For the next few days, we want to replay the EMA stage recommendations in terms of books, particularly for those who were not able to make it. These are not all the books our BookPanel liked – that would be too long a list – but instead those we wanted to particularly identify as being worthy of some reading time. In each case, there is a very brief review, but the main purpose of the posts is to highlight the titles.

Here’s a recommendation which is completely different. It’s The Gospel Coalition and Good Book Company small group resource The Gospel Shaped Church, in particular Gospel Shaped Worship. Some of us (not all, I know!) struggle for small group material. It’s not uncommon to find that our small group leaders are not the best Bible teachers. This resource is a great help. I’m not sure I would use them all the time (I think some live, local teaching is really important). However, I reviewed the whole of this one DVD in the series and loved it. Jared Wilson is a clear teacher and the accompanying material is first class. I think in most groups each one week study could actually be split over two weeks such is the richness there. This isn’t cheap, so do some homework first. But here is a clip for the series and online you can watch the first teaching slot for free (here).

For the next few days, we want to replay the EMA stage recommendations in terms of books, particularly for those who were not able to make it. These are not all the books our BookPanel liked – that would be too long a list – but instead those we wanted to particularly identify as being worthy of some reading time. In each case, there is a very brief review, but the main purpose of the posts is to highlight the titles.

The EMA is a conference for preachers of all different stages and abilities. Above all, our great desire is that preachers might progress (1 Tim 4.15). Here’s a book which will help. Unashamed Workmen is a collection of essays by well known preachers (including David Jackman, Peter Adam, Josh Moody, Iain Duguid) each highlighting one aspect of their preparation and then modelling it in a sermon. As with all multi-volume books, some contributions are stronger than others – but, interestingly, you view on which may depend on your stage of ministry. I think there is something here for every preacher, even in a ministry of reminder, and this is possibly a useful book to give preaching teams or those just starting out. I liked it a lot. It made me remember why the hard work of preparation is worthwhile as we serve our congregations.

For the next few days, we want to replay the EMA stage recommendations in terms of books, particularly for those who were not able to make it. These are not all the books our BookPanel liked – that would be too long a list – but instead those we wanted to particularly identify as being worthy of some reading time. In each case, there is a very brief review, but the main purpose of the posts is to highlight the titles.

All of us, I expect, sometimes (often?) struggle with application. With our long standing focused on exegesis, this remains one of the weak points of our preaching. I’m pretty sure about that. So, a book which challenges us and helps us in equal measure is to be welcome, and that’s what Chris Green’s Cutting to the heart does. Be warned, this isn’t a simple “do this, do that” volume. I guess many of us would like that. But actually application, as Chris shows, is a more complex and nuanced business than that, and so this is a primarily a book about principles rather than presenting, say, a seven step approach. In other words, it rewards some careful reading. I think this is what we need: a thoughtful and deep book about application, primarily because our congregations will soon see through superficial application. This, then, is a book to read relatively slowly and carefully. In fact, I think (having read it once) I would now like to read it again in a group with some other preachers. Any takers?

For the next few days, we want to replay the EMA stage recommendations in terms of books, particularly for those who were not able to make it. These are not all the books our BookPanel liked – that would be too long a list – but instead those we wanted to particularly identify as being worthy of some reading time. In each case, there is a very brief review, but the main purpose of the posts is to highlight the titles.

Our Teaching series is now about 14 volumes strong. The latest is Bob Fyall’s Teaching 1 Kings. This was a joy to edit. Bob has a great ability to get into the narrative texts and help us see how things work – moreover, his applications are particularly rich, avoiding the same kind of “don’t we need a better king” in every passage, whilst still retaining his Christological focus. These volumes are not full commentaries; nevertheless, they are really very useful for preachers and Bible group leaders. Bob is already well under way with Teaching 2 Kings, and this looks like being a strong set. As one of Bob’s colleagues remarked to be recently, this is Bob’s speciality, he knows his stuff. And with this short volume, you will get a useful insight too.

For the next few days, we want to replay the EMA stage recommendations in terms of books, particularly for those who were not able to make it. These are not all the books our BookPanel liked – that would be too long a list – but instead those we wanted to particularly identify as being worthy of some reading time. In each case, there is a very brief review, but the main purpose of the posts is to highlight the titles.

Chris Brauns’ Unpacking Forgiveness is really helpful reading for pastors. You don’t have to be in ministry long to realise we live in a very messy world and there are two particular touch points for us to address. First, we need to understand forgiveness for ourselves. Ministry is a front line business, and we are constantly under attack, some of those attacks showing themselves in even from within the church. If we cannot forgive others and know precisely what that means, then we will find ministry a long, painful and ultimately deadly road. But there is more for us. As we preach to others and counsel them we need to be able to help others forgive. The two are not disconnected, of course: if we cannot forgive ourselves, we are unlikely to be able to help others do the same. Chris’ book is a real help. You may find, reading this book, that even your view of what forgiveness actually is, is challenged. And that may be no bad thing. This is, at times, convicting and uncomfortable reading, as books which realign our radars often are, but it is worth it.

For the next few days, we want to replay the EMA stage recommendations in terms of books, particularly for those who were not able to make it. These are not all the books our Book Panel liked – that would be too long a list – but instead those we wanted to particularly identify as being worthy of some reading time. In each case, there is a very brief review, but the main purpose of the posts is to highlight the titles.

