Basics 2006

No concern is more vital to the church than the gospel itself, the life-changing message of Christ that inspires worship, equips for service, enables fellowship, and compels outreach. "You will be my witnesses," said Jesus..."Go and make disciples of all peoples." While owing its very existence to the gospel, the church can be easily distracted from this fundamental calling.

In keeping with this year's theme, Evangelism In and Through the Local Church, conference addresses, question-answer sessions, and Bible expositions emphasized that the gospel is less than a project or program and more the very heartbeat of a living church. The speakers expressed that the gospel is not for unbelievers alone, but meant to engage the hearts and minds of believers as well.

John Dickson is an evangelist and best-selling author from Sydney, Australia. He has a knack for getting into people's shoes and taking an honest look at the questions and dilemmas they face. His evangelistic books like If I Were God I'd End All the Pain are models of empathy, clarity, and brevity, and relate to unbelievers exceptionally well. johndickson.org

Vaughan Roberts is Rector of St. Ebbe's Church in Oxford, England. Vaughan has a passion for teaching and training others to share Christ. His writings, such as True Worship and God's Big Picture are concise, compelling assessments of what the Bible teaches. His church is known for its evangelistic efforts among university students. stebbes.org.uk

Alistair Begg is Senior Pastor of Parkside Church and our conference host. His ministry of Bible teaching is heard daily on Truth For Life, which is broadcast by more than 1,000 radio stations. He has written several books, including Pathway to Freedom. truthforlife.org