Cross-Centered Conferences

There are two conferences coming up, both in Louisville, Kentucky, that I think are worth giving consideration.  One I am hoping to attend, the other I would attend if I were younger.   

Together for the Gospel – April 15-17 – T4G is a cross denominational discussion focused on recovering the priority of the Gospel for life and ministry.  The Gospel is all too often compromised and eclipsed by other concerns. T4G explores the glorious doctrinal truths, and offers life-transforming applications of the Gospel. 

While most of the participants will probably be pastors, it is open to anyone wanting to deepen their faith.   

Click for Clips & audio of the T4G ’06 and other info.  

Speakers: Ligon Duncan, C.J. Mahaney, John Piper, Al Mohler, Mark Dever, R.C. Sproul, John MacArthur    

NA ’08 – May 24-27 -  NA stands for New Attitude, and that attitude is toward a Humble Orthodoxy. Na exists to help Christians – particularly young adult Christians – believe, live, and represent the truth with an attitude that is sadly all often lacking among conservative evangelicals – humility.   

While any Christian would probably benefit from the teaching, this conference is geared for Christians, and those exploring the faith, who are primarily college aged through early thirties – singles or married.   In other words, while I’d like to go, at 44 I would probably be one of the oldest in attendance. But don’t let the target age fool you. The depths of Gospel teaching and the life-impacting applications are as good as you’ll find anywhere.    

Theme: God’s Word.  (Check out the promo video.) 

Speakers:  Josh Harris, John Piper, C.J. Mahaney, Eric Simmons, Mark Dever, Al Mohler.

Farewell, Myron

  News today out of Pittsburgh announced the passing of Hall of Fame sportscaster/journalist, Myron Cope.    

Those of you outside of Pittsburgh may not appreciate what a legend Cope is.  While health issues over the past few years has made this day long expected, it is still a big loss to those in Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania – to  all Steeler fans. 

Cope, the inventor of the Terrible Towel, was a longtime newspaperman turned broadcaster.  For thirty five years his combination nasally , gravely, sqeaky voice (yes, that combination is apparently possible) biasedly called the play-by-play. His voice was grating to all who were not used to it, but it was an operatic rallying-cry throughout Steeler Nation.  

Myron will be missed. 

Check out these videos: 

Tribute to Myron Cope

Myron’s Narration of the Terrible Towel  

St. Pete’s Blog

What if you could read the blog of an Apostle?   

A church in Florida has created Pete’s Blog as a creative parallel to their study of Peter the Apostle and his journey and interactions with Jesus.  Each week several fictitious first-person entries are posted in the Journal of Trust.   

I can’t yet vouch for the substance, but I think it is a great idea.    

My Sin is Ever Before Me

‘My sin is ever before me’ -Psalm 51.3  

A humble soul sees that he can stay no more from sin, than the heart can from panting, and the pulse from beating. He sees his heart and life to be fuller of sin, than the firmament is of stars; and this keeps him low. He sees that sin is so bred in the bone, that till his bones, as Joseph’s, be carried out of the Egypt of this world, it will not out. Though sin and grace were never born together, and though they shall not die together, yet while the believer lives, these two must live together; and this keeps him humble. 

-Thomas Brooks, English Puritan

Easy Chairs & Hard Words – Part 4

by Douglas Wilson

We join a conservation in progress; it is between a young theological questioner who grew up in a typical Evangelical church, and an older pastor from a historical theological tradition.  

***** 

Pastor Spenser shifted easily in his seat while I carefully thought over my next question. “Some of my friends at my church have figured out that I have been coming to see you,” I said.  

Pastor Spenser nodded, and waited.  

“Naturally,” I said, “they are somewhat concerned.”  

“Naturally. About what?”  

“Well, they say that Christians who believe in the exhaustive sovereignty of God are setting themselves up.”  

“For…?”  

“For the temptation which says that because God controls everything, then the way I live doesn’t really matter.”  

“I see. In other words, if I am elect, then my sins won’t damn me, and if I am not, then all the good works in the world won’t save me. Is that it?”  

“Yes. That is exactly it. If the whole thing was settled before the world began, then why bother? My friends know that there are true Christians who believe this, but they think that, because of this theology, these Christians will tend to become careless about how they live.”  

“Why should we take responsibility for our actions after we have embraced a theology which cuts the nerve of personal responsibility?”  

