The Scriptures Come To Life

In what way is the Bible “the true story of the whole world?”

Why should I trust the Bible?

What are some tools to help me read the more difficult passages in the Bible?

Why does the Bible matter for my college classes, future vocation, and leisure preferences?

The Bible is the Word of God and, as such, is deeply relevant to our personal lives, our college studies, and our future vocations. It speaks with power to every dimension of society and culture, and across the fabric of human existence. In other words, the Bible matters not only for personal devotions and for Sunday mornings, but for the arts, the sciences, the university, the government, and business sector. For this reason, The Scriptures Come to Life equips students study God’s Word for all it is worth, to memorize it as our life depends upon it, to speak its truths powerfully in our 21st century context, and to apply the Scriptures to every aspect of our lives.

Plenary Speakers

Daniel Akin is president of Southeastern and a respected theologian, preacher and evangelical leader. He and his wife Charlotte have four sons, three daughters-in-law, and four grandchildren. He is the author of a number of books including God on Sex, Five Who Changed the World, and several biblical commentaries. He served as editor of A Theology for the Church.His teaching resources may be found at danielakin.com.

D. A. Carson is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He is the author or co-author of over 50 books, including the Gold Medallion Award-winning book The Gagging of God and An Introduction to the New Testament. He is general editor of Telling the Truth: Evangelizing Postmoderns and Worship by the Book. He has served as a pastor and is an active guest lecturer in church and academic settings around the world.

Tony Merida is the Lead Pastor of Imago Dei Church, Raleigh, NC. He also serves as Associate Professor of Preaching at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Merida previously served as Dean of the Chapel and Assistant Professor of Preaching at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He is married to Kimberly, with whom he has five children. He is the author of Faithful Preaching andOrphanology. He travels all over the world speaking at various events to various groups, including student camps & conferences, orphan care events, and pastors conferences.

Tullian Tchividjian is the pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, a visiting professor of theology at Reformed Theological Seminary, and a grandson of Billy and Ruth Graham. A graduate of Columbia International University and Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Tullian is the author ofDo I Know God? Finding Certainty in Life’s Most Important Relationship, Unfashionable: Making a Difference in the World by Being Different and Surprised by Grace: God's Relentless Pursuit of Rebels. He speaks at conferences throughout the U.S. and his sermons are broadcast daily on the radio program Godward Living.

Worship Leader

Matt Papa is a man on a mission. As an artist who isn't interested in simply making music for music's sake, Papa writes songs that center around God's word and doesn't consider his job done until the lyrics have taken permanent residence in a listener's gray matter.

"If you can write a song that's full of God's word, and that song gets in someone's head, that's a powerful thing," Papa says. "I often don't remember a sermon I heard yesterday, let along a year ago. But with songs, there's a hook, and people remember it. So that's why I want to write about Scripture. I don't want to waste time."