When and how did your love for reading begin?

Describe your present practice of the spiritual disciplines and provide us with the specifics, if you would (reading of Scripture, supplemental books, how much time you devote to this each day, etc).

Apart from the daily study of Scripture for the edification of your soul, approximately how much time do you devote to reading each day or week?

What books are you presently reading? CJ, just for fun, how many books did you read last week?

What have been the five to ten most influential books you have read?

Finally, who do you like in the Super Bowl?

. . . 'cause sometimes no. 3 has to kick it back out to no. 1 for the trey from a suburban zipcode.

Hello friends. Al, we prayed for you in private and from the pulpit on Sunday. I trust that the funeral services for your dear father-in-law went well, and that the Lord strengthened you to bring his Word.

I am delinquent in beginning to answer CJ's good questions, but I'll make a start (though I won't make an end of it) here. CJ asked:

When and how did your love for reading begin? 

I really can't remember exactly. My mother was a former university prof and voracious reader, and my Dad was a printer and publisher, so books have been a part of my life as long as food. I do remember loving to read history and biography (particularly military history) from a very early age. I was captivated by figures like the first Duke of Marlborough (ancestor of Winston Churchill and victor over the forces of Louis XIV, the Sun King, at Blenheim), Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, Robert the Bruce, Oliver Cromwell, George Monck, George Washington, etc.

I also remember being utterly enthralled by Tolkien's Lord of the Rings as part of an assignment in AP english in High School. No other work of fiction has ever impacted me like LOTR. I've been lost in Middle Earth ever since. Nevertheless, I didn't study hard until I got to college and my love for reading grew in History and English courses at Furman University. I really did not read advanced academic or historical theology until seminary. For instance, I "met" John Calvin for the first time as a ministerial student, not as a high schooler or collegian. Nevertheless, in high school, I was reading Packer, Stott, Blanchard, Schaeffer, and the like.

Describe your present practice of the spiritual disciplines and provide us with the specifics, if you would (reading of Scripture, supplemental books, how much time you devote to this each day, etc). 

My devotional reading practice began in high school with Robert Murray M'Cheyne's Bible Reading Plan, and with IVP's Search the Scriptures. I have used some variation of these ever since. Devotional reading varies from day to day, but I attempt to approach almost all my reading devotionally. Asking questions of the book like: What does this teach me about my God? How does the Gospel illumine this truth, and have I thus rightly responded to this truth? How does this truth expose my sin and need of grace?

Apart from the daily study of Scripture for the edification of your soul, approximately how much time do you devote to reading each day or week? 

I really don't know. I'm tempted to say "all too little" -- though I aspire to respond appropriately to the famous admonition of my PhD supervisor at the University of Edinburgh, New College, Professor David F. Wright, who once said: "Time not spent reading is wasted time." And then he added with a twinkle in his eye: "well, almost."

What books are you presently reading?

Well, gobs of commentaries for one thing. I read about 15-18 commentaries along as I preach through a Bible book, so I'm reveling in Ephesians, Numbers, the Psalms and 1 Samuel right now, as I preach through Ephesians and the third book of the Psalms and prepare to begin series on Numbers and 1 Samuel. At any given time I'm reading 5-7 manuscripts for endorsement or review. In addition, I try to keep up with the currents in Systematic Theology, Church History and theological studies in general. I have about 25 periodicals that I like to track as well.

What have been the five to ten most influential books you have read? 

Almost impossible to answer, but here's a list of books that have, in one way or another, rocked my world.

1. The Westminster Confession of Faith. Yes, it's only about fifteen pages long (without Scripture references) but it is the apex of Protestant Orthodox confessional formulations and a model of pastoral theology and doctrinal clarity.

2. B.B. Warfield, The Religious Life of Theological Students. Warfield got all over me in seminary, and my admiration grows yearly. He answered Barth a quarter-century before Barth published his views. He out-read, out-thought and out-wrote every man of his generation, but we aren't listening to him. the loss is ours. His Inspiration and Authority of the Bible is magisterial and still unchallenged.

