Predestination, Part 1

Some churches teach that predestination means that God determined prior to the creation of the world which people would be saved and which ones would be lost. Is this really what the Bible means when it uses the term predestination? this is the first of a to part Bible study on this subject.

Gary Smith was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, but spent most of his youth in the Pasadena, California area. He graduated from Ambassador College in 1976 and he and his wife, Liz, moved to Peoria, Illinois. For the next six years he worked as a nursing home administrator in Illinois, Ohio, and Texas.
In 1982, he and Liz began to serve in the full-time ministry. Since that time, they have served in a number of congregations in the Midwest.
Gary and Liz now pastor in Houston, Texas near their two children and grandson.
Apart from pastoring, Gary enjoys hiking, playing and watching sports, reading and spending time with family.