Chappo and the Hallway challenge

ChappoMuch loved evangelist John Chapman has recorded a two minute video to encourage you to pray for your unsaved friends, and to use the resources available for Connect09.

The video is available at SydneyAnglicans.net and would be ideal to play in church.

As always, Chappo reminds us what it is really all about:

“People who are apart from Christ are lost. Their plight is desperate. They need to be forgiven. And they need to find Jesus as a Friend – as a Saviour. They need to know that he’s died so their sins can be forgiven.”

Tip: You can download the video files from SydneyAnglicans.net, but if you have problems playing them (we did), the 76MB mpeg4 file can be downloaded from Vimeo. You’ll need to register with Vimeo if you haven’t already, and then on this page, the download option is on the very bottom right (“Download Quicktime version”).

Our thanks to the team at Anglican Media Sydney for making these videos available.

Lutherans adopt statement on sexuality

elcaUpdated:

“The Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) by a two-thirds majority August 19 approved a theological statement addressing human sexuality, setting the stage for an anticipated vote Friday on whether to allow pastors in committed same-sex relation ships to serve in local congregations…”

– The Episcopal News Service reports on the ECLA’s moves paralleling those of TEC. (The ECLA and TEC are in ‘full communion’.)

See also the voting results and text of ‘Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust’ from the ELCA website.

Central Lutheran MinneapolisAs the meeting was taking place, a tornado touched down, knocking the cross from the steeple of Central Lutheran Church across the street. It was, of course, nothing more than a coincidence. Or was it? John Piper has some thoughts about what happened in his own town:

“The tornado in Minneapolis was a gentle but firm warning to the ELCA and all of us: Turn from the approval of sin. Turn from the promotion of behaviors that lead to destruction. Reaffirm the great Lutheran heritage of allegiance to the truth and authority of Scripture. Turn back from distorting the grace of God into sensuality. Rejoice in the pardon of the cross of Christ and its power to transform left and right wing sinners.”

Worth reading it all. (Pictures: top – ELCA, bottom – Joe Bjordal.)