Article - Resolved 2008 Positive Comments and Feedback

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:39:12 GMT

“Thank you for allowing God to change the way I live and worship from this moment forward. All glory to God! Lord willing, see you next year!”

“Amazing Conference! It is an amazingly wonderful opportunity to learn from such godly men. Thank you! Thank you for all of the hard work, it was noticed!”

“Enfield never fails to lead in worship – 0% a concert, but a time of worship in song – thank you. I’m so appreciative for preaching and singing focused on worshipping our Lord. This is my second Resolved Conference and I’m so thankful to be here. Not only the speakers, but the people I meet encourage me in my faith and in my reading of books of depth that expound on Scripture. In the last year, I’ve almost entirely switched from reading fiction to non-fiction by Piper, Mahaney, Ryle, Bridges and Murray’s book on Edwards. My appetite is whetted for more of the Lord’s truth. May He cause that to increase in the next year and for His glory.”

“Thank you so much for a wonderful conference. I really appreciate all the hard work that was put into this. Praise God!”

“I was touched my CJ’s last message. I wept for joy and thankfulness to hear again how Jesus bore the damnation I deserved. I am so moved by His love. See you next year!”

“Resolved is great. This is my second year and I am once again filled with God’s Word. I learn so much, and grow so much, and change and grow closer to God through your conferences. They uplift me and help me in my walk with God. Thank you.”

“This was an incredibly spiritually uplifting event. What a spiritual banquet. I was reminded yet again of the Savior’s amazing love for me. Our great and powerful God is truly awesome. Worthy is the Lamb. All of the speakers served the Lord mightily this weekend. Thank you for this. To God be all the glory.”

“Thank you so much for such a Christ-exalting conference. I was blessed in so many ways by the speakers and everything else and I again thank you for all the time and preparation put into this event. This was my first Resolved Conference, my husband had gone to one before, and I am so thankful the Lord allowed us to be here together. Thank you!”

“Thank you for putting this together. Keep doing it. I’m overwhelmed by the truth. I’ve learned so much. To God be the glory!”

“What a joy to sit under these men who have not only studied the Word of God, but have been gifted to communicate it to us so clearly! In a world where very few are bold enough to preach the truths of God’s Word, it is an honor to sit under their preaching! Thank you for the opportunity.”

“Dear Mr. Rourke, Rick Holland, and the wonderful Resolved staff,
I have heard whispers of Resolved long before this past Friday, which was my first day/time at this conference. I had stalked your website, stared at all of last year’s pictures, listened to the sermons (some of them multiple times), and heard countless stories. I came with huge expectations, and it would not have surprised me if you hadn’t met all of them. However, I will leave tonight having experienced much more than I could ever have hoped for because the time and labor and love you all put into Resolved helped open the eyes of my heart to know my God and to better understand His ways than ever before. I didn’t know what to expect from a conference about “Heaven & Hell” except for the obvious. But, to now walk away considering the need of hell in order that God’s grace/mercy/love be that much more glorified, to meditate not only upon my redemption, but now also on my adoption as my Father’s child, to envision the throne room of God and see a bit more clearly what John did see, and SO much more has been precious and invaluable highlights to my year. I cannot thank you all enough to have started and continued a conference for my generation of believers that does not have an equal to it as far as I know. God bless, and I hope to se e you all again next year!”

“I am so very blessed to be here at my first Resolved Conference. I appreciate and thank God for all aspects of this conference – from the people who man the doors, to all the pastors who present the truth of God to its fullest extent. Praise God for the fellowship and the chance for all to hear the truth of the Almighty God being proclaimed unadulterated to the congregation. Praise God for the talent given to Enfield to be able to serve and lead us to worship. Praise God and thanks.”

“The Conference, once again, was a wonderful time of fellowship, teaching and worship. The sessions brought us into the presence of Christ and gave a foretaste of Heaven itself. May these great times of praise continue.”

