Founders Conference ‘07

Posted by Joe Thorn - 12/06/07

People have been asking, so let me put it out there. I am registered for the 2007 Founders Conference, “God’s Truth Abideth Still: Confronting Postmodernism” (June 26-29th). I’d prefer something more than “confronting” because postmodernism is not only something to confront. As a culture and worldview it must be redemptively engaged which means confronting and embracing it at different points (I am nit-picking). Regardless of the title, I am sure this will be a fantastic conference. David Wells is the keynote speaker. Other speakers are Tom Nettles, Tom Ascol, Roy Hargrave, Raymond Perron, and Bill Ascol. This is a great mix of pastors, professors and a church planter - all of which have a heart for God’s church and world. And you cannot beat the price! Register before June 15th and get in for $60 if you are a pastor, missionary, teacher or student. $80 dollars for everyone else. If you are going to be there and want to hang out let me know.

FYI: Some have drawn a caricature of the “Founders guys” which simply does not reflect the truth. Both the leadership of Founders and the people I have met at the conferences are humble, gracious and very encouraging. If you can make it, it’s well worth it.

Missional Gathering at SBC

Posted by Joe Thorn - 14/05/07

If you are going to the SBC in San Antonio, TX this year be sure to show up for the missional gathering. Ed Stetzer, Bob Roberts, and Todd fields will be speaking. It sounds great.

Ok, it’s at 9:30 pm so as not to be in conflict with the pastors conference. Personally, I think it would be a better idea to offer something like alternative tracks throughout the pastors conference to allow for something like this to go down during “prime time.” But I’ll take what I can get. Here’s the rundown:

9:30 PM after the Pastor’s Conference
Room 217
Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
San Antonio, Texas

A Missional Network event where you’ll…

CONNECT, SHARE, GROW

* Connect with other missional leaders
* Discuss issues of church and culture
* Learn innovative ways to reach people

Featuring…

Bob Roberts - founder of Glocalnet and senior pastor of NorthWood Church in Keller, TX.
Ed Stetzer - Missiologist and Senior Director of the Center for Missional Research at NAMB, Alpharetta, GA
Todd Fields - worship leader, singer, and songwriter from Alpharetta, GA.

Also you’re invited to a limited-seating 4:45pm Dinner with a discussion panel of Missional Leaders including Bob Roberts, Ed Stetzer, JD Greear, and Matt Carter

Register online for a seat at Aldacos Mexican Restaurant on Monday, June 11th, at 4:45pm, Meet new friends, discuss issues of church and culture and ask questions from a panel of nationally known church leaders.

Complementary Trolley Car will be running to and from the Convention Center and Aldacos.

For Registration information for both the Missional Network Gathering and the optional Dinner, click below.

Register NOW! The dinner is limited to 140 people and has a nominal fee, the evening ‘Gathering’ is limited to 500 people and there is no charge.
San Antonio, TX - June 11, 2007

Information Here | Register Here

This is the first year in 7 when I am not sure if I will be at the SBC. I hope to know by the end of this week.

Road Trip Recap

Posted by Joe Thorn - 02/05/07

Daniel/SojournSo Steve and I went down to Louisville to join Tom Ascol and some other friends from Founders Ministries to discuss church planting and church planting networks with Daniel Montgomery, founding pastor of Sojourn Community Church. We finally got to see their amazing new facility and talk philosophy of ministry with Daniel, Mike Cosper and Michael Winters as it relates to art, culture and community and their art center The 930. I would love for Sojourn to put together a DVD laying out their history, philosophy and ministry. Guys?

Most of our time was spent getting a crash course in church planting networks by Daniel. The men gathered are truly burdened to see and participate in the planting of confessional and missional churches, and I believe this was a very helpful meeting.

In all my interactions with various churches Sojourn is one of the best example of a strongly theological, Gospel-centered, culturally redemptive, Baptist fellowship with a fine tuned, yet constantly maturing, philosophy of ministry and leadership. If you are in or driving through Louisville be sure to check out Sojourn and the The 930.

sojourn community church

We were also able to see some friends, stop by ear x-tacy, eat some Scotch Eggs and hit the seminary book store. It was a great time. The only downsides were missing my family for a few days and enduring Steve’s poorly crafted argument concerning the nature of a “redneck.”

Stetzer Director of Lifeway Research

Posted by Joe Thorn - 20/04/07

Right on! Ed Stetzer is now the Director of Lifeway Research, a collaborative research effort between Lifeway, NAMB and IMB.

“Ed’s experience as an evangelist, church planter, theologian, and researcher make him one of the most highly sought-after thinkers and speakers in evangelical Christianity today,” said Rainer. “He brings to LifeWay Research a proven track record for knowing the heartbeat of the church and for understanding what churches must do today to remain biblically sound and culturally relevant.”

Read the story here.

Fast Friends or Future Foes

Posted by Joe Thorn - 15/03/07

People in the SBC are asking questions about churches like Mars Hill in Seattle, Redeemer Presbyterian in Manhattan and The Journey in St. Louis. One of these churches has no connection to a denomination, and the other two are doing things differently than most of the churches in their respective denominations. But all three are having significant impact in their communities with the Gospel. This has a lot of us paying attention, and many are also curious about their connection to the “emerging church.”

Dr. Mark DeVine, Associate Professor of Christian Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, has written a very interesting and helpful article for the Midwestern Journal of Theology, which is now available for download via his blog (download the PDF).

DeVine’s article, Fast Friends or Future Foes: The Emerging Church and Southern Baptists, takes a look at the nature and manifestations of the “emerging church” with the aim of helping Southern Baptists engage the phenomenon with honesty and wisdom. He rightly identifies some serious problems and relevant strengths within this diverse conversation. Are Mars Hill, or the Journey “emerging?” Some, like Gibbs and Bolger say they are not. Others, like Ed Stetzer say they are, but that they belong to one of three different branches of the emerging church. In the end, DeVine leaves the debate about who’s in or out to others and celebrates what churches like The Journey are, and are doing. He can therefore say,

I expect that the emerging church movement will yield much that Bible loving believers must reject. But I also believe it could yield much sound wisdom and practical insight that will help us reach new generations for Christ and plant healthy churches in the very heart of cities once given almost completely over to the devil. Time will tell.

One of the things I like about Dr. DeVine is that he is not only a valuable academic, but also a servant to our churches and a popular interim pastor in MO. His love for God and his people is evident in his desire and work to see healthy churches reaching their communities with the gospel. DeVine’s paper is helpful and I encourage everyone, especially Southern Baptists, to read it.

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