Satellite Seminars

The following satellite seminars are available on DVD in our church library:

The Case for a Creator

DNA strandLee Strobel likes to check things out. A professional journalist with a legal education from Yale Law School, he has lived by the old journalistic adage: "If your mother says she loves you, find another source to confirm it."

The award-winning author of the best-selling and heavily-researched The Case for Christ and The Case for Faith has recently tackled The Case for a Creator. In this special broadcast based on his latest book, Lee will share results of his in-depth investigation into how the universe began.

You'll discover how the latest scientific evidence refutes popularly accepted theories of naturalism and instead points to a world created by an intelligent designer.

Lee will share how:

  • Astronomers are discovering that the Earth is anything but the unremarkable planet of popular science lore. It may very well be utterly unique in its ability to support intelligent life in an otherwise lethal universe.
  • Cosmologists agree that the universe arose suddenly out of absolute nothingness.
  • Biologists that continue to probe the cell become more amazed at its intricacies — complexities so staggering that they confound all naturalistic attempts to explain life's origins.

Once, science and Christianity seemed light years apart. Yet today, increasing numbers of scientists are coming to the conclusion that the world looks well designed because it really is designed.

From the fields of cosmology, physics, astronomy, biochemistry, DNA research, and the study of human consciousness, Lee will share what more and more scientists are discovering about The Case for a Creator.

Presenters include Lee Strobel, Mark Mittelberg, and Stephen C. Meyer.

The Case for Christmas

From family gatherings to the singing of carols, from the exchanging of presents to the family meals, Christmas is all about traditions. And tradition has it that the very first Christmas saw a little baby born in a Bethlehem manger 2,000 years ago.

The story of Christmas is often seen just as that — religious lore. Discover what the historical evidence says about The Case for Christmas.

Award-winning author Lee Strobel takes a hard look at the evidence surrounding the birth of Jesus in The Case for Christmas.

Designed with spiritual seekers and skeptics in mind, The Case for Christmas will look at:

  • Who was in the manger?
  • Was he a mere human?
  • Was he a pretender?
  • Was he truly God incarnate?

Lee, a former atheist and one-time legal affairs editor at the Chicago Tribune, will look at evidence that convinced him that Jesus was who He claimed to be — the unique Son of God.

Presenters include Lee Strobel and Mark Mittelberg.

The Great Resurrection Debate

The resurrection of Jesus is at the epicenter of Easter — and of Christianity.

But was it an actual physical occurence... or perhaps just a nice religious metaphor? And either way, does it and should it matter in the 21st Century?

Two prominent, opposing viewpoints will tackle the question of the resurrection of Christ.

Arguing that the physical and bodily resurrection of Jesus was an actual event in history is Dr. William Lane Craig, Research Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology. Dr. Craig believes that there is powerful evidence to support his faith.

Opposing him, with a view that the resurrection was not an actual physical event, is John Shelby Spong, the retired Episcopal Bishop of Newark, New Jersey. Bishop Spong not only believes the resurrection did not happen, he feels it is time for the Christian message to be updated.

Both men will bring a passionate argument to the platform. What you believe on this topic matters, even if you've never given it much thought before now.

Presenters include Dr. William Lane Craig, Bishop John Shelby Spong, Dr. David Aikman, and Mark Mittelberg.

Movies, Media & Ministry

Some within the church embrace the impact that movies and media can have in a ministry setting. Others prefer a separation of church and culture.

Whatever you think of the media and motion pictures, one thing is certain: they heavily influence the culture in which you minister.

While most of us only know what we see and read about Hollywood, there are a number of Christians who are leaders in the movie industry.

George Barna has brought together an impressive group of experts — hands-on practitioners — for this unique presentation that will look at Movies, Media and Ministry.

Joining George are Randall Wallace, who earned an Oscar nomination for best screenplay for Braveheart; Ralph Winter, a leading movie producer; and Craig Detweiler, an author and chair of Biola's Mass Communications department.

These Hollywood insiders will talk about the impact of movies on peoples' lives, the potential of movies as a ministry vehicle, and how some churches are effectively integrating movies and other visual elements into their services.

Multicultural Ministry

Dr. David Anderson, the senior pastor of Bridgeway Community Church, believes that churches can make an impact in multiple cultures. And he has proof every Sunday when he preaches to more than 1,000 people at his diverse church in Columbia, Maryland.

