May
14
2010
For the Sake of the Gospel
In 2005 a handful of pastors in central Ohio began meeting informally at a local Panera Bread. The purpose of these monthly gatherings was simply to spend time together in fellowship and share ministry blessings and burdens. Over time the conversation became more intentional. The attendees felt a growing responsibility to reach out to other likeminded ministries and make a difference for God’s Kingdom in the greater Columbus area.
During these years, two significant conferences were begun at a national level—Together for the Gospel (T4G) and The Gospel Coalition (TGC)—both of which produced foundational theological statements. Our small local group found in these statements a commonality of theology and philosophy of ministry.
Locally, we decided to use these documents to publicly articulate our central theological and ministerial convictions. During this process we also adopted the moniker, the Greater Columbus Gospel Coalition, or as we affectionately call ourselves “GC Squared.”
The mission of the Greater Columbus Gospel Coalition is to treasure the glorious Person and Work of the Triune God and to see God glorified by the advancement of the gospel of Jesus Christ through the Spirit in the greater Columbus area.
To that end we have invited Alistair Begg to minister to church leaders and congregations during a special event entitled “For the Sake of the Gospel” on June 4, 2010. In the afternoon there will be two sessions from 2:00 to 5:30 p.m. for church leadership teams, while in the evening there will be a worship session for congregations across the greater Columbus area beginning at 7:30 p.m.
The first afternoon session will wrestle with the topic “What is the Gospel? How does it impact Ecclesiology, Philosophy, Teaching, and Discipleship?” while the second session will address “Communicating the Exclusivity of the Gospel to An Inclusive and Pluralistic Culture.” The evening service will challenge us to answer the question “What is a Gospel Centered Church?”
Since we also treasure and seek to protect biblical unity, it is important to model that value in a tangible way to our congregations and an unbelieving world. To that end, you are invited to join us!
Our venue will be Grace Bible Church, 424 Gender Road, Canal Winchester, OH 43110. While this is a free conference, please register by calling (614) 833-0700 or by emailing contact@gracebiblecw.com. Please include your name, church home, and let us know if you will be joining us for dinner ($10 per person) at 5:30 p.m.
Please make plans to join us as we gather together for the sake of the gospel!