Apologetics Conference

January 2-5, 2024

NEW ORLEANS BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY


Registration Opens August 1, 2023

Register Here

“Make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15)

Worship led by Quint Adkins

Letter from the Worship Leader

The Most Important Thing in Christian Apologetics

You can't go to an apologetics conference without hearing something about 1 Peter 3:15. In this talk I unpack what 1 Peter says—and doesn't say—about Christian apologetics by looking closely at what it really says.

Models for Understanding the Relationship of the Bible and Science |

How should we think of the relationship between science and the Bible? Is the Bible the revelation of God regarding all forms of truth, including truths about the natural world? Or is the Bible God's revelation of himself and of spiritual truths regarding his commands for us and his relationship with us, while he equips us with other resources to find truths about the natural world? We will address this question by identifying a set of possible models for thinking of the relationship between science and the Bible, ranging from the view that the Bible is the primary and complete source of truth in all subject areas to the hard scientific naturalist view that modern natural science offers the best and most successful form of finding truths, and by examining strengths and weaknesses of each model.

Description Coming Soon

Addressing Naturalistic Alternatives to the Evidence for God from Science

The cosmological argument for an origin to the universe and the teleological argument for design are powerful evidence for the existence of God. In response, non-theists have presented ideas that attempt to refute this evidence, including ideas about the origin of the universe that do not require a transcendent cause, and ideas such as a multi-verse, which seem to thwart any argument from design. This talk will review some of the evidence for God from science and then discuss how to present the scientific evidence in a way that anticipates naturalistic responses and weakens those responses, showing that the naturalistic responses are inadequate to explain the evidence.

B.R.I.C.S. (Black Religious Identity Cults)

Identifying what Black Religious Identity Cults are and how they formed.

The Trouble with the Trinity

Critics of historic Christianity disagree about almost everything, but they all reject the doctrine of the Trinity. In this session, you'll be equipped with a basic understanding of the Trinity and its biblical basis and prepared to answer the most common objections against this doctrine.

Jesus' Resurrection: Our Answer to Death and Dying

Description Coming Soon

Anything But Christianity - How Skeptics Become Seekers

This session takes a closer look at how and why fifty former atheists became open to the possibility of God as a first step toward belief. It provides practical insight for both apologists and evangelists in effectively engaging non-believers.

The Gospels and Acts as Historical Reportage

The first five books of the New Testament present us with an account of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and the growth of the early church. Contemporary biblical scholars often downplay the idea that these accounts can be taken at face value. But there are numerous clues, both internal and external, that they are in fact reportage, written by people who are close up to the facts and habitually truthful.

Was Jesus Really Born of a Virgin? Answering Key Objections

This session wrestles with common objections to the virginal conception of Jesus described in the gospels of Matthew and Luke, making a clear case for their historical reliability.

Answering the 4 Basic Questions of Life

There are 8 billion people alive on planet earth today, and every person asks the same basic questions of life. Where did I come from? Why I am I here? What is wrong with me? What is the solution. We will answer these 4 questions through an overview of Genesis 1 - 3.

Stranger in the Manger: What Child is This?

Cults and Counterfeit Christian groups almost always misunderstand the incarnation and deity of Jesus. This presentation will discuss how and why they do, and the consequences of misunderstanding who Jesus is.

Evidence for the Resurrection

Based on cutting edge research and solid historical evidence, this talk will demonstrate that it is eminently reasonable to believe that Jesus really did come back from the dead exactly as the New Testament describes.

Being Human in an Age of AI and Chat GPT

The capabilities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) continue to accelerate, seemingly at an alarming rate, in both efficiency and ability to mimic qualities and behaviors that were previously considered to be uniquely human. How do we navigate such developments?Is there anything unique about being human or are we merely neurochemical machines that one day will also exist in silicon form? This lecture will examine questions of human identity in the light of AI, philosophy and modern neuroscience.

I Believe in the Virgin Birth ... and So Does Richard Dawkins: A Cheesy Proposal

The Christian worldview unapologetically embraces the existence of miracles: the divine creation of the universe, the creation of human beings in the image of God, the parting of the Red Sea, and the multiple miracles wrought in the ministries of Elijah, Elisha, and most pre-eminently Jesus of Nazareth. Contemporary critics of Christianity, such as Richard Dawkins, argue that such divine miracles are both unbelievable and unnecessary: unbelievable because 'educated scientific people' know that such things cannot and do not happen; unnecessary because the process of naturalistic evolution explains everything that is, has been, and will be. I will argue, to the contrary, that critics like Dawkins who embrace both an evolutionary explanation for the descent and diversity of biological life and an overarching naturalistic (godless) worldview must believe in a number of inexplicable miracles as well. In particular, I will show why and how naturalistic evolution cannot escape the historicity of the virgin birth. In short, both Richard Dawkins and I believe in the virgin birth: but I at least acknowledge such a belief.

Why Attend Defend?


Experience four full days of teaching from world renowned apologists.

Receive access to all breakout session audio recordings.

Enjoy "Coffee & Conversations" with guest speakers everyday.

Preview the NOBTS campus & experience the culture of New Orleans.

Don't miss this chance.


Conference Fee

General Public and NOBTS Grad $149
Undergraduate and High-School Students $75

NOBTS Course Credit

If you are a student at NOBTS, you can take up to 9 hours of core course credit through special event courses.

Our Heart


For the Nations

We bring the World's top defenders of the faith together to equip Christians to share the Gospel to all peoples.

For God's Glory

We mix deep teaching with engaging worship led by people who are passionate about glorifying the name of Jesus.

For God's People

We want to prepare Christians for obsticles to faith both outside of and within the church.



APOLOGETICS CONFERENCE
JANUARY 2-5, 2024


New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
3939 Gentilly Blvd.
New Orleans, LA 70126

(504) 816-8196