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Union University

Ryan Center for Biblical Studies

2026 Spring Bible Conference

March 20–21, 2026

Our 2026 Bible conference will feature Dr. Robert Stewart teaching on "Contending Earnestly: Becoming Faithful Stewards of the Word of God." The conference will prepare attendees to make a defense of the Bible as the Word of God. This preparation is aimed at both pastors and laypeople for not only personal confidence in the Christian faith but also for effective evangelism, teaching, and preaching.

Register Online Schedule Lodging

Plenary Speaker

Robert Stewart headshotDr. Robert Stewart
Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Theology
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Dr. Robert Stewart is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Theology at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Stewart taught at the seminary for more than two decades, serving as the Greer-Heard Chair of Faith and Culture. He is the author, editor, and contributor to more than ten books, including What Did the Cross Accomplish?: A Conversation about the Atonement with N. T. Wright and Simon Gathercole (Westminster/John Knox, 2021), Can We Trust the Bible on the Historical Jesus? with Bart D. Ehrman and Craig A. Evans (Westminster/John Knox, 2020), God and Cosmology: William Lane Craig and Sean Carroll in Dialogue (Fortress, 2016), The Message of Jesus: John Dominic Crossan and Ben Witherington III in Dialogue (Fortress, 2013), and The Quest of the Hermeneutical Jesus: The Impact of Hermeneutics on the Jesus Research of John Dominic Crossan and N. T. Wright. (Bloomsbury, 2008). In addition to more than thirty years of debate and conversation in apologetics for the Christian faith, Dr. Stewart has served as the pastor of churches in Texas and Louisiana.

Schedule

On Friday afternoon, Dr. Stewart and Union University's School of Theology & Missions faculty, including Dr. Ray Van Neste, Dr. Mark Dubis, and Dr. Brad Green, as well as Dr. Steve Ortiz (Lanier Center for Archaeology, Lipscomb University) and Dr. Michael McEwen (B&H Academic) will lead sessions primarily for pastors, though all conference registrants invited to attend. Topics will include:

  • Romans 1 and What We Can Know
  • A Charge to Pastors & All Christians to Engage in Apologetic Training
  • The Good the Bad and the Ugly: Did the United Monarchy Exist? Recent archaeological discoveries on the Kingdom of David and Solomon
  • The New Heavens & the New Earth as an Apologetic for the Christian Faith

Friday evening and Saturday we will hear from Dr. Stewart as well as area pastors and Union alumni Dr. Eric Smith and Dr. Lee Tankersley.

Friday, March 20

  • 1:00 p.m. — Welcome, name badge, packets (lobby of the Grant Events Center)
  • 1:30 p.m. — Conference begins (all registrants welcome at all sessions)
    • Dr. Robert Stewart (New Orleans Baptist Seminary)
    • Dr. Brad Green (Union University)
    • Dr. Steve Ortiz (Lanier Center for Archaeology, Lipscomb University)
    • Dr. Mark Dubis (Union University)
    • Dr. Michael McEwen (B&H Academic Books)
    • Dr. Ray Van Neste (Union University)
  • 5:30 p.m. — Afternoon sessions ending
  • 6:00 p.m. — Dinner in the Carl Grant Events Center
  • 6:45 p.m. — Welcome, introductions
  • 7:00 p.m. — Plenary 1: Dr. Robert Stewart, "Can We Know Anything about the Past, and If So, How?"

Saturday, March 21

  • 8:00 a.m. — Breakfast for attendees
  • 8:30 a.m. — Plenary 2: Dr. Robert Stewart, "How Do We Know That We Have What the Biblical Authors Actually Wrote?"
  • 9:30 a.m. — Dr. Eric Smith, "Discerning Thoughts & Intentions: Apologetics and the Heart-Searching Word of God"
  • 10:15 a.m — Plenary 3: Dr. Robert Stewart, "Did Jesus Teach that He was God?"
  • 11:15 a.m. — Dr. Lee Tankersley, "What Does the Bible Have to Say for Itself?: Holy Scripture's Self-attestation"
  • 12:00 p.m. — Lunch
  • 12:45 p.m. — Plenary 4: Dr. Robert Stewart, "Why Should I Believe That Jesus Was Raised from the Dead?"
  • 1:45 p.m. — Q&A with Dr. Robert Stewart and other speakers

Registration

Cost for the conference is $30 for those who register by March 13, and $50 March 14-19 (registration closes on March 19).

$30.00 (thru March 13)

Registration includes sessions and three meals.

Suggested Lodging

Hilton Garden Inn Jackson
1324 Vann Drive, Jackson, Tennessee, 38305
TEL: 731-868-3500 ext 1 (Mention "Union Bible Conference"); FAX: 731-868-3501

Reserve Online
$141/night; Room block goes from March 19-21 (Come early for the Dockery Lectures on Thursday, March 19 with Dr. Brad Green). Book by February 27.