Together For the Gospel

Sweet Reminders Bode Well by mdever

mdever — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 17:08:47 -0500

Short videos at the T4G website are being posted of highlights from the 2006 T4G. Thank God for His kindnesses to us. Watch these as they show up. Send them to friends as encouragements and short reminders. The CJ clip that's just been put up reminds me very much of the whole talk, and challenges me even now as I'm writing this. Pray for our gathering again in Louisville. We can't assume that because the last gathering was so blessed by God that this one will be. Let us pray. And remember.

Registration for T4G 2008 closes in a little over a month by mdever

mdever — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 01:14:26 -0500

It's been a busy two years, but registration for T4G 2008 will close (DV) in less than 50 days. We've tried to get a much larger venue than last time so that EVERYBODY that wants to come can come. It's still going to be aimed at pastors and church leaders, and structured like last time. New books to give away (which won't be announced until you get them--we gotta have a little mystery!!!).

In order to help you prepare, perhaps decide to come, and either way pray for us, I'm going to begin asking the various speakers what they're speaking on, and why.

And first up, our own Ligon Duncan.

Ligon, I know you're busy, with Al down there right now, but what are you planning to speak on at T4G this year, and why?

Ligonier Streaming T4G '06 by lduncan

lduncan — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 23:08:15 -0500

I have just heard from the good folks at Ligonier Ministries that they’re streaming the T4G’06 messages and panels on the Ligonier site. It started last Friday and will run sequentially on weekdays until the end. These messages will live on for 45-days after they air. Check them out at - <http://www.ligonier.org/rym_archive.php>

For instance, check out:

The Pastor's Understanding of His Own Role
By Mark Dever
Basing his message on 1 Corinthians, Mark Dever discusses the three marks of a faithful pastor. Such a pastor has a cross-centered message, a cross-centered life, and cross-centered followers.

Here.

And

Panel Discussion #1
By the T4G posse
The Together for the Gospel Panel Discussions provide an opportunity to hear the speakers discuss the themes of the conference informally amongst themselves.

Here.

Looking Toward T4G by mdever

mdever — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:55:38 -0500

In case you haven't seen the T4G ads floating around, here are four of them!

Thabiti on Elders by lduncan

lduncan — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 09:41:05 -0500

If you are thinking about what the Bible teaches about the leadership of the church, or if you have upcoming officer elections and you are wanting to inform both the candidates and the congregation of the qualifications of biblical eldership, then Thabit Anyabwile has a treasure trove of useful information nd wise counsel, here:

http://purechurch.blogspot.com/2007/10/finding-reliable-men-1.html#links

http://purechurch.blogspot.com/2007/10/finding-reliable-men-those-above.html#links

http://purechurch.blogspot.com/2007/10/finding-reliable-men-one-woman-man.html#links

http://purechurch.blogspot.com/2007/10/finding-reliable-men-temperate-self.html#links

http://purechurch.blogspot.com/2007/10/finding-reliable-men-hospitable.html#links

http://purechurch.blogspot.com/2007/10/finding-reliable-men-able-to-teach.html#links

http://purechurch.blogspot.com/2007/10/finding-reliable-men-sober-gentle.html#links

http://purechurch.blogspot.com/2007/10/finding-reliable-men-not-lover-of-money.html#links

http://purechurch.blogspot.com/2007/11/finding-reliable-men-leaders-at-home.html#links

http://purechurch.blogspot.com/2007/11/finding-reliable-men-mature-and-humble.html#links

http://purechurch.blogspot.com/2007/11/finding-reliable-men-well-thought-of-by.html#links

Decision Time by mdever

mdever — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 07:05:20 -0500

Whoa. Look what's still here! It looks like nobody has stuck their head in here for a while. I bet we'll get more activity as the 08 conference closes in. We'll see.

Anyway, speaking of the 08 conference, I've just noticed it's Oct. 26. That means that in just a few days, the cost of attending T4G goes up $50. It's easier on us to plan ahead of time, so we, like all conference organizers, give a discount to those who do our teams the favor of letting us do more of our planning ahead of time by registering early. In our case, it's worth enough to give everyone who does that by Oct. 31 a lower price. I just wanted to point this out to you, in case you knew you were planning to come, and just hadn't gotten around to registering. Now's the time to do it.

Just think, if you're planning to bring your staff of 5 along with yourself, that would be a $300 savings for the 6 of you together! It's worth your taking a few minutes to consider if it would be better for you to pay for the extra time to consider (which many may need to do), or if you fully intend to come and just hadn't gotten around to registering. If that second one is you, a little work now could save you a chunk of change. It's decision time!

