A conference hosted by a local Christian group who believes the Bible provides “all necessary directions and instructions for a just, happy, and productive society” was held at Spooky Nook Sports in Manheim, Pennsylvania over the weekend.
The conference, “The Future of Christendom 2023: The Gospel at War,” was hosted by the Mid-Atlantic Reformation Society and began Friday night, spanning three days and ending with a Sunday morning church service by Independence Reformed Bible Church.
The keynote speaker for the conference was James White, an Arizona-based Christian pastor and apologist. White is well-known for his over 180 publicly moderated debates on various topics, including Mormonism, Roman Catholicism, and Islam.
On Friday night, White spoke about the challenges facing the church in a secular culture and the need for personal holiness among Christians. On Sunday morning, White preached a sermon from the New Testament book of Ephesians about spiritual warfare and the “armor of God.”
Saturday featured a dozen 18-minute talks on various aspects of culture, including the military, feminism, abortion, and government education. Speakers included an Air Force lieutenant colonel, a South African activist, and several pastors.
The conference also featured a three-hour debate between White and Gregory Coles on the question of, “Is ‘Gay Christian’ a Biblically Acceptable Identity for a Member of Christ’s Church?” Coles argued in the affirmative and White argued in the negative.
Luke Saint, chairman of the Mid-Atlantic Reformation Society board of directors, told The Lancaster Patriot that he was very pleased with the conference.
“The vision given of our organization was to faithfully execute a Christian conference wherein God was glorified, the name of Christ was exalted, friendships and relationships were created and strengthened, the saints were equipped, His Word was meditated on and taught, the Gospel of the Kingdom was furthered, and the kingdom of Satan was challenged,” Saint said. “We believe all of these goals, by God’s grace, were achieved. May Christ be praised!”
Over 200 people registered for the conference, with several others showing up the day of, according to the conference coordinator.
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the recorded debate. I thought it was exceptionally well done, and Dr. White presented the Biblical view clearly and concisely. Just excellent!