2026 Summer Conference
Society is changing – increasingly people are looking again to spiritual questions and to religious traditions. We see a new generation open to everything from crystals and mindfulness apps to rosary beads, icons, and aesthetic ritual.
How might we point this new generation to the surpassing beauty of Christ as their ultimate fulfilment? Why can we be “unashamed” that the historic Protestant gospel is both strikingly relevant and genuinely the best news for this exciting cultural moment?
11 June – free preconference public communications training workshop for those with a regular speaking ministry – apply here.
Speakers
Scrivener
Vanhoozer
Strange
Dirckx
Fellows
Mair
De Chirico
Lobo
Date and Location
12-13 June 2026 | 9.30am-6.00pm
Christ Church Cambridge (CB1 1HT)
About
The theme of the conference is ‘Unashamed’ – from Romans 1:16 – and will equip us to respond to the new phenomenon of noticeably more people openly showing an interest in spiritual things. In some cases this is shown in a growing attraction to ancient institutional expressions of Christianity, including Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. Equally, in other cases we see a renewed interest in paganism or in the spirituality behind yoga and crystals.
We want to meet today’s spiritual thirst with the gospel itself, which is the power of God to salvation for those who believe. How can we unashamedly and lovingly offer Christ in a way that shows a thirsty world the surpassing goodness, beauty and truth of the orthodox Protestant gospel which we have received?
- Learn how to communicate the gospel effectively and persuasively in today’s cultural moment
- Discover how to invite people to appreciate the person and work of Christ
- Consider the live questions people are asking, and be better prepared to share the hope we have
- Think creatively about the opportunities presented within our culture for sharing the gospel
Friday, 12 June
- 09:00 Registration
- 09:30 Devotional Exposition - Niv Lobo
- 09:50 A Spiritually Open Culture? An Evangelical Response - Dan Strange
- 10:45 Coffee break
- 11:15 A Fresh Reckoning: Our Profound Need and God’s Profound Grace - Brad Green and Glen Scrivener
- 12:45 Lunch and coffee
- 13:45 Reversion or Reformation: Engaging with Orthodoxy and Catholicism - Leonardo De Chirico, Don Fairbairn, Glen Scrivener, Dan Strange
- 15:15 Coffee break
- 15:45 Seminars
- Sex, Social media and Self Worth: Why the Gospel is Good News for Women in 2026 - Sarah Elwood
- Engaging with Apathy: What Can We Do When People Just Aren’t Bothered about God - Mike Hood
- The Resurrection of Jesus: Examining the Evidence and Using it in Conversations - Sharon Dirckx
- Engaging Well with Eastern Orthodoxy - Don Fairbairn
- Engaging Well with Roman Catholicism - Leonardo De Chirico
- 17:00 The Spectre of Materialism: Magic, Mysticism and the Powers - Kristi Mair and Dan Strange
Saturday, 13 June
- 09:00 Registration
- 09:30 Devotional Exposition - Niv Lobo
- 10:00 Hearing From Beyond: Because It’s True for Me - Andrew Fellows, Glen Scrivener, Sarah Elwood, et al.
- 11:15 Coffee break
- 11:45 Why Sola Scriptura is Still Good News - Kevin Vanhoozer
- 12:45 Lunch and coffee
- 13:45 Leading People to the Biblical Gospel In Real-World Evangelism - Mike Hood, Glen Scrivener, et al.
- 15:00 Coffee break
- 15:30 Seminars
- The Air We Breathe - Glen Scrivener
- Do Muslims and Christians Worship the Same God? Why This Question Matters and How to Share the Uniqueness of Jesus - Andy Bannister
- Manifesting and the Modern Mind: Moving from Creating Your Reality to Trusting the Creator - Caz Dodds
- Sex, Social media and Self Worth: Why the Gospel is Good News for Women in 2026 - Sarah Elwood
- 16:45 Unashamed of God’s Power for Salvation - Lindsay Brown
Speakers
We will be joined by speakers with a wealth of experience in public witness and apologetics training, and an active engagement with contemporary cultural issues.
Glen Scrivener
Glen Scrivener is a speaker, writer and ordained minister. He serves as the Director of Speak Life, an evangelistic ministry that seeks, through preaching and media, to captivate both church and world with the love of Jesus. He is a YouTuber, podcaster, the author of ten books including the award-winning The Air We Breathe, and he presents the digital evangelism course 321.
Kevin Vanhoozer
Kevin Vanhoozer is Research Professor of Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Illinois, and the newly appointed Blanchard Professor of Systematic Theology at Wheaton College. He is one of the most influential theologians of his generation, known for his work in theological interpretation, hermeneutics, and culture. His scholarship has profoundly shaped contemporary evangelical thought, and continues to equip and inspire pastors, students and scholars across the globe.
Dan Strange
Dan Strange is a Fellow at the Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics, involved in theological leadership at The London Project (City to City), and is a Contributing Editor for Themelios. Formerly he was college director and tutor in culture, religion, and public theology at Oak Hill College, London. His most recent books are Plugged In, and Making Faith Magnetic, which help Christians engage with culture and share their faith. Dan is married to Elly, and has seven children. He is a member of Hope Community Church, Low Fell, Gateshead.
