I have attended this conference every year (that it has been offered) since some time around 2001 or so. Very often those with reformed convictions also hold to the cessasion of the revelatory gifts of the Holy Spirit (this is probably the case for those on the doxologue, but I’m not sure). It has been my observation that many cessasionists unfairly link these revelatory gifts (like tongues speaking) with emotional, transcendent, and even mystical experiences of worship. It’s almost like there is a fear of letting that “charismatic” stuff in the door. While I would have recognized the command to worship God with an emotional response I did little to pursue it both in my private and public worship. Once I found out about how Sovereign Grace was doing the same thing that I was by modernizing historic hymns, I got to know Bob Kauflin, the host of the conference. Once I attended worship at Covenant Life Church and the worship conference that year my view of passionate, biblical worship was expanded an hundred fold. Since then the conferences have served to stoke my vision for how to have and lead passionate worship in a way that makes God the focus. It is also a wonderful time of worship in itself since there will probably be over a thousand pastors and worship leaders present. I highly recommend anyone attending that can.

Here’s is an excerpt from their site about this year’s focus:

Throughout Scripture a distinguishing mark of God’s people has been His presence, especially during corporate worship. But how are we to understand God’s presence? If God is everywhere, why does He tell us to seek His presence continually (Psalm. 105:4)? What part do God’s Word and His Spirit play in making God’s presence known to us? What part do feelings play, if any, in being aware of God’s presence?

Links: Sovereign Grace Ministries
The Sovereign Grace Worship Conference ’06

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