D.Min. Seminars in Los Angeles

Having prepared over these last six months, I am flying out to Los Angeles tomorrow to complete my last round of D.Min. seminars. Sereena will join me in LA next week and when my classes are over we get to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary by taking a few days holiday in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. We are so looking forward to having some time together.

But before then, I need to maintain a good work pace for another two weeks. The two doctorate seminars I'm attending at The Master's Seminary are:

• Preaching the New Testament
• Theological Trends and Doctrinal Preaching

Sereena is attending the Women Discipling Women Conference in Los Angeles. I am preaching at Calvary Bible Church in Wrightsville, Pennsylvania and visiting long-time ministry friends in each place we go. Please pray that the Lord would bless our time away. I'll post reports periodically.

End Times Workshops

What Happens in the Future?

Community Bible Church Rodney have invited me to teach a series of sessions on the End Times. The workshop dates are Friday-Sunday, 2-4 September 2011 and the sessions will be hosted in Wellsford, north of Auckland.

If you want more information or if you'd like to register, please e-mail the workshop organiser: AKBorrows@xtra.co.nz

Upcoming TSBC Courses

This week, I'm preparing for next semester's courses. I'll be teaching three:

• New Testament Survey 2 (Romans—Revelation): A Wednesday evening class hosted at Riverbend Bible Church, starting 10 August, which surveys the highlights of the NT epistles.

• Teaching and Preaching: A Hastings weekend block course which begins the process of preparing teachers and preachers to communicate God's Word with clarity and passion, meeting at Riverbend Bible Church, 19-20 August, and four further times for preaching labs throughout the semester.

• Philosophy of Church Ministry: An Auckland weekend block course that discusses what we do in the local church and why, meeting at Auckland Bible Church, 30 September—1 October.

Students can register now for these and all the other TSBC courses on offer. Go to the TSBC website to be enrolled: www.tsbc.org.nz

Impact 2011 Audio Downloads

All of the 2011 Impact Bible Conference messages are now available online. To download these audio files for free, go to the Impact website. Click here.

Here is what is available:

General Sessions

• #1 – Jack Hughes – A Glimpse at the Resurrected Lord of Glory (Revelation 1:9-18)
• #2 – Bill Barrick – What Is the Purpose of the Doctrine of Last Things? (2 Peter 3:10-18)
• #3 – Jack Hughes – A Trip to Hell: Exploring the Realities of Future Punishment (Luke 12:4-9)
• #4 – Bill Barrick – How Does the Doctrine of Last Things Complete the Doctrine of First Things?
• #5 – Jack Hughes – What Will There Be for Us?: Heaven, an Unspeakable Reward (Luke 18:28-30)
• #6 – Donald Stevenson – Glorification: Motivation to Shepherd the Flock of God (1 Peter 5:1-4)
• #7 – Bill Barrick – How Does the Judgment Seat of Christ Relate to Our Glorification?
• #8 – Jack Hughes – Present and Future Ministry of Angels to Believers and Unbelievers (Hebrews 1:14)
• #9 – Russell Hohneck – Receiving a Kingdom Which Cannot be Moved (Hebrews 12:25-29)
• #10 – Bill Barrick – Why Is Christ’s Coming the Focal Point of the Lord’s Table?
• #11 – Jack Hughes – Investing in Eternity Now (Luke 12:33-34)
• #12 – Bill Barrick – How Does Our Future State Impact Our Current Living? (2 Corinthians 5:6-10)
• Q&A Session – Nigel Shailer with Bill Barrick and Jack Hughes

Ladies Seminars

• Lisa Hughes – Unmet, Unanswered, Unexpected: When Life Doesn't Proceed As Planned
• Lisa Hughes – The Unexpected Goodness of God: Foundational Truths You Can Live On
• Lisa Hughes – Living In-tune with One Another

Making Disciples Seminars

• Jeremy Dempsey – Evangelism: How to bring someone to Christ
• Randy Bossom – Discipleship: How to see them begin to grow in Christ
• Bryan Martin – Training and Equipping: How to prepare them to make more disciples

Missions Seminars

• Bill Barrick – Starting Missions Right: How does our doctrine of last things impact missions?
• Donald Stevenson – Getting Missions Right: Reflections from Acts
• Greg Stephenson – Doing Missions Right: Developing theologically driven mission

Youth and Youth Leaders Seminars

• John Richard – Living to the Max: Impacting the World for the Lord
• John Richard – Living to the Max: Making the Most of Your Time
• John Richard – Living to the Max: Paul’s Passion for His People

Impact 2011 Photo Slideshow Review

Here's a photo slideshow review which will bring back many fond memories of Impact Bible Conference 2011. . .

