On Thursday, Peter and I made the 3 hour trip down to Brighton to take in a day at the Together on a Mission (TOAM) New Frontiers Leadership Conference. Peter has been before, several years ago, but this was my first visit to Brighton and to this particular conference.

The draw to attend this year, came from the visiting speaker, one Mark Driscoll.

Mark Driscoll hails from Seattle, on the US west coast. In 1996, he founded Mars Hill Church in Seattle. It has grown to over 6,000 people. He co-founded and is President of the Acts 29 Church Planting Network, which has planted over 100 churches in the USA and internationally. Most recently he founded and leads the Resurgence Missional Theology Co-operative. The Church Report has recognised Mark as the 22nd most influential pastor in America. His sermons are downloaded more than a million times a year. Mark is married to Grace and they enjoy raising their three sons and two daughters.

He’s also the author of of Radical Reformission, Confessions of a Reformission Rev, and Vintage Jesus.

I’ve read his books, listened to his sermons, read his blog posts and read blog posts about him. He is a man who everyone seems to have an opinion about – good, bad or ugly. When we heard he was on his way to Brighton we decided we’d go and seize the opportunity to hear him first hand.

We got there at around 11am for the first main session of the day. “Worship” (which I’d say was more singing and having fun together than worshipping Christ) was led by Evan Rogers, a worship leader from South Africa. Then, PJ Smythe, who leads a church in Johannesburg, South Africa spoke.

PJ was a very engaging communicator, and had some great one liners which were definitely food for thought. Especially poignant was his illustration of what leaders are called to do. Using a cricketing illustration (with bat in hand!) he talked about the need for leaders to defend the wicket (which I took to mean doctrine, the church), make progress (take the single runs available and maintain momentum and direction the church is headed in) and pioneer (smash the ball for 4 or 6).

After a quick lunch break we were all back into the main hall for the afternoon session. Worship was lead by Simon Brading and was excellent. We sang some fantastic new songs (which we will learn and sing if I can remember them). Then, Mark Driscoll came up to preach.

The message was about movements and the history of church movements – how they get started, why, how they grow and develop, and how to guard the movement against becoming a museum (i.e. a family of churches that has stagnated and spends its time reflecting on the good old years).

Mark’s comments were, obviously (and rightly – it was their conference!) specifically directed towards New Frontiers, so while there was much to reflect on, it wasn’t directly applicable, so there isn’t a lot to report.

However, I will make some comments about Mark Driscoll.

Having been familiar with Mark’s style for a while, seeing him confirmed again that he is an exceptional communicator. His words were measured, insightful and wise. even in a context that was new to him, he didn’t feel the need to flatter or to water down what he wanted to say. He was gracious, sensitive and winsome, whilst offering his observations, challenges and warnings. He spoke with gratitude about his time with Terry Virgo and the NFI pastors and friends he had made/met.

At the end, Terry thanked Mark and declared him to be one of God’s most remarkable servants around at the moment.

It was clear to me that Mark Driscoll loves Jesus, loves the gospel, loves the church and loves the lost. I’m challenged by his preaching – content and delivery, and by his desires to reach the world with the good news of the gospel. It was certainly a journey to Brighton well worth making.

More details about the conference can be found here at Adrian Warnock’s blog or here at Dave Bish’s blog.

CJ Mahaney is now blogging at the Sovereign Grace Blog: CJ’s Views from the Cheap Seats. Check it out!

And Carolyn Mahaney explains on Girl Talk why we should follow her husband’s blog.

Gareth is the Senior Pastor of Sovereign Grace Church of Merthyr Tydfil, in Wales and is married to Angela. They have 6 children: Matthew, Thomas, Daniel, Matty, Lydia and Katie-Beth.

I’m really excited about Garteh coming to Grace Church and eagerly anticipate him preaching God’s Word to us. I’m excited because Gareth is a good friend. I’m excited because he is also one of my favourite preacher’s of God’s Word. I’m excited to have him (and his entire family) come and spend time with you fine folks in Grace Church. I’m excited about how God is going to graciously use Gareth for our edification, encouragement and provocation!

In preparation for Sunday’s Message, let me encourage you to read and meditate on John 6:15-25.

Dr. Donald Carson is coming to Bath and Bristol next week, offering a series of lectures. 

Don Carson is a New Testament research professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in the USA, and author of over 40 books such as “Showing the Spirit“, “Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church“, “A Call to Spiritual Reformation” and the excellent book on leadership, “The Cross and Christian Ministry.”

A full bio of Dr. Carson can be found here.

The details of his trip are as follows:

Evening Teaching:

GOD’S PERSPECTIVES FOR PRACTICAL PEOPLE
Contemporary Lessons from the Pastoral Epistles.

Sunday 10th -Wednesday 13th June
7:45pm at Widcombe Baptist Church, Bath, BA2 4JR

Seminars:

These all-day seminars run on each of the following dates, 10:30am-4pm.  Registration is £10 which includes a lunch, £5 without lunch.  To register contact 01225 840179 or visit Bath Word in Action.

WHAT IS EVANGELICALISM?

Monday 11th June at Bradley Stoke Evangelical Church, Bristol.

Tuesday 12th June at St. Bartholomew’s Church, Bath.

After a week away travelling to attend the Sovereign Grace Ministries Leadership Conference, Peter and I are back.

Bob Kauflin called it a “fire hydrant of grace, encouragement, truth, conviction and fellowship” which I think summed it up pretty good.

This year’s special guest was pastor and author, R.C Sproul who preached the first two evening main sessions on the Holiness of God (from Isaiah 6:1-8) and the Holiness of Christ. 

Next, David Powlison preached the third main session which helped us to apply the doctrine of sin without becoming morbidly introspective.

Then there was the annual mission update which covered various things going on among the churches that are part of Sovereign Grace, and also highlighted some of the exciting opportunites we have to serve pastors and churches internationally – in countries such as Cuba, South Korea, Thailand, Haiti, Bahamas, Burma, China, India, Philippines, Mexico, Bolivia, Brazil, Germany, Canada, Uganda and Sri Lanka!

In the final evening session, CJ Mahaney preached from 2 Corinthians 13:14 on ”Trinitarian Pastoral Ministry”.  You can download all the main session messages (for a small charge) from here, with the seminar sessions due for release at the end of April.

When you throw into the mix a choice of 2 seminars (from various Sovereign Grace Pastors and other guests – like Mike Bullmore and Mark Dever) you can see that it was a rich opporutnity to celebrate the gospel and learn how to apply it better in this local church!