Off to Banner

Soon I'll be heading north up the Fosse Way for the Banner Ministers' Conference in Leicester. I'm looking forward to four days of fellowship and ministry. 

I first went to Banner in the late 1980's, when I was a student at the London Theological Seminary. Back then I was young enough to attend the Youth as well as Ministers' conferences. Wouldn't get away with that now. 

Highlights include Sinclair Ferguson on Sanctification and Genesis 3:15, Ted Donelley on the Temptation of Christ and Jeremiah, Al Martin on 1 Timothy 4:16, and Geoff Thomas' biographical sketches - Howell Harris was one and  another on a chap nicknamed 'Rip Van Winckle', whose real name escapes me. 

This year I don't plan on making notes on the messages for blog reports. I simply  want to listen to the ministry and take it all in without the distraction of typing stuff on my mobile, which is a bit fiddly anyway. I'll either do a rather impressionistic report when I get home, or maybe try posting something at the end of each day, using my phone's blogger app. We'll have to see how it goes.

I was toying with taking Bavinck's RD Vol 3 with me for some conference reading, but looking up   lots of proof texts with a paper Bible is a chore compared with using Bible Gateway on my PC. Not to worry. The other day Evangelical Times kindly sent me a review copy of Iain Murray's latest, Archibald Brown: Spurgeon's Successor, published by the Banner. I enjoyed Murray's talk on Brown at last year's Banner, so the book is packed and ready to go. 

I may grace the football field on Tuesday afternoon, but certainly not Wednesday as well. There is only so much hanging back in defence a man in his mid-40's can do. Especially one who can't really play the game in the first place. There might be a reason why I was usually last to be picked at school. No home goals this year would be nice.