Keswick convention #6 - In conclusion....

I had never been to Keswick before and I found it an extremely enjoyable and spiritually valuable holiday.  It is amazing to be in a meeting with 3000 other Christians all united in praising God.  Wandering around a town which is full of Christians is a little surreal where you can sit in a cafe and hear others engaged in spiritual conversation and many children with Biblical names.  Being able to follow the crowd of people going to the meetings is nice also.  Action Partners campsite was also fantastic - good facilities, good food and extremely well organised.

I hope from my notes you can have a feel of what the ministry was like.  I admit that my notes are a very feeble representation, and you would be far better getting the CD, I often was absorbed in the ministry (or sometimes distracted by the signing for the deaf) so forgot to write a lot of things.  Some of my notes have phrases written in italics which I found particularly helpful statements.  I think the overall emphasis was on keeping the eternal perspective, I personally find in my church and denomination very little is mentioned of the new heavens and earth and the future we have to look forward to in the preaching or the praying.  I hope that I will be enabled to keep my eyes fixed on the future hope of eternal glory and that new heavens and earth.

On the Sunday morning we went to Lakeside Congregational church in Keswick, the church was crammed full with an overflow in the adjacent church hall.  The ministry was very good, the church came recommended.  The pastor preached on 2 Peter 3:11 'What sort of people ought you to be?' We should be holy and godly.  This verse lies between a description of the past and the future.  Without God people have no future to mold their present.  Scripture is not just a special interest, it is intended to produce character in us.  God has called us to be separate and distinct, both as individuals and as a church.  Holy = washed in the blood, born in the Spirit, it is something in the heart, a change brought about by God.  Godliness = what comes out of the heart, what we do.  God rules this world and we are to live holy and godly lives because of what lies ahead of us - a new heavens and a new earth, eternity.