In our spiritual journey, we’ve met spiritual heroes and friends along the way, stopping to hear their story, experience their testimony, and we’re challenged and inspired–sometimes from afar, sometimes as we spend time face-to-face over dinner tables and living rooms. We can’t help but honor and cherish them. We’re drawn to support them with what we have, and if the opportunity presents itself, to come alongside to serve kingdom causes together. These brothers and sisters not only train and inspire us, but they become part of the cloud of witnesses before whom we live, a stakeholder in our mutual partnership, people who occupy a place in each of our hearts. (1 Peter 5:9)
Here are some of the friends and invited speakers
Chuck Colson
Chuck Colson has been a world-renowned and beloved author, speaker and guardian of the Christian worldview that has touched the lives of many at our church.
His testimony (former Special Counsel to President Nixon whose life was transformed in prison after the Watergate scandal), his books (The Good Life, The Body, Loving God, to name a few), and his continuing ministry in prisons with Prison Fellowship are sources of encouragement and challenge. We’ve also greatly benefitted from his work defending the Christian worldview in today’s culture through our participation in the Centurion’s program and Breakpoint.
In 2004, our paths crossed at the 2004 Worldview Conference in Marin County. After the conference, Chuck Colson came to speak to us, and we were inspired by this man who, at the age of 75, was as energetic and sharp as any of us and is still tirelessly serving God through his various ministries. When he shared that it was the cross that drove him to never let up, we got a glimpse of the humility and passion that fuels him. And it is now his dream and prayer for us that a new movement anchored in Christ would sweep through UC campuses anew. Our relationship continues today, and we deeply appreciate Chuck Colson’s life and ministry as he continually equips, encourages and challenges us.
Sean McDowell
Sean McDowell is the Head of the Bible Department at Capistrano Valley Christian Schools, where he teaches courses on Philosophy, Theology, and Apologetics. Sean is an award-winning educator, and a passionate and popular speaker and has a gift for connecting with and guiding the youth of our generation. We had the privilege of having Sean as our guest speaker at RISE, the launch event of InterHigh, a ministry aiming to strengthen and deepen the faith of our youth. He also gave a Bible Study to our college group about knowing how to defend the faith.
Sean is the co-author of Understanding Intelligent Design along with William A. Dembski (Harvest House, 2008), Evidence for the Resurrection (Gospel Light, 2009) and More Than A Carpenter with Josh McDowell (Tyndale, 2009).
Joe Horness
Joe Horness served as the Worship Director and a leader on the programming staff at Willow Creek Community Church for 25 years. Joe moved to Traverse City, Michigan, and is now the Associate Pastor and Worship Director at Bay Pointe Community Church. He is a nationally known worship leader, who has worked closely with artists such as Darlene Zschech, Abraham Laboriel, and Tommy Walker, and has written and recorded numerous familiar worship choruses. Joe first visited our church to train our praise band how to lead our congregation in worship. He taught us the importance of investing our talents and efforts to create an atmosphere for people to engage their hearts with God through music. He most recently visited us to lead our praise time during our 2009 Winter Retreat. Joe not only led us in singing, but shared from the strength of his faith and relationship with God to help us relate our lives to a God who knows us.
Greg Koukl
Greg Koukl started out as an strong skeptic towards Christianity and ended up giving his life for the defense of the Christian faith. A central theme of Greg’s speaking and writing is that Christianity can compete in the marketplace of ideas when it’s properly understood and properly articulated. Given his expertise and passion for sound defense of the gospel, we invited him to speak at the Berkeley campus twice and benefited greatly from his in-house training sessions given to our church members. He spoke during our Sunday service, challenging us to be a positive witnesses in intellect and in character.
J.P. Moreland
J.P. Moreland is a Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the Talbot School of Theology at Biola University. Dr. Moreland served with Campus Crusade for 10 years, planted two churches, and has spoken on over 200 college campuses. Dr. Moreland’s first visit to Gracepoint Berkeley in 1997 was a pivotal one because we had not previously received a speaker of his academic and intellectual caliber. Dr. Moreland came to teach and train our congregation, walking us through a scholarly defense of the existence of God, the historical reliability of the Gospel accounts, and persuasive case for the bodily resurrection of Jesus. Dr. Moreland was the first in a continuing line of other renowned speakers such as Dr. William Lane Craig, and Greg Koukl to come mentor and train us. Ten years later, Dr. Moreland visited again for a series of presentations, including the philosophical bankruptcy of postmodernism and relativism. Not only did Dr. Moreland challenge us intellectually, but he encouraged us with his deep compassion for those who are seeking healing and answers for their brokenness. We currently support Dr. Moreland’s ministry financially and in prayer.
William Dembski
A mathematician and philosopher, Dr. William A. Dembski is a Research Professor in Philosophy at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX as well as a Senior Fellow with the Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture in Seattle, WA. Dr. Dembski came to our church in 2006 at the invitation of our college ministry to give a series of talks about Intelligent Design. From Joyland kids to the Praxis group, Dr. Dembski challenged us to consider the evidence for design, and to consider whether or not the oft-accepted assertions of naturalistic science we had all grown up with in our high school (and college) biology classes should bear more critical scrutiny. We were challenged by Dr. Dembski’s perseverance in faith to continue with his work in Intelligent Design despite the opposition and controversy he faces. We’re committed to praying for Dr. Dembski and his family and to support his work.
Marilyn Laszlo
After hearing Marilyn Laszlo’s testimony at a JAMA conference in 2004, we were so inspired by this courageous woman that we immediately invited her to speak at our 2004 winter retreat. This modern-day hero of faith captivated us with stories of her 24 years with the Sepik Iwam people in Papua New Guinea: stories of God’s miraculous provision, of humorous and also difficult struggles to learn the culture and carve their unwritten language onto a banana leaf – all so that they could accept Jesus into their throats. She battled malaria and trichinosis, braved mosquitoes and snakes in the jungle, relinquished marriage prospects because of her commitment to missions. 44 years later, she had translated the entire New Testament into their language.
To this day, Marilyn Laszlo is an active speaker at different rallies and churches, sharing her story and inspiring others to go on missions. We strive to honor this courageous woman of God by remembering her birthday with gifts and sending her personal cards to express how much we appreciate her and are challenged by her example.
William Lane Craig
An ardent defender of the Christian faith, a seasoned debater, and currently a Research Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology, Dr. William Lane Craig has been called “the finest Christian apologist of the last half century.”
We first met Dr. Craig through J.P. Moreland. In 2003, our college ministry hosted a series of lectures on the UC Berkeley and Stanford campuses, at which Dr. Craig spoke: “Does God Exist?” and the “Historicity of the Resurrection.” In the same visit, Dr. Craig spent an entire day training our ministry staff to think critically about arguments for (and against) faith, and cogently articulate the evidence for Christianity. Giving two lectures, training the ministry staff all day, and then giving the message at our Worship Service, the weekend together flew by. We found our appreciation for Dr. Craig deepening as we recognized the special burden he bears, carrying the banner of Christian faith into the Academy (where his scholarly philosophy work in space and time and metaphysics is well-respected). But more than this, we were (and still are) tremendously encouraged as he pursues the advancement of the Gospel with humility, faithfulness, and diligence. His monthly newsletters are filled with stories of debates and equipping other believers around the world, and our ministry has committed to support Dr. Craig’s work financially and with prayer.
In April 2010, Dr. Craig taught two sessions at Gracepoint Berkeley on the Response to Bart Ehrman’s New Testament criticism and the Problem of Pain.
- Video: Response to Bart Ehrman
- Video: Problem of Pain
