Monday Morning Fraternal

On Monday I spoke at a local ministers fraternal. About ten of us (Baptists and Presbyterians) gathered at Kogarah Bay Bible Church's premises. Some I'd met over the weekend but most I did not know. Among them was the legendary Peter Barnes whose many articles and books I've enjoyed down the years. I spoke about my pastorals for pastors reading scheme and passed on copies to all present. I also highlighted the emphasis on preaching in those letters. There was then a time of prayer when the men prayed about local church issues and for Nepal and regarding efforts to make the abortion laws worse here in Australia. After the fraternal I joined Andrew, Chris and Shane for lunch at a restaurant in Carss Park, looking out over Kogarah Bay.

Westminster Fellowship July 2026

Thomas Cross, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

I don't always mention the Westminster Fellwoship but I was there yesterday and it was a particularly good one. Around twenty gathered to hear Dr Garry Williams from London Seminary on the Davidic covenant and, as one would have expected, it was incisive and stiimulating as he interected with the Bible and the literature. His main focus was on a 1657 work called Mysterium & medulla bibliorum, the Mysterie and Marrow of the Bible by Francis Roberts (see above). We normally make our own arrangements for lunch but Henry Dixon arranged fro us to have sandwiches together and that worked well. This is my last official Westminster Fellowship (although I have agreed to speak next year). Once I am in Wales I am not sure if I will travel up (although Jeremy Bailey does regularly). I am also thinking through the while question of retired ministers and fraternals and conferences.

Westminster Fellowship

Paul

I don't always report on my visits to the Westminster Fellowship but it was good to be there again on Monday. Jeremy Bailey chaired and Paul Yeulett gave a helpful paper on the call to the ministry. He spoke of seven aspects of the call (chosen, prepared, compelled, trained, appointed, sent, equipped) and that made for a very rounded piece. Helpful discussion too. Shame there aren't more of us.

Fraternal Week Again

As I have mentioned before on this blog I attend two quite different fraternals and they often end up in the same week (Monday and Wednesday). That is what happened this week. Last Monday it was the fairly traditional Westminster Fellowship at Westminster Baptist Church. This time John Benton was speaking to us on this thorny subject of pastoral abuse in churches. As ever, John was very helpful. About 20 of us were there. Then last Wednesday five of us met to go for a walk on Hampstead Heath. We meet at Hampstead Heath Station, walk to Kenwood for a coffee (kindly paid for by Aaron this time) and then on to Gospel Oak Station where we part. So no formality, just chatting about what we wish with whom we wish. It works well, though it would be nice to see more along.

Another Monday

My two Mondays before last have been busy and the last one was too. This time I was in Westminster Baptist Church for the Westminster Fellowship which meets once a month most months. The usual twenty or so gathered and this time, under the chairmanship of Jeremy Bailey, we had a time of discussion. We discussed a number of subjects including cults and cultic traits, retirement from the ministry and marriage. Useful contributions from many.

The fraternal again

It was good last Wednesday to meet up again with minister friends for our monthly fraternal, when we walk across the Heath. I think we were about nine this time round, including someone I'd not really met before. It was also someone's birthday and he very kindly stood us all drinks at the cafe halfway along. Good times.

Fraternal Week

I was going to put a post called Fraternal week last month but there didn't seem to be time. The way things work for me is that the first Monday and the first Wednesday of each month are fraternal days and so the first week of the month tends to be busy. On the Monday I go to a traditional fraternal, the Westminster Fellowship which now meets in Westminster Baptist Church. Then on the Wednesday a number of us go for a walk on Hampstead Heath. We meet at a station, walk to a coffee place then on to another station. So there is no formality, we just talk about what we wish with whom we wish. It works well though. As for the Westminster Fellowship, last month we had Andy Young speaking very helpfully on evangelism and this month Dr Philip Sampson speaking on the very topical subject of creation care. Dr Sampson works at the Animal Ethics Centre in Oxford and is a Schaefferite. He gave a very interesting presentation on caring for creation, backed up by a range of excellent quotations from all the good guys (Calvin, the Puritans, Spurgeon, etc).

Ministers Fraternals

Ministers fraternals are a great thing especially for ministers in independent churches. I go to two very different fraternals more or less once a month. It is a pity they fall in the same three days but there we are. I have mentioned both here before now. First, there's the Westminster Fellowship which is an all day affair (10.30 am-3 pm with a short break for lunch plus time to travel there and back). Last Monday we had a speaker, which we often do. Robert Strivens addressed us on what to sing and gave us some useful historical and biblical material to chew over. He was keen to point out that the modern way of thinking is not just about using modern hymns but about a certain understanding of worship too. About 20 of us gathered and we had a good session. There are one or two psalm singers among us which slowed down proceedings but they have to think about these subjects too as you still have to decide which psam version to use and which tune. (PS we use New Christian Hymns in book form and are accompanied by a piano). Then today I joined nine other men at Hampstead Heath station to walk over the Heath and get a coffee before heading down to Gospel Oak, talking all the way. This is a much looser way of doing things but means I get my 10,000 steps in, get to know some of my fellow ministers (better than I would at Westminster, although this time I shared a bus ride with two different ones coming and going, which was good).

