David Platt closed out T4G 2016 by reviewing the lives anddeaths of martyrs from the Reformation and applying their theologyof death and mission to the church today. Putting our pain inperspective, Platt reminded us that "your perspective of earthlyembers changes when you remember that you have been saved from aneternal inferno." Platt continues to call the church to hasten theday of her Lord's return by continuing to share the gospel with thelost and the unreached.

Matt Chandler only gets three words into this sermon'stextbeforestopping to exalt our sovereign God. Encouraging pastorstonot cowto cultural pressures, Chandler exalts in the strengthofGod'somnipotence. Chandler reviews a recent trip he took toRome,where hesaw how the world's strongest empire—which triedtoexterminateChristians—lies in ruins yet Christ's reignsinvictory. Thus,"Christian courage inflamed and informed bytheglory of God will bethe undoing of every empire againstthekingdom of God." Take heart,brothers and sisters.

Mark Dever speaks to why endurance is such a necessary virtuefor the Christian minister. In this talk, Dever aims to exhortpastors to not miss out on the joys of ministry, such as the joy ofresting in the sufficiency of Scripture, the joy of hearing otherspreach better sermons than you, the joy of seeing others converted,and other joys. These joys are part of the fuel God intends hispastors to have to continue in their service. Why aredenominational growth awards paltry substitutes for healthychurches? What are the joys of the spotlight vs. the joy of theelder's chair?

In this talk, focusing on Christ's call to the churches in the first three chapters of Revelation, John MacArthur challenges church leaders and pastors to call their churches to repentance if need be. "We all like calling the nation to repentance," MacArthur suggests, "but what about calling the church to repentance?" Have you ever heard of a church—a whole church—that repented? Have you ever been part of a church that openly, genuinely, and contritely repented for sins against its head—the Lord Jesus Christ?

We speak often of the Reformation recovering the doctrine of

What is the relationship between good works, assurance of

Every pastor is a kind of public theologian offering gospel-driven theology for their people and the broader culture. Why is this important when we consider what’s happening in the modern public square? In this breakout session, Owen Strachan strives to help pastors consider their cultural context and what they’re people are up against.

Owen Strachan is the Assistant Professor of Christian Theology and Church History at Boyce College in Louisville, KY. From 2008-2010, he was the full-time Managing Director of the Carl F. H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Associate Director of the Jonathan Edwards Center at TEDS. He holds an A.B. from Bowdoin College in History, M. Div from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is the author of six books and contributed to publications including The Atlantic, First Things, Christianity Today, and the Scottish Bulletin of Evangelical Theology. Owen currently resides in Louisville with his wife, Bethany and their two children.

One of the key things that’s often said against apologetics is that you shouldn’t defend the Bible — as Spurgeon famously said, “Defending the Bible is like defending a lion.” But, holding that in tension and affirming our great desire for people to encounter the Scriptures, how does one rightly employ apologetics in evangelism so that people may come to know God? The apologist’s role is often to due away with enough prejudices so that people will come and hear the word of God, read the word of God, and, as Williams puts it, “to get out of the way so the lion can do his work.” In this breakout, Peter Williams and Simon Gathercole discuss the relationship between apologetics, biblical studies, and evangelism.

Simon Gathercole is a New Testament scholar, editor of the Journal for the Study of the New Testament, an elder at Eden Baptist Church in Cambridge, and Senior Lecturer in New Testament Studies and Director of Studies at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University in England. He was formerly Senior Lecturer in New Testament at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland for seven years. Gathercole received a MA at Cambridge, and later completed a MTh and PhD at the University of Durham. Some of Dr. Gathercole’s books include: Where is Boasting? Early Jewish Soteriology and the New Perspective on Paul, and The Preexistent Son: Recovering the Christologies of Matthew, Mark and Luke. He is an acknowledged expert on early apocryphal gospels, having written The Gospel of Judas: Rewriting Early Christianity.

Peter Williams is the current warden (president) of Tyndale House and a Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Aberdeen and a lecturer at University of Cambridge in England. Dr. Williams earned his M.A., M. Phil. and Ph.D. at Cambridge University studying ancient languages. He is the author of several books and publications including Early Syriac Translation Technique and the Textual Criticism of the Greek Gospels. His research includes the early history of translation with particular focus on translation of the Bible and textual criticism. He resides in Cambridge, England with his wife and two children.

What does it look like for churches to reach out and evangelize among the poor? Whose responsibility is this within the church and what does Scripture say about it? In this breakout, pastors Mike McKinley and Mez McConnell discuss what church planting in difficult contexts means for the local church’s evangelism.

Mike McKinley is the lead pastor of Sterling Park Baptist Church in Sterling, VA. He is the author of several books, including “Am I Really a Christian?” and “Passion: How Christ’s Final Day Changes Your Every Day”. Mike and his wife Karen have five children.

Mez McConnell, is the Senior Pastor of Niddrie Community Church, Edinburgh, Scotland. He is the founder of 20schemes and has been involved in full time pastoral ministry, both church planting and revitalisation since 1999. He has worked in inner city areas in England, Scotland and Brazil and has a passion for training men and women for ministry in this context. He has written 2 books: Preparing for Baptism: A Personal Diary (Grace Publications Trust), and Is There Anybody Out There? (Christian Focus).

Mez studied Missiology at Moorland Bible College, England and Pastoral Theology at Bryntirion Bible College, Wales. He has been married to Miriam for 15 years and has two lovely daughters, Keziah & Lydia.

How exactly does the church the multiply? How are disciples made? Who do we preach the gospel to? Leonce Crump looks at Acts 9:31 to answer these questions as he discusses what the evangelistic implications for local churches are today.

Leonce Crump is the Elder for Vision, Preaching and Leadership at Renovation Church in Atlanta, GA. Originally from Louisiana and raised Roman Catholic, Leonce began following Jesus at age 16. He is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and holds Masters degrees in Criminal Justice, with a focus on Case Law (University of Tennessee), Missional Leadership (Resurgence Theological Training Center), and is currently finishing his Masters of Divinity at Reformed Theological Seminary. At Oklahoma he was an All-American wrestler and played defensive end on the Sooner football team. After college he competed to make the world team in wrestling, played professional football for the New Orleans Saints and coached collegiate wrestling. In 2006, he felt called to plant a church and through prayerful seeking of direction settled on the under-served area of downtown Atlanta. Leonce and his wife, Breanna, have lived in Atlanta for over 4 years, and have two daughters.