Why do most scientists believe in evolution? Is it because the science behind evolution is so strong? In this eye-opening presentation, and using their very own data, Gary ‘busts’ the myths behind evolutionary assumptions and shows how the evidence fits the biblical account better. But why is this an important debate for Christians? It’s because our children will be taught evolution as ‘fact’ when they undertake higher education. The consequences are having a damaging effect on the church as our youth walk away from their faith. It doesn’t have to be this way. We can actually empower our children if we can teach them how to think straight in this crooked world.

What is ‘real science’? Jonathan discusses the distinction between ‘origins science’ which seeks to explain what happened in the past and ‘operational science’ which is testable, repeatable, and is the source of things like cell phones and antibiotics. He shows how what we see from operational science—things we observe today—support the Bible’s statements about origins and an intelligent Designer—the God of the Bible. This includes startling evidence for a globe-covering Flood that laid down rock layers, formed fossils, and carved canyons.

Gary is arguably the world’s leading Christian authority in this area. His book, Alien Intrusion: UFOs and the Evolution Connection, is the only creation book to be an Amazon top 50 best-seller. He points out that life can only arise from one of two mechanisms; either it was created (as the Bible says) or it evolved (as evolutionists claim). Countless numbers, including most Christians, believe in alien life due to popular culture and evolutionism. So what about life on other planets? What about all the UFO sightings and experiences with alleged aliens that people (including some Christians) claim to have? Are these real events, and are they really aliens? Gary’s investigations have taken him all over the world to uncover a sinister agenda by spiritual forces that have deceived millions. And yes, the experiences can be real, but they are not really aliens. As much as it might surprise many, Gary will demonstrate from Scripture that, even in this incomprehensively massive universe, the earth and mankind are unique, and that the Bible does not allow for intelligent life on other planets. Prepare to have your thinking challenged.

Many non-believers rail against God because they witness so much death and suffering in the world, and this is one of the main reasons why people reject the God of the Bible. However, if they are atheists, what logical basis do they have for determining what is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ anyway? Sadly, many have left their Christian faith because they have been taught that death and struggle is an essential part of ‘life’, and so this must be the way that God created. However, if we understand and take the Bible’s history at face value, the death and suffering we see in the world should actually serve as a reminder that something is wrong with this fallen world. When we look at the world through the lens of the Scripture, we find that indeed God has done something about all the death and suffering in the world. You will be immensely encouraged by this message.

We can tell when something shows evidence of having a human designer. So when things in nature show those same characteristics—only on a much more complex level—it makes sense to attribute that to a Designer as well. Jonathan discusses several evidences of magnificent design in nature, including DNA, molecular machines, the complexity of the cell, and more. He also demolishes arguments of ‘bad design’.

Introduction to the Common Core and what it means for homeschoolers. This was presented at the 2013 NYS LEAH Downstate Homeschool Convention.

Are you so overwhelmed that you find yourself going through the motions of school, without a clear sense of purpose or direction for each of your children? With a few tips, tools and techniques you can create a doable plan that will help you feel more confident and purposeful. We’ll look at how to assess the whole child, evaluate the school year and set tangible, achievable goals for each of your students. Come learn how to start with The Counselor, take practical steps, and even include your spouse in the process!

Most of us were taught worthless or misleading spelling rules filled with exceptions. Come, examine ways this complex language is much more consistent than we've been lead to believe.

What type of homeschool parent are you? A box checker? Eclectic? Do you love schedules? Loathe them? Maybe you’re still looking for that perfect “niche.” Paige will share practical tips for helping all personalities succeed as homeschooling parents. Examine areas of struggle, identify strengths, and most importantly, be encouraged that God knew your strengths and weaknesses when He placed your children in your home.

Society tries to convince us of what’s hot and what’s not. But what does God have to say about bulging muscles and striving for the perfect figure?

Families with kids of all ages are invited to come and hear the compelling evidence that shows dinosaurs were on the Ark and the subsequent eye witness accounts.

