T4Free Question #6

True to form, Al Mohler has given his T4G talk a provocative title: "Why Do They Hate It So? The Doctrine of Substitution." Today’s question for a free 08 conference registration is

Why do you think the doctrine of substitution, as Al Mohler’s talk puts it, is hated so?

Contest rules:

1. Post your answer in the "comments" section.
2. Your answer must be accompanied with a working email address.
3. Each question will remain open for 24 hours.
4. The winner’s name and answer will be posted sometime afterwards.
5. Winner receives free registration for him/herself or a friend.
6. Responses must be in 100 words or less.

T4Free question #4 WINNER!

is Matt Rawlings of the Sovereign Grace church of Greenville, South Carolina. 

How approrpriate that a SovGrace pastor would best advise CJ on what to have in the final talk at T4G!  There were a lot of good answers, a good number giving similar answers.  Anyway, here is Matt’s cousel to CJ:

"Confidence in God’s Care for His people, even when you feel yours is no good.
Often, we loose sight of the fact that pastoral care is ultimately not about our care but it’s about us being agents of God’s care for His people.
We can become too focused on our abilities (or lack thereof) in mediating God’s care to others. In response, we become despondent when we see our inadequacies. What we need to see though, is God’s more than adequate care more than anything else – after all the church is full of God’s people – not our people."

Now that’s a word we all need to hear.  Thanks, Matt!

T 4 Free #5

We have a few more free T4G ’08 registrations to give away before they close. Here’s today’s question:

Of the four T4G hosts, who is most likely to change their mind on a theological issue and what issue would it be?

Contest rules:

1. Post your answer in the "comments" section.
2. Your answer must be accompanied with a working email address.
3. Each question will remain open for 24 hours.
4. The winner’s name and answer will be posted sometime afterwards.
5. Winner receives free registration for him/herself or a friend.
6. Responses must be in 100 words or less.

T 4 Free question #3 winner!

David Martin of Southport, Indiana gave us the best answer to the question

What is the most awkward/unexpected/funny moment you have had when interviewing for the job of pastor?

We had a good number of funny, sad, interesting answers.  Wow!  There are some . . . interesting situations out there!  But, here’s the one we picked:

"While interviewing . . . , a lady asked "the" question.  Innocently, she wanted to know what my thoughts were on Santa Claus and his being a part of the Christmas program as had always been the tradition at this church.  I was caught a bit off guard, but responded that I did not see the necessity of bringing Santa into the church and confusing the message of Christ with that of the culture.  Immediately, what had been a good interviewing session went deafeningly quiet and . . . , I did not get that pastorate because of my postion on Santa Claus."

Lesson:  watch out for your Clausology?

Unity around the evangel, not evangelism

“It is because we are committed to Evangelism that we must speak in antithesis at times. If we do not make clear by word and practice our position for truth and against false doctrine, we are building a wall between the next generation and the gospel. The unity of evangelicals should be on the basis of truth, not evangelism itself. If this is not so, "success" in evangelism can result in weakening Christianity. Any consideration of methods is secondary to this central principle.”

Francis Schaeffer

T 4 Free Question #4

Here’s chance # 4 for a free T4G 2008 registration. Help CJ write his talk "Sustaining a Pastor’s Soul." What point do you think must be included in any talk with that title?

Contest rules:

1. Post your answer in the "comments" section.
2. Your answer must be accompanied with a working email address.
3. Each question will remain open for 24 hours.
4. The winner’s name and answer will be posted sometime afterwards.
5. Winner receives free registration for him/herself or a friend.
6. Responses must be in 100 words or less.

T 4 Free question #2 WINNER

The winner of our question why the local church is better than a pastors conference IS

moving to New Jersey soon,

but now resides in Franklin, TN.

Reid Monaghan is the winner!

And the winning entry was:

Top Ten Reasons Local Churches are better than pastors’ conferences:

1. It is OK your pastor is not named “John” or “Mark”
2. Deacon cage matches – learning to forgive and be forgiven
3. You have to be rich to go to conferences – the poor are welcomed in local churches (hopefully)
4. The Lord’s Table
5. Scripture – You find out God has given many teachers to his church – beyond the 7  guys who are invited to every reformed conference
6. All mission is local
7. Where everybody knows your name and they’re always glad you came – (again, hopefully)
8. Pot-Lucks
9. Special music – or not
10. People meeting Jesus

T 4 Free question #3

For this next question, we may have to post a number of the top answers. Still, we’re looking to give a free T4G registration to the top answer. And the question is…

What is the most awkward/unexpected/funny moment you have had when interviewing for the job of pastor?

Contest rules:

1. Post your answer in the "comments" section.
2. Your answer must be accompanied with a working email address.
3. Each question will remain open for 24 hours.
4. The winner’s name and answer will be posted sometime afterwards.
5. Winner receives free registration for him/herself or a friend.
6. Responses must be in 100 words or less.

Winner of T4Free #1

A lot of you (maybe around 200?) sent in a lot of answers.  I have to tell you they clustered around the following:  Jesus Christ ("I am of Christ"), Paul, a great one on one of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, various other people from Scripture, Luther, Calvin, (a few Sibbes, thank you!), Edwards, Whitfield, Spurgeon and Lloyd-Jones.  I would love to tell you more about the entries, but I’m working on some talks I’m supposed to give out at Golden Gate Seminary, and in Sacramento on Wed. & Thurs of this week, so I can’t do that.  Just know that we appreciate all the entries and hope that God will use the speakers we DO have to bless and encourage those who gather at T4G.

Now, on to the winner.  The winner is Joey Asbury of Greenwood, Indiana.  He said that he wasn’t at T4G 06 but recently watched the videos on Ligonier.  (Thanks, Ligonier!)  And that he’ll look forward to coming this year.

And here is his entry:  "I would like to hear George Whitefield preach for two reasons. 

1. Whenever I hear the term “Together for the Gospel” I think of the great quote by Whitefield.

"Father Abraham, whom have you in heaven? Any Episcopalians? No! Any Presbyterians? No! Have you any Independents or Seceders? No! Have you any Methodists? No! No! No! Whom have you there? We don’t know those names here! All who are here are Christians."

2. I would love to hear a man who could preach a Spirit-filled gospel message to 5,000 without the aid of a microphone."

Well, in heaven.  But isn’t it wonderful to sharpen our gratitude for some of the faithfulnesses that God has shown us in servants past.  Let’s pray that God make us fruitful servants in our own time.

T 4 Free #2

Time for more fun.

For a free registration to Together for the Gospel 2008, here is today’s question:

Why are local churches better than pastors’ conferences?

Here are the slightly revised contest rules:

1. Questions will be posted on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
2. Post your answer in the "comments" section.
3. Your answer must be accompanied with a working email address.
4. Each question will remain open for 24 hours.
5. The winner’s name and answer will be posted sometime . . . hmmm . . . afterwards.
6. Winner receives free registration for him/herself or a friend.
7. Responses must be in 100 words or less.

We’ll try to post the winning entry from the first question soon!