Be There or Be...

... potentially misinformed, unenlightened, not encouraged, stretched, humbled etc. etc.

What would the 17th Century Reformed say to the 21st Century church? What would thrill or suprise or horrify them?

I hope to find out at The Faith of Our Fathers' Conference in Southgate, North London, Sat 2nd Oct.

See you there or comment to book a place in my car from Eastbourne.

PT Conferencing

I've recently booked myself on to the Proclamation Trust Autumn Joint Ministers' Conference (8th - 11th Nov), details of which are here. See some of you there, perhaps?

The Faith of Our Fathers

It's in my diary. Is it in yours?

The Family Under Siege

It's always great to hear of a gospel church plant, but one of the things I especially love about Emmaneul Evangelical Church, Southgate is the first rate day conferences they're organising to serve the wider church.

If I wasn't already tripple booked, I'd certainly be at this one:

THE FAMILY UNDER SIEGE?

Emmanuel Evangelical Church Family Conference13 March 2010

Speakers

Revd Ian Fry, Pastor, Fetcham Community Church, Surrey. Ian is a former teacher and sometime Director of Youth and Children's Ministry training at Oak Hill Theological College.

Revd Dr David Field, Elder, Emmanuel Evangelical Church

Christian families are under mounting pressure from the secular world. Anti-Christian dogma is promoted in the media under the guise of ‘tolerance’. Education has become a battleground, and increasingly intrusive legislation is being proposed by our government. Recent proposals have included:

‘Parents will lose the right to withdraw their children from sex education classes once they reach 15.’

‘Home-educating parents will be forced to register annually and undergo criminal record checks.

‘Home-educated children will be interviewed privately by government officials; parents who refuse to allow this will find their children sent to a state school.’

Pressure is also mounting elsewhere:

The British Humanist Association has declared that ‘there probably is no God,’ and demanded that Christian parents stop raising their children as believers in Christ.

A BBC presenter speculated that ‘authoritarian’ evangelical parents could use home education as a cover for child abuse.

Yet there is always hope. Jesus Christ is the risen and ascended King of Kings. He has received from the Father all authority in heaven and on earth, the nations have been made his inheritance, and one day every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Until then, the church has been commissioned to maintain the unity of the Spirit, to live as children of light, to speak the truth in love, to nurture our children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, and to disciple the nations.

Are you ready for the challenge?


10am – 4pm, Saturday 13 March 2010 at The Welsh Chapel, Cockfosters
Individuals £15 · Couples/families £20To book, email

John Owen Centre Calvin Conference

Over at Heavenly Worldliness Rev'd Gary Brady (who seemed a nice chap, had a sense of humour and so on and also happens to be from God's Own Country) has blogged some jottings from the excellent Calvin conference (see "JOC Calvin 01" etc. and some other little goodies) I attended on Monday and Tuesday, so that's saved me a job and given a bit more time for sermon prep.! :)

The papers were:

Calvin the Revolutionary: Christian living in a fallen world (Joel Beeke)

Calvin’s Way of Doing Theology: Exploring the Institutes (Tony Lane)

Calvin and Union with Christ: The Heart of Christian Doctrine (Paul Wells)

Lloyd-Jones Memorial Lecture: Calvin the Man: A Heart Aflame (Sinclair Ferguson)

Calvin the Reformer (Ian Hamilton)

Calvin and Christian Experience: The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Christian (Sinclair Ferguson)

Calvin and Preaching: The Power of the Word (Joel Beeke)

CDs are available from the John Owen Centre, I believe.

Christians in Media Conference

If you're a Christian working in the media, you'll probably want to get The Blueprint Annual Gathering organised by the CoMission Media Forum in your diary.

A conference to sing about

Rearrange your diary, mug a granny and send a cheque to book in for a day conference on The Song of Songs with Revd Dr David Field and mainly Miss Ros Clarke, who knows about the SofS. You can expect treasures old and new, intellectual stimulation, spiritual refreshment and I hope even a giggle or two.

Church Administrators' Conference

This Church Administrators' Conference (Mon 9th Nov '09, London SW20) looks well worth a look.

Calvin Conference

I've just filled out the booking form for The John Owen Centre's Calvin Conference Examining Calvin's life and theology and its relevance for Christian living today (Mon 14th - Tues 15th Sept).

It only costs £50 including meals, with discounted day bookings available.

I'm especially interested in it as I'm about to write a chapter for the PhD on Calvin's doctrine of the Lord's Supper.

Anyone else going?

Anyone want to offer me a bed in London - the more accessible it is to London Theological Seminary in Finchley the better!