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Dr.
Louis A. Brighton
Dr. Louis A. Brighton is the author of numerous scholarly
journals, and his commentary on Revelation was published
by Concordia Publishing House in 1999. He
is a 1952 graduate of Concordia Seminary and studied at Cambridge
University prior to receiving
the Ph.D. in Biblical Languages and Literature in 1991 from Saint Louis University. Upon
seminary graduation, Dr. Brighton served as pastor in England,
Illinois, and Kentucky
prior to being called to be professor of exegetical theology at Concordia
Seminary, St. Louis, where he has served since 1974.
Dr. Brighton was born in Saskatoon, Canada
and is married to Mary Belle Williams. They
are the parents of five children and ten grandchildren.
He is widely known as an engaging and provocative speaker, and
we are pleased to welcome Dr. Brighton as our banquet speaker for Tuesday
evening, Sept. 19.
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Dr. Scott Bruzek
The Rev. Dr. Scott Bruzek is the Senior Pastor of St. John Lutheran Church,
Wheaton, Illinois.
He has received advanced degrees from Cambridge University and Princeton Seminary in systematic
theology, with doctoral work on the Lord's Supper. His
interests lie in pastoral care, the incarnational life, teaching, and
missions.
Workshop Title: Incarnational
Marriage: How the Presence of Christ Matters
Workshop Description:
Often it seems
there is a lot of talk about Christian marriage without any
reference to Christ, especially the incarnate Christ, who gives Himself
to us in Word and Sacrament. Jesus' first miracle happened
at a wedding, and His presence there changes everything. Today
Jesus matters for our marriages in just the same way, and when given to
His gifts, marriage flourishes. |
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Dr. Michael Eschelbach
Dr. Eschelbach earned his Bachelor of Science from Eastern Michigan
University, Ypsilanti, Michigan; his Master of Divinity from Concordia
Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana; and his Ph.D. from Westminster
Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He currently serves as an Assistant Professor of New Testament
Studies and Greek at Concordia
University, River
Forest, Illinois. He is currently working on a pre-marital/marriage counseling
text and workbook.
Workshop Title: Ships Passing
in the Night? Biblical Means of Navigating Divorce and Re-marriage
Workshop Description:
Broken marriages and families have become the rule rather
than the exception. Even among people who would claim a Christian
confession, God's Word on the matter and how to follow His will is unclear.
This workshop will present both a biblical perspective and means for
shepherding people through these circumstances.
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Melissa Fryrear
Ms. Fryrear holds a Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary.
She serves as the Gender Issues Analyst within the Government
and Public Policy Division for Focus on the Family, Colorado Springs, Colorado. She is committed to proclaiming Biblical
truth with regard to the issue of homosexuality, complemented with grace
and compassion. She continues to serve as the Church Affiliate Representative
for Exodus, the nation's largest organization assisting individuals
and families affected by homosexuality.
Workshop Title: Understanding
the Roots of Homosexuality
Workshop Description: Male
homosexuality is not a pre-determined, biological condition.
The true nature of this condition develops progressively, over
time, in the life of a boy and young man. There are also many common contributing factors, such
as family dynamics, peer rejection, sexual abuse, and personality temperament
that lead to the evolution of same-sex desires.
Although every woman dealing with female homosexuality
is unique in her situation, there are a number of common "roots" existent
in the lives of most women affected by lesbian issues. These factors include relational deficits within the family,
sexual abuse, gender role misperceptions, and personality temperament.
Similar to male homosexuality, it develops progressively and
as a result of a number of factors.
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Mike Haley
Mr. Haley is the Director of the Gender Issues Department of Focus on
the Family, Colorado Springs, Colorado. He has a degree in Christian education from Biola University and is currently pursuing a
master’s in counseling. He also oversees and speaks at the ministry’s Love
Won Out conferences, which offer accurate information and hope to
families affected by homosexuality. He serves as chairman of the board of directors of Exodus
International, the world’s largest Christian ministry offering support to individuals who want
to walk away from homosexuality.
Workshop Title: How Should
the Church Respond to Homosexuality?
Workshop Description: Many Christians are willing to respond to
the issues surrounding homosexuality and the people affected by it.