As David says, "Multiculturalism isn't a trend — it's a reality. Evidence of our country's rich racial mix is all around us in our schools, our stores, our neighborhoods, our recreational facilities. Everywhere except our churches."

"Heaven may include every culture, tongue, and tribe, but in the United States, Sunday morning remains one of the last bastions of ethnic separatism. It's time to stop merely talking about multicultural worship and start living it."

David will help you discover how your church can transition from a single culture. He'll look at key issues, including:

  • Intentionality — placing ourselves in environments where people are different than we are
  • Identification — building bridges through common-ground connections
  • Insight — learning to listen and not label
  • Instruction — leading those around us through discipleship and teaching

While multicultural ministry isn't an exact science, there are principles that can help your church find its unique rhythm. As David says, "God is calling your church to the dance of unity in diversity. Don't hold back!"

Overcoming Overload

Ever feel like the more you do, the more you have left to do?

Ever not felt that way?

Dr. Richard Swenson's diagnosis is that, "life in modern day America is essentially devoid of time and space. Not the Star Trek kind. The sanity kind. Chronic overloading is the culprit: margin is the antidote."

"The 'more and more of everything faster and faster' phenomenon is crushing everybody... and it has a special significance and application to the church."

Fortunately, Dr. Swenson and Kevin Miller have a prescription to help church leaders Overcome Overload. In this broadcast, discover how you can bring focus, effectiveness, and sanity to your fast-paced life and ministry.

"To learn the grace of stillness in the midst of busyness is much needed oxygen for exhausted people everywhere," Dr. Swenson says. "We can rediscover the sacred pace of Jesus. Overload and hurry are not prerequisites for service but enemies of faith."

This presentation will help you discover how to:

  • Understand and correct stress and overload
  • Gain needed time reserves
  • Have more time and energy for family, faith, and friends
  • Create opportunities to recharge your batteries
  • Create margin for the things that matter most
  • Adopt the pace of faith

"By choosing our options wisely," Dr. Swenson says, "we will discover that personal and professional sustainability is achievable, with passion, productivity, joy, and excellence."

Understanding Other Religions – Islam

You invite your new neighbor to your church for this weekend's service. He gratefully accepts, with one condition: you join him at his mosque the following week.

Islam is not only in the daily news, it is in your world. From neighbors, to coworkers, to frequented business establishments, we interact with Muslims on a regular basis.

We know that Islam is one of the world's fastest-growing religions, but what do we really know about it?

Get ready for an exciting presentation that will open up your understanding of Islam. Mark Mittelberg is joined by a panel of experts to talk about Understanding Islam.

"Our aim is to help every Christian get a better grasp on the basic teachings of the Islamic faith," Mittelberg says. "We also want to provide practical ways that we can be reaching out to our Muslim friends with the love of Jesus."

Joining Mittelberg for a panel discussion are Dr. Ergun Mehmet Caner, Shirin Taber, and Dr. Viggo Olsen. They will talk about their personal interaction with Muslims and their faith, as well as provide insights into Islam.

When the Enemy Strikes

War correspondents are sent around the world to report on the fierce battles that rage. But spiritual warfare rarely is a topic of conversation... even amongst Christians who are daily impacted by its reality.

Spiritual warfare rages every day in the battlefield of your mind. But you'll be excited to learn that God has not left you defenseless... and that the battle can be won!

Dr. Charles Stanley has made spiritual warfare his frontlines in helping Christians understand how to live life When the Enemy Strikes. That is the focus of this broadcast.

Every Christian will experience an attack by Satan for the purpose of harming our spirit, soul, or body. God wants Christians to be under His control, but the enemy will do his best to destroy everything good in our lives. So the question becomes how to overcome these attacks.

Dr. Stanley will help you discover you can achieve victory by:

  • Identifying the enemy
  • Sensing his attacks before they cause damage
  • Dressing in the full armor of God
  • Standing firm in the battle for your mind
  • Understanding Satan's tactics against finances, relationships, and health
  • Claiming God's energy, divine power, and protection for you and your family

Why ADHD Doesn't Mean Disaster

What exactly is ADHD? And is my child doomed if he or she has it?

There are a lot of questions, perceptions, and misperceptions about ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). One thing that is certain: it is a real disorder.

Why ADHD Doesn't Mean Disaster is a broadcast designed to provide parents with a realistic, encouraging perspective on ADHD. The program features Dr. Walt Larimore, the head of Focus on the Family's medical ministry, and Dennis Swanberg, who coauthored the book Why ADHD Doesn't Mean Disaster with Dr. Larimore.

