2016 Meetings...
ATL RTB 13th AnnualChristmas Social
Please join us for a Christmas dinner at Zeal Modern Eatery to honor our speakers for RTB Atlanta for the past year. We will review the programs of the year and dream a bit about programs for the new year. Thursday December 1st Arrival and Fellowship 6:30 pm Dinner 7 pm Location: That is just a few blocks northwest of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in the Market Plaza just off Johnson Ferry Road.
If you did not receive an announcement and would like to come, please send us an email to let us know you are coming.
>> REMINDER: We have no RTB Atlanta meeting for November. <<
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October Meeting
presented by...
Dr Sam Shepard Thursday October 27th- 7:00 PM JOHNSON FERRY BAPTIST CHURCH
What convinces some Christian scientists that evolution is true? Groups like BioLogos are producing a wide range of material to show that evolution and Christianity are compatible. Implied in this proselytizing campaign is that evolution is a well established theory of biology that needs to be accepted by the evangelical community at large in order to maintain credibility.
What is the progressive creationist's response to the evidence evolutionary creationists/theistic evolutionists use to support their beliefs? Computational biologist Dr. Sam Shepard will help us understand the answers to these questions and more. Come and join us for an informative presentation.
Dr. Shepard grew up in Ohio as the son of a missionary and received his BA degree in computer science from a small private school called Bluffton College. He received his masters degrees at Bowling Green State University in applied mathematics (MA) & computer science (MS) and completed his PhD in biomedical science at the University of Toledo specializing in bioinformatics, a.k.a. computational biology. In 2011, after doing some research abroad, he became a post-doc at the CDC to help characterize influenza, later staying on there as a health scientist. He attends Briarlake Baptist Church and lives in Tucker with his wife Caitlin. |
September Meeting
presented by...
Glen Leckman Thursday September 29th- 7:00 PM JOHNSON FERRY BAPTIST CHURCH
Assessing the impact of the Christian faith on science goes beyond the acknowledgment that many great scientists, present and past, are Christians. This session will seek to demonstrate that the Biblical worldview was essential for science to develop. Furthermore, atheistic scientists are actually borrowing a Biblical worldview whether they realize it or not. An atheistic or naturalistic worldview by itself will not necessarily produce results that are observable, consistent, and repeatable.
The discussion will include the important role that Reasons to Believe plays in providing a solid, well-reasoned explanation of how the world points to an Intelligent Designer rather than materialistic naturalism.
Glen and Barbara Leckman work with Christian faculty at at Georgia Tech, Georgia State University and Kennesaw State University. Glen is a graduate of the University of Wyoming. Glen and Barbara are staff members of Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ). Glen and Barbara worked more than 20 years with the sports branch of Cru, helping to start the Athletes in Action ministry in South Africa where they lived for several years. Since returning to the US in 1996 they have worked with Faculty Commons, a ministry to university professors. They spent the 2013 -2014 school year in China learning the language and reaching out to professors in that nation. |
August Meeting
presented by...
Thursday August 25th- 7:00 PM JOHNSON FERRY BAPTIST CHURCH
This month's RTB meeting will involve a tour of the Grand Canyon! Well, not literally, but it will involve a review of a new book by 11 authors, most of whom are professional geologists and most of whom are Christians. And it will involve a look at the geology and fossil evidence from the very bottom of the Canyon up to the top of the "Grand Staircase" at Bryce Canyon. The title above is the name of the book, and the subtitle is "Can Noah's Flood Explain the Grand Canyon?"
One of the objectives will be to compare and contrast the "Flood Geology" model (argues that the entire extent of the Grand Canyon was carved by a catastrophic and worldwide flood in a very short period) with the processes that have deposited the vast reserves of coal and oil that power our modern industrial society. But maybe the most fun will be to look at the beauty of this vast wonderland of the Canyon complex and see where the dinosaur fossils fit into all this. |
June Meeting
presented by...
Thursday June 30th- 7:00 PM JOHNSON FERRY BAPTIST CHURCH
Is the Bible all that Christians need in order to understand what God might want us to know about Him and His ways, especially regarding how we are to defend the truth of the Christian faith against the attacks of unbelievers? Is an appeal to "human reason" an affront to the sufficiency of Scripture? Is it a choice between "God's Word" and "man's word" - a battle between faith and reason? Dr. Richard G. Howe presents a discussion about the two main models of defending the Christian faith to show there is a place God has for our capacity to reason in contending for the truth. Come and join us!