Westminster Fellowship Pastoralia

We had a very good couple of sessions on Monday with Bill James, Principal of the London Seminary, on pastoral care and counselling. Bill spoke about our goal as pastors and the means to it in very helpful terms. About twenty of us were there and we had a good time discussing. The Westminster Fellowship meets in Westminster Baptist Church on the first Monday of most months October-July. The above picture is of what was happening a hundred or so yards from the venue. This was the means of blocking access to Vauxhall Bridge from one side. I have highlighted the fact that several of these protesters were from Aberystwyth where this is very much a  live issue.

A busy week

I've struggled a little this week partly possibly due to a busy week. (Eleri was the busy one rather than me to be truthful. She works two days a week and spent one day in Macclesfield at the new Go Teach offices). I gave the paper on Proverbs on Monday to about 17 of us, all eager to hear and to ask questions. Good time. In the evening we went to see Toy Story 4 which was good (nice to see a reference to conscience in there, even if only as the pretext for a joke). It is great that there are still one or two films we can all see together.

I've reported on Tuesday, my day off. Wednesday I was out with the other ministers walking across Hampstead Heath. About six of us were present. Good times. Rest of the day went on preparing and then leading the Midweek meeting.

We should have had an officers meeting on Thursday evening but that God postponed. Otherwise the main thing has been preparing for the Lord's Day. I've also started reading Penelope Fitzgerald's The gate of angels (a kind birthday gift from friends). (I had intended writing a post called a month of celebration marking the way my May 22 birthday tumbled into June with a lovely barbecue organised by friends for me and another church member. I was given books, ties and other gifts)

This morning (Saturday) we were out giving tracts in Golders Green. There were five of us. That was good to do again. Otherwise the busyness has just been with visitors - two sons and their wives at different times going to different weddings and two friends with each couple. In the first case the friend is relation from America. She, her friend and Gwion (our son) have travelled to France for the world cup. We are hoping for three extra at church tomorrow then.

Catch up

It is not possible to keep a record of everything that goes on here and I don't try but I thought I'd try a quick round up as I do sometimes, covering things I have missed. Last Saturday we had the second of our men's meetings and the six of us who met for breakfast enjoyed it and found it worthwhile I think. We have a chapter to read and then we discuss. The subject was a purity, not one that arises spontaneously among us so it was good to talk it through.

I do mention the Westminster Fellowship from time to time and I enjoyed the last one I attended (Robert Strivens on preaching) but I don't think I mentioned that (nor the last pastoral friendship walk which was very enjoyable).

There were also some interviews at the London Seminary, which I tend not to mention for obvious reasons. All good candidates though.

The other thing was the Grace Assembly which I attended just for one day at the end of May and enjoyed very much. The recordings can be found at the website here. I also picked up some nice books courtesy of the Dunstable Bookshop.

Mondays in February

Mondays in February are being spent in ministerial studies. On February 5 I was in Westminster Baptist Church for the first Westminster Fellowship of the year. We had invited Peter Sanlon to speak on the Trinity, which he did in a very well informed and helpful way. One member of the fraternal is particularly concerned about the whole matter of the subordination of the Son which is a doctrine that is easy to mis-state. He wasn't sure even of Sanlon's own stance, though that appeared to be a little unfair. A very stimulating day. Pity there were not more of us.

Then last Monday (February 11) I was at the Seminary for our latest TSG meeting discussing Owen on Apostasy. We had elected to use the Banner paperback abridged and edited by R J K Law. You obviously lose something but it is a lot easier to read. We all agreed that Owen has done a very thorough job and has some interesting things to say on the subject. Nicely led by Brad Franklin.

Then next Monday (February 19) I am speaking at the Evangelical Library on David Brainerd. Do come and join us if you can.

Ministers Fraternals

I've ended up attending two ministers fraternals this week. On Monday it was the very traditional Westminster Fellowship down in Wesminster Baptist. There Philip Eveson preached to us and spoke very interestingly on Psalms, especially the structure of the book, followed by discussion. We also prayed. There were about twenty of us and it was all very helpful. Then on Wednesday I joined the North London Baptist pastors walking across Hampstead Heath. Quite postmodern, we simply walk, stop for a cuppa and then walk a little more before dispersing. There were about ten of us. Again, very enjoyable. I guess there is a place for both sorts of fraternal. I am certainly thankful for both.

Pastoral Friendship Walks

I went for the first time today on what my friend Andrew King from Highbury calls a pastoral friendship walk. (I think there have been two before this one). We met at Hampstead Heath Station, walked across the Heath in glorious sunshine, stopping for refreshments at Kenwood House, and ending up at Gospel Oak. There were about seven of us. The idea is that sedentary men who can easily be loners get out in the fresh air, and do a little exercise and talk to each other. It is not aiming incredibly high then but you would be surprised how revolutionary sometimes the simplest ideas can be. I certainly enjoyed the walk (which I try to do anyway) and the chat. Thanks Andrew for getting us organised.