Sharon Dirckx
Sharon Dirckx is a speaker and author whose work focuses on responding to the spiritual and faith-related questions that people ask today. She is motivated to show how and why the person of Jesus Christ remains as relevant as ever to the pertinent questions of our time, and to do so in an engaging way. Originally from a scientific background, she has a PhD in brain imaging from the University of Cambridge. Sharon lectures across the UK and internationally, in workplaces, universities, schools, churches, and conferences.
Andrew Fellows
Andrew Fellows is best known for having directed the work of English L'Abri for 15 years, and serving as chairman of L'Abri International. He is now an author and pastor who regularly gives training in apologetics.
Kristi Mair
Kristi Mair holds degrees in philosophy, theology, and ethics. Kristi lectures on a range of subjects, including philosophy, apologetics, public theology, and ethics at Oak Hill College in North London. She is currently completing her doctorate in philosophical epistemology at the University of Birmingham. She wrote More>Truth and co-edited the first full-length Christian response to the pandemic, Healthy Faith.
Leonardo de Chirico
Leonardo De Chirico is pastor of the Church Breccia di Roma and lecturer in historical theology at the Istituto di Formazione Evangelica e Documentazione in Padova, Italy. He blogs on Vatican and Roman Catholic issues from an evangelical perspective at Vatican Files. He’s director of the Reformanda Initiative, cohost of the Reformanda Initiative podcast, and author of several books, including A Christian’s Pocket Guide to the Papacy, and Engaging with Thomas Aquinas: An Evangelical Approach.
Niv Lobo
Niv Lobo is the Senior Associate Minister at Christ Church, Cambridge, where his role includes helping grow the church family’s confidence and joy in sharing Jesus. He’s privileged to be involved regularly with university missions, having worked with UCCF as a staff worker.
Donald Fairbairn
Donald Fairbairn is Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology at Union School of Theology and Dean of Newton House. He is also the Robert E. Cooley Professor of Early Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He has ministered and taught throughout Europe and North America. He and his wife, Jennifer, have two adult children, Trey and Ella.
Sarah Elwood
Sarah Elwood leads the South East team for UCCF. She’s spent 10 years in student ministry and loves working hard at communicating the gospel to people in a way that makes sense and resonates deeply. She spends the rest of her time running after her 2 year old and exploring the delights of East London.
Caz Dodds
Caz Dodds works for the Scottish Government in a policy role, based in Edinburgh. Before this she spent eight years working in student ministry, initially for a local church in Glasgow, and then for UCCF: the Christian Unions. She continues to speak at Christian Union evangelistic events when she can organise the annual leave and childcare!
Michael Ots
Michael Ots is the Field Director of the FEUER Evangelists Network. He travels widely around the UK, Europe and Eurasia speaking mainly on University Campuses on the relevance of the Christian faith to all areas of life.
Brad Green
Brad Green is Professor of Theological Studies at Union University, Tennessee, and Visiting Professor of Philosophy and Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the author of several books, including The Gospel and the Mind: Recovering and Shaping the Intellectual Life, and Covenant and Commandment: Works, Obedience, and Faithfulness in the Christian Life. He helped found Augustine School, a Christian liberal arts school in Jackson, Tennessee. He is also Senior Contributor for The Imaginative Conservative, and has served as Writer-In-Residence at Tyndale House, Cambridge.
Mike Hood
Mike Hood studied English Literature at Cambridge, hoping to become a writer, but found that he loved having deep conversations about life, the universe and Jesus with friends who weren’t Christians so much that he spent the next five years working with UCCF reaching out to students from Cambridge to Belarus. Since 2021 Mike has been on staff at Eden Baptist Church, first as church evangelist seeking to equip, encourage and resource the church family to share Christ with those around us, and now as pastor in training.
Andy Bannister
Andy Bannister is the Director of Solas and a highly-in-demand speaker, writer, and broadcaster. From universities to churches, cafes to pubs, schools to workplaces, Andy regularly addresses audiences of Christians and those of all faiths and none on issues relating to faith, culture, politics and society. He was co-editor of Have You Ever Wondered? and has authored How To Talk About Jesus Without Looking Like An Idiot, Do Muslims and Christians Worship the Same God? and The Atheist Who Didn’t Exist. He also co-hosts two podcasts and presents the Short Answers video series for Solas.
Lindsay Brown
Lindsay Brown has served as International Director of the Lausanne Movement, global General Secretary of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students, overseeing ministry in over 150 countries, and as the Founder of the Fellowship of Evangelists in the Universities of Europe (FEUER).
Book your place today by clicking the button below.
Speakers Track for Academics and Professionals:
Partnering with UCCF and IFES Europe, we are delighted to host the Speakers Track for Academics and Professionals. The network will meet in parallel with the wider conference sharing relationships, plenary speakers, seminars, and logistics support. Prof John Lennox will speak to this track via Zoom on Friday 12 June.
For more information, see www.feueracademics.org
Featuring communications coaching
The network also features a free preconference professional communications workshop on 11 June in the Round Church (CB2 1UB), which is open to those with a teaching ministry (apply here).
Tim Benton is a former actor and theatre director, now executive communications coach at GSB Comms. He has worked with businesses including Microsoft, KPMG and BCG, and ministries including Keswick and Oak Hill.
Christian professionals and academics have a unique opportunity to introduce Christianity with credibility at student events. The Network provides vision, training, peer support and introductions to event organisers.
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