MAY 6-9, 2014
Mark Buchanan, Mariam Kamell, Rikk Watts and guests
Hosted by Ross Hastings
Christians are called to live by the gospel. The good news of Jesus Christ is meant to form and focus our lives, transforming people into the image of Christ, setting us apart from the culture at large. Or, to say it another way, life in Christ ought to bring about real moral formation. Yet, many Christians today seem to lack ethical seriousness. They feel no tension, let alone contradiction, between their Christian confession and the culture they inhabit. When difficult choices arise, they demonstrate a low level of commitment to scriptural teaching and often default to the norms of their environment. And among those Christians who do take holiness seriously, many do so in a way that is disconnected from the gospel and their union with Christ by the Spirit. Their pursuit of holiness becomes legal rather than evangelical, and can often end in despair.
The gospel challenges both flaccid compliance with the majority culture of the day and joyless legalistic adherence to a prescribed standard of holiness. As pastors, we particularly need to think about how we help the church connect the gospel with holy character and responsible, ethical decision-making. During the 2014 Regent College Pastors’ Conference, we want to help pastors reframe the call to discipleship so that formation and transformation become an outflow of our participation in the triune God, producing an attractive, vivid, and effective pattern of faithfulness that reflects his desire for us to be truly human persons, ‘fully alive’, bearers of the beauty of his holiness.
Morning sessions will provide challenging and inspirational teaching from biblical scholars Dr. Mariam Kamell and Dr. Rikk Watts. Late morning sessions will feature teaching and preaching from gifted pastor and communicator, Mark Buchanan, as he unpacks the apostle Peter's second epistle to the first century church. After lunch each day, we will engage in dialogue over difficult ethical issues that pastors and churches are faced with as they live faithfully in our contemporary contexts. The formal conference day will end with a time for all participants to "confess and profess" our mutual love and commitment to Jesus Christ in worship, after which we will be sent out to enjoy the wonders of Vancouver through a variety of extracurricular activities. Join host Ross Hastings and this exceptional group of speakers, and prepare to be encouraged and transformed by the gospel.
Conference Host
Ross Hastings
Associate Professor, Pastoral Theology at Regent CollegeBSc (Hons) (Witwatersrand, South Africa), PhD (Queen’s, Kingston), MCS (Regent College), PhD (St. Andrew’s, Scotland)
Ross Hastings teaches in the areas of the theology and spirituality of mission, pastoral theology, and ethics. He has served as a pastor in Kingston, Ontario; Burnaby, British Columbia; and Montreal, Quebec. For eleven years, he was the senior pastor of Peace Portal Alliance Church in White Rock, BC. He has earned two PhDs, one in organo-metallic chemistry at Queen’s University in Kingston, and the other in theology at University of St Andrews in his native Scotland. His theological dissertation is a comparative study of the trinitarian theology of Jonathan Edwards and Karl Barth and is in the publication process. Dr. Hastings lost his first wife Sharon to cancer in 2008; he has two adult children. He was recently married to Tammy Carrillo and together they now have five children. He enjoys sport—especially rugby, cricket, soccer, and squash—as well as music of varied genres.
Fri May 9, 11 am: Communion Service: "Participating in the Transforming Gospel (Hebrews 10:19-25)"
Preaching the Transforming Gospel
Drawing on the apostle Peter’s second epistle, Mark will argue that making every "moral" effort is not an attempt to earn anything, but rather a response to having already received everything. Holy living is how we spend the wealth that a good and generous God lavishes on us.
Mark Buchanan
Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology at Ambrose University CollegeBA (University of British Columbia), BFA (University of British Columbia), MCS (Regent College)
Mark Buchanan and his wife Cheryl live in Calgary, Alberta, where Mark is associate professor of Pastoral Theology at Ambrose Seminary. They have three children. Educated at UBC and Regent College, Mark is a pastor, teacher, speaker, and the author of seven books as well as the forthcoming novel, David. He has also written numerous articles for Christianity Today, Faith Today, Leadership Journal, Discipleship Journal, Conversations, Seven and several other magazines. He enjoys scuba diving, fishing, and motorcycles.
Tues May 6, 11 am: “Having All You Need (2 Peter 1:1-4)”
Wed May 7, 11 am: “Making Every Effort (2 Peter 1:5-7)”
Thurs May 8, 11 am: “Increasing the Measure (2 Peter 1:8-11)”
Understanding the Transforming Gospel
Mariam Kamell
Assistant Professor of New Testament Studies at Regent CollegeBA (Davidson College), MA (Denver Seminary), PhD (University of St. Andrews)
Mariam Kamell joined the faculty at Regent College in 2010 in a three-year postdoctoral fellowship. This rather unique position allows for a thoughtful transition from a research life to a more active teaching role. Mariam Kamell has recently been appointed Assistant Professor of New Testament for a five-year term. The appointment is effective in August 2013 at the conclusion of her postdoctoral fellowship at the College.
