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Pontrhydyrynn Baptist Chapel

Back in the early seventies, I was converted. I lived on a housing state that, by the grace of God, surrounded a church that began in 1815. The church began well but got itself in a bit of a mess. However, when I was three or four they called a good though flawed man called Derek Garwood who preached the gospel and not only was I converted but many other young people too - Paul, Julie, John, Michael, Carol, Chris, Stephen, Fay, David, Gail, Paul, etc, etc. Not all the young people who made connection with the church were converted, of course, but many went on to serve faithfully in different places.

Last month one of these "young people" died. He was 64. David Morgan must have been converted within a month or two after I was converted. I didn't know him well but he was one of the older ones you looked up to who took the things of God seriously and loved the Lord. I was eager to be at his funeral, which took place in our home church. Not all the old gang were there but many were and also the present and former ministers, Steve Levy from Swansea, Mike and Jayne Leaves, members of the Morgan clan and many others,

David married a girl from Swansea, Gillian, and they spent some years in the north east but he was mostly a Cwmbran boy, a chemistry teacher by trade and an elder in the church for many years. They had three children and many grandchildren. The service was very evangelistic and we sang many songs (mostly newer ones). How sobering to think that what must be the first of us is now with the Lord.

It is always a little traumatic to be back home. I enjoyed seeing my sister and husband and my niece and many others. Some things stay the same but much changes. Forgot to look at my parents' grave and didn't walk the 200 yards to look at the house where I grew up. May be next time.

Eccentrics Conference 2018

I like the Eccentrics Conference for several reasons. Firstly, the name appeals. These men are clearly not taking themselves too seriously. Secondly, it's in Wales and I seem not to get to Wales as often as I might wish. Three, I can get to see relatives usually. Four, there are always good speakers, unrecorded and slightly off guard, including Paul Blackham, always worth hearing. Five, it's now a local church based event (Mount Pleasant Swansea). Six, Steve Levy (for all his faults) is a great guy. Seven, the people who go are generally reformed pastors working hard at home. Eight, I get to meet people I might not otherwise. Nine, it has a relaxed friendly atmosphere.

This year's conference was up to usual standards despite the disappointing no show of Stuart Olyott. John Tindall took his place and gave us two helpful self effacing messages from 1 Thessalonians 1 and Acts 20 (with some final thoughts on Ephesians). We also heard Mez McConnell, who is always worth hearing, spoke from John 18 and Steve himself kicked us off from Psalm 2. Paul Blackham was very stimulating as ever looking at how the Bible speaks to us not across the hermeneutically divide but much more directly. It was nice to hear someone else (apart from Peter Masters) say that the Bible is NOT like any other book. We also did some singing (including two unaccompanied psalms - it was like being at Banner a bit!) and we prayed and there were two more open sessions answering questions and some confession of regrets and as ever there was bags of food.

I snuck off on the Monday night to join my sympthetics Phil and Sheila Davies and family as my son Dylan was across with their daughter Cat to celebrate his birthday. They kindly put me up for the night. So more fellowship. My oldest son was at the conference as was my father-in-law and a more distant relative. All being well I'll get to see my third son and his wife before getting home.

Long term viewers of this blog will be glad to see that the pics of Paul B and Steve L above are leading us back to the previous low quality of the past. Enjoy.

Eccentrics 2017

 I long ago realised that it is not possible to record everything on this blog I want to and there are times when things just don't get covered. I don't want to let the opportunity to mention the Eccentrics Conference in Swansea go by. For several years now Steve Levy has run this.more recently from the church he pastors in Swansea, Mount Pleasant. I went last year after a bit of a lay off. My records suggest this is only the fourth time I've been. One thing that swung me this time was that I was able to stay with my son who is a student in Cardiff and meet another son who is now pastoring in Aber plus my father-in-law who also came down. I think we were about 40, all men ministering in Wales, apart from myself.

I like the laid back formula and the fact I get a bit nervous about who is there and what they might go and say (Steve is friendly with the continuationists from Newport for example). Anyway the speakers were Pete Greasley from Christchurch, Newport and a friend from the States Dave Harvey (Westminster Seminary graduate, executive director of Sojourn Network, pastor at Four Oaks Church, Tallahassee, and author of several books including Letting Go: Rugged Love for Wayward Souls). Steve himself started us off with an exposition (in the chapel as the electrics temporarily went). We always had Paul Blackham too, this time on angels. We also had good sharing sessions with John Williams (Gorseinon), Andy Pitt (Merthyr), James Sercombe (Crickhowell) and others.

The food as ever was excellent, the fellowship great and the atmosphere very positive. Thanks Steve and all at Mount Pleasant. Your efforts are much appreciated.

The Eccentrics Conference 2016

After an absence of more years than I had realised I got myself down to Swansea this week for the famous Eccentrics Conference, the brainchild of the unique Steve Levy and now based in Mount Pleasant Baptist Church. The conference's distinctives (apart form being Reformed and very Welsh) are its brevity (only a day and a half), no singing, a great deal of informality, plenty of humour and lots of time for informal chat. None of the messages are taped - probably freeing people up to speak in a more relaxed and open way. They also make a big effort to look after us (day one included an afternoon trip to Joe's for ice cream, followed by scones and cream, with a slap up meal a short while later).

The programme changed last minute as one speaker was unable to come. It worked out okay in the end. We had four speakers who gave six messages.

