A three-hour Bible conference on Jan. 23, in subfreezing temperatures and just before a winter storm struck Tyrrell County, drew about two dozen people to Sound Side Missionary Baptist Church.

The four speakers reaffirmed the Bible’s authenticity, reliability and relevance today.

“The Bible will take us where we ought to go,” said opening speaker Russell Blanchard, pastor of Center Hill Baptist Church at Tyner. “Allow the Bible to shape your future and map out your destiny. Let’s get back to the Word — grounded, centered and growing in Jesus.”

Blanchard said God is ultimately the author of the Bible; that it is true and without error even after many translations.

Mike Cole sang before Blanchard spoke, and Cassy Waters sang afterward.

Joe Wynns, pastor of Frying Pan Free Will Baptist Church, gave his personal testimony of being called to the ministry while he was a Marine aboard ship in the Pacific and of preaching his first sermon in Korea.

“How often we refuse to obey the Word, yet the Word is unfailingly true; you can stand on it,” Wynns concluded.

Jake Brickhouse sang following Wynns’ talk.

Joseph Reeder, pastor of The Assembly of Praise, said society does not believe in absolute truth, no absolute right or wrong. “Do we follow the Bible or tradition in our churches?” He said Christians are resistant to change, and some are “playing church.”

“Let’s look honestly at our lives. Are we living by the Word or by tradition?” Reeder asked.

Jonathan Rose sang after Reeder’s remarks.

Host pastor Tim Hayes said the Bible reveals the principles God judges us by, that it is God’s revelation of himself, and that adherence to it “changes you on a fundamental level.”

“Revival only comes when we take the Bible seriously,” Hayes said, and he concluded with, “Ask God to give you a desire to read the Word.”

Everyone presents was given a hardcover copy of Greg Gilbert’s Why Trust the Bible?, which explores the historical and theological arguments that have helped lead believers to trust the Bible. The volume is designed to enable Christians to articulate that trust when speaking of “who God is, who we are, and how we’re supposed to live.”