T4G: Re-connecting with Old Friends in the Gospel

Challies and I made it back safe from T4G last night... around 2:30AM! Never try to buy gas in Buffalo after midnight, that's all I've got to say!

What a time.

My mind is still running at full tilt and I feel like I will have quite a bit to post on the conference. We shall see. But I wanted to begin with a run-down of folks I was able to re-connect with - some after over 15 years or more.

My constant conference connection Steve Balentine found me outside the Galt House hotel. Steve always spots me... then again, I am a giant. We missed our mutual pal, Spack.

Jay Flowers was standing by The Master's Seminary booth when our eyes surprisingly met! From biology lab at The Master's College to Director of Communications at Grace to You. Great work Jay!

My fellow Canadian, temporary Gaithersburgian friend, Fred Eaton had a big hug!

Transplanted Canadian (who needs to come back home!) Jason Kovacs was looking lonesome waiting for Fred one lunch when we met up. They eventually met.

Tim Martin (no relation - boy we had to say that a lot in the past!) was there talking to George Zemek! How nice that was! Tim and I used to sit in George's Systematic Theology class together at TMS. I always appreciated Tim.

Justin Taylor joined Challies and me for lunch after the Band of Bloggers pre-conference meeting. JT is just a great guy... and he remembered Susan's lasagna. (Footnote: Actually, he only partly joined us for lunch since after we walked to the restaurant, we ditched him at the back of the line. Nice.) JT is working as one of the editors of the new ESV study Bible. Now, there's a great gig!

John Crotts was there. Johnny Crotts is at everything! His fellow pastor and an old classmate of mine Kent Keller was standing with him. Kent was the one guy I totally blanked on when I saw him again. That was strange! He looks exactly the same! I am such a schmuck!

Then again, Scott Ardavanis had no clue who I was when I grabbed his twitching frame to give a hug! Ardo... has it been so long?

Dave Theobald was looking mighty fine in his dark pinstripe suit... especially as he took us on a tour of Dr. Mohler's 31,000 volume private library. We even got to eat at some remarkable sandwich shop with Dave and the time was sweet. Dave needs to come home too! We need more men of his and his father's calibre!

More locally, I ran into Dr. Haykin, the kwellum (not to be confused with the swellum), Heinz (57 syllable last name) Dishankalinkalink, London pastor Greg McManus and my student Ryan Case.

Then there were all those new friends made...