conference
“The Stones Cry Out are passionate about quality, interactive and inspired teaching that unlocks the Scriptures for believers, so that they can mine the riches so often clouded by the distance of Time, Space and Culture.”
DE-GREECING THE CHURCH:
Turning from Athens to Jerusalem
WHEN:
Saturday 25th April
09:30-16:30
WHERE:
Community Church
31B Water Lane,
Bishop’s Stortford,
Hertfordshire,
CM23 2JZ
PRICE:
Conference Full Price: £20.00
Conference Half Price: £10.00
“If one desires to be radically Christian, a thorough understanding of the Jewish origin of the Church is, by no means, optional; it is foundational.”
Marvin R Wilson
Christianity was born in the vibrant soil of first century Judaism. Jesus, a devout Jew, followed and fulfilled the Hebrew Scriptures—not to start a new religion, but to complete an ancient one. The apostles were Jews. The 3,000 saved at Pentecost were Jews. The Apostle Paul founded every church he planted by preaching first to Jews. His message? Turn to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—Jesus, the Messiah. Yet… as more Gentiles filled the church and Jerusalem fell, Greek thought eclipsed the Hebrew worldview that birthed the Christian faith. That shift toward Athens still shapes beliefs and practices today, leaving the church cognitively severed from the olive tree she was grafted into (Romans 11:17-24). This disconnect clouds our understanding of Scripture, God’s Purposes and Christian Practice.
Join us for a transformative day to explore the tensions and challenges of the Greek worldview and rethink Christian practice through the Hebrew worldview that gave us our Messiah.
SPEAKER: MARK HENDLEY
A Christian since 1993, Mark has been in vocational Christian Ministry since 1999. He is a graduate of Moorlands Bible College and was awarded a Degree in Applied Theology and the Graduate Preaching Prize. He has trained with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and studied Biblical Archaeology with Bar Ilan University, Israel. Most recently Mark was awarded a Doctorate of Divinity by Sutlej Reformed Theological Seminary for his work in Biblical Interpretation and Ancient Near Eastern Contexts.
Mark’s ministry experience spans a wide range of Christian traditions both in the UK and internationally. This broad exposure has shaped his ability to connect with diverse audiences. He has spent time in Iraq, Egypt, Jordan and Israel, which might explain his passion for the Geography, History and Culture of the Ancient Near Eastern world of the Bible.
Mark has spent years chasing the echoes of Scripture across continents and bringing them home to share. He is passionate about quality, interactive and inspired teaching that unlocks the Scriptures for believers. As a consequence he has hosted thousands of Christians at Conferences, Seminars, Tours of the British Museum’s biblical artefacts and the archaeological Land of Israel; so that they can mine the riches so often clouded by the distance of Time, Space and Culture.
Mark is not just a teacher; he’s a bridge-builder—connecting ancient stones to living faith. His blend of scholarship, wanderlust, and pulpit presence has carved out a niche where dusty artefacts and distant lands breathe life into the Bible for anyone willing to listen.
DE-GREECING THE CHURCH:
From Athens to Jeruslaem
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
EXPECTATIONS
Aim:
To unlock the Scriptures, so that you can mine the riches so often clouded by the distance of Time, Space and Culture.
Goal:
Enabling a deep and nuanced understanding of the contrast between the Greek worldview of the West and The Hebrew worldview that God’s Word was communicated through. Taking time to consider how our Scripture reading, God’s purposes and Christian practice have all been distorted by our Greek worldview and how we begin to remedy this distortion.
Objectives:
- To unpack the main differences between Hebrew and Greek thought so you can see how the two worldviews can lead to different understandings of the text.
- To explore our Western worldview and observe how it colours and distorts the Hebrew worldview of the Bible, as it was articulated by the authors and understood by the original hearers.
- To demonstrate how interpreting the Scriptures in their Ancient Near Eastern context helps us to understand the Gospel, the Mission of Jesus and our Destiny as Believers.
- To illuminate how the Scriptures assume a Hebrew worldview with its presumptions and works on the basis of what is understood need not be discussed.
- To equip you on how to process the cultural divide so that you read Scripture well, Understand God’s purposes and rethink your Christian practice.
- To help you understand what the biblical authors are trying to do to you and the tools they use to do that.
Experience:
We will be giving dedicated time to connecting, worship, teaching, interactive response, and Q&R.
Text:
The main conference translation will be the ESV.