3. J.I. Packer, Knowing God. I first met Dr. Packer as a teenager, at a Bible Conference. I'd read him before I met him, and I've loved his lecturing and writing ever since. His Fundamentalism and the Word of God has been equally influential on me. And his A Quest for Godliness has fueled hundreds of hours of meditation and reflection.

4. Sinclair Ferguson's Kingdom Life in a Fallen World - a popular, devotional treatment of the Sermon on the Mount that still thrills my soul.

5. John Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied - grabbed me for the doctrines of grace and has never let go.

6. J. Gresham Machen, Christianity and Liberalism spoke to realities I had already seen with my own eyes in mainline churches. Seminal. As was Ned Stonehouse's biography of J Gresham Machen.

7. J.C. Ryle, Holiness - like Owen's Mortification of Sin - cut me to the quick.

8. David F. Wells, No Place for Truth - provided me with a grid for assessing church and culture that was dramatically important for everything I am tyring to do in the church and the churches today.

9. Calvin's Institutes - reading them through with David Calhoun at Covenant Seminary was one of the great privileges and delights of my life.

10. Turretin's Institutes of Elenctic Theology - still, I think, my favorite ST text.

11. Irenaeus’ Against Heresies, Prescription Against Heretics and Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching – all reveal the early Fathers with their best foot forward. Hearing Irenaeus describe the elder who taught him, who was himself taught by John (yes, that John, the one whom Jesus loved, the Apostle), sent chills up and down my spine the first time I read it – and still thrills me at the thought of our closeness to the Apostles.

12. Tertullian – you pick it, is it Against Marcion, On the Flesh of Christ, Apology or what? No one was more fiery in rhetoric, and yet as substantive as Tertullian.

13. Athanasius – On the Incarnation (and CS Lewis’ famous “Old Books” introduction).

14. Luther – On the Bondage of the Will, with Packer’s great introduction.

15. Donald Macleod, Behold Your God, A Faith to Live By, The Person of Christ. The modern theologian who has pastored me most by his writing and preaching.

Finally, who do you like in the Super Bowl? The Steelers. Sentimental pick for Jerome Bettis' and RC Sproul's sake. Usually, I tend to be an NFC kind of guy.

Thank you for so many kindnesses, dear friends.  Mary's dad was a wonderful Christian man who was himself a witness to the Gospel of Christ.  His death came at the end of many years of illness, but was unexpected in its suddenness.  This is the first of our parents to die, and the first taste of close death for our children.  God's mercy is evident in so many details, but the sorrow is great.  We are encouraged to know that Jesus wept at the death of Lazarus, even knowing that Lazarus would soon be called from the grave.  The saints do grieve, but it is not the grief of despair.  Instead, it is the grief of knowing a separation that, though temporary, is real. 

The New England Puritan Edward Taylor, colleague of Increase Mather and correspondent with Richard Baxter, expressed the Christian view of death in these words:

How sweet is this: my Death lies buried / Within thy Grave, my Lord, deep under ground,
It is unskin'd, as Carrion rotten Dead: For Grace's hand gave Death its deadly wound.
Deaths no such terrour on th'Saints blesst Coast. Its but a harmless Shade: No walking Ghost

A harmless shade.  That's a fitting metaphor for the Christian understanding of death.  The sorrow of a harmless shade still hurts -- but this shade will not last.

Lig, thank you for being so very gracious during this time.  I was looking forward to being with you and your wonderful congregation, as well as the other planned events.  C. J. and Mark, thank you for your kind prayers and encouragement. 

Hey guys.  I'm having trouble getting internet access, so I'll probably be off for a few more days.  Meetings in Birmingham & Preston (Leyland) have gone well.  Lots of interesting discussion.  Heartening to see all the interest in 9Marks.  Al, you & Mary are in my prayers.  Ligon, someone at the conference today told me how much they benefit from your sermons over the internet.  CJ, I'll look forward to seeing you when I get back.  I've been able to get email, but not send it out!!  Tomorrow, we're to finish our conference here, then drive down to Cambridge, where I'm to preach at Eden Baptist on Sunday morning & then down to Spicer St. in St. Alban's for Sunday night.  Topics of church membership & discipline seem to be of special interest to pastors in these conferences. It's exciting to see this kind of cooperation for the re-evangelization of England. All for now.

