● What made this year’s Bala Conference so valuable was its direct ministry to the hearts of pastors, writes Steffan Job of the Evangelical Movement of Wales.
Emyr James preached on the Fatherhood of God. John Stevens spoke on The Gospel and Nationalism. Alun Ebenezer explored the changing patterns emerging in youth culture, and Ken Brownell challenged us to consider both the positive and negative influences that America has had on evangelical culture. Philip Eveson demonstrated how indispensable the Psalms are in pastoral ministry.
● The focus for this year’s Biblical Counselling UK national conference was “Identity – conversations exploring our union with Christ”, the BCUK team writes.
In the outstanding conference facilities provided by Keswick Ministries, 370 delegates engaged with the many pastoral implications of our union with Jesus. Graham Beynon (Associate Director, FIEC) provided a comprehensive overview of union with Christ before Andrew Nicholls (Director of Pastoral Care, Oak Hill) and Ste Casey (Speke Baptist Church) applied that teaching to individuals and whole church communities.
● The theme of this year’s Evangelical Ministry Assembly (EMA) was “Multiply”, writes Jermaine Bernard of the Proclamation Trust.
Nick McQuacker, Director of a Passion for Life, reminded us that we are at a defining moment in history. Carl Matthei from Sydney, Australia, explained God’s gospel plan to bring all things under the dominion of Jesus. Robin Sydserff, the Director of Proclamation Trust (PT), spoke on 2 Timothy 1 and 2. At a crisis time for the church, Paul exhorts Timothy to be a faithful minister.
● Do you think of the Book of Psalms as a photo album of random psalms all gathered in no particular order, writes Jim Sayers of the Grace Baptist Association?
Are they just there, each to be read on its own merits? Or are they a purposeful collection with a promised King at their heart? These were the questions Davy Ellison of the Irish Baptist College set out to answer at the Grace Baptists’ Summer Day Conference on “Christ in the Psalms” in Highbury.
● The Latimer Conference took place in St Alkmund’s Church, Duffield, writes Ellelein Kirk, (husband Daniel pictured above) with the title “Resilience in Ministry”.
Julian Beauchamp examined some of the strategies the psalmist used to build hope in affliction. Kirsty Birkett addressed resilience by looking at the work of Jeremiah Burroughs and his key Scriptural attitude towards contentment. The third session comprised a panel – Peter Breckwoldt, Ed Moll and James Hughes. George Crowder focused the last talk of the day on church leaders and their association to different networks.
● Women married to men in ministry gathered for the annual Ministry Wives Retreat, organised by the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC), to be refreshed through Bible teaching, training, fellowship, and reflection, writes Joel Murray.
Sarah Dargue, a ministry wife herself and co-host of the Bible study podcast Two Sisters & a Cup of Tea, spoke on the theme of “if onlys” as she taught from the book of Titus on what healthy church life truly looks like.
● And women in local church ministry from across the country gathered for Thrive, the FIEC’s annual retreat for women in ministry, held at The Hayes in Derbyshire, adds Joel Murray.
The 48-hour retreat included time to chat and pray with others in ministry, time for personal reflection, and Bible teaching. 2026’s speaker was one of FIEC’s Directors for Women’s Ministry, Rachel Sloan. She spoke from 2 Corinthians. Abi Coward, one of the attendees, said: “I would encourage any woman in ministry, especially those who are just starting out, to go along to Thrive.”