“Even though this is my first Resolved Conference, I must say that it has been a genuine blessing to receive such strong teaching that has, with a doubt, given me renewed awe and reverence at the grace and glory of Christ my Lord. I pray and encourage you to continue the good work you have done thus far. Thank you, and God bless!”

“I look forward to the upcoming Resolved events in the next years to come! But most of all I await His return!!! Thanks for the renewing of my mind. Soli Deo Gloria!!!”

“Had a great time, and the speakers were no-holds-barred! They held nothing back and I am very much looking forward to next year!”

“This was my first year at Resolved, and it has been an illuminating and very refreshing experience. Simply seeing so many willing to come and listen to God’s Word explained, clearly and with no “feel good” dilution has been amazing. It is the straightforward, undiluted and “this-is-how-it-is” way that the Word has been presented which made Resolved so great.”

“The worship and learning was helpful, wonderful, and thought-provoking. I thank God for the spirit given to those speakers to preach and the spirit given to us to listen.”

“This was my first Resolved experience. I have never seen the faces of the people like MacArthur. I have only heard them over the radio. It was very humbling to find out that they are normal people with a passion for Christ. I liked hearing and worshipping and learning. Thanks for holding these conferences. Thank you for waking me up again to the reality of Heaven and Hell and reminding me of the joy that’s supposed to fill me at the thought of Heaven.”

“Thank you so much for all the hard work that was put in to make this conference work. Thank you worship team for the countless hours and practice you put in to serve us. Thank you all the staff members who put in their time to organize this event. Thank you to all the speakers for all their sacrifices to be here at the conference and bring us the amazing messages.”

“God is truly working in our generation through Resolved and its vision. The speakers, worship, staff and organization were all excellent. A passion for the glory of God and a treasuring of the gospel saturated everything.”

“This year has been incredible. I don’t think it could improve. I appreciate how there has been a seriousness, soberness, and reverence in dealing with God’s Word. God has been honored and His name has been exalted. Even though there’s been laughter and fun on the stage during announcements and such, it was done in an appropriate way and in appropriate timing and it was clear that those involved with putting on the conference have a genuine fear of God and love for God. I think that probably what stands out the most this weekend is the fear of God and love for Him that was demonstrated in the incredible preaching as well as the shepherding from Rick Holland and Jon Rourke as well as the worshipful attitude of the band. I’ve been so blessed and encouraged and grown so much. Thanks for all your hard work.”

“First of all, thank you for putting together such a helpful, insightful, encouraging conference. My husband and I were renewed and challenged as we continued to listen to the men of God pouring out their hearts about their revelations of the gospel. We appreciated the smoothness with which the conference ran, undoubtedly the fruit of many hours of preparation. We look forward to attending again next year.”

“Very thoughtful, organized, spiritually powerful Conference. Thank you! And thanks to the speakers for their preparation and sacrificial effort! Our group of 30 was blessed and will never be the same. The Lord is using this in a powerful way in many lives. Thank you!!”

“Resolved has truly blessed my life through humble and passionate preaching of God’s Word. I am truly unworthy to be here. Praise Christ Jesus, my Lord and Savior.”

“This was my first time at Resolved and I found it to be a very humbling and refreshing experience. I’ve grown closer to the Lord and feel much more informed about Heaven and Hell. The speakers were great, and I could really see their love for the Lord. I plan to come again. I can’t wait to see this conference grow continuously. Soli Deo Gloria.”

“This conference is right on. It’s an encouragement to see young believers desperate for truth, teaching and exposition. My soul’s been ministered to immeasurably by the speakers, the staff, and by GCC through this conference. It really makes me look forward to, all the more, spending eternity with you all.”

“Why is Resolved great? The topics are God inspired, the worship is God moved, the speakers are God influenced. The result of this weekend is my reformed and convicted heart. Thank you so much. Praise God.”

“Thank you all for this great meeting. I look forward to this time each year. It brings joy to my soul to hear God’s Word from men who take their responsibility of shepherding the flock seriously, and to share in the joy of worship together with so many believers. The worship here is a small glimpse of Heaven, which at this point is the most we may be able to understand. Thank you again.”