Westminster Fellowship

The Westminster Fellowship continues to meet on the first Monday of the month at Westminster Baptist Church (kindly lent and staffed - Jonathan Arnold is about to become the pastor of the church, good news about which we are very happy).

Last Monday was a good old fashioned discussion day looking at evangelism and worship. About 15 ministers and retired ministers gathered and we soberly discussed our present troubles and joys under the able chairmanship of Mostyn Roberts.

One brother who works overseas but is often with us expressed quite movingly his great appreciation for the fellowship. 

We meet again in February.

Semper Reformanda

It was good to be at the fraternal in LTS last Tuesday, The North London Network. Garry Williams spoke on always reforming. The bulk of his excellent paper (very similar to the one given at last year's Banner conference - but we were allowed to interrupt). The bulk of the time was given over to delineating false conservatism as described by Abraham Kuyper in 1870 in his "Conservatism and Orthodoxy: False and True Preservation" .

The seven sins of false conservatism were outlined in this way

1. It denies the resurrection principle at the gospel's heart

2. It limits the historic progressive flow of the kingdom

3. It warps major doctrines such as the inspiration of Scripture and the Christian life

4. It encourages a proxy Christianity

5. It preserves transient forms but not the essential core

6. It fosters a gloomy and desperate nostalgia

7. It is marked by a fearful retreat from the present

 

Catch up 22

It's been so busy lately that I haven't been able to blog a few things. I really enjoyed being at The John Owen Centre in LTS the other week with David Green and a group of others looking at chapters from Proverbs in Hebrew. There is nothing quite like getting down to the original text. That same week I was in LTS for a meeting about the mentoring scheme they run and which I am involved in, which was useful. Then on Saturday November 9 I had another opportunity with others to preach in Trafalgar Square. It was a little wet at times but the Square was as busy as I've ever seen it and there were lots of good opportunities.

Then the following Monday I was at Westminster Chapel for the Westminster Fellowship. We did a little bit of naval gazing and agreed to carry on, though our next meeting (which is in February) is planned to be held in Westminster Baptist Church, (my McAfee didn't like that link for some reason but I'm sure it's fine) not a venue I am at all familiar with. We are only around 20 at the fraternal these days but it is good to meet and frankly discuss with men who I am pretty much on a wavelength with.

The next day there was another fraternal, the North London one in Finchley. Trevor Archer FIEC Training Director spoke. It was billed as being on leadership but was really about the advantages of one to one work. This was not new to me. I remember hearing quite a bit of this at early Proclamation Trust meetings and doing what I could to implement it. Like all panaceas, it can be over-rated and should really be seen as just one optional tool. My fear is that an over emphasis on this may downgrade preaching.

Apart from a church officers meeting and the arrival of the book on the Dutch rock band Focus that I edited I think that's all I want to report this time. I'm at the Evangelical Library today and the Westminster Conference is fast approaching. Do book if you haven't already.

Fraternal

I'm getting back to going to the fraternal that meets in Finchley on Tuesday mornings so it was good to be there with about 14 others to hear Ken Brownell speak on multicultural churches. We were all in broad agreement that churches should be formed of all sorts nor necessarily homogeneous. I was keen to face up to the real difficulties this entails. I thought we were a little naïve perhaps. There we are, stimulating to talk. I think we are to meet again in November. 

Liverpool

I don't want to comment on the football club failing to reach the European final. Rather I want to draw attention to meetings being held in the city all next week. I am speaking (God willing) on Wednesday and Thursday night. I am also addressing a ministers' fraternal on Thursday morning. Formerly the Calvary Convention and now Listen Liverpool, all the details can be found at the website here.

Focus etc

Tuesday was a good full day. In the morning I drove over to Amyand Park for a fraternal with Gerard Hemmings, Robin Asgher, Peter Law, Paul Levy and others. We discussed the blind spots of our age. We solved little I guess but we aired some issues usefully. I noticed that those fresh to the ministry in London have similar gripes and concerns to those I had as a younger man (eg the way younger people are hived off to Central London churches, how to cohere as a witness to the community, etc). You learn to live with certain things.

After getting back home I headed down to Stanfords Maps where I met up with my good old friend Paul Pease, pastor at Hook Evangelical. We had a good old chinwag over some maps and a coffee. What a tonic fellowship is.

Then after returning home I headed off in the car again down to Epsom Playhouse where I saw the inimitable Focus. This was again one of these Classic Rock packages. Instead of the Groundhogs we started with the Strawbs this time. I liked the acoustic guitars but the singing didn't do too much for me. Loved "Lay Down" at the end though. Then we had (Martin Turner's) Wishbone Ash working their way through Argus. Just fine. Then into overdrive. Focus could only squeeze in an hour - a bit from the first album, a fairly long and jazzy Eruption, three more recent tracks plus the obligatory Sylvia and Hocus Pocus. Got the CD and DVD, which they willingly signed - something to look forward to come Christmas! Took an age to find where I'd parked the car but got home fairly quickly straight through London.