Desert Palms Church - 3rd Annual “Give Them an Answer” Student Apologetics Conference
For 7th-12th Graders
July 17 - 18, 2025, 5:30 - 9:00 p.m.
Speaker: Jacob Allee, Ph.D.
What will students learn at the conference?
Session 1: Classical Arguments For God’s Existence 1
In this session we will begin by asking the question, “Why does it matter whether or not there is a God?” We will consider Blaise Pascal’s question, famously known as Pascal’s Wager, which proposes that believing in God is the rational choice, even if one cannot scientifically prove God’s existence. We will also examine whether we can find true meaning and purpose in life without God. The words of the Preacher in Ecclesiastes will help guide our thoughts on this topic.
Then we will look at C. S. Lewis’s argument for the existence of God based upon the reality of the Moral Law. That is, all peoples and nations throughout history have acknowledged a Moral Law. How could that be the case if there were not a universal law-giver? Dr. Allee will look at Romans 1-3 and other Scripture in relation to this topic.
Session 2: Classical Arguments For God’s Existence 2
In this session we will ponder the question, “Why is there something rather than nothing?” In other words, why does the universe exist and what can explain its origin? During our time together we will look at Thomas Aquinas’s five logical reasons for the existence of God. We will also consider what has come to be known as the “Kalam” (meaning “eternal”) cosmological argument. According to the Kalam, there can only be one itself-uncaused-and-eternal-thing that causes all other things, and that first cause is God. Everything else had a definite beginning at some point in the past except Him, and he caused everything else to come into being. Genesis 1 and other Scriptures will be explored in relation to this topic.
Session 3: Classical Arguments For God’s Existence 3
In this session we will survey a number of different approaches to what is known as the “teleological argument,” meaning “end or purpose, especially in nature.” This argument for the existence of God looks at evidence of order, and hence design (hence a designer), in nature. We will consider arguments such as William Paley’s “watchmaker” argument, which says that after seeing a watch, with all its intricate parts, which work together precisely, one must deduce that this piece of machinery has a creator. We’ll also look at the ancient Greek philosopher Epictetus’ “knife in the knifecase” argument, along with several other classic examples. We will look at Psalm 19 and various other Scriptures as we think about this topic.
Session 4: Open Q & A
This final session will be an opportunity for students to ask whatever questions they have about the Christian faith, its teachings, the ethics of the Christian life, or the evidence in favor of its truth. They may ask questions about the previous sessions or about any other matters of faith pressing on their hearts. The questions can range far and wide and Dr. Allee will be happy to do his best to give them an answer.