I Think I Have Had That Dream

What a Day!

Yesterday was a banner day in the life of Cedar Creek. I am still excited and thrilled about how the Lord moved among us. At the conclusion of the second service, 23 people “crossed the line”, declaring their desire to be completely committed followers of Jesus (rededications, transfers, and a couple of soon-to-take-place baptisms). Praise the Lord! There were many tears, cheers, hugs, and prayers. What a day! I learned later that many others stepped over that sideline (after both services), doing business in their hearts with the Lord: some as couples, others as individuals. I believe the Lord is calling all of us to examine our hearts. Are we fans or followers?

This next Sunday, we will dig into God’s Word once again. The message is Choosing Intimacy. The focus is on knowing God, not simply knowing about God, with an emphasis on the heart of the Father towards His children. If you want to read ahead, we will be using the parable of the Prodigal Son, found in Luke 15:11-32.

T4G Recap

This week I had the privilege of attending the Together for the Gospel Conference for the second time. It did not disappoint, and what made it extra special was that my son Luke accompanied me. We had a good time and some spiritually rich father/son discussions.  When I’m at T4G and The Gospel Coalition (a similar conference) I have mixed feelings. I’m thrilled and challenged by the Bible exposition and the seriousness with which attendees approach Scripture and worship and study. Interestingly, in the informal assessment of attendees (done by Mark Dever at the opening session) it would appear that 80% of those gathered were in the 20s-30s age bracket – aka, the Young, Restless, and Reformed. I find myself asking, “Where is this group among my tribe?” (Independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ). Where are the young people (or older folks, for that matter) who really want to get closer to the Lord, study/know His word, and learn from those in church history who have walked the path before us? I wrote about this after returning from the last T4G. I still feel the same way.

The book giveaways were great (listed here), and the offerings in the bookstore were tremendous. Noticeably absent were the latest pragmatic church growth books and lightweight Christian self-help titles. 

The messages were good, but I think David Platt’s message was one of the best messages on missions I have ever heard.  

Together for the Gospel

I will be attending the Together for the Gospel conference in Louisville this week with my son Luke. The speakers and the breakout sessions look to be outstanding. These are not the guys I usually hang out with (most are from a Reformed/Calvinist tradition), but I have learned a lot through the years from them, and my previous experiences at t4g (and The Gospel Coalition) have been wonderful.

It's Friday, but Sunday's Coming