“I wasn’t planning on coming to Resolved. I know it was clearly God’s will for me to be here. ALL of the speakers glorified God and not themselves. I appreciate the fact that these famous people take 0% credit for the words they shared with us. Thank you for showing me Jesus Christ in a new and glorified light. And to the band: each and every member managed to touch my heart in their glorifying God through worship. You couldn’t have picked a better group of godly people to lead us in worship to the Lord. I felt the presence of the Lord and I believe that’s precisely what Resolved was meant to do. I am eternally grateful. Thank you.”

“Wow, this conference has been so amazing. I really appreciate all the hymns we’ve been singing and their deep messages. The sermons have really clarified and encouraged me in the faith and I am looking forward now, more than I have ever before, to my everlasting future in Heaven with the Lord.”

“This conference was great! It was so encouraging and uplifting. I learned so much at every single session. The music was wonderful. It has been a while since I have enjoyed worship so much and I have been reminded of the reason we worship. Thank you!!!”

“This conference was absolutely amazing and I seriously can’t wait until next year. The music was so uplifting and each of the speakers challenged me unbelievably. Thank you everyone who was involved. I have been blessed and encouraged!”

“I celebrated my 25th birthday here and it was truly the best birthday ever. I loved every aspect of this conference and I hope that it will continue to my death. I have left this conference with my own resolutions and all thanks to what you guys have set up. Grace and peace!”

“All I can say is, WOW! I’m coming back next year. Thank you!”

“This topic of Heaven and Hell is both complex and perplexing in an age of relative truth. The material presented was hard for this generation to hear, but it’s about time we all take a look at the truth, regardless of its implications. This is God’s universe and He is the One who reigns over it, not me!”

“This was my first Resolved Conference and I was completely convicted by the incredible teaching of the pastors – it’s hard to express in words. I was moved to tears many times. The music was unbelievable. What a great experience. I got closer to God. I got to know the living Christ.”

“What a joy this conference has been. Drawing nearer and nearer to my Savior has been so precious. Thank you for the great sacrifices you’ve made to make Resolved happen.”

“This year’s Resolved Conference was my first year attending and I was encouraged with the Word of God and feel equipped to do God’s work. Keep up the great work.”

“This has been a very humbling experience for me. The speakers were amazing. God is amazing. I’ll definitely be back next year.”

“To have been apart of something so great has made a huge impact on my life! It was a life changing experience! There are no words to tell you how special this place is. Thanks for everything. See you next year! God bless you guys.”

“This conference was life changing. Everyone in my group agreed that our view of Heaven and Hell has changed dramatically. Our lives have been changed and we are all very thankful to the speakers and everyone who worked to pull this together. Thank you and God bless.”

“You have served me greatly! The men’s teaching of the Word is life-changing. I have never seen such broken and contrite hearts in my life. Your dedication to stay true to Scripture is something I will try to keep the rest of my life, as learned from you. Thank you for your excellent service to me. Eternally grateful!”

“Thank you for another year of Resolved. My thanks to these men of God who teach us the Word of God. Thank you all who help to put this on.”

“This has been an amazing time of hearing God’s Word from men totally following after Him. Thank you for all your efforts, the countless people and hours that have gone into providing this blessing!”

“I have been wonderfully encouraged and challenged by this conference. I realized what a limited understanding of Heaven I have. I look forward to reading the Word with new insight, reading the wealth of knowledge in the books offered at the bookstore and listening to the sermons again to refresh the messages in my mind and pick up on things, which I at first missed. Thank you all for the diligence and discipline to put together such a rich and trustworthy event. The music, exposition, and fellowship were powerfully helpful and it all happened smoothly because of many hands and minds, which were never seen. Thank you!”

“The speakers were tremendous. We stayed up late each night and between sessions in earnest discussion. Resolved, and the ministries of all the speakers, will be in our prayers – not just mine, but our entire church’s.”

