East Coast Ministers’ Conference 2025

2025: A Lifetime in the Ministry

May 27 – May 29, 2025
Elizabethtown, PA, USA
$170–$465

A Lifetime in the Ministry

The theme for this year’s conference is A Lifetime in Ministry. The three main sessions will focus on Starting Out, Pressing On, and Finishing Well. The topics to be taken up at the other sessions will complement these and help to fill out the picture of what a fruitful and God-honouring gospel ministry looks like over the long-haul and how we can both achieve it and maintain it.

It seems hardly possible to overstate the importance of this subject. Our adversary the devil is busy at every stage of our life-work, seeking to discourage and destroy. Through every phase of it, too, we have to carry a heart that is only too susceptible to sin and error. Many have begun well and sadly fallen. Others are weary and ready to throw in the towel. For the glory of God and the blessing of others we want to be among the many who have pressed on, notwithstanding their struggles and temptations, and have finished well. It is the prayer of the conference organisers that through our days together the Lord will be pleased to help us to that end.

Speakers

Ian Hamilton

Ian is the Associate Minister of Smithton Culloden Free Church of Scotland, Inverness. Prior to that he served as the minister of Cambridge Presbyterian Church and was President of Westminster Seminary UK and adjunct professor at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Greenville, S.C. He is author for the Banner of Truth of ‘Words from the Cross’, ‘The Gospel-Shaped Life’, ‘The Faith-Shaped Life’, ‘Salvation’, and ‘Let’s Study the Letters of John’.

Barry York

Barry spent more than two decades in church planting, beginning in Kokomo IN, before becoming the professor of pastoral theology and dean of faculty at the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary (RPTS). In 2018, he became president of RPTS and acts as a consultant on church planting. He serves as an elder, writes regularly for the blog ‘Gentle Reformation’, co-hosts the ‘3 Guys Theologizing’ podcast, is the general editor of the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Journal., and is a regular contributor to Ligonier’s ‘Tabletalk’ magazine

Jeff Smith

Jeff is the pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church, Coconut Creek FL. Previously he planted Covenant Reformed Baptists Church in Easley SC where he served for 15 years. Jeff also serves on the governing board of Reformed Baptist Seminary where he lectures. Jeff has been involved in ministerial and theological training in the U.S., the Dominican Republic, the Far East, and Colombia and is the author of ‘The Rich Man and Lazarus: Plain Truth About Life After Death.’

Speakers

David Whitla

David (PhD Queens, Belfast) was born in Scotland, raised in Northern Ireland, and emigrated to the United States in 2000. David studied at Queens University, Belfast and the University of Ulster and then served as a high school teacher before training for the ministry at Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary (RPTS) in Pittsburgh, PA. After several years in pastoral ministry, he was called to serve as Professor of Church History at RPTS. He has served as director of the seminary’s Theological Foundations for Youth Program for 20 years and is a Trustee of the Banner of Truth. David co-authored ‘Portraits of Christ’ with Gordon Keddie and edited John Owen’s ‘Rules for Walking in Fellowship’.

Matthew Everhard

Dr. Matthew Everhard is the senior pastor of Gospel Fellowship Presbyterian Church (PCA). He is a graduate of Malone University (BA), Ashland Theological Seminary (MA), and Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando (D.Min.), where he wrote his dissertation on Jonathan Edwards’ theology of joy. He is the author of several books and continues to focus his academic writings on Jonathan Edwards. His book on Edwards’s Resolutions is one of the most complete studies on this topic and he is the general editor for the forthcoming ‘Jonathan Edwards Study Bible’. He is an adjunct professor at RPTS in Pittsburgh, PA, and appears on YouTube @MatthewEverhard.

Nate Shurden

Nate was educated at Bannockburn College (Franklin TN) and Reformed Theological Seminary (Jackson MS). Nate is the Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Franklin, TN, which he planted in 2011. Before moving to Franklin, Nate was the Minister of Discipleship & Young Adults at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, MS, and the Assistant Editor of reformation21, the online magazine of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. Nate also serves as an adjunct professor at New College, Franklin and is regular contributor to Ligonier Ministries, ‘Christward Collective’, and ‘He Reads Truth’.