The majority of Mariam Kamell's research has centered on the epistle of James, with an MA thesis on the role of "wisdom" in the epistle and a PhD thesis on the soteriology of the epistle. Both of these projects involved extensive work in both Jewish wisdom literature of the Hebrew Bible and Intertestamental period as well as in the Gospel of Matthew.
Mariam Kamell has co-authored a commentary on James (Zondervan), has published several articles in books and journals, and is currently working on a biblical theology of social justice (for Zondervan). She has a diversity of interests including music (both making and listening), hiking, skiing, backpacking, art (painting and now pottery), and hanging out with her nephews and niece. She grew up in a Conservative Baptist church in Western New York, was on staff at Scum of the Earth Church in Denver, and attended a Scottish Episcopal Church in St. Andrews.
Thurs May 8, 9 am: “Living the Kingdom: Loving Your Neighbours as Christ Loves Them”
Fri May 9, 9 am: “Endurance in Faith(fulness): The Certainty of Hope”
Rikk Watts
Professor of New Testament at Regent CollegeBSc (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology), MA, MDiv (Gordon-Conwell), PhD (Cambridge)
Initially trained as an aeronautical engineer, Rikk Watts worked for a number of years with IBM in large retail systems engineering while undertaking a degree in philosophy, art history, and sociology. He later joined a parachurch organization engaged in Christian awareness projects in public schools and in providing crisis accommodation and various rehabilitation programs for the urban poor. He was a founding member of On Being, a major Australian Christian magazine, and supported himself and his family as a professional drummer.
Rikk Watts has served as an instructor at Gordon-Conwell (Boston), Wycliffe Hall (Oxford), Latrobe University (Melbourne), and the Bible College of Victoria (Melbourne). He presently attends New Life Community Church Burnaby where he is the main speaker at a service for university-age young adults. Rikk Watts is married to Katie, a primary teacher, and they have two adult children, Steven and Rebecca. In addition to a newly acquired obsession with sailing (he recently crewed his first Vic-Maui race), he enjoys movies, good restaurants, music, reading, and going for long walks with Katie.
Tues May 6, 9 am: “Being Human: Embodying God’s Character”
Wed May 7, 9 am: “The Spirit and the Cross: The Gospel and Christian Character”
Tough Issues
Keith Krull
Registered Psychologist in private practice in Surrey, BC
Clinical Supervisor of the Peace Portal Counselling Centre in South Surrey
BA (Alberta), MA (Rosemead Graduate School of Psychology, Rosemead, California), PsyD (Biola University)
Until January 2014, Keith Krull served as Executive Director of the Vancouver Christian Counselling Centre Society (VCCCS) for twenty years. He has been a Bible school instructor, youth pastor, and interim pastor prior to doing doctoral studies in clinical psychology. Before taking over the directorship of VCCCS, he was in private practice in California and Alberta.
Tues May 6, 1:45 pm: "The Sexually Healthy Pastor”
Comedian Steve Martin once commented, "Desire modifies morality." None of us is immune to the pull of emotional desires and wishes as they conflict with our ethical and moral judgments. This session examines a number of issues that impact our "emotional theology" and behaviour in relation to a pastor's sexuality.
Soohwan Park and Jonathan Wilson
Jonathan R. Wilson is Pioneer McDonald Professor of Theology at Carey Theological College. Prior to joining Carey, he taught at Westmont College in California, USA and Acadia Divinity College, Nova Scotia. Between study at Regent and Duke, he pastored a Baptist congregation in Burnaby, BC. He has authored several books including the award-winning Why Church Matters: Worship, Ministry and Mission in Practice and Living Faithfully In a Fragmented World which sparked the New Monasticism Movement in North America. His most recent book is God’s Good World: Reclaiming the Doctrine of Creation. In addition to his work with several local congregations in Vancouver, Jonathan chairs the board of CityGate Leadership Forum and volunteers with REED (Resist Exploitation, Embrace Dignity).
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Soohwan Park is a freelance consultant focusing on international NGOs in relief and development. Soohwan’s passion led her first to work among Dalits and Muslim poor in urban slums of Bangladesh, then to start a holistic ministry training network among urban churches in Korea, and finally, to Bangkok, Thailand to head up global training and human resources for Food for the Hungry. Following the completion of her MCS at Regent, she worked as a senior staff member at the Marketplace Institute of Regent, and volunteered at the Listening Post on the downtown east side of Vancouver. Drawing on her experience in Thailand during the Asian tsunami in 2004, Soohwan led a consortium of international NGOs to innovate local church-based holistic relief work in Fukushima, Japan after the devastating triple disaster of 2011.