Sorry, brothers, for my absence/silence of the last few days. We've been getting ready for our annual regional Men's Conference called the "Mid-South Men's Rally" tonight, and I had the Alliance Board meeting in Philadelphia on Monday and Tuesday. Our friend Al Mohler was slated to come here to preach the Men's Rally, but as you know now his father-in-law, with whom he was very close, had a massive heart attack and was gathered to his people around 7 last evening. I've spoken with Al, and we'll be praying as he preaches that funeral and for sweet Mary, his wife, as she greives the loss of her father.

Randy Stinson, professor at SBTS and Executive Director of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, will be filling in for Al tonight. Pray for him. More in a little bit.

By the way, I've loved reading your posts. Excellent!

Mark, thanks for the invitation to pursue you for more ("Church Membership, the Archbishop & My Canon of Theologians"), my friend!  But first thanks for the time you are devoting to this blog, particularly with your full schedule while in England. Here’s what we still need from you.  Why did you create this annual rotation of theologians and what has been the fruit and effect of this reading schedule upon your soul and in your ministry?  Also, please do a post on the five to ten most influential books you have read. And I’m still waiting for your Super Bowl pick.  Finally, since it appears you are ignoring my e-mails, are we on for lunch Tuesday?

Thanks for the excellent post (“Some Thoughts on the Reading of Books”) Al! And thanks for devoting time to this blog amidst your endless to do list! Sadly, I don’t remember the games and if I could do it all over again, I would gladly read instead of playing sports. I needed a friend like you to inspire me, although I would rather have been on the field competing than in the high school band. One question remains for you to answer, my friend. What instrument did you play in the band? That little piece of info is what everyone reading your post wants to know.

Has anyone seen Lig?

I cannot really remember when I did not love to read books.  I do know that I was very eager to learn to read, and that I quickly found myself immersed in the world of books and literature.  It may have been a seduction of sorts, and the Christian disciple must always be on guard to guide the eyes to books worthy of a disciple's attention -- and there are so many.

As Solomon warned, "Of making many books there is no end" [Ecclesiastes: 12:12].  There is no way to read everything, and not everything deserves to be read.  I say that in order to confront the notion that anyone, anywhere, can master all that could be read with profit.  I read a great deal, and a large portion of my waking hours are devoted to reading.  Devotional reading for spiritual profit is an important part of the day, and that begins with the reading of Scripture.  In terms of timing, I am somewhat unorthodox.  My best time for spending time in the Word is late at night, when all is calm and quiet and I am mentally alert and awake.  That is not the case when I first get up in the mornings, when I struggle to find each word on the page (or anything else, for that matter).

In the course of any given week, I will read several books.  I know how much I thrive on this learning and the intellectual stimulation I get from reading.  As my wife and family would be first to tell you, I can read almost anytime, anywhere, under almost any kind of conditions.  I have a book with me virtually all the time, and have been known to snatch a few moments for reading at stop lights.  No, I do not read while driving (though I must admit that it has been a temptation at times).  C.J., I took books to high school athletic events when I played in the band.  [Heap coals of scorn and nerdliness here.]  I remember the books -- do you remember the games? 

A few initial suggestions: 

1.  Maintain regular reading projects.  I strategize my reading in six main categories:  Theology, Biblical Studies, Church Life, History, Cultural Studies, and Literature.  I have some project from each of these categories going at all times.  I collect and gather books for each project, and read them over a determined period of time.  This helps to discipline my reading, and also keeps me working across several disciplines.

2.  Work through major sections of Scripture.  I am just completing an expository series, preaching verse by verse through the book of Romans.  I have preached and taught several books of the Bible in recent years, and I plan my reading to stay ahead.  I am turning next to Matthew, so I am gathering and reading ahead -- not yet planning specific messages, but reading to gain as much as possible from worthy works on the first gospel.  I am constantly reading works in biblical theology as well as exegetical studies.

