Attending the Grace Baptist Assembly 2004 at Swanwick from 11-14 May
did me good. It made me glad to be a Grace Baptist, glad to be a
minister of the gospel, glad to be a Christian. I have always associated
Swanwick conferences with small helpings at the meal table. This was
still the case, but the speakers served up a feast of good things from
God’s Word. No one could have gone home disappointed.
Stuart Olyott had been due to give three evening addresses on ‘Neglected
Priorities’ but was prevented from coming to speak because of health
concerns after what appeared to be a minor stroke at the Banner of Truth
conference. In the providence of God what some could have viewed as a
disappointment worked out for good. On the first evening Tim Mills
(Pollard Park Evangelical Church, Bradford, West Yorkshire) drew our
attention to Hebrews 12:22-24. Animated yet sober and authoritative, he
showed that the words,
apply to gatherings of the Lord’s people here and now. Our Sunday
meetings should be shaped by this stupendous fact.
Gary Brady gave us a thorough exposition of Luke 10:38-42, on Mary
and Martha. Less extravagant than either of the other speakers, his
style was nevertheless powerful and compelling. He noted by way of
introduction that the passage comes at the end of a chapter exhorting us
to active service for the Lord Jesus Christ, in evangelism (vv1-23) and
practical kindness (vv25-37). Luke’s purpose in recording the Mary and
Martha incident is to underline the need for quiet Christ-centred
submission and learning: Mary… sat at the Lord’s feet listening
to what he said. We must beware of thinking that the more we do, the
better Christians we are.
On the Thursday evening Geoff Thomas focussed on the subject of ‘True
Greatness’ from Mark 9:33-37. He identified three things from the
passage which are indispensable to true greatness: the greatest must be
the very last; the greatest must be the servant of all; and the greatest
is obsessed with the weak and insignificant. The hour passed very
quickly. It was thoroughly self-abasing and Christ-exalting. Geoff
Thomas is surely unique among us. Who else could refer to the lives of
men like Gresham Machen, BB Warfield and John Murray with such intimacy
and ease? It was good to see him back at full strength after his recent
illness.
Stephen Rees (Grace Baptist Church, Stockport) gave his two morning
addresses the title ‘God at the Centre’. In the first he showed what
it means to have God at the centre of our theology, and in the second he
showed what it means to have God at the centre of our worship,
evangelism and lifestyle.
He referred us to the comprehensive answer of the Larger Westminster
Catechism to the question ‘What are the duties required in the first
commandment?’:
The duties required in the first commandment are, the knowing and
acknowledging of God to be the only true God, and our God; and to
worship and glorify him accordingly, by thinking, meditating,
remembering, highly esteeming, honouring, adoring, choosing, loving,
desiring, fearing of him; believing him; trusting, hoping, delighting,
rejoicing in him; being zealous for him; calling upon him, giving all
praise and thanks, and yielding all obedience and submission to him
with the whole man; being careful in all things to please him, and
sorrowful when in any thing he is offended; and walking humbly with
him.
These were important and thoughtful messages and fitted in so clearly
with the burden of the evening speakers. David Ellis from Stowmarket,
who with his wife Barbara ‘hosted’ the assembly, spoke at the
opening and closing sessions on Judges 2 and Psalm 80 respectively. Ray
Evans (Kempston Evangelical Church, Bedford) used his two sessions to
offer an analysis of Britain’s ‘moral mess’ and suggest how we
should respond.
Let me give you three reasons why you should make GBA a priority in
your calendar next year – and every year.
- Its distinctive character
Just as Grace Baptist Mission arises from our distinctive
convictions about the local church, so Grace Baptist Assembly reflects
the independency and inter-dependency that we believe is the New
Testament pattern. The Assembly is not a synod. It has no authority.
Its purpose is not to legislate for the churches or to make
pronouncements on behalf of the churches. It is an expression of our
need of one another, and our capacity to be a blessing to one another.
With a minimum of circulating you could enjoy a cup of tea or
coffee with, among others, the editor of Grace magazine, the chairman
of the Assembly steering committee, the editorial director of Go
Teach, and the vice-president of GBM. You could find at your breakfast
table brothers and sisters in Christ from the Isle of Man to Italy,
from Dunstable to Darlington, from Cromer to Crawley, from Soho to
Stowmarket. We rejoiced to hear of God’s work in various parts of
the world as well as closer to home. Swanwick was buzzing with useful,
edifying, happy chatter.
- A focus for unity
There are various actual and potential dividing lines among us. But
surely Baptist churches committed to the doctrines of grace have much
in common. We firmly believe that each local church is complete in its
Head, Jesus Christ, but will rejoice to acknowledge the existence of
other like-minded churches and will commit itself to mutual
encouragement and fellowship, founded on a common confession of faith
and order.
In these days of cyber-communication, how important it is to have
opportunities for meeting face-to-face!
- Extraordinary blessing
Most of us enjoy a good standard of ministry and fellowship in our
home churches, but there is something about the prospect of being away
together which heightens expectations. And God seems often to bless in
an unusual way those special gatherings. How many times the Lord has met
with our children and young people at camps and conferences! Very often
we hear nothing startlingly new. But familiar truths can come with fresh
power and perspective.
The GBA steering committee are to be thanked for their initiative in
organising this year’s ‘new-look’ assembly. In the business
session we sensed the hand of God on this year’s venture. Do pray for
the steering committee as they seek to take things forward.
