Southeast Lectureship

“Do you think you’re the only ones going to heaven?” “What about the thief on the cross?” “What if someone dies on the way to be baptized?” “Why don’t you have women preachers?” These and many more questions are often heard by Christians who are trying to evangelize. Having a ready and adequate answer to these questions would be so helpful to those who are taking the “great commission” seriously.

Beginning this Sunday, April 23, 2007 and going through Wednesday night, April 26, 2017, the Southeast Institute of Biblical Studies, a work of the Karns congregation in Knoxville, TN will be conducting our 43rd Annual Bible Lectureship. This year’s theme is on the subject of Evangelism. Not just, “we need to do it,” but practical tips that will help us to do it and do it well.

One of the greatest hindrances to evangelizing is the fear Christians have of being asked a question to which we won’t know the answer. One of our focal points in this year’s lectureship is to address questions we frequently hear, such as…

• Why don’t you have music?
• Do you think you’re the only ones going to heaven?
• Why do you take the Lord’s Supper every Sunday?
• What about the thief on the cross?
• My mother was never baptized, what’s her destiny?
• Why don’t you all believe in grace?
• Why don’t you have women preachers?
• What if someone dies on the way to be baptized?

These are all good questions and deserve good answers. These are also the titles of eight of the lectures you will hear at this lectureship. Special attention will also be given to various models of evangelism and how to reach people from a variety of backgrounds (e.g. Muslims, Atheists, Catholics, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Secularists).

For the past five years, Southeast has been publishing their lectureship book in a 132-page paperback book that is perfect for Bible class use. Each book consists of 26 lessons, or two quarters worth of material. Instead of long manuscripts, each lecture is formatted to be four pages in length, and designed for easy outlining and teacher use. Also, priced at only $5.00 per book, many churches have used these books for their classroom studies. If you’re interested in receiving this year’s book, or copies of previous years, you can call the school at 865-691-7444.

I would recommend you get the entire set. We are in the fourth year of a five-year series.

• 2014 – Lost: Needing Jesus
• 2015 – Faith: Responding to Jesus
• 2016 – Grow: Becoming like Jesus
• 2017 – Seek: Discipling for Jesus
• 2018 – Hope: Longing for Jesus

We would love to have you attend the lectureship this year. There are plenty of hotels in the Knoxville area. Many of you live in driving distance, and if need be, just come and spend the day with us. You’ll benefit from the lessons as well as the fellowship. If you cannot attend, the auditorium lectures will be streamed live on the Internet. You go to the Southeast website for further instructions about that.

One more matter. I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that the Southeast Institute of Biblical Studies exists to train men to become preachers. This isn’t accomplished without the generosity of people who believe in such a work. We constantly need brethren who are willing to partner with us in this task of training men to preach. Any support you can give to the school, whether one-time, or continued would be greatly appreciated.