Aberystwyth Conference '08

[Outside Bethel; the crowds gather midweek]

It was the EMW conference last week and it was great privilege to be there. It is good to meet old friends and new. On the first weekend I had a chance to hear my father-in-law Geoff Thomas three times in Bethel. (Bethel is the Welsh Baptist church diagonally opposite used on that weekend because it is larger - the official EMW preachers are in a chapel further down the road). Geoff is doing a series on the Holy Spirit at present and so we were in John 20 (briefly) and mainly Acts 2.

On the Monday morning it is the tradition to have a straight lecture (with no singing) which I introduce. We took advantage this year of mentioning the book and there was an author signing over in the bookshop. It was gratifying to reach double figures sales wise. I think other copies were sold in the week and figures are going generally well. A sort of review (unfavourable) appeared in the English Churchman. Sadly the piece focusses only on one minor sentence in the book and is a mere excuse to run out a particular hobby horse or two.

The main speaker at Aber this year was Art Azurdia III (see here). Some of the Welshmen have enjoyed his book on preaching with power and he has spoken previously at the ministers conference in Bala. I have been a little sceptical myself having heard that he takes a "new covenant" position with regard to the law (this did not come out really in the four main messages but the young people pinned him down at a question and answer session). His eventual subject (after vetoing his own previous intention) was 'a clarion call to worldly Christianity' (see versions here). AA3 is an all American guy and so we forgave him his rapid, sometimes loud, occasionally schmaltzy delivery and his often word hand gestures. His eagerness to please and yet remain faithful was clear. The first message was a tour de force calling us (a la Gresham Machen et al) not to anorexic asceticism or worldly gluttony but to a third way, which he called worldly Christianity (a title we like, as you might guess). The other messages didn't quite live up to that. The second I thought particularly meagre in content. On the whole these were fine sermons.

I heard John Treharne from Caernarvon preach on Mephibosheth on the Monday night (simple, clear, wholesome) but missed (as I was babysitting) the contrasting Wednesday and Thursday nights of Anglican Rico Tice (doing a rerun of a sermon for believers following a seminar on personal evangelism) and Wyn Hughes, Vernon Higham's successor in Cardiff (using no notes).

I did get to hear the two outstanding messages from Stuart Olyott, however - the highlight of the conference for me. He looked at Psalm 14 (God in a Richard Dawkins age) and the True Vine of John 15. What a model of clear, self-effacing preaching.

There are a whole lot of other meetings that go on at Aber. Our younger kids enjoyed the children's meetings on Abraham. I myself had the privilege of leading a seminar attended by some 60 or so young people. On holiness I looked especially at mortification (a la John Owen) and fielded some really good questions from people present. This was one of around 20 seminars going on in the week.

At some point someone pointed a video camera at me and asked me to speak for two minutes on being in the image of God. I think that ended up being used somewhere.

Next year the main speaker is Joel Beeke. Alistair Begg was due to come but has been unwell.

Aber seems in fine fettle. Constant vigilance is necessary however if the opportunities are going to be grabbed with both hands.