AP

There can be few more important things for soldiers of Christ than that, as Charles Wesley wrote, they ‘keep (their) armour bright, attend with constant care, still walking in (their) Captain’s sight and watching unto prayer.’ The Lord in his grace has given us the Banner Ministers Conferences to help us do just that; none more so than in the 2025 Australian Conference on the theme ‘A Lifetime in the Ministry’, a theme to be repeated in the upcoming UK Ministers Conference and the US Conferences later in the year. (See banneroftruth.org for details of these conferences.)

            Why are the Banner Ministers Conferences so important? Many reasons come to mind. The locations of the conferences are conducive to refreshment of body and soul in comfortable accommodation with healthy meals at a reasonable price. They help us to overcome the Elijah Complex (‘I, even I only am left …’ 1 Kings 18.22) as we mingle with a good number of like-minded fellow workers in whom we see that the Lord is working on a larger scale than ‘you in your small corner and I in mine’ are generally aware of. We enjoy warm fellowship with one another in the spirit of and in obedience to 1 Thessalonians 5:11, ‘Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.’ Such fellowship can blossom into ongoing friendship and brotherly concern as we return to our posts. Overall, there is a feeling of unity in the truth of God’s Word, with an unwritten agreement that here there is neither Baptist nor Presbyterian, neither Episcopalian nor Congregationalist, but all are one in Christ Jesus (apologies to Galatians 3.28), so interdenominational point-scoring is not on the agenda.

            Each day begins with a precious time of united prayer, widening our horizons and deepening our concern for the Lord’s work in all the world. Sessions define and expound on the main theme of the conference, with speakers affirming and ‘bouncing off’ one another and mining God’s Word from start to finish. By the end of the conference, we have been immersed in the Scriptures and well prepared to carry biblical truth back to our people with renewed and strengthened faith to share with them in the spirit of Romans 11.33: ‘Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!’

            Alan Beardmore, Pastor of Emmanuel Reformed Baptist Church, Perth, spoke on Titus 2.5-11, ‘Foundations for Local Church Ministry’, showing that Paul’s vision was to see the church established everywhere under the headship of Christ and with biblical order. Throughout our ministry the love of Christ sustains us so that we will not give in to a sense of inadequacy nor be disappointed with small results. ‘The blessed hope’ keeps us going in the knowledge that all will be well, and we must be constant in prayer, especially for the Lord’s return.

            Warren Peel, Pastor of, Covenant Christian Fellowship, Galway, Ireland (Reformed Presbyterian Church) spoke from Proverbs 4.20-27 on ‘Guard Your Heart’ (especially v.23). We greatly protect material things, but how much more must we keep our heart. ‘The heart’ embraces our mind, affections, will, meditation, plans, thoughts, affections. It denotes the totality of man’s whole inner nature. How fickle it can be! We must guard against sin gaining a foothold, because God wants our heart and gives us a new heart. We must guard against becoming cold and heartless, and constantly examine our hearts – heart work is hard work. Warren Peel asked some heart-searching questions: What things make you sad, pitying yourself? Do you respond well to criticism? Do you enjoy public worship? Are you glad when others are praised? Some heartwarming advice followed: Jesus Christ is the answer to every problem, so do we look to him in repentance and faith, with our mind, affection and will?

            Graham Hart, minister of Reformed Presbyterian Church, Mackinnon, Melbourne, spoke on 2 Corinthians 4.1-7, ‘Wrestling with Doubts and Fears in the Ministry’. Calling the roll of the faithful from Moses to Spurgeon, he reminded us that if we have doubts and fears, we are in good company. But they overcame and so may we. Doubts and fears can arise from feelings of inadequacy, especially when we compare ourselves with others, from bearing heavy responsibilities, from encountering criticism, opposition and personal attacks, from isolation, loneliness and lack of close friends, from the constant challenges of ministry, from financial and practical difficulties, family and personal issues, doctrinal doubt, secular opposition and unfulfilled plans. ‘But God …’ We are not alone. God remains constant forever in his sovereignty, faithfulness, unconditional love, helpfulness, presence, power, all-sufficient grace, his promises, his glory. He is always open to our prayers. And so he arms us for the fight and enables us to persevere as under Christ’s power we keep on looking to the reward. God does not call the qualified, but he qualifies the called.

            Peter Hastie, recently retired Principal of Presbyterian Theological College, Melbourne, presently ministering in Kangaroo Ground on the northern outskirts of Melbourne (and yes, kangaroos do graze around there in abundance) spoke from Proverbs 9.8, 17.10, Psalm 141 and 2 Corinthians 4, on ‘Coping with Criticism’ and ‘Sharing in Christ’s Suffering’. Peter reminded us that no-one escapes criticism. Criticism that is malevolent, negative, impractical or unhelpful can be ignored. Criticism that is constructive and helpful should be heeded. He reminded us that Sir Winston Churchill said, ‘I don’t shrink from good criticism.’ Contrasting the Christian’s experience today of living in the ‘can do’ generation with the testimony of Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 4, he spoke of the trap of falling into fixating on being healthy, wealthy and wise, the pursuit of personal fulfilment, ease and pleasure. In the face of this, Christians should humbly look to the Scriptures. The crosses Christians might be called to bear are many and heavy, but as Christ bore his cross for us, so we must bear our cross for him. Bearing our cross doesn’t bring us salvation, but is evidence of our salvation and increases our trust in the God of all comfort.

            Peter Barnes, retired minister of Revesby Presbyterian Church, brought a reality check with the subject: ‘Explaining the Decline of the Church in the West’. Comparing the present-day state of affairs with the 1960’s, the impact of World War 1, and the onset of biblical criticism in the 1860s, Peter argued that the main problem was not outside but within the visible church. As the church was infected with theological liberalism and laxity in moral issues, it lost credibility with the world. A complacent worldliness within the church did more harm than attacks from without.

            Mark Dever, Senior Pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington DC, was the chief speaker. In three sessions he addressed three subjects which spoke to the theme of the conference: ‘Starting Out’, Pressing On’, ‘and Finishing Well’. It is beyond the ability of this poor scribe to do justice to Mark Dever’s presentation. He preached with power, indeed unction, conviction, thoroughness, passion, and faithfulness as he modelled what it is to ‘rightly handle God’s Word of Truth’. What follows is a very brief summary to whet the appetite of those who will attend other conferences and for the sake of those who can’t.

            Mark reminded us of the way in which Paul started out – arrested by the risen Christ – and how he then continued in the hope of eternal life. Eternal life on account of Christ’s finished work was a major theme of Paul’s. Tracing various events in Paul’s life in Christ, he showed that life is hard for all people, the Lord disciplines those he loves, Christ refused to be a slave to the things of this world, and persecution is normal, but our hope is in the glory of God in the resurrection of Christ. Pressing on, Mark Dever spoke of Paul’s example given in Philippians 3.12, ‘Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own’. Paul was realistic and hopeful, not perfected already but leaving the past behind and pressing on to the glory ahead, eliminating distractions, conscious that the work was God’s work. Mark finished well, affirming that Scripture is always useful and is to be trusted, and Paul is exemplary in living the Scriptures.

            Some 140 of us gathered for the conference from all around Australia, from New Zealand and Nepal. We came weary and refreshed ourselves there, but we experienced many encouragements, one of the foremost for those of us who are nearing Journey’s End was to see many new faces and many young ones as the rising generation was much in evidence. So we went on our way rejoicing.

– Bob Thomas