Last week I was blessed to be able to attend the 2012 Together for the Gospel Conference.

This is a biennial Pastor’s conference that meets in downtown Louisville, KY at the KFC Yum Center.

I was so encouraged by going. Here are a few reasons why:

• I am thankful to my church for sending me to this conference and for seeing it as important for me to continue becoming a better pastor.
• I am thankful to my wife Valeria for allowing me to be gone all day long for three straight days.
• At T4G I ran into so many old friends. I was in seminary fro 2003-2006. Many of my seminary friends I have not seen in years, but at this conference I ran into so many of them who are spread out all over the world doing ministry.
• I was able to take a friend in the ministry who had never attended T4G before. He was so blessed to be a part of the conference.
• The Preaching was outstanding. I do not recall ever being a part of something where I heard so many outstanding Biblical sermons. My soul was challenged, convicted and stirred.
• Pastors with years of experience are such a blessing. God gifts many men to preach well. Young guys with little experience can preach great sermons, but there is something extra poweful and mighty about an older man who has served the Lord and His Church for many years who is able to speak with maturity and confidence.

The Conference theme this year was “Together for the Underestimated Gospel.” There were 9 sessions. We heard 9 different preachers preach. I was there for every session except the Wednesday night session when David Platt preached. I will have to watch that sermon online someday this week.

Here are a few quotes from each of the sermons. I hope they bless you as they did me:

C.J. Mahaney-  -“We are not innovators; we are proclaimers.”
-“Paul never got over the mercy he received.”
–“When you cannot see God’s hand, you must learn to trust His heart.” -Charles Spurgeon

Albert Mohler- -“St. Francis of Assisi most likely did not say the quote that he is often known for. ‘Preach the Gospel at all times and if necessary use words.’”
–“Our responsibility is to get the Gospel to their ears, and God will get it from their ears to their hearts.” -Martin Luther
–“Romans 10 is the whole machinery of salvation.” -Charles Spurgeon

Mark Dever- –“If you are not willing to wake up an hour early to go and pick up a 90 year old man and give him a ride to church, then I seriously have to              wonder if you are saved.”
-“False conversions can be the suicide of the church.”
-“Pastors should always be evangelizing steadily and well.”

Thabiti Anyabwile- -“The biggest hindrance in the Middle East is Christians lack of confidence in the Gospel.”
-“Be careful with new converts. Most are not like Paul.”
-“Preach the Gospel every sermon. Remember God only has one sermon. Genesis to Revelation God has the same message.” (This was my favorite quote from the entire week.)

Kevin Deyoung- -“The Spirit’s work is to being glory to Christ. (John 16:14)”
-“If you have an anger problem or a bitterness problem, you can be sure what you really have is Gratitude problem.”

David Platt- -(I have not heard this sermon yet, but here are 2 great quotes I’ve heard from it.)
-“There are more believers in some of your Sunday School classes than there are in the whole country of Yemen.”
-“God is not calling you to be involved in His work among the nations because He needs you, but instead because He loves you.”

Ligon Duncan- -“David Platt’s sermon at this year’s T4G is the best sermon I have ever heard on missions.”
-“When the bottom falls out & disappointments come, you will learn what you believe, what you love and what you treasure.”
-“When you start hearing or thinking you can get what you want or you deserve this, then you better believe that voice always comes with a hiss.”

Matt Chandler-

John Piper- -“I am utterly amazed that after all these years, I am still a Christian.”
-“If God called you, you will be kept.”
-“You should be absolutely stunned that you are still a Christian. It takes all of that (Jude 24-25).”
-“Jude is a book about being kept by God’s power.”