Tim Keller’s book on prayer (not quite his latest, that’s on preaching), is perhaps his best book. There is an honesty about the struggle that prayer sometimes is, together with a deep appreciation of Scripture (something some critics have said is absent from other titles). It makes this a strong help. In one sense, there is nothing brand new. Keller is bringing wisdom from other writers together and applying it to himself (and to his readers). You could read a dozen or so books on prayer and get the same. But the sifting and ordering that Keller has done I found remarkably useful. There is a very strong theme of getting the balance right in prayer. Prayer is an intimate communion with the living God(something recent titles have done well to stress) but this aspect of prayer must not be overstated at the expense of the nature of prayer in terms of the children of the Father casting themselves on God for their daily bread. A good read (by which I mean a genuinely helpful read), and would make a great gift to others.

It might seem a bit soon to start talking about the next EMA, given that this year’s is only two thirds through. But most of us find that if we don’t plan dates ahead, it just gets too difficult to do things the nearer the time. Our diaries necessarily get crowded.
The EMA for 2016 is entitled Leaders Who Last. Our aim is to help people see that, at every level of experience, we have to invest to ensure we stay the course. This is no certainty for any of us. In fact, all of us probably know someone who has fallen away from ministry. They may have grown tired and given up. They may have fallen morally. They may have simply believed there are better things for them to be doing. As I scan my list of friends in ministry, even at my tender age, the stats are rather sobering.
Those of us who have been in ministry some time tend to be a bit blue about this. But there is another danger – those who are gung ho. There is a kind of Christian ministry which is accompanied by an invincibility. “We will withstand anything” the mantra goes.
So, for next year, we want to plan the EMA to help everyone (those starting out, those in the middle years, those near the finishing line) to be Leaders Who Last. We’ve yet to finalise the speakers, but those already confirmed include Don Carson (with particular reference to the experience of his father, of course), Simon Manchester, Dan Steel, Tim Ward and Robin Weekes. There will be seminar streams aimed at different stages of ministry, and expositions from those in different stages – someone just starting out and so on.
Above all, we’re praying and planning for an encouraging time which will be honest about the hardships and dangers, but optimistic about the gospel work of God to sustain and bless. The dates are 21-23 June 2016. Why not put it in your diary now?

Here’s a small snapshot of who is at the EMA. We’re not particularly obsessed with data, but we find it’s useful in terms of planning and thinking through exactly what the EMA looks like each year. I bring you these numbers with one sole purpose – the vast majority of delegates (all except about 100) are from the UK. That means that the death of the church and the end of the cause of Christ are vastly overstated by the doom-mongers. Of course, there are challenges and we are preaching into an increasingly secular world. But, in the grace of God, we’re not dead or finished yet.
– There are about 1,300 people at the EMA, some 70% of who are pastors or assistant pastors. They, in turn, represent about 750 or so churches (some people don’t enter their church association on the booking, so we can’t be entirely sure). That’s a remarkable number of churches where the gospel is being faithfully preached Sunday by Sunday.
– Of these delegates, the Free Church/Anglican split (because people always ask) is just over 50-50 in favour of the Anglicans. In other words, there are gospel works going on in both established and non-conformist churches for which I, as a confirmed non-conformist, give great thanks to God.
– We don’t ask people their ages! But a quick glance around the EMA shows that there are a huge number of younger guys in ministry. We are not an ageing ministry, much as the press would like to convince us we are.
– In total, some 3,000 delegates have attended the EMA in the last five years, broadly reflecting the same statistics above.
No, not dead. Not by a long way. Ministry in the UK is increasingly hard and conducted in a hostile environment. But there’s fruit, and there are workers. God is raising up workers for the harvest field. Now, let’s pray for a harvest.

The EMA starts today and, as usual since our move to the Barbican, we’ve got an overseas missions project. The gathering of something like 1,300 gospel ministers from across the UK is a tangible reminder of the goodness of God and we believe it is right and fitting to acknowledge this goodness by supporting an overseas work and asking delegates to join us in doing so.
This year, we’re focusing on Cuba and hoping to raise enough money to print 1,000 copies each of Ensenor Efesios (Teaching Ephesians by Simon Austen), Jueces para ti (Judges for you by Tim Keller) and Predicor Marcos (Preaching Mark from the PPP stable). This will be printed in Cuba itself (books cannot be imported) and then distributed by some of our friends to pastors and preachers.
It’s difficult to overstate just how useful resources like these are to a young but growing and vibrant evangelical church. Please join us in praying this will be a successful project, and if you would like to contribute, we’d be very happy to receive any donation here at PT Towers.

Finally, may we ask you to pray for the seminars running each day. These are a key element of the EMA and are the place where lessons are reinforced and developed. Pray for those speaking and those listening and contributing.
In the main hall we have three days on three different topics related to humanity: Mike Ovey is speaking on gender, John Wyatt is speaking on beginning and end of life issues and Tim Keller is speaking on connecting. Tim Ward is chairing these important sessions.
Jonathan Griffiths is leading a preaching refresher and Peter Adam is leading a preaching masterclass.
I (Adrian) am leading a seminar on crossing boundaries – breaking down boundaries of class, race and age – with help and input from Efrem Buckle and Ken Brownell.
There is a women in ministry track with Carrie Sandom and Kathleen Nielson, which will carry over into a two day consultation conference on the Thursday and Friday after the EMA, as women in ministry from around the world meet to plan and pray.
Andrew Reid is leading a seminar on teaching Genesis, a key book in understanding humanity.
Bruce Ware is leading a seminar on the preacher and his family – a key topic for many of us.
Thank you, on behalf of all those attending, for your prayers.