About Clarus

Since 2005 Desert Springs Church (DSC) has done a yearly conference or seminar weekend with a guest speaker and a focused topic. In 2008 we started giving it a name, Clarus–which is Latin meaning clear, bright, or radiant. We think that word aptly reflects our intentions with this conference: that God and His truth would be made more clear, more radiant to us, and more powerfully penetrating in us. To that end we set aside a full weekend–every first weekend of May–for fellowship, singing, prayer, and instruction on God's words and ways.

While Clarus is a ministry of and to the people of DSC, we are very intentional about it being a service to and fellowship with churches of like-mind. Some attendees come from out of state or the outer-reaches of NM; others are part of other local Albuquerque churches. Space is limited, but the invitation is open to pastors, church leaders, or anyone interested in a concentrated weekend of deeper instruction.

In previous years, our speakers and topics have included:

• Carl Trueman on The Reformation: Why Was It Needed and Do We Need Another?
• William Edgar on Christianity and Culture
• G. K. Beale on From Symbolism to Significance: The Book of Revelation
• Michael Horton and D. A. Carson on Galatians and the Problem of Self Justification

The audio from these past conference weekends is available here for free. It is also available on CD at the DSC Resource Center for a suggested donation.

Clarus 09

This year we are privileged to have Dr. Ray Ortlund, Jr. and Dr. Sam Storms with us as our speakers. To better introduce these men to you, please see their biographical sketches. We also have a resource page that provides links to some of their sermons, books, and their respective websites.

Our theme for Clarus 09 is "The Convergence of Doctrine and Delight." What we're after with this theme is to explore:

• the need for deep truth, especially in our shallow and thoughtless age,
• the need for fiery passion, especially in our frequently apathetic culture,
• the need for the meeting and melding of deep truth and fiery passion.

Go to the schedule page to see how these aims will get fleshed out in the titles and passages of the specific talks.

We are utterly convinced that these issues deserve our utmost thought, prayer, and application. We not-yet-glorified saints are often too content to know and relate to God only according to our own personalities. For some, the tendency is toward a dry, staid, unmoved orthodoxy; for others, toward a shallow, non-doctrinal sentimentality. But God's plan for our salvation and restoration is that we relate to him with "all heart, soul, strength, and mind." Similarly, Jesus told the woman at the well (John 4) that this is true worship–it is "in spirit and truth," or heart and head. J. I. Packer's words, in the introduction of his book, Concise Theology, capture this relationship between doctrine and delight:

...theology is for doxology and devotion–that is, the praise of God and the practice of godliness. It should therefore be presented in a way that brings awareness of the divine presence. Theology is at its healthiest when it is consciously under the eye of the God of whom it speaks, and when it is singing to His glory.

It is our prayer that God would be glorified to use the fellowship, prayer, singing, and instruction of this year's Clarus weekend to move us "from one degree of glory to another" in our pursuit of knowing the King. We hope you'll make plans now to join us May 1-3.

For His Grace and Glory,

Ryan Kelly
Pastor-Teacher