“Right. If God controls everything, then what room is there for personal holiness?”  

Pastor Spenser thought for a moment. “The problem is not with your friends’ concern for personal holiness. That is admirable. All Christians should set their faces against carnal living on the part of professing Christians. But it does no good to oppose carnal living with carnal reasoning.”  

“What do you mean?”  

“When someone is whooping it up down at the bars, or sleeping with their girlfriend, why do we say it is sin?”  

“Is this a trick question?”  

Pastor Spenser grinned. “You might say that. Why do we call such things sin?”  

“Because the Bible does.”  

“Exactly. So this carnal living we have been talking about is a lifestyle that is not in submission to the clear teaching of the Word of God.”  

“Well, sure. But I still don’t see where you are going with this.”  

“Now if carnal living is a lifestyle that does not submit to God’s Word, then how should we define carnal reasoning?” 

“The same way, I suppose?”  

“Right. It is not enough to submit what we do externally to God; we must also submit the way we think. Your friends are trying to defend God’s standards for living by abandoning His standards for thinking. It cannot be successful.”  

“Is there a passage where this point is clear?”  

“Yes, in Philippians. Chapter 2, verses 12 and 13.”  

I turned to Philippians and read. “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” I looked up.  

“What does the passage say God is doing?” Pastor Spenser asked.  

I looked down again. “It says that He is working in the Philippians, both in willing and doing, and that the result is His good pleasure.”  

“And what would carnal reasoning do with that?”  

“Well, the response would be that if God is doing the willing, and if God is doing the doing, and the result is whatever He wants, then there is no reason for me to put myself out. It is going to happen anyway.”  

“Right. The reasoning says that if God is going to do the work, then why should I have to?”  

I nodded, and Pastor Spenser went on.  

“But what application of this truth does Paul command the Philippians to obey?”  

I looked at the passage again. “He tells them to work out their own salvation, with fear and trembling.” I glanced down further. “And in the next verse he goes on to specific ethical instruction – to avoid murmuring and disputing.”  

I sat and thought for a moment. “But my friends would say that the application they are making is obvious – common sense.”  

“Well, it certainly is common. But is it biblical?”  

“Why do so many Christians fall for this line of reasoning then? It seems like a trap that is extremely easy to fall into.”  

“Well, yes, it easy to fall into. But it is also easy to drink too much, not watch your tongue, lust after women, and so forth. And these are things which the church recognizes as sin, and warns the people against. But carnal reasoning is also easy, and almost no one warns the people.”  

“Why not?”  

“Sheep are hungry because shepherds don’t feed them. Shepherds don’t feed them because shepherds don’t have food.” Pastor Spenser leaned forward in his seat. “The shepherds don’t have food because they don’t study their Bibles.”  

“You think it is obvious in the Word?”  

“Certainly. When the apostle Paul magnified the prerogatives of the sovereign God, he fully anticipated the response of carnal reasoning.” Pastor Spenser leaned back, closed his eyes, and quoted, “You will say to me then, ‘Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?’” A modern pastor, in the unlikely event that someone asked him this, would say that it was a good question, and that he wrestles with it often himself. Paul tells the questioner to shut up and sit down. ‘But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God?’”  

“Paul doesn’t answer the question then?”  

Pastor Spenser opened his eyes. “Oh, he does. It just isn’t the answer carnal reason wants.”  

“So what is the answer?”  

“The answer is God – the same answer that is given at the end of the book of Job. Carnal reason doesn’t see a real answer there either. But believe me, it is a real answer. The answer is the ground of reality; the answer is God.”  

“What happens at the end of the book of Job?”  

“The questions raised in the book are conducive to carnal reason; indeed, even non-Christians are attracted to the first part of the book of Job. As they would put it, ‘It addresses the human condition.’ But then, at the end of the book, God comes in, with glory and thunder. And do you know what? He doesn’t answer any of the impertinent questions; rather, He poses some sobering questions of His own. ‘Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’”  

I nodded. “And He asks where Job was when the universe was created.”  

“The question is not irrelevant. It is the heart of the matter. Discussions of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility very rarely display any understanding at all of Who the Creator is.”  

“But my friends would say that you are making God responsible for evil, and that they are concerned to protect God’s honor and glory.”  

Pastor Spenser looked at me intently. “It is true that the affirmation of God’s total control over all things causes some to blaspheme. But your friends need not be concerned for God’s glory; man’s slanders and blasphemies do not touch Him. Such slanderers are pelting the sun with wadded-up balls of tissue paper.”  

