Shepherd's Conference (VII)
The Shepherd’s Conference is infamous for being the conference that gives away the most and the best stuff. Every year each attendee walks away with a good pile of books and one big-ticket item. Last year I got in trouble for not posting an exhaustive list of the books and I thought I had best remedy that this year. So here is the list of books we got.
- What Jesus Demands from the World by John Piper
- The MacArthur New Testament Commentary by John MacArthur (a compact, one-volume N.T. commentary)
- Because the Time is Near by John MacArthur (a concise and reader-friendly version of his commentary on Revelation)
- The Second Coming by John MacArthur
- Acts by James Boice
- A Method for Prayer by Matthew Henry
- Life in the Body of Christ by Curtis C. Thomas
- For the Sake of His Name by David M. Doran
- Foundations of Grace by Steve Lawson
- Assured by God edited by Burk Parsons
- Meet the Puritans by Joel R. Beeke and Randall J. Pederson
Also included was a DVD entitled “Why We Believe the Bible is True” by John MacArthur
This year’s big-ticket item was a very snazzy fountain pen which you can see here.
In previous years, the books have been piled on tables and the attendees have gone from table to table grabbing the books. Since this can become problematic (you do not want to stand between pastors and free books) the conference folk had the books pre-packaged and ready to go this year.
It is probably worth mentioning that two books have been released specifically on time for this conference. The first of these is Steve Lawson’s The Expository Genius of John Calvin. This is the first in a series of books that will be associated with Lawson’s Long Line of Godly Men series. This subset of books will be known as “Long Line of Godly Men Profile” titles. The other book is John MacArthur’s The Truth War
And finally, here is a picture I nabbed from the conference photographer. I bumped into Steve Lawson (not literally) after I served at the Scholar’s Desk and he needed to go for a stroll before he preached that afternoon, so he and I and Nathan Busenitz (and Lawson’s daughter) walked around the campus for a few minutes. I just thought it was a neat photograph. It looks like I am keeping Lawson at rapt attention. I think, though, that I was merely correcting assisting his pronunciation of the word “Huguenot” (and was pleased to hear that he got it right two of the three times I heard him use it during a seminar this afternoon).
Comments (16) »
1. kevina
March 9, 2007
3:35 AM
Wow! They gave out Foundations of Grace? That’s not cheap! Acts by Jim Boice looks great too. Can’t wait to get my hands on Because The Time is Near too.
Thanks for the update!
2. Jca
March 9, 2007
6:33 AM
Tim,
Glad to see you got Method for Prayer. I believe Ligon Duncan edited it. I just got it - it was not easy to find, but am excited about digging into it. I’m starting with the sermons on prayer in the back. I think the Puritans and their contemporaries have so much to offer us in the way of prayer (among other things), esp public prayer. Enjoy.
3. The DOulos
March 9, 2007
7:53 AM
Yeah, I was blown away by the pack of books given away last year. I had to have some friends transport them home, too much to take on the plane! Glad to hear that they pre-packaged them, last year it was a real feeding frenzy, and I know that I missed at least a couple of the books due to the mass of guys crowding around the tables. I also got a couple elbows…
4. Wake
March 9, 2007
8:18 AM
I am very much hoping to see Because The Time Is Near on Amazon soon (and the full commentary on Revelation!) I am eager to read those. The Truth War less so, only because I’ve read so very much about all of the issues with Emergent and similar groups over the past two years that I fear it will be little more than a nice recap (with some excellent Scriptural support for his points as one would expect of MacArthur). I’ll pick it up eventually, time permitting, but I do very much look forward to the Revelation commentaries, short and long.
5. Wake
March 9, 2007
8:23 AM
Oh sweet, it is on Amazon now! ask and receive quip goes here =)
6. Brian @ voiceofthesheep
March 9, 2007
8:56 AM
One of the unfortunate impressions I got from reading last year’s posts on the conference was that there seemed to be times in which selfishness and indulgence rose to the surface (this is not a judgment, mind you, just an impression I got while reading the posts)…those being when the doors were opened and all the attendees came running down the aisles to get good seats up front…and the other was when I read about the scramble for the free books.