Dr. Jack Hughes - Impact 2011 Review

Wow! The Impact Bible Conference was amazing! It was my first time visiting New Zealand, but my wife Lisa’s second trip. We knew from talking to pastors from New Zealand and missionaries to New Zealand that there is a “famine of the Word” in that country. We were told very few churches in New Zealand practice expository preaching. I was curious to see who would attend the conference and the level of their spiritual hunger. Both Lisa and I were pleasantly surprised.

It seems that the reputation of pastors Russell Hohneck and Donald Stevenson of Riverbend Bible Church, and Nigel Shailer of The Shepherd’s Bible College is great indeed! Over 600 Bible-loving believers gathered from all over New Zealand, Australia, and even Africa to the small town of Havelock to be fed the Word! The New Zealanders who came had a deep love for Christ and passion for the Word which was very encouraging.

Our times of worship through singing were heavenly, catching our hearts up to the third heaven, and the fellowship was sweet. And food, lots of great food! I had previously thought that only Hobbits ate six meals a day, but now I know where they got that habit from – the Impact Bible Conference! Breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and supper or evening tea were our daily delight. By the end of the conference my soul and body were made fat!

The theme of the conference was an excellent choice – “Stepping Into Eternity.” I was blessed by the accumulated effect of so much preaching and teaching on eternity. Our minds were constantly transported to heaven and the glories to come. Each day our focus became more heavenly oriented. The joy and anticipation of heaven filled the hearts of those who attended. Each message caused us to “fix our minds on the things above” and see the practical value of living with heaven in view. By the end of the conference we were aching to see Jesus, the angels, departed saints, and glories untold.

Lisa was very blessed to be able to speak to the women and was warmly received. Every night Lisa and I would collapse into bed, exhausted from long days of ministry, but excited to share our stories with each other of people we had met. We were so blessed by many servants from Riverbend Bible Church. A small army of faithful men and women from Riverbend labored to make the conference a reality and blessing for all who attended. Surely they will be great in the kingdom for their service to us was unsurpassed. Our host family, Phil and Natalie Henderson (Phil is Pastor of Onekawa Bible Church and teaches at Shepherd’s Bible College), pampered us to shame. We left thanking and praising God for the many blessings we had received and longing to spend eternity with the many believers we had met.

To God Be the Glory!

Pastor Jack Hughes
Calvary Bible Church, Burbank, California

Impact 2012 Theme

We have settled on a theme for Impact 2012. It will cover the full spectrum of human relationships:

• Husband
• Wife
• Boyfriend
• Girlfriend
• Parent
• Child
• Married
• Single
  
• Employer
• Employee

We have entitled the conference Under Construction: Building Godly Relationships. Watch out for more information as the next year unfolds.

TSBC E-Quipper - June 2011 Issue

The Worship Scene
By Nigel Shailer, Vice Principal and Academic Dean

Is it possible that the church in the Western world has lost its way when it comes to worship? Walk into any Christian bookstore and our subconscious senses are exposed to one overwhelming message – "Worship is music." "Worship is only music!"

Now of course, no one means to say that, and when asked, thoughtful Christians will acknowledge that worship is much more than just music – it includes other activities such as reading the Bible, giving, communion, prayer, service, listening to God, submission to God, and meditating on God. In fact our whole life is meant to be a holy and acceptable sacrifice (Romans 12:1) and everything we do ought to give God glory (1 Corinthians 10:31).

But, for the sake of this article, even if we limit our worship discussion to just the songs the church sings today, we will observe a modern trend – it seems that many of our new "worship" songs are more focused on us than they are on God. Both the content of the songs and the style of the songs are designed to appeal to our personal preferences and subconscious expectations.

Maybe it has always been this way. Senior saints love the good ole hymns of yesteryear. Middle-aged Christians prefer semi-contemporary expressions of praise. Youth demand new sounds and experiences which still haven't been sanctioned by those who grow weary of ever-changing musical boundaries. Churches split over these issues. Doesn't it seem like too much of our focus is on us? – our preferences?

How is worship expressed in Heaven? If we look at Revelation 4 and 5, we see that the worshippers have no concern for themselves at all. They celebrate God's uniqueness, rather than promote their own individuality or independence. They celebrate God's dominion, rather than defend their own freedoms. They celebrate God's creative power, rather than boast in their own creativity. Their eyes are completely fixed on God and they lose themselves in the worship experience, giving no thought to themselves whatsoever.

