Bristol: 10-11 February 2012

Honest is not a conference,
it's a conversation;
a safe place for Christian leaders
and activists to gather, question, probe, debate and even confront.

Most of all, honest is what Jesus was and is.

Honest about the struggles of life, the foibles of religion, the desire to belong and find fulfilment, the potential and fragility of humanity.

Jesus' honesty delighted some and incensed others. He sent temple tables tumbling, enjoyed slap up meals with the excluded and persistently enraged the entrenched authorities.

All to underline that we can come to God as we are, honestly.

Speakers and Facilitators

Steve Chalke

Steve is a Baptist minister, leader and social activist who founded Faithworks and Oasis. He is a well known author, presenter and contributor on TV and radio. He is also special advisor to the UN.

Jeff Lucas

Jeff is a best-selling author of 19 books, a speaker and broadcaster. He writes a monthly column for Christianity Magazine, as well as daily Bible notes and holds a teaching post at Timberline Church in Colorado.

Ruth Dearnley

Ruth is CEO of Stop the Traffik and has spent the last 20 years communicating creatively and inspiring and facilitating others to transform the world around them.

To be honest....

Honesty shouldn't need announcing. It shouldn't have to come with an introduction or a health warning, especially for those who follow the Jesus who calls himself 'the truth'.

Yet, to be honest, sometimes we are not. Even when those closest to us ask, 'how are you?'. And as people of faith, sometimes we don't feel able to speak about our questions, doubts, hopes and fears. They stay buried beneath the surface, where they simmer away...

Honesty begins with the realisation that none of us are the finished article and all have blind spots which means that we are unaware of what we don't know. To uncover these we need to journey together in honesty and trust.

We'd love to be honest, to find a safe place, where we could talk, listen, explore, and think out loud without people lurching to 'fix' us, or give us the 'right' answer...

• We'll see that it really is good to talk, and ask some vital questions: why does honest conversation matter? What makes us shrink back from honesty - what are we afraid of?
• We'll think honestly about the Bible. Can we question and disagree without launching a stoning?
• We'll talk about church - what it is, what it could be. No cheap cynicism or whining here, just a chance to face tough issues because we love the church.
• What about leadership - how can we create safe places for leaders to wrestle with the tough challenges that leadership in post-Christian Britain present?
• Most importantly, we'll talk about what we all want to talk about. Much of the agenda will be set by those who attend.

Speaking and helping facilitate the conversation will be Steve Chalke, Jeff Lucas and Ruth Dearnley.

Programme Themes

Friday: From 18:30 to 21:00

• Honest conversations change the world
  An honest conversation can change the world. We will discover what history has taught us and what that means for us today.
• Honest about the Bible: Day by day, verse by verse
  How do we read the Bible?

Saturday: From 10:00 to 17:30

• Honest about the Bible: Bridging the Gap
  How do we live in the 21st century as believers in the story found in an ancient library of literature? How does the Bible equip us to live and what is it saying to the communities around us?
• Honest about the Bible: The Church and the Bible
  How do we navigate our own personal journey with the Bible whilst being part of the Church? What impact does this have on church leadership? How honest should leaders be of their own personal journey?
• Honest conversations: How do we continue the conversation?
  Is honesty always good for you? Is your honesty always good for others? How do we continue our conversations?

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Queries:

Email info@faithworks.info

Call 0845 070 3571