We are one week away from Godward Life, a New Gathering for Serious Joy. The vision for this event comes from the famous biblical exhortation in 1 Corinthians 10:31: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” To go forward is to move intentionally in the direction in front of us. To go backward is to move in the direction behind us. Thus, to go Godward is to move in his direction such that our thoughts, affections, and actions ultimately terminate upon him.
This is no easy task. We are finite, and we are fallen. Though God has revealed himself in the things he has made, we fail to honor him as God and give thanks to him. Even as Christians, we still struggle to see him, to know him, to seek him, to live for him. And so we need help.
We need help to go Godward directly, to pray, to meditate on his wonders, to seek his face, and to delight in him. And so we’ve invited five teachers to set before us a banquet of God’s greatest pleasures. Our prayer is that, in setting forth the fullness of God’s own joys from the Scriptures, we will be caught up to drink from the river of his delights.
But we also need help to go Godward indirectly—to live, work, parent, study, minister, write, and evangelize in light of God’s truth and in the strength he supplies. And so we’ve invited over a dozen of our teachers—pastors, professors, parents, men, and women—to lead interactive workshops on the concrete realities of life. How do we go Godward in parenting? How do we go Godward as students? How do we go Godward in pastoring? How do we go Godward as men and women? How do we go Godward as writers and missionaries? Our prayer is that our team of teachers will equip you to live beneath the smile of a happy Father and to labor unto him with joy, even amidst the trials and hardships of life.
And so with one week to go, you’re still invited. Students, parents, men, and women. Space is filling up quickly. Some of our workshops are already full. But if you struggle to live the Godward life, we’d love to see you there. Register by Friday, September 23 to make sure we have meals for you.
And if you’re unable to attend, we invite you to pray for Godward Life. We want it to be an encouraging two days, filled with fellowship and camaraderie in the gospel, so that those who gather leave with clarified vision and strengthened hearts to do everything to the glory of God.
Joe Rigney, Ph.D.
President & Associate Professor of Theology and Literature