3. Read all the titles written by some authors.  Choose carefully here, but identify some authors whose books demand your attention.  Read all they have written and watch their minds at work and their thought in development.  No author can complete his thoughts in one book, no matter how large.

4.  Get some big sets and read them through.  Yes, invest in the works of Martin Luther, Jonathan Edwards, and others.  Set a project for yourself to read through the entire set, and give yourself time.  You will be surprised how far you will get in less time than you think.

5.  Allow yourself some fun reading, and learn how to enjoy reading by reading enjoyable books.  I like books across the fields of literature, but I really love to read historical biographies and historical works in general.  In addition, I really enjoy quality fiction and worthy works of literature.  As a boy, I probably discovered my love for reading in these categories of books.  I allow some time each day, when possible, to such reading.  It doesn't have to be much.  Stay in touch with the thrill.  [Feel the adrenalin surge, C.J.?]

6.  Write in your books; mark them up and make them yours.  Books are to be read and used, not collected and coddled.  [Make an exception here for those rare antiquarian books that are treasured for their antiquity.  Mark not thy pen on the ancient page, and highlight not upon the manuscript.]  Invent your own system or borrow from another, but learn to have a conversation with the book, pen in hand.

I would write more for this post, but I must go read. More later.  For now: Tolle! Lege!

It has been great to keep up with Mark as he ministers in Great Britain, along with Archbishop Peter Jensen and others.  Mark, I'm glad your discussion on church membership was "amicable and interesting."  That is a good start, of course.  You mentioned that the Anglicans, functioning as an established church, are "curious of how to make it work."  That's an honest observation, and honest believers in the gathered churches must admit that "making it work" requires both grace and constant learning.  Nevertheless, I am more convinced every day that this is the means of our rescue from the cult of personal autonomy and the travesty of cheap grace.   

May God bless your travels and ministry in England.  I leave you a favorite quote from a most quotable British source, C. S. Lewis:  "He that but looketh on a plate of ham and eggs to lust after it hath already committed breakfast in his heart."    

Church membership either turns you into a servant, or proves to you that you’re not one.

That's the kind of statement that I've been making during these "gospel partnership" meetings here in England.  Today, Peter Jensen (Anglican Archbishop of Sydney) and I had the privilege of addressing about 170 Christians (mainly pastors & other fulltime workers) gathered from around East Anglia.  We met at Christchurch in Cambridge.  The program was "Reach" (which we both spoke on) "Build" (which I spoke on) and "Send" (which Peter spoke on).  What seemed to draw most interest was the idea of church membership.  This idea is common to "gathered" churches, but in an established, state church, though they can see its usefulness, it seems that people are curious of how to make it work.  The conversation was amicable and interesting.  Peter did a great job enthusing the gathered workers for evangelism.  We ended the day by having dinner with Bruce & Lynn Winter.  (Bruce retires as Warden of Tyndale House August 2006.)

CJ, as to my canon of theologians, it is late, so perhaps another day I'll blog about it a little more if you remind me.  But I will simply say that my annual rotation is
January:  Early church (Polycarp, Ignatius, Didache, etc.)

February:  Augustine

March:  Martin Luther

April:  John Calvin

May:  The one, the only RICHARD SIBBES

June:  Either John Owen or John Bunyan

July:  Jonathan Edwards

August:  C. H. Spurgeon

September:  B. B. Warfield

October:  D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

November:  Carl F. H. Henry (also CS Lewis)

December:  John Stott (also Packer, Carson)

While I don't agree with everything all of these guys have written, they are my elder brothers and instructors in so many ways.  So, I read things these folks have written in bits of time during that month, and at my Theology Breakfast for all comers on Thursday mornings at 7am, where we break our fast of THEOLOGY.

That's it for now.  Hope that's of interest.  I've never written about this before, CJ, so feel free and pursue me about this more particularly tomorrow.

