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Christian 'apologetics' event coming to Russellville

Jason Pierce was raised in church, but he began having doubts about Christianity at a young age.

He had plenty of questions but not a lot of people to ask. Pierce became an agnostic in his early 20s and found his belief in the Bible wavering.

I didn't know who Jesus was and didn't feel we could know who Jesus was. Then there was a point in my life where He touched me and I began really thinking about these questions and seriously searching for answers.”

That search led Pierce to two books: C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity and I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist by Dr. Frank Turek.

Those books really turned me around, along with the Bible,” Pierce said.

The life-changing impact Pierce experienced from Turek's book led him to reach out to the award-winning author and speaker to inquire about Turek coming to Russellville.

Turek is president of www.crossexamined.org, an evangelical, inter-denominational ministry based on Christian apologetics.

What is apologetics? It's the science and the art of answering questions about the truth of Christianity by using reasons and evidence.

Turek will hold two apologetics seminars in Russellville on September 10 & 11, from 6-8 p.m., at Russellville High School Auditorium. Admission is free and the events are open to the public.

The event is hosted by First Baptist Church of Russellville, and is co-sponsored by Mountain View Baptist, Pleasant Hill First Congregational Methodist Church, Belgreen Baptist, Divine Baptist and Union Hill Free Will Baptist churches.

At his seminars, Turek presents what he describes as powerful and entertaining evidence for Christianity. Turek hosts a weekly television program on the NRB Network and his radio program, CrossExamined with Frank Turek, airs on 186 stations each week.

A former aviator in the U.S. Navy, Turek holds a master's degree from George Washington University and a doctorate from Southern Evangelical Seminary.

The word apologetics first appears in the New Testament in 1 Peter 3:15, where the Apostle Peter addressed the people of Asia Minor, who were being persecuted because of their faith in Christ. Peter wrote: But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them nor be troubled but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense (apologia) to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is within you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.

Pierce, a deacon at First Baptist Russellville, said he regularly texts back and forth with his good friends Paul Wilbanks and Dustin Morgan asking each other questions about faith. Wilbanks and Morgan helped organize the apologetics event after Pierce ran it by the FBC education committee.

Each seminar will be approximately 90 minutes, followed by a question and answer session where Turek is often challenged about his beliefs.

Sometimes the Q&A is even better than his lecture,” Pierce said. “There are some good questions out there. Everybody has questions. I just hope they bring them with them to ask.”

Pierce said he organized the event at RHS Auditorium to encourage young people to attend in a setting they were familiar with.

We've talked to a lot of people and tried to get the word out in schools. I think our youth really need this because they get hard with social media where there's anything you want to read or hear right at your fingertips,” Pierce said. “It's hard to see what's true and what's not true. We really want kids to attend.”

For more information on Turek and his ministry, log onto www.crossexamined.org.

 

 

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