We're starting to put together the
Entrusted With the Gospel Conference '10. Yes, this is the first year we're making this conference open to the public. So, no, you didn't miss it last year unless you attend Kahului Baptist Church. If the latter is true for you then, yes, you did miss it last year.
This year will be different in several ways. First, it will be a 3 day event. Last year it was an 8 hour event. Second, we will be extending the conference to the public and other churches around Maui County and even Oahu. Third, and probably the most exciting, Lamp Mode recording artists will be providing the teaching. Lamp Mode recording artists Shai Linne, Json, and DJ Essence have been coming out to Hawaii for the past 2 years to do concerts on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island. This year they will be doing the same but they will also be teaching at EWG'10.
I have personally been blessed and encouraged whenever I have the opportunity to fellowship with them. I am especially encouraged by their passion to preach the cross of Christ. There is no other message more important than the message of the Gospel.
"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures." 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
Paul, when he came to a people that were ridden with idolatry, sexual immorality, and paganism, didn't come with eloquence of speech, self-help techniques or Ph.D's because he "decided to know nothing among [them] except Jesus Christ and him crucified." 1 Corinthians 2:1-2.
Paul also says,
"But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed." Galatians 1:8-9
So then, what is the Gospel? I was looking at the Together For the Gospel website and they had a great explanation of the Gospel. Here it is:
The Gospel is the joyous declaration that God is redeeming the world through Christ (Matt 1:21; Luke 1:68; Eph 1:7; Col 1:20), and that he calls everyone everywhere to repent from sin and trust Jesus Christ for salvation (Mark 1:15; Acts 2:38; 17:30).
Each of us has sinned against God (Rom 3:23), breaking his law and rebelling against his rule, and the penalty for our sin is death and hell (Rom 6:23). But because he loves us, God sent his Son Jesus (John 3:16; Eph 2:4; 1 John 4:10) to live for his people’s sake the perfect, obedient life God requires (Rom 8:4; 1 Cor 1:30; Heb 4:15) and to die in their place for their sin (Isa 53:5; Mat 20:28; 26:28; Mark 10:45; 14:24; Luke 22:20; John 11:50-51; Rom 3:24-25; 4:25; 1 Cor 15:3; 2 Cor 5:21; Eph 5:2; Heb 10:14; 1 Pet 3:18). On the third day, He rose bodily from the grave (Mat 28:6) and now reigns in heaven (Luke 22:69; 24:51; Heb 8:1), offering forgiveness (Eph 1:7), righteousness (Rom 5:19), resurrection (Rom 8:11), and eternal blessedness in God’s presence (Rev 22:4) to everyone who repents of sin and trusts solely in Him for salvation.
This is the Gospel. This is the message of the Bible. This is the very thing that unites all born again believers in the world. When the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the main thing then all denominational lines disappear. This is what Entrusted With the Gospel '10 is seeking to reaffirm. We want to reaffirm the biblical Gospel as the central focus of the Church and the Gospel as the Church's main message to the world. Keep an eye on this blog for updates on EWG'10.
For now, pray for the event and for the speakers. Pray that God will provide as he has so faithfully in the past. Pray that the churches around Hawaii will come and stand united for the Gospel. Pray that the Church will rise up to stand for the true biblical Gospel and forsake the "feel good gospel."
Soli Deo Gloria,
nick tanaka
