T4G Should peripheral issues always remain in the background?

Bob Kauflin reglects in Worship Matters on together for the Gospel: “The take away is this: when we concentrate on what really matters in our relationship with God the unity He has given us with Himself and each other through the Gospel – peripheral issues fade into the background. Maybe that’s how it’s always supposed to be “

I think that was exactly what the conference was about, and for a conference that was a fantastic thing. For a local brotherhood of church leaders it is also a good thing. Also for a group of online bloggers who enjoy interacting with each other. But for a church?

I am sure that (including Bob) none of the leaders of the conference would want for those distinctives that we hold dear to always be in the background in our local congregations. There are some churches that attempt to run without the burden of controversial baggage – perhaps even modelling themselves on a T4G conference – with no official position on a raft of “non-essential” issues for fear of rocking the boat. Actually, what I admire about the T4G guys is that they are NOT afraid to disagree with each other. I have interviewed Mark Dever in person and he took the chance to my humorous comments about CJ’s belief in apostles today and to claim that Lig Duncan is “in sin” over baptism! I guess that in those longed for panel discussions (I know I DO bang on dont I!) those differences did come up.

In each local church there is a need for postions on a raft of issues, but we do well to be willing to put those aside and learn from each other too, especially in a confernece situation.