“They are stumbling over something though.”  

“They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.”  

“Now, see? Why do you have to put these things so strongly? Doesn’t that cause people to react to what you are teaching? They were appointed to stumble?”  

“That wasn’t my choice of words. I was quoting 1 Peter 2:8.”  

“Oh. Oops.”  

“Your friends are concerned that God be seen as good. But seen as good by whom? Those who believe the Word of God will know that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. Of course He is good – by definition. And those who do not believe the Word of God will persist in thinking that there is a tribunal or court somewhere in which God will one day be arraigned. On the day of judgment, their folly will be apparent to all – even to them.”  

“So how do we bring this back to the original point?”  

“The original point was the concern that the doctrine of God’s sovereignty would be made into a cushion for sin. My answer to this is that we must, in all things, recognize God as God. We must do so in how we live holy lives, but we must also do so in why we live holy lives. We are to live in a holy way because God has commanded it.”  

“But you would also say that what God has commanded the believer He has also given the believer.”  

“Well, certainly.”  

“I honestly see why carnal reason has a problem with this.”  

“And I honestly see why carnal men want to lust after beautiful women. But what does the Bible say?”  

“What do you mean?”  

“What is the greatest commandment?”  

“That we love God.”  

“And what is the first fruit of the Spirit?”  

“Love.” I said. “I see.”  

“What do you see?” Pastor Spenser asked.  

“This takes us back to Philippians. We are commanded to work out what God works in.”  

“Right.” he said. “Nothing less.”

Time for Change in Knoxville

  Last November, in a post titled Tennessee Deserves Better, I somewhat tongue-in-cheek suggested that, should UT reach the SEC Championship Game, certain nay-saying sportswriters who have been antagonistic to Coach Philip Fulmer ought to be terminated. After all, I reasoned, if they believe that excellence is not good enough, and they are wrong in their prognostications, then by their own standards they don’t measure up.  They should be held to the same accountability they insist for Coach Fulmer.   

I now think it is time to remove the tongue-from-the-cheek as it pertains to one insidious columnist, John Adams, of the Knoxville News Sentinel.   

Earlier this week Adams penned a hatchet-piece that calls into question Coach Fulmer’s character. To me this is inexcusable, and outside the bounds of legitimate sports writing. It is personal. And it is offensive to anyone who knows Coach Fulmer.   

Most of you who read this blog know me, and therefore probably know I played football at UT in the early ‘80’s.  I mention that for the few who don’t know me, or for those who find this post through Google.  Coach Fulmer was an assistant coach during my four years at UT.  After college I had recurrent interactions with the coach because his son was part of a youth ministry I led.  So, while I have not seen him or spoken to him in over a decade, I know Phil Fulmer. 

Coach Fulmer has written a response to Adams. It surprised me that he dignified this with a response, but I suspect that Adams – and others like him – are having a detrimental effect on recruiting.  Fulmer’s response was direct, well written, and kinder than I think the situation deserved.  But that is Coach Fulmer’s way.

In his response Fulmer wrote that former players “have all loved and despised me at different points in their college days”. 

I concur. 

As a Freshman I was a Defensive Back, and played mostly on the scout team.  In trying to prepare his Offensive Linemen Fulmer was loud and tough. His toughness was not reserved for his position players alone, but often levied on those of us who messed up his preparation. On more occasions than I am capable of recalling I was the recipient of Fulmer’s wrath.  In short, for most of the Fall of my freshman year I thought Fulmer was a JERK!  I just could not understand why my friends who played on the line for him loved him – and love is the appropriate word.   

Later that Fall I learned.  It was after a practice during which I was singled out more than once for messing up the offensive preparation. (Keep in mind this is scout team defense, which exist solely for the benefit of the offense, not personal accomplishment.)   In the corridor between Gibbs Hall and Stokely Athletic Center, Coach Fulmer pulled me aside and explained his actions, and offered encouragement.  He never apologized. But his sincerity and demeanor had the same affect as if he had – probably better.  

For the first time I saw that despite the gruff, even harsh, exterior, Coach Fulmer really cared. And he cared not only for the stars that played for him, he cared about scrubs, like me.  I won’t say I started to love him that day, but I respected him, and understood why his linemen loved him.  