Paul Mallard is a well known and popular speaker (currently pastoring in Bath) and he gave us two expositions from the life of Elisha. Warm and thorough they were good messages to hear. Steve's good friend Paul Blackham (now based in Neath) took us to Isaiah 11 and gave us a very stimulating exposition of the return of Christ. Refuting Aquinas's super-spiritual beatific vision he argued for a much more biblical bodily resurrection and participation in the life of the new world.

Steve has also struck up a friendship with Peter Greasley of Christchurch, Newport and he was given opportunity to speak. He spoke very warmly from the heart from Philippians 2 and Romans 5 firstly pleading for honesty and humility and then to expect trouble and to help one another in it, which involves seeking out fellowship. It was interesting to hear later of Pete's journey.

It was agreed by all present that the highlight of the conference was Chris Rees from Narberth speaking on what he wished he's been told before he entered the ministry. There were three things - to trust no-one but love everyone; how important it would be to watch over yourself; how hard it was going to be (spiritually, mentally, physically). Full of wonderful stories it is not possible to convey what a blessing it was to ear so I won't try.

It was great to see Mike Leaves, Jonny Raine and Steve Tucker, Dave Gobbett, Jeremy Bailey, etc, etc and to meet people I'd not met before. It was good to catch up with my Swansea based son and his housemates too.

Eccentrics 2011

I was sorry not to be at the Eccentrics Conference this year. I try not to go to more than one conference a month! This report from Paul Levy can be found here at Reformation 21.

I spent Monday this week back in Wales at a ministers' conference. It's something that my more famous brother runs (see pic). It's entitled the Eccentrics Conference (partly to mock the slightly pompous Eclectics Conference that used to take place). It's really a gathering of old friends who are now in the ministry. It used to be invitation only but so many got offended they didn't receive an invitation, now anybody can come on two conditions. You must be in church work (no para-church folk allowed), and you are not allowed to say 'the problem with churches in Wales is.....' (hence the reason why no para-church people are allowed). You can immediately be sent home for criticising the church!

There's no singing, people stay up far too late, there's lots and lots of banter, we eat like kings and there is merciless mocking of my slightly overweight big brother. The conference is slimmed down to the bare bones, unlike my brother.

Four things stood out for me this year:

1. The ministry is hard, it takes years off Mens lives.

Some of the men are in congregations in small towns where there is no movement of people at all. People don't move in and people don't move out. Problem people stay in a congregation for decades and outstay many ministers. Some of the best people in congregations move away or die young. These men who serve in churches like this are the real heroes. Week after week, preparing 3 messages a week, running the youth work, doing the pastoral rounds. On the last day when all is revealed I think that many of these men who would never be invited to speak at a conference, or be dreamed of for the 'big jobs' will be found to have kept the faith, finished the race and built a ministry with precious stones, not wood, hay and stubble. I'm more and more convinced that the real heroes are the faithful nobodies.

2. Geoff Thomas is a giant.

For the first 5 years Geoff spoke at the eccentrics as the main speaker. This year he wasn't speaking and yet he came anyway. He spent time with the younger men in difficult situations. He's over 70 speaks all round the world at various conferences and yet he came to this funny little conference to encourage the younger men. I want to be like that. I can't stand the attitude that if I'm not speaking I'm not coming. There's far too much of that around. I salute GT.

3. Hearing men preach in the flesh is good for me.

The main speakers were Vaughan Roberts from Oxford, Mike Reeves (who I understand has Carl Trueman as his agent in America trying to secure a big move to the US) and Stuart Olyott. Two Englishmen and one Welshman. I just loved it sitting there lapping it up. I started to take notes in some of the sessions but in the end just gave up. At conferences I want to be fed and stimulated and made to think but I need to meet with God in the preaching of his word. I can listen to sermons of folk on the internet but there's something so artificial about it. It's like a pre-made sandwich from a supermarket. It's ok but it's just not the same as a proper home cooked meal that you share with friends. As in every conference some sessions went better than others and people liked different speakers. No one bombed which is always a bonus. I'm told Stuart Olyott's sessions on Tuesday were the pick of the bunch.

4. Old friends are the best friends.

People who remember how much of an idiot you were when you were a teenager, youth leaders who taught you and prayed for you, men who gave you books. We need people who know us and won't put up with our pomposity. In some conferences you feel nobody is really being honest. I hate that feeling of having to say things are going well and encouraging. Amongst old friends you can be honest and real. As always old jokes are the best jokes, anecdotes which have grown and grown over the years until they bear little resemblance to reality, but nobody minds. As for Lloyd Jones being at the Levy family table with me as a toddler sitting on his knee and him saying to my brother those immortal words 'pass me the salt', nobody really knows if it's true but at 3 am in a ministers conference it goes down a storm. The time Downesey stayed up all night and then gave a paper on 7 marks of heresy (unbelievable you say, Martin Downes has an interest in heresy!). Within 20 minutes not even he knew what he was saying. Ministers conferences need to be places where we can blow off steam and laugh.

Each year we think it'll be the last time we do the Eccentrics. There's only about 50 of us who go but we'll see. I've come back refreshed and revved up for the new year. The motto of the story is, ' Go to conferences where you know people and you have good friends'.

(PS Doesn't Mike Reeves work for UCCF?

PPS Paul is now writing regularly for Reformation21 and has brought a breath of fresh air to it. he writes really well [yes, I was slightly surprised]).