The Connected Conference held at Dewsbury Evangelical Church was encouragingly full, with 50 of the 135 attendees being new to the conference, much younger in age, and comprising of more women.
Titled ‘Apologetics for the Rest of Us’, Dan Strange, College Director at Oak Hill, led three sessions on Creative, Conversational and Cultural Apologetics. Rooting his talks in the authoritative word of God, and employing a wide range of cultural examples and commentators – from Herman Bavinck to Miley Cyrus; from Ted Turnau to The Lightning Seeds – he helped unpack the need to work hard at connecting non-Christian friends and family to the Lord Jesus by making a plausible and attractive defence for the hope that is within us. Although sobered by the size of the task, all were uplifted by being reminded of the confidence of the apologist, that Jesus is Lord.
Greatly appreciated
Takeaways from the day included: ‘Churches need to be communities exuding hope’; ‘Everyone has idols’; ‘I should be having more meaningful conversations with people, introducing them to the gospel of Jesus’.
