REFORMATION RESURRECTION 2011 - Wednesday Update

Well, the conference is well and truly underway now. This is a special conference in Europe because it is Gospel centered and theologically driven - in stark contrast to most of the other "Christian" conferences which tend to be driveby pragmatism and the latest 40 days of your best prayer of jabez trend coming out of America which is usually 2 years behind the USA which, in turn, is usually 15 years behind the secular culture.

One of the true highlights so far has been the Tabletalk question and answer sessions each night. A predominant feature of the Scandinavian church landscape is a propensity of pastors to refuse to discuss matters over Scripture, and also a severe reluctance to respond to questions that they don't like being asked. I call these "Areea 51" questions. But the Tabletalk sessions at Reformation Resurrection 2011 have been loaded with a barrage of questions, many of which would qualify as "Area 51" questions. Nothing has been off limits and Voddie Baucham is an outstanding apologist who, thus far, has been very able to draw on Scripture to answer all questions heading his way without diplomacy and political correctness. Needless to say, everyone has been on the edge of their seats the whole way through and we are very glad that we decided to record these sessions.

But the main emphasis of this year's conference has been Dr Baucham's exegetical sweep through Paul's letter to the Ephesians. This has been a profound and illuminating experience for so many of us who have had little, if any, exposure to quality expository preaching. It also makes for an invigorating change from the mire of lame moralistic sermons where the Scripture serves as a selective tool to support an agenda that many modern preachers start with.

The thread through all of this biblical exposition by Voddie Baucham has been the the centrality of Christ in all of Scripture. He is helping us all to see the transcendent story of Scripture that is the seamless story of Christ - not a massive sequence of different moral lessons for self improvement. Gotta go! I don't want to miss the next session.

And he [Jesus] said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:25-27)