LEAD 09 recently finished up at East Auburn Baptist Church in Auburn, Maine. The conference theme, “Gospel, Community, and Mission”, was designed to challenge our beliefs about what the church is and what it means to be called a follower of Jesus. Here are some reflections and resources from the conference.

Josh Cousineau – Conference Director
Can you share a bit about the vision of LEAD 09?

It is shocking when you hear that churches and mission agencies are sending missionaries into your region.  When this happens you begin to wonder about how effectively you’re doing ministry, how you’re living on mission, how the gospel is shaping the way you live, and how well the gospel is being proclaimed. 

In New England, gospel-centered ministry must look different from a lot of typical church models. The LEAD conference was birthed out of a passion for advancing the gospel in a post-Christian context. 
 
What’s next for the LEAD conference in New England?

Plans are well underway for LEAD 2010, with the hope that LEAD will be an annual event that brings the gospel to the forefront of ministries and encourages the faithful in New England and beyond.

Tim Chester – Conference Speaker and co-author of Total Church
Why is this conference so important?

Many people feel alone, surrounded by legalism and liberalism within their churches, and by secularism and apathy outside their churches. To come together with like-minded gospel people, to be part of a wider movement, to share a common vision; it's hard to under-estimate the importance of these things. I hope and pray that LEAD 09 will be the start of something significant, a movement of gospel-centered churches throughout New England. 

Jonathan Dodson - Conference Speaker and author of Fight Clubs
What was unique about this conference?

LEAD 09 struck a unique balance between theology and practice for mission in 21st century America. It’s rare to find a conference that integrates biblical theology, cultural reflection, and best community and missional practices. Interestingly, the combination of British and American speakers offered a unique perspective on present and future challenges for the western church.

Resources

All LEAD 09 audio and video can be found here. Main sessions include:

• Making God’s people the heart of God’s mission – Tim Chester
• Community as lifestyle – Tim Chester
• The Gospel: Conversion to Christ – Jonathan Dodson
• Making God’s mission the heart of God’s people – Tim Chester
• The Gospel: Conversion to Community – Jonathan Dodson
• The Gospel: Conversion to Mission – Jonathan Dodson
• Mission as a lifestyle – Tim Chester

Resurgence Literature

Re:Lit is a ministry of Resurgence. There you will find a growing line of books to help guide the resurgence of the new reformed. Find out more.

Ok, if you can find something else, let us know.

Books by John Piper

• Love Your Enemies: Jesus' Love Command in the Synoptic Gospels and the Early Christian Paraenesis (Cambridge University Press, 1980; Baker, 1991).
• The Justification of God: An Exegetical and Theological Study of Romans 9:1-23 (Baker, 1983; 2nd edition 1993).
• Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist (Multnomah, 1986; 2nd edition, 1996, 3rd edition, 2003).
• The Supremacy of God in Preaching (Baker, 1990, 2nd edition, 2003).
• The Pleasures of God: Meditations on God's Delight in Being God (Multnomah, 1991; Expanded edition, 2000).
• Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (Co-editor) (Crossway, 1991).
• Let the Nations Be Glad! The Supremacy of God in Missions (Baker, 1993, 2nd Edition 2003).
• A Hunger for God: Desiring God Through Fasting and Prayer (Crossway, 1997).
• A Godward Life: Savoring the Supremacy of God in All of Life (Multnomah, 1997, 2nd Edition 2001).
• God's Passion for His Glory: Living the Vision of Jonathan Edwards (Crossway, 1998, 2nd Edition 2006).
• The Innkeeper (Crossway, 1998).
• The Dangerous Duty of Delight (Multnomah, 2001).
• The Misery of Job and the Mercy of God (Crossway, 2002).
• Brothers, We Are Not Professionals: A Plea to Pastors for Radical Ministry (Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2002).
• Counted Righteous in Christ: Should We Abandon the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness? (Crossway, 2002).
• Beyond the Bounds: Open Theism and the Undermining of Biblical Christianity (co-editor) (Crossway, 2003).
• Don't Waste Your Life (Crossway, 2003).
• Let the Nations Be Glad! 2nd Edition (Crossway, 2003).
• Pierced By the Word: Thirty-One Meditations for Your Soul (Multnomah, 2003).
• The Prodigal's Sister (Crossway, 2003).
• The Passion of Jesus Christ (Crossway, 2004). Also released under title "50 Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die"
• When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight for Joy (Crossway, 2004).
• Life As a Vapor: Thirty-One Meditations for Your Faith (Multnomah, 2004).
• Taste and See: Savoring the Supremacy of God in All of Life (Multnomah, 2005).
• Future Grace (Multnomah Books, 2005).
• God Is the Gospel: Meditations on God's Love as the Gift of Himself (Crossway, 2005).
• Sex and the Supremacy of Christ (w/ Justin Taylor, Crossway, 2005).
• Contending for Our All (Crossway, 2006).
• The Legacy of Sovereign Joy (Crossway, 2006).
• Suffering and the Sovereignty of God (Crossway, 2006).
• What Jesus Demands from the World (Crossway, 2006).
• When the Darkness Will Not Lift: Doing What We Can While We Wait for God--and Joy (Crossway, 2007).
• Battling Unbelief: Defeating Sin with Superior Pleasure (Multnomah, 2007).
• The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World (co-editor w/ Justin Taylor, Crossway, 2007).
• The Hidden Smile of God (Crossway, 2008).
• Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ (Crossway, 2008).
• Spectacular Sins: And Their Global Purpose in the Glory of Christ (Crossway, 2008).
• John Calvin and His Passion for the Majesty of God (Crossway, 2008).
• This Momentary Marriage: A Parable of Permanence (Crossway, 2009).
• Velvet Steel: The Joy of Being Married to You: Selections from the Poems of John Piper (Crossway, 2009).
• Finally Alive (Christian Focus, 2009).
• Filling Up the Afflictions of Christ (Crossway, 2009).

Everything else by John Piper is available at Desiring God.

Recommended Books:

A collection of fantastic reading material on various important topics, used and shared by Pastor Mark Driscoll. Find out more.

Go to the Fighting with God Conference Page for more info.

Date:January 16th and 17th
Location: Gresham, Oregon

Get $30 off registration if you use the code "resurgence" when checking out.

Speakers:

• Mark Driscoll
• Ken Shamrock
• Darrin Patrick
• Matt Lindland
• Ryan Dobson
• Trevor Prangley
• Bill Russell
• Scott Knight

Dr. Don Carson came to Mars Hill last December with vast biblical knowledge and an obviously pastoral heart. He preached through 5 passages of scripture.

Sign up for our Podcast so you won't miss anything.

“A Miracle Full of Surprises” John 11

For more video go to the Dr. Don page

Here's a clip that Dave Miers put up on his website from the 10,000 person large Australia event. The event was called Burn Your Plastic Jesus, which as far as I can tell means to get rid of the myths you have about Jesus, and embrace the Jesus of the Bible.