The Stream 2011

Have spent the last three days attending The Stream - an annual teaching conference for the Wesleyan church of New Zealand, held at East City Wesleyan Church.

Umpteen seminars were led by visiting American Dr. Joel Green and Scot Dr. David McEwan. (the latter of whom I also heard speak at ECW’s service this morning) These sessions were also attended by an ever-changing congregation of Wesleyans’n’others from around New Zealand, including one of my many cell groups.

One discipline I’ve been trying to apply during sermons lately is that of taking notes. Melissa appeared to be scribbling down an entire book during each session. Over the course of the three days I seem to have just jotted maybe a dozen notes.

Here are a few of them:

"Terms like infallibility and inerrancy of scripture don’t do much for Wesleyans."

"Our beliefs about the Bible are most on parade through right actions [orthopraxis] and right hearts [orthokardia]."

[the plot of the Bible]"Creation – exodus – new exodus (in Christ) – new creation."

"The aim of scripture is to guide us in the way to Heaven."

"Is rationality a sign of humanity?"

"Is the goal a ‘Christian commonwealth’?"


The remark which hit home with me the deepest though came on Saturday night during the youth drive. When asked about Hell, David spoke of how God doesn’t compel anyone to love him, and allows them to turn away from him if they so choose.

It’s not quite the same way of expressing it as talking about people having to ‘pay’ for their sins, but I would say that it's more about the underlying choice of turning toward or away from God.