Welcome to the Gospel Coalition podcast, equipping the next generation of believers,

pastors, and church leaders to shape life and ministry around the gospel.

As we celebrate the Gospel Coalition's 20th anniversary and 10th national conference, we want to look back to TGC's first event,

a 2007 conference called Tethered to the Center. The following is a keynote address from Crawford-Loritz.

Thank you very much, Don. It's a joy to be here with you. I want to get something out of the way real quickly.

They say the worst time to speak are after meals, and we've eaten. It's been a long day, so let me just say this. If you feel like sleeping, go ahead and sleep. I won't take it personally. I have slept on the best of them. And what goes around comes around. So, in fact, there's plenty of room you can lay down in the aisle and them and what goes around comes around so in fact there's plenty of room you can

lay down in the aisle and few empty chairs there but just let me say there's two rules if you feel

like sleeping just go ahead and sleep help yourself but don't don't do like this that's distracting

and don't do like this pretending as if you're praying or writing.

That's lying. And so just go ahead and help yourself. I just might join you.

Yeah, that would be interesting, wouldn't it? I have to tell you, I really did wrestle in prayer

about this message tonight.

Just because of the broad implications, what do you not say about passing the torch?

It can be argued from Genesis to Revelation, that is the practical transferable theme of everything, is passing the torch. The Bible is amazing how it speaks against the urgency

of our times, but warns us of the arrogance of our moment, that there's something greater than we are

and that will ever be. And so you can't look at yourself in the mirror and seeing how great thou art.

You're not the end all and the be all of everything,

that God is doing something tremendous in our times.

I want you to turn with me in your Bible to Psalm 78.

Psalm 78.

Some years ago, I was traveling during the time that they were celebrating the memorial service of Sammy Davis Jr.

As many of you know, he was a legendary entertainer that broke all kinds of barriers and stereotypes and that kind of thing. As I recall, I was in

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