Welcome to the Digging Deeper Conference & Podcast

The Digging Deeper Conference is a two-day event engaging today’s questions from a Christian perspective. World class speakers will help us dive into discussions around science, theology, philosophy, apologetics, and more to get at the age old question, “What is true?”

Thinkers, skeptics, men and women of faith, scientists, professionals, students, agnostics, atheists, and anyone else who is honestly seeking truth are welcome to attend.

Come, join us on the journey of digging deeper!

Dr. Hugh Ross

At age 17, Dr. Hugh Ross became the youngest person yet to serve as director of observations for Vancouver’s Royal Astronomical Society. Between writing dozens of books and articles and founding the Reasons to Believe website, Dr. Ross travels the world challenging high school and university audiences, churches and professional groups to consider what they believe and why.

Dr. Ross founded Reasons to Believe from his passion to research, develop, and proclaim compelling new reasons to believe in Jesus Christ as Creator, Lord, and Savior and to use these new reasons to help people put their trust in him. He is eager to equip Christians to engage in conversation with science-minded non-Christians, rather than to withdraw or go on the attack. With the help of his Reasons to Believe colleagues, Hugh has been working to develop a biblical creation model that is testable and predictive.

Dr. Ross especially enjoys integrating the content of the Bible—all 66 books—with the findings reported in multiple science journals. This process leads to fresh insight and application. The words of 1 Peter 3:15–16 express his core values and ministry goal: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience.”

Dr. Darrell Bock

Dr. Bock has earned recognition as a Humboldt Scholar (Tübingen University in Germany), is the author of over 40 books, including well-regarded commentaries on Luke and Acts and studies of the historical Jesus, and work in cultural engagement as host of the seminary’s Table Podcasts. He was president of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) from 2000 to 2001, served as a consulting editor for Christianity Today, and serves on the boards of Wheaton College and Chosen People Ministries. His articles appear in leading publications. He is often an expert for the media on NT issues. Dr. Bock has been a New York Times best-selling author in nonfiction; serves as a staff consultant for Bent Tree Fellowship Church in Carrollton, TX; and is elder emeritus at Trinity Fellowship Church in Dallas. When traveling overseas, he will tune into the current game involving his favorite teams from Houston—live—even in the wee hours of the morning. Married for over 40 years to Sally, he is a proud father of two daughters and a son and is also a grandfather.

Dr. Marty Baker

Dr. Marty Baker (B.A. in Religion from Azusa Pacific University; Th. M. in Old Testament from Dallas Theological Seminary; D. Min. in Apologetics from Southern Evangelical Seminary) has been a pastor for over 30 years. He serves as the Senior Pastor of Burke Community Church in Burke, Virginia, near Washington DC. Burke Community Church currently ministers to 2,500 parishioners weekly, with many government and military leaders attending. Prior to his arrival in Burke, Virginia in 2008, Pastor Baker successfully shepherded a church plant in California for 19 years. He and his wife, Liz, have been married since 1980 and jointly lead recurring biblical history trips to Israel. Liz & Marty have two adult children, Nathan and Amanda, and love spending time with their three energetic grandchildren: Olivia, Harper, and Hudson.

Friday, November 10, 2023

5:30pm – Doors Open 

6:00-7:15pm – Dr. Darrell Bock – Six Texts on Cultural Engagement: Beyond the Culture War Approach

To kick off the conference, Dr. Bock takes a look at cultural engagement and the opportunities Scripture presents in it. The issue of tone will be prominent and will challenge us on where we have been and how we move forward.

7:15-7:25pm – Break

7:25-8:45pm – Dr. Hugh Ross – Humans’ Unique Anatomy for Thinking

Human uniqueness is an important pillar of Christian doctrine. Join us as Dr. Ross shares new scientific discoveries that show how we humans are specially designed and equipped, both mentally and anatomically, to fulfill our God-ordained roles as bearers of the “image of God.”    

Saturday, November 11, 2023

8:30am – Doors Open

9:00-10:15am – Dr. Marty Baker – Transgenderism: What Should We Think?

Well-meaning and compassionate people in our culture want us to see transgender surgery, cross-sex hormone therapy, and gender affirmation care in a positive light. The truth is the ideology has five troublesome areas we need to be aware of to properly care for people who struggle in this area.