In the years following I moved from DB to QB, and rose from scrub to sub status – though never a key contributor. But Coach Fulmer’s interest in me as a young man didn’t wane despite my lack of ability.  And during that time I saw multiple instances of Fulmer’s caring for players as young men – including many who would never play a down for the Volunteers.  Most of these were instances that were known to only a very few.  And I have no doubt that there were – and have been in subsequent years – countless expressions of compassion that I’ll never know anything about.  It is the type of man he is. 

So when Phil Fulmer writes: “My first job as a coach is to be an educator and a mentor”, he is, if anything, understating reality.  When he takes exception to the notion that he shows partiality in proportion to talent, it is because he does not.

It is because I know the man that implications such as Adams’ irk me so.  While far from a perfect man, Fulmer does care for his players. Few Vols will ever say otherwise.   

Now I know character does not equal competence.  But if anyone can look at the record UT has compiled during his tenure and suggest Fulmer is not an excellent football coach, not only do they not know the man, they don’t know football. And they don’t have realistic expectations. 

If it is a typical fan who lacks these things, well so be.  But when it is a “professional” sports writer who is derelict in these areas it is incompetence.   

Incompetent journalism is no crime in America. But John Adams has gone even further. He has maligned the personal integrity of a man I know to be worthy of respect.  Adams has gotten personal for, what appears to be, a personal agenda.  While this may not be a crime either, I believe it is time he be fired from the News Sentinel.  And while I have no expectation of accomplishing anything, I will write the publisher to express that opinion. I invite you to do likewise. 

Enough is enough.

What Does It Look Like to be Smitten by God?

Another keen insight from Weak Dave :   

What does it look like to be smitten by God?  

Freshly convicted of sin.   Freshly contrite.  Freshly undone in an Isa-6-sort-of way.  Freshly humble.   Feeling very loved/cherished by God.  Freshly overwhelmed with Jesus and His salvation of me, to the point that everything else in my life, even the really good stuff, pales by comparison.  Freshly joyful, peaceful, regardless of my circumstances.   Freshly loving and gracious toward others, especially non-Christians, even the impossible to love, while at the same time, willing to draw boundaries.   And a surprising-but-healthy indifference about my performance/success/righteousness, knowing that it’s not about me and my performance, but about Jesus and His performance.  

The nicest, sweetest, kindest, most-loving thing that my Daddy in Heaven ever does for me, is not vocational/avocational/financial/relational success, but fresh conviction of sin.  Little sense of sin, little need of Jesus, and little joy and peace, unless I have easy circumstances, pleasing to my flesh.  

- WeakDave, encouraging strong Christians to ask God to overhaul us – especially WeakDave, so we’re more honest, with God, self, others, about our weakness/failure in following Jesus, so that non-Christians are awed by His supernatural power in humbling proud, clueless, hypocrites (2 Cor 4:7-11)

This message was sent by: GospelFriendships, 13 E Broad St, Hatfield, PA 19440

Global Missions Glossary

Adherent: A follower of a particular religion, church or philosophy. This is the broadest possible category of such followers and includes professing and affiliated adults and also their children (practicing and non-practicing) who may reside in a given area or country.  

Adoption (of an unreached people): Making a commitment to an unreached people until there is an indigenous, reproducing church established among them. Aspects may include prayer, research, and networking toward church planting. Sometimes called “people group adoption” or adopt-a-people.  

Advocate: People group advocates are individuals who have committed themselves to one specific people group (ethnic group), to learn about them, their environment, culture, demographics, status, etc. They pray about how churches can be established among them. They may network and partner with others to encourage their involvement.  

Affinity Bloc: Families of peoples related in aspects such as religion, culture, history, politics, and geography. In nearly every bloc there are widely dissimilar and unrelated linguistic minorities, but often there is one particular culture that is dominant. 

Church planting: Missionary role of evangelism, discipleship and training of leaders for the establishment of a body of believers, or a church. Does not refer to a physical building.  

Closed Country: Countries that limit or prevent Christian ministry by expatriates as missionaries. Alternatively they are called creative-access countries, restricted access countries, closing countries, restrictive countries, sensitive countries.  

Cluster: Grouping of peoples within each affinity bloc which are closely related peoples and, for strategic purposes, may be clustered together. These relationships are often based on a common identity of language and name, but sometimes on the basis of culture, religion, economy, or dominance of one group over another.  

Collaboration: To combine forces and resources to meet a common goal.  

Contextualization: Adapting a biblical concept, mission method, etc., without changing the substance, to make it understood within the context of an ethnic culture. 

Ethnocentrism: Seeing the world through self-colored glasses, so that your culture always looks best and becomes the pattern everyone else should fit into. By no means is ethnocentrism restricted to the majority culture in a country, but it is a nearly universal tendency among humans. 

Ethnolinguistic People: An ethnic or racial group speaking its own language. A people group distinguished by its self-identity with traditions of common descent, history, customs and language. Also known as a people.  

Evangelism: An effective presentation of the Gospel by someone from the same culture, and within a culture where the missiological breakthrough of a viable church has already taken place.  

Expatriate: One who has taken up residence in a foreign country.  

Field: The location where ministry, church planting, and evangelism takes place.  

Field-based: Strategy determined by those on the field, rather than from those at the “home,” sending, or resource base.  

Frontier: Pertaining to unreached areas or peoples.  

Frontier Missions: Cross-cultural evangelism to People Groups where no missiological breakthroughs have occurred (or among a People Group where no viable church exists).  

Harvest Field: All who are not true Christians; not part of the Body of Christ.  

Harvest Force: Those of the Body of Christ who are involved in a direct or indirect way in helping to bring in the harvest of souls.  

Indigenous peoples or persons: Those individuals or groups who originate from a particular area; a national, a native.  

Joshua Project Unreached Peoples List: A listing of “country-distinct” peoples each over 10,000 in population that were chosen by their ethnolinguistic distinction and their status of being less than 2% Evangelical and less that 5% Christian adherents.  (see Joshua Project)

Martyr: A Christian believer who dies in a situation of witness as a result of human hostility.  

Mission: The loving work of God to bring humankind to himself as the Church (missio dei). Secondarily, the overall ministry of the Church for world evangelization. 

Missiology: The study of missions and mission strategies; the theology of missions; how and why we do missions. 

Mission agency: A Christian organization helping to further God’s work in the world. “Mission board” and “sending agency” are virtually the same thing. 

Missionary: One who is sent with a message. The Christian missionary is one commissioned by a local church to evangelize, plant churches and disciple people away from his home area, among people of a different race, culture or language (i.e. cross culture).  

Missions Resource Organization: These agencies support the work of field missions and missionaries by offering information, resources, materials, and mobilization of the Church.  

National: Any person who is from the country to which a missionary is going.  

Network: An extended group of people with similar interests or concerns who interact and remain in informal contact for mutual assistance or support.  

Non-Resident Missionary: Professional career missionary who is working towards the evangelization of a particular people or cluster, but resides outside the group, usually in a city with good international communications facilities and no surveillance. 

Para-church: Refers to a Christian organization independent of any church denominational structures. 

Partnership: An association of two or more autonomous bodies who have formed a trusting relationship and agreed upon expectations by sharing complementary strengths and resources, to reach their mutual goal.  

People Group: A significantly large sociological grouping of individuals who perceive themselves to have a common affinity with one another. From the viewpoint of evangelization, this is the largest possible group within which the gospel can be spread without encountering barriers of understanding or acceptance.  

Prayer journey: A trip to pray on location for the lost. Team members may spend extended time prayerwalking, asking God to bring the Gospel to that unreached people group. It does not entail evangelism or mercy ministries.  

Prayerwalking: Praying “on-site with insight.” Taking prayers outside the church walls as we walk through an area. Praying in the very places we expect to see God bring forth His answers. Usually low profile and unobtrusive in appearance. 

Praying Through the Window: Prayer initiatives developed for the purpose of worldwide focused prayer for the countries and peoples in the 10/40 Window.  (see Pray Thru the Window) 

Reached/unreached: A term that is widely used today to describe people groups and areas that have or have not responded to the preaching of the gospel. Strictly, it should be a measure of the exposure of a people group to the gospel and not a measure of the response.  

Regular Missions: Pertaining to cross cultureal evangelism by a different-culture worker, in association with same-cultural workers if possible, where a missiological breakthrough has already taken place.  

Strategy Coordinator: One who develops and implements a strategy to reach a people group, working with a team or network. Support: The finances and prayer needed and given for mission trips & work. 

Syncretism: Fusion of differing systems of belief. Mixing Christianity with heresy.

Synergy: The interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects. Cooperative interaction among groups that creates an enhanced combined effect.  

