Update on “Iron Sharpens Iron” Upcoming Conference at Emmaus Bible College (Part 1)

I am honored to participate in this year’s “Iron Sharpens Iron” conference for church and assembly leaders which will be held on May 22-25.  Details on the conference may be found here.

I have the privilege of speaking to the conference as a whole twice:  My message at the beginning of the conference is entitled:  “Orthodoxy Under Fire:  Who’s Shooting and Why?”  My message at the end of the conference is entitled: “A Life of Living Biblically.”

I also get to do four workshops.  The titles are:

I want to share a couple of details of these upcoming messages — and welcome feedback from my readers.

PLENARY SESSION #1:  “Orthodoxy Under Fire:  Who’s Shooting and Why?”

There are so many questions to deal with in this session.  Can “orthodoxy” even be defined?  Can it be achieved or attained?  There are those who say that no one has reached orthodoxy yet.  I will be sharing the results of my study of the use of the word “truth” by the Lord Jesus in the gospels and the expression “the faith” used in the New Testament epistles.

To the question, “Who’s Shooting?”, I hope to touch on several critics of orthodox Christianity, both “the sons of the church” (meaning those who have been in the Evangelical environment and have turned away) as well as outsiders.  Brian McLaren, a friend of 40 years ago who has embraced classical liberalism, writes:  “I don’t think the liberals have it right. But I don’t think we have it right either. None of us has arrived at orthodoxy.”  (to be continued)

Questions:

1.  Where do you see orthodoxy challenged?

2.  What biblical principles guide you in dealing with those who are denying the Christian faith?