We can model our public worship on this heavenly example. Worship just isn't about us anyway. It's about Him Who sits on the throne and it's about the Lamb. Why should we steal the focus and put it on ourselves?

Please pray for The Shepherd's Bible College faculty and student body. Our goal is to emulate the expressions of the heavenly worshippers each and every day here on earth and especially when we gather for public worship.

Impact Bible Conference Is Over for 2011

Well, another Impact is done and dusted. It wasn't good. . . It was fantastic!

Of course, every Impact is characterised by those who open God's Word session after session to explain it and impress its truths upon our lives. We want to thank Bill Barrick and Jack Hughes for their masterful expositions which magnified Christ's soon return. We were reminded that in order to live Christ-like lives today we must live in light of the future coming of Christ.

John Richard challenged youth to use their time wisely as they wait for Christ. Lisa Hughes called women to contentment and faith in all of life's circumstances. The missions and discipleship seminars were well attended by believers from all walks of life who were keen to expand their evangelistic and personal mentoring skills.

As the weekend conference advanced, attendance grew to 640. When all those voices joined in worship to our coming Lord, the effect was overwhelming. Our music director, Warren Jardine, and his wonderful teams of numerous singers and musicians lead us in excellent expressions of praise toward God. The roof was lifted on Friday night as we sang some old favourites that looked forward to our future days spent with Christ in eternity.

Benji Carey-Smith (TSBC student) and Tony Nuñez (TSBC lecturer) were responsible for an Impact first – an original song written especially with the Impact theme in mind: "Stepping into Eternity". This song is now available on the Impact website.

The engine room, otherwise known as the Riverbend kitchen team, operated like a slick well-oiled machine. What a joyful experience it was to see so many people serving with a smile. In addition, Riverbend Bible Church provided warm beds for 215 visitors. The church's ministry example and hospitality spoke volumes to all our guests.

Some other statistics illustrate God's kindness over the weekend – 54 hours of fellowship were enjoyed; 190 volunteers faithfully served attendees; 3,000 complimentary books were distributed in 500 gift bags; 3,622 meals were served in the dining room, and 19,800 cakes, biscuits, and savouries where prepared for teas and suppers. We are so thankful for everyone who donated time, scholarship funds, service, physical and spiritual resources in order to bless others. Their contribution glorified Christ and blessed many people.

Riverbend Bible Church magnified God last weekend! Thanks to everyone involved for their faithful witness, sacrificial hearts, and hard work! May we all live in the light of Christ's soon return.

Impact - Live Streaming Video

If you're unable to attend Impact Bible Conference this year, we have the sessions available to you via live streaming video. Click on the following link to view the general sessions as they happen: www.livestream.com/rbcnz/

And remember, all the conference sessions are made available for purchase on CD and DVD from Gracebooks New Zealand after the conference.

Below is the conference schedule so that you can plan your live viewing time slots . . .


THURSDAY, 2 JUNE

• 7pm – General Session #1 – Jack Hughes – A Glimpse at the Resurrected Lord of Glory (Revelation 1:9-18)

FRIDAY, 3 JUNE

• 9am – General Session #2 – Bill Barrick – What Is the Purpose of the Doctrine of Last Things? (2 Peter 3:10-18)
• 3:30pm – General Session #3 – Jack Hughes – A Trip to Hell – Exploring the Realities of Future Punishment (Luke 12:4-9)
• 7pm – General Session #4 – Bill Barrick – How Does the Doctrine of Last Things Complete the Doctrine of First Things?

SATURDAY, 4 JUNE

• 9am – General Session #5 – Jack Hughes – What Will There Be for Us? – Heaven, an Unspeakable Reward (Luke 18:28-30)
• 3:30pm – General Session #6 – Donald Stevenson – Glorification: Motivation to Shepherd the Flock of God (1 Peter 5:1-4)
• 7pm – General Session #7 – Bill Barrick – How Does the Judgment Seat of Christ Relate to Our Glorification?
• 8:30pm – Q&A

SUNDAY, 5 JUNE

• 9am – General Session #8 – Jack Hughes – Present and Future Ministry of Angels to Believers and Unbelievers (Hebrews 1:14)
• 11am – General Session #9 – Russell Hohneck – Receiving a Kingdom Which Cannot be Moved (Hebrews 12:25-29)
• 7pm – Communion & General Session #10 – Bill Barrick – Why Is Christ’s Coming the Focal Point of the Lord’s Table?

