BLOG

I remember like it was yesterday sitting as a student in a breakout session at a college conference. It was me and about 10 other students — apparently not the most popular option that day.

The breakout leader, Jeff Lewis, opened the Bible to the book of Genesis. For the next 45 minutes, he walked from cover to cover through Scripture, showing God’s passion for His glory in all nations. All the way to Revelation, he painted an overwhelmingly God-centered view of God. When the session was over, the other students got up to leave. But I couldn’t move. I was glued to my seat with the Bible in front of me and my jaw on the ground.

For the first time, I realized that my life was created for the spread of God’s grace and God’s glory to the ends of the earth. This grand mission of God was not a mere program in the church. This grand mission of God was the purpose for which I had breath.

That day at that college conference changed everything for me. What I saw in God’s Word that day — and have seen over and over and over again in God’s Word over the last 20 years — has shaped my understanding of my life, my family, the church, ministry, and the world. And that’s why I’m eagerly anticipating this particular CROSS Conference coming up January 2-5, 2019.

During those few days, Lord willing, I will join John Piper, Conrad Mbewe, Richard Chin, Mack Stiles, and others to take 18-25 year-olds on a journey from cover to cover through Scripture to see and show how God’s passion for His glory among the nations shapes God’s purpose for our lives. Our first session will start in Genesis, and our last session will end in Revelation, and along the way I pray that the Spirit of God won’t simply leave 18-25 year-olds glued to their seats. I pray that they will be compelled to give their lives to the grand purpose of seeing every tribe, tongue, and nation experiencing the grace and enjoying the glory of Jesus Christ.

Register Now (or contact lykelinda@miltonsdb.org to join our group)

If you’re 18-25, I challenge you to join us in Louisville for this journey through Scripture. And if you’re a pastor or leader with influence among 18-25 year-olds, I encourage you to send them to Louisville. And by all means, feel free to join them as you do.

For Christ,

David Platt

Learn more about the vision for CROSS19 in their new video.

David Platt is the president of the International Mission Board (IMB). He studied at the University of Georgia (BA, Journalism) and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div, Th.M., Ph.D.). Before leading the IMB, David pastored the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, AL. He is author of Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream. David practices what he preaches through his travel nationally and internationally, teaching from God’s Word in churches, seminaries, the underground church or even under a shade tree in Africa or Latin America. He married his wife, Heather in 1999 and they are parents of three children.