I was struck not too long ago by an account I read of the worst kind of well-intended but poorly done work for God.  In his 1940 autobiography, The Big Sea, Langston Hughes (d. 1967) recounted his "salvation" experience:   “I was saved from sin when I was going on thirteen.  But not really saved.  It happened like this:  There was a big revival at my Auntie Reed’s church.  Every night for weeks there had been much preaching, singing, praying, and shouting . . . . Finally all the young people had gone to the altar and were saved, but one boy and me.  He was a rounder’s son named Westley.  Westley and I were surrounded by sisters and deacons praying.  It was very hot in the church, and getting late now.  Finally Westley said to me in a whisper, ‘. . . . I’m tired o’ sitting here.  Let’s get up and be saved.’  So he got up and was saved.  Then I was left all alone on the mourner’s bench.  My aunt came and knelt at my knees and cried, while prayers and songs swirled all around me in the little church.  The whole congregation prayed for me alone, in a mighty wail of moans . . . . God had not struck Westley dead for taking his name in vain or for lying in the temple.  So I decided that maybe to save further trouble, I’d better lie, too, and say that Jesus had come, and get up and be saved.  So I got up.  Suddenly the whole room broke into a sea of shouting, as they saw me rise. . . . I couldn’t bear to tell her that I had lied, that I had deceived everybody in the church, that I hadn’t seen Jesus, and that now I didn’t believe there was a Jesus any more . . . .” 

I assume that many of those people speaking to Hughes were genuine Christians.  And I have no doubt that many people have been saved through such experiences.  I regret all the millions of people whom, I fear, have wrongly taken an assurance of God's having forgiven their sins because of such an experience in church.  Not that Mr. Hughes had any such illusions; nor, it seems, any idea that there was such a God who would judge him at some point for his own sins. 

One sweet aspect of fellowship is to see the lasting, continuing, enduring nature of true gospel work.  Evangelism done faithfully and carefully brings not merely relief by escaping a meeting, but a life changed and changing from that point on.

Being here in England, wandering around Cambridge yesterday with some friends, having dinner with the Chapman's & seeing a whole host of people at the Riddington's last night, I was reminded of the continuing grace of God in the lives of those that I've known and loved.  Foretastes of heaven.  Encouragements to evangelism.

I also saw my 3 friends at the fish & chips shop near our house.  There they were, all 3 still there, just as they had been when we left Cambridge 12 years ago.  I invited them to church this coming Sunday at Eden (where I'm preaching).  I pray they'll come.

Now, CJ, as to your question about reading schedule.  It is true that I have what I call my "canon of theologians".  These are a group of writers from the past, from which I try to do at least a little misc. reading each month, specifically so that I'm not just talking to people from now about what I'm interested in.  Instead, I want to make sure that I get some people from "then" about what they're "interested in."   

Should I say more?

I thought Mark’s post “The Unbearable Lightness of Blogs” was excellent. Now I understand why my educational experience was so deficient. I had no knowledge of the historic decline in education Mark described. So this would appear to explain why I was playing basketball rather than reading Latin.

Actually, I’d like to play point guard for a moment and pass the topic of Mark’s blog to my friends. Mark wisely expresses his concern that “we not neglect reading more important things…more substantial things.” I couldn’t agree more about the priority of reading for a pastor and the prioritizing of reading (“the important and substantial”). I have yet to meet a leader who is growing in personal passion for God and godliness, and effectiveness in pastoral ministry and preaching, who doesn’t have a voracious appetite for reading. And you men are all very serious about reading! So it would serve us all if you would provide us with a detailed description of your practice of this most important spiritual discipline. So here are some questions I’d like you to please answer:

When and how did your love for reading begin?

Describe your present practice of the spiritual disciplines and provide us with the specifics, if you would (reading of Scripture, supplemental books, how much time you devote to this each day, etc).

Apart from the daily study of Scripture for the edification of your soul, approximately how much time do you devote to reading each day or week?

What books are you presently reading? Al, just for fun, how many books did you read last week?

What have been the five to ten most influential books you have read?

Mark, please describe your monthly reading plan so everyone can be inspired by your example and provoked by your strategic approach to reading that is different each month of the year.

Finally, who do you like in the Super Bowl? (Al and Mark, you are allowed to ask for help with this question.)

Thanks for taking the time to serve us with the answers to these questions my friends!