Dr. Howe is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy and Apologetics at Southern Evangelical Seminary and President of the International Society of Christian Apologetics. He is a writer as well as a public speaker and debater in churches, conferences, and university campuses on issues concerning Christian apologetics and philosophy. Dr. Howe has a BA in Bible from Mississippi College, an MA in Philosophy from the University of Mississippi, and a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Arkansas. |
May Meeting
presented by...
Thursday May 26th- 7:00 PM JOHNSON FERRY BAPTIST CHURCH
Though Reasons To Believe is most often known as a science apologetics organization, the presence of Ken Samples as one of RTB's scholars actually opens up discussion of all apologetic issues, including history, archaeology, and philosophy. Hugh Ross has never been only about reasons to believe the universe is fine tuned, though he excels at that. He is an evangelist at heart and is ultimately about reasons to believe in Jesus. Jesus is what everything is all about because of who He is. Beginning with the work of Ken Samples in his book Without a Doubt, Ben and Duran Smith will give us a survey of the evidence for the Resurrection, which is the preeminent message of the New Testament to testify who Jesus is. Come and join us!
Ben Smith has been studying and teaching theology and apologetics for 30 years since becoming a Christian while attending Ga. Tech. He is the author of the book Genesis, Science, and the Beginning available now on Amazon and Kindle. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Christian Worldview and Apologetics from Luther Rice University and is the Ratio Christi Chapter Director at the University of West Georgia in Carrollton GA. |
April Meeting
presented by...
Thursday April 28th- 7:00 PM JOHNSON FERRY BAPTIST CHURCH
The asking of "Why?" questions presumes a purpose, because otherwise you are left with strictly chance and "necessity" or law. If the examination of "Why?" questions about the universe gives us evidence that is congruent with the Bible's picture of the universe, that leads us to other "Why?" questions such as "Why does the universe show decay?" and "Why is there so much evil?".
We will follow the lead of Hugh Ross's book "Why the Universe is the Way It Is" to discuss both the questions of astronomy and physical origins and the questions of evil and God's plan as revealed in the Bible. |
March Meeting
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Thursday March 31st- 7:00 PM JOHNSON FERRY BAPTIST CHURCH
Drawing from his experience in the advanced course in human origins offered by Reasons to Believe, Dr. Mark Tabladillo will review the recently revised book “Who Was Adam” by Dr. Fuz Rana and Dr. Hugh Ross. The first edition was in 2005, and a lot has happened in genetics and biochemistry in that 10 years.
Mark will describe the RTB model of “Who Was Adam?” and offer some comparison and contrast with the young earth creationist and the theistic evolution approaches to Adam. The new edition of the book is expanded by about 50% . Mark will outline the major science theories that are discussed. The goal is to raise your knowledge of the main topics that Christians can monitor as science moves forward into new discoveries in human origins. |
February Meeting
presented by...
Thursday February 25th- 7:00 PM JOHNSON FERRY BAPTIST CHURCH
Life could not exist in just any universe. Almost every aspect of our world has been designed to allow for life to exist. Eric Smith will be looking at some of the ways the universe is fine-tuned for life, and addressing some of the arguments against considering that fine-tuning is evidence for a Divine Creator.
Eric A. Smith received his Master's degree in Physics from Vanderbilt University where he was a member of the Supernova Cosmology Project, the co-discoverers of dark energy. He is currently an Instructor in Physics and Astronomy at Southern Polytechnic College of Kennesaw State University in Marietta, GA, and a regular attender at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church. |
January Meeting
presided by...
Thursday January 28th- 7:00 PM JOHNSON FERRY BAPTIST CHURCH
One approach to apologetics examines the features of nature that appear remarkably fine-tuned for the existence of life as we know it. This raises the question, “Can we imply a Creator from the nature of the creation?” Our next meeting will examine the remarkable nature of water: its fitness for the creation and maintenance of life, and the implications of its being fine-tuned for that purpose.
We challenge you to reflect on the question, “Can the nature of the creation point us to the God of the Bible?” Come prepared to discuss the issues that arise. |
