There’s something special about opening the window blinds at 5am, as I did a short while ago in my flat in Warsaw, opening the door and seeing and feeling the strength of the sunshine – even at that time of the day. Last night, at the end of another hot and sticky day there was a thunderstorm with heavy rain and, though hot already, it is certainly much fresher this morning.
This little flat is on the top floor of the premises of the Zagorna 10 Evangelical Christian Church which is hosting this three day conference. Pastor Slawek and his team have been enormously welcoming and he himself has attended all the sessions. Slawek has been the Pastor here for 10 years and was briefly sharing with me some of the trials the congregation has been going through in recent days, though rejoicing that as a result the fellowship is more united.
We had two new attendees for yesterday’s session, when our topic for the day was Hermeneutics – the principles of interpreting the Bible. These men are mostly quite experienced in preaching but are all keen to dig deeper and become more effective in their task. There was a bit more interaction which often happens once people get to know one another – and me! – a little better.
These three days – and this day in particular – are very much the first stage in a 2-3 year long training course which will continue on zoom in the coming months and with plans for another residential conference like this in 2025 and 2026 God willing. From September, we will be holding a fortnightly evening zoom session on Tuesdays when, through to next summer I will be teaching Hermeneutics in much more detail. Additionally, once a month on a Saturday morning, there will be an EBC Preachers’ Club, open to anyone, when we will mutually encourage one another in the great work of expository preaching. This will include our regular students at EBC and, we hope, a wider constituency of men who are passionate about being faithful preachers of the Word.
Thank you for your prayers and please do remember us all in prayer through this third and final day when Homiletics – preaching itself – is our subject.