#doreancon 2025
The Stewardship of Scripture
Welcome
A gathering for freely supported ministry
Silicon Valley Reformed Baptist Church would like to welcome you to #doreancon2025! It’s our privilege to host this conference and to share with you our passion for freely-given ministry, especially as it is borne out in a responsible Stewardship of Scripture.
Speakers
Meet the speakers
Conley Owens
Conley Owens is a software engineer, a pastor at Silicon Valley Reformed Baptist Church, and the father of ten kids. He is also the author of The Dorean Principle: A Biblical Response to the Commercialization of Christianity.
Andrew Case
Andrew Case is a graduate of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and the Canada Institute of Linguistics. He serves as a Bible translation consultant, and produces a podcast about his field called Working for the Word. He and his wife Bethany work in Mexico. Together they founded freehebrew.online where they teach Hebrew to the world.
Michael Coughlin
Michael Coughlin is a particular Baptist from Ohio—a former pastor who now serves Christ’s Church through evangelism, preaching, and writing. He lives with his wife, Erin, and their four living children, striving to glorify God in all they do.
Pre-conference debate
Is Selling Licenses to Bible Translations a Sin?
- Affirmative
- Conley Owens
- Negative
- Jonathan Melin
- Moderator
- Michael Coughlin
Jonathan Melin is a software engineer with degrees in Biblical Studies and Bible Translation. He and his wife, Jessica, along with their four children, live near Richmond, Virginia, where he also helps with a church plant of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.
Schedule
Formal Debate
Break
Audience Q&A
Break
Dinner
Debate format
Affirmative Opening Statement
Cross Examination of the Affirmative
Negative Opening Statement
Cross Examination of the Negative
Affirmative Rebuttal
Negative Rebuttal + Closing Statement
Affirmative Closing Statement
Statement on the Stewardship of Scripture
The Sunnyvale Statement
In the past centuries, innovations in technology have greatly increased the distribution of Scripture. However, this progress has been hindered in other ways: Anti-Christian authorities continue to inhibit access as they always have, yet some of the greatest threats to the dissemination of the Word of God come from within our own institutions. The seventeenth century introduced exclusive publishing rights that limited the printing of the Authorized Version of the Bible. The eighteenth century witnessed the advent of modern copyright law, a legal mechanism that, by design, restricts the free propagation of Scripture. In our own day, these regulations have only expanded, and their impact has increased with the invention of digital publishing.
God has given his Word freely; no man has the authority to control or limit its transmission (2 Tim 2:9). The Author of Scripture has protected and preserved this Word for thousands of years, and we can trust him to continue to do so apart from human contrivances. We thank God for the labors of those who have made the Bible accessible to the nations, but we lament that many translations and editions of Scripture are burdened with legal and organizational restrictions that are ultimately inimical to the Great Commission.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, unite in one conviction: Scripture is the Word of God, and he has authorized his people to use, copy, distribute, translate, and adapt it regardless of man’s consent.
May the Word of the Lord run freely and be glorified (2 Thess 3:1), filling the earth as the waters cover the sea (Isa 11:9).
1. Concerning the Authorship of Scripture
We affirm that God is the divine Author of Scripture, the Word of God written, and has given this Word to his people as a gift.
We deny that Scripture may be regarded as merely human writing or that any may claim an exclusive right over it.
2. Concerning the Identity of Scripture
We affirm that the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God, and that all forms thereof—whether autograph, apograph, recension, translation, or adaptation—retain a divine quality that necessarily entails certain liberties for those to whom they are entrusted.
We deny that any human effort, creativity, or error involved in the transmission, recension, translation, or adaptation of Scripture undermines any of these liberties.
3. Concerning the Use of Scripture
We affirm that the people of God have been given Scripture to search and meditate on, and therefore all who have access to the Word are granted the liberty to make full use of it regardless of man’s consent.
We deny that misuse or any other danger undermines this liberty, or that any have a right to forcibly restrict others from lawfully using the Word of God.
4. Concerning the Reproduction of Scripture
We affirm that the people of God have a prerogative to preserve Scripture, and therefore all who have access to the Word are granted the liberty to copy it in any medium or format regardless of man’s consent.
We deny that textual corruption or any other danger undermines this liberty, or that any have a right to forcibly restrict others from lawfully copying the Word of God.
