Tomorrow morning a handful of DSC leaders will, Lord willing, leave for The Gospel Coalition‘s national pastors’ conference in IL. The speakers include Don Carson, Tim Keller, John Piper, Mark Driscoll, Bryan Chapell, Phil Ryken, and Ligon Duncan. The messages will expositionally work through the whole text of 2 Timothy, in addition to the smaller break out sessions on more practical topics.

Please pray for us while we’re there. Pray for refreshment, growth, and fellowship in Christ and in his Word.

Let me add a few comments more financially related, while I’m at it.

Normally, we would take almost all of our staff and elders to an event like this (20+ people). It’s in our budget to do one big conference together a year. Or at least it was. With the giving being what it has been, and budget cuts being unavoidable, conferences were one of the first places we started “trimming.” We’ve cut the overall number of conferences we attend, and cut how many will attend. I don’t know the numbers, but I know it’s a significant change from a year or two ago. This may be the only conference any of us attend this year.

Why do I tell you that? Well, not at all so that you’ll feel sad or guilty for our conference hardships! It’s not even a subtle reminder that “parentheses are bad” …and the parentheses are growing. I tell you that so that we remain above board with you about your giving and our spending – especially in these fiscally-tight times. Your giving will send a handful of us away for a conference this week. Yet, with that in mind, please know that we are constantly trying to wisely make cuts toward a budget that more closely reflects our present state of giving.

On the one hand, we want to be wise and careful stewards of what the Lord gives us through you, and not presumptuous that the Lord will do tomorrow what he has done yesterday. But, on the other hand, we’re not doing the church-equivilent of cashing in your bonds and burying the cash in the backyard. We’re in a recession — as a country and as a church — but, praise God, the gears are still turning, and oil on those gears is still needed. This conference is the equivalent of some oil applied to the gears of our church leadership. That benefits you; it is ultimately (under God’s glory) for you, the church at DSC.

We go with that firmly in mind. You sent us (even if you didn’t know it until now!). We go to hear, talk, grow, and learn so that we’re better equipped and more refreshed to serve you in and through Jesus Christ. We take none of that for granted. Please know that. And thanks for sending us.