"Over here!" Some thoughts on the North West Gospel Partnership conference in Wigan

Today was a great day-conference in Wigan, run by the North West Gospel Partnership. It was great to hear preaching (rather than just delivering it). As well as a great opportunity for fellowship and networking, there were plenty of points to be encouraged by and ponder. The speaker was Ray Ortlund from Tennessee, USA.

Oxana and I were wondering which "islands/coastlands" were meant in Isaiah 42? Based on Psalm 72:10 maybe they included the Balearic islands, colonised by the Phoenicians, as was Tarshish, known from the book of Jonah. We are also within our rights to apply these words and promises to our own British isles, and other island nations, such as Japan.

The Biblical notion of "justice" is also fascinating. This was a key dimension to Jesus' ministry: delivering to people what God had promised them, and there what is our "due". A God-centred, Biblical angle on "human rights".

Jesus' word beckoning worn-out disciples to receive his yoke and his rest is, "Come here." In English this could be rendered something like, "Over here!"

I was also delighted to hear Francis Schaeffer's idea that we need "two orthodoxies": the orthodoxy of doctrine, i.e. what we believe, and the orthodoxy of community, i.e. how we live out the gospel in our relationships with one another.

It was very encouraging to enjoy fellowship and worship with several hundred brothers and sisters from across the North West, including some friends of my parents going back to my Brussels days.

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