Our children are precious gifts from the Lord but sometimes they can interfere with our human plans. Many homeschooling parents are in distress because they find their little ones seeking attention at all the wrong times. Let Paige share with you creative ways to prepare these young “sponges” for school while keeping them creatively occupied at times when the parent needs to concentrate on the older ones. The workshop is full of practical suggestions for educational toys and common household items that can be used to educate and occupy young ones. Homeschooling with young ones can be easier than you think!

It’s difficult to be a Christian when you feel like you’re faking it. Harder still when you actually are faking it. Honesty is the best policy, especially when it comes to our relationship with God. It’s time to sit down, take a deep breath and hear what He has to say.

Do you ever feel like you are stuck in a thought pattern you cannot escape from? Are there circumstances or hurts that keep you hindered or afraid? Having first hand seen the devastation that comes from believing the lies of Satan, Elizabeth will address the power of female emotions and the freedom that comes from having a mind controlled by the love of Christ.

The internet has opened up a seemingly endless stream of social opportunities. What are the pros and cons of this new world and what are the principles for effective and godly use of these amazing tools? Join us for a conversation about these questions and more.

Let’s be frank. There are two kinds of homeschoolers, those who think homeschooling rocks and those who think it doesn’t. Come hear two homeschool graduates talk about the good, bad and ugly of growing up in a homeschool and why, in fact, homeschooling isn’t lame.

Has anyone ever seen a live dinosaur? How many different kinds of dinosaurs are there? How much can a dinosaur eat? Curious families, come and find out the answers to these questions.

Rick Boyer and his wife have been home schooling since 1980. Starting out young and green in a time when only a handful of families was home schooling, Rick and Marilyn found few resources to help them in their journey. They had to blaze their own trail, surviving such obstacles as skeptical grandparents, hostile school authorities, unhelpful curriculum publishers, blizzards, Indian attacks&(just kidding). The Boyers are still home schooling today and now share their experiences around the world through their books and their speaking ministry. Rick will share some of the most profound lessons learned along the way, including: -It's not schooling, it's discipleship -Life is the curriculum -The kid is the can -Socialization is for socialists -George Washington survived without Little League -and many more!

A Biblical, age-appropriate approach to sex education. In this workshop parents of elementary and middle school children will learn what to talk about with their kids at every stage of development. This workshop includes information on how to set the paradigm for purity and courtship beginning in preschool. We will also discuss media discernment, how to give "the talk", and how parents can begin now to open up the lines of communication with their children to pave the way for honesty and openness during adolescence.

Once decisions have been made about what to require for high school graduation, once the overall plan has been set, there is still much to do. How do you set up each course? Courses can be designed or modified by using prepackaged curricula, by using a variety of materials you already have on hand, or by outlining the course and finding materials to fit your needs. We will discuss these methods of course planning, and will also cover grading, keeping track of assignments with no stress, and record keeping.

Is your daughter the "odd girl out" or the "leader of the pack"? The rise and fall of the hierarchies of our daughters, and their siblings and friends, is like the rise and fall of kingdoms and world powers. How do we as parents deal with the cliques and their fall out? What is a Godly pattern for our girls and how should they structure their relationships? How do the lies of our culture perpetuate the need for our daughters to bolster their self image and define themselves through the eyes of their peers? Come and hear about God's design for our daughters and their relationships. Step off the treadmill of our culture's say so and into the Spirit of God as the architect of relationships-even those of girls.

Selecting curriculum for the upper grades can become a real nightmare. On the one hand, many materials seem designed for a classroom setting with expensive equipment required, and on the other hand, home-school-designed materials vary so widely in ability level (for both students and teachers) that it is hard to know what will work. Parents often wonder if they need an advanced degree to teach advanced courses, or if "throwing money" at a difficult subject will help, or if materials they like are too basic to count for high school. In this session, we will focus on resources for a variety of subjects that almost any family can use, and will discuss ways to evaluate the myriad of texts and programs available.

