The Director on the road

At the beginning of November I was at the excellent FIEC Leader’s Conference along with more than 500 others from FIEC churches. The theme of the event was evangelism and a range of main speakers and seminar leaders provided heart-warming and challenging teaching to encourage us in the task of telling the gospel to anyone willing to listen.

The FIEC were there at the formation of the BEC and its re-launch as Affinity and continue to be one of our most supportive members. John Stevens, Director of the FIEC, will be one of the speakers at the Affinity Theological Study Conference in March next year. We warmly encourage you to consider booking for this event as soon as possible.

Later in November I met with Robert Strivens and London Seminary (renamed to save confusion and abbreviation). Robert is encouraged by student numbers at the Seminary, with a good balance between those from the UK and overseas. They provide an excellent grounding in Biblical Studies, Theology, Languages, History, Preaching and Pastoral Ministry. We hope to continue to benefit in Affinity from the encouragement and input of Robert and the faculty members.

Then last week I flew to Edinburgh to meet the prolific blogger and writer David Robertson of the Free Church of Scotland. It was really encouraging to hear about the developments within the Free Church, and about church planting in Dundee. We had a fruitful discussion about how best to equip Affinity members and associates to engage with culture and community and how Affinity might be able to provide a voice for conservative evangelicals in the secular media.

David and others have set up SOLAS to help in “persuasive evangelism”, bringing the gospel into all areas of public life – politics, art, the workplace – as we live for Christ, in the world but not of it.

I trust you are encouraged in the work you are engaged in and would love to hear from you with any questions or comments.

Yours in the secure love of Christ,

Graham Nicholls