On the second morning of this year’s Evangelical Ministry Assembly (EMA), Adrian Reynolds of Proclamation Trust got all those in ministry to stand up.
Hundreds got up out of their seats. He then asked those who had been in ministry five years or less to sit down. Then those who had been in ministry ten years and so on. By the time he got to 35 years or more in ministry there were not many left standing. He then said: ‘These are the heroes we need to be imitating!’
It was a vivid way of accentuating the theme of the conference which was perseverance and preservation in gospel work. The gathering took place this year Tuesday through Thursday, 21–23 June, once again at London’s Barbican Centre. The vast venue was within touching distance of being full.
God’s perseverance
The morning Bible readings were given by Australian Simon Manchester, rector of St Thomas’s, North Sydney. These focussed not on our perseverance in Christian faith and ministry, but on God’s perseverance with us. His titles were: ‘Persevering with the Disobedient’ from Exodus 34.1-8; ‘Persevering with the Desperate’ from 1 Kings 19.9-15; and ‘Persevering with the Dull’ from Mark 6.45-53.
All of these passages speak of God ‘passing by’, showing his glory, which Manchester saw as Jesus’s purpose in passing by the disciples in the storm on the lake. But, being dull, they didn’t get who Jesus was until two chapters later. These sessions were hugely beneficial to pastors, teaching that God does not give up on us despite our many weaknesses and failings.
Our perseverance
Don Carson of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, gave two topical sessions on the other side of the coin – our need to persevere.
In the first he focussed on the need for all Christians to keep going in the faith; perseverance almost defines Christianity; the parable of the sower shows that mere beginning proves nothing; real faith will survive testing. Also from 1 Corinthians 9.24-27 he spoke of how carrying on in our calling can be very closely entwined with our persevering as Christians. For Paul to give up on one would be to give up on the other, ‘Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.’ The assumption behind all this is that God is at work within us (Philippians 2.12, 13).
In the second of his addresses on the Thursday morning, Dr. Carson gave ten practical points to help ministers and preachers run the long race. 1. Aim at faithfulness, not numbers. 2. Think eschatologically, with an eye on our hope. 3. Expect opposition – the apostles rejoiced at being counted worthy to suffer. 4. Expect difficulties in the church – think of Corinth. 5. Aim to frustrate Satan – like Job. 6. Discern some of God’s purposes in your suffering – like maturity. 7. Reflect on the privileged position of being a new covenant minister – able, unlike even John the Baptist, to so clearly and accurately point to Jesus. 8. Identify with the cross – follow Christ’s example. 9. Recognise that God is more important than mere satisfaction in life. 10. Fight relentlessly the green-eyed monster of envying other ministers.
With reports of many men starting in ministry but dropping out after a few years, these talks could not have been more pertinent to the situation in the UK.
Coming through by grace
There were many other great contributions, including Vaughan Roberts on the life of John Newton and seminars addressing practical issues of ministry.
Robin Weekes spoke very movingly on his battle with illness while serving in India, how by God’s grace he was able to come through it and how it proved God’s agent to bring him home to take up the ministry at Emmanuel, Wimbledon.
EMA is a terrific help to so many who are working hard for the Lord.
