An announcement by Elder John Melvin, pastor of Camp Creek Primitive Baptist Church:

Every third Sunday night of the month at 5:30 pm starting February 20th, Camp Creek Church will host a series which I call Foundations of the Faith. We will try to continue and compliment the work which Elder Harter put together by covering some of the same issues but also handling the issues which make us as Primitive Baptists unique. I have spoken with him regarding this meeting and appreciated his blessing.

My prayer is that this evening service will be a blessing to Primitive Baptists in the Atlanta area by furthering our understanding of the “faith once delivered to the saints.” We will end our service with fellowship and a simple meal.

Update 1/23/11: All audio recordings are now online.

The skeptics have some difficult questions which have caused good men to stumble. But Bible believers have some excellent answers that strengthen the faithful and help them realize the solid foundation of Christianity. We have called upon ministers in the Atlanta area to marshall some of these answers and present them in a format that we hope will encourage and equip us to be ready to give an answer. All are invited to attend; however, this meeting is especially for teenagers and those attending college. Make plans to join us. Our agenda is outlined below.

Defense of the Faith Seminar
Sunday 12/26 – Tuesday 12/28 2010

Sunday Evening, December 26

• 6:30pm-6:45pm Singing
• 6:45pm-7:15pm Elder Gus Harter – Introduction: Christian World View
• 7:15pm-8:15pm Elder Marty Hoskins – Inspiration of Scripture

2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

The inspiration of Scripture is central to the Christian faith.  There is nothing more important than believing that the Scriptures are divinely inspired and, therefore, inerrant.  If we deny this most fundamental of doctrines, then there is nothing upon which our faith can be established.  Without the inerrant word of God, we have nothing to which we can appeal as a final arbiter of the truth.  We do not expect the unregenerate world to accept this doctrine, no matter how solid the arguments for it may be. However, it is essential that the minds of God’s children be settled on this topic to allow them a measure of comfort that God has revealed His will to us, and we have access to that will through the word of God.  In this presentation, we will set forth a series of views in support of the inspiration of the original writings that compose what we consider to be the Holy Bible.   We will do that through examining the testimony of Scripture looking at what the Scriptures say about the Scriptures and also what Jesus says about Scripture.  Then we will look at the trustworthiness of Scripture through the internal consistency of the word of God and through extra-Biblical evidence.

• 8:15pm-8:45pm Question and Answer Session

Monday, December 27

• 8:30am-8:45am Singing
• 8:45am-9:45am Elder John Melvin – “I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist!”

We will examine compelling and thought provoking arguments for believing in one God. The source of this message stems from the fact that recently, there have been many critics and skeptics on the existence of a God and on religion, specifically Christianity. This message refutes the claims made by critics such as Dawkins and his colleagues. However, besides just refuting the claims, we will, in turn, look at the biggest reasons for doubt people have, and the most compelling reasons to believe in God.

• 9:45am-10:15am Question and Answer Session
• 10:15am-10:30am Break
• 10:30am-11:30am Elder Gus Harter – “The Historic Christ”

Without fear of controversy, Jesus Christ has left the most permanent impression on the history of man. All history, both past and present is dated from His advent into the world. Christ made clear claims of deity. He presented himself as the only avenue to a relationship with God, the only source of forgiveness for sins, and the only way of salvation. I agree with the statement by English apologist C. S. Lewis: “You can shut Him up for a fool; you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” This message will consider the historical and “infallible proof” of his birth, death and resurrection.

• 11:30am-12:00pm Question and Answer Session
• 12:00pm-1:30pm Lunch
• 1:30pm-1:45pm Singing
• 1:45pm-2:45pm Elder Dolph Painter – “Mortgage, lit. ‘dead pledge’ (see MORT a. and GAGE sb.) Oxford English Dictionary”

In coming to a knowledge of the Lord, the children of God learn to clean up their walk, their talk, their thoughts, and their balance sheet. Their balance sheet? Yes, the Bible has a lot to say about personal finance and financial stewardship. This presentation will share many of the things I wish I knew when I graduated from high school, from student loans to nest eggs.