Tim,
Do you think there is a possibility that some of the attendees get more wrapped up in self-indulgence and the stuff being given out while at the conference than the teaching they receive?
I hope that is not the case - and I certainly don’t think that would be the norm - but it does come across that way at times when I read about pastors ‘scuffling’ for free books, etc. Maybe packaging them up this year was a way for the conference to attempt to make sure it did not contribute to that tendency.
Just a thought (and honestly, part of this is jealousy I am fighting because I am not getting those things).
7. Blake
March 9, 2007
9:10 AM
hyoo-guh-not
what other way is there to say it?
8. Ken Davis
March 9, 2007
9:27 AM
hyoo - guh - no It’s a French word
9. Tim Challies
March 9, 2007
9:28 AM
“Do you think there is a possibility that some of the attendees get more wrapped up in self-indulgence and the stuff being given out while at the conference than the teaching they receive?”
I don’t know that I could make that judgment and really haven’t seen evidence of it. However, there were certainly occasions in the past when the pastors were at something less than their best behavior. So I think they figured that prepackaging books would be a good way of not tempting the guys into an opportunity to let their less-sanctified behavior show. Or something like that. :)
10. Allen Mickle
March 9, 2007
10:23 AM
They gave away a book by the president of my alma mater! For the Sake of His Name by Dr. David Doran, President of Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary, is in my opinion one of the best theological treatises on missions out there!
11. Blake
March 9, 2007
11:28 AM
hyoo-guh-noh?
Now I’m the first one who will ask for “creme” at a French place when the menu says “creme”, but I still say words that have been subjugated into English by English language conventions—which at times will maintain original pronounciation, and at other times, Anglicize them.
What I don’t understand is the lieutenant in the Brittish army! Left-tenant??
12. Amy Scott
March 9, 2007
12:15 PM
All I want to know is, Tim!, how did you manage to get through an airport with that backpack on?!?!
13. Jim Kirby
March 9, 2007
1:22 PM
I don’t think “infamous” is the best choice of terms in my opinion. According to Webster, it means, “1 : having a reputation of the worst kind 2 : causing or bringing infamy : DISGRACEFUL 3 : convicted of an offense bringing infamy”
14. Wes Bredenhof
March 9, 2007
2:54 PM
It’s a “left-tenant” in the Canadian Armed Forces as well.
15. Wake
March 9, 2007
10:38 PM
What I don’t understand is the lieutenant in the Brittish army! Left-tenant??
Could it be as simple as “loo” is a British term for the bathroom so as a more respectful pronunciation they avoid the “loo” in Lieutenant?
Such was my conclusion when I pondered that same question. :D
16. Rob
March 11, 2007
12:58 AM
“Do you think there is a possibility that some of the attendees get more wrapped up in self-indulgence and the stuff being given out while at the conference than the teaching they receive?”
How could you say that it is not the possibility of some? Many laymen come along with their pastors - Many pastors come from churches with financial struggles and money to buy books is a big thing. They are only human and fight the fight we all fight. But the teaching is so good and rich - I think it would be hard to value the stuff more than the teaching. I mean just to hear and see Steve Lawson get up there in his meek and thankful tone and speak of the honor he feels in getting to address his fellow pastors at the conference brings me to tears every year.
I think the prepackaged books were much better as it saved a bunch of time.
I confess I wondered ahead of time what the “gift” would be this year - The conference organizers have spoiled us thru the years as most of the time it is a gift that most would never purchase for themselves - so it is always good.
There were some who ran down the aisles this year to get front row seats. I think it is the mainly the men who are comming for their first time and perhaps havent seen MacArthur in person or perhaps their favorite pastor and simply want to try and get a good seat. I see them and kind of think it is neat - to see the zeal and excitement to run to get a good seat to hear the preaching. Some of these same guys have been standing in line for up to 1 hour to get a good seat. No one gets run over in the process.
I think Mohler commented that he was just happy to be around so many happy people. He said he had never seen so many “wagging tails” in his life. Overall - it is a great atmosphere where most just want to serve and give in to their brothers wishes.
The folks at Grace do all they can to serve us and minister to us and to make us feel special. It is really a blessing to see the church members loving on the pastors.