Advance09: The Resurgence of the Local Church
March 18, 2009
Advance09 Conference, June 4-6, Durham, NC
Christ promises to build His Church, and that no force will prevail against it. Yet, the local church has been heavily battered in battle. Sadly, churches in America are in steady decline, with over 4000 closing their doors and 500,000 members leaving each year, never to return. This is not what the Lord desires.
The Apostle Paul tells us that “through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.” The local church is called to lift up Jesus so that all the world might see Him. The local church is called to make known the gospel and to be the vehicle of redemption for the world.
Led by local churches, Advance09 is a conference committed to the resurgence of the local church for the glory of God. Our aim is to equip attendees with the gospel so that the local church might become all that Jesus calls it to be. At this conference, we hope to ensure that on our watch and in our time we honor Jesus and see the resurgence of the local church. Advance09 is open to anyone: pastors and lay-leaders; church members; and regular attendees. We invite you to join us in this Great Cause.
Speakers include John Piper, Mark Driscoll, Matt Chandler, Ed Stetzer, Bryan Chappell, Daniel Akin, JD Greear, Tyler Jones & Eric Mason.
http://www.advance09.com
http://www.theresurgence.com
http://www.desiringgod.org
http://www.dpacnc.com
March 21, 2009 at 2:25 pm
So this is a conference about the local church and Piper, Driscoll, et al will be there? But they’re not part of your local area. It seems that sing these celebrity names to draw people is counterintuitive.
March 21, 2009 at 2:36 pm
This conference is very much a collaboration between people across denominational lines but centered on a common goal – to equip the church to be the church and help curb the fallout that we’re seeing in the American church. Each regional hub city is having monthly prayer meetings about this topic, and the vision for this conference is long-term, not simply another event to go to. At these meetings, we’re seeing anywhere from Presbyterians to Anglicans to Southern Baptist to Messianic Jews come together around this common goal – it’s beautiful. The hope is that each church has something to offer the others, and we can learn from each other. Bringing a diverse group of speakers out is partially to have more of an impact than if we just did something regionally (which we also do quarterly here – bring 100 or so church leaders together across denominational lines to discuss the church). I think each of the speakers we’re bringing out has a unique perspective that will be helpful to any church that attends. Networking in various reserved locations in downtown Durham will be a huge part of this conference as well.
Basically, if this is just an event to go, we will have labored in vain.
March 21, 2009 at 2:54 pm
I think you took my question as a criticism it was not meant to be. I think that doing this is good. I think that doing this ecumenically is great. I think doing this ecumenically with nationally known authors and speakers is puzzling.
Piper has a church in a different city. It seems that this is similar to parachurch activity that undermines local churches. Can he influence and inform things like this. Yes. But I think he ought to do it from his church.
I didn’t mean to denigrate what you’re doing.
Grace and Peace,
Jared