We invite you to register now to attend our upcoming shepherds conference, “The Good Soldier,” Wednesday and Thursday, October 6-7, 2021. The conference will be held here at Trinity Reformed Church, Bloomington, Indiana, and is for all church officers and aspiring church officers—with wives welcome. The conference is sponsored by Evangel Presbytery and New Geneva Academy.
In addition to the plenary sessions, we’ll have a breakout seminar for wives led by Mary Lee Bayly titled, “Strengthening Your Husband for the Fight.”
Conference speakers will be Pastors Stephen Baker, Tim Bayly, Andrew Dionne, as well as elder Brian Bailey.
Conference attendees are encouraged to attend Evangel Presbytery’s stated meeting the day following the conference, Friday, October 8, 2021.
Here then are the details:
2021 New Geneva Academy Shepherds Conference
The Good Soldier
Suffer hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. -2Timothy 2:3
The Pastor Is a Soldier | 2 Timothy 2:1-7
Tim Bayly
Ministry is warfare. Pastors are soldiers enlisted by the Lord: “Suffer hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” Men who fight, command, and lead aren’t popular today, but the pastor isn’t working for popularity with women and men. He only has eyes for God. So he humbles himself to fight, but it’s hard not to pick the wrong battles with the wrong enemies at the wrong times. Fighting takes the sort of wisdom that develops with time. Through an exposition of 2 Timothy 2:1-7, Tim will lay the groundwork for understanding ministry as warfare.
2 Tim. 2:1-7 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. 5 Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. 7 Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
Soldiers Must Be Trained | 2 Tim. 2:2
Stephen Baker
No military officer sends his soldiers into battle without first putting them through bootcamp. The Church needs pastors for the warfare of ministry, but those pastors need training. More is at stake in ministry than in warfare—the casualties are eternal souls—so the Church’s training of her shepherd had better exceed the rigor of the training of the armed forces. How should the Church take responsibility for the men who will shepherd Her? What role should the Church play in training them?
2 Tim. 2:2 The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
Soldiers Work | 2 Tim. 2:4-7
Andrew Dionne
Ministry is hard work—you don’t get to live as an ordinary civilian. The Lord enlisted you and now you are on duty serving as His soldier. This is more than the work of preaching—it’s the work of constantly shepherding, counseling, rebuking, and praying for God’s people. This work never stops coming. How do pastors remain faithful when they come to the limits of their own strength? How do pastors give to their wife and children when the people of God have left them exhausted?
2 Tim 2:4-7 No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. 5 Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. 7 Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
Soldiers Fight | 2 Tim. 3-4
Brian Bailey
Ministry is warfare. Warfare means fighting. There’s no ministry without conflict. Yet many church officers who engage in battle every day in their occupations outside the church are consciously or subconsciously opposed to conflict within the church. Why? In what condition will this tactical error leave the church and her sheep? Why are we scandalized by conflict among the sinners who make up each congregation?
2 Tim. 2:3-4 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.
Soldiers Suffer | 2 Tim. 3
Tim Bayly
Our ministry as pastors and elders is to join our Lord in His suffering for the sake of His bride. This suffering for love of the Church takes many forms, but any faithful soldier will find it unavoidable. The pastor who avoids suffering simply cannot be faithful to his calling. How can pastors prepare their hearts for the pain and trouble that God will send their way in the course of ministry? Is love the answer?
2 Tim. 2:3 Suffer hardship with me…
Wednesday, October 6
600 PM Registration
700 PM Session 1 (Tim Bayly)
830 PM Meet & Greet
Thursday, October 7
900 AM Continental Breakfast
1000 AM Session 2 (Stephen Baker)
+ Women’s Breakout Session
1200 AM Lunch
130 PM Session 3 (Andrew Dionne)
300 PM Session 4 (Brian Bailey)
530 PM Dinner
700 PM Session 5 (Tim Bayly)
815 PM Panel Discussion w/ Tim & MaryLee Bayly, Max & Annie Curell, Stephen & Sebra Baker (Andrew Dionne, moderator)
[Friday, October 9]
900 AM Evangel Presbytery Meeting
1200 PM Lunch
100 PM Presbytery Resumes
500 PM Presbytery Adjourns
