When we were planning the conference and we first invited Mike Bullmore to come I thought to myself 'A lot of people probably won't know who Mike Bullmore is. So how can we fix that?'

One step we took was to ask a few friends for recommendations and endorsements of Mike. We asked last year's conference speaker, Mark Dever, along with pastor Joshua Harris and professor, speaker, and leader of the Gospel Coalition, Don Carson. Here's what each of them had to say about we should listen carefully to Mike Bullmore:

Don Carson said: "Mike Bullmore is not as well known as some because he has written relatively little -- but he is one of the most engaging, penetrating, insightful preachers I know. Moreover, the quality of his mentoring of young men in the church he serves is simply stellar."

Joshua Harris wrote: "Mike Bullmore is one of the best kept secrets in the larger body of Christ today. He is a masterful, passionate, precise teacher of God’s word. I’ve described him as a cross between John Piper and CJ Mahaney. And I can’t think of a higher compliment to pay a preacher."

Mark Dever told us: "Mike Bullmore is a pastor who has both been instrumental in beginning a new congregation, and has faithfully pastored a congregation for years. He's not only taught preaching in the classroom, but he's mentored young preachers and pastors for years. I'm excited that pastors in Toronto will get the opportunity to enjoy Mike's humble wisdom and his careful, encouraging preaching."

To all that I simply say, that is why I can't wait to learn from Mike Bullmore! Make sure you register now if you haven't yet!

Post from: Julian Freeman

Why I Can’t Wait to Learn from Mike Bullmore

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Mike Bullmore is the keynote speaker this year. In this next video of our interview with him, we asked him, 'What happens when the gospel is not at the centre in the local church?'

Post from: Julian Freeman

What Happens When Churches Lose the Centrality of the Gospel?

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Just to whet your appetite for some great time in the word (and some incentive to come if you haven't decided yet!), here is a great compilation of resources to recommend and to pass along for pastors and those training for ministry.

Now you can download all 8 messages (all pdfs and mp3s with Q&A sessions included)  from the 2009 -2010 Toronto Pastors Fellowship monthly meetings in a single click!

So go ahead and download those messages as you get ready for TPC 2010 coming next week!

Post from: Julian Freeman

Resources for Pastors

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While I was gone on vacation, Paul posted several videos of an interview we did with Mike Bullmore looking forward to TPC '10. Watch the videos below to find out how the gospel connects to preaching, greeting, ushering, parking lot attendants, and a love for pastoral ministry.

Don't forget, you can register online here!

Click here to watch a few more videos from Mike Bullmore, to download sermons he's preached, to read what other evangelical leaders have to say about him, and to see what he'll be preaching on at TPC '10!

Post from: Julian Freeman

Mike Bullmore Interviewed for TPC 2010

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Here are some of his thoughts on the Lord's Supper.

For more information on the Toronto Pastors Conference or to register online, check out http://TorontoPastors.org/tpc.

Post from: Julian Freeman

Mike Bullmore: Why the Lord’s Supper?

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In this video Mike is answering the question, 'Can a person come to a saving knowledge of God without hearing or believing in Jesus Christ?'

Post from: Julian Freeman

Mike Bullmore: Can I be Saved without Knowing Jesus?

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Any thoughts?

Those are the questions we asked Kirk Wellum, Principal of the Toronto Baptist Seminary, to answer at this Monday's meeting of the Toronto Pastors Fellowship.

So go ahead, play the role of Kirk Wellum: Why don't you give me some of your answers and we'll see on Monday how closely they line up with Kirk's insights once the paper is presented on Monday.

Post from: Julian Freeman

You Play Kirk Wellum

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A quick look at the job postings from a lot of churches across North America list all kinds of requirements.

• Good with time management
• Young
• Humorous
• Outgoing
• Gifted & dynamic speaker
• Good with young people
• A seminary degree
• And the list goes on...

Are these really the things that make a pastor competent for his pastoral responsibilities?

