2010 Band of Bloggers Rewind – Thank You

I’ve been back from Louisville for a couple of days but have not been able to update the blog for various reasons more important than blogging. In any case, I’m glad to be back and want to give you all an update on the 2010 Band of Bloggers gathering.  I will be posting audio, video, and photos shortly, but before I do, I need to express my sincere gratitude to those who were so instrumental in this year’s event.

Thank you, Together for the Gospel, for allowing us to operate under your umbrella (especially Paul Medler and Andrew Sherwood).  Three out of four of our gatherings have been with T4G, and I’m grateful for the encouragement I have received over the years.

Thank you, Justin Taylor, Jared Wilson, Jonathan McIntosh, and Trevin Wax, for leading the discussion as presenters of the theme “Internet Idolatry and Gospel Fidelity.”  I could not have asked you to handle the topic any better than you did, and from the numerous people who communicated how much they were challenged by your talks, I am confident that the gospel words were well-received.  You served us well, and the time and preparation you spent in thinking carefully and deeply about these matters were evident in your exhortations to us.

Thank you, Owen Strachan, for once again moderating this year’s panel discussion.  You are a constant encouragement to me through your faithfulness to God and serving the evangelical community through your leadership.

Thank you, Sojourn Church, for the many ways you served me and the BoB attendees this year, including housing the 2,400 books, bagging all of the books, providing sounding and recording equipment, and overseeing the logistics of the event.  I simply could not have put this together without Bobby Gilles and those who labored alongside him in the preparations leading up to this year’s meeting.  Thank you, Bobby and fellow Sojourners, for the kindness you showed us in all the work that was done behind the scenes.

Thank you also to my close friends and volunteers who assisted me in registration, bag distribution, and general preparation for the meeting at the Galt House.  Brothers like Brad Hughes, Sean Gould, Matt Wireman, Stephen Newell, James Risner, and many others stepped in to shoulder much of the load.  Brothers, thank you.

Thank you, book publishers, for donating the 2,400 books that were distributed to over 200 attenders at this years meeting.  Over $45,000 in books were freely given and shipped to our gathering of gospel-centered bloggers from the following sponsors: Broadman & Holman, Kregel, Reformation Trust, Crossway, LifeWay Treads Media, Moody, Reformation Heritage Books, Banner of Truth, Multnomah, and Founders Press.  It is my hope that your literature will serve these men and women well, and through their good stewardship of your generosity, result in many more people being influenced through your titles.

Finally, I want to say thank you to all who came to this year’s gathering.  With each gathering, I meet dozens of new people and reconnect to many long-time friends.  It brings me joy to be able to encourage you in faithfulness to the gospel through this little event.  I hope that the fellowship, the talks, and the books will serve you, your church, and your community so that Christ may be treasured by many in your midst!