The Real Benefit of TGC11
Friday, April 15, 2011 at 6:00AM Conferences are inefficient. Why travel hundreds of miles to catch sessions that you can watch online for free? This is especially true when you're in the same room as the speaker, but you're so far away that you have to watch the screen.
Yet conferences are important. Not for the books: they're just as cheap at Amazon, and easier to get home. Not for the music, although the music was amazing. No, they're important for a more important reason: we need to belong.
Here's what The Gospel Coalition Conference did for me:
- In a world of fluff books, it reminded me that there are more solid books out there than I'll be able to read in a lifetime.
- In a culture of shallow preaching and teaching, it exposed me to more depth than I could absorb, with much more on tap than could be delivered in a couple of days.
- At a time when it's hard to find good models for ministry, I saw and met many. I'm grateful to call many of them friends.
- Most of all, it reminded me that I am not alone.
Ray Ortlund tweeted before the conference:
The Gospel Coalition = a tribal gathering of gospel-feasting, revival-hungry young heroes for Christ.
Tribal gathering: bingo. The real benefit of TGC11 was that it connected many of us to something bigger. When the tribe gathers, stuff happens. For that I'm grateful.
Reader Comments (7)
Amen.
Amen and amen.
Agreed - conferences are less about the content and more about the community. I think TGC realized this by offering most/all of the teaching online through their website.The value of the conference wasn't necessarily in the content presented but in the community surrounding the content.
Mentions of everything else (the ever present "community, tribe, etc.) many, of God or a bloody Savior 0. It appears conferences are about the big ME. From a laypersons point of view conferences are becoming a bragging point and a facebook type of "see what I did or think."
I am an african pastor/church planter here in Douala, Cameroon.Perhaps i'll never have the privilege to afford attending such a conference.For me, the content is really the only thing i could get from tgc 11.I am still so thankfull for all of it, and i treasure it, and work to absorb it and grow in my ministry through that content.Blessing,In Christ.
Elie.B MOKTOMO, We have friends near Douala with Hope for the Widows Ministries (Mirabelle and Sam Karawa). Are you familiar with them? Pastor john johnm@fbcwashmo.com
No, i am not, but i would like to know, share and fellowship with them.Our church: Satisfaction In Christ Alone, 237 96 06 04 89. email:elmoktomo@gmail.comThanks, in Christ.