When the truths of history (the good, the bad, and the ugly) are sifted through the strainer of political correctness, it loses its potency and relevance. In this modern age that some professionals have labeled, "The Age of Entitlement", both children and adults often appear clueless and nonchalant when it comes to understanding the sacrifices made on their behalf. It often seems that America has forgotten what it means to be grateful. In this session, Jamie will share her heart as she explains how the "watered down", politically correct, history textbooks have had a part in helping students so easily forget the past and think it irrelevant. "For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; That the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; and may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set its heart aright, and whose spirit was not faithful to God."? Ps. 78:5-8

This charge was given to high school graduates at the Graduate Recognition Event of the 2009 OCEAN Conference. The text of the address is found in Micah 6:8: "And what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" (NASB) Mike explains what it means to "do justly", to "walk humbly", and to "love mercy" as we go through our daily living. The aim of the address is to remind graduates of what's important in life and how to evaluate true success.

This session presents important questions to ask regarding home schooling teens and stresses building good relationships at home. The academic advantages and getting them ready for college are discussed. For those deciding about home schooling during the teen years, this is a must. Also, hear Elizabeth's "Top 10 Priorities" for home schooling your teen.

Homeschooling is the most powerful form of education rediscovered in the modern age. Its power and success is unquestioned. Yet for most home educators, the principles that worked in home education are not transferred into post-secondary education. Cutting edge visionaries are bringing a Copernican revolution to the method of higher education in the form of mentorship. If our movement takes this next step, we will make far greater impact on the way we do post-secondary education and economics, then we have seen in K-12 education. Based on years of experience with mentoring, Kevin Swanson presents a vision for mentorship applied to both the college and entrepreneurial tracks.

Join Tom Clark, founder of VideoText Interactive, as he offers an entertaining and educational session designed to help you discover the reasons behind the difficulty, on several of the traditional trouble spots in math. Topics discussed will be determined by the audience, and may include division of fractions and multiplication of decimals (using those mindless rules), long-division, story-problems, positive and negative numbers, and numerous others, all of which seem to indicate that Mathematics is just naturally “difficult”.

Many children really do not like to write. Why? This workshop will answer that basic question and teach a specific and successful method of separating the complex process of writing into the smallest possible steps, making it possible for even the most reluctant writer to produce short but complete compositions. He will be proud and motivated to write again. If you remove the problem of what to write, you will be free to help your child learn how to write, using source texts, key word outlines and �dress-up� checklists. Results guaranteed!

We've all suffered it at one time or another: Frustration about writing assignments. Either on the receiving end, or perhaps now on the giving end, there can be a few distinctly discouraging aspects to teaching and being taught writing. The tough questions include: What to correct and how to give a grade? How much help is too much? Isn't the assignment clear enough? Why don't students find their own errors? Learn and avoid four teaching mistakes that contribute to this frustration: Overcorrecting, Holding Back Help, Unclear Assignments, & Over-Expectation.

Boys are different, Mom! Our sexually permissive culture is already sending your son signals that real manhood equals an aggressive thirst for power and a lustful hunger for promiscuity. How do you whet your son's appetite for Christ alone? Join Rebecca to learn the secrets every mother needs to know about raising a godly son.

Our educational system has the academics as the core of learning and creativity emanates from the academics. Preeminence is given to the "important" subjects like math, science, and history, then, if there is time and money left over, they add arts education. But, according to God's word, the first thing we learn is that "In the beginning God created". If we are to teach according to Scriptural principle, then creativity is to take the first place, to be the core of learning, and everything else will follow after that. It is God's way and recent research proves this point.

In our modern day, many question the worth of serving God with their whole heart, and consequently we offer unto Him that which should be considered refuse. By our actions, even Christians suggest that submitting themselves to the whole counsel of God is an unprofitable exercise and not worthy of the necessary investment. Do you secretly question the equity of God? Do you fail to offer God your best and first fruits? Do you have fortitude in the midst of social, economic, and civil declension? The 5th century message of Malachi offers instruction for our modern challenges, along with a prescription for reformation and revival in every generation.

Do you have a child who is doubting his faith? Or perhaps a daughter who has rejected your beliefs completely? Are you convinced you've failed...and the state of this child's heart is weighing heavily on you and your spouse? Come and listen to Carol share her own journey away from and back to her faith after 13 years as an atheist. She'll share thoughts and views from inside the mind of a lost child. You'll learn the best thing you can do for this child and for yourself. Come and find an understanding heart that hurts and rejoices along with your own.

