Reflections on the Gospel Coalition National Conference 2009

I'm on the home stretch of the GCNC09. Its been a really good experience for the crew I've been here with and the 3394 others here also. In this post I'll share general reflections on the conference and coalition.

Next post I'll share the handful of proverbial statements ikm taking with me from this conference.

• The term "gospel-centered", a key phrase for the conference and the coalition, is one I really, really like. Its a phrase that can enter every conversation and serve as a guide and a check.
• The Coalition, as represented at the conference, is very white, very male, quite Reformed, and oriented heavily toward what is preached. If the Coalition is going to have broader impact, it needs to navigate a bigger river in my estimation.
• I love the emphasis on church-planting and the number of young men here--it excites me.
• Effective preachers have a very wide range of approaches to how they communicate. Being yourself and preaching the text in ways that people can hear is the key. Contra the ad-world: image is nothing, text and authenticity is everything.
• The great value of a conference for me is the personal, extended time spent with my cohort and the cohorts of friends new and old. Dinner with Mike and Kyle, train rides with Tony and Luke, hallway chats with Jackson, Jon, Steve, Jonathan and a bunch of others. Conferences are especially good relationship times.
• The Gospel is the best conference focal point I've experienced. Deeply refreshing and practical. Would love to do it again.

Comments

[Dan Johnson]

"...image is nothing, text and authenticity is everything."
Thank You! If more of us would try harder to be other-worldly and not dumb down the Gospel trying to be hip, the global impact of Christianity would be far greater.

[Coleen]

"The Coalition, as represented at the conference, is very white, very male, quite Reformed, and oriented heavily toward what is preached. If the Coalition is going to have broader impact, it needs to navigate a bigger river in my estimation."

First of all, it is male because it is directed at Pastors as it should be.
Not just quite reformed, but very reformed. And since Time mag names the New Calvinists one of the ten things changing America right now http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1884779_1884782_1884760,00.html naming even some of these, we should pay attention.

What I like about most of these guys is they care more about Christ than culture. They care more about the correct preaching of the word than feel good messages, (In Time Keller's words 'Historical Redemptive Expository Preaching') Which is biblical Preaching, and they recognize the current Evangelical Crisis which has sold out Christ for the sake of culture.

Why do they not navigate a bigger river?? Because too many don't want to swim it.

Coleen Sharp
http://caffeinatedthoughts.com/
Brighton, CO