Do you find the thought of talking about Jesus to friends, neighbours, classmates or colleagues daunting? Do you sometimes find yourself thinking “what if I say something that makes God look bad?” Or wondering what happens if they raise a challenging question or objection to which you’re unable to respond. (“Aren’t Christians bigoted and homophobic?”; “Isn’t the Bible unreliable and full of errors?”; “Hasn’t science buried God?”; “Isn’t religion just a psychological crutch?” … and the list goes on).
We are so excited to be welcoming Solas back to Cowplain Church for a weekend full of events on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th April 2026.
9.30am - 3.30pm: This day conference, featuring Guest Speakers Andy Bannister (Solas Director), David Hutchings and Gavin Matthews, will help you become confident and empowered to talk about Jesus more naturally.
Talk subjects are: How to talk about Jesus without looking like an idiot;
Bringing it back to Jesus: naturally connecting conversations to Christ;
A Biblical basis for Apologetics;
If God, why suffering?;
5 good questions;
The harvest is plentiful - but how do we bring it in?
6pm at The Exchange, Waterlooville
Come along for a meal at The Exchange in Waterlooville, either by yourself or with friends and family. After the meal, we have Andy Bannister and David Hutchings as after-dinner speakers, sharing a few thoughts on what it means to take A Leap of Faith and why the Christian faith makes all the difference in a person's life.
A £10 deposit per person will secure your booking, which will then be taken off your final food bill at the restaurant on the day. It's then entirely up to you whether you want to pay for any guests you invite, split the bill with them or each pay for your own meals. That's all done directly at the restaurant.
Block out 25th and 26th April in your diaries, you do not want to miss out!
Solas, led by Andy Bannister and his team, are coming to Cowplain Church along with Gavin Matthews and David Hutchings for a Confident Christianity Conference. Doors open at 9am for refreshments, the conference begins at 9.30am and runs until around 3.30pm. Details on what they are each speaking on will follow soon.
Andy Bannister will also be joining us on Sunday 26th April for a morning talk, where we will also have our usual worship, children’s groups and refreshments. It’s going to be a brilliant morning to hear Andy Bannister share more. We invite you to come along to Cowplain Church, for free, to either our 9.15am or 11am Discovery Service on Sunday 26th April.
Invite friends or family for a meal at The Exchange restaurant in Waterlooville at 6pm, with Andy Bannister and David Hutchings as after-dinner speakers. Pay £10 per person deposit to secure your place, which is deducted from your final bill on the night.
Dr. Andy Bannister is the Director of Solas and an Adjunct Lecturer at Wycliffe College, University of Toronto. Andy holds a PhD in Islamic studies and is an Adjunct Research Fellow at the Centre for the Study of Islam and Other Faiths at Melbourne School of Theology. Andy is the author of an academic book, An Oral-Formulaic Study of the Qur’an, and two popular-level books: The Atheist Who Didn’t Exist (or: The Terrible Consequences of Really Bad Arguments), and his latest: Do Muslims and Christians Worship the Same God?.
When not travelling, speaking, or writing, Andy is a keen hiker, mountain climber, and photographer. He is married to Astrid; they have two children, Caitriona and Christopher.
During the conference, Andy will be speaking on How to talk about Jesus without looking like an idiot and Bringing it back to Jesus: naturally connecting conversations to Christ.
Gavin is Solas’s Assistant Director (Scotland) and does a wide variety of work for the organisation. He speaks for Solas in churches and at conferences, co-ordinates the website, writes articles and other Solas communications and presents webinars and podcasts. He also loves networking for Solas and speaking with church leaders about our work. Gavin has been married to Elaine since 1996 and they have three adult children. He has been a member of Perth Baptist Church since 1999.
During the conference, Gavin will be speaking on A Biblical Basis for Apologetics and If God, why suffering?
David is a physics teacher and author who studied Physics at the University of York from 2000 to 2004. A Fellow of the Institute of Physics, his books include Of Popes and Unicorns (OUP 2022), God, Stephen Hawking and the Multiverse (SPCK 2020), and Let There Be Science (Lion Hudson 2017). David speaks and writes regularly on the relationship between science, Christianity, philosophy, and history. He lives in York with his wife and two young daughters.
Tickets On Sale Now!
Solas’ mission is to communicate the Christian faith in a way that is engaging, relevant, and persuasive to contemporary culture. The organisation seeks to equip Christians to be effective ambassadors for Christ in their communities and to talk with non-Christians in a way that is respectful and loving.
Andy Bannister has delivered great, informative talks at Cowplain Church before. Why not take a look?
We encourage you to book your tickets soon to avoid missing out!
Tickets include conference material and refreshments throughout the day (lunch not included). Doors open at 9am with the conference starting at 9.30am and finishing at around 3.30pm.
