Lecture Topics

Thursday

Welcome & Overview of the Baby Conference — Doug Phillips

How to get the most out of the Baby Conference

In this brief introductory message, Doug Phillips walks you through the vision of this landmark conference, identifying key ideas and themes that will be addressed, and explaining the best way to get the very most out of the event. Pastors and elders need to recognize their duty to articulately and biblically address many of the issues raised here with their own congregations. Similarly, fathers and mothers can use this conference to discern helpful principles for biblical decision-making as it applies to some of the toughest issues facing families today. At The Baby Conference you will find helpful insights for grandparents, children, newlyweds, prospective married couples and more.

The Long War Against Babies — Doug Phillips

One way to understand the history of the world is as a long battle over life. The world began with the gift of life, and with a command to bring forth more life. Satan’s agenda has always been confusion, autonomy and death, and with the Fall of Adam, death entered the universe. Since that time, a war has waged over the future of life—both temporal and eternal. Now, for the fiftieth anniversary of “the Pill,” at a time when advocates of abortion and child prevention are claiming victory, Doug Phillips takes you on a six thousand year journey in the battle over life—and the life of children in particular—to show you that the battle over babies has always been a historic dividing line between the violence and rebellion of paganism and the hope of Christianity. With a special emphasis on the last two thousand years, Doug explains why this debate is central to the health of the Church and society today, and without squarely addressing it, we can only expect the judgment of God, the loss of our culture, and the marginalization of he influence of the Church. He explains how Christianity elevates the role of woman and motherhood, and paganism in both its ancient and modern incarnations, is inherently demeaning. He refutes common myths and misconceptions about child prevention techniques, and he presents the largely unified position of the Church before the 20th century in favor of procreation and in opposition to efforts to thwart the birth of children. He explains the horrifying consequences for the Church of adopting the pagan hypothesis on life, and how compromise on this issue opened up the door for Christians to embrace the tenets of radical feminism and to reject the historic and biblical view of the family. Finally, he examines the powerful implications of the great revival presently taking place as parents are turning their hearts to their children and God’s gift of the fruit of the womb.

The Wonders of Embryology — Geoff Botkin

How God fashions a baby from a tiny handful of stem cells. A scientific look at Psalm 139:16. The discipline of embryology reveals a process of careful and continuous order, purpose, and love. “Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.” (Psalm 139:16). Experience visually stunning journey through the mysteries and wonders of the human embryo: How do two cells come together, and then divide, and then multiply to make a baby? The stunning story of fetal development is not simply a wonder of God’s mighty and providential creation. It is a record of biological information that is crucial in understanding the pressing bioethical issues of contraception, abortion, stem cell research, fertility, cloning, and surrogate parenthood. Geoffrey Botkin takes us from the moment of cellular conception to birth, tracking specialization of the cells, organs and systems that make man fearfully and wonderfully made. A message for the whole family. An important message for home educators or anyone who wants to better understand both how to rejoice in the gift of life, and defend life against the arguments of modernity and post-modernity.

Friday

The Glory of the Fruitful Womb: Real Families Discuss the Joys and Challenges of Raising a Large Family for the Glory of God — Doug & Beall Phillips, Bob & Karen Allen, Geoff & Victoria Botkin, Ken & Devon Carpenter, Matt & Jennie Chancey, Jay & Kay Valenti

When Adam Smith wrote The Wealth of Nations, the average family in America had seven living children. That number has declined by more than 60%. Modern Americans are being trained to care more about the threat that a baby will leave a carbon footprint on the environment, than the glory of bringing an eternal soul into the universe. With the notable exception of television shows like 19 Kids and Counting, and exposure to families from America’s homeschool movement, modern Christians rarely see large families, and when they do, their first response typically includes notions like this: “Don’t you know how to stop that?”; “Enough is enough!”; “I could never afford that many children.”; “I can barely handle two children!”; “It would not be responsible for us to have more children”; “How are you going to pay for all of those college educations?”

In this free-flowing conversation we hope to explode some of the anti-family sentiments and myths of our secularized and evolution-influenced culture when it comes to perceptions about large families. We will explain how it can be easier, more efficient and more affordable to manage a large family than a smaller one. We will swap stories and insights from individual families raising seven children and more. Most importantly we will explain that when we embrace the heart and soul of God’s ongoing biblical requirement that man is “fruitful and multiply” that there is great blessing for the family, the children, the Church, and the Nation.