ADHD is unlike other childhood maladies. As Dr. Larimore says:

"We simply do not know what causes ADHD. There are no specific lab tests, X-rays or scans that guarantee correct diagnosis. However, we do know what ADHD looks like. We know how it impinges on the lives of those who live around these kids, teenagers, and adults who have it."

Yet as the title of the program and book indicates, all is not lost.

"Those looking for help in dealing with ADHD are not alone. Many parents are trying to discover the attention deficit dividends of their child. There is hope," Dr. Larimore says. "To unlock the potential in your child will require some work on your part, but it will be well worth it."

Presenters include Dr. Walt Larimore, Dennis Swanberg, and Diane Passno.

Presenters

David Aikman

Dr. Aikman is a journalist and author, and is a Senior Fellow with The Trinity Forum. A specialist on Russia, China, East Asia and the Middle East, David has had a lengthy career as a foreign and domestic correspondent, reporting for Time Magazine from five continents and more than fifty countries. He has interviewed a number of major world figures, including Mother Theresa, Manuel Noriega, Boris Yeltzin, Pham Van Dong, and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.

Dr. David Anderson

Dr. Anderson is the Senior Pastor of Bridgeway Community Church in Columbia, Maryland. While at Moody Bible Institute, he served as student body president and Assistant Pastor of Near North Baptist Church in Chicago's infamous Cabrini-Green neighborhood. Following his graduation, David served as a pastoral intern at Willow Creek Community Church. With a dream of planting a multicultural church with a focus on outreach, David and team began Bridgeway in the early 1990s — a church that now reaches more than 1,000 people a week.

George Barna

George is the Directing Leader of The Barna Group, Ltd. located in Ventura, California. The Barna Group analyzes American culture and creates both resources and experiences which facilitate moral and spiritual transformation. George has written more than 30 books, including such bestsellers as The Frog in the Kettle, A Fish Out of Water, Think Like Jesus, and Transforming Children Into Spiritual Champions. George is in-demand for his teaching and expertise, speaking at conferences, churches, universities and seminaries throughout the country.

Dr. Ergun Mehmet Caner

Dr. Caner is the President of Liberty Theological Seminary at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. He was raised the son of an Islamic leader. In 1982, he converted to the Christian faith after emigrating to this country. With his brother, Dr. Emir Caner, he has coauthored 11 books, including the new best seller Christian Jihad and Unveiling Islam.

William Lane Craig

Dr. Craig is Research Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology in California. After earning his undergraduate degree from Wheaton, Dr. Craig earned graduate degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (M.A.), the University of Birmingham, England (Ph.D.), and the University of Munich, Germany (D.Theol.). Dr. Craig has written many articles and books, including Assessing the New Testament Evidence for the Historicity of the Resurrection of Jesus, The Son Rises: The Historical Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus, and Reasonable Faith.

Craig Detweiler

Craig is Associate Professor and Chair of Mass Communications at Biola University. He is also a screenwriter and the coauthor of the book A Matrix of Meanings: Finding God in Pop Culture. His screenwriting credits include The Duke, Extreme Day, and an award-winning documentary, Williams Syndrome: A Highly Musical Species. He and coauthor Barry Taylor were 2004 Gold Medallion finalists for A Matrix of Meanings. Craig is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Davidson College; he has a Master's of Fine Arts from the University of Sothern California's School of Cinema/TV, and an M.Div from Fuller; and is working toward a Ph.D. in Theology and Culture.

Walter L. Larimore, M.D.

Dr. Larimore is Vice President of Medical Outreach for Focus on the Family. Prior to that, he was in a private group family medicine practice for 20 years, delivering more than 1,500 babies. Dr. Larimore is a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians and a member of the American Medical Association, the Christian Medical Association, and the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. He has hosted a daily live national cable show called "Ask the Family Doctor", as well as "Focus on Your Family's Health", a five-day-a-week medical and family health feature syndicated to radio and television. He is the best-selling author of a number of books, including Why ADHD Doesn't Mean Disaster.

Stephen C. Meyer

Stephen is the Director and Senior Fellow of the Center for Science and Culture at the Discovery Institute in Seattle. He earned his Ph.D. in the History and Philosophy of Science from Cambridge University. He has co-written or edited two books: Darwinism, Design, and Public Education and Science and Evidence of Design in the Universe.

