 Understanding that people learn best in a community setting, the Ligonier Valley Study Center was established in 1971 in order to provide opportunities for small groups of students to gather and learn from Dr. R.C. Sproul and other Christian leaders. Opportunities for fellowship and discussion were plentiful both at the study center and in the homes of Ligonier staff members as men and women from across the country traveled to Pennsylvania to study the truths of historic, biblical Christianity. Of special note were the regular “gab-fests” in which students were free to ask questions about Scripture, theology, Christian living, and many other topics.
The demands for Ligonier materials prompted the ministry to move to Orlando in 1984, but the desire to facilitate group learning did not end. Curriculum guides were produced to help leaders provide small group study sessions, and media materials were developed for use in the classroom. However, the ministry missed the face-to-face encounters with students and began bringing Christians from across the country together again for the purposes of fellowship and study.
In 1988, Ligonier Ministries held its first national conference in Orlando, Fla., on the topic “Loving a Holy God.” The seminar was an unqualified success and brought many from across the United States together for study, fellowship, worship, and prayer. A version of the popular “gab-fests” returned in special question-and-answer sessions designed to allow attendees to get more information about issues raised in the plenary sessions.
Because so many people wanted to attend a Ligonier Ministries’ Conference, smaller regional conferences were soon added to the schedule. As of 2006, Dr. Sproul has traveled to many different cities for the purpose of providing conferences in other regions of the country. These regional seminars frequently feature another special guest speaker who, with Dr. Sproul, examines a topic vital to the Christian life.
Today, Ligonier Ministries hosts an annual national conference in Orlando, Fla., as well as two or three smaller regional conferences in the fall. A pastors conference is also held each year in Orlando to provide rest and training to those on the front lines of ministry. Each conference includes classical worship, book signings, a conference bookstore with featured resources and special deals, question-and-answer sessions, and opportunities for fellowship with other believers, including Ligonier staff members. Plenary speakers have included Mark Dever, Ligon Duncan, Robert Godfrey, Ken Jones, Sinclair Ferguson, Steve Lawson, John MacArthur, Al Mohler, John Piper, Joni Eareckson Tada, Derek Thomas, Ravi Zacharias, and many other trusted scholars and pastors. |
|
|
