Reformed pastors overflow their second national meeting.
This week's Gospel Coalition Conference - the second one open to the public - was packed out. About 3,400 registered participants meant breakout sessions and the main assemblies overflowed, with people sitting on the floor and peeking in from the hallways.
And these participants were overwhelmingly young men. I tried counting from my seat and came up with about 20 men per woman - not too surprising in a mid-week conference for pastors with Calvinist and complementarian views. Don Carson estimated that 80 percent were under forty.
The theme was based on 2 Timothy, a letter from a pastor near the end of his life to a young pastor. It was clear, especially in John Piper's sermon and the panel discussion at the end, that TGC see themselves in that role of pastoring pastors.
As far as the conference itself goes, clearly it's come a long way since 2007, when Trinity Evangelical Divinity School was able to fit everyone on their campus. The lineup of speakers continues to represent a very broad range of styles (John Piper, Mark Driscoll, Tim Keller, among others). Nevertheless, it's also a place where someone can say "peculiar unction" and be understood by all.
But it's no longer just a conference. One of the few non-sermon events was an introduction, led by Keller and Don Carson, to forming official chapters of the Gospel Coalition. Those will have a virtual existence on The City (a social networking site developed at Mars Hill). They're also expected to facilitate face-to-face meetings and conferences. On three separate occasions, people told me TGC seemed like a nascent denomination.
Some sessions are well worth listening to: Keller on contemporary idols, Driscoll on dealing with difficult people, Ajith Fernando on preaching the uniqueness of Christ in a pluralistic society (there doesn't seem to be an available audio file on this), and the second half of the panel discussion, where Keller, Piper, Ligon Duncan, and Crawford Loritts talk about suffering (also not online).
share thisPosted by Susan Wunderink on April 24, 2009 2:54PM
Comments
So sad. The misogyny of the complementarians is a relic of the dark ages, no matter how many happy words they try to use for it.
Posted by: Christian Lawyer at April 24, 2009
Driscoll, on dealing with difficult people? hhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaa
Posted by: alison at April 30, 2009
On the Gospel Coalition web site, under the heading Resources you will find 47 people -- all men. I benefit from a number of the presenters' works (especially D.A. Carson and Tim Keller), but can't believe this coalition cannot list one woman from whom men might learn something! What a sad and appalling omission. It's no wonder that women are not enthusiastic about coming to these events, no matter how prestigious the male presenters.
Posted by: Bill Meier at May 18, 2009
Bill Meier can't believe these men can't find a woman from whom the men might learn something? That's the point! These men take 1 Timothy 2:12 to mean that women should never preach or teach men at all. Their idea of women's leadership is that women can teach other women. And maybe children. Check out the writing and preaching of the men involved.
Posted by: Judy at May 22, 2009
I am dissapointed by some of the comments here. I think we should be commending these men for their faithfulness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and his death for our sins. Their creed is not complementarianism, but Christ.
They do believe, and so do I, that men should be the primary teachers in the church. This is not a sexist thing. I love my wife and respect her more than I can communicate. She teaches me so much. But God has not placed men in authority in the church because they are smarter, but for rather for order, and that it is His will. Jesus submits tothe Father, but I don't think any of us would dare say Jesus is below the Father. Instead, Jesus is honored for his humble submission. I have so much respect for the women in our church. Their humility is provoking, expressed in how they submit to God's word. Their humility represents their love for Christ, his word, and his church: A humility that provokes every man blessed to serve them. Will we submit to God's word and trust his plan is best?
Posted by: Jon Solomon at June 2, 2009
Post a comment