Georgetown 87 - Duke 84

I've had a great day of walking around London with friends, seeing an excellent used bookstore, and, most importantly, establishing a friendship with Peter Masters, pastor since 1970 of London's Metropolitan Tabernacle.  For 2 1/2 hours this afternoon, Peter graciously entertained me in his study with conversation ranging widely over the history of the Tabernacle during Spurgeon's time, his own personal history (including his membership interview at Westminster Chapel with Dr. Lloyd-Jones!), and issues facing the church today.  One long section of the conversation was on conversion.  It was interesting to consider with him what Scripture teaches about the experience of conversion.  Of course, secularlists like William James, describe conversion as the breaking in on the conscious mind of connections long growing in the subconscious.  But as evangelicals we understand there to be a great change, a radical discontinuity introduced by God's Holy Spirit.  But what Peter wanted to point out was the use of means in producing this discontinuity.  He suggested that many of the Puritans had a better understanding of this than many evangelicals (including Reformed evangelicals) today.   

Dr. Masters was also concerned that associations of different Christians together not undermine what he referred to as "the ministry of warning."  He (correctly, I think) noted that when Christians associate together there is a great pressure against disagreeing.  This, he thinks, is quite dangerous.  NOT that there should not be associations, simply that we must especially guard this ability, in order to faithfully fulfill our ministries.

Much more I could say.  Suffice it to say that I am not aware of having met a pastor of a more evangelistic church than is the Metropolitan Tabernacle.  For that, Spurgeon would certainly be pleased.  And what's far more significant, we know that God Himself rejoices in the presentation of the gospel of Christ.

May many more conversions come in our churches in Gaithersburg & Jackson, in Louisville & Washington, in London & beyond.

PS--Tim Challies, if you're reading, someone sent me your entry on my post on the lightness of blogs.  I agree with your response (except where you expressed that I thought all blogs were no more than snacks).  Some blogs serve excellent purposes.  Perhaps to a lesser degree this one.  To a greater degree your own!  (Or Al's, or Ref21, or GirlTalk).  Keep up the good work.

I've had two good experiences preaching today--in the morning at Duke Street Baptist Church in Richmond (SW London) and at St Helen's Bishopsgate [Anglican] this evening.  I saw some old friends at both, and had good  conversations afterwards with the respective pastors--Liam Goligher and William Taylor.  Both men are doing good gospel work in different settings.  Both are committed to expositional preaching, and both understand Scripture well and are gifted to teach others.  Among several of the men here, I've seen a real desire to give themselves to the training of others, a desire which is always wise for the future of the church.

My sermon topic in the morning was "Church Discipline" (Duke Street) and in the evening "The Reliability of the Bible" (St. Helens).  In both I was trying to instruct & persuade, especially those who may have had questions or objections.  Neither was the typical expositional sermon.  In both, I tried to make the gospel clear.  I pray that my ministry was truly evangelical today.  Martin Luther in his lectures on the psalms talks about the heavenly profit of the gospel ministry (Martin Luther, First Lectures on the Psalms II, Works II.441). I hope and pray that there was some such profit today.  It's not always obvious, is it?  But it is such a privilege to get to preach this great news.  Such a privilege.

One reason that I've been reluctant to enter the blogosphere is that I am concerned that blog-writing and reading only adds to a bad tendency that we today already have--a fascination with the newest, latest, and most recent.  And the newest and latest also often means that which is of only immediate value, that which is passing.  That is opposed to that which is enduring, and which has in fact endured and lasted.  We write words here which crawl along electronically and leap out through your fingers and eyes to take precious minutes and hours that the Lord has entrusted to us.  Could these small things we write really be that important?

On the other hand, I had a wonderful time today at the South East Gospel Partnership in London.  Here, I met friends old and new, and discussed Reaching, Building and Sending in the Local Church.  Simon Smallwood (minister at Dagenham), Peter Jensen (Archbishop of Sydney) and a number of others spoke.  Then I had the treat to have dinner with William & Janet Taylor (William is the minister of St. Helen's Bishopsgate here in London), Dick Lucas (who was the minister before him) and Peter & Christine Jensen.  The conversation was wonderful, encouraging, instructive and enjoyable.  As I came home, I thought that perhaps through a blog like this, we can share something that will be enjoyable, instructive and edifying.  Maybe we can model, encourage, and even partially provide that kind of fellowship.

