Conference Speaker
The Speaker at this year's Connexion Conference will be Rev Dr Joseph Boot from the Ezra Institute for Contemporary Christianity.
The Conference takes place from Thursday 26 to Saturday 28 October at High Leigh Conference Centre in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire.
Rev Dr Joseph Boot (Joe)
Joe is a Christian thinker and cultural apologist/philosopher He is the Founder and President of the Ezra Institute for Contemporary Christianity, and he also served as founding pastor of Westminster Chapel, Toronto for 14 years.
Now a resident of the UK, Joe has worked in the fields of Christian apologetics, worldview education and church leadership for over 25 years on both sides of the Atlantic. He has spoken and lectured globally at numerous universities, seminaries, churches, colleges, and conferences. He regularly addresses pastors and Christian leaders as well as academic, medical, legal, and political professionals and has publicly debated leading atheistic thinkers and philosophers in Canada and the US.
Education and Accreditations
Joe studied as an undergraduate in Theology at Birmingham Christian College, before gaining a Master's degree in Mission Theology at University of Manchester, with a dissertation focused on Christian cultural philosophy and apologetics. He completed his PhD in Christian Intellectual Thought at Whitefield Theological Seminary, Florida, US.
Joe is a Senior Fellow for the cultural and apologetics think-tank truthXchange in Southern California. He is a Senior Fellow of cultural philosophy for the California-based Center for Cultural Leadership; and is senior Fellow for Wilberforce Academy and public theology at Christian Concern in London, UK, as well as faculty for the Alliance Defending Freedom's Blackstone Legal Academy in Washington DC.
In 2011 he was recognized by Toronto's Centre for Mentorship and Theological Reflection as Best Preacher Apologist for his contribution to apologetic and expository preaching. Joe is general editor of the Ezra Institute's journal, Jubilee, and was founding chancellor of Westminster Classical Christian Academy in Toronto.
Apologetic Works
Joe's apologetic works include Searching for Truth, Why I Still Believe, and How Then Shall We Answer (New Wine). His most noted contributions to Christian thought are systematic works of Christian cultural philosophy explaining the bible worldview as it relates to the Christian’s calling in the world, including The Mission of God and his latest work, Ruler of Kings. Other recent volumes developing a cultural apologetic include Gospel Culture and Gospel Witness, which serve as an introduction to a scriptural worldview and a Christian philosophy of culture.
Joe lives in the UK with his wife Jenny and their three children: Naomi, Hannah, and Isaac.
The Ezra Institute
The Ezra Institute was founded in 2009 by Joe as an evangelical think-tank and worldview training organisation, after years of travelling globally in the work of Christian apologetics and significant research in the areas of cultural and mission theology and philosophy.
Ezra's key objectives are to:
- Restore gospel confidence among God's people
- Renew understanding of the scope and power of the Word of God
- Rebuild a Christian philosophy of life for every sphere
- Recover a message of redemption that claims all of creation as the theatre of God's glory
Joe will be delivering a series of talks at The Connexion Conference over three days. This annual event is hugely popular and a great opportunity for the whole Connexion Community to enjoy time together in lovely surroundings, for prayer, worship, learning, discussion, inspiration, fun and friendship.
Conference dates are Thursday 26 October (from 11am) to Saturday 28 October (lunchtime). Book now to reserve your places. It is possible to attend the whole event or on selected days if you'd prefer. The booking form shows prices for overnight accommodation as well as costs for day visitors (and meals).
We look forward to seeing you there!