My hope and desire behind the BoB fellowship was that it would be an encouragement and blessing to you, to strengthen you and provide opportunity to fellowship and strengthen others to be set apart for the gospel of Jesus Christ. We come from all across the world, all with different stories of how the gospel of Jesus Christ has changed us, shaped us, and continues to transform us from one degree of glory to another until we see His face.

What most of you do not know is that this almost did not happen. In fact, in early February I was one week away before needing to make a decision to call the conference off. The fact that this even happened was the direct result of answered prayer and the kind providence of God. While I have been recognized as the person with the vision for the Band of Bloggers, it cannot be said enough how important each person has been to believe in, and be an important part of, this gospel-driven vision. For instance, many of you have used your blogs and contacts to get the word out about this meeting, where there was a total of over 150 bloggers in attendance, more than twice that of the 2006 fellowship. The immediate needs of financial administration and sound equipment was provided by the gracious help of Tony Kummer and Calvary Baptist Church where he serves. Fantastic graphics and poster design was provided by Jake Stutzman who serves with Heartcry Missionary Society in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. About a dozen of you who attended arrived (very) early to spend a couple of hours making the BoB goody bags (including the publishers who freely provided them!).

One of the dreams I had for this year’s conference was being able to give away two books–one more than 2006. Yet, as I began talking to friends and publishers, two became three, three became four, and four became eight! I am indebted to Desiring God, Founders Press, Reformation Heritage Books, InQuest Ministries, Grace to You, Crossway Books, and Banner of Trust for allowing me to experience so much joy in see these books freely given to so many brothers and sisters. I believe these resources will be invaluable tools in the hands of gospel-centered followers of Christ.

Finally, I want to say a special thanks to the panel for their participation and leadership in the discussion of “The Gospel Trust.” Tim Challies, Thabiti Anyabwile, Abraham Piper, and Phil Johnson did a fantastic job of raising the bar for all of us and fostering the discussion on how to be good stewards with our blogs for the sake of the gospel. I also want to express my appreciation to Justin Taylor who was not able to be with us due to the exciting adoption opportunity which precluded his participation. Justin has been and continues to be a wonderful supporter of BoB, and his absence from this year’s meeting was significant.

In the future, we are hoping to continue with the vision to be good stewards of the gospel trust by developing a center for perpetuating gospel-centeredness in the evangelical blogosphere. Please stay tuned for developments in the upcoming days and weeks intended to incorporate everyone who desires to be a part of a community of bloggers who willingly hold one another accountable to the gospel trust and the glory of God.

1. Is it ever appropriate to use sarcasm and satire in our blogging as carriers of the gospel?

2. What about controversy? Knowing that people are interested in controversial matters, is it ever acceptable to tackle controversial matters as a means of connecting people with the gospel?

3. Can our attitudes and how we treat (or neglect) our readers cause people to be turned away from the message we carry?

4. Are we taking advantage of the tools and resources available to us to transmit the gospel message to as many people as possible in a God-honoring way?

5. How can we communicate the gospel to people beyond our network or created blog culture? Are we reaching out to unbelievers with our blogs, atheists, seekers, etc.? Should that be a stated goal? If not, why not?

I realize that the issues of contextualization and culture are huge issues here, and I hope that we can come together to target intentional ways we can be good stewards of the gospel trust with creative and challenging discussion.

May we all reflect on how the gospel is at work in our individual lives, the formatting of our blogs, and the manner and ways in which we communicate the gospel through our blogs and in our lives. I look forward to seeing many of you and discussing “The Gospel Trust” in just a couple of days!

Tell them that it takes relentless intentionality to keep a Christ-exalting blog from become a clever blog. The temptation to entertain is almost irresistible.

Relentless intentionality.  In other words, gospel-centered blogging is hard work.  It is concentrated work.  And it is a discriminating work–that is, discriminating against other things that might obscure or diminish the glory and worth of the gospel to which we have been entrusted. 

So with that said, let us consider the content of our blog(s) and remind ourselves of the stewardship of being entrusted with the most important, most valuable, most glorious reality in the universe–the gospel of the glory of Christ.

Some questions for consideration:

1.  How readily accessible is the gospel on your blog?

2.  How does the gospel shape your writing and govern the content of your blog?

3.  Is there regularity or gospel normativity to the overarching purpose and theme to your writing? 

4.  Does the content of your blog reflect joy and delight in the gospel?  Can readers be led to treasure Jesus Christ through what you have written?

5.  How often do you think, plan, pray, and seek the Spirit’s leadership in preparing and posting your thoughts? 

Let us encourage and exhort one another to be faithful stewards of the gospel trust! 

Many of you already know that the theme for this year’s meeting is “The Gospel Trust” (I have written briefly about this earlier). To set the stage, I would like to briefly share some thoughts about three areas for our consideration by way of prolegomena: thoughts on the Christian Writer, on the Content of our blogs, and the Communication of the Gospel.

Thoughts on the Christian Writer

First and foremost, as Christians, we must consider how the gospel is affecting, influencing, and transforming our lives. Perhaps this might sound elemental, but we cannot and will not graduate from the daily experiencing and applying the good news of Jesus Christ to our lives as we seek to be conformed into His image on a continual basis. Some questions we might ask ourselves include:

1. If someone were to ask us, “What is the Gospel?” would be you be prepared to share that with them?

2. How are you applying the gospel to your own heart and life on a regular basis?

3. Are you paying close attention to your heart’s affections, your mind’s thoughts, your conscience and will as to how the gospel is shaping and transforming your moral faculties?

