In the comic history 1066 and all that death by a surfeit of lampreys and various other surfeits becomes a running joke. Are we in danger, ministers especially, of death by a surfeit of reformed conferences in the year 2000?
Twelve months worth
Already by the time you read this an extra long Carey Conference for church leaders will have taken place in Swanwick. I am not aware of anything in February but in March the BEC* has its study conference on man in God’s image. In April the Banner of Truth ministers conference is the same week as the FIEC’s holiday conference at Caister. In May Assembly 2000 will take place at Childs Hill.
Then through the summer there are various conferences on offer, including the Evangelical Ministry Assembly at St Helen’s, Bishopsgate, the Bala Ministers’ conference, Metropolitan Tabernacle School of Theology, Carey Family Conference, the Aberystwyth conference and GBM’s Family Camp at Athelington. The FEBE Conference is again in England this August. GBM also have a youth conference in Dunstable over the May Bank Holiday weekend and a youth camp at Dorking in August. There are several other worthy camps and other events, large and small during the year, aimed at youth.
Come Autumn there is no let up with a special conference in September at the newly inaugurated John Owen Centre in Finchley. In November it is the Reformation and Revival Fellowship’s annual conference for ministers (wives welcome!) and in December, if any of us, live that long, the Westminster Conference for historical studies.
I know that there are several conferences I have not even mentioned here and plenty of other day conferences, study courses and similar more local gatherings that could be noted too. I will not begin to think of what is available on other continents for those willing and able to make such journeys.
Inveterate
Now my purpose in drawing attention to this is certainly not simply to say ‘If only there were less conferences’. As an inveterate conference attender I can testify that I have received many great blessings at the scores of such gatherings I have been able to attend over the years. Conferences do more than help us recharge our spiritual batteries and learn from gifted men. They are opportunities for fellowship, for examining new and forgotten topics, for gathering news and information, for buying books and tapes, for informal discussion and exchange of information and ideas. What a blessing they are.
Every one of the conferences I have mentioned above has its own history, its own distinct ethos and its own contribution to make. No two are uniquely alike. Some never go to conferences which is their loss and ours. Some limit themselves to one conference a year out of necessity, others out of choice. Although it is understandable that those in larger churches feel less need for such gatherings it would be good if we saw more of such people. The multiplicity of conferences is divisive. Obviously we all have to be selective and so there are some who we may be quite on the same wavelength as us who we never see in such gatherings.
Concern
My chief concern about the surfeit of conferences is not their number and variety or their quality either. With help from around the globe the standard is generally high. Rather it is that we are rather top heavy in this department. There cannot have been a time in the history of the church when the opportunities such conferences boast have been more abundantly available. Other ages knew their larger gatherings, of course, (synods, prophesyings, associations, double lectures and similar gatherings) but with today’s comparative affluence and ease of travel we know them in abundance.
However, when we consider how many are being converted in our churches we have to say very few. When we enquire how many are preparing for the preaching ministry. Again, we have to say, very few. When we look at the spiritual state of the churches there is often cause for concern. Is the investment we are making in conferences leading to the sort of results we would long for?
What to do?
Spotting a problem is easy. What to do about it is much more difficult. Perhaps those of us involved in organising conferences and attending them could ask ourselves the following questions.
1. Is this conference really necessary?
2. Is it possible to make this conference shorter?
3. Is it necessary to hold this conference every year?
4. Is the content of this conference really what people need to hear?
I have not mentioned merging conferences as having been involved in something of that nature I have learned from experience that it is nearly impossible to do.
Finally, something really radical. Bearing in mind what Jesus said about who you invite to parties and the way that in the 19th century members of churches like the Metropolitan Tabernacle would sometimes all give up their seats for others, is there something one of the conferences could try on those lines? Just a thought.
*Now Affinity. The biennial study conference has migrated to February
This article was originally an editorial in Grace Magazine