Based on the life of Ehud the Benjamite, Mark will unveil the unique strategy that God and his parents used to prepare him to become a skilled and strategic warrior, confident leader, and a skillful entrepreneur. In this seminar we will look at the assessment of a child’s natural abilities and the instructive insights that are necessary to prepare each child, teen, and adult for God’s ultimate purpose and calling. This seminar promises to be an eye opener for all ages—in more ways than you expect; but in a way you will never forget!

For many homeschool students, a future college degree may be necessary to fulfill God’s purposes; yet the process of admissions and financial aid can be intimidating. The Dunagan family have coached their first three totally-homeschooled graduates to college admissions and scholarship success. By taking advantage of our unique freedoms in home education, they emphasize leadership, individual strengths, international missions, community service, CLEP exams, scholarship competitions, and dual-enrolment in high school and community college. And through a growing process of faith, and by God's grace, their family has earned (so far) over $200,000 in college scholarships and financial grants. . . for God's glory!

Apologetics is making a defense for the Christian faith. How do you explain the trinity to your children or prepare them to witness with questions they may need to answer such as, "How could a loving God create hell?" Through weekly meetings, for students 12 and older, dads teach, and parents coach as the students verbally present written cards; defining, expounding Biblical proof, and the significance of God's nature, salvation, scripture, the nature of man and Jesus Christ. Students are encouraged with fellowship, working with their dads and possible competition locally with NCFCA. Come hear our students, their dads, and be introduced to the study of apologetics.

Children are born with a God-given desire to communicate! In this seminar, Debbie will talk about the key areas of communication and how to develop your child’s skills in each area. As Christian homeschooling parents, we have been freed from “worldly philosophies” and are able to do what is efficient and effective. Come and learn about ways to decrease stress and increase productivity in your language arts instruction!

In three years of earthly ministry, Jesus equipped 12 ordinary men to change the world—and they did it. What can we learn from the life of Christ about how to disciple our children to be a blessing to all nations of the earth?

Homeschool parents are motivated to help children avoid being taken captive by worldly ideas, but how do we simultaneously protect and prepare our children? Dr. Myers gives you proven strategies for being alert to wrong ideas and strengthening your child’s ability to “take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”

The teenage years should be the beginning of the harvest as our young people come into their own. If we plan for the storms of life and prepare, we can build through these years with less frustration, wasted time, conflicts, and fruitlessness. We need to make the most of the time we have (Eph. 5:15-17). Betsy will help you consider and examine important principles so that you can prepare yourself physically and spiritually for situations that will arise.

Far too many young people have heads full of knowledge but no idea of what God designed them to do and be. Discover how to recognize your child's motivated abilities, cultivate his God-given gifts, and avoid the cultural traps that the culture uses to distort his identity.

Effective communication is essential to a successful, God-honoring life. Dr. Myers unravels the mysteries of communication and shows you how you and your children can conquer fear and move people to action—whether in everyday life or in front of a crowd.

History has been used to distort reality. Some of the distortion has a purpose behind it. Those who control the historical record control how we think about the world in which we live and how we react to cultural trends. Much of what the Myth-Historians have written has been used to discredit Christianity, everything from geo-centrism and the flat earth to slavery and the secular founding of America. Then there are some Christian historical myths that need to be dispelled. Did James Madison really praise the Ten Commandments? Is the de Tocqueville quotation about churches accurate? Teaching honest critical thinking skills is a necessity if we are going to capture the next generation.

One of the biggest failures of our public and private school systems is that they do not teach students how to think critically. In this seminar, Dr. Wile gives you specific suggestions as to how you can teach your child to think critically, regardless of the subject matter that the student is learning. You will learn how to help your student evaluate statements, look for hidden assumptions, find political/social agendas, and discover faulty logic. Although Dr. Wile’s area of interest is science, he will show you how critical thinking applies to all academic areas, as well as all facets of your life.

In this seminar, Dr. Jay L. Wile, a nuclear chemist, explores the complicated Creation Versus Evolution debate. He discusses Christian attempts to make the Genesis account compatible with the theory of evolution and shows how these attempts fail. The conclusion is that a literal interpretation of Genesis is completely incompatible with the theory of evolution. He then proceeds to show that this is not at all a problem for someone who is both a Christian and a scientist. He presents strong scientific evidence that supports a literal interpretation of Genesis and equally strong scientific evidence that discounts the theory of evolution. He discusses evolutionists’ attempts to explain away this data and how such attempts fail. Perhaps the most intriguing part of this seminar comes when Dr. Wile details some of the fantastic life forms on this planet whose existence can never be explained using the theory of evolution.

