Talks Offered by Our Speakers


The Sacraments: Challenges To Them; Evidence For Them In Scripture
Jim Blackburn

We will hit head-on many common challenges to the Catholic faith, including non-Catholic questions about - and anti-Catholic assaults on - the sacraments: The life-giving signs of grace instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Catholic Church.  We will examine evidence for the sacraments in scripture and the writings of early Christians to equip participants to charitably explain and defend these precious God-given gifts. Topics addressed include:

•         Why is baptism necessary?  Why not just be "born again"?
•         Why do Catholics baptize infants?
•         Why do you call your priests "Father" when Jesus said, "Call no 
           man Father"?
•         Why do you confess your sins to a priest instead of going directly
           to God?
•         Why can't women be priests?
•         Why doesn't the Catholic Church allow priests to get married?
•         Why do you believe that Jesus' body and blood are present in the 
           communion wafer and wine?
•         Why doesn't the Church recognize civil divorces?
•         Why do you consider Confirmation to be a sacrament?
•         Why do you consider Anointing of the Sick to be a sacrament?
•         And more!

A Biblical Theology of the Sacrament of Confession
Karlo Broussard

Karlo takes on the common mentality among both Catholics and Protestants alike that one does not need to confess one’s sins to a priest but can go straight to God.  Using Sacred Scripture, Karlo demonstrates with great clarity both the explicit and implicit references to Jesus’ institution of the Sacrament of Confession.  He establishes the biblical principle that God does not choose to relate with us apart from His human instruments but through them.

A Mystagogical Experience of the Sacraments
Karlo Broussard

Karlo brings to the fore the ancient study of mystagogy, in which he explores the biblical origins of the seven sacraments in the story of Israel and brings to light a more in depth meaning and understanding of these New Covenant observances.  In such a study, Karlo exemplifies the maxim attributed to St. Augustine, “The New is concealed in the Old and the Old is revealed in the New.” 

Sanctifying Grace: Don’t Leave Earth Without It
Karlo Broussard

Karlo gives a basic catechesis on the nature of sanctifying grace and how it works within the soul of man.  He gives evidence from Scripture that such grace is received in the Sacrament of Baptism, nourished with the Eucharist, healed and restored in the Sacrament of Confession.  Karlo also gives the biblical evidence for the reality of mortal sin, which upon committing, destroys the life of grace in the soul.  Karlo concludes that the condition for entrance into the Heavenly Kingdom is sanctifying grace. 

I Confess
Tim Staples

Tim demonstrates the truth of Confession in Scripture along with the truth of “mortal” and “venial” sins. Discover how this teaching of Confession is actually and surprisingly easy to present to your non-Catholic friends persuasively and biblically.

The Gift Of Baptism
Tim Staples

In this talk, Tim begins with some apologetics on baptism with regard
to:

a.   How do you baptize? In what name? Is it Jesus’ name alone? Is it
      in the name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit?
b.   Why baptize babies?
c.   Tim then answers the question: Why is baptism necessary for
      salvation, when the Bible teaches we are “justified by faith apart 
      from the works of law.” In this point Tim will get to the heart of the 
      matter. He will first dispel the notion that “apart from the works of
      law” excludes works in any sense. It does not. But he then moves
      on to explain that the Sacrament of Baptism is a completely
      unmerited gift of grace using the example of a Catholic who receives
      this great gift when he or she can do nothing but lay there and poop!
      Baptizing babies is the perfect example of just how much of and
      great of a gift baptism is.

From there, Tim explains the gift of baptism in detailed theological terms
with regard to two major categories:

a.   In terms of the gifts and graces we receive. And:
b.   In terms of the power and accompanying responsibilities the gift
      brings with it. In the words of Tim’s “favorite theologian of our time,
      Uncle Ben from the movie ‘Spiderman:’” “With great power comes 
      great responsibility.”

Tim then concludes his remarks with a challenge from I Peter 3:15 and
CCC 900, which charges all of us, by virtue of the sacraments of

baptism and confirmation that we have received, with both the “duty
and the obligation” to both know and evangelize our Faith.