But how we respond is just as important as responding.
The eminent challenge is being Christ-like in an ungodly world.
John, in his Gospel, spoke of Jesus as being “full of grace and
truth.” As Christians, our mandate
is to be Jesus' visible expression on earth of both His mind and His
heart towards homosexual people and homosexuality itself.
Our challenge is to be full of truth, balanced with grace.
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The Rev. Matthew
Harrison
Rev. Harrison is currently Executive Director of LCMS World Relief and
Human Care Ministries. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Morningside
College; his Master of Divinity from Concordia Theological Seminary,
Fort Wayne, Indiana; and a Master of Sacred Theology, also from Concordia
Theological Seminary. He currently represents the LCMS on the boards
of Lutheran Services in America and Lutheran World Relief
(Baltimore). Rev. Harrison is pursuing a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology
at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.
Workshop Title: Sex,
Lies and Marriage: Cohabitation as the Pastoral Challenge of Our Age
Workshop Description: This workshop
will evaluate the challenge which cohabitation poses to pastors, the
church, families, and the individuals involved. The workshop will present
a definition of marriage, evaluate reasons couples cohabit and over
practical responses for assisting such couples. The presenter's Second
Thoughts on Living Together (CPH 2006) will be the primary text
for the presentation.
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Rob Jackson
Mr. Jackson has provided professional counseling through his private
practice since 1991. He offers workshops, seminars, and intensives for
individuals, couples, and families. Having earned a master of science
in clinical psychology in 1986, he is a Licensed Professional Counselor
in Colorado and Mississippi and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Washington. He is a National Board Certified
Counselor and a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors.
He has served as an adjunct professor for a seminary, an instructor
for a university, and an instructor for a high school. He is a licensed
and ordained minister and deacon.
Workshop Title: Treating
Intimacy Disorders: The Iceberg TM Method and the Example of Sex Addiction
Workshop Description: Sex
addiction wounds both spouses and is the result of sin's trauma, arrested
personality development, and underlying intimacy disorders. Sadly, Christians
are as likely to suffer from sex addiction as are non-Christians. Most
churches lack comprehensive recovery ministries that treat the whole
person and the family system. Christian counselor Rob Jackson will help
participants learn how to respond to sex addiction with his original
treatment method, the Iceberg TM.
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Dr. Nathan Jastram
Dr. Jastram received his academic degrees from
the University of South Dakota; Concordia
Theological Seminary; and Harvard University. He is currently the Chairman
of the Theology Department at Concordia University,
Mequon, Wisconsin. He is the author of “Man as Male and Female: Created
in the Image of God,” Concordia Theological Quarterly 68,
no. 1 (2004).
Workshop Title: The
Spitting Image of Love
Workshop Description: When a man and a woman marry each other, they
form a spitting image of love. All too often the spitting turns ugly;
but the teaching that God created man, male and female, in the image
of God shows that the spitting image can be a beautiful reflection of
a heavenly reality. The help that marriages need is built into the institution
of marriage and into the love that gives it life.
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Maggie Karner
Mrs. Karner holds a Bachelor of Science in humanities from Purdue University, West
Lafayette, Indiana. She is currently the Director of Life Ministries for the
LCMS World Relief and Human Care Department, St. Louis, Missouri. Her interest in promoting teen chastity is a hallmark
of her work with LCMS Life Ministries. Maggie
has written articles and spoken to young people on teen chastity at
a variety of LCMS churches, as well as the LCMS Youth Gathering in Orlando, and at the Higher Things Youth Gathering in Seattle
and St. Louis.
Workshop Title: It’s
Not About The Birds And The Bees Anymore: Talking To
Teens About Sex and Relationships When They Think You’re Clueless
Workshop Description: Hang on for the ride, ‘cause it’s
a whole different world out there! Guiding
kids through the tough choices in a sex-obsessed culture can be pretty
scary. Get the facts and get some encouragement
to help your kids through the teen years.
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Dr. David Ludwig
and Mrs. Kathy Ludwig
Dr. Ludwig holds a Master of Divinity from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis,
Missouri and a Ph.D. in psychology
from Washington University,
St. Louis.
