To start the final day of Oxygen 11, Prof John Lennox both encouraged and challenged church leaders as they continue to minister in their various churches.
“There are many people who are hoping for God because of you… Don’t give up,” he said. “There may be some painful decisions that need to be made because we have to obey the scriptures. We need to ask God to help us stand for the central things, not the peripheral things. What are you going to stand for ladies and gentlemen?”
Throughout the conference Prof Lennox, a mathematics professor at Oxford University, has spoken about the need to articulately communicate the gospel and evidence for the gospel in the public sphere as a way to counter the growth of the New Athesits.
“Its really good to be reminded [from Lennox] that its growing God’s word that grows his church,” said Gary Koo from Carlingford. “It’s bread and butter for us but so easy to get distracted and its good to hear it said so clearly and passionately here at Oxygen.”
“[Lennox] is a great challenge,” said Bishop Ross Nicholson from Tasmania. “The New Athesits seem to be making ground within our society and it’s good to hear someone who says that the ground that they are building is shaky, sandy ground. It’s a great intellectual challenge.”
In his final address, Dr John Lennox expanded on his thesis that: ‘you can’t love other people biblically unless you pursue your maximum joy in God’.
“The glory of Christ is shown when it looks like you shouldn’t be happy but you are,” he said. “Love is the overflow of joy in God that meets the needs of others.”
Oxygen 11 gave church leaders from around the globe the opportunity to get a break from their ministries and be renewed.
Judging by the comments from delegates, the organisers aims have been achieved.
"[John Piper’s] teaching has been a foundation of my faith," said Hayley Neal from Church by the Bridge. “[Listening to him] is like sitting next to a fire and listening to a grandpa telling you stories and remind you of great truths. I feel really refreshed after hearing him speak.”
“[It’s been a] great conference, great to see so many Christian leaders here to be refreshed and to get something for themselves, to hear the word of God for themselves rather than giving out,” said Bishop of Western Sydney, Ivan Lee.
“It’s been incredibly inspiring and hopefully life changing as well,” said Matt Yeo from Hurstville Grove. “It’s been an amazing conference in terms of hearing people but also people we’re catching up with.”
As an end to the Oxygen conference, both John Piper and John Lennox will address a sold out Sydney Entertainment Centre at the ‘One: One Saviour, One Life, One Night, Don’t Waste It’ event.
A full report on the One event will be available on sydneyanglicans.net.
