NWA: turning the tide

New Word Alive has become the premier conference for conservative evangelicals in Britain. In the run up to the event, organiser Nigel Beynon tells us why he’s excited.

‘I’ve never heard such powerful preaching!‘ That was the testimony I heard just a few weeks ago from someone who came to New Word Alive (NWA) last year. She went on to say how God had changed her during those five days, leading her to make some major life decisions to seek to serve him more.

What’s so special about NWA?

Well, in many ways — nothing! As we talked, it became clear that this individual had never really heard preaching that sought to explain the Bible seriously. But, through a friend, she had ended up at NWA and for the first time experienced God speaking to her powerfully, changing her life, as the Bible was taught.

That, of course, isn’t something unique to NWA — it happens in churches all over the country. But it’s certainly something we stand for at NWA. We want to encourage and strengthen Bible-based ministry throughout the UK. In the past there has often been a division between Word and Spirit, so that you are either a Bible Christian or a Spirit Christian. I get the impression that many now see that that is a false distinction. After all, ‘the sword of the Spirit is the word of God’ (Ephesians 6.17). If we want to experience the power of the Spirit we must let him use his sword on us!

We’ve got a great programme lined up for this year — different ways we’re going to be hearing from the Bible — expositions, doctrine tracks, Bible overviews and topical seminars all interacting with today’s world. Please join us in praying that NWA this year, and every year, will be a place where the Spirit wields his sword very powerfully and so changes us to know him and serve him more.

Unique features

Mind you, if we’re only doing what happens elsewhere it raises the question — what is unique about NWA? Why bother with the long drive, I hear you ask?

I could mention many things: speakers you don’t get a chance to hear otherwise, or doctrine tracks on a particular topic you want to explore, right through to a stunning setting in Snowdonia. But there are two particular things that stand out in my mind.

One is evangelical unity. It’s hard to read ‘history’ when you are in it, but there are some signs that we are witnessing a realignment of movements at the moment. The old markers of ‘conservatives’ and ‘charismatics’ don’t fit so well these days, as we find there are many from the ‘other camp’ with whom we have lots in common: the cross of Jesus, the authority of the Bible, the sovereignty of God and the urgency of evangelism — these things unite us.

Confronted with the wide range of opponents to the gospel we face today, we can ill afford to withdraw into fractured groups. Rather, we must find unity and strength together, and New Word Alive is a place to do that. We are unashamed of our core convictions and will give them the emphasis they should rightly have. Meanwhile, we might disagree over various secondary issues, but with a spirit of humility and generosity we can learn together and learn from each other.

Training and equipping

The second distinctive is the element of training and equipping. This is where we want to add value to the local church, so that those who attend not only benefit from good Bible teaching in general, but are built up and empowered in their own service of the Lord. For instance, this year we have a track aimed at helping young parents and Sunday school leaders teach the gospel to young children. The first two sessions will cover some ‘theory’ and then the next two sessions will be worked examples — where the children are taught and the parents can watch!

Another new development is our international student track. Working with Friends International and OMF, we have developed a series of Bible talks and discussion groups for those from abroad studying in the UK. The overriding aim of the track is to equip and enable Christians to keep living for Jesus when they return home.

I could multiply the examples: whether it’s one’s own prayer life, helping another Christian who is struggling, reaching a Muslim neighbour, leading a home group or thinking Christianly about the arts… these tracks are designed to help us all grow in how we serve the Lord back at home.

See the difference

NWA might turn the tide. My dream is that, in the weeks and months following New Word Alive, churches will see the difference NWA has made as Christians are empowered to play their part in the body of Christ, using their gifts to serve him. That is the vision summed up in our strapline ‘Serving the Church, Reaching the World’.

We’re already working on plans for 2010 and hope to bring an even better programme of speakers and tracks that you won’t find elsewhere!

If you’d like to hear about New Word Alive 2010, then sign up for a brochure at http://www.newwordalive.org

What’s so special about NWA?

Unique features

Training and equipping

See the difference

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