• 2:45pm-3:15pm Question and Answer Session
• 3:15pm-5:30pm Recreation
• 5:30pm-6:30pm Supper
• 7:00pm-9:00pm Film on Creation

Tuesday, December 28

• 8:30am-8:45am Singing
• 8:45am-9:45am Elder Marty Smith – “Why is There Suffering?”

Often, people who believe in the God of the Bible are challenged by the following question: “If you believe that God has all power, and that God is good, then why does God allow wickedness and suffering?” Sometimes unbelievers present this challenge; sometimes circumstances present this challenge. Can you and I answer this challenge, no matter how presented?

When one suffers the loss of a child who never did anything wrong that we could observe, when natural disasters sweep over a helpless community, when rulers impose terrible cruelties upon people under their power, the question that often arises is, “Where is God? How could He allow this to happen? Why did He not stop it?” The short answer is, “God is on His throne. It pleased Him to allow it. It did not please Him to stop it.” These are truths, and those truths do help sometimes, but the Bible provides more insight into the matter than that.

The Bible speaks of the origin of suffering, and also speaks of the purpose for its continuing in time, and speaks of its conclusion for the beloved of God. The Bible points to the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, who – through pleasing to God the Father and loved by God the Father – yet suffered the greatest of all agonies. The God who allows us to suffer, Himself suffered. Possessing perfect goodness, and motivated by love, He suffered to end suffering for His people forever, and endured the cross for the joy that was set before Him.

• 9:45am-10:15am Question and Answer Session
• 10:15am-10:30am Break
• 10:30am-11:30am Elder Randall Cagle – “Sexual Purity”

Hebrews 13:4: “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.”

God knows and has established that if sex is going to be meaningful, it must be experienced within a loving committed marriage. Why does God want you to wait till you are married to experience and enjoy sexual relations? The answers are to come later.

• 11:30am-12:00pm Question and Answer Session
• 12:00pm-1:30pm Lunch
• 1:30pm-1:45pm Singing
• 1:45pm-2:45pm Elder Dan Hall – “The Truth of God Vs. the Lies of Satan”

The world we live in holds that each society, group, religion, or culture determines its own “truth” so that truth is relative to the group rather than to any absolute standard. In such a world no one “truth” is more right or correct than any other: no one truth has any more authority than any other. However, Jesus claims with exclusivity, “I am. . .the truth.” The Bible claims that “truth. . .came by Jesus Christ,” that our worship and our walk has to be in the truth of God, and that the church of God is “the pillar and ground of the truth,” not the university, the legal system or the seat of government. But Satan is the god of this world, he is a liar and the father of lies, and it is the nature of fallen man, in the image of Satan, to “hold the truth in unrighteousness” and to “turn the truth of God into a lie.” What then can a young disciple of Christ do to withstand the wiles of the devil, the deceptions of the philosophies of men, the apathy of modern society, and the rulings of secular governments? What can they do to take the offensive for the truth of God? The issue is as old as creation, but it is one that every generation must confront and master or be destroyed and brought into bondage. In order to answer these questions this session will address:

Location and Housing

The Defense of the Faith Seminar will be held at Bethany Church’s new location at 5101 Old Atlanta Road, Suwanee, Georgia.  If you plan to attend, please notify Melissa Sardonia at msardonia@comcast.net or 678-665-4123 so that we can adequately prepare.  Please let us know by December 18, 2010 if possible. We will provide homes for lodging as many as possible. Also, we have blocked hotel rooms in the area for this meeting.

The Hilton Garden Inn at 11695 Medlock Bridge Road, Johns Creek, GA is giving us a very special reduced rate of $69 per night which includes an amazing breakfast buffet free of charge for everyone in the room. You can reserve your room by calling (770) 476-1966 and letting them know you are with the Bethany Church group.

Comfort Suites on Hwy 20 in Cumming has also given us a special group rate of $79 per night. Call at (678) 468-2743 and let them know you are with our Bethany Church group.

If the Bible is not something more than the scribbling of men, Christianity has no foundation. With this message on the inspiration of scripture, Elder Gus Harter begins a series on the Foundations of Faith.

Due to technical problems with the recording, this recording is incomplete. We will work to correct this problem and post an update as soon as possible!

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