Integrity in preaching

 “…in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.” – Titus 2:7-8, ESV

“Titus 2:7-8 teaches not just that a Christian leader be a person of integrity, but also that their integrity should be on display to the world, and that it should be evident in their teaching. This is not ‘practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them’ (Matthew 6:1); rather, it is more calling our people to ‘Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ’ (1 Corinthians 11:1).

How are Christian leaders to display their integrity in their preaching? I have three suggestions …”

– At The Expository Preaching Trust, Michael Leong has this encouragement for preachers.

Compelled by the love of Christ

Archbishop of Sydney Kanishka Raffel preached at Chapel at Moore Theological College on 30th September.

He spoke on 2 Corinthians 5:11-21.

“…the crucial Christian conviction – we are convinced that one died for all – the foundation of Christian hope.”

Watch on YouTube, for your encouragement and edification.

The Boiler Room

“The story is told of five young student ministers who decided to hear Spurgeon preach one Sunday. They had never met him, and as they waited for the church doors to open, they were met by a young man who asked them: ‘Gentlemen, let me show around. Would you like to see the boiler room?’

Now, in mid-19th century Victorian England the boiler room was a hot and dirty room down in the very heart of the church building. Think of it like a dingy basement. The boiler room was essentially the powerhouse of buildings at that time. …”

– At AP, the Presbyterian national journal, Troy Appleton ends this brief article with encouragement and a challenge for church members.

My story, God’s story

“Your story is unique. Sharing your story is one of the most authentic ways you can witness to your faith and confidence in Jesus. It is so adaptable to different situations from sharing one-on-one at a cafe? or sharing to a group of people at an event, or even in written form. And when it’s our story, it’s not a debate, or pushy, or fake and, if it comes from the heart, it will be personal, engaging and real.

I am convinced that personal stories (testimonies) are a very powerful tool that the Holy Spirit uses to stir spiritual interest and to draw people towards Jesus. …”

– David Bassett, Assistant Bishop in Perth, writes to encourage Christians to share their story – and offers some simple principles to help.

On page 2 of The Messenger from the Diocese of Perth, for October 2025.

Direct link to the PDF file.

Moore Matters Spring 2025 edition

The latest edition of Moore Matters – from Moore Theological College – is now available.

The theme of this issue is Love.

If you are not able to pick up a printed issue at church, you can read online or download a PDF version from the College website.

Hope for the Illawarra

“In my time in ministry, I have encountered many people who, while acknowledging Jesus’ command to “go and make disciples” feel impossibly ill-equipped, and so are reluctant to do so.

In fact, many of these people further claim that they lack any ability whatsoever to evangelise, presuming the work of evangelism is for those whom God has so gifted. Yet what is apparent is that God typically calls people to himself through the patient, prayerful and consistent sharing of the gospel by regular Christians, despite how prepared they may or may not feel. Having said that, it should be our constant desire to better equip Christians for evangelism to grow their confidence in sharing the gospel with others.

Some of the key ways this can happen is through the encouragement of other believers, through training and equipping one another, but also by engaging with those who have a gift for communicating the gospel clearly and winsomely. Listening to someone who is gifted with communicating the gospel can be an encouragement for Christians, but it can also provide us with a great opportunity to invite someone to hear the gospel taught with clarity and faithfulness.

This was precisely what the churches in the Illawarra were offered when Christian broadcasting organisation Leading the Way invited them to participate in a mass-scale mission campaign, which would culminate in evangelistic outreach events at which Dr Michael Youssef would speak. It was an offer that was gladly accepted.  …”

– At The Australian Church Record, Ella Leach shares some wonderful encouragement from Hope for Illawarra.

Photo via SydneyAnglicans.net.

ACL Synod Dinner 2025 audio

If you missed the panel discussion at the ACL Synod Dinner on 15ht September, with the topic of Hope from the Coal Face, the audio recording is available here:

 

Our panel speakers:

The Rev Canon Bruce Morrison has been the Senior Minister at St John’s Anglican Cathedral, Parramatta for over twenty years.

The Rev Jason McPhail is the Assistant Minister at St John’s, Keiraville International Church.

Mrs Wendy Potts is the Anglicare Sydney Learning Consultant – Evangelism.

Jason McPhail and Wendy Potts contributed to the recent Hope for the Illawarra Mission.

100 Ministry Stories from Moore College — Dani Treweek

Moore College has published the latest video in its 100 Ministry Stories.

Veronica Hoyt, Director of the Priscilla & Aquila Centre, speaks with Dani Treweek.

Most encouraging.

– Watch here.

See also:

Singleness book wins Christian book of the year

The real meaning of singleness

100 Ministry Stories from Moore College — Grahame and Patty Scarratt

Moore College has published another video in its 100 Ministry Stories.

Peter Jensen speaks with Grahame and Patty Scarratt.

“From surveying in NSW to serving in Chile, Grahame and Patty Scarratt’s journey has been marked by a deep love for God’s word. What began at Moore College grew into decades of ministry across Latin America—most significantly the translation and teaching of the Preliminary Theological Certificate (PTC) and the beginnings of MOCLAM.

Through their work, countless pastors and church members gained access to solid biblical training in their own language, shaping the Anglican Church in Chile and beyond. Even after returning to Australia, the Scarratts continued publishing and supporting resources so that more people might know and teach the Scriptures.”

– Watch here. (And Grahame has a challenge for churches in Sydney.)

Related –

Preliminary Theological Certificate (PTC) from Moore College.

Reading as Rebellion

“Everyone agrees. We live in an age of vanishing readers – a digital desert where sustained attention has