10:15-10:30am – Break

10:30-11:30am – Breakout Session #1

11:30-1:00pm – Lunch (on your own)

1:00-2:00pm – Breakout Session #2

2:00-2:10pm – Break

2:10-3:20pm – Dr. Darrell Bock – Coping with Pluralism: The Importance of Serving and Relationships

In this session, we’ll consider the uniqueness of Jesus, and the challenge of sharing him in ways that help others see and appreciate what the Gospel offers.

3:20-3:30pm – Break

3:25-4:45pm – Dr. Hugh Ross – A.I. and Our Faith

AI systems can now analyze databases and write technical reviews millions of times faster than a team of human experts. But what are the limitations of AI an how does AI’s lack of consciousness speak into the biblical doctrines of human exceptionalism, human dualism, and the image of God? 

Saturday Morning – Breakout Session #1 (10:30 – 11:30am)

Dr. Darrell Bock – How to Have Difficult Conversations

Dr. Bock analyzes how conversations work, including five things we do to damage them as well as how to make them better.

Dr. Richard G. Howe – On Building a Worldview

Dr. Howe examines how the Christian’s use of their mind is a matter of stewardship and that stewardship requires us to be deliberate in building our worldview such that it informs us about the truths of reality. To that end, we discuss understanding the nature of truth, the nature of religion, the relationship of faith and reason, and the role of classical empiricism as the beginning of knowledge.

Dr. Tim Yoder – Theism or Naturalism – Which One Offers A Better Explanation of our World?

Dr. Yoder weighs the explanatory power of two competing worldviews, Christian theism and naturalistic Darwinism, to see which one can give a better account of phenomena like life, morality, goodness and evil, beauty and consciousness.

Dr. Sten-Erik Armitage – Distracted & Disengaged: The Effects of Technology on the Brain & Relationships

Saturday Afternoon – Breakout Session #2 (1:00 – 2:00pm)

Dr. Hugh Ross – God’s Transdimensionality

Why is God not a created entity? How can God listen to all our prayers at the same time? How can God be both singular and plural? How can God foreknow and predestinate and yet grant us free will? How can Jesus in just 6–9 hours on the cross atone for all the evil that all of humanity has committed? What science has learned about trans- and extra-dimensions helps explain these and other paradoxical doctrines people encounter in Scripture and provides us with a powerful tool for establishing that the Bible alone is the inspired, inerrant written Word of God.

Dr. Richard G. Howe – Has Science Refuted Miracles and the Supernatural?

Many people have come to regard modern science as the most reliable source of information about the world. In these people’s minds, notions such as God and miracles cannot withstand the scrutiny of modern science. Dr. Howe examines the case that certain atheist scientists have made against the reality of God and miracles, and shows how this case fails.

Dr. Tim Yoder – Is Faith Inferior to Reason

Many in our world believe that religious faith is like a delusion, a fairy-tale, a wish-fulfillment or some other questionable epistemic perspective. Dr. Tim Yoder will attempt to show that faith is necessary in our world, and, in fact, all people require both faith and reason.

Dr. Sten-Erik Armitage – Digital Gnosticism: Disembodied Church & The Incarnation

In a post-COVID age we have been launched into a world defined by Zoom meetings, work-from-home realities, and even digital church. There is something profoundly theological about the Incarnation. Our everyday lives are losing their sense of place, time, and even embodiment. What are the unintended consequences of pursuing the digital over the embodied and losing sight of what it is to embrace “life together?”

Conference Location:

Burke Community Church

9900 Old Keene Mill Road

Burke, Virginia 22015

burkecommunity.com

Local Lodging

Residence Inn by Marriott Springfield Old Keene Mill (6.4 mi)

Homewood Suites by Hilton Springfield, VA (6.5 mi)

Embassy Suites by Hilton Springfield (7.6 mi)

Local Food

Glory Days (American – 1.0 mi)

El Pueblo (Mexican – 1.0 mi)

Chi Mc (Korean Fried Chicken – 2.3 mi)

Chick-Fil-A (3.1 mi)

Five Guys (3.1 mi)

Cava (Mediterranean – 3.1 mi)

Curry House (Indian – 3.1 mi)

Chipotle (3.1 mi)

Pupatella (Pizza – 3.2) 

Located in Burke, Virginia, 30 minutes outside of Washington D.C., Burke Community Church is a large non-denominational church with a family feel.  With a heart for people and a heart to understand, “What is True?”, Burke Community Church founded the Digging Deeper Conference and Podcast in 2022. Join us in-person or online at burkecommunity.com.