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Think Like Christ Youth Conference - Cedar Rapids 2025 - March 28 & 29, 2025

Come join us for our 20th anniversary of the Think Like Christ Youth Conference

 

Friday, March 28 - 6PM doors open. Conference 6:30-9:00. Friday night is for the whole family and childcare is provided. All are welcome and encouraged to come. Please register your family and let us know how many will need child care

 

Saturday, March 29th 9AM Check-in. Conference Kick-Off at 9:30. Conference ends at 6PM

Saturday youth conference will include Worship, Preaching, Workshops, and Games. Lunch will also be provided. Youth Conference is for 6th-12th grade youth. Youth sponsors and parents are also invited to attend.

Pre-register by March 1st to receive a FREE Think Like Christ Youth Conference t-shirt. If you miss the early-bird registration, you can purchase a t-shirt during the conference.

Keynote speakers: Carl Kerby and Frank Figueroa from Reasons for Hope

Additional workshop speakers: Joel Willoughby - Brains and Bibles, Nathan Oppman - Two Rivers Classical Accademy, 

REGISTER FOR CONFERENCE
Meet Carl Kerby
Carl was first introduced to apologetics by two pilots after he’d told them evolution was compatible with the Bible, which is what he’d been taught in Sunday school. These men pulled out their Bible and showed him that what the WORLD taught wasn’t the same as what the WORD taught. With 50% to 88% of the younger generation raised in the church leaving the church by the age of 18, Carl’s desire is for them to KNOW what they’re walking away from. This can only happen if they’re able to critically think and evaluate arguments so they can determine truth.

Carl would say he doesn’t enjoy speaking, at times he’s terrified of it. However, seeing people get excited because they realize they can trust the Word of God inspires him to continue on. When he’s not speaking, Carl loves being with his family and friends. He also enjoys the ocean - snorkeling, boogie boarding or fishing. Carl has two honorary Doctorates and a degree in Biblical Studies. However, his most important credentials would be SSBGTFIC – (Sinner Saved By Grace Through Faith In Christ) and husband/father and grandfather.
Meet Frank Figueroa

As a young person Frank always struggled with “authority,” and wanted to know WHY he needed to do what he was told to do, especially when it came to organized religion. That changed when someone at a Bible study gave him a copy of Josh McDowell’s book, “Evidence That Demands A Verdict.” The fact that someone was able to systematically and logically validate the truth claims of the Bible is one of the things that led him to place his faith in Jesus Christ.

Frank’s goal is to be able to reach the skeptics like his previous self by being able to share with them that God is a God of design, order and logic. He enjoys having conversations with people about things that are true. Sharing God’s truths in a proper and understandable way is one of his greatest joys.

When Frank is not fulfilling his duties as a speaker, he and his wife love to travel. He also loves shooting sports and especially enjoys bow hunting. His love for archery even led he and his wife to start a ministry to share the gospel along with the skills of archery to the youth of Hawaii entitled, Centershot Hawaii. Frank has a Science Education degree from the University of Hawaii, but his greatest credential is experience and time spent in the ministry.

Meet Joel Willoughby

Joel Willoughby is the executive director of Brains and Bibles, a ministry he founded in 2020 and committed to full-time in 2022. He lives in Ankeny, Iowa, with his wife, Beth, and their family of five children (Roger, Isaiah, Valerie, Hannah, and John) on earth and one in heaven (August). Joel holds a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies from Faith Baptist Theological Seminary. He has loved all the ministry experience God has given, such as teaching high school and middle school Bible classes, pastoral internships, faith-based counseling, and Christian radio.

Through Brains and Bibles, Joel strengthens churches by helping better equip them for evangelism, discipleship, and Bible study through training, speaking, podcasting, and writing. He hosts the “Brains, Bibles, and Beyond!” podcast with Nate Day, available on YouTube and every podcast platform. 

Meet Dr. Nathan Oppman

Dr. Nathan Oppman earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, a Master’s degree in History, and a Doctorate of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Bob Jones University. His doctoral dissertation focused on the area of Biblical worldview in young adults who were active in the public policy arena. He is the headmaster of Two Rivers Classical Academy in Des Moines. He spent eight years working in the field of public policy, at both the national level in Washington, D.C. and the state level in Des Moines. Dr. Oppman also serves as an adjunct college professor at Faith Baptist Bible College.  Nathan serves at Urbandale Baptist Church in Urbandale, Iowa.  He lives with his wife Joy, son Henry, and daughter Violet.