6) Favorite biography?

The most influential biographies in my life have for the most part been missionary biographies. Top three in no particular order would be “To The Golden Shore” (Adoniram Judson), “In the Shadow of the Almighty” (Jim Elliot), and Grubb’s “C.T. Studd: Cricketer and Pioneer.”

7) What will you be speaking on at T4?

An Unadjusted Gospel in an Unreached World: Connecting Gospel Theology with Urgent Missiology - It is impossible to have Gospel theology without urgent missiology. Yet, so few of our churches are radically abandoned to the spread of the Gospel among the lost and the poor in all nations. So what does this say about our theology? In this breakout session, we will explore why and how we must lead God’s people here for the sake of spiritually and physically starving peoples around the world.

8)Which of the main T4G speakers could you “take to the mat” so to speak? (some of you may be too humble to answer who you could physically wrestle but feel free to indulge).

OK…so I’m really not that creative or funny. So I asked for help on this one from some of my old seminary buddies. I am indebted to my good friend and fellow pastor Landon for his advice on this one…
You would think Piper since he’s shorter, but he could be elusive, plus anyone who’s heard the audible voice of God in a hotel room you want to avoid. Maybe next MacArthur since he’s older, but he’s a very athletic 70-something, plus based on his pre-trib rapture belief he could vanish from the ring at any moment. Sproul’s older too but God has predestined him for victory so watch out for that guy. C.J. is out of your league because he could do a pile driver on anyone anytime he wanted (ask Bob Kauflin). Ligon is way too nice and has way more covenant muscles to flex plus he gets all pumped up to the regulative principle music on his ipod. That leaves Mohler and Dever. Since Mohler considers himself a culture warrior he probably knows at least one wrestling move though he has more potential to blog about it than perform it. My money would be on Dever. Unless “take to the mat” has some obscure ecclesiology reference in a dusty parchment written by Sibbes then Dever has absolutely no knowledge about it. The only caution is that anytime he could tag Matt Schmucker and you’d be done!

9) Why are you excited about T4G?

I went to T4G 2006, and it was the same week when I had committed to Brook Hills that I would come to be their pastor. I listened to each of these men preach with an entirely different perspective than I had ever had before (I had not pastored before Brook Hills). I praise God for men who have proven faithful to the Gospel in pastoral ministry for so many years, and who have set an example for me/us in the process. So any chance to hear them, be around them, listen to them, and learn from them, is invaluable, to say the least. I’m really honored just to be there.

Thanks very much to David Platt for talking to us! We’re looking forward to hearing him at T4G.

6) Favorite biography?

Roland Bainton, Here I Stand (Martin Luther)

7) What will you be speaking on at T4G?

I’ll be speaking on the question, “What is the Gospel?”  Even though Christians all would affirm that the gospel is at the center of their lives, it seems to me that there is a good deal of confusion out there—and even perhaps “in here” among evangelicals, too—about what the gospel really is.  Questions abound:  How does gospel relate to kingdom?  How does gospel relate to cultural transformation?  Is the cross about Jesus exhausting the wrath of God in the place of sinners, or something else?  Even if it is about that, aren’t there other images of the cross that will communicate better with our culture?

8)Which of the main T4G speakers could you “take to the mat” so to speak?

Definitely Mark.  No question.  Ask him how many push-ups he can do!

9) Why are you excited about T4G?

What a great time the last two conferences have been—seeing old friends, being reminded of our calling as Christians to be clear on the gospel, and rejoicing in it through incredible music!  I am fully expecting God to pour out the same blessings on T4G’10.

10) Anything else we should know or you’d like to say?

Nope, don’t think so.

6) Favorite biography?

I re-read Werner Neuer’s biography of Adolf Schlatter (translated by Robert Yarbrough, a former professor) every Advent.  Schlatter was a genius of amazing breadth, and his labors as a scholar for the gospel’s sake (in a hostile European context) are an annual encouragement to me as a pastor.  He’s not a household name, but I love this biography.

7) What will you be speaking on at T4G?

“The Fears of the Minister.”  Substitute the word “fears” with “insecurities,” and you’ll get a pretty good idea of what I plan to address.  Ministers talk about Jesus Christ a lot, but we have come up with all sorts of ways to place our identity elsewhere.  (Even during the gospel-saturated days of T4G, most everyone there — especially ministers! — will be sizing each other up and wondering how they stack up by comparison!)  This session will be as pertinent to non-clergy as it is to ordained ministers.

8)Which of the main T4G speakers could you “take to the mat” so to speak?

Ligon used to doubt my claims to mastery of Shaolin Kung Fu, but after what we simply refer to as “the incident,” he now grows strangely silent whenever the matter comes up.

9) Why are you excited about T4G?

I’m a blank slate, having never attended T4G.  It will be a 90 degree learning curve for me.  I’m humbled to be a part of it.

10) Anything else we should know or you’d like to say?

Thank you for even reading this far.  And I think that 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 would be a fitting way to be praying for those teaching that week, especially the main speakers.

1) Where do you pastor?

I pastor Downtown Presbyterian Church, a church plant of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), in downtown Greenville, South Carolina.  Our city’s downtown has undergone a revitalization that has garnered national attention, and our church is committed to this particular area of our city.

2) How did you come to Christ?

I grew up in the church but didn’t have ears to hear until high school.  In God’s mercy, He granted me the new birth when I was a tenth grader, using the teaching of His Word in our church and older believers there who invested time in me.  And He has provided others to preach and model the gospel to me ever since.

3) Describe your call to ministry.

I had talked myself into being a business major in college, but even in high school I had thought about pursuing ordained ministry.  One particular thing that the Lord used was reading the first volume of Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ biography during my summer job lunch breaks about halfway through college.  After graduation, I worked as an intern with Reformed University Fellowship, which confirmed both an “inward” and “outward” call to the ministry.

4) Tell us about your family.

My precious wife, Dana, is a Mississippian like myself.  [Insert all the "outside-my-league" type remarks here.  They would all be accurate.]  Our children’s names — Henry (9), John (7), and Betsy (4) — have been described both as “old school” and as “British royalty.”  All my attempts to make our children as boring as myself have failed.

5) What are some of your favorite activities with your family or personal hobbies?

I love to take over-produced 80’s songs and strip them down to a bare-bones arrangement for my acoustic guitar.