Kevin A. Miller

Kevin is vice president of resources for Christianity Today International, editor-at-large of Leadership Journal, and executive editor for PreachingToday.com. He is author of numerous periodical articles as well as the books Secrets of Staying Power and More Than You and Me. His latest book is Surviving Information Overload.

Mark Mittelberg

Mark is the Executive Director of Evangelism for the Willow Creek Association and a frequent teacher on the CCN broadcasts, partnering with Lee Strobel to lead CCN's evangelism track. he is the author of Building a Contagious Church, the primary author of the best-selling Becoming a Contagious Christian curriculum, and contributing editor of The Journey, an NIV Bible with notes designed for spiritual seekers.

Dr. Viggo Olsen

Dr. Olsen is a physician who served as a medical missionary to Bangladesh for 33 years. He recounts his experiences in a pair of books: Daktar: Diplomat to Bangladesh and Daktar II: A Decade of Miracles in Bangladesh. His story is also highlighted in Lee Strobel's The Case for a Creator.

Diane S. Passno

Diane is Executive Vice President at Focus on the Family, where she has served for more than 22 years. Diane has also taken on numerous commitments outside the ministry, most notably, a two-year review of Title XX grants for the Reagan administration. She presently serves on the Citizens Review Panel for El Paso County, in conjunction with the Department of Human Services, as well as the Board of Directors of Christian Management Association. She is the author of Feminism: Mystique or Mistake? and Why ADHD Doesn't Mean Disaster.

Bishop John Shelby Spong

Bishop Spong is the retired bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark. As the author of 15 books, he is the most published member of the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church in the United States. His bestsellers include Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism, Living in Sin, Liberating the Gospels, and Why Christianity Must Change or Die. He is a frequent lecturer at conference centers and on college campuses.

Dr. Charles F. Stanley

Dr. Stanley is the Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Atlanta and found of In Touch Ministries. He has been at First Baptist since 1971. In Touch began as a local television ministry in 1972, moved to a national broadcast in 1978, and added a daily radio program in 1982. Dr. Stanley has twice served as President of the Southern Baptist Convention, was inducted into the National Religious Broadcasters' Hall of Fame, and has authored nearly 50 books (selling more than 3.5 million combined copies). When the Enemy Strikes is published through Thomas Nelson.

Lee Strobel

Lee is the award-winning author of such best sellers as The Case for Christ, The Case for Faith, and Surviving a Spiritual Mismatch in Marriage (co-authored with his wife, Leslie). His latest book, The Case for a Creator, looks at the latest evidence that is pointing more and more people to the God of creation. A former atheist and journalist, Lee has served as a Teaching Pastor at two of the country's largest and most-influential churches: Willow Creek and Saddleback.

Dennis Swanberg

Dennis is a public speaker known as the "Minister of Encouragement." He is also the host of Swan's Place on TBN. His speaking audiences range from churches to marriage enrichment seminars, businessmen retreats and corporate gatherings. Swan's Place has been described as "an hour of good, clean fun and entertainment, along with spiritual insight and encouragement." He has also been a pastor in Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana. He is the coauthor of Why ADHD Doesn't Mean Disaster.

Richard A. Swenson, M.D.

Dr. Swenson is a physician and futurist. Following 15 years with the University of Wisconsin Medical School, Dr. Swenson now researches and writes full-time about the intersection of culture, health, faith, and the future. He often speaks on the implications of social change to a wide variety of audiences. He is the author of the bestseller Margin and The Overload Syndrome.

Shirin Taber

Shirin is the author of Muslims Next Door. She was raised in a multicultural setting, with an Iranian father and American mother. She and her husband Clyde direct international media projects, specializing in the Damah Film Festival, which explores spiritual experience in film. In addition, she has authored two multicultural novels, American Eyes and Aysha.

Randall Wallace

Randall is a producer, screenwriter, director and author. He wrote the script for the Oscar-winning film Braveheart. He wrote, directed and produced both The Man in the Iron Mask and We Were Soldiers. He also wrote the screenplay for Pearl Harbor and served as executive producer. He starred in Hollywood in television, as a producer and writer for Stephen Cannell Productions, writing a number of screenplays for different series.

Ralph Winter

Ralph is a top Hollywood producer who has worked on such films as The X-Men, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek IV: The Undiscovered Country, Inspector Gadget, Left Behind, and others. His numerous projects also include short films and television. He is a member of the Directors Guild of America and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. His first work in Hollywood was post-production on the 1970s TV shows Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Taxi, and Mork and Mindy.