Big God Preaching

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On February 3, hundreds of pastors and ministry leaders will convene in chilly St. Paul for Serious Joy: The 37thBethlehem Conference for Pastors. This year’s conference theme is “Big God Preaching.” The urgent task for preachers in this generation, as in every generation, is to expound God’s Word and exult in God’s majesty in such a way that God’s people are moved to trust and treasure him above all things and in every situation.

One of the inspirations for this theme is John Piper’s The Supremacy of God in Preaching. This short book, first published in 1990, was one of the key instruments that the Lord used to direct me towards full-time ministry when I was a Wheaton College student through reflections like this:

People are starving for the grandeur of God, and the vast majority do not know it…. Christian preachers, more than all others, should know that people are starving for God. If anyone in all the world should be able to say, “I have looked upon thee in the sanctuary, beholding thy power and glory,” it is the herald of God. Who but preachers will look out over the wasteland of secular culture and say, “Behold your God!”? (pp. 107–8)

The six plenary speakers will unpack the conference theme by considering (1) The Goal of Preaching: The Glory of God (John Piper), (2) The Ground of Preaching: The Cross of Christ (Stephen Witmer), (3) The Gift of Preaching: The Power of the Spirit (Jonathan Parnell), (4) The Hope of Preaching: The Joy of Heaven (Brian Tabb), The God-Centered Preacher(H. B. Charles), and The God-Hungry People (David Mathis). There will also be two main-stage panel sessions reflecting on the work of preaching and the path from seminary to the pulpit, as well as a prayer gathering for the nations.

Additionally, this year’s Serious Joy Conference features five Monday afternoon breakout sessions sponsored by Bethlehem College and Seminary and other partner ministries: Desiring God, 9Marks, Treasuring Christ Together, and Training Leaders International.

My prayer is that this conference encourages, challenges, and renews hundreds of pastors and other attendees in the conviction that God is utterly central and supremely satisfying. I hope to see you in St. Paul as we go Godward together at the Bethlehem Conference for Pastors.

Brian J. Tabb, Ph.D.
President & Professor of Biblical Studies

 

Prayer Requests:

  1. Pray that we each trust in and treasure God above all things.
  2. Pray for those planning, preparing, and attending Serious Joy: The Bethlehem Conference for Pastors.
  3. Pray for the full funding of The Serious Joy Scholarships needed to support this year’s students.