For the City: Matt Carter at Advance 10

Click here to listen to Matt’s talk

Matt spoke earlier this week at Advance the Church’s annual conference.  His talk was titled Ecclessia Engaged: For the Joy of the City.  It is well worth the time to listen to it.

For those of us who are part of the Austin Stone it should all be very familiar.  Matt takes some time to talk about the vision our church has, the inspiration of Charles Spurgeon, the biblical basis and what we have seen happen as we pursue this vision.  I was also pleased to hear Matt emphasize (as he always does) the importance of proclaiming the gospel and the Word.  Actions devoid of the gospel do not bring glory to God or point the lost to him, and I am thankful to be part of a church that believes and lives that.

I’ll leave you with the key passage from Jeremiah that Matt used in his talk and that drives our vision at the Stone:

4 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

Jeremiah 29:4–7 (ESV)

Tags: advance-the-church, austin-stone, Carter, Jeremiah