2009 Next Conference

This year the New Attitude Conference became Next Conference.  The subject this year was Jesus Christ, and a marvelous conference it was.  Between Sinclair Ferguson and Don Carson you can’t go wrong.

One surprise speaker was Kevin DeYoung, pastor of University Reformed Church in Lansing, Michigan, and author of a number of books including Why We’re Not Emergent and Just Do Something.  DeYoung gave us a wonderful picture of Christ as life giver, looking at portraits of him dealing the demoniac, Jarius’ daugther, the unclean woman, and the storm that threatened the disciples.

Here is the list of main sessions:

Preeminence, Josh Harris
Incarnation, Don Carson
Life, Kevin DeYoung
Death, C. J. Mahaney
Resurrection, Sinclair Ferguson
Return, Sinclair Ferguson
Panel with Dever, Ferguson, Taylor, DeYoung, Mahaney & Harris

Next 2009 >>>

Together for the Gospel ’08

I just returned flying home from T4G in Kentucky, and the entire conference is already online.  The panel sessions are not up yet, but I would guess those require some editing. Here is a brief overview.

Ligon Duncan gave an excellent overview of how systematic theology is used throughout Scripture, primarily responding to those who would dismiss the necessity of systematizing Scripture in favor of using Scripture only as a storyline.

Thabiti Anyabwile look at the issue of racism, and helpfully uncoupled the concept of race from ethnicity.  However, this was a very difficult and often slippery subject to deal with, and to get the full benefit you need to listen to the panel discussion that followed for certain clarifications.

MacArthur gave a clear and powerful look at the doctrine of total depravity, or ‘complete inability’ as he prefers to call it.  He not only lays out clear doctrine from Scripture, he shows how misunderstanding this doctrine dramatically impacts the clarity of the gospel message.

Mohler examined the relentless attack on substitutionary atonement and wrestled through the arguments with us, allowing us not only to see through the issues raised, but allowing us to glimpse into his incredible mind.

R. C. Sproul’s message on the Curse Motif is, as Al Mohler described it, one of Sproul’s most powerful messages that he’s ever heard.  This message was stellar.  Don’t miss this one.

John Piper was also in top form with an incredibly challenging message about how we are to endure suffering for the sake of Christ.  This will change the way you approach ministry.

C. J. Mahaney brought us back down to earth and the harsh realities of daily life and ministry and cleared the road for success in getting back to work. This was vintage C. J.

Listen to all the panel discussions.  The panels are one of the strong points of this conference, and often the panels are more engaging and challenging than the messages they preach.

Together for the Gospel audio page >>>

Gospel Coalition 2007 Conference

What is the Gospel Coalition? At the heart of this coalition is this question posed by D. A. Carson, “What can we do to promote a robust, gospel-centered evangelical center in our increasingly diverse country, particularly for the arising generation?”

Mark Driscoll has written briefly about it on his blog here.  Also information and conference blogging notes at Buzzard Blog. 

The conference consists of 20 pastors/theologians, 5 general messages, and 12 workshops. Some of the speakers include Don Carson, Tim Keller, John Piper, Mark Driscoll, Ray Ortlund, Phil Ryken, Michael Lawrence, and Mike Bullmore.

Audio is now available here >>>

Gospel Coalition website >>>

Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper

Piper’s book ‘Don’t Waste Your Life’ is a marvelous and deeply challenging book that will cause you to pause and take a sobering look at the sum of your life and Christianity.  

“I’m here to plead with you to be freed from the American Dream, and to live the kind of life, in the cause of love, on the Calvary road, with Jesus, cross on your back, self-denying, such that, so full of joy that you will stand up and cause the world to take notice.”

piper_dontwasteyourlife.jpg

The ‘Don’t Waste Your Life’ is full of free resources of audio, video and a free PDF of the book ‘Don’t Waste Your Life.’  There’s a great deal to explore at this website.

Download Pipers full message of ‘Don’t Waste Your Life.’

www.dontwasteyourlife.com >>>

Al Mohler’s Messages 2006 Ligonier Fall Conference ‘Cross of Christ’

Mohler delivered two brilliant and timely messages about the crises that the church faces today.  Mohler, in typical form, often speaks as Paul wrote, using sentences that go on and on, but are filled to the brim with meaning and purpose. 

In ‘Christ Our Ransom’ Mohler gives us a comprehensive picture of the work of our Savior as God and as our great mediator.  He focuses on the necessity and logic of substitutionary atonement in the message of the cross. The glory and magnificence of Christ, our Redeemer is beautifully portrayed by Mohler.

In ‘Blessing or Curse’, Mohler looks at the big picture of God’s redeeming purpose.  He makes this very challenging statement: “We are living in a time when we find ‘attention’ a very, very rare stewardship. And we are particularly weakened and compromised in the evangelical church today because there is not adequate attention–slow, text driven, theologically enriched attention–to how we are to view the great doctrines of the faith. So, instead, what happens is, even in some of the most orthodox of our churches, what happens is you skip across texts of Scripture. And you take glancing blows across doctrines, and it’s not so much that they are mistaught, but it’s that they are misapprehended.  Because lacking context, and lacking a systematic understanding, and lacking a comprehensive attentiveness to these things, we rob God of His glory in His church by treating doctrines as disconnected realities, and texts as isolated islands of meaning, rather than pointing to the comprehensive purpose of God laid out in the comprehensive unity of Scripture.”

Al Mohler ‘Christ Our Ransom’ >>>

Al Mohler ‘Blessing or Curse’ >>>

A TOP AUDIO POST

‘Radical Effects of the Resurrection’ Piper at Texas A & M

John Piper spoke at Rez Week on the campus of Texas A & M.  This message is largely themed from his book ‘Don’t Waste Your Life’ combined with a 1 Corinthians 15 view of the resurrection.  Piper exhorts the 2000 students to treasure Christ and the gospel above earthly, western comforts. 

 Radical Effects of the Resurrection >>>

A TOP AUDIO POST

Matthew Henry ‘The Seven Last Sayings of Christ on the Cross’

Michael Phillips has tackled 7 sermons focusing on Matthew Henry’s teaching on the seven last sayings of Christ on the Cross. Puritan Matthew Henry is one of the few preachers who have written a commentary on the whole Bible, his teaching is highly valued.

The Seven Sayings of Christ on the Cross>>>