The world glories in designer bodies, luxury lifestyles, and the “freedom” of the barren womb. But the Bible pictures such sentiments, not as “glory” but as judgment. Instead, Children are presented in the Scripture as a glory, and those mothers who lay down their lives to bring them into the world as uniquely blessed. Yes, children are a blessing and the fruit of the womb is the reward of God. Children are not a curse or a drain, but a source of great prosperity to the Christian family, and those parents who actively seek this blessing are doing far more than simply defying the anti-child philosophy of selfishness that dominates our culture—they are demonstrating to the world that we serve a God who is the author of life, and who delights in children; they are building for themselves a rich heritage; and they are blessing their children, their family, their community, and their local church.

Suffer the Children to Come: How to Love Those Children Who Are Rejected by the Culture of Death — Kevin Swanson, R.C. Sproul, Jr.

The local church is not a gathering place for perfect people. It is an assembly of redeemed sinners, submitted to Christ and under His authority, each of whom are a work in progress. It is also a place for the infirm, the sick, the brokenhearted, and the disabled to worship the Lord in community alongside their fellow saints. Tragically, many churches will not “suffer the children.” They prefer the efficiency models of the modern world as opposed to the biblical pattern of inclusion. The challenges, interruptions, and difficulties have actually produced a community of love, patience, and understanding which transformed the heart of a local church. Only when Christians learn to “suffer the children” will they experience maturity and the richness of God’s blessing on their worship.

How to End Abortion in America: A Look at the Spiritual, Practical and Constitutional Realities — Jim Zes (moderator), Flip Benham, Dan Becker

Since the landmark legal ruling in 1973 by the Supreme Court of the United States decriminalizing abortion the shedding of innocent blood has been carried on under the color of law in this nation. In response to this decision the main pro-life strategy at the state and local level has been to limit, not prohibit, abortion. To this day, pro-life advocates continue to promote such laws as requiring parental consent before a minor may get an abortion, a 24-hour waiting period, and informed consent. However, all these proposals concede that abortions are legal, but should be limited so as to make them safer and rarer. If we are going to see the end of child killing in this country it is time for a new pro-life strategy and one that declares that the shedding of innocent blood is never an option and the unborn child is entitled to full personhood status under the Constitution. Finally, however, abortion will not end in America until the Church of Jesus Christ cleans it’s own house. For 1 Peter 4:17 states, “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” In this thought-provoking panel discussion the panelists will chart a new course for how the people of God can maintain a consistent pro-life ethic and honor God in our families, churches, and courts of this land.

How the Local Church Builds a Thriving Culture of Life — Scott Brown

A healthy, vibrant, group of families pursing the ways of the Lord. will help create a vibrant, living, joyful church, which in turn will provide a testimony to our communities of the life of Christ. From the role of children in the meeting of the Church, to the crucial ministry of single daughters, to the care of widows and orphans, to the duty of fathers, to the ministry of adoption, to a bold and clear ministry of pro-child theological advocacy from the pulpit, the body of Christ in all of its parts is to bring about “the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph 4:12-13). Learn how the body of Christ can create an environment of practical encouragement for young and seasoned families alike, and how Christ himself patterned this example for our instruction.

Surviving the First Fifty Years of The Pill: How Reproductive “Freedom” Destroyed Not Only our Culture, But The Christian Church — Geoff Botkin

This year, as the birth control pill turns 50, America is discovering lethal side-effects. In just 50 years, the pill has altered a nation’s ability to think. And there appear to be other side effects. Both men and women are mentally different, morally different, and even physically different from the preceding generation. The pill has spread from a utopian dream to a staple in the medicine cabinets of 110 million homes. But the pill is not another medicinal tablet. It cures no medical ailment. Fifty years ago, it was endorsed by the government as a drug that would change society. It has. Dramatically. Geoffrey Botkin tracks the red-letter dates in the deployment of this history-changing drug, and gives an inside, first-person account of what the pill did to the first generation of Americans who accepted everything the pill represents.

Naming Babies — Doug Phillips

In one sense, a name is the very first gift a parent gives a new chid that has come into the world. And this is a gift that carries with it the possibility of blessing, inspiring and influencing that child for the rest of their lives. Despite this fact, most parents in America pick the names of their children based on personal whim. But is there a better way? It is a matter of historical fact that many of the great Christian revivals have been accompanied by seasons of rich and meaningful names given to children with the goal that such names would communicate an important message. What does this look like? What principles should govern? Now, in this humorous and practical talk, a biblical philosophy for naming children is presented.

Symposium on Manhood & Babies

Top Legal Issues Facing Christian Parents — Don Hart, Esq. and Jesse Paine, Esq.

