A Breath of Fresh Air
0 comments | Posted by Steven Layson on 04 Sep 2011 in From Steve's Study ::
This week, Shauna, Peter and myself had the privilege to attend the “Oxygen” Conference in Sydney. This was a conference aimed at all Church workers, to help support and encourage them in their ministry, & it certainly was both of those things, with two internationally renowned speakers who gave the key addresses.
John Piper was a passionate and gifted speaker. His focus for the week was the “Glory of God”. One of the most challenging aspects of his talks was the challenge to consider whether my joy is found in seeking God’s glory, which is the reason we were created. I have to acknowledge that I often seek pleasure and fulfillment in the things of this world, rather than in God’s will and plan. It’s good to be reminded that it is only through seeking first God’s kingdom and his glory that I will be truly satisfied… everything else can only provide temporary, or minimal joy. If you want to see John in action, try visiting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyJs95MH8RI for some great challenges.
The other speaker was the Mathematics Professor John Lennox (a man after my own heart). John was an extremely gifted, winsome and intelligent man, whose real gift is in the area of Apologetics (answering the questions and arguments of those who don’t believe in God). John took us through the first couple of chapters of Acts to show how the first century world was not too dissimilar to our own, & that the arguments and opposition we experience from the “New Atheists” today, is very similar to that faced by the first Christians. I was particularly impressed with the way he approaches debates with famous atheists like Richard Dawkins & Christopher Hitchens. If you’d like to see one of those debates, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0UIbd0eLxw
We were very thankful to the church for making it possible for us to attend this conference, and hope and pray that the things we have learnt would equip us to serve St Peters all the better into the future.
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