He is currently a Professor of Psychology at Lenoir-Rhyne
College, Hickory,
North Carolina. He is also the Director of The Power of WE: Center for
Family and Community Relations at Lenoir-Rhyne College.
Mrs. Ludwig earned a Bachelor of Science
in Education from Concordia University, River
Forest, Illinois. She is a co-presenter with her husband in numerous seminars
and family retreats.
Workshop Title: Marriage:
The Joy of Faithfulness
Workshop Description: God's design for marriage is exciting and
brings deep fulfillment to life. The "one flesh" of the marriage
is an actual spiritual structure (called a WE) that is built on the
cornerstone of Christ for the Christian marriage. Fidelity is
a critical part of a healthy WE that spawns trust and allows wonderful
depth and closeness
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Dr. Gilbert
Meilaender
Dr. Meilaender holds a Ph.D. from Princeton
University, Princeton,
New Jersey. He teaches at Valparaiso University,
where he holds the Phyllis and Richard Duesenberg Chair in Christian
Ethics. Dr. Meilaender has published eleven
books and numerous articles. Among the books
is Friendship: A Study in Theological Ethics; Faith
and Faithfulness: Basic Themes in Christian Ethics.
Bioethics is one of the areas to which Dr. Meilaender
has given considerable attention in his teaching and writing. He is a Fellow of the Hastings Center
and has been a member of the President's Council on Bioethics since
it was established in January, 2002.
Plenary Topic: Marriage
as a Form of Life
Description: Although our culture thinks of marriage largely
in terms of choice and consent, marriage as a form of life involves
much more than that. Understanding this "more" requires thinking
about the moral meaning of the body, the history our commitments need,
and the relation between the generations.
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The Rev. Richard
Nuffer
Rev. Nuffer holds a Master’s degree from Baylor University's School
of Law. He practiced law in Texas, specializing in civil litigation. He
received his Master of Divinity from Concordia Theological Seminary,
Fort Wayne, Indiana. He is a member of the CTS faculty where he is an Assistant
Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Missions. He also serves as Director
of Vicarage.
Workshop Title: Love, Marriage,
and the Law of the United States
Workshop Description: This workshop
will examine the current state of marital law in the United States,
with a special emphasis upon the intersection of law and theology in
the area of marriage. Topics addressed will include common law
marriage, domestic partnership law, covenant marriage, and the redefinition
of marriage itself.
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The Rev. John T.
Pless
Rev. Pless earned a Masters of Divinity from Trinity Lutheran Seminary,
Columbus, Ohio.
He later completed the colloquy process at Concordia Theological Seminary,
Fort Wayne, Indiana. He currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Pastoral
Ministry and Missions and Director of Field Education at CTS. He is
also the Editor of For the Life of the World magazine.
Workshop Title: Luther
on Marriage: Creation and Cross
Workshop Description:
This workshop
will examine Martin Luther’s theology of marriage as it is rooted
in the created order and lived out under the cross. Luther’s doctrine
of vocation, especially the “three orders,” shaped his teaching
and preaching about sexuality and marriage. Using the reformer’s
understanding of marriage as the arena for faith and love, the workshop
will probe the implications of Luther’s work for the pastoral care
of marriages in our own day. |
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Dr. Randall Schroeder
Dr. Schroeder a Bachelor of Arts from Concordia University, River Forest,
Illinois; a Master of Divinity degree from Concordia Theological Seminary,
Fort Wayne, Indiana; and a Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Counseling from
The Chicago Theological Seminary, Chicago, Illinois. He currently serves
as an Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Missions
at CTS.
Workshop Title: ABUSE:
The Silent Sin
Workshop Description:
We can never
underestimate the pain caused by both verbal abuse and domestic violence. Domestic
violence occurs every 15 seconds in the United States and verbal abuse is
even more prevalent. Unfortunately, Christian marriages and families
are not immune from these sins of abuse. Learn
the warning signs and understand the impact of abuse in Christian marriages.
Workshop Title: Apologizing and Forgiving: The 'Heart' of a Christian Marriage
Workshop Description: A fundamental truth is that Christian spouses experience pain in
marriage. Just as Christianity may be called the Good News of forgiveness, this
same Good News heals marital relationships. For a satisfying, rewarding relationship, learn the
practical aspects of apologizing and forgiving for marriage in the Christian vision.