What is the role of the state vis a vis the family in America today? With the rise of the homeschool movement over the last thirty years we have seen an increase in challenges from out of control social workers who think the state is the parent and knows what’s best for the child. Parental rights are under attack like never before. In this important lecture, attorney and father Don Hart will discuss the top legal issues facing parents today as they seek to raise their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord free from government intrusion into the sanctity of the home. Topics will include: The state of parental rights in America; What you should know if you have foster children; How to deal with Social Workers, Spanking laws, International adoption, medical freedom issues such as midwifery and vaccinations options.

Fundamental Principles for Reforming Health — Dr. Ed Payne

Christians need to rethink foundational elements of what it means to be healthy. Are standards of modern medical practice beyond question? What biblical principles should direct our thinking as we steward our body—the temple of the Lord? Join Dr. Payne as he addresses these issues and other basic concepts which have been overlooked and in many respects been disregarded in our modern time.

Special Event: Ladies Tea With Michelle Duggar

Thanks to the success of the TV show, 18 Kids and Counting, Michelle Duggar has become one of the most well-known and influential examples of godly motherhood in America. She and her husband Jim Bob’s joyful presentation of the blessing of trusting the Lord for the fruit of the womb — both on their show and in regular interviews on major news programs — has spawned a national discourse on the issue, marked by encouraging advocates of their position as well as outspoken detractors. Ladies are cordially invited to take part in a special Ladies Tea Time with Michelle as she shares from her personal experiences as the mother of nineteen children. A nice selection of hot teas, pastries, scones, and finger sandwiches will be available at each table for this relaxing two-hour event with one of America’s most esteemed and prolific Christian mothers. This Event Has Reached Maximum Capacity and is Now Closed.

What the Bible says about Birth Control — Doug Phillips

For close to 1900 years, the virtually unqualified position articulated by church leaders was that it was improper for believers to attempt to thwart the birth of children. All of this changed in the Twentieth Century, when Christians adopted many of the philosophical premises of the birth control movement, successfully advanced by Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger. Today, the right, and even the duty, of parents to thwart the conception of children is for many an assumption of the modern Christian and non-Christian family alike. But if the Bible is truly sufficient for all of faith and practice, then it is to the Scripture, not the Kinsey Report, Dr. Spock or the latest Evangelical fad theologies, that we should turn for wisdom on the issue of procreation. In this controversial message, the biblical evidence is presented that Christ is sovereign over the womb, that all children are a blessing to Christian parents, and that the burden of proof is on proponents of birth control to demonstrate from Arguments that child prevention is justified on the basis of “good stewardship,” marital stability, economic exigencies, and personal whim, will be examined in the light of Scripture, as will broad arguments favoring birth control based on claims that the Bible is silent, or that if child prevention measures are not expressly forbidden, they are therefore expressly allowed. their controversial issues like “natural family planning” will be evaluated. Finally, this message will examine the meaning of children as God’s heritage and His reward.

Ladies Symposium: An Interview with Michelle Duggar

Children as Pets — Geoff Botkin

In the mid-20th century, America’s pursuit of materialistic affluence led a Christian nation away from Biblical practices, even within American homes. Once parents lost the vision of multigenerational family life, then family life came to be seen in terms of personal fulfillment, temporal affluence or conformity with popular trends. In some social circles, children became lifestyle accessories, status symbols or temporary nuisances to be managed by the experts. In just two generations, parents have lost the vision of biblical parenting in ways that must be recovered by a conscientious recovery of some basic Biblical doctrines that can return joy the home and blessing to the nation. Geoffrey Botkin compares the deepest weakness of the American Dream with the grand vision of Biblical family life.

Symposium on Biomedical Ethics for Birth — Doug Phillips, Geoff Botkin, Dan Becker, Dr. Ed Payne

The future of Western Civilization in the 21st Century may come down to our view on life. Many Christians have already conceded the premise that unwanted or inconvenient children should be prevented from coming into the world by separating life from love through various drugs or procedures that pervert the natural function of the womb or cut off the seed. But what are the biblical principles with regard to new medical technology that now allows for surrogacy, in vitro fertilization and cloning? When Christians concede the foundational principles of life and biomedical ethics they open the door to a “Brave New World” that is not governed by God and His law. In this symposium, Doug Phillips will navigate the thorny biomedical issues facing the family today and seek to give a biblically-based ethic for how Christians can honor God even as they seek a godly seed.

Ladies Symposium: Why We Must Be Ladies Against Feminism — Jennie Chancey

In the great battle for the biblical family, the spirit of feminism in all of its shapes, sizes, and various incarnations has always been one of the destroyers of noble womanhood. In this 90 minute message Mrs. Jennie Chancey will deliver the important message of “Why We Must Be Ladies Against Feminism.” This session will include an opportunity for Q & A.

