Be Unashamed – T4G 2014

Be Unashamed – T4G 2014

I had the joy of attending last week’s Together for the Gospel conference. I could (and no doubt at some point should) list a series of personal blessings from the conference, but in this post, I want to merely encourage you to engage in some of the content for yourself. Below are a few of the moments of the week I found deeply encouraging. The Testimonies This is one of several. You should watch them all. Two Marriages from Together for the Gospel (T4G) on Vimeo. The Messages While all of the messages were excellent and encouraged and convicted me in unique ways, here are those I found most impactful: Never Spoke a Man Like This Before: Inerrancy, Evangelism and Christ’s Unbreakable Bible, Kevin DeYoung The Gospel by Numbers, Ligon Duncan Mass Defection: The Great Physician Confronts the Pathology of Counterfeit Faith, John MacArthur Persuading, Pleading and Predestination: Human Means in the Miracle of Conversion, John...
50 Year Evangelism

50 Year Evangelism

Here’s a great and encouraging video of John MacArthur describing his recent opportunity to see his football coach from 50 years ago come to Christ. What do you think about MacArthur’s approach? John MacArthur – Study Video from Together for the Gospel (T4G) on Vimeo. HT: Together for the...
The Gospel Old and New

The Gospel Old and New

I just finished reading Kevin DeYoung’s latest blog-post, “The Gospel Old and New.” Excellent. Well said. It fueled my heart’s passion for the heart of the gospel in light of the emerging competitors. Here’s the opening: Have you heard the New Gospel?  It”™s not been codified. It”™s not owned by any one person or movement.  But it is increasingly common. The New Gospel generally has four parts to it. It usually starts with an apology: “I”™m sorry for my fellow Christians. I understand why you hate Christianity.  It”™s like that thing Ghandi said, “˜why can”™t the Christians be more like their Christ?”™  Christians are hypocritical, judgmental, and self-righteous.  I know we screwed up with the Crusades, slavery, and the Witch Trials.  All I can say is: I apologize.  We”™ve not give you a reason to believe.” Then there is an appeal to God as love: “I know you”™ve seen the preachers with the sandwich boards and bullhorns saying “˜Repent or Die.”™ But I”™m here to tell you God is love. Look at Jesus.  He hung out with prostitutes and tax collectors.  He loved unconditionally.  There is so much brokenness in the world, but the good news of the Bible is that God came to live right in the middle of our brokenness. He”™s a messy God and his mission is love.  “˜I did not come into the world to condemn the world,”™ that”™s what Jesus said (John 3:17).  He loved everyone, no matter who you were or what you had done. That”™s what got him killed.” Be sure to read the whole...
Effective (and painful) Evangelism

Effective (and painful) Evangelism

While I should be sleeping, or at a minimum, posting something edifying from the Shepherds’ Conference, I am actually going to do neither at the moment.  Well, it was last night after the conference that two of our interns proposed our church look into a new means of increasing the evangelistic effectiveness and passion of our people.  Their suggested tool:  The Evangelism Linebacker.  We plan to begin this Sunday.  I can’t quit...