WHAT IS THE GOSPEL ON TRIAL & STAGE CONFERENCE?
The Gospel on Trial and Stage is a unique event that can reach unbelievers and strengthen the church through a combination of evangelism, apologetics, theatre, music, and the proclamation of God's Word. Paul has a passion for evangelistic preaching and educating the church on issues of apologetics, but sometimes hearts are touched through stories and music. The Gospel on Trial would utilize evangelistic messages that employ evidence from science, history, or philosophy in favor of Christian truth claims and would also provide a school of apologetics on big and important questions of human existence and the Christian life. The Gospel on Stage is like a cross between a one-man theatrical performance whose script is the entire Gospel of John or Gospel of Mark and a musical that sprinkles in piano music at different points in the Gospel's story, providing the audience with a dramatic enactment of Jesus' life and a smattering of his words spoken over music. The Gospel on Stage is a memorized word-for-word Gospel of John or Gospel of Mark dramatic recitation, though Paul would also be offering a memorized recitation for Romans or other books of the New Testament.
WHAT TOPICS CAN BE COVERED IN THE GONTS CONFERENCE?
At this point, there are a limited number of apologetics talks have been prepared for delivery in a Gospel on Trial and Stage conference. Those talks (or something like them) are marked below with a double asterisk (**). Other talks listed are talks that Paul would like to develop and give in the future; if you would like a Gospel on Trial and Stage conference at your church and see a talk a listed here that has not yet been developed, let Paul know and he could prioritize the research and development for that talk such that it would be ready for the conference at your church.
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
**1. A positive case for the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ
**2. Can other theories explain away the resurrection?
**3. Are there good scientific or philosophical objections to the resurrection?
4. Do the resurrection accounts contradict each other?
Christianity & World Religions
1. Why Hinduism & Buddhism are not true
2. Why Islam is not true
3. Examining Mormonism, Spiritism, Jehovah's Witnesses, & the Bah'ai faith
4. Examining Christian Science, Scientology, Unitarian Universalism, & the Theosophical Society
Who Wrote the Bible?
**1. Why objections to the traditional authorship of the gospels fail
2. Why the apostle Paul is the author of the Pastoral Epistles, Ephesians, Colossians, & 2 Thessalonians
3. Did Moses write the first five books of the Bible?
4. Are Daniel and Isaiah really the authors of the books of Daniel & Isaiah?
Intelligent Design
1. Intelligent design in cellular biology
2. Intelligent design in astronomy
3. Scientific problems of New-Darwinism and universal common ancestry
4. Philosophical arguments for God's existence
Is Christianity Good?
**1. How could a good God allow so much pain, suffering, and evil? And why a God who wants to save sinners must permit horrendous evils
2. Is the Old Testament God a genocidal maniac who condones slavery?
3. Is eternal torment in hell just?
4. Does Christianity's denial of homosexual marriage make it outdated and pernicious?
Do We Have the Right Bible?
1-2. When did the New Testament canon develop and why does it matter? Parts 1 & 2
3. When did the Old Testament canon develop and why does it matter?
4. The self-aware authority of New Testament writers, the textual focus of early Christians, and the textual trasnsmission of the New Testament
Who is Jesus Christ?
1. What Jesus said about himself
2. What Jesus taught about his own divinity
3. What Jesus' disciples said about his divinity
4. What Jesus' enemies said about him: The existence, life & death of Jesus in non-Christian sources
HOW LONG IS THE GOSPEL ON STAGE?
GOSPEL OF JOHN
Act I (Chs. 1-11): 1 Hr 25 min
10-15 minute intermission
Act II (Chs. 12-21): 1 Hr
GOSPEL OF MARK
Act I (Mk 1:1-9:1): 50 min.
10-15 minute intermission
Act II (Mk 9:2-16:20): 55 min.
ROMANS
1 Hr
The times above are estimates and approximate; real times may differ
EXAMPLE SCHEDULES FOR THE GONTS CONFERENCE
SUNDAY ONLY (CHURCH)
Sunday, October 11, 2099
9:00 AM The Resurrection in a Secular Age (Sermon/Message for Sunday Service)
10:30 AM A Positive Argument for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
6:00-8:00 PM The Gospel of Mark: A Word-for-Word Theatrical Performance from Memory with Music
FULL WEEKEND (CHURCH)
Saturday, October 10, 2099
School of Apologetics: The Resurrection
12:00 PM The Existence, Life, and Death of Jesus in Non-Christian Sources
1:30 PM Can Other Theories Explain Away the Resurrection?
3:00 PM Are There Good Scientific or Philosophical Objections to the Resurrection?
7:00 PM The Resurrection in a Pluralistic Age (Optional Sermon/Message)
Sunday, October 11
9:00 AM The Resurrection in a Secular Age (Sermon/Message for Sunday Service)
10:30 AM A Positive Argument for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ (Sunday School)
6:00-8:00 PM The Gospel of Mark: A Word-for-Word Theatrical Performance from Memory with Music
TWO DAY (UNIVERSITY)
Tuesday, October 13, 2099
12:00-1:45 PM A Positive Argument for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ (and Q&A)
7:00 PM The Resurrection in a Secular Age (and Q&A)
Wednesday, October 14
12:00-1:45 PM Can Other Theories Explain Away the Resurrection? (and Q&A)
7:00-9:00 PM The Gospel of Mark: A Word-for-Word Theatrical Performance from Memory with Music
THREE DAY (UNIVERSITY)
Tuesday, October 13, 2099
12:00-1:40 PM A Positive Argument for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ (and Q&A)
7:00 PM The Resurrection in a Pluralistic Age (and Q&A)
Wednesday, October 14
12:00-1:40 PM Can Other Theories Explain Away the Resurrection? (and Q&A)
7:00 PM The Resurrection in a Secular Age (and Q&A)
Thursday, October 15
12:00-1:40 PM Are There Good Scientific or Philosophical Objections to the Resurrection? (and Q&A)
6:00-8:00 PM The Gospel of Mark: A Word-for-Word Theatrical Performance from Memory with Music
EXAMPLE PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS FOR THE GONTS CONFERENCE
Endnotes:
In place of a comments section, Dr. Larson accepts and encourages letters to the editor. If you would like to write a letter to the editor, then feel free to submit your letter here.