Winter conference 2025

Part 1 – Seminary stream: The glory of God in the identity of the church

(Thursday lunch to Friday lunch)

This programme is part of Crosslands Seminary curriculum.

Speakers: John Stevens and Jonathan Norgate

“Throughout the centuries the Church of God has had both its devoted adherents who would die for it and its persecutors who have sought to destroy it. Thus both in love and in hatred men have reckoned with it seriously and have been compelled to think out their attitude towards it.” (Michael Ramsey)

At the Crosslands Winter Conference 2025 we’ll look “in love” at the identity of the church and think seriously about how it displays God’s glory. With John Stevens (National Director of FIEC), we’ll explore how the organisation of the church reflects our understanding of its purpose, while Jonathan Norgate (Crosslands faculty member) will show how our vision of Christ expands as our understanding of the church deepens.

Who it’s for: This track is a mandatory requirement for Crosslands Seminary students, but is open to anyone who wants to think about the doctrine of the church.  It does not assume any prior level of theological study. These sessions run in parallel with Part 1: Lifelong stream. 

Part 1 – Lifelong stream: Colossians and Philemon: In Christ Alone

(Thursday lunch to Friday lunch)

This programme is part of Crosslands Lifelong Learning curriculum.

Speaker: Antony Billington

So far as we know, first-century Colossae was a town of faded glory – populated by low-born, ‘ordinary’ people who farmed crops and looked after sheep, working in the associated trades of shearing and dyeing wool, and selling it in the market.

And yet it’s ones like these whom Paul addresses as ‘God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ’. Paul locates them geographically in Colossae and theologically in Christ. Crucially, their Christian faith doesn’t remove them from the world: they continue to live and work and raise their families ‘in Colossae’. But they do so as those who are ‘in Christ’. Seated with Christ at the right hand of God, they’re also called to live out their faith in everyday life, with their identity in Christ touching every area of their daily existence – as shepherds and farmers, as wool dyers and market traders, as spouses and slaves.

Like the Christians of Paul’s day, we too are faced with the challenges of following Jesus in an indifferent or hostile society, with competing ‘religious’ options on offer. Paul’s letter to the Colossians – and its companion, the short letter to the slave-owner Philemon – centres us around the message of the gospel and the greatness of Christ, showing who Jesus is, what he has done, and how that works out in the everyday lives of ordinary men and women.

Who it’s for and how it works

This day workshop (taking place over Thursday afternoon and Friday morning) will be especially valuable for those who have already done some theological training, including pastors and those in other types of ministry leadership. You might like to consider signing up as a teaching team, and perhaps come with a view to preparing to work through Colossians and Philemon as part of your preaching programme.

The sessions will involve a combination of input and interaction, giving participants the opportunity to wrestle with Colossians and Philemon in a group of fellow learners. We’ll explore issues of interpretation raised in the text as well as focus on the practical implications of the letters.

For church leaders and preachers, we’ll reflect together on how the letters of Colossians and Philemon form members of our congregations as followers of Jesus in their everyday contexts, but the workshop will be suitable for all those who would value an opportunity to explore how Scripture nurtures Christian identity and mission in today’s world.

Part 2 – Crosslands Forum: Technology, healthcare and the future of humanity

(Fri lunch to Saturday lunch)

This programme is hosted by Crosslands Forum, and open to all

Speaker – John Wyatt

We are living through a period of unprecedented change and disruption in the nature of healthcare across the world. Technological innovations in genetics, neuroscience, sensors, artificial intelligence, and robotics have transformative potential, offering not only better therapies but also augmentation and enhancement of our very humanity.

How can we relate these mind-boggling possibilities to the historic biblical Christian faith? What will it mean to be a follower of Jesus in healthcare in the coming decades, and will it be possible and desirable to create distinctively Christian healthcare facilities? How can pastors and preachers support healthcare workers and how can we develop and equip a new generation of Christian professionals who will provide thought leadership in these challenging times?  

Workshops led by the Crosslands Cultivate cohort

Ambition: What’s the point of second place?

What did you want to be when you were a child? Are you doing that now?

In this seminar we want to think about the role ambition plays in human life. How can we reconcile loving our neighbour with pursuing our personal goals—such as gaining a promotion, securing a book deal, or winning a competition—when our success might come at the expense of others?

We will explore a theology of competition and ambition, beginning with the lens of sport. We’ll examine how we can pursue success without trampling others in the process.

Pricing

Prices are as follows:

• Full Conference, Parts 1 (either stream) & Part 2 (Standard): £180*
• Part 1 (either stream) or Part 2 (Standard): £130*

The cost includes access to all the conference sessions, lunch and dinner on Thursday and/or Friday, and tea and coffee in the scheduled breaks.
Don’t forget that you must book your accommodation in Newcastle separately.
*Discounts available for Partner Churches. To find out more, contact fiona.parker@crosslands.training