September 12-14, 2008

Main Speaker
Alex McFarland earned an M.A. in Christian Thought / Apologetics from Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA, and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Southern Evangelical Seminary. Angie McFarland is the godly and supportive wife who has played a tremendous role in all that the Lord has called Alex to do. They have been married since 1988, and now live in North Carolina.

As a speaker, writer, and advocate for Christian apologetics, Alex McFarland has spoken in hundreds of locations throughout the US. and abroad. He has been interviewed by Billy Graham’s Decision radio broadcast, James Dobson (Focus On The Family radio), The New York Times, The Washington Post, Chuck Colson’s Breakpoint broadcast, CBS, FOX, NBC news, (SRN) Salem Radio Network news, the Associated Press (AP) wire service, Los Angeles Times, Boston Herald, the BBC, OK- Celebrity News Magazine, Prime Time America, Bible Broadcast Network, La Vie (France), Christianity Today, Charisma, On Mission, and by many other media outlets as well.

In 1998, Alex was named one of North Carolina’s “Forty Leaders Under The Age of Forty,” by the Jaycees.



Through the “50-States-In-50-Days Tour Of Truth” in 2000, Alex and his ministry team made headlines as they conducted a crusade throughout every US state. This 50 state, 50 day event was covered in the media, became the subject of Alex’s first book, and was used by God to bring many people to personal faith in Christ.

Through the “Truth For A New Generation” apologetics conferences, Alex has assembled the world’s premier Christian apologists (such as Josh McDowell, Ravi Zacharias, Lee Strobel, Norman Geisler, and others), with a goal of introducing new audiences to the truths of Christianity.

Since 2000, Alex has been a weekly host for “Truth Talk Live,” a Christian call-in radio program heard in numerous parts of the nation. Alex serves Focus On The Family, Colorado Springs, CO, speaking and writing as their “Spokesperson for Teen Apologetics.”

In 2006, Alex was named the third President of Southern Evangelical Seminary and the Veritas Graduate School of Apologetics, located near Charlotte, NC. Founded by renowned scholar Norman Geisler, SES/Veritas offers Bachelor, Master’s, and Doctoral level degree programs, and is considered the nation’s premier school for the study of apologetics.

Special Music
So how does a kid from Portland end up on the mound of the Major League Baseball All Star game looking across from the likes of Cal Ripken, Pudge Rodriguez , and Derek Jeter? How does that same guy end up after a near fatal heart condition become a national CCM recording artist? Having his record produced by renowned producer Michael Omartian. Kent Bottenfield, the guy who has actually lived this life, sums it up in one word- God.

To Kent there is no other explanation…no other possible answer. To Kent it is the hand and direction of God that has lead him down this path through both the triumphs and the failures; through the victories and defeats; through the pain and the joy, it has always been and will always be about God and his son Jesus Christ. He believes that this incredible journey has lead to this place and this time where he knows he is more in the center of God’s purpose for his life than he has ever been. Kent says, “I just sit back in awe every time I hear how the music has affected someone or a single does well on the radio because I know I have nothing to do with it. I write about 90% of my music but the kicker is that I have almost no musical training. That is the reason I know God is in this. I have nothing to be prideful about. I have seen God work through an empty vessel, me.”

Worship
Eastside Foursquare will be leading us in worship this year.

 

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