Band of Bloggers

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

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.

Below are some of the verses which speak the matter of having been entrusted by God, whether it be “the good deposit,” “the gospel,” the faith,” or the “ministry of reconciliation.” What is fascinating to me as I have been examining some of these verses is that the same word which denotes saving faith (pisteuo) is the same word to denote what we have been given by God (in Greek: pisteuqh/nai, pepi,steumai, and evpisteu,qhn). In other words, we entrust our salvation into the hands of our Savior Jesus Christ; yet, Scripture reveals that God entrusts to us the gospel, the most glorious message in the world! So as we continue to think about The Gospel Trust, perhaps some of these passages would be some food for thought and meditation.

“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

The Gospel Trust.

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.