Bible Teachers and Preachers: Advanced

EUROPEAN BIBLE TEACHERS AND PREACHERS NETWORK: ADVANCED SEMINAR

All over the world there is a growing movement of pastors and lay preachers who are committed to faithful Biblical teaching and preaching. It is a grass-roots movement with networks of support and new training initiatives emerging in many countries. And it is happening in Europe, too. Langham Preaching (a branch of Langham Partnership International) and Proclamation Trust are committed to doing all they can to play a part in supporting local and national works – hence our commitment to coordinating the Bible Teachers & Preachers Network at the European Leadership Forum.

John Stott, formerly Rector of All Souls Langham Place and the founder of Langham Partnership, outlined this vision in what he called the Langham Logic:

God wants the church to grow up to maturity and committed discipleship
God’s church grows through God’s Word
God’s Word impacts our congregations and communities through preaching and teaching

In fulfilling this vision, the major development this year is to split the Bible Teachers and Preachers Network into two levels. At the heart of both levels will be a commitment to understanding the dynamics of Biblical teaching and preaching, deliberately focussing on practical tools to help in the task of understanding Bible passages and expounding them relevantly in our European context.

We hope that we can then play our part in developing momentum for the support and encouragement for Biblical teaching in Europe – not just a seminar track, but a growing network of preachers and teachers across the continent and around the world. To this end, we are also encouraging participants on the various Langham Preaching conferences in Europe to join us each year at the European Leadership Forum.

ALL those who teach the Bible, (whether in a local church setting, university campuses or elsewhere, whether from the pulpit or not), are welcome to join us (although a primary applicatory focus will be on pulpit preaching).

Applicants should be those who have either attended this Network in previous years, or who have attended Langham Partnership Preaching conferences in their countries. The aim each year is to consider the challenges and opportunities presented by different biblical genres, assuming the key skills gained in the foundational level. In 2010, we will be considering how we teach from Old Testament poetry, with a particular focus on the Psalms. This Network will be led by Rev Mark Meynell, Senior Associate Minister at All Souls Church in London, and Rev Dr Gavin McGrath, pastor, author and church planter in London. Prior preparation will be set for all applicants.

NETWORK SPEAKERS

Rev Mark Meynell is Senior Associate Minister at All Souls Church, Langham Place, London in England. He also works part-time as the European Coordinator for Langham Preaching (an arm of Langham Partnership International), which seeks to develop biblical preaching programmes across several countries. He was previously on the faculty and Acting Principal of the Kampala Evangelical School of Theology (in Kampala, Uganda), where he also led the Uganda Langham Preaching seminar, ministering to pastors and lay preachers throughout Uganda. He is the author of Cross-examined (IVP), The New Testament & Slavery (Latimer Trust) and The Good Book Guide to Colossians (Good Book Co). He lives in central London with his wife Rachel and two children, Joshua & Zanna.

Rev Dr Gavin McGrath is senior pastor of Christ Church, Earlsfield, London. After serving churches in Durham and Sheffield, England, he worked with English L’Abri and was a frequent speaker at student gatherings in the UK and Europe. From 1999-2005 he was vice-principal and lecturer in theology at an Anglican theological college in the USA before returning to the UK. Gavin has published a number of works and most recently co-edited The New Dictionary of Christian Apologetics (IVP 2006). He and his wife, Janet, have three daughters. His interests include jazz, cooking and, especially, triathlon.

Richard Cunningham is the co-leader of the European Apologetics Network Advanced Seminar and a member of the European Leadership Forum Steering Committee. He has been Director of UCCF: the Christian Unions since 2004. He has also worked in pastoral ministry at churches in London and Oxford. A graduate of London University and trained for ordained ministry in Oxford, Richard has been the primary speaker at over 40 University Missions. He founded ‘Christian Persuaders’ a training programme that aims to identify, train and place a new generation of apologetic evangelists in British universities. He is also a member of the College of Evangelists, an outreach arm of the Anglican church.

Dr Josh Moody was born in Epsom, Surrey, in the suburbs of London, England. He completed his undergraduate studies at Cambridge University, graduating with a BA degree in history. Upon graduation, Josh served as a missionary in the Republic of Georgia and Azerbaijan. After a year on the mission field, Josh returned to England where he served on staff at the Romford Evangelical Church on the north side of London. He then returned to Cambridge University to pursue his doctorate in theology which he completed in 1998. Dr Moody was a visiting Research Fellow at Yale Divinity School in 1997. He is currently Senior Pastor of College Church in Wheaton, Illinois, USA. He has authored three books The God-Centered Life: Insights from Jonathan Edwards for Today, Jonathan Edwards and the Enlightenment: Knowing the Presence of God and Authentic Spirituality, and is a regular contributor to the online magazine, Evangelicals Now, with his “Letters from America” columns.

NETWORK PROGRAMME

Day 1:

Approaching OT Poetry 1

Mark Meynell

A huge proportion of the Old Testament is made up of poetry, whether in wisdom literature, prophecy or even occasionally within the historical narratives. Yet too often, we treat biblical poetry as if it was just another form of more propositional revelation (such as the epistles). The danger is that we trample on its evocative imagery and profound emotional impact. The Psalms in particular are much loved and appreciated for their honesty and realism, but even the power of the more familiar psalms gets missed without an attention to detail and nuance. These two sessions will look some of the unique contributions made to the bible by poetry and consider how they impact the way in which we should teach poetry.

Expository Apologetics (Combined with Advanced Track)

Richard Cunningham

The best apologetics arise from and out of the Bible and faithful Bible teaching always has an apologetic to contemporary people. This session focuses on how the texts of the Bible present both the content of our apologetics and the methodology of our apologetics. By looking at a number of texts we will see the importance of wedding our job as apologists with the privilege of expositing the Bible.

Day 2:

Approaching OT Poetry 2

Mark Meynell

Following on from the first session, this session will provide some very practical tools for communicating OT poetry faithfully.

Handling a Psalm 1

Participants will be expected to have come prepared with some work on a particular psalm. In groups we will discuss how best to go from the fruits of our research to a faithful, clear and relevant Bible study or sermon.

Day 3:

OT Poetry with the WHOLE Bible in Mind

Mark Meynell

Any faithful handling of OT poetry must bear the historical context and the overarching sweep of biblical narrative in mind. This session seeks to provide a “birds-eye” view of the whole Bible and thus give a map to help understand that context, especially in terms of the various poetic fulfilments in Christ.

Handling a Psalm 2

Each small group will present their study outline to the rest of the delegates, after which there will be discussion and learning from each other’s work.

Day 4:

Preaching as a Pastor (Combined with Advanced Track)

Josh Moody

The Bible is God’s instrument of change, comfort and above all, grace. We should expect that whenever the Bible is opened and faithfully taught, lives will be changed. This session will consider the role that Bible teaching has in the life of the disciple and the church, and therefore what our responsibilities as Bible teachers who pastor and mentor should be.

Developing a European Preaching Movement (Combined with Advanced Track)

Mark Meynell

Christian ministry should never be a solitary business and even if we are working in isolated and scattered situations, it is vital to work together in partnership with others. This session will begin the process for enabling European bible teachers to encourage one another around the continent, to ensure that there is a growing commitment to biblical exposition in our churches. Prepare to brainstorm and dream dreams!