Hotel News for T4G08 by mdever

mdever — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 08:16:11 -0500

For those of you looking to connect with other Together for the Gospel 2008 attendees ahead of time, we have created a Google Group where you can post messages back and forth. Feel free to use this as a way to post interest in sharing accommodations, find others in your area coming to the conference, etc!

Link:

http://groups.google.com/group/t4g08

On the Road Again by mdever

mdever — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 09:35:01 -0500

I've had a nice month of no travel, but now I'm in England for a week. Pray for me (and Mike Gilbart-Smith) these next few days. And do join us if you're in the area. On Friday I'm to do a couple of lectures and Q&A times in the afternoon at Oak Hill Theological College. Saturday all day are the Theology for All lectures, in London, sponsored by the Tyndale Fellowship. Sunday I have the privilege of preaching at the East London Tabernacle, a congregation that has known a long and faithful pastorate from Kenneth Brownell. Monday is an all-day 9Marks workshop for ministers, and Tuesday I'm giving a couple of talks at Tyndale House up in Cambridge (and seeing old friends). Wednesday, Lord willing, it is back to DC.

Yes, we really are Together for the Gospel by lduncan

lduncan — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 17:29:07 -0500

If you've been following the internet discussion of the last week or so in which John Piper, Wayne Gruden, Sam Storms, Mark Dever and others have engaged one another on the issue of whether paedobaptists should be allowed to be members of Baptist churches and to commune at the Lord's Table in Baptist churches. These men are dear friends and heroes of mine (to whom I owe so much) and their debate has been both passionate and respectful. That is, they have manifested simultaneously a godly zeal for truth, rigorous theological scholarship and deep regard for one another.

Perhaps I can add some perspective on this discussion, from my Presbyterian, paedobaptist standpoint. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, Adrian Warnock has rounded up most of the posts here. And Mark Dever has just added another post here. Justin Taylor has done a helpful summary here. This post is just a start, because it will take me a few to do even meager justice to this debate.

The long and the short of it is that honored friends and colleagues have asked "How can you be 'together for the Gospel,' but not together at the Lord's Table or in church membership?'" Their point being that Mark Dever, in holding to a classic baptist position on communion and church membership, would not allow someone who had not received believer's baptism to be a member at his church or to share in the Lord's Supper, and thus, subsequently, they wonder how he can think of being 'Together for the Gospel' with a paedobaptist like me who couldn't me a church member at CHBC.

First, let me say, that I fully appreciate the force of this question, and the deep, biblical passion behind it. When John Piper says: "when a person looks a true and precious brother in the eye and says, 'You may not join this church,' he is doing one of two things: Seriously diminishing our spiritual union in Christ, or seriously minimizing the importance of church membership." —John has my full attention! When Sam Storms says: "the claim to be 'Together for the Gospel' rings a bit hollow to me when some would decline to fellowship with others around the Lord's Table because of their disagreement on the proper recipients of baptism." — I take the concern expressed seriously.

And, for the record, John Piper, Wayne Grudem, Al Mohler, Mark Dever and Sam Storms would be welcomed with open arms as members at Frist Presbyterian Church, Jackson, Mississippi where I pastor. They would be joyfully invited to the Lord's Table too.

Second, and just for starters, let me say that this significant difference (on baptism and church membership), far from being fatal to our unity, is precisely one of the reasons that Mark and Al and C.J. and I are in fact "Together for the Gospel." It is precisely one of the things that makes Together for the Gospel so different and extraordinary. Let me attempt to begin to explain.

The unity of T4G is not a unity in spite of doctrinal differences, in which we gain unity by downplaying doctrine, minimizing ecclesial differences and going with a lowest common denominator. Our unity is instead a unity of respect for the truth and for truth-in-practice, that sees in each other such a dogged commitment to God's word in both faith and practice that we want to be together promoting biblical Christianity, even (and especially) in the way we handle the points of principle on which we seriously disagree.

I like the way Al Mohler expresses this. He says: "We (speaking of Bible-believing, Christ-exalting, Gospel-preaching Baptists and paedobaptists) are among the last people on the planet that can have an honest disagreement, because we both believe in truth and that truth matters." It is precisely that commitment that invincibly unites my spirit to Mark, Al and C.J.

I would never want to say to Mark or Al, "I will be with you 'Together for the Gospel,' as long as you relinquish your Baptist principles or as long as you do not follow your Baptist convictions in church practice." No, it is precisely their love of truth and their desire to see Gospel truth and love worked out practically in the life of the local church which causes my heart to love them as Jonathan did David.

