Together for the Gospel 2012

As a gift from my wife, I attended Together for the Gospel 2012 this past week  in Louisville, Kentucky. I thought that I would share a few insights and highlights with you guys. The crowd numbered in the several thousand to hear the Gospel preached powerfully by some of the best known pastors in the nation. The title of the conference shows the panel of several denominations gathering together for the Gospel within the Reformed understanding of the doctrines of salvation and grace.

The general sessions were held at the KFC Yum! Center in Downtown Louisville. The many banners recognizing sports heroes and athletic championships peers down upon the multitude gathering to sing praises to God. The loudness of the voices and the theological depth of the music gave a foretaste of that eternal day. The messages calls for action to faithful labor now as we wait for that day. Also, if you look closely to the photo on the right, it appears Ben Pine is saying "Yum!"

 

Between sessions, the crowd traveled a couple of blocks toward the Kentucky International Convention Center where the bookstores and meals were located. The lighting was just wonderful, and God painted a beautiful blue sky and white, puffy clouds as a pleasant backdrop to the city skyline.

Thousands rushed by this man (photo right), who I have met before (I am from Louisville). I stopped for a bit to talk with him, as well as a few other homeless men. I am hopeful that many of my fellow T4Gers were active in communicating Christ to the people of my hometown, as was the case when the Southern Baptist Convention was in town a few years ago.

Waiting to cross the street toward the Convention Center (photo left). The police made certain that the thousands of pedestrians flooding downtown would arrive safely.

The line for meals at the convention center were long at first, but quickly moved through. The food was quite good and the conversations with random brethren over meals was certainly a highlight of the conference. I met faithful messengers of the gospel from Napa Valley, California, and Casper, Wyoming. I heard a very exciting testimony from a pastor from Los Angeles that was a pastor in Dubai for some time, proclaiming the gospel there. He brought along a young man from Dubai that he is discipling. Such extraordinary stories of God's movement around His globe is encouraging.

I cannot discuss T4G without mentioning the Zero Dollar Bookstore. We each received 18 free books! There were booths with various ministries, as well. Ligonier is pictured here and that is White Horse Inn in the distance to the left (I didn't see Michael Horton). I stopped by the Martyn Lloyd-Jones Trust booth and met the Doctor's grandson. I had to thank them for releasing 1,600 of his sermons free for download this week. Being a local, several of the booth attendees asked about good local restaurants. I was more than happy to give some recommendations!

We had a good allotment of time between sessions, which was nice to simply walk around and talk theology. While walking around the Convention Center, I found this landscape and had to shoot. Perhaps it is a photographer's sense of humor, but I thought I'd share this photo (right). The bent sign gives the impression it was windy, which there was barely even a breeze this week.

During the conference, there were several break-out sessions. I attended one entitled "The Pastor and the Spirit" by Jeff Purswell. He lectured through I Corinthians 12-14 to encourage an understanding of the pastor's labor and calling in light of the Holy Spirit.

At the convention center, I found myself in a large, empty hallway recovering from the overwhelming flood of the blessings of the Lord. I watched as many T4Gers walked around outside from the quiet, hollow corridor which echoed distant conversations. A nice, relaxing break before continuing onward.

Well, then, that's the direction for me!

Prior to David Platt's sermon, the empty Yum! Center slowly began to satisfy the lonely chairs with people. I enjoyed sitting next to people from many different places and listening to what the Lord is doing in and through them. While Almighty God is at work in and through me, He is mightily working in and through millions simultaneously throughout the world.

I cannot choose a favorite speaker or sermon, as each sermon convicted me in my sin and revealed a God of infinite glory whose sovereign grace saved this wretch and continues His good work of sanctification. However, David Platt's (pictured left) sermon on God's sovereignty in His gospel and foreign missions was a heavy weight of burden for urgency to preach to the lost and to the nations.

I believe this photo says it all (right). The overwhelming flood of emotions and the encouragement of faithful gospel preaching stirs an urgency to glorify God that cannot be contained under a bushel. May the joy of the Lord be our strength.