Sunday 18 April 2010

Some reflections on #nwa10

I thought I'd spend a couple of minutes briefly recording some reflections from this years New Word Alive. Here are a few things:

1. I think one of the highlights for me, in terms of the different sessions that I went to, was the seminar series by Amy Orr Ewing. I forget the name of the track, but it was looking at answers to some of the common objections to the Christian worldview. I found it really encouraging to again think about how Christianity does have some real and reasonable answers and is 'intellectually satisfying and verifiable". I hope to post up some of the answers that we looked at over the next few weeks - it might not happen, but watch this space!

2. It's just lovely seeing Christian friends from the past - to see that they're still keeping on, to see that they're still growing, and to be able to talk about how Jesus is working in situations around the country, and is continuing to be glorified.

3. In our lodge (cabin, shed, chalet - whatever you want to call it!) we had some great conversations following some of the talks. Over these last few weeks a few friends and I have been talking about how important it is to have spiritual conversations, and how we need to foster an atmosphere in which these conversations take place. The importance of this was highlighted to me in seeing how much I benifitted from them this week. Word ministry in preaching is vital, but word ministry is about much more than preaching, and having Christ centred conversations, urging each other to keep walking the walk is so important to. Especially now that we are away from New Word Alive. To keep the Word Alive is about living it in the power of the Holy Spirit, it's about being stuck into the Bible in our daily walk, but it's also about living in the Christian community that we've been saved into, having edifying, challenging, Christ-exalting, encouraging, difficult conversations.

4. Jesus is coming! It could be tomorrow, it might not be in my lifetime, but he is coming - that should impact my life more than it does at the moment. That truth needs to be at the front of my mind much more often than it is.

No comments: