Lessons From TGC '19

Photo By Andy Yoon

I have always been an admirer of 'The Gospel Coalition' from afar through their online materials and resources found on www.thegospelcoalition.org. TGC, since its inception, has been dedicated to the mission as stated on their site, "We are a fellowship of evangelical churches in the Reformed tradition deeply committed to renewing our faith in the gospel of Christ and to reforming our ministry practices to conform fully to the Scriptures." The US national conference for TGC is held bi-annually and this year's edition was held in Indianapolis, Indiana in the Indiana Convention Center with the theme of "Conversations with Jesus". The conference took place from April 1-3 and included well-known reformed speakers; John Piper, Kevin DeYoung, D.A. Carson, Tim Keller, David Platt and others. Each speaker took turns exegeting and expositing their assigned texts for thousands, if not millions, of listeners across the globe. Each speaker eloquently and in their own personal styles breaking down conversations Jesus had with various figures in the gospels. What was clear however was the emphasis on the gospel content of each conversation examined and the challenge to carry on that proclamation in our own lives. I had never previously attended a TGC conference in any of their national chapters so this was a brand new experience for me. Here are some key takeaways and lessons that I gained from this conference. My prayer is that it would assist and bless you in some manner as it did for me.

1) D.A. Carson, co-founder of The Gospel Coalition, opened up the conference with a statement that set the tone and the ultimate mission of the church, "You preserve the Gospel best by giving it away." And off we went on a three day journey under the ministry of faithful preachers who attempted to teach us exactly how Jesus went about in preaching the gospel to and through various folks in the gospel narratives.

2) Who better to open, or close for that matter, a conference than the author of such titles as Don't Waste Your Life and Let the Nations Be Glad than John Piper. Piper spoke and preached as only John Piper speaks and preaches; with passion, joy and exegetical mastery. His grip on the text and expositional excellence captivated ears and hearts as we were taught about Mark 8:31-38. Piper emphasized the fact that the life, suffering, death and resurrection of Christ was an act of God's sovereignty (who didn't see that coming?) and so he confidently concluded, "There is no gospel apart from the sovereignty of God." What caught me was that the sovereignty of God meant that our own preaching of this gospel to lost souls also falls under this sovereignty. This means there is no reason to fear results, nor man, nor rejection in this world. If Christ himself preached his own gospel, was rejected and suffered for it, then who are we to attempt to avoid such things? How can we expect that our preaching of the same gospel in our lives could be void of such difficulties? We must learn to act on faith rather than fear.

3) Tim Keller shared an analogy that left me in awe, "Babies contribute nothing to their birth. Babies are born by somebody else’s work. (In the same way) We are born again through Christ’s pain and suffering, even at the cost of his life, much like a child is born into the world through the risk, pain and suffering of a mother." Keller spoke on John 3 and Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus. This insight and comment provoked my mind all evening as I came to understand my new birth in Christ all over again.

4) Ligon Duncan is the only preacher that has ever made me cry in a sermon during his sermon in last year's "Together for the Gospel" conference. My soul was ministered to once again as he challenged listeners to read the conversation in Mark 7 between Jesus and the Syrophoenician woman. In verse 28 she replies to Jesus, "“Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Duncan's interpretation and insight was that she she was expressing immense faith in Jesus as the Christ and as the only one who could help her daughter. She understands exactly who she is talking to and she humbly comes to Jesus to be met by him exactly where she is by admitting her sins but seeking the mercy of God which is more than her sins.

5) Trip Lee preached a sermon on Matthew 8:1-13 and shared this keeper of a quote, "Jesus has purchased our full healing on the cross because we know he has died for our glorified bodies to come. So the answer to our petition for healing is “not yet” not “no.”" What he was expressing here is that our physical, mental and emotional healing has already been made complete on the cross as those who put their faith in Christ will be glorified in the age to come. So when we go to God and seek healing right now, God's response is not "no" eternally, it is a temporary "not yet" until the time comes. What an eye opening teaching that yields our desires before the will of God.

Overall this conference was an experience that was both edifying and encouraging to the soul. I was able to sit under the ministry of faithful men of God who taught with urgency and textual precision. I walked away thinking to myself, "How great it is that God is working not only in MY life but in the lives of thousands and millions across the globe to preserve HIS gospel. I am not the means by which the church will rise, grow or flourish, for it is God alone who will determine these things. And the gospel is something He will preserve for all eternity for His sake." All glory to God forever.