Having said that, I am concerned that we not neglect reading more important things.  Even beyond the Bible, there are 2,000 years of Christian reflections in print before we get to blogs.  (Now let's see if Al really reads these blogs!)  I was reading recently about an earlier president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, John R. Sampey, and a "lightening" that was happening in theological education a century ago!  Sampey recalled, “The course in ‘Special Theology,’ which was the successor of the course in ‘Latin Theology,’ was changed to ‘Biblical Theology.’  Under Dr. Boyce this course was limited to the reading of Latin; under Dr. Kerfoot and Dr. Dargan some reading of Latin was still required; Dr. Mullins gradually reduced the readings from Anselm and Turrettin, until in 1904-1905 only textbooks in English were studied.” (John R. Sampey, Memoirs, p. 109). 

So be sure and set aside some time to read more substantial things.  Commune with the saints that have gone before.  Give some time to reading Anselm and Turretin, Samuel Rutherford's Letters or John Bunyan's Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners.  And if you still have some time, you can have some other food for your soul--side dishes--snacks--by reading this blog. 

Thoughts, gentlemen?

It just had to happen.  And, in a strange sort of way, it even helps to make the point.  All over the world people gather together because of what animates, excites, and unites them.  Just look at the World Cup, Super Bowl, and Olympic crowds -- rock concerts, political rallies, and movie openings.  But we are together for the Gospel.  Which is the ultimate point, after all.  And it's a really good thing in so many ways.  If we were coming together about sports, I'd be left out.  C J would be in, but in his current state of limping, it would be more theoretical than physical.  Together for the Gospel, C J, in the church of Christ where we all love by God's grace.  Proud to be limping with you, my faithful friend.

Here are just a few of the many reasons why I am jazzed about the Together for the Gospel Conference. Mark Dever, Al Mohler, Ligon Duncan, John Piper, John MacArthur and R.C. Sproul will all be speaking! That lineup works for me. So let me get this straight. As part of my job I get to come to this conference and hear all these men teach? I can do this. So can you. Why wouldn’t you?

Furthermore, this conference doesn’t simply represent the world class lineup of aforementioned teachers. No, this conference is the fruit of genuine friendships among those teaching. The relational aspect of this conference is both unique and significant. I think all present will experience the fruit of these friendships through the teaching.

Finally and most importantly, I am excited about this conference because the gospel is central to this conference. T4G will make a loud statement to pastors about that which is, in Paul’s inspired words, of first importance: “…Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor 2:2)”. At a time when many pastors are convinced they must be creative or innovative, this conference will remind all of us that we simply have to be faithful to that which is most important, the gospel. We want pastors to place their confidence in the gospel and to build their personal lives and local churches with the gospel. Please don’t misinterpret our excitement.  We don’t think this conference is the only necessary conference for pastors, but we are convinced that the gospel is the only necessary message for pastors. And it will be our privilege and joy to serve each pastor at the conference with this glorious message.

OK, I would respond to CJ's "Conversation Joined" but I can't figure out how to post a comment.  So this is  going to be its own brief entry.   I am in  England preaching.  I've spent the day with Matt Schmucker and others here at Oak Hill Theological College.  Peter Jensen (Archbishop of Syndey) and I spoke in morning sessions to a gathering of students and pastors.  And this afternoon, I met with independent (mainly Baptist)  students.  It's great to see some of the good work that the Lord is doing here at Oak Hill.  My access to the internet is limited, so my blogging will have to become more frequent and regular  upon my return to the States.

I've got a busy week here coming up.  Peter J & I are speaking at meetings across England (London, Cambridge, Birmingham, Leyland) and I'm to be preaching at Duke Street (Richmond), St Helens (London), Eden Baptist (Cambridge) and Spicer Street (Congregational), over this next week.  Pray for me.  I am  always encouraged by the emphasis on expositional preaching that I find here among this strain of English (and Australian!) evangelicals.  If you're reading and you're not familiar with Peter Jensen or Philip Jensen, then check out websites (that you can find through Google) with Sydney Anglican Diocese or St. Matthias Media. 

