Wendy and I very much appreciated being invited once again to New Word Alive at Pwllheli.
I spoke at two evening Celebrations and took four seminar sessions, which seemed to be very warmly received.
However, for me the greatest pleasure was in developing friendships with a number of people whose personal warmth I very much appreciated. It was good to have meals with Hugh Palmer of All Souls Langham Place, and Keith and Kristin Getty who co-write so many songs with our dear friend Stuart Townend, who led worship magnificently together with Phatfish. Actually Wendy, Stuart and I had a great morning out climbing Snowdon (by train!). Beautiful views and great sunshine but very piercing winds!
It was also really great to renew fellowship with Richard Cunningham, who I appreciate more and more as a godly guy involved with UCCF. I look forward to speaking for them at their Forum in September where hundreds of UCCF workers will be gathered.
I enjoyed renewed fellowship with Vaughan Roberts, Wallace Benn, John Risbridger, Mike Reeves, Marcus Honeysett and Nigel Beynon, and it was a pleasure to meet Nigel’s identical twin, Graham, as well as Liam Goligher, Tim Chester, David Jackman and others who were participating.
I guess my greatest pleasure was having two hours with Don Carson. What an amazing guy he is. I have already benefited enormously from many of his books that help to fill my shelves, but I was so blessed to meet the man himself and to encounter his beautiful humility and extraordinary breadth of knowledge, not only of gospel truth but also of churches and people across the nations. He seemed to be extremely well-aware of not only the USA scene but also the UK scene and we really enjoyed our time together. I regarded it as a huge privilege to have an extended time with him.
It was good to learn more about The Gospel Coalition and I have since watched a number of videos from their website where John Piper, Tim Keller and Don Carson are sitting talking together. It’s great to regard each of these men now as friends of ours. I esteem each of them greatly and I am so grateful for their warm fellowship. I look forward to more fellowship in the future also and have just signed up for The Gospel Coalition.
As ever, it was fun to keep on bumping into Adrian Warnock working hard for his blog and serving the body of Christ so brilliantly. He also contributed each day to the NWA ‘Daily Briefing’ (the daily paper distributed on site) which included this interview with Wendy …
60 seconds with Wendy Virgo
There was a time when we would have been surprised to see you and your husband Terry at an event like this. What has happened?
Terry has been particularly associated with his teaching on grace. He
has really laid a foundation of that doctrine over the years. On both
sides we had caricatures of each other. I think that over the last 10
years there has been a breaking down of suspicions but it has
accelerated over the last five years.
Not very long ago it would have seemed strange to see him on the same platform as Carson and last year Piper.
Well, yes but he has read and profited from them over years. Some might
even suggest he was their number one fan! Our son even called one of
his son’s after John Piper! I don’t think Terry set out to be a bridge
builder, but he has become one. People have been quite surprised to
hear you can be a “reformed charismatic”.
How has NWA been for you so far?
Well the thing I have noticed this year is the worship. People have
been free and have been clapping and raising arms. It’s not been
because we have been told to from the front or forced to. Obviously
it’s important that people are not forced to do that, there’s nothing
worse than being told to do it when you don’t feel to do it, or when
you are not comfortable with it.
What is your favourite conference?
Well of course it would have to be the Newfrontiers Leadership conference in Brighton each July “Together On A Mission“.
It is the time that we get to speak clearly about our own values, but
it is also a wonderful family feel of reunion. I get to meet up with
friends from all over the world. We gather people from more than 50
nations.
What have you been doing recently yourself from a ministry perspective?
Well I have written a new book based on seminars I have been giving over recent years around the world. The book is called Influential Women and
examines the role of different women in the New Testament. Some of them
influenced the church for good, and others for bad. I want to see women
today fulfilling the many and varied roles God has called them to.