Pastor David Robinson of Grace Bible Church in Cambridge will be addressing the topic of what makes a pastor competent this coming Monday at the monthly meeting of the Toronto Pastors Fellowship.

I've just finished reading through his paper and I'm extremely excited to hear him present it and then to discuss it with the other pastors.

Here's an excerpt / sneak peek:

It is in this context (2 Tim 3.1-5), the weakness of Timothy and the degeneration of a godless culture, that Paul calls Timothy to a simple yet profound task: “Preach the Word.” Is that it? Well, yes and no. Yes, preach the Word but no, the preached Word must be accompanied with godly character (2 Tim 3.10-11).
Paul has just made the task even more daunting, if that were possible. He has called Timothy and all subsequent pastors to preach the Word in a thoroughly pagan and rebellious, uninterested and hostile culture. You will need to have faith, patience, great love, and endurance. In short, godly character. Again, who is sufficient? Paul answers this question in some of his final words to Timothy:  'But the Lord stood by my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it.  And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.  The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will be me safely to his heavenly kingdom.  To him be glory forever and ever' (2 Tim 4.17-18).
But what if we tweaked the question?  “OK, we know we are called to preach the Word and it will come at a cost. But is there any encouragement to preach the Word?  Or more specifically, what makes us competent for the charge of preaching the Word of God?” Those answers lie in our passage in 2 Timothy 3.16-17. Paul answers the question in three ways.
First, Paul reminds Timothy that the power of the Word does not lie in the preacher of the Word, but in the nature of the Word.  “All Scripture is God breathed.”  This Word is the living Word of God, breathed out of the mouth of God into the hearts of the writers.  What we hold therefore, is the very Word of the living God. What a beautiful expression: God breathed. Scripture’s source is the breath of God or conversely,  Scripture is the result of the breath of God.
When the pastor stands to preach, it is as we read in Exodus: 'The Lord said to him [Moses], “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind?  Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say (Exodus 4.11-12).'
The Lord will help and the Lord will teach through the God-breathed Scripture.  Here lies the great hope and responsibility – the great hope is when we preach we are taking God-breathed words to the people; the great responsibility is to do exactly as Paul exhorted Timothy: “preach the Word.”

If you want more you've got to be at Richview Baptist Church this coming Monday at 10am. Hope to see you there!

Post from: Julian Freeman

A Competent Pastor?

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Pastors Delighting in God to the Glory of God Together

This coming Monday is the final monthly meeting of the Toronto Pastors Fellowship for the 2008-2009 season. While I'm sad that it will be over for the next several months, I can't wait for Monday to come, because the paper will be great!

I've just had a chance to read over Pastor Darryl Dash's paper on theocentric preaching; it is full of insights, challenges, and encouragements.

Here is a brief preview to whet your appetite for Monday's meeting. In this section, Dr Dash is detailing the pitfalls and flaws of moralistic preaching, and showing how even sermons that are textually based may be ultimately moralistic.

In Scripture, obedience is always a response to the gospel. Application that is not rooted in gospel leads to pride if the listener succeeds, and defeatism if the listener does not. The law does not give us power to obey its commands; we need good news (the gospel), not just good advice. The Bible does contain commands, but these are always applications of the gospel.

Moralism can creep into how-to sermons (e.g. “Four Steps to Better Parenting”), but it can also creep into expositions of a text. For example, preaching the imperatives of Ephesians 4-6 will be moralistic unless we link the imperatives to the gospel described in Ephesians 1-3. God's gift and his commands (theology and ethics) are always linked.

Make sure to join us on Monday morning at 10am to get the full paper, the Q&A, and all the blessings of fellowship. 

See you there!

Post from: Julian Freeman

Preaching God

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Note that this review was given off-the-cuff in a Q&A session. Tim has done a thorough review of the book for you to read here.

But, if you're lazy and would prefer to listen to a 4 minute audio review, rather than read one, you can download the audio review here.

Post from: Julian Freeman

Audio Review of ‘the Shack’ by Tim Challies

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