“There is not enough room on this card to say how thankful I am for this year’s Resolved. This is my first time and while I greatly regret not coming last year, I will cherish every second of this year’s conference. Everything was just perfect, from the music to the Word, especially the Word. I thank you all who made Resolved possible.”

“This was our first Resolved Conference. We thoroughly enjoyed every speaker and have much to take back to our local body. Thank you so much!”

“A great experience with an amazing worship band. I wish I could have brought my unbelieving friends and family because it would have been a life changing experience.”

“This is my first Resolved. Finally, it’s been so long since I’ve heard such passionate expository teaching! Thank you ALL for ALL you do!”

“It is impossible for me to say just how deep of an influence the Resolved Conference has on me. I can clearly see and feel the Holy Spirit influencing my own life through the bold, courageous and uncompromising preaching of God’s Word. And for that, I am truly thankful.”

“This is my second year at Resolved and I have been truly blessed at the conference. The speakers have been passionate and convicting, and the musical worship has been energizing and joyful.”

“I love Resolved and I want to come every year for as long as God allows! I feel like God has grown me so much in such a short time and I am determined not to allow it to just be a ‘mountain high’. It’s so great to hear the Word of God taught with such precision and conviction and so many times a day! I really feel as though God is preparing me to live a life that is so much more on fire for Him. Thank you!”

“Every speaker presented the subject of Heaven and Hell in such a profound way that I cannot patiently wait for Heaven and am very grateful for Christ’s sacrifice to save us from the horror that’s Hell. Thank you for a glorious conference.”

“Unbelievable teaching! Praise God for the godly men whom He has used this time in my life. We came to bring our younger sons and I am so thankful I was able to come. Special thanks to all the creative people- lights, pictures, sound, service of crew- thank you so much.”

“The topic of Heaven and Hell is often neglected in much of the faith community; therefore, I appreciate the willingness and passion with which the speakers have addressed these topics. Each speaker has been challenging, enlightening, and convicting in his own way. Each message exudes truth based on solid scriptural support.”

“I really enjoyed the topic this year. I found the speakers passionate, inspiring men of the Lord. I was challenged and moved, basically re-writing each sermon in shorthand to be able to share it with friends, family, and church members, as well as to look back on as a personal reference. This was definitely worth the travel time, expenses in gas, hotel, and food, and taking the time off work to be reminded that I should keep one eye focused on Heaven and one on Hell in everything I do. May Christ be glorified with every penny earned, every minute spent working on the conference, and with every heart touched this weekend. Thank you!”

“I really appreciate the fervor and urgency of communicating God’s truth in response to Heaven and Hell. There is definitely an air of comfort and complacency in regards to this generation’s passion for spiritual growth. We can get excited about doctrine, Hebrew, Greek and exegete passages, but we need to look at the reality of our lives in the wake of where our lives will end up. If only we were honest about the direction of where the lives of people were headed. I wonder if we would truly see a revival of those coming to Christ as opposed to being concerned about filling the seats of churches in hopes of satisfying the tithe amount for that week.”

“Amazing effort from everyone- all the crew members, technicians, musicians, etc.! Resolved has been a huge blessing. I feel very blessed to have heard all these messages and to have been able to attend. I feel better equipped as a result of coming.”

“This was so eye-opening for me, and such an opportunity to strengthen my relationship with Christ through a better understanding of what I’m being pardoned from and what an awesome life I have to look forward to. Thank you for the opportunity!”

“This is my first year at Resolved, and it was, for lack of a better word to describe it, awesome! I’m a sophomore in high school and only a few years ago did I discover what it means to be a Christian. Coming to this conference was a real help in understanding God’s Word and the benefits of knowing our Lord Jesus Christ. Each speaker is full of the Spirit, and they are each an encouragement to me.”

“I enjoyed every minute I spent praising God and hearing each uplifting sermon. It was worth the time spent driving here to listen and gain more knowledge about our Savior.”

“Huge blessing! Thank you for hosting a conference that does not pull punches. This subject matter is imperative for the body to be well versed in, and the focus on expository preaching and related worship is an answer to prayer. I appreciate your heart to come alongside local churches. Thank you!”