Jonathan and Soohwan live in Vancouver and are actively involved in their local church and community. Their common passion and call—which brought them to the covenant of marriage—is to equip local churches to be God’s chosen agent to share God’s love with the poor and marginalized around the world
Wed May 7, 1:45 pm: "Ethical Living and Social Justice”
The vision and practices that we call social justice must be rooted in our life with God, in the redemption of creation through Jesus Christ, and in the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit through communities of disciples. To ground this in the reality of pastoral life, we will tell the story of a Japanese pastor whose vision and calling was transformed following the triple-disaster in Fukushima, Japan.
Kevin Boonstra
Partner at Kuhn LLPBA Economics (University of Victoria), LLB (University of British Columbia)
Kevin Boonstra is a partner with Kuhn LLP and works in Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. He practices in both litigation and commercial/charity matters for a broad spectrum of business and non-profit clients.
Mr. Boonstra serves as a director for local, national, and international charitable organizations. He is also a past member of the Abbotsford Police Board. He has published articles in a variety of trade, academic, and general media publications in the areas of construction law, constitutional and human rights law, and religious freedom issues. He has lectured on a broad array of topics across Canada, has given seminars for many groups—including the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia—and has been a commentator in print and television media.
Thurs May 8, 1:45 pm: "The Church and the Law: When Does a Pastor Need to Call a Lawyer?”
Every Christian ministry will encounter legal issues that have the potential to divert the Church’s focus from where it needs to be and/or place the Church’s assets at risk. It is important for pastors to identify when there are legal issues and be able to quickly seek advice that will keep the ministry on track and avoid liabilities.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
| 8:00 am | Coffee/Registration |
| 9:00 am | Welcome and Morning Worship |
|
Understanding the Transforming Gospel Rikk Watts: "Being Human: Embodying God’s Character" |
|
| 10:30 am | Break |
| 11:00 am |
Preaching the Transforming Gospel Mark Buchanan: "Having All You Need" |
| 12:15 pm | Catered Lunch |
| 1:45 pm |
Tough Issues Keith Krull: "The Sexually Healthy Pastor" |
| 3:00 pm |
Worship Response “Confess and Profess” |
| 3:45 pm | Afternoon Break |
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
| 8:30 am | Coffee/Registration |
| 9:00 am |
Welcome and Morning Worship |
|
Understanding the Transforming Gospel; Rikk Watts: "The Spirit and the Cross: The Gospel and Christian Character" |
|
| 10:30 am | Break |
| 11:00 am |
Preaching the Transforming Gospel Mark Buchanan: "Making Every Effort" |
| 12:15 pm | Catered Lunch |
| 1:45 pm |
Tough Issues Soohwan Park and Jonathan Wilson: "Ethical Living and Social Justice" |
|
3:00 pm |
Worship Response “Confess and Profess” |
| 3:45 pm | Afternoon Break |
| 7:30 pm | "Psalms & Psilence" (a time to receive, reflect, rest...) |
Thursday, May 8, 2014
| 8:30 am | Coffee/Registration |
| 9:00 am | Welcome and Morning Worship |
|
Understanding the Transforming Gospel; Mariam Kamell: "Living the Kingdom: Loving Your Neighbours as Christ Loves Them" |
|
| 10:30 am | Break |
| 11:00 am |
Preaching the Transforming Gospel Mark Buchanan: "Increasing the Measure" |
| 12:15 pm | Catered Lunch |
| 1:45 pm |
Tough Issues Kevin Boonstra: "The Church and the Law: When Does a Pastor Need to Call a Lawyer?" |
| 3:00 pm |
Worship Response “Confess and Profess” |
| 3:45 pm | Afternoon Break |
Friday, May 9, 2014
| 8:30 am | Coffee/Registration |
| 9:00 am | Welcome and Morning Worship |
|
Understanding the Transforming Gospel Mariam Kamell: "Endurance in Faith(fulness): The Certainty of Hope" |
|
| 10:30 am | Break |
| 11:00 am |
Closing Reflection and Communion Service Ross Hastings: "Participating in the Transforming Gospel" |
| 12:30 pm | Catered Lunch |
| 2:00 pm | Depart for home |
Early Bird Rates
Until March 14|
|
|
|---|---|
| Individual |
$340 |
| Senior (60 years and above) | $270 |
| Alumnus/Alumna | $270 |
| Full-time Student | $250 |
| Spouse | $270 |
Full Price Rates
After March 14|
|
|
|---|---|
| Individual |
$380 |
| Senior (60 years and above) | $310 |
| Alumnus/Alumna | $310 |
| Full-time Student | $290 |
| Spouse | $310 |
Walk-in Day Rates |
|
|---|---|
| Individual |
$150 |
| Senior (60 years and above) | $125 |
| Alumnus/Alumna | $125 |
| Full-time Student | $100 |
| Spouse | $125 |
All rates are per person, in Canadian dollars, and include all applicable taxes. (HST #107881039)
Requests for cancellations or refunds (minus a $25 processing fee per registration) must be received before Friday April 25, 2014.
