Session 1 = Ligon Duncan – he wrapped up 2 Timothy, preaching from 4:6-22. He exposited the closing comments of Paul, revealing how your theology informs and affects your methodology in ministry. He had some very good points as we worked through the text.
Session 2 = D.A. Carson – Chris and I both felt that Carson really surpassed our expectations. He was one of the better guys at the conference, and that’s saying something. He taught from 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, and was real faithful to the larger context of 1 Cor 8-10 as well. He contended that the biblical message should never change, though the messenger may flex according to his audience.
Lunch & Afternoon = We had a decent break from lunch till 7pm, so we headed downtown and ate at Al’s Beef – they have one of the top-rated Italian Beef sandwiches in the nation. It was, in fact, delicious. After that, we stopped into Ed Debevic’s briefly just to get insulted (it’s a 50’s diner with attitude) and then walked to the Navy Pier. The Navy Pier is on Lake Michigan and used to be an actual Navy Pier. Lots of attractions, shops, ferris wheel, an indoor aboretum, sailing ships and more. It was fun to walk around. From there, we headed to Borders where we both chose some books, settled into chairs and saw about 90-120 minutes slip away while we skimmed and read. Wonderful! At 6:30pm, we realized that we’d lost track of time and so caught a cab to Park Church where the final event was held.
Evening Session = this was a separate event from the conference, featuring John Piper and D.A. Carson reflecting on life in ministry and at seminary. Piper gave his life story and lessons learned, as a professor turned pastor, over the span of about 90 minutes. Then Carson came and gave an account of his life so far, as a pastor turned professor, sharing lessons and reflections along the way. After this, there was a time of Q&A — where they answered questions that people had texted in during their talks — sounds kinda familiar, huh? 😉
At about 10:30, we got onto the L for the ride back, getting off at our stop around 11:15 and discovering that it was pouring rain! So, after a 10 minute walk in the rain, we arrived at our hotel soaked and weary, but full of thankfulness for the week. So, thank you for your prayers. It’s been a great week. And… we’re ready to fly home tomorrow, see our families and then be with you again to worship together on Sunday!!
We love you guys,
John & Chris
