a weariness and burden to your heart. Oh, repent and change before it be too late!"

John Piper then expounds that

"Nothing fits a person to be more useful on earth than to be more ready for heaven. This is true because readiness for heaven means taking pleasure in beholding the Lord Jesus, and beholding the glory of the Lord means being changed into his likeness (2 Cor. 3:18). Nothing would bless this world more than more people who are more like Christ. For in likeness to Christ the world might see Christ."

Oh Lord, draw me to you. Awaken in my heart a passion to know you and treasure you above all things on this earth. Open my eyes to behold your goodness and embrace you above your great gifts. In Jesus name, Amen.

Expressions of Faith

My pastor Doug Hon posted a great blog entry on how easy it is to judge how others express their faith when we compare it to how we prefer to express our "religious affections," as Jonathon Edwards would say.

Doug writes:

"I have personally chosen to reject any idea that I have a corner on intimacy with Christ. I also reject the idea that I am an expert in intimacy. But what does fascinate me is what all of these expressions have in common, faith."

But even more, when we are not experiencing Christ fully, Doug suggests that

"If you feel that you are lacking in intimacy with Christ, don’t look to your church’s song leaders, Sunday school teachers, or pastors to give you the formula for intimacy. Look to Christ in the assurance of faith—there are no formulas, only faith."

Read his entire post here: http://www.risenlordstl.com/content.cfm?id=151&blog_id=32

Intimacy with Christ

"I have personally chosen to reject any idea that I have a corner on intimacy with Christ. I also reject the idea that I am an expert in intimacy. But what does fascinate me is what all of these expressions have in common, faith."

Great blog post by my pastor on developing intimacy with Christ: http://www.risenlordstl.com/content.cfm?id=151&blog_id=32

Reality Check: Do I take full advantage what I've been given?

Imagine that you're curious about the Christian faith, but you can't get any answers in a language you understand from an official source.

Imagine that if you do go to church, the pastor preaches sermons in a language you don't understand.

Imagine that any Bible you put your hands on is in language you can't read.

Imagine that when you have questions about the Bible or God, you have no written resources available to help you.

Imagine that when you do come across a book that might help, you would have to read it by candle light because most of your day light hours are spent doing all that's necessary for survival.

Imagine that you live in a different century where this is describes your life, as many people have...

During a conversation with my Dad last night, it struck me: I can read the Bible. I thought to myself, what would it be like to go to Mass in Latin, when most Bibles were only translated into Latin, and there was no internet for me to click--Matthew Henry's commentary for the entire Bible at my finger tips?

Do I really take full advantage of the great gifts God has given our generation to understand the Christian faith?