The Indispensable Role of Grandparents in the Life of Children — Scott Brown and Bill Brown

Did you know that the Bible has more to say about grandfathers than even fathers? And we see that the spiritual heritage of Timothy’s grandmother was a point of reference as Paul spoke of the faith of Lois. From the blessing of Jacob upon Joseph’s children, to the martyrs of the reformation penning letters and books to their yet unknown descendants, history surrounds us with examples of grandparents, great grandparents and great great grandparents who have influenced their descendants for the glory of God, and untold others whose sins and habits of bondage continued to wreak havoc upon their descendants for generations into the future. Our actions have consequences beyond our own generation. As we move into a second generation of home educators we must chart a course for multigenerational and covenant keeping faithfulness.

Demographics of Family Life — Doug Phillips

In this brief session Doug Phillips will interact with the audience through the use of Extreme Meetings technology to ask questions of the audience regarding the demographics of their family life. This will be an interactive and informative session.

Special Tribute to Michelle Duggar

Join Vision Forum Ministries as we take a special opportunity to honor the legacy of one of America’s most influential mothers as she receives the “Mother of the Year” award from Vision Forum Ministries president Doug Phillips. Michelle’s example of raising 19 children is certainly worthy of special honor as she has been a beautiful and shining example of sacrificial and loving motherhood through her family’s ministry. Michelle Duggar is more than the mother of a large family who has a successful reality TV show. She is the loving and honoring wife to her husband Jim Bob and faithful mother to nineteen children and now a grandmother!

Haiti’s Message of Hope to the Children of America — Doug Phillips

The bible says the care for widows and orphans is “pure religion and undefiled before God” and this year the world witnessed the largest orphan created event in the world with the massive and tragic earthquake in Haiti. In this emotionally powerful and riveting message Doug explains the practical course Christians can take in the midst of despair and the sense of gratitude parents and children in America should have for each other for the blessings they experience. Doug takes you into the heart and soul of life of the displaced children of Haiti with first hand accounts and images from ground zero of the damage. He squarely addresses the international community, Hollywood, and UNICEF’s war against Christian adoption as they have prevented thousands of orphans from being placed in loving homes because of their hated for Christianity. Join Doug as he expounds above the profound loss that the people of Haiti experience on January 12, 2010 and offers hope which is found in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Saturday

Symposium on the Hope of Adoption: Lessons for the Future of Adoption from the Great 2010 Crisis in Haiti

Women’s Symposium: Managing Logistics for a Large Family — Beall Phillips (moderator, Jennie Chancey, Carmon Friedrich, Kim Coughlan, and Victoria Botkin)

How do you as a busy mother schedule your day to fit it all in? How do you prepare food for spontaneous guests who drop in unexpectedly? What’s a good way to get your children to set through church quietly and respectfully? How do you encourage positive relationships between older and younger children? In this two-part panel discussion, various moms will share their perspective on these and other practical topics related to managing logistics for a large family. While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to running a thriving household, you can glean much from the different perspectives shared by the veteran moms who are on this panel. Learn how other moms approach cleaning and chore charts, traveling with children, and much more.

The Future of Healthcare in America: How Must the Church and Family Respond to Socialized Medicine — Wesley Strackbein, James Lansberry, Dr. Ed Payne, Dr. Mo Gill

The verdict is in: The welfare state we have created to meet our health care needs is destined to fail. The statistics are undeniable: Due to the fact that we have cut off the seed over the last 50 years through contraceptives and abortion, our growing elderly population will soon dwarf the smaller working-class generation that follows after them, leaving Social Security and Medicare bankrupt. Our health care system as we know it is about to implode. This looming crisis is well-known among social commentators and politicians alike, but what is lacking in public discourse on this issue are solid, biblical solutions to the problem. The good news is this: By taking decisive action now, churches and families have a golden opportunity to fill the health care void by creating a financial safety net and pursuing creative solutions to care for those in need. This plan will involve sacrifice, but if God’s people take active leadership on this defining issue, it could well be the impetus for Gospel revival on a broad scale.

Child Training: A Biblical Template — Kevin Swanson

According to God’s theory on education, character training is preeminent in the “paideia” of a child. In one hour, Kevin Swanson presents a template by which families can evaluate child training theories and systems. Orthodoxy and orthopraxy interweave in this engaging presentation. Through a stream of winsome stories and examples, Kevin will illustrate how such things as law and grace, heart and hands, rules and relationships, or sovereignty and responsibility interrelate in the training of children.

