A host of speakers graced the final seminars at the National Christian Resources Exhibition as it closed on Friday 12th May 2006, at Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey.
Jeff Lucas, the famous Christian speaker and author, who opened the CRE 2006 and has spoken every day at the event, delighted attendees once again on the final day of the Exhibition.Talking about the relevance that God has in people’s lives he said, “We must be people that know scripture...we must immerse ourselves in the will of God.”
In a challenging seminar, Lucas explained that God sometimes allows people to know exactly what his will is for them in their lives, but also that he is a God that will bless people as they come to their own conclusions, and decide their path through their previous experiences with God.
Quoting Acts 16:9, Lucas said, “Sometimes God says just do this. This is what I want you to do.”
However, he urged Christians not to confine themselves by excessively searching for God’s will in every single tiny thing in their lives. He told that of course we should make prayerful decisions, but that also other decisions could come about from an accumulation of walking a life together with God.
Lucas urged listeners to “Stop looking for the will of God, start looking for God!”
Further inspiring the audience, Lucas continued, “The will of God is now. Don’t postpone the purposes of God. It is today!”He concluded in prayer, calling for all Christians not to look towards their personal dreams, but to connect with God and to call on him to fulfil His purposes through them.
Also as the National CRE 2006 came to a close, other seminars included Matt Summerfield of Crusaders, advising on completing goals in ways to avoid burn out. Rev Tony Bradley spoke about Foundations 21 and discipleship for the 21st Century. Allen Moxham of the Evangelical Alliance was also speaking on how to make the most out of local media opportunities.
A survey sponsored by Congregational and General Insurance at the exhibition also interestingly revealed that Britain’s church-goers would rather see their cash go up in smoke than pictures of loved ones and the Family Bible.
More than 4000 clergy and local church members visiting the CRE voted in the survey. With one in four saying that they would save pictures of loved ones from the flames, and one in ten said they would grab the Family Bible. However, just four percent said they would rush back in for cash.
“Bearing in mind that photos and sentimental items are often irreplaceable, the results are not surprising,” said Margaret Slater of Congregational and General Insurance.
“But the fact that 10 percent of CRE visitors would make the Bible one of three things they would grab - even though it is the most widely available book in the world - shows it is still valued by Christians in 21st Century Britain,” she said.
The questions asked was: “If your house was burning down which three of the following would you most likely snatch from the flames?”
* Photographs of loved ones - 25 percent
* Sentimental’ items (old letters etc) - 13 percent
* Passport - 13 percent
* Wallet - 13 percent
* The Family Bible - 10 percent
* Financial certificates - 8 percent
* Credit cards - 6 percent
* Money - 4 percent