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Dr. Harold Senkbeil
Dr. Senkbeil received his Master of Divinity and Master of Sacred Theology
from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana.
His contributions to the church at large were recognized by Concordia
Seminary, St. Louis,
Missouri, in the bestowing
of the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity. He
is an Associate Professor, Pastoral Ministry and Missions
and D.Min. Supervisor at CTS. He is the
author of Dying to Live: The Power of Forgiveness (St. Louis:
Concordia Publishing House, 1994) and When the Crying Stops: Abortion's
Aftermath (Milwaukee: Northwestern Publishing House, 1992).
Workshop Title: …And
Such Were Some of You–Sexual Sin and Pastoral Care
Workshop Descriptions:
Sins of the
body wreak deep havoc on the soul. This workshop
focuses on the spiritual care of those who are victims or perpetrators
of sexual sin, addressing both guilt and shame, providing healing and
restoration in Christ. |
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Glenn. Stanton
Mr. Stanton earned a Master’s Degree in interdisciplinary humanities
from the University of West
Florida, Pensacola,
Florida. He is the Director
of Global Insight for Cultural and Family Renewal and Senior Analyst
for Marriage and Sexuality at Focus on the Family, Colorado Springs, Colorado. He is the author of My Crazy, Imperfect Christian Family (NavPress, 2004), an exploration
of the value of imperfect families.
Workshop Title: My Crazy Imperfect Christian Marriage
Workshop Description: Glenn Stanton,
drawing from his provocative book, My Crazy Imperfect Christian
Family, explores the larger picture of what marriage is in the
Christian story and how the idea of the perfect, idealistic is a myth.
But rather than being bad news, he shows how incredible this news
is, because perfect marriages have no need of Christ. Using
illustrations from scripture and his own life, Mr. Stanton shows how the
imperfectness of our own marriages is one of the deepest ways Christ brings
His redemption and transformation to our lives.
Worshop Title: Why Not Gay Marriage?
Worshop Description: Glenn Stanton debates the issue of same-sex marriage at major universities
around the nation and trains local leaders how to defend natural marriage with intelligence and compassion.
In this workshop, Stanton shares the answers hea has hones in the rough and tumble of this debate
to the top 10 questions in this important national discussion.
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Dr. William C.
Weinrich
Dr. Weinrich holds a Master of Divinity degree from Concordia Seminary,
St. Louis, Missouri, and received his Doctor of Theology
degree from the University of Basel, Switzerland. He currently serves
as a Professor of Historical Theology and Academic Dean at CTS. In addition,
Dr. Weinrich is the Book Review Editor for the Concordia Theological
Quarterly.
Plenary Topic: Man
and Woman: Spiritual Dimensions of a Fleshly Distinction
Description:
The gender
distinction of male and female is not merely a “natural” or
social distinction; it is also a spiritual distinction which indicates
the human vocation to which each person is called. Male and female are
not extraneous to our personal humanity. They are manners of living
as human persons. |
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Daniel Weiss
Mr. Weiss earned a bachelor's degree in English from
the University of Wisconsin,
Madison, Wisconsin. He is the Senior Analyst for Media & Sexuality at Focus on the Family, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Daniel tracks the cultural developments, business trends
and media messages that contribute to the mainstreaming of pornography.
He has also spoken about pornography at the U.S. Capitol, before
the Colorado House of Representatives and at various retreats and workshops.
Plenary Topic:
We've Come Undone: Human Division and
Sexual Disintegration
Description: Using the proliferation
of pornography and immorality as his starting point, Daniel Weiss
explores our world's greater sexual and spiritual breakdown
through the lens of division: between humans and God, husband and wife,
women and men, and internally between body, mind and spirit. By
understanding the core of this global division and disintegration, Christians
can more fully articulate the Gospel message of reconciliation
with God and others, leading the church to recover a hopeful, Christian
vision for sexuality and the human person.