In this lecture, Dr. Wile uses his development as a scientist to explain why most scientists are not creationists, even though the scientific evidence for creation is so compelling. His frank discussions of indoctrination, discrimination, and bias show quite clearly that most scientists do not reject creationism on the basis of science. If you’ve ever wondered why evolution is so heavily entrenched in the scientific community, you will want to hear this lecture!

What a challenge! What a blessing! What a reward! But what do we, as parents, do to see the blessing and to harvest the reward? This practical, hands-on workshop looks at vision, opportunities and counsel in your teenager's life through such issues as: what we can do, through school subjects and training, to prepare our unfolding young adults; how do we home school when the subjects get harder; why we should study worldviews with them? . . . and much more.

Teaching writing to more advanced students can seem overwhelming. Yet, young people must master the writing skills needed for college and for vocational settings. How do you prepare them? What do your students need to know? We will explore reaching core composition goals, creating well-developed outlines, writing logically, following standard form, altering standard form, and creating timed response-essays.

In this seminar, Dr. Jay L. Wile explains how any parent can help his or her children learn science at the upper levels. As a former University teacher and a former high school teacher, Dr. Wile has experienced first-hand the failure of our public school system. As a result, he is a staunch advocate of homeschooling a student all the way through the high school years. Dr. Wile agrees that most parents do not have the ability to teach the high school sciences at home, but he also contends that this is not a problem. By the time a homeschooled student reaches high school, both the student and the parent should be able to learn by reading. Thus, Dr. Wile admonishes the parent to learn the subject right along with the student. With both the parent and the student helping each other learn, an upper level science experience can be equally rewarding for both!

Whether you enjoy writing or not, feel confident to teach it or not, this workshop is for you. Guidelines for helping writers from preschool through high school will be presented. In the process the mechanics and the art of writing will be explored and discussed.

Junior High is a unique and special time of growing up. In order to take full advantage of these precious years, spiritual, physical and academic needs must all be considered. In this workshop, we will cover how parents can custom-design their students' junior high years to help them to "grow and wax strong in spirit, becoming filled with wisdom; and having the grace of God upon them." (Luke 2:40)

Although our nation has not been marched off into captivity in chains like Babylon, we have been taken spiritually captive by our culture. We have been subtly chained to the world's values that imprison us. The values of the world unknowingly sneak up on us through TV, on the internet, and while reading the newspaper and magazines. The saturation of our families by the torrential onslaught of the media in our sensually driven surroundings has captivated both us and our children. "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news." Isa. 52:7 God has appointed our families to bring the news of deliverance and lead others out of captivity. Renew your vision on how to instruct your children when it comes to media discernment, establishing values that reflect God's timeless standards, and dispensing with the lies and myths that our culture perpetrates concerning body image, sex, pornography, and relationships. Take practical steps to relinquish the chains that have not only bound our families, but our churches as well.

In the wake of serious degeneration in the fields of art and literature, Christians must exercise careful discernment in these areas. Without giving way to extra-biblical legalism, Kevin Swanson will present several biblical principles by which you can discern the best of art, literature and movies for your family’s enjoyment and education. He will challenge you to look at every area of life through the eyeglasses of the Word of God.

A Biblical age appropriate approach to sex education for homeschoolers. In this workshop parents of elementary and middle school children will learn what to talk about with their kids at every stage of development. This workshop includes information on how to set a paradigm for purity and courtship beginning in preschool. We will also discuss media discernment, how to give "the talk", and how parents can begin now to open up the lines of communication with their children to pave the way for honesty during adolescence.

God's call on this generation of youth is to raise a banner of purity to counter the explosive rise of inappropriate sexual content in our culture today. In this workshop we will equip both parents and teens to wage the battle against sexual promiscuity that we face everyday. Topics dicussed will include courtship versus dating, media discernment and enhancing communication with your teen. This workshop is excellent for both teens and their parents to attend together.

