AP

I REMEMBER … The 2024 UK Banner of Truth Ministers’ Conference

AS a victim of a ‘liberal’ theological education in the 1960’s who was brought back from the brink of the system of pseudo-belief known as ‘theological liberalism’, I am eternally grateful for the ministry of the Banner of Truth Trust through which I have received a real theological education from a selection of some of the best minds the Lord has given His Church over the years.

     The books, the magazine and the Banner of Truth website all work together to build up Christ’s people and especially His ministers in their most holy faith so that being refreshed and strengthened themselves, they can in turn build up the faith of the flock over which the Lord has given them charge.

     In some ways the annual Ministers’ Conferences are the most helpful arm of Banner’s ministry as this year almost 300 men in ministry gathered from all parts of the United Kingdom and 18 overseas countries for three days of intensive spiritual enrichment and encouragement at Yarnfield Park Conference Centre, near Stoke-on-Trent, from 15-17 April 2024.

     The result of enjoying time together, meeting up with a large group of like-minded workers, encouraging one another in the Lord’s work, being updated on His work throughout the world, receiving consecrated, Biblical teaching over three days on the mountain-top, is that when we return to our stations in the valley, we do so with renewed vigour, vision and vitality as we seek to serve and glorify God in our own often rocky corner of the Lord’s Vineyard.

     I couldn’t help wondering: if Gideon could see victory under God with His 300 men, what could the Lord do today with 300 Banner-men to bring down the claims of secular humanism with its disdain for all things Christian, indeed its blatant denial of the very existence of God?

     So, what are some of the ‘take-aways’ from this year’s conference?

In General

• There’s nothing like being there. Yes, for a small fee you can now enjoy the live stream of most of the sessions for up to a year following, although you miss all the intangibles mentioned above. But don’t let me discourage you from tapping into that livestream if you were not able to attend in person. Perhaps you could organise a fellowship day for members of your presbytery or fraternal, show a conference session or two and follow it up with discussion, a brief talk about ‘My Favourite Banner Book’ and then refreshments. It might even become a regular thing and make for bonding within the group.

• The speakers were all clearly following the Psalmist’s example as men who love God’s Word (Psalm 119.97), upholding its absolute truth, yielding to its authority, affirming its abiding relevance and demonstrating its sufficiency as telling us all that we need to know for our salvation, faith and life under God.

• The speakers affirmed each other. We didn’t have a panel of speakers so much as a team of speakers, who were ‘standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel’ (Philippians 1.27).

• The speakers were experts at ‘rightly handling the Word of truth’. They dug deep into the meaning of every word. When appropriate they explored the meaning of the Hebrew and Greek to arrive at a greater understanding of the English translation.

• They referenced every quote from Scripture. They ‘joined the dots’, showing that Scripture interprets Scripture and that the best way to illustrate one particular part of Scripture is with an allusion to other parts.

• As they moved through Scripture the speakers showed that from beginning to end and at all points in between, the Scriptures are all about Christ in His person and work, especially in reconciling man with God.

• The speakers were intensely practical in relating the Scriptures to present-day thought and practice.

• One speaker made good use of a brief pause at times, the better to help an important point sink in.

• Another speaker followed the example of the ol’ African American preacher who when asked about his preaching method said: ‘First Ah tells ‘em what Ah’m gonna tell ‘em. Then Ah tells ‘em. Then Ah tells ‘em what Ah told ‘em.’ As every primary school teacher knows, revision is the backbone of learning, and this man made it an art form.

• The speakers all spoke with passion and conviction in the spirit of ‘Thus says the Lord!’ Or dare I just say, ‘In the Spirit’.

• The whole conference, indeed the Lord’s work throughout the world, was undergirded with earnest seasons of prayer each morning. And the prayers were graciously answered.

More Specifically

• The conference was book-ended by two stimulating sermons. The Opening Address given by Mark Johnston from 2 Timothy 1 took us directly to the work of the ministry. Mark said that ministers must take the Word and grow in it themselves if they would take it to others, remembering that they too are only sinners saved by grace. In his closing address Dan Peters drew an analogy between the ancient tree in Hadrian’s Wall recently cut down by vandals, but now sprouting with shoots of new growth, and the regenerative work of the grace of God in Christ in His redeemed people, giving them new life. Christ would have been a poor ugly sight after His torture as He was hanging on the cross, bearing all our sin, but He was glorious in His resurrection. Even so, our humiliation in sin fades before the exaltation of our new life in Christ.

• Dr Ligon Duncan, Chancellor of Reformed Theological Seminary, was the chief speaker. For many years he has combined believing and thorough-going scholarship with outstanding and effective parish ministry. Dr Duncan dealt with the Doctrine of Man: Man in Creation by God, Man Made in The Image of God, Man in Rebellion against God, Man under the Judgment Of God, Man Cast Out of The Garden by God When God Said: ‘Go’, Man Forgiven by God in Christ, When God Said: ‘Come’, Man Restored and under the Blessing of God.

• Bill James spoke on ‘Man, A Living Being As Body And Soul, A Living Sacrifice.’ Man is not body or soul, but body and soul. We are wholistic beings and were created to love, serve and worship the Lord.

• Matthew Roberts posed the question: ‘What is the worst sin?’ He said that the worst sin was not to love God, as loving God is part of the image of God. Salvation draws us to love God because He first loved us. Love for God drives our worship of Him, with Jesus as our Worship Leader.
• Stafford Carson spoke on Glorifying God in our bodies involving complete commitment to sanctification by the Spirit as we look forward to the glory which will be ours in Heaven. As he quoted copiously and movingly from Scripture one felt as though one foot was already on the doorstep of Glory where we shall see our Lord Jesus face to face.

     Next year’s Ministers’ Conference will be held from 7-10 April at Yarnfield Park, when the chief speaker will be Mark Dever, Senior Pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, DC.

     For details of all Banner Conferences in The UK, USA and the upcoming Australian Conference at the Salvation Army Conference Centre in Collaroy, Sydney from 4 – 7 February 2025 go to banneroftruth.org/events

– Bob Thomas