Dwell Urban Church Planting Conference


DWELL CONFERENCE

Speaker Topics:
Mark Driscoll - Dwelling in the Text & Dwelling through the Text
Tim Keller - TBD (2 sessions)
Ed Stetzer - Dwelling in the Kingdom & Dwelling in the Mission
CJ Mahaney - Dwelling in the Cross
Darrin Patrick - Dwelling with non-Christians

HT: Cawley

From Around the Christian Blogosphere

Here are some things that I found interesting:

• Review by Derek Thomas of The Living Church: Convictions of a Lifelong Pastor by John Stott
• Confessions of a Bog-Standard Evangelical: Wages of Spin by Carl Trueman
• Interview with Canada's most famous and well respected Christian theologian, J.I. Packer
• Update of the upcoming Together for the Gospel Conference featuring people like John MacArthur, Mark Dever, and R.C. Sproul
• How to Meditate on God's Word
• In the World, But Not of It by Tullian Tchividjian: Part 1, Part 2
• Greek is Only for Scholars?
• The Tests of Love to God

HT: Justin Taylor and Colin Adams

Two Beautiful Quotes

Here are two beautiful and powerful quotes that I needed today from the blog of the well known and respected pastor (and former professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) Ray Ortlund Jr. (I just discovered his blog):

Exegesis

"And now the end has come. So listen to my last piece of advice: exegesis, exegesis and yet more exegesis! Keep to the Word, to the Scripture that has been given us."

Karl Barth, in his final lecture upon getting kicked out of Bonn University, 1935

Quoted in Eberhard Busch, Karl Barth, page 259.

Nothing Cuts Us Down to Size

"Every time we look at the cross Christ seems to say to us, 'I am here because of you. It is your sin I am bearing, your curse I am suffering, your debt I am paying, your death I am dying.' Nothing in history or in the universe cuts us down to size like the cross."

John R. W. Stott, The Message of Galatians, page 179.

How to Make a Blank Bible

Many people are now making blank Bibles. If you have no idea what I mean, check out the following links below. You may want to make your own blank Bible.

• Tony Reinke's Projects
• The Blank Bible Chronicles 1, 2, 3, 4
• Building a Blank Bible for My Dad

This was all inspired by the rediscovery of Jonathan Edward's Blank Bible (published by Yale University Press).

The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment

Tim Challies, Canada's most famous Christian blogger (who is known more globally, especially in the US, than in Canada) has just released a book called: The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment (available on amazon.ca). I haven't got to read it yet, but it is receiving very excellent reviews:

"Tim Challies is uniquely qualified to write on the subject. I don’t know of a more reliable or more prolific commentator on the contemporary evangelical scene. His weblog is a favorite stop for thousands of Christian readers every day. His book reviews and his comments on evangelical trends are consistently even-handed, thorough yet succinct, and full of perceptive insights… The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment is a truly important work—one that should be required reading not only for church leaders, but for all sober-minded laypeople as well." Dr. John MacArthur
Pastor-Teacher, Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, CA

"The many fans Tim Challies has won through his highly regarded blog (Challies.com) will discover in this book the motivation that drives his incisive analysis of cultural events and trends--a keen respect for truth and a passionate commitment to biblical discernment." Nancy Pearcey
Francis A. Schaeffer Scholar, World Journalism Institute

"If you were more discerning you’d probably buy this book. If you do read this book, you will be! Tim Challies has written on a topic that is both important and rarely addressed. This book on discernment is simple, clear, well-written and well-illustrated, accurate and even insightful. I read it all. I liked it all. I will recommend it often. Ten short, pithy chapters. Read 1 a day for 10 days, and I guess that you’ll find yourself more discerning—or at least wanting to be." Mark Dever
Pastor, Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, DC

_{Greater Toronto Spiritual Life}

_Convention

2008 Greater Toronto Spiritual Life Convention Dates: January 27 - 30, 2008 Click here to see video of D.A. Carson speaking on "What are the threats faced by the church today" Times: Sunday evening 6.00 p.m. Monday - Wednesday 7.30 p.m. Location: The Peoples Church, 374 Sheppard Avenue East, Toronto, Ontario. Also at Toronto Baptist Seminary Chapel January 30th - 11:15am Speaker: Donald A Carson Canadian born, Donald A. Carson is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL where he has taught since 1978. Dr. Carson received his B.S in chemistry from McGill University, a M.Div. from Central Baptist Seminary, and his Ph.D. in New Testament from Cambridge University. Carson has written or edited over 40 books, including How Long, O Lord? Reflections on Suffering and Evil, A Call to Spiritual Reformation, and The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism. Music by: the dustkickers (each evening)

You are Not Too Busy to Watch This

See here.

Happy New Year!

William Graham Tullian Tchividjian, a grandson of Billy and Ruth Graham and my favorite Christian blog writer, offers some encouraging, rich, and hope filled thoughts on why Christians should be celebrating the loudest (and gospel hope for those who are not yet Christians) here.

New Year's Resolutions

David Powlison offers some profound and biblical insights on this cultural phenomenon here.