5. Concerning the Distribution of Scripture
We affirm that the people of God are called to propagate Scripture, and therefore all who have access to the Word are granted the liberty to distribute it in any medium or format regardless of man’s consent.
We deny that misattribution, economic exploitation, or any other danger undermines this liberty, or that any have a right to forcibly restrict others from lawfully distributing the Word of God.
6. Concerning the Adaptation of Scripture
We affirm that the people of God should make full use of Scripture, and therefore all who have access to the Word are granted the liberty to adapt it regardless of man’s consent.
We deny that mistranslation, mishandling, or any other danger undermines this liberty, or that any have a right to forcibly restrict others from lawfully adapting the Word of God.
Schedule
Conference sessions
- Check-in
- Pre-conference debate
- Dinner
- Breakfast & Check in
- Message 1: The Pricelessness of the Word
Michael Coughlin
- Message 2: Who Owns Manuscripts & Critical Texts?
Conley Owens
- Lunch
- Message 3: The Commercialization of Bible Societies
Andrew Case
- Lightning talks
- Unconference
- Message 4: Adaptation & Inspiration
Conley Owens
- Dinner
- Post-debate analysis + Q&A with speakers
- Breakfast & Check in
- Message 5: Does Copyright Actually Protect the Text from Corruption?
Andrew Case
- The Sunnyvale Statement on the Stewardship of Scripture signing
- Lunch
- Message 6: The Sin of Balaam
Conley Owens
- Q&A with speakers
While you’re here
Good to know
Conference discussion
Follow conference discussion in Discord using the link below.
Help
If you need help with the facilities, accommodations, or travel, email help@doreancon.org.
In the printed booklet
Dedicated notes pages
Lined pages for the debate, messages, unconference, statements, and additional notes.
Debate Notes
Is Selling Licenses to Bible Translations a Sin?
Jonathan Melin · Conley Owens · Michael CoughlinMessage Notes
The Pricelessness of the Word
Michael CoughlinMessage Notes
Who Owns Manuscripts & Critical Texts?
Conley OwensMessage Notes
The Commercialization of Bible Societies
Andrew CaseLightning Talk and Unconference Notes
Ideas, connections, and next steps
Message Notes
Adaptation and Inspiration
Conley OwensMessage Notes
Does Copyright Actually Protect the Text from Corruption?
Andrew CaseSunnyvale Statement Notes
The Stewardship of Scripture
Message Notes
The Sin of Balaam
Conley OwensExtra Notes
Notes
Resource spotlight
Recommended resources
FirstLove MinistriesFirstLove Ministries was established in 2006 as a ministry of Christ Bible Church in Pleasanton, California in order to advance the gospel at home and abroad without charge and without compromise. Since April 2025 it has formed into a non-profit corporation to expand the ministries of its publications, missions, radio, and Grace Bible University.
Let’s ChurchLet’s Church is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing free technology resources to churches and Christian ministries. It offers sermon and media hosting with fully-searchable transcripts, 100% free of charge with no ads. Its code is also open source and dedicated to the public domain.
Berean Standard BibleThe Berean Standard Bible is a new English translation of the Holy Bible inspired by Acts 17:11. This translation is based on the best available manuscripts, with each word connected back to the Greek and Hebrew, providing a transparent and honest text.
Freely Given BooksFreely Given Books is a library of Christian books, audiobooks, music, and other resources that are available without charge.
Silicon Valley Reformed Baptist ChurchSilicon Valley Reformed Baptist Church exists to glorify God in one of the greatest mission fields on planet Earth! It maintains biblepod.app, baptistcatechism.org, and baptistconfession.org, and offers a free temporary housing and discipleship program for people moving to the area.Around Sunnyvale
Nearby food
The recommendations from the original 2025 conference guide.
Homi Ramen (0.7 mi)The kimchi ramen is Pastor Conley’s favorite.
St John’s Bar & Grill (1.6 mi)Good burgers with outdoor seating.
Giovanni’s Pizza (0.7 mi)Authentic New York style pizza.
Laughing Monk Brewing (1.3 mi)Nearest (and best) brewery around.
Quiroga Taqueria (1.6 mi)Top-notch taco food truck.
In ’n’ Out (1.9 mi)A West Coast right of passage. It doesn’t count unless you get a Double-Double Animal Style.