MONDAY, 6 JUNE

• 9am – General Session #11 – Jack Hughes – Investing in Eternity Now (Luke 12:33-34)
• 11am – General Session #12 – Bill Barrick – How Does Our Future State Impact Our Current Living? (2 Corinthians 5:6-10)

Nine Days till Impact

Impact is only nine days away and we are ramping up now for what we anticipate will be a fantastic time of preaching, worship and fellowship. Five hundred and forty registrations have been received with more coming in every day.

Here are our speakers again . . .








Don't miss out on Impact 2011. Get registered here.

TSBC E-Quipper - May 2011 Issue

It's All Greek to Me
By Tony Nuñez (TSBC’s new Lecturer of Bible Languages and Advanced Theology)


Having been nurtured in a church that preaches the Word of God, perhaps you remember the time you realised that the Bible you hold in your hands is actually a translation. God did not deposit His eternal truth for mankind in what we hold today, but in ancient dialects. Somewhere along the line, we learn that the Old Testament was written in ancient Hebrew, with portions in Aramaic, and the New Testament was written in first century Koine Greek. And for the most part, believers are content simply to know that there are people, ‘out there somewhere’ that understand these languages enough to produce the version of the Bible they so love.

That is, until perhaps that believer is placed in a situation where he or she must discover the meaning of a passage himself! Perhaps it is a teaching opportunity, or an occasion to defend the faith, or even at a time of extraordinary curiosity about a baffling text. It’s at this time, almost invariably, that he or she becomes driven to seek for answers among the multitude of Bible study resources available in print, software, or online. Once the Christian enters this realm, though, the original languages of the Bible may no longer be viewed with a mere distant awareness. Now, the Bible-lover must come into contact with them. Suddenly a new world is opened! And although there is a dense fog amidst the new and confusing grammatical ideas, a world of richness, clarity, and beauty peers through. And it is at that moment, the thought enters, ‘I would love to learn Hebrew or Greek!’

The Shepherd’s Bible College exists to equip all believers . . . even in the original languages of the Bible. Being for all believers, and not just seminarians, we take a unique approach that is simple but not simplistic, functional and yet accessible, that brings the student through the fog and into the brilliant light of understanding the text with a clarity only possible from the original languages.

Hernia Surgery

Thanks to you who have been praying for my recent hernia repair surgery. Everything has gone very smoothly and I am feeling really good. I was sent home on the same day as the surgery and was glad to comply with the doctor. I am moving freely and haven't needed to deal with much pain whatsoever. I am back in my office and will quietly continue with daily tasks. God has been good. Sereena has been a great nurse and is looking after me as well as taking care of all her Impact duties. It's a busy time of year. What a trooper!

Impact Memories

Here is the Impact photo slide show for 2010. Beware - if you watch this, great memories will flood your mind, and your anticipation for Impact 2011 might be too much to handle :)

Impact Bible Conference 2011

There are three stages to salvation: past, present, and future.

The first stage of salvation happens at a point in someone's life when they become a Christian. He or she has experienced (past tense) salvation.

The second stage of salvation is a present and continual process of living in the light of that past salvation. This is otherwise known as the process of sanctification.

The third and final stage of salvation is yet future for those believers who are still alive. It refers to the day when a believer is removed from this earth and will no longer be subject to the sin and temptations of this present world. That future day is called glorification.

Over the past two years, Impact Bible Conference has focused on the first two of these stages of salvation:

• Impact 2009 – The Gospel and Evangelism
• Impact 2010 – Saved To Be Holy

Now in 2011, Impact Bible Conference will deal with the last stage of the trilogy:

• Impact 2011 – Stepping into Eternity

Glorification is the theme of Impact 2011. This is going to be a wonderful time of challenge and encouragement as we all together prepare ourselves for that day when we will meet the Lord in person.

Will you join us in Hastings for this wonderful time? The conference dates are 2-6 June (Queen's Birthday Weekend). We have a fantastic line-up of international and local speakers, and every family represented at the conference will receive a welcome pack containing five wonderful books provided free of charge for their personal growth and encouragement.

The goal of the conference is that every person would be reminded of the brevity of this present life, have their hearts set on their future glorification, and be greatly invigorated to live in light of both of those realities.

Get registered now online: Impact Registration

For more information, go to the Impact Bible Conference website