The Hopeful Theology of Miscarriage — Doug Phillips

Miscarriage is not merely the conclusion of a pregnancy, it is the death of a child with an eternal soul, and the loss of a member of the family. If you have ever experienced miscarriage, then you have known the profound heartache and sorrow which comes from losing a child. And it is not unusual that families who actively seek the Lord for the blessing of children will experience one or more miscarriages in the course of their life. But in the midst of the tragedy of miscarriage, there is a biblical message of great hope for mothers and fathers. This hope springs for the sovereign God’s eternal promises, from the glory and privilege of being used of God to conceive a life bearing an eternal soul that will live on forever, and for the message of life communicated to the world every time a mother and father joyfully embrace God’s “reward.”

The Myth of Overpopulation and the Coming Demographic Bomb

One of the principle arguments in the long war against babies is the notion that the earth is suffering from an overpopulation crisis. First successfully propagated by Thomas Malthus, this “myth of overpopulation” was not only adopted by Charles Darwin, but became one of the principle inspirations behind the Theory of Evolution. For more than two centuries Malthusian ethics or variations of it have dominated the academy and sadly even been embraced by the church. Overpopulation is actually the correlation between the local food supply and population density—not the other way around! Did you know that the American Indians suffered from “over-population” in this sense before the coming of the Europeans, although “they had the wealth of the Americas at their disposal?” The American Indians were total consumers and not producers and relied almost exclusively upon hunting which is an unstable source for food. Throughout the centuries civilizations have had famines and never were they tied to a population problem. In the 13th Century, England suffered a famine crisis fourteen times, one of which lasted for no less than 23 years. Psalm 24:1 declares “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” As Christians seek to “be fruitful and multiply” there will not be an “overpopulation problem” for as Proverbs 14:28 states, “In the multitude of people is the king’s honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.”

Symposium on Biblical Bio-Ethics for the Infirm and Aging in the 21st Century: Brain Death, Organ Transplants, Euthanasia, and Care for the Elderly — Doug Phillips (moderator), Dr. Mo Gill, Dr. Ed Payne, Dan Becker

Every local church, every family must be prepared to address the following ethical issues with theological precision and practical wisdom: When does a person die? What if the idea of “Brain Death” is a misnomer? What does the Bible have to say about the body, mind, and spirit? What if the doctors tell you that your loved one is in a permanent vegetative state and that it is merciful to withhold food and water? And what of organ donations? A recent publication on medical ethics stated that 90 percent of all organ donors are declared “brain dead” prior to organ harvest. Proponents of organ transplants have stated that “Few medical procedures have proven to be as effective in saving lives as organ transplantation.” But what ethical considerations are at stake? What are the duties of children to their aging parents. How do we approach the really tough issues—like assisted living, dementia, and more? Our modern culture of death is training the present generation to look at the elderly as disposable people? But what is the alternative? Modern medicine often dictates the ethics of a culture. As we approach the largest elderly generation in modern history we will be faced with numerous “quality of life” decisions. What will you say when a physician tells you “its no longer worth the effort”? What will you say, when family members seek to pressure you to “pull the plug” on Dad? Join us as we examine the Biblical ethics that must inform our Bio-medical ethics.

Ladies Symposium on Preserving and Promoting the Highest Ideals of Christian Motherhood — Beall Phillips (moderator), Jennie Chancey, Carmon Friedrich, Denise Sproul

How to Practice Biblical Discipline in the Home — Geoff Botkin

We live in a nation of extremes. Some parents perpetuate patterns of anger and wrongful, unbiblical violence against their children. A larger group of parents altogether fail to discipline, to admonish and to lead their children. In both cases the results are disastrous, and they are all around us—angry children, rebellious children, wild children, broken children—children that rule over their parents, and parents who are at war with their children. But the Bible speaks extensively to this issue of discipline within the home, and it provides hope that when we obey what the Scriptures say, and by God’s sovereign grace, we can hope to raise delightful children for the glory of God and to see peace reign within our homes. In this crucial symposium, we will examine the critical issues of biblical discipline within the home, the challenges of wisely employing such discipline in a world which is driven by the false religious worldview of modern psychology, and a professing church which has largely embraced the same. A very helpful theological, practical and social overview of one of the most important issues facing the family.

Life Trumps Death: A No-Comporomise Defense of Life for Christians in the 21st Century — Doug Phillips

Join us as we address these practical issues and more with a panel of families who spent thinking through these concepts and who have experienced these realities.