The Australian Church Record, number 1902, May 2011, has been released.
The Oxygen 11 conference in late August may not be the only sign of leadership coming up for air in Sydney in 2011.
Katoomba Christian Convention has built the conference around John Piper, advertised as a ‘recognized leader of world evangelicalism’, and Dr John Lennox, professor of Mathematics at Oxford University and Christian Apologist (http://www.oxygen.kcc.org.au). Aiming particularly at those in Christian leadership, Oxygen 11 has all the features of the big events that have been run for decades: the overseas great ones, the large venue, the big crowds, large-budget advertising, ‘media hype’ well before the event. And, like many such conferences before it, it promises to be a great help for those who wish to suck in some air to keep them at the task of Christian leadership. Perhaps timely, as this task is getting harder in modern Australia.
In the midst of the beat-up for Piper, advertising for a new conference also appeared, much more quietly. The Sydney and Anglican: A Fresh Look at Mission conference (http://afreshlookatmission.weebly.com) will be held in June and hosted by a small inner-city parish church, St Philip’s, York Street. All the speakers are local, and lean towards the ‘younger statesman’ end of things. Simply by virtue of those on the platform, this local-church conference hints towards the paradigm shift that is about to bring us the future.
It is not the first time local churches in Sydney have held conferences to assist good conversations about theology and ministry. St Paul’s Carlingford is also about to hold its third Nexus conference—in-house encouragement for those associated with its circle of ministry. It will be looking at the importance of the doctrine of the church for a new day. Amongst the range of speakers, Mark Thompson will be revisiting the socalled Knox-Robinson teaching that has been so influential in this city. Given the importance that ecclesiology accords to the local congregation, it is perhaps surprising that local church conferences have not been more of a feature of Sydney Church life.
With the well-controlled larger platforms so difficult to renovate, as a new generation of leaders comes up for air, perhaps more such local church conferences will emerge. And so they should! Local teachers, addressing local needs, region by region. That doesn’t sound too bad at all.