CONFERENCES
& RESIDENTIALS

What we are doing:

The Bonar Trust runs short residential conferences for small groups of peers to meet annually. The cost is included in the grant funding, such is the importance placed on this training input. Leaders in Training (Pastors/Ministers in Training and Women in Ministry) are funded by the Trust for 3 or 4 years, and so we expect them to commit to an annual Bonar Trust Residential with the same group of people over those years. This creates a peer group who get to know and trust one another and so can work hard together on strengthening their preaching and teaching, as well as providing support and encouragement for ongoing growth in personal godliness as leaders. It is very encouraging that the first few groups, having completed their formal training and now serving in churches, continue to meet annually to receive input on their preaching.

Why it matters:

Jesus, the Chief Shepherd of His people (1 Pet. 4:5), leads the Church through His Word (1 Tim. 4:6-16, 2 Tim. 4:1-2). In a local church this is expressed through elders who teach the Bible as under-shepherds (1 Pet. 5:2; 1 Tim. 3:1-5), one or more of whom are often set apart to bear the significant preaching responsibility (referred to as ministers, pastors or church leaders) (1 Tim. 5:17-18). Among the most important things a minister/pastor/woman in ministry does, therefore, is preach and/or teach, and so being equipped to preach and/or teach should be central to their training.

Meet the leaders

Each Residential has two-three leaders: one leads the teaching, and the others assist with feedback on preaching/teaching and in wider discussion. While the groups stay the same year on year, leaders may change.

ROBIN SYDSERFF

Chair of The Bonar Trust and Senior Minister at Chalmers Church, Edinburgh

ROGER DAY

Associate Minister (with oversight of training) at Chalmers Church Edinburgh

PAUL CLARKE

Trustee of The Bonar Trust, Chair of the Board of Ministry in the Free Church of Scotland and Senior Minister at St Andrews Free Church

ANDY ROBERTSON

Minister of Charleston Community Church (a plant of St Peter’s Free Church) with 20Schemes

ALI SEWELL

Minister at Haddington Free Church

RACHEL SLOAN

Trustee of The Bonar Trust, Women’s Ministry Co-ordinator at Charlotte Chapel, Edinburgh & for the FIEC.

JOE HALL

Minister at Bon Accord Free Church

PETER TURNBULL

Minister at Burghead Free Church

“Great teaching and enjoyable, friendly atmosphere. Good time to chat and form friendships.”

Residential attendee

The Format:

Each Residential runs from mid-morning to early afternoon the following day. The focus is on one Bible book or section of a book, e.g. 1 Peter. Each delegate is asked to pre-record a sermon/talk on an allocated passage in advance of the Residential. The deadline for this is one month before the Residential, allowing time for people to listen to them before we meet. Leaders allocate the passages.

What happens on the Residential?

  • Two-three plenary sessions on how to preach and teach a particular book;

  • Three small-group breakout sessions with one leader to give and receive feedback on the pre-prepared sermons or talks;

  • Time together in the evening to talk about wider issues in ministry / leadership.

Why do we ask delegates to prepare, preach/teach and record a sermon/talk beforehand?

  • It helps to become familiar with the Bible book in advance, making the best use of the time when we meet;

  • Much better feedback and discussion are possible when the group and leader can listen beforehand.

Why do we focus on a particular book of the Bible?

  • God has given us His Word as a collection of books, each with pastoral purpose. Teaching the whole counsel of God involves a lifetime of learning to listen to and proclaim each of these unique books for His people’s growth.

  • Other helpful theological training focuses on the Bible’s big picture (systematic, historical or biblical theology) or the minutiae (close exegesis, Biblical languages), but rarely do leaders in training get to study whole Bible books for themselves, which is central to preaching/teaching them well, applying them faithfully and so feeding Christ’s flock.

Want to sign up for a Residential? Get in touch to find out more information.