CROSS Conference Podcast

PLEASE NOTE: We’re deeply sorry that Brian’s talk cuts off at ~41 minute mark given technical difficulties at the conference. We pray the rest of the talk encourages you.

Why does Zane Pratt say he is convinced that “business as missions will be the most significant tool forward for the spread of the gospel in unrestricted areas”? Brian Chan, a computer software engineer who strategically uses business as missions, answers in this talk.

Brian Chan started and runs a for-profit secular software business, called Liferay, and uses it as means of glorifying God by spreading the Gospel and writing code. He graduated from the University of Chicago in 2000 and now lives in the Los Angeles area with his wife and two kids.

To close CROSS 2013, David Platt delivers a clarion call to all Christians, imploring them to consider what their obedience to the Great Commission looks like. For many, it will be as stateside senders; for some, it will be as lifelong goers; for others, it will be as offerings poured out en route to give the gospel to yet-to-be-reached peoples. In every scenario — in going and sending and even in dying — God is achieving His incontrovertible purpose: the supremacy of the glory of God in the Christ-exalting joy of all peoples.

D.A. Carson preaches on the social dimensions of both sin and the gospel. Sin doesn’t just send you to Hell, and the gospel doesn’t just save your soul. Each has necessary social, personal, and horizontal ramifications, culminating in the existence of and a commitment to the church, the bride of Christ, for it is in the church where the love of God is made known and reflected to the nations.

Michael Oh of the Lausanne Movement calls Christians to care about all types of global suffering, especially eternal suffering. In this, the church functions as both prophet and servant — boldly heralding the truth of God’s Word while simultaneously seeking to serve others’ needs in showing the compassion of Christ. Individual Christians, too, will suffer and should use these moments — as often as the Lord brings them — to endure in faith and to hold out the gospel as the only true and lasting alleviation from suffering.

Matt Chandler unpacks the life of the apostle Paul as proof positive that there’s no such thing as a person beyond God’s saving mercy. In fact, his post-conversion commitment to evangelism and, even more, his Christ-exalting fearlessness in the midst suffering depicts the truth of his words in Philippians 1:21: “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” May the same be said of all God’s people, that a better day is coming where we will receive our reward and see — finally — our treasured King face to face.

In this session, Mack Stiles upholds biblical criteria one should use when discerning a “call” to missions. Mere inward and emotional certainty is not enough. The missionary’s call should be inspired by the Word of God, informed by the content of the gospel, and externally confirmed by the church.

Richard Chin preaches from Mark 8 in order to show that a proper view of Jesus demands a proper response to Jesus. Because He is the Son of Man whose kingdom will never end, His followers confidently and joyfully take up their cross and obediently take the gospel to those who do not know Him.

To speak of God’s wrath evokes all different sorts of emotions and reaction in people. Yet the horrific death of Christ and his glorious resurrection is the greatest news that mankind could ever hear given that with each day, humans store up God’s righteous judgment and wrath. Believing this news necessitates announcing it. 

Far from being obstacles for mission, Kevin DeYoung shares why the five points of Calvinism are surprising motivators for missions. In fact, belief in an electing, sovereign, all-powerful God is the only thing that keeps one humble in the midst of results and hopeful when there are none. Many may ask why anyone would go if God has only called some. But the Bible asks, “Why would anyone go unless God has certainly called some?”

In Romans 1:13-18, the apostle Paul describes a life unashamed of the gospel, eager to proclaim Christ in places where He has yet to be named. Paul is eager because the gospel is the best news in the universe, containing divine power and providing in Christ the singular salvation from God’s holy, righteous, and personal wrath. The only thing that turns away the wrath of God is Jesus.