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Experiencing the Spirit’s Power

By on May 10, 2012 in Books, Discipleship, Gospel

Over the last couple of days I’ve been reading Jonathan Dodson’s new book Gospel Centered Discipleship. The book is simple…almost too simple. The problem is that so many of us have missed the simple connection between the gospel and discipleship.

One of the chapters in the book addresses the role of the Holy Spirit. I was challenged with these practical thoughts for experiencing the power of the Spirit through a relationship with the Spirit, treating the Spirit as a person of the Trinity:

  • You may need to begin with repentance over your neglect of the Spirit. Confess your sinful-reliance to the Father and the Spirit, asking the Son for forgiveness, and thanking God for the gift of the Spirit.
  • Make a point of addressing the Spirit throughout the day in ways that reflect his role in your life (understanding, discernment, decision making, power to overcome sin, desire for God, faith in the gospel, etc.)
  • Memorize and meditate on texts that show you who the Spirit is so that you can get to know him (Ex. 31:3; Num. 27:18; 1 Sam. 16:13; Joel 2:28-29; Acts; Romans 8, 15; 1 Corinthians 2; 2 Corinthians 3; Galatians 3-6).
  • Rejoice in the gift of the Spirit as a Person who indwells us with power to believe the gospel, glorify, and enjoy God.

Dodson has a website full of resources. Check it out at http://www.gospelcentereddiscipleship.com.

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Books From My Week At T4G

By on April 19, 2012 in Books, Gospel

Last week was spent in Louisville, KY at Together for the Gospel. What a wonderful week of connecting with great friends from years gone by. I put together a little lunch on Thursday afternoon for Northland alumni and friends of Northland and had over 100 people show up! A picture of this gathering is on Dr. Olson’s Facebook page.

While at the conference we were blessed with some great books! I wanted to post the listing of these books here for a couple of purposes:

  1. To say thank you to the publishers who clearly bend over backward to make these distributions happen.
  2. To show you, the reader, part of the value in attending a conference like this. These books are simply a part of where your registration dollars go.

I went to two different events. The first one was Tuesday morning and called Band of Bloggers. At this event we were given:

  • On Earth As It Is In Heaven by Wyman Lewis Richardson (Amazon)
  • Tribal Church: Lead Small, Impact BIG by Steve Stroope (Amazon)
  • 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker (Amazon)
  • Everyday Prayers by Scotty Smith (Amazon)
  • Who Am I?: Identity in Christ by Jerry Bridges (Amazon)
  • A Holy Ambition by John Piper (Amazon)
  • Red Like Blood: Confrontations With Grace by Joe Coffey and Bob Bevington (Amazon)
  • G.O.S.P.E.L. by D.A. Horton (Amazon)
  • Test, Train, Affirm and Send Into Ministry by Brian Croft (Amazon)
  • Gospel: Recovering the Power that Made Christianity Revolutionary by J.D. Greear (Amazon)
  • Subversive: Living as Agents of Gospel Transformation by Ed Stetzer (Amazon)
  • The World We All Want by Tim Chester (Amazon)

Then at Together for the Gospel we were given these:

  • The Cross and Christian Ministry by D.A. Carson (Amazon)
  • Fellowship with God by Martyn Lloyd-Jones (not available online)
  • Listen Up! by Christopher Ash (Amazon)
  • Gospel and Kingdom by Graeme Goldsworthy (Amazon)
  • Health, Wealth and Happiness by David Jones and Russell Woodbridge (Amazon)
  • Reformation: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow by Carl Trueman (Amazon)
  • Turning to God by David Wells (Amazon)
  • What Is the Mission of the Church? by Greg Gilbert and Kevin DeYoung (Amazon)
  • Preaching and Preachers: 40th Anniversary Edition by Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Amazon)
  • How the Gospel Brings Us All the Way Home by Derek Thomas (Amazon)
  • The Pleasures of God by John Piper (Amazon)
  • Church Membership: How the World Knows Who Represents Jesus by Jonathan Leeman (Amazon)
  • The Church: The Gospel Made Visible by Mark Dever (Amazon)
  • 1 Corinthians 1-9: Challenging Church by Mark Dever (The Good Book Company)
  • A T4G special edition of the HCSB

Then in my weakness I bought two books in their heavily discounted bookstore:

  • The Intolerance of Tolerance by D. A. Carson (Amazon)
  • Union with Christ by J. Todd Billings (Amazon)

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D. A. Carson on Teaching

By on January 14, 2012 in Gospel, Teaching

I’ve come across this quote a few times and have never shared it. I should have…because it is great! I first saw this quote in an article Andy Naselli wrote called “D. A. Carson’s Theological Method” and then again today Justin Taylor posted it on his blog. The original quote is actually from a book called The Pastor as Scholar and the Scholar as Pastor: Reflections on Life and Ministry, page 98-99.

If I have learned anything in 35 or 40 years of teaching, it is that students don’t learn everything I teach them. What they learn is what I am excited about, the kinds of things I emphasize again and again and again and again. That had better be the gospel.

I hope I can keep this kind of focus.

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