On Monday, the conference got rolling with Doug Wilson, pastor of Christ Church in Moscow, ID, preaching.  His sermon dealt with Leading the Home.  My tweets were:


As parents, we want our children’s hearts…so show them how to do it. God does this for us. #dgpc


When Jesus was baptized, His Father was there, made His presence known, identified with Him & expressed joy & delight in Him. #dgpc


Fathers need to have a fatherly pleasure over their children. #dgpc


God’s generosity is showcased in John’s Gospel. #dgpc


Calling God Father doesn’t mean He’s male but He’s masculine. His masculity has been bestowed on us. #dgpc all fatherhood is from God


A family is a creation of God. God established this in the beginning. #dgpc


Earthly fathers are masculinity carriers. #dgpc maculinity is the glad assumption of responsibility


Like velvet covered brick, masculine toughness should lie underneath masculine tenderness #dgpc


Biblical headship is bleeding and joyful sacrifice. #dgpc men are called to provide and protect http://esv.to/gen2:15


RT: Doug Wilson: “If you want to preach the gospel to your wife and to your children, then die.” #dgpascon


Fatherhood has a point beyond “begetting” : look at the Manual (the Bible) #dgpc


A father’s authority is for building up. It’s designed for giving and sacrificing for others. #dgpc it should be a gift to them.


#dgpc how can we be model without a model? By the Gospel, we can break out of fatherless tendencies by seeing the Father through Christ


#dgpc we are able to imitate what we hear about / read // in biographies of fathers of gr8 men, church, missions, etc.


RT: Doug Wilson: “In the gospel, the fatherless no longer are.” #dgpascon


#dgpc fathers speak about God the Father constantly whether true or false


#dgpc children need fathers regardless of resistance … Strict as God the Father is strict: holy and merciful


#dgpc back to Gospel: when you turn to God in repentance, don’t believe He’s like you, receiving you poorly, believe good news. You’re loved


#dgpc we’re are called to have homes of grace for all of our children


There are a few things I really appreciated in this session: 1) A clear defining of terms.  2) A Gospel centered focus. 3) the pressing to greater practice of fatherhood in homes.  I really benefitted and was excited that we were rolling in this amazing theme of manhood.  

As many of you know, I had the privilege this past week of attending the 2012 Desiring God Conference for Pastors.  I will recap some of that experience here to collate my notes and help others who might be wondering what my benefits were from this investment.

My team (I traveled with a fellow elder and 2 younger guys) left on Saturday and arrived in Minneapolis on Saturday night.  We got up Sunday morning and went to Bethlehem Baptist Church’s North Campus to hear John Piper preach in the local church he pastors.  It was an amazing sermon entitled Let’s Be Rich Toward God.  For this conference, I did a first and didn’t furiously take hundreds of notes.  But I grabbed relevant content that stuck with me and tweeted it.  Here’s my tweets from this sermon:

PhilAuxier Phil Auxier 

don’t be a damned fool; be rich toward God esv.to/Luke12.20-21

Piper really delivered in this message.  Included in this was an autobiographical account of how he and Noel use their finances in decisive ways.  As is usually the case, I left the service amazed at how God and Word-centered the leadership is.

We spent some time in the Mall of America before prepping Monday for the conference to begin.

Much of my time this past week and into this weekend has been devoted to preparing to be gone to the 2012 Desiring God Pastor’s Conference.  There are some amazing videos online talking about the scope of this conference and I am blessed to get to travel with another Elder and 2 younger guys.  I’m hoping God gives us all a vision of what it means to be a man of God in ministry.  Typically, they stream sessions live, so if this conference interests you, check back on the conference website for info.  And, if you’re reading this, would you please pray that God would begin a work of grace in the heart of all those who attend.  He’s the One responsible for any kind of lasting change.  Thanks.