The 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Crieff Fellowship was marked by an exceptional conference of preaching, reflection, fellowship and prayer.
The principal speaker, Dr Joel Beeke, pastor, professor and prolific author from Grand Rapids Michigan, delivered incisive, authoritative and heart-warming addresses to the 150 who had gathered. Numbers were augmented by a group of American pastors who represented the American Crieff Fellowship, birthed by and modelled on the original vision, and their unique contribution was hugely appreciated.
Dr Beeke gave three addresses from Romans 7 and 8, as well as a helpful lecture on applicatory preaching drawn from Puritan examples and theology.
In the lessons of inward delight, dilemma and deliverance from Romans 7 he emphasised that the closer we draw to Jesus the more conscious we are of indwelling sin and our great need of the Spirit’s power in us to make us holy. In Romans 8, he majored on our assurance of faith in the irreversibility of our adoption, and on the costly, comprehensive and cumulative work of Christ. His preaching was pastoral, applied, and drew our hearts to love Christ the more. His final address on Revelation 19 vv.5-9 dealt with ‘The utopian marriage in Christ in Heaven’ and hearts were touched as we rehearsed the truths of the wedding, the bridegroom, the bride, and the guests at the feast of all feasts that awaits us in Christ’s presence.
This special 50th milestone was marked by an address from the Revd Martin Allen, for 14 years chairman of the Fellowship. In an eloquent, amusing and moving address, under the title ‘Returning to Roots’, he traced the life of the Revd William Still, Crieff’s founder, traced his legacy and drew five brief lessons from this for our generation of pastor preachers. For some it was revelatory, for they had little idea of the founder and his founding principles. In the words of the present chairman, the Revd Jeremy Middleton, ‘For others it was a clarion call, calling them back to their roots and for many it was, and will be seen to be, the launchpad for a more focussed and fervent future ministry.’ The response to the address was articulated thus: ‘The embers of the Crieff Fellowship have been fanned into flame.’ Warmth, unity and prayer marked our fellowship throughout and underlined our awareness of the Lord being present with us.
As folk returned to parishes and pulpits, they did so with huge gratitude for the blessings of God’s word taught, and a renewed sense of standing firm in a great legacy of biblical expository preaching which grows faith and transforms life.
The next conference of the Crieff Fellowship will be held in January 2021.