Parking
Regent College has very limited parking for Saturdays and evenings only. Parking is available a short walk from Regent at the University of British Columbia (costs from $4.25-12 per day). For updated information and further details on parking at UBC and UBC shuttle schedule visit the UBC Parking website.
For directions to Regent College, maps, and modes of transportation, visit Getting Here.
Public transportation
Public transportation is available from many parts of Vancouver. For bus routes and scheduling, phone 604.953.3333 or visit the Translink website.
Self-arranged Accommodations
As there are hundreds of hotels, bed and breakfasts and other types of accommodation in the Vancouver area this is by no means an exhaustive list. But these particular options are close to Regent College, and some offer discounts to Regent students.
UBC Conferences and Accommodation
(5-minute walk from Regent College to Walter Gage Residence).
Over 3,000 rooms are available from May through August. These include fully equipped suites, single or shared apartments, and dormitory or hostel-style rooms. Or choose to stay in The West Coast Suites, their deluxe year-round accommodation. Prices range from $33/night (Paficic Spirit Hostel) to $199/night at peak season (West Coast Suites).
Phone: 604.822.1000
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.ubcconferences.com
TRIUMF House
(7-minute walk from Regent)
TRIUMF House is a 34-room boutique Vancouver Guest House located 3 blocks south of Regent that houses visiting scientists, professors, students and visitors to UBC. Accommodation types include 1-bedroom suite with private patio and kitchenette, single room with kitchenette, Deluxe Queen Room and Standard Queen Room or Twin room. Prices range from $110-175/night. Rooms come equipped with high speed Internet access, flat screen cable TV, local phone access and toiletries. All guests have access to lounge with fireplace and piano, dining room, fully-equipped commercial kitchen for guest use, 24-hour fitness room, computer room, laundry facilities, underground parking and outdoor patio. Prices range from $110/night to $175/night.
Phone: 604.222.1062 or 604.222.7633
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.triumfhouse.ca
St. Andrew's Hall
(15-minute walk from Regent)
This is a residence for full-time students on the campus of UBC. During the summer months (May 1 to August 26 only; they process summer applications and requests from mid-February onwards) their empty rooms and apartments are open as a temporary housing option. Prices start at $55/night.
Phone: 604.822.9720
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.standrews.edu
Carey Centre
(15-minute walk from Regent)
Carey Centre is a ministry of the Canadian Baptists of Western Canada. They provide fully furnished guestrooms starting from $71/night. All units come with a private bathroom. Housekeeping service provides linens, towels, and toiletries. Amenities include free local calls and high-speed internet access, as well as a flat screen tv in some units. Check-in is 3 pm, seven days a week. Parking is $5 per day. Guests are welcome to enjoy meals in their cafeteria for an additional fee.
Phone: 604.224.4308
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.carey-edu.ca/accommodation
St. John's College
(20-minute walk from Regent)
St. John's College, a UBC residence for graduate students, offers quiet and comfortable guest rooms to academic visitors to UBC. Rooms are furnished with a twin, double, or queen bed, private washroom, and basic furnishings. Some rooms are equipped with a telephone, television, coffee maker, bar fridge, and data port. Dining with College residents in their spacious Dining Hall is an integral part of the life of the College, and participation in the meal plan is mandatory for all guests. Dinner is served Sunday through Thursday. Prices start at $71/night.
Phone: 604.822.6522
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.stjohns.ubc.ca/GuestRooms.stm
Point Grey Guest House
(5-minute drive from Regent)
Established in 1990, the Point Grey Guest House is a 1920s character home with cozy, well furnished accommodation including a desk, free internet both wired and wireless, or the use of a guest computer station. An organic, healthy, and hearty breakfast is included. The Guest House is fully licensed and inspected by the City of Vancouver, and a member of the BC Innkeeper's Guild and Tourism BC.
Phone: 604.222.4104
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.pointgreyguesthouse.com
Beautiful Bed & Breakfast
(20-minute drive from Regent)
This B&B has a view of Vancouver's North Shore mountain peaks, Vancouver Island, and Mount Baker; a lovely backyard with a miniature Japanese pond garden and waterfall; and a friendly helpful host who will assist you with your travel plans while in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Tell them you're coming for a Regent course!
Phone: 604.327.1102
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.beautifulbandb.bc.ca