In the midst of other activities, I’ve been preparing to lead the singing for a group of 7000 mostly pastors at Together for the Gospel, to be held Apr. 13-15, 2010 in Louisville, KY.
The conference emerged out of a friendship between four men – Al Mohler, Mark Dever, Ligon Duncan, and CJ Mahaney – who hail from different backgrounds (Baptist, Presbyterian, charismatic) but who have found a profound unity in their passion for the gospel of Jesus Christ. This year, they’ll be joined by John Piper, John MacArthur, Thabiti Anyabwile, and R.C. Sproul. Matt Chandler has recently agreed to speak as part of CJ’s session.
In addition, there will be eight breakout sessions, each led by a younger pastor. That list includes my good friend and senior pastor Josh Harris, as well as Kevin DeYoung, Tony Carter, David Platt, and others. It’s going to be a great time of teaching, fellowship, and equipping, not to mention praising God in song. If you’re thinking of coming, I’d register soon, as there are over 6000 already signed up.
Leading the music for this conference really gets me out of my comfort zone. It’s just me leading from a piano. No band, no drums, no other singers. And this year we’ll be printing all the songs out in 4 parts, which will curtail my harmonic creativity a little bit. But hey, I like to think of it as a fresh challenge.
We recorded the conference in 2008 and released the album, Together for the Gospel Live. In the video below, I explain some of the thinking that went into choosing the music to sing at the conference.
Hope to see you there.
look forward to seeing you there and worshiping our great God and King together!
I am really looking forward to this conference. I am attending with my new senior pastor and and a couple of our church leaders. Very much looking forward to being led in worship. Thanks for your ministry.
Hi Bob,
I am excited that the music will be in 4 parts this year. I must tell you that even if just you and the piano are out of your comfort zone, it was one of the most worshipful experiences of my life in 08. 5k men singing… Looking forward to this year! Thank you for your ministry, it is blessing my home and church.
After viewing the video, I am awe struck and weeping. The sound of so many voices seems to picture what heaven will be like. (I just bought the album) Reminds me of a seminar in the Phila Convention Center in the ’70s; ‘Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts’, there was no electric in the building due to a labor strike and we sang without music or amplification, thousands of people, it was beautiful and awesome, with so much good harmony as many Mennonites were in attendance and they always sang without music, but with lots of harmony. Praise God!
I now attend Covenant Fellowship Church near Phila.
I am so grateful that I was there, and will be this year by Gods grace. I play that CD over and over in my pickup. I told my 5 year old grandaughter that I was there singing, and she said, “Grandpa, I can hear you singing!” All my grandkids love listening to the CD with me and they tell their parents, “We were listening to grandpa sing on the CD!” The amusing thing is if you heard me sing you would surely wonder how in the world that could be worship! But singing with that many people even I sound good. Thanks for your ministry to us!
Bob,
please tell me you are recording the music-worship for release to those who are not able to be there . . . :-)
I am looking forward to this time of Christ-centered singing, a rehearsal for our eternal worship at the feet of the Lamb! Praying for you as you lead us to the throne room.
I can’t wait. This will be my first T4G.
I love the simplicity of voices + piano
Will you all be recording the music for T4G 2010 like in 08?
Andrew, we’ll be recording this year but not releasing an album. We might do so after 2012. combining the music from the two conferences.
Bob,
I lead the worship in song at a relatively small, independent Bible church where piano & organ are the only instrumentation in use. I downloaded T4G Live in January, and have listened to it non-stop since. That recording demonstrates a great balance of expressiveness in worship (without becoming a distraction), and doctrinally rich content (without becoming dry), and has served as a wonderful example of what worship in a hymns-only environment can sound like. Thank you.