Maybe we are growing too accustomed to these Reformed mega-conferences. If that’s the case, we should think back to the time—it was only a few years ago–when there appeared to be an inverse relationship between a conference’s attendance and its doctrinal soundness. For many years it was true that the conferences that held to Reformed theology were sparsely attended. But then something happened and today we can choose from any number of great conferences centered around proclaiming the deepest truth.
This week, more than 8,000 people will gather in Louisville, Kentucky, for the 2016 Together for the Gospel conference; thousands more will watch the livestream. Though all kinds of people attend, it is primarily an event by and for pastors and is meant to teach, challenge, and equip church leaders. I believe the Lord has used this event in remarkable ways since it began 10 years ago, and I think there is every reason he will do so again this year. To that end I want to encourage you—whether or not you are going and whether or not you know someone who is going—to pray that God would meet this group in powerful ways. Just think what God can do when 8,000 church leaders gather together to hear God speak through his Word!
So please pray, and perhaps pray in some of these ways:
For Speakers and Organizers
- Pray that God would help the planners finish up last-minute preparations for the thousands who are arriving in Louisville.
- Pray that God would give the pre-conference, side seminar, and plenary speakers wisdom and boldness as they proclaim their messages.
- Pray that God would give the speakers the humility they need to direct all praise and glory to God.
For Attenders
- Pray that God would encourage the hearts of those Christian leaders who feel particularly stuck in their sins or discouraged at their people that this would be a time of true refreshment.
- Pray that God would use the 160,000 books that will be given away to give these leaders greater wisdom and understanding.
- Pray that God would let the fellowship of these leaders be sweet, enlightening, and mutually beneficial as they encourage one another in the faith.
- Pray that God would manifest his presence through the times of worship in song and prayer.
- Pray that God would bring about his global kingdom purposes through this conference as people go to all the nations to proclaim the gospel.
- Pray that God would let there be unity through diversity as people gather from across denominations and across the world.
- Pray that God would allow new friendships to form at the event.
- Pray that God would use the print, audio, and video resources that come out of this conference to accomplish all these purposes for those who are not able to come to the conference.
- Pray that God would allow the thousands of men in attendance to leave a favorable impression of Christians on the city of Louisville as they interact with hotel managers, restaurant servers, airport personnel, and so on.
- Pray that God would bless the people attending with safety. (The growing security concerns are reflected in the reality that to get into the event, people must pass through a metal detector—now a standard procedure when entering the KFC Yum! Center.)
- Pray that God would bless the families the conference attendees have left behind.
Finally, I plan to be there and would love to meet you. It is always so encouraging and humbling to meet those who take time to read my blog and my books. If you see me, please do say hello.
