‘God met with us here. God shaped us here. And I was changed’ 

Andy Caldwell reports from Fresh Streams Conference 2026, including notes from main session speakers Kate Coleman, Lisa Holmes, and Peter Everitt

 
 
 
‘How good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters dwell together in unity,’ writes the psalmist. I saw this verse embodied powerfully at this year’s Fresh Streams conference. Gathering with around 350 fellow Christians and Baptists, singing our hearts out, worshipping, learning, and sharing life together felt like a thin place between earth and heaven. I came away refreshed, replenished, and deeply encouraged. I found real life in the midst of this conference. 
 
It took place at a new venue, the Yarnfield Conference Centre, which proved an excellent setting. It was also something of a personal moment, as Fresh Streams now carries a different name from the “Mainstream” gatherings of my early days in pastorate. Yet the heart and excitement remain, and if anything feels renewed. The atmosphere throughout the conference was marked by generosity, joy, and expectancy. I was particularly encouraged by the healthy balance of male and female delegates, a sign of a movement growing in breadth and maturity.


 
The main sessions were outstanding, matched by the vibrancy and passion of the worship team and the wholehearted engagement of those gathered. There was a sense of participation rather than performance, of shared hunger rather than passive consumption and the presence of God.
 
Three speakers in particular made a deep impact on me: Kate Coleman, Lisa Holmes, and Peter Everitt.
 
Kate Coleman was both profoundly challenging and utterly dynamic. Drawing on the biblical themes of metanoia and metamorphosis, and rooted in Ezekiel 37, she posed the prophetic question, 'Can these bones live?' With theological depth and clarity, she invited us to face honestly the reality of where we are, while holding out hope for what God longs to breathe. She spoke of reconnection, reformation, and resurrection through the grace and power of God’s Spirit.


 
What struck me most was her call to lead from the second chair, with Christ firmly on the first chair, the throne. She also warned of the danger of becoming bodies without breath, leaders and preachers who work tirelessly yet minister breathlessly, without the divine, animating life of God filling our lives and coursing through our veins. 
 
Her other sessions were equally compelling, including a fresh exploration of Jesus’ question, 'Who do you say I am?' in Matthew 16, set in the context of Caesarea Philippi, a setting whose cultural pressures feel strikingly contemporary. Her reflections on prophetic Christian voices from the past were challenging, paradigm shifting, and deeply constructive for me.
 
Lisa Holmes spoke with power and tenderness from Luke 24, the road to Emmaus, focusing on living faithfully with questions. Lisa is one of the most compelling and authentic preachers and teachers of our generation, and I consistently find her ministry nourishing, peaceful, and joy-filled. 


 
Two questions she commended for daily personal conversation with God have stayed with me: 'How do you come today?' and 'What do you desire?' I have practised these most days since the conference. She also gently but firmly reminded us that it is God’s grace that leads us to repentance. I needed to hear that.
 
Peter Everitt’s final session was quite extraordinary. Drawing on Paul’s words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:6–7, he presented the Christian life and discipleship as a walk shaped by truth, love, and power. He unpacked the antidote to fear with clarity and depth, calling us to be a people marked by God’s supernatural power, God’s truth, and God’s love. I was spellbound and inspired.
 


The Fresh Streams Leadership Team deserve special commendation. They are an exceptionally gifted and open-hearted group who have worked intentionally to create a safe, inclusive, and theologically diverse space. Their unity points us toward Jesus and away from division, offering a hopeful, prophetic vision for the wider Baptist movement. 
 
It's this that was the most tangible take-away; what unities us is much, so much more than anything which could divide us - worshipping the King on the throne and seeking to bring Him great honour. 
 
I want particularly to honour Andy Glover, The Fresh Streams Team Leader, who, together with Sue, exemplifies servant leadership of the highest order. For me, they are some of the most godly and visionary leaders I have encountered.
 
God met with us here. God shaped us here. And as for me, I was changed here. Thank you Fresh Streams. 

 

The Revd Andy Caldwell is West of England Baptist Network Team Leader

Bookings for The Fresh Streams 2027 National Leadership Conference are already open with a an Early Bird Option - more information on the website 

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