As to CJ's suggestion that I typed "Great Stuff", in fact I did not.  That was Ryan Townsend in front of CJ's own  distracted face while Ryan was teaching CJ how to post a blog on  this site!

My first exposure to this blog came this morning when my friend Justin Taylor chastised me for only posting a brief comment after Mark Dever's opening post (see Jan 2, "A New Conversation"). Well, since I have been in L.A. and didn't even know our blog had started, I made my way to Mark's post where I came across my supposed response which reads, "This is great stuff!!!" Mischief is obviously present and active from the outset, my friends, for I didn't post that comment!  Please don't misunderstand - I DO think Mark's post was great stuff but I didn't post that comment.  Ah, but I suspect I know who did!  And you don't have to be charismatic or a continuationist in order to discern this. You just have to know Mark Dever!  Knowing my reluctance to participate in this blog (I'd rather just read it!), I am sure my friend has done this to provoke my participation.  Again, please don't misunderstand.  I am very excited about this conversation and this blog.  I plan on visiting this blog each day and numerous times throughout the day because these guys have plenty to say and I have much to learn.  I'm just not sure how much I have to say in this conversation, although I can be our go-to guy when it comes to all collegiate and professional sports (Al and Mark are particularly useless in these arenas.  Remind me to describe the experience of watching the USC-Texas national championship game with these two guys!). So I am very excited about listening in on this conversation.  But given the option of either posting myself or having my good friend Mark post for me, I'll opt for the former.  Even though I don't play in their league I will join this conversation with these 3 men I deeply love and respect.  I am honored to be numbered among them as their friend.  I am humbled to be included with them in this conversation.  Tomorrow I will tell you why I am so excited about the Together for the Gospel Conference.

I think the title of this conference says it all -- "Together for the Gospel."  I am incredibly thankful for my friendship with Mark Dever, Ligon Duncan, and C J Mahaney.  In recent years, I have come to a new and deeper understanding of what these friends mean to me.  It may well be that reaching middle age has something to do with this realization, for I have come to prize most highly those friendships that can last a lifetime.

Yet, I am confident that something deeper and more important is at work here.  The friendship that binds us together is a friendship that is rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Here we have found our shared redemption, our shared identity, our shared calling, our shared commission, and our shared passion.  Of course, this means that we also share concerns about how the Gospel is being misunderstood and misconstrued in our postmodern times.  We are together . . .  in and for the Gospel.

I can't wait to join with our friends John MacArthur, John Piper, and R C Sproul at the T4G conference in April.  We hope to see pastors from all over the country here to be together with us . . . for the Gospel.

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  [Romans 15:5-6]

Mark, thanks for starting the conversation. I've been preaching through the book of Ephesians here at First Pres. in Jackson for about six months (with a break here and there), and we are now in chapter 3. What you say in your post is so right and so Pauline (biblical!) and so under-appreciated by Christians in our time, country and culture. I'll post a few quotes on this, soon, to emphasize some of the points you make.

Christ loved the church, we read in Ephesians 5.  We read in Acts 20 that God gave His own blood for the church.  He founded it (Matt. 16).  He identifies with it (Acts 9).  In the end of the Bible, we even see that He presents the church as His own bride (Rev. 20).  It is good and right--if we love the Lord Jesus--to love His bride.  This blog is a conversation between four friends (and maybe some more) who have been called, in various ways, to serve the Lord by serving His bride.  We hope that it's an encouragement to you in your own life and calling.

This is also what the conference in April is about.  We understand that God builds His church through His Word.  Each one of us in this conversation has experienced God's powerful Spirit through His preached Word.  We are excited to think more about this together, and to do that along with John MacArthur, John Piper, R C Sproul and other pastors and church leaders who are able to make it to Louisville in April.  I'm looking forward to it.  Maybe in a later post, I'll talk about how this all got started.