London Metropolitan Tabernacle
School of Theology 2-4 July 2013

Online Registrations for the School of Theology Now Open

RECOVERY FROM SPIRITUAL DECLINE
Proving the Methods of Scripture

   This year brings the 38th ­annual School of Theology at the Tabernacle, with very many pastors, Christian workers and church officers attending, and younger people seeking a more biblical and committed style of Christian life and service.
   How may evangelical witness be rebuilt to reach vastly more people in our day? The answer to evangelical decline is not to be found in radical new ways of ‘doing church’, and the adoption of entertainment culture, as some claim. Worldly methods will only produce worldly churches.
   The answer lies in much greater effort and prayer being invested in the ‘old paths’ and the ‘good way’. School of Theology this year is designed to stimulate the revival of authentic evangelistic preaching from throughout the Bible; also the defence of biblical methods to secure greater instrumentality, the promotion of personal witness, and the necessity of biblical separation from error and worldliness to know the blessing of the Holy Spirit.
 

DR PETER MASTERS 

Pastor, Metropolitan Tabernacle

SERMONS FOR SOULS

The Word of God is a mine of appeals to lost souls, having persuasions and urgings for every kind of sinner, with soul-winning words and warnings. Two addresses will show how to recognise and deploy the powerful and varied evangelistic reasoning found in all parts of the Bible, providing an agenda for soul-winning sermons every week of the year, and supplying fuel and illustrations for the personal witness of believers. 

WHAT A BIBLICAL CHURCH IS LIKE

Proving the New Testament Pattern. Promoters of new methods for church growth adopt the sin-connected culture of the world and dismiss the sufficiency of Scripture. This address will review the essential features of the New Testament pattern church, so derided by today’s innovators, but vital in God’s plan and purpose. These biblical principles are the basis of true blessing.

REVIVING THE ‘WORKING CHURCH’

In a non-churchgoing age, the rarity of ‘working’ churches is a major element of spiritual decline. This address will present an essential biblical concept, by which as many members as possible are involved in Christian service. How is this to be attained? What are the hindrances? What spiritual nourishment is required, and what is the fruit?
 

REV JOHN THACKWAY

Pastor, Holywell Evangelical Church, Wales

PRINCIPLES OF BIBLICAL SEPARATION

The Distinctiveness of Gospel Churches

1. Separation in Church Associations and Co-operative Ventures

Obeying God’s call to His people to be separate from churches and organisations that tolerate false teachers. This address will challenge today’s indifference to the principles of biblical separation, including a rebuttal of the misuse of the terms ‘hyper-separatist’ and ‘guilt by association’.

2. Separation in Personal Life, and in Service for God

The biblical attitude to Gospel outreach will be contrasted with the man-centred methods for success of new evangelicalism, giving special attention to the need for an integrity that rejects pragmatic compromise. An appeal to do God’s work in God’s way, and for His glory alone.
 

PASTOR DEWI HIGHAM

Pastor, Tabernacle Cardiff

PREREQUISITES FOR REVIVAL

God’s sovereignty brings about in His people certain desires and moves them to a new level of consecration, in preparation for a season of great blessing. Here are the prerequisites traceable in times of true spiritual awakening, and identified in Scripture, that we should long to manifest and attain to.
 

PASTOR ROLAND BURROWS

Pastor, Station Road Baptist Chapel,
Cradley Heath, West Midlands

REVIVAL PREACHING:
WHAT DID THEY ACTUALLY SAY?

What were the distinctive approaches of great revival preachers in their sermons? What were their characteristic texts and biblical arguments? How did they frame their appeals to souls? How did their language ‘fit’ with reformed theology? For our inspiration, two addresses will review the typical outlines and remonstrations of compelling revival-period preaching.
 

PASTOR CHRIS HAND

Pastor, Crich Baptist Church, Derbyshire

THE RECOVERY OF EVANGELISTIC PREACHING

The preaching of specifically evangelistic sermons on a regular, weekly basis was once the rule in evangelical churches, but not for many years now. Many preachers will not themselves have sat under such ministry when younger. Theological seminaries nowadays seldom advocate it, and churches suffer the outcome. Two addresses will present a new call to such evangelistic preaching, considering its aims and implementation.
 

PASTOR CHRISTOPHER BUSS

Pastor, Ridley Hall Evangelical Church, Battersea

ATTITUDES NEEDED IN CHURCH LEADERS

Personal attitudes to be embraced and nurtured to secure God’s blessing on the labours of churches, drawn from the example of Christ and His apostles. Will our work be merely an outwardly impressive structure, or a genuine, spiritual accomplishment?
 

DR TED WILLIAMS

Consultant in public health, and author

UPHOLDING BIBLICAL MARRIAGE

Crucial to blessing upon churches is the restoration of truly biblical marriage ideals (by contrast with the deeply mistaken concepts of the ‘Christian’ marriage counselling courses), elevating and imparting the virtues of chastity, modesty, chivalry (including self-control and respect) and faithfulness. One address will set out the basis of pastoral teaching and guidance.
 

PASTOR JAMES ZENKER

Pastor, Beeches Road Baptist Chapel,
Blackheath, West Midlands

INSPIRING STRONG PERSONAL WITNESS

Beside the preaching, the backbone of spiritual awakenings has always been personal witness, equally essential to all church growth. In a single address Pastor Zenker will present the pastoral role in the reviving of individual witness.
 

PASTOR ROGER BRAZIER

Pastor, Edmonton Baptist Chapel

JEREMIAH’S GOSPEL ILLUSTRATIONS

Jeremiah employs graphic evangelistic reasoning more than any other Old Testament prophet, frequently calling individuals to consider their souls. To see the prophet’s searching, pressing arguments is like turning a key in a lock, opening the door to the utilising of Old Testament passages for evangelistic preaching. 
 

PASTOR JACK SEATON

Pastor Emeritus, Inverness
Reformed Baptist Church

RECOVERING THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH

During the Babylonian captivity, Zion languished, but with release and restoration to Jerusalem, God brought them to fulfil their calling once more. Two addresses draw out the lessons of this ‘typical’ restoration, when God’s people gained a renewed sense of privilege, a readiness to engage in labour, face opposition and sin, and rectify wrong priorities. 
 

PASTOR IBRAHIM AG MOHAMED

Pastoral Staff, Metropolitan Tabernacle

REACHING OUT TO MOSLEMS

What to Know and What to Say
A first address (Wednesday afternoon interval session) will provide insight, summarising the articles and pillars of Moslems’ faith and practices. A second address (Thursday afternoon) will explain Moslems’ misconceptions of Christianity, and offer engaging, effective approaches to be used in witness.
 

PASTOR JONATHAN NORTHERN

Pastor, Baldock Baptist Church, Hertfordshire

EVANGELISTIC PREACHING FROM THE PSALMS

Soul-winning reasoning often of a unique kind is found throughout the psalms. This address will show some of these themes and provide sample suggested sermon outlines, including individual verses with special potential.
 

School of Theology
Afternoon Interval Sessions

(following tea, held in the lower Lecture Hall)

 CHURCH PLANTING AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS

Tuesday 5.30-6.20 pm: Pastor Richard Clarke, of Beacon Park Baptist Church, Plymouth, who commenced the church with a Sunday School operation in 1992, will give encouragement and counsel on the establishment of new causes. (Sunday School resources including new materials will be displayed in the hall.)

REACHING OUT TO MOSLEMS (1)

Wednesday 5.30-6.20 pm: Pastor Ibrahim Ag Mohamed, who ministered for 15 years in a Moslem land, will provide essential insight for witness, summarising the articles and pillars of Moslems’ faith and practices.