KC Worship Conference Update

Wornall Road Baptist Church has just posted more info about the upcoming WorshipKC10 Conference with Don Whitney and Ron Owens including the Schedule. I've listed all the info below.

WorshipKC10 - NOT FOR WIMPS

Saturday August 14, 2-9PM
Wornall Road Baptist Church, Kansas City, MO

LEADING US

Dr. Don Whitney serves as Associate Professor of Biblical Spirituality at The Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, where he also serves as Senior Associate Dean. Before that, he held a similar position (the first such position in the six Southern Baptist seminaries) at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri, for ten years. He is the founder and president of The Center for Biblical Spirituality. He is the author of Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, How Can I Be Sure I'm A Christian, Spiritual Disciplines Within the Church, Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, Simplify Your Spiritual Life, and Family Worship.

Ron Owens and his wife Patricia have been used by God in an amazing ways for decades all over the world. Serving alongside Manley Beasley, Ron was co-founder and co-director of International Congress on Revival. He also served alongside Stephen Olford. From 1991 – 2000 he served as associate to Henry Blackaby in the Office of Prayer and Spiritual Awakening at the North American Mission Board. The Owens served as worship consultants to the International Mission Board. Their published writings include: Return to Worship They Could Not Stop The Music, Worship: Believers Experiencing God (Co-authored with Henry Blackaby) Manley Beasley: Man of Faith, Instrument of Revival, Iris: Trophy of Grace.


SCHEDULE

Saturday August 14
1:00– 2:00 PM Registration, bookstore and coffee shop open
2:00-3:00 Worship and Revival with Ron Owens
3:00-4:00 Dr. Don Whitney Reforming worship part 1
4:00-4:15 Break
4:15– 4:45 Worship and Revival with Ron Owens
4:45– 6:15 Dr. Don Whitney Reforming worship part 2
6:15– 7:00 Dinner served and questions and answers from Ron and Don
7:00- 7:30 Worship and Revival with Ron Owens
7:30– 9:00 Dr. Don Whitney Reforming worship part 3

Sunday August 15
9:30– 10:30 Dr. Don Whitney an introduction to Spiritual Disciplines in the worship center, open to everyone
10:45– 12:00 Worship with Ron Owens, ordination of three pastor leaders by Wornall Road Baptist Church and the sermon by Dr. Whitney

Sunday evening Sycamore Hills Baptist Church in Independence would like to host Ron for an evening of Sermon and Song.


PURPOSE OF THE CONFERENCE

In the work of reforming a local church, no area is more important than reformation in worship. This conference helps to build the Biblical basis for and provides practical steps to reforming congregational worship. The teaching is suitable for the entire church body, but it also works well for the pastoral staff, church leadership, and/or the worship leadership team.

With Dr. Whitney leading us, this conference is built upon two major principles. First, worship is focusing on and responding to God. Biblical worship is, of course, the worship of God. Therefore everything in the worship service should be focused on God. And because of the greatness of the One focused upon, however much that we focus upon Him, to that degree we will respond in worship.

Second, worship is to be done in Spirit and truth. While most true believers have a general idea of what it means to worship in Spirit, few have a clear grasp of what it means to worship in truth. The failure to measure worship by this standard Dr. Whitney believes, has led to most church conflicts over worship.

Ron Owens will guide us in worship and share powerful truths about the relationship between revival and worship. Ron has an abundance of knowledge of Revivals in various times and places. Understanding more about true revival will help us embrace true, God focused worship.


FOCUS

Move deep into the heart and substance of worship at Worshipkc10. Worship is not just a verb. Too much of our worship is focused on our experience, on our feelings, on performance, on light , sound , video, on our preferences or getting us ready and worked up to hear the sermon. No wonder our people are confused about worship. Unpack the true Biblical nature of worship in the local church. Understand the role of worship in the life of the church and in the life of the Christian. Listen to, learn from and share with two of the most experienced and gifted leaders teaching on worship in the world today. If you attend one worship conference this year, make sure it is Worshipkc10 - Not for wimps.

DINNER/BOOKS

At Wornall Road we love the deep things of God and great BBQ. A BBQ dinner is available at no cost. If you know you are coming please text or call 816.260.3332 by August 12 to let us know how many in your group will be sharing dinner with us. You can also register for dinner the day of the event before 3PM. (we will take donations to offset the cost of the meal)

There will be a bookstore with Don & Ron’s books and other related resources.


PARTNERS

This very unique event is sponsored by Wornall Road Baptist Church and our partners, The Spurgeon Baptist Association of Churches and the Blue River - Kansas City Baptist Association.


NO COST TO ATTEND
With a desire to increase the passion for and knowledge of Biblical worship, we are pleased to provide this entire conference at no cost to the participants.

John Newton, 285 Years Old Today

John Newton was born July 24th 1725. However, after Britain switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar in 1752, Newton himself considered his birthday to be on August 4th. So 285 years ago on this day John Newton was born.
John Newton was so much more than just the man who wrote Amazing Grace. His life and conversion are as if pulled straight out of an adventure novel. His marriage and love for his wife put to shame any romance movie. His friendship with William Cowper is legendary and worthy of emulation.

The impact he has had on not only Christianity, but the entire world is simply astonishing. I am continually amazed (but more and more less surprised) every time I come across some great event or great movement or great man of God and find that I can trace it back somehow to Newton. Most people know that Newton was instrumental in William Wilberforce’s life. It is not hard to imagine that if there were no Newton there would be no Wilberforce and who knows how long slavery would have endured in England (and quite possibly America).

Perhaps a lesser known story is the part that Newton played in the beginning of the modern missions movement. When people think of modern missions the name William Carey comes to mind. But Newton plays a large role behind the scenes in this as well. Newton wrote constantly, advising and encouraging and training a young John Ryland, who along with Carey formed the first missionary society. Ryland was one of “three ropes” that held Carey as the “Father of Modern Missions” went off to preach the gospel in India. Not only did Newton play a large part in Ryland’s life, but also directly influenced William Carey himself. When Carey realized the near impossibility it was for missionaries to enter into India (due to the trade regulations and policies of the East India Company) he sought out Newton for advice. Carey asked what he should do if he was unable to enter and Newton replied, “Then conclude that your God has nothing there for you to accomplish. But if He has, no power on earth can hinder you." These words gave Carey the tremendous strength to carry on. Again, the case could be made that if there were no Newton then there would be no Ryland and if there were no Ryland there would be one less person to “hold the ropes” for William Carey. The mission society would not have been started and it is doubtful that Carey would have even made the trip, especially without the crucial advice and encouragement from John Newton.

And these examples are only the tip of the iceberg. It would take a scholarly work to figure out the exact impact John Newton has made (and continues to make) throughout the world and I doubt one could do it accurately. To say that John Newton’s life had a ripple effect would be an understatement. The man was a tidal wave.

Theologically Newton was a Calvinist, however he likened his Calvinism in preaching and his writings as sugar being mixed and dispersed in a cup of tea. It is abundantly evident when you read Newton because his lips are laced with the sovereignty of God. You cannot avoid it.

Instead of outright attacking heresy and false teachings Newton felt that, “The best method of defeating heresy is by establishing the truth.” This, I believe, is a major reason why Newton could be friends with both George Whitfield and the Wesley’s and remain friends with both parties even after Whitfield and the Wesley brothers bitterly split over theological differences. The friendships were so deep in fact that Charles Wesley requested that Newton be a pallbearer at his funeral. This spirit of gentleness and kindness mixed with an unflinching stand on truth and sound doctrine is what attracted and still attracts so many to John Newton. John Piper desires that Pastors would imitate John Newton by being “as strong and durable as redwood trees, and as tender and fragrant as a field of clover—unshakably rugged in the "defense and confirmation" of the truth, and relentlessly humble and patient and merciful in dealing with people.”

I could go on, and I’m tempted to do so, but I hope that the previous paragraphs have inspired you, at least a little, to do some research about John Newton on your own. I’ll only add that I cannot say enough about John Newton. The more I find out about him the greater I admire him. I find that I can relate to him in ministry and I strive to imitate his example. Simply put, he’s my hero.


Links on John Newton for further research:

Worship Leaders: Imitate John Newton - previous Sound Doxology post
 
John Newton's Approach to Hymn Writing - previous Sound Doxology post
 
John Piper Sermon on John Newton - simply excellent
 
The Cowper and Newton Museum in Olney - lots of good info and pictures
 
The John Newton Project - possibly the best John Newton site on the web
 
Thank God for John Newton - from Desiring God
 
John Newton's Olney Hymns - pdf version. must have.
 
Cardiphonia - from Google Books. These are Newton's collection of letters
 
Books
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Letters of John Newton
 
 

 








The Works of John Newton (6 Volumes)
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wise Counsel: John Newton's Letters to John Ryland Jr.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
John Newton: From Disgrace to Amazing Grace
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Out of the Depths (Newton's Autobiography)