Bearing fruit and growing at the Barbican

For the last three days Jos and I have been attending the Evangelical Ministry Assembly (left) in the Barbican Centre, along with 900 other local church ministers.

It's an annual event and I go every year. It is specifically designed to encourage local church pastors in their ministry of God's word, the Bible.

This year's theme was 'Bearing Fruit and Growing: Preaching and the Mission of God.'

It is always good to meet up with old friends, and hear gifted speakers from across the world.

Particular highlights this year were the talks on mission by Kevin DeYoung theologian, author, and pastor from North Carolina, USA, and the closing address by Vaughan Roberts (right), Rector of St Ebbe's Church, Oxford.

We learnt some new songs and sang some real golden oldies, including a particular favourite of mine: Jesus the Name High Over All, - this created a great sound with 900 pastors singing at the tops of their voices, in the excellent acoustics of the City of London's Barbican Concert Hall.

It was an encouraging few days, and left you raring to get on with the work of proclaiming God's ancient and ever-new Word - which was exactly what it was designed to do.