Fathers and husbands, it is time to love and lead - now. Love your wife like Christ loves the church. Nurture and admonish your children but do not provoke them. Lead your family in God’s exciting will. Is all of this possible? Yes. But what can you do? Mothers and wives, it is time to love your husband as God has declared and to lead your children. Brian and Betsy will help and encourage you with scripture, their experiences, and what they have learned during 20 years of marriage and the ongoing raising of eight children.

Are you struggling with teaching math to your teenagers? Does the word “algebra” strike fear in your home? Join Steve Clark as he humorously explores the reasons that instruction can be difficult and then gets serious about WHY teenagers need higher level math. If you or your students have ever asked, “When are we going to use this Algebra stuff?,” then this seminar is for you!

Part 1 of a workshop for not only families with ADHD children, but also those whose children are simply fidgety. How do you teach a child with an impossibly short attention span? This home schooling mom of a supercharged, highly distractible child shares the practical tips that turned their home schooling from an exercise in pain and frustration to one of pleasure and success. Topics include, putting motion into learning, making math fun, the unique difficulty with writing and decreasing distractions. Also a thought provoking commentary on “What was God thinking?” when he put such qualities in your child. Come and learn practical tips that you can start using Monday morning.

Part 1 of a 2 part discussion which encourages students to cast aside the “artistic relativism” taught in most schools, recognizing that God is either pleased or displeased with specific works of art (Philippians 4:8). Students seek to discover God’s definition of art, and then apply that to all fields: music, dance, theater, visual arts, literature, etc. Concepts such as cultural literacy and the role of the art consumer are discussed.

Part 2 of this discussion which encourages students to cast aside the “artistic relativism” taught in most schools, recognizing that God is either pleased or displeased with specific works of art (Philippians 4:8). Students seek to discover God’s definition of art, and then apply that to all fields: music, dance, theater, visual arts, literature, etc. Concepts such as cultural literacy and the role of the art consumer are discussed.

You’ve used all the sticker charts and point systems you can think of an d you are still faced with the Monday morning whines!! Is this child unmotivated, lazy or just normal? In this workshop, Mrs. Hensley will look at the underlying factors behind motivation and “un-motivation” as well as the importance of our attitudes and expectations in motivating our children.

Socializing children means nothing more (and nothing less!) than teaching them how to love others as they love themselves-even in the midst of conflict. Learn how peacemaking can be a key to your children experiencing success in their marriages, churches, careers, and most of all, in their Christian witness.

Parents of children with disabilities experience many challenges associated with having and teaching a child with learning problems. Negative emotions, lack of support and distorted perspectives can keep us from being effective teachers of our children. In this workshop, Mrs. Hensley will discuss the importance of facing challenges honestly as well as look at how these challenges are actually opportunities placed in our lives by God for our spiritual growth.

Learn the nuts and bolts of teaching your children how to resolve their conflicts biblically, recognize root causes of their conflicts, along with sincerely confessing their wrongs, confronting others constructively, and forgiving others as God has forgiven them.

Many home educators are intimidated by the common myth that children who are taught at home are at a disadvantage in social development. Rick Boyer draws on Scripture, scientific research and the experience of thousands of home-teaching families to show that the opposite is true. To prepare children for the real world, they need to be in the real world: family, church, and community - not locked away from society in age-segregated schools. This session will help you respond to the constant challenge: "What about socialization?"

Blessings are in store for those who resolve conflict in a way that honors God. Come and learn powerful peacemaking principles you can use to prevent disputes and resolve differences with brothers and sisters, parents, friends, and future workers or supervisors.

Does your school day lack pizzazz? Is the topic too big for you to cover well? Do you want your children challenged and motivated to do their very best? If so, then maybe co-opping is an option you should examine. Three home-schooling moms will share how they have been blessed by the benefits of co-opping together the last 13 years. Come learn the how-to's and more of starting a co-op.

If you want to be great in this world you must learn to serve! This training will give students: A Biblical understanding of the value of being a servant in our culture; extra ordinary examples of servants that we all can emulate; a hands on opportunity for service; a plan of accomplishment to make a difference in others lives.