Workshop Title: How
to Talk about Sex, Even in Church
Workshop Description:
It's one thing
to understand God's design for sexuality, but another matter entirely
to share it with others. In this workshop Daniel Weiss addresses some
of the common problems keeping Christians from talking about sex and equips
parents, spouses, singles, teachers and pastors to share a Biblical vision
of sexuality without discomfort, embarrassment or fear. |
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Christopher West
Mr. West is Christopher West is a fellow of the Theology of the Body
Institute, at the Pope John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family,
Washington, D.C.
All three of his books: Good News About
Sex & Marriage, Theology of the Body Explained, and Theology
of the Body for Beginners have become Catholic best sellers and
his supplemental Marriage Prep program, God’s Plan
for a Joy-Filled Marriage, has been embraced by numerous dioceses
and parishes.
Plenary Topic: Theology of the Body: A Refreshing Biblical
Approach to Sexual Morality
Description: We live in a world so
starved for love that we’re often willing to eat out of a dumpster
to satisfy that hunger. What is needed to respond to the crisis
of our day is not a list of prohibitions but a proclamation of the glorious
banquet presented by the scriptures. Christ took on flesh to reveal
to the world the true meaning of the human body. Right from the
beginning, as the apostle Paul tells us, the one flesh union was a foreshadowing
of Christ’s union with the church. (Eph. 5:31-32) What does
this teach us about the theological meaning of the human body and sexuality?
In this presentation Christopher West will demonstrate how the biblical
view of the body and sexuality corresponds perfectly with the most
noble aspirations of the human heart for love and union.
Workshop Title: Proclaiming the Gospel to a Pornified
World
Workshop Description:
Spousal theology
looks to the nuptial bookends of the Bible– the marriage of Adam
and Eve in Genesis and the marriage of the lamb in the book of Revelation–as
a key for interpreting and proclaiming the Gospel itself. Why was
Christ so compassionate with sexual sinners, particularly women?
Could it be because he knew that they were actually looking for Him, the
true bridegroom? In this presentation Christopher West will demonstrate
that the world is a mission field ready to soak up the authentic Biblical
vision of human sexuality and that a theology of the body presents a key
to proclaiming the Gospel in the modern world. |
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Lauren Winner
Mrs. Winner has degrees from Columbia
and Cambridge
universities and is currently at work on her doctorate in the history
of American religion. She is the author
of three books: Girl Meets God, Mudhouse Sabbath, and Real Sex: The Naked Truth about Chastity. Her essays have been included in The Best Christian Writing.
Plenary Topic: Allowing
Sex to be Ordinary
Description:
Mrs. Winner
will sketch the ways that marital sex is quite different from extra-marital
sex, and will challenge Christians to present marital sex as truly good
news. |
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Dr. Beverly Yahnke
Dr. Yahnke is a clinical psychologist and the Executive Director of
Christian Counseling Services in Milwaukee. Her clinical work allows
her to serve children and families requiring traditional psychological
services where she also invites her clients to bring the resources of
their faith with them into the counseling setting Dr. Yahnke has
written numerous articles in the area of psychology, education and faith.
Plenary Topic:
When God's
Good Gifts are Defiled: The Sinner and the Sinned Against
Description: When the Christian vision of love and marriage
is shattered, the spiritual and emotional debris can leave souls
and lives wounded or paralyzed. The church must
bring light, life, and holy consolation into the darkness of this
despair. Conferees will be challenged to examine how pastors and
laity alike can become compassionate torch bearers of truth and hope
for their flock, their families and their neighbors.
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The Rev. Philip
Zielinski
Rev. Zielinski earned a Bachelor of Arts from Concordia University, River Forest,
Illinois, and a Master of Divinity from Concordia Theological
Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana. He is presently serving as Associate Pastor of Christ
Lutheran Church,
Platte Woods, Missouri.
Workshop Title: Sex
and Marriage: Gift of God, Image of Grace
Workshop Description:
This workshop
will offer a sexual education curriculum presenting sex within the context
of marriage as an institution established by God for one man and one woman
to enjoy as a life-long relationship. It will help prepare the students
for sexually pure lives in an increasingly promiscuous society which does
not value the life-long commitment of marriage and its purposes established
by God. |
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