4. Has the “gospel-centered life” become a slogan that has been embraced but is lacking in substance?

5. What are some ways to be gospel-driven in the ordinary, day-to-day scheduling of your life?

When we gather together around the theme, “The Gospel Trust,” it is important that each of us consider what kind of steward we are when it comes to the gospel and our own soul and personal sanctification. It is very easy to meander away from the center, to view the cross at a comfortable distance. Yet, the life of repentance that sings and faith that treasures all that God is for us in His Son Jesus Christ should lead us to greater enjoyment of our Savior whose face radiates “the light of the glory of God”. As we near our time together, let us consider ourselves in light of the gospel trust–a trust that begins first and foremost as we live coram deo.

Also, I would like to draw your attention to two things: the attendees page where you can find the names of all who have registered, where they live, and where you can find their blogs. Perhaps you will find folks in your area you might want to hook up with in the days to come. Secondly, I have also created a Google map marking the location of all those attending as well. I will be updating both these as more register in the days to come.

Lastly, I need to mention something I had assumed and did not realize that I need to address. The Band of Bloggers fellowship is a gathering evangelical Christian bloggers who are confessionally united under the banner of the Together for the Gospel Statement. If you desire to attend this fellowship and do not agree with the confessional statement under which the Band of Bloggers gather, I would encourage you to not register for this event. If you happen to register for Band of Bloggers, and it is brought to our attention that you are not together in the same evangelical convictions, we reserve the right to refund your money and decline your registration.

I will have more updates to come in the near future. Please stay tuned as we prepare for this year’s event!

After a long process of working out the details, the 2008 Band of Bloggers fellowship is open for registration! The window of registration will be from February 18-March 31, 2008 (a total of six weeks). So be sure to help us get the word out to all the bloggers attending T4G this year.

A few things to note:

1. $15 for Registration

The Galt House (where the T4G conference was held in 2006) has agreed to host this year’s meeting and will be catering the attendees with a boxed lunch. Those of you who have been around downtown Louisville know how difficult it is to find a place to eat, moreover, a place that is affordable. We are committed to making the cost as affordable as possible, but given that we are working with no budget or any outside financial support, a small registration fee is required. Included in this cost is lunch and other treats TBA. If you plan to attend and cannot afford the $15, please email us at thegospeltrust@gmail.com.

2. Limited Capacity

The current conference room will allow us to seat approximately 150 people. Therefore, it is important that you register early. If perchance, we exceed this capacity in short order, we will pursue the possibility of a larger meeting room. We would like to make this open to as many as possible, so please do not procrastinate in signing up!

3. Location, Directions, and Time

The Galt House is located just one block away from the Kentucky Convention Center and can be accessed indoors (less than a five minute walk). For those traveling from the airport, I have created a Google Map and have pin-pointed the locations for both the Galt House and Convention Center. For those of you concerned that you will miss the first session of T4G, it does not begin until 2:30, and Band of Bloggers is scheduled to end at 1:30 p.m. that afternoon.

The purpose of this event is to provide all attending bloggers of the 2008 Together for the Gospel conference an opportunity to meet, fellowship, and engage in a fruitful, gospel-centered discussion with some of the leading bloggers today. It is our desire that you to be refreshed personally, connected corporately, and fueled Christocentricly. May the Lord use this time to burn in our hearts a love for the gospel and for one another.

“On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised . . .”. Gal. 2:7

“but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.” 1 Thess. 2:4

“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” 2 Cor. 5:18-19

“. . . in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.” 1 Tim. 1:11

“O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you.” 1 Tim. 6:20

“By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.” 2 Tim. 1:14

“and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Tim. 2:2

That is the theme for the 2008 Band of Bloggers fellowship.  What is it?  What does it mean?  How are we to understand and live it out?  According to Merriam Webster, a “trust” (noun) is

“assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something: one in which confidence is placed.”

Other definitions include one person being responsible for something intended for the benefit of another.  Therefore, to be “entrusted” is to have one “commit to another with confidence, or confer a trust upon.”

These definitions, although they are general, are helpful in considering the reality that we as Christians have been entrusted with the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Assured reliance, commitment with confidence, conference with trust, solemn stewardship–all these descriptions should remind us of the charge given by our Commanding Officer.

In the days ahead, we will be thinking, discussing, and centering our attention on The Gospel Trust.  Please join us as we seek to live humble servants and faithful stewards of the glorious gospel.

Many of you will remember that in concert with the 2006 Together for the Gospel Conference a meeting was held called “The Band of Bloggers.” The outcome of that fellowship was the gathering of over 70 bloggers all across the country. While the event was a success and encouragement to many, it has been our desire to build upon that vision with a more concentrated and collaborative effort for the upcoming 2008 Together for the Gospel Conference.

On Tuesday, April 15, 2008, we will gather for the second Band of Bloggers fellowship. The meeting will take place during lunch just prior to the first session of the T4G conference at the Galt House in downtown Louisville. The theme for the 2008 Band of Bloggers is “The Gospel Trust,” and the guest speakers who will comprise the panel include Tim Challies, Justin Taylor, Thabiti Anyabwile, and Mark Lauterbach. With a strong blogging community in Louisville, Said at Southern will facilitate in hosting the event.

Plans and preparations are being finalized, and more details will be forthcoming in the near future. More information as well as articles, interviews, and podcasts will be available here at the new Band of Bloggers website. Be sure to subscribe to the BOB feed for further updates.

:: Overview ::

2008 Band of Bloggers
“The Gospel Trust”
Tuesday, April 15, 2008 :: (11:30 – 1:30)
The Galt House (Louisville, KY)
Tim Challies, Justin Taylor, Thabiti Anyabwile, and Mark Lauterbach