Tentmaker: A cross-cultural witness who works at a paying, usually secular, job overseas. Often they are able to gain entry into “closed” countries which restrict traditional mission efforts.  

10/40 Window: The area of the world between latitudes 10 degrees and 40 degrees north of the equator in the Eastern hemisphere, covering North Africa, Middle East and Asia. The window has in view most of the world’s areas of greatest physical and spiritual need, most of the world’s least-reached peoples and most of the governments that oppose Christianity. (see 10/40 Window.org and Window International Network) 

Unreached /Least Reached People Group:  A people or people group among whom there is no viable indigenous community of believing Christians (i.e.  no church) with adequate numbers and resources to evangelize their own people without outside (cross-cultural) assistance.  The general defining critieria is a People Group that is less than 2% Evangelical Christian and less than 5% Christian Adherents.  (see Joshua Project) 

World Evangelization: The whole Church taking the whole gospel to the whole world. The goal of giving every person the opportunity to hear the gospel in a way they understand, to become disciples of Christ, and to join with others in fellowship without leaving their own culture or people.  

A Mind for Missions: Global Evangelism

 With our church having just come through the front end of our first missions conference in at least a generation there are a number of people who are sensitive to what God is doing in the world, and hungry to explore what part he has in mind for us – the average Christian.  Wanting to take advantage of the high interest while it is still at its keenest, I thought I’d suggest a few books – some that are are almost must reads - for anyone wanting to learn about the advancement of the Gospel as a global enterprise.   

And while I have in mind those people from our church, I know that there are many others out there searching the web for recommendations of good mission books.  The following list is for those wanting to dig deeper, not necessarily for those who are experienced in mobilization and sending. 

This is in no way exhaustive, so feel free to add to the list.   

Let the Nations Be Glad by John Piper 

The Church is BIGGER Than You Think by Patrick Johnstone 

A Mind For Mission by Paul Borthwick 

How to Be a World-Class Christian by Paul Borthwick 

Christian Mission in the Modern World by John Stott 

What in the World is God Doing? by Gordon Olson

Transforming Mission by David Bosch 

Run With the Vision by Bob Sjogren and Bill & Amy Stearns

Cat & Dog Theology

 

It seems to be going great.

Our church is in the middle of hosting the Cat & Dog Theology seminar as part of our missions conference. And despite those reservations that would usually be expected when a conservative church hosts a seminar with such a preposterous sounding theme, those in attendance seem to be benefiting from the teaching and experience.

To be honest, this is what I expected when we scheduled the conference. I’ve been familiar with this seminar, and the host agency, UnveilinGLORY, for some time. We hosted this same seminar in the previous church I served, and we used the material that pre-dated Cat & Dog Theology in the church I served before that.

The seminar title catches your attention, but most people are not quite sure what to expect. It’s easy to assume that even if the teaching is kosher, how much depth could there possibly be? But you’d be surprised.

Cat & Dog Theology is based on an old joke about the differences between cats and dogs. It is said that while dogs have masters, cats have staff. And the sad truth is that too many Christians live in relationship to God more like cats who assume God exists simply to provide for us, with little regard for His Glory, His Purpose, and His Mission, except as it benefits us. Dogs, on the other hand, delight to be in their master’s presence. And in that sense we ought to be far more dogged.

What has any of this to do with World Evangelization? That’s a common question, once people understand the basis of the conference, and overcome initial apprehensions and skepticisms.

The fundamental motive and goal of Christian mission should be God-centered: it is for the purpose of declaring His glory among all Nations. While the result of effective mission will be the salvation of peoples from every tribe, tongue, and Nation, the ultimate goal (and result) is the gathering of heartfelt worshippers of the One True God from among all the Peoples of the Earth.

Cat & Dog Theology, by helping unveil the Glory of God, the mission of God (Missio Dei) revealed consistently from Genesis to Revelation, and the call to all Christians to be participants in this mission, not only moves us out into the world, but it reminds us of the ultimate reason we go.

The conference continues and concludes tonight.

If you are in the area I invite you to join us. For readers of this blog who are not part of Walnut Hill Church, I highly recommend hosting the Cat & Dog Theology seminar in your church. It will make a world of difference, as you consider how you can – and why you should – make a difference in the world.

For those of you from Walnut Hill, I invite you to comment on what you learned and what you thought. It should make for some enlightening discussions.