“Awesome conference! Thanks for everyone involved and all the work put in. What a major blessing it’s been to us. To God be the glory! Thank you for holding up the truth of God’s Word in high esteem. What a blessing that is to me.”

“Never in my life have I heard the yearning scream of Jesus re-occur in my mind at every session and yet, at the same time hear the rejoicing voices of the adoring believers in all gratitude to our glorious God. Thank you for the re-founding, regenerating love that has been held back due to my ignorance of who my Savior is and what my Savior has truly done. Praise my Father!”

“Praise the Lord for allowing all of us to come and learn more about Heaven and Hell through the teaching of His Word by all of these solid preachers.”

“This was my first time at Resolved and I was very blessed to be here and listen to God’s Word. Thank you all for your hard work to make it all happen. See you next year. God bless!”

“I am now held accountable for everything that I heard this weekend. I only hope and pray that I will, with the help of God, carry out and walk the talk of Resolved. Very inspiring and equipping. Thank you for doing this and for letting all of us come.”

Article - Reviewing the Purpose of Resolved - Why host a conference?

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:39:12 GMT

The word conference does not appear in the Bible. A conference is a potentially effective tool however. It can be hosted in a way that glorifies God or in a way that dishonors him. Our complicated assignment is to construct a large public event that maintains the standards of a worship service while clearly communicating that this is not a local church. The objective of the Resolved Conference is to provide an attractive and dignified platform for true worship and preaching. There were a few cardinal rules that were laid down during the formative months of the conference that have held up throughout. These will also guide us going forward.

The conference must glorify God through the exposition of His Word. Under normal circumstances the 18-30 demographic in southern California would not be expected to tolerate 9 hour long expository sermons in one weekend. However, as both the exponential growth of the conference and the overwhelmingly positive reception of the preaching shows presuppositions about this age group are sometimes wrong. Not only does God guarantee that his Word will not return void, but He also honors those who honor it. There is simply no other weapon at our disposal to accomplish the work of God in the heart of man.

The conference must be historically grounded. The moorings of the conference are not only in the person of Jonathan Edwards, but the movement of God known as the Great Awakening. The Resolved conference is a celebration of the way God has moved in the past, and a prayer that He will be pleased to do it again. In the same way that the great festivals of the Bible were predicated on the historical event that they were named after (i.e. Passover), we endeavored to set this conference in the shadow of an event to remember – the Great Awakening.

The conference must be evangelistically useful. Testimonies of salvation have already been received. The sermons at Resolved had logical progression and the result was compelling. The audience was left with an understanding of how even the death of believers brings glory to God through testifying our faith that death brings true life. Furthermore the true gospel appeals to sinners on the basis of who God is, and not what people already want. In this way the prosperity gospel is most clearly reduced to the empty promise that it is.

The conference must encourage godly affections. No one who attended Resolved can deny that from the moment you step inside the theatre you are confronted with a clear mandate to worship God. Understanding the gospel in light of the call of discipleship as preached by Steve Lawson, the wonder of salvation as preached by Rick Holland, the absurdity of works righteousness as preached by C.J. Mahaney, the heartbreaking cost of the atonement as preached by John MacArthur, and the future oriented joy of being with God as preached by John Piper, all culminated in a lasting impression that we face persecution with joy in knowing if we die today we go to God! This is the godly affection (and dare I say emotion) that we intend to stir up in the hearts of those who attend the conference.

From the directors chair I can attest the faithfulness of God to honor these foundational principles. This year was no different. The Lord was kind to answer our prayers with staff and volunteers who conducted themselves in the power of the Holy Spirit. We look forward to what the Lord has in store for the conference next year when we convene in Palm Springs.

- Jonathan Rourke,
Director of the Resolved conference

Resolved

Article - Resolved 2008 Positive Comments and Feedback

Article - Echoes of Resolved

Article - Reviewing the Purpose of Resolved - Why host a conference?