I love Mark and Al's deep concern for truth and biblical church practice (even and especially at the points in which they disagree with me). I love the fact that they are not willing to compromise on points of biblical conviction, and yet at the same time they work so hard to promote principled unity. I love the fact that even though they believe me to be in serious error on this issue of baptism, they truly love me, constantly co-labor with me (and invite me to do the same with them), and reach out to numerous other non-Baptist evangelicals regularly, deliberately, nationally and internationally to build biblical consensus and cooperation among the churches. To know Mark and Al is to know two men of unshakable conviction and broad sympathy, and I deeply value that.

There are actually good reasons why this debate should not be an easy one to resolve (and I'll elaborate on that in future posts), but in the meantime I want to say this. 1. I am greatly moved by John Piper's and Sam Storms' comments on Gospel unity as it is expressed at the Lord's Table. Thank you brothers, you have instructed and edified me. 2. Mark and Al, I profoundly appreciate your willingness to stand on biblically-formed conviction and principle, even against the tide. Your example of and your desire for biblical fidelity instruct and edify me. I am your debtor. 3. To John, Sam, Mark and Al, thank you that you all are concerned for both truth and unity, doctrine and fellowship. Though you have different views on how to hold those together on this particular issue, thank you that none of you is ready (as are so many today) to jettison biblical fidelity and truth in the interests of unity. This is hugely important in the present climate.

Up next - Why we are still Together for Gospel (1). What I'll try to explain (historically, theologically and practically) in these posts is why this discussion/difference/disagreement, far from being a fatal contradiction of our unity in the Gospel is precisely a picture of the uncompromising unity that we enjoy.

The Local Church - the place Jesus chose for discipleship by lduncan

lduncan — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 19:37:02 -0500

Okay, okay, I'm going to say something very soon about the current conversation on baptism, church membership, the Lord's Table, and the togetherness of Bible-believing, Christ-exalting, Gospel proclaiming Baptists and paedobaptists. But first, let's celebrate some significant unity on a timely and vital question.

"The local church is the focal point of God’s plan for displaying his glory to the nations" (as my good friends at 9Marks like to say). God intends our life together in a local congregation of Christians to reflect his character and to display his Gospel grace to the watching world. This is just one biblical reason that church membership is so vital and necessary.

There are many ways and places that the Bible teaches us the importance of church membership. But one important way is in how it identifies the local church as the Jesus-appointed place for Christian discipleship. Where do we see that spelled out in Scripture?

Well, for instance, in the Great Commission! In Matthew 28:19, Jesus says "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing . . . and teaching them." So where does Jesus say that the discipleship he commands us to foster is supposed to take place? What is the context of discipleship, according to Jesus? Where does he want you to be discipled? The answer is clear and simple. We are to be discipled in the place, in the context, in which baptism is administered. And where is that? The para-ministry? The campus Christian fellowship? Our favorite Christian voluntary organization? The small group of Christian friends who gather regularly to pray in one anothers homes. No, not primarily. These may all be good things. But Jesus answer here is different and fundamental.

His answer? In the local church. Jesus wants us to be discipled in the context of the believing community where the vows of baptism are taken and where a whole fellowship of Christians is committed to mutual encouragement and accountability - "make disciples, baptizing and teaching them," he says. In other words, real Christian discipleship is inescapably corporate and ecclesial. The discipleship and teaching that Jesus enjoins is to take place in the context where baptism is administered, right smack dab in the middle of the baptized community. Jesus says that’s the place where discipleship happens – the local church. And that’s just one reason why church membership is so important.

David Wells on the Great Challenge of "Our Time" by lduncan

lduncan — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 21:01:22 -0500

Mark Dever's latest 9Marks interview is not to be missed. It is with David F. Wells, one of the most brilliant theologians and cultural analysts of our day. Listen to it here.

In the course of a conversation that you need to listen to, take notes on, reflect on and then listen to three more times, Wells says: "In our time, understanding our culture takes on an urgency because this culture is so intrusive and so powerful in its capacity to shape our souls and minds that if we are not pushing back from an explicitly biblical, Christian point of view – we are going to get swallowed up."

This is one thing that T4G is all about. And one reason that brought us "together for the Gospel" in the first place.

Monday Morning with Mark by lduncan

lduncan — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 08:19:16 -0500

Okay, if you are one of the 14 remaining people who hasn't read Mark Dever's brilliant series on "Where'd All These Calvinists Come From?" over at the relatively new 9Marks blog, here they all are in one place.

Read, think, learn and enjoy.

1. The Writings of C. H. Spurgeon

2. The Ministry of D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

3. The Publications of the Banner of Truth Trust

4. Calvinists Evangelizing - Jim Kennedy and Evangelism Explosion

5. Calvinist Leadership in the Inerrancy Controversy

6. The Founding of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA)

7. J.I. Packer and Knowing God

8. The Teaching Ministries of R.C. Sproul and John MacArthur

9. John Piper

10.The rise of secularism and decline of Christian nominalism