Repentance is the main theme of this year's Annual Moore College Lectures, which began last night.

Oak Hill College Principal, the Rev Dr Mike Ovey gave the first of five lectures exploring the biblical theme of repentance, especially as seen in Luke and Acts.

"Repentance is one of those New Testament words that is sometimes quite hard to find in books or in sermons or evangelistic talks," Dr Ovey says.

"So when you are preaching or calling people to believe in Jesus, do you need to say anything about repentance? When you are discipling someone, how do you teach them to repent?"

In last night's lecture, Dr Ovey focussed on the theme of repentance as explored in the six feasts in Luke's gospel.

Dr Ovey says he is using the lectures to reflect how one preaches and teaches on repentance and how repentance is involved in Christian conversion.

Dr Ovey has been at London's Oak Hill College since 1998, as Research Fellow and then Lecturer and College Dean.

He was appointed principal in 2007 and teaches Christian doctrine, apologetics and liturgy. 

From 1995 to 1998 Dr Ovey lectured at Moore College and says he is pleased to be in Sydney once again.

Professor FF Bruce started the Annual Moore College Lecture Series in 1977 to encourage biblical and theological scholarship in Australia.

Since then, speakers such as David Broughton Knox and Don Carson have given the talks.

Every second year, international scholars deliver the lectures, many of which are published afterwards for current students, clergy and interested laypeople.

The lectures last year were delivered by Sydney’s Dr Andrew Shead, an expert on Jeremiah and Old Testament lecturer at the college.