Conference Schedule

Tuesday, May 27

3.30: Session 1 – Opening sermon: Nate Shurden – Becoming a Weaker Pastor

7.00: Session 2: Ian Hamilton – Starting Out

Book room tour:

Wednesday, May 28

8.15: Conference Prayer Time

9.00: Session 3: Barry York – The Spirit’s Sustaining Power of Preaching

10.45: Session 4: Jeff Smith – Endurance in the Christian Ministry Part 1

11:45: Banner Special Announcement

3.15: Session 5 (15 min address): Matthew Everhard – The Benefit of Dead Mentors

3.30: Session 6: Nate Shurden – A Long Ministry in One Place: Lessons from Dr. Thomas Murphy (1823-1900)

7.00: Session 7: Ian Hamilton – Pressing On

Thursday, May 29

8.15: Conference Prayer Time

9.00: Session 8: Jeff Smith – Endurance in the Christian Ministry Part 2

10.45: Session 9: Ian Hamilton – Finishing Well: Looking Away to Jesus

1.30: Session 10: Barry York – The Spirit’s Sustaining Grace in Praying

2.45: Session 11 – Closing Sermon: David Whitla – Strength to Serve

FAQs

Who attends?

The East Coast Ministers’ Conference is arranged for:

  1. Ordained ministers (including retirees)
  2. Missionaries and Chaplains (including retirees)
  3. Those being trained for church ministry in a seminary or those who teach in a seminary
  4. Those being set aside for pastoral ministry in-church
  5. Church officers involved in preaching, teaching, or pastoral care at a particular church

We ask that only men attend to maximize opportunities for fellowship, accountability, and prayer. We understand the difficulty of being away from family for a couple of nights, but one of the goals of this conference is to encourage men to forge strong friendships with like-minded brothers and fellow gospel ministers.

Where is it located?

Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown PA. Some might ask, “Why host a conference at a college campus?” A college campus allows us to keep everyone together. The vast majority of the attendees will stay in the campus dorms, share meals together at the campus food court, and enjoy fellowship together in the campus recreation centers.

What does it cost?

The Elizabethtown College campus allows us to keep the conference rates low. This is an important feature of Banner of Truth conferences, for we want to reach out to as many pastors as possible, not all of whom are serving in large and prosperous congregations. Our conference fee, which ranges from $180 to $510 is great value for money when you consider it covers room and full board, conference registration, bookstore gift certificates, and the use of all campus facilities. There are absolutely no hidden costs!

Rooms and Registration

Registration RatesEarly BirdAdvance SaverStandardLate
Before
November 30, 2024		December 1, 2024
to February 28, 2025		March 1, 2025
to April 30, 2025		After
April 30, 2025
1Standard Plan$345$400$425$470
2Standard+ Plan$385$420$465$510
3Apartment Accommodations$375$405$445$490
4Seminary Student$250$295$325$375
5Registration Only $180$225$260$295

  1. Standard Plan: 2 person bedroom in dorm accommodation with shared (4-8 people) bathroom facilities. 2 nights accommodation and a 6-meal plan (Tuesday supper to Thursday lunch).

  2. Standard+ Plan: Single bedroom in dorm accommodation with shared (4-8 people) bathroom facilities. 2 nights accommodation and a 6-meal plan (Tuesday supper to Thursday lunch). Limited availability.

  3. Apartment Accommodations: 4 person apartment with two twin bedrooms and shared bathroom facilities. Must be booked as a group of four at time of booking. Price is per person and includes 2 nights accommodation and a 6-meal plan (Tuesday supper to Thursday lunch). Limited availability.

  4. Seminary Student: Based on the standard plan.

  5. Registration Only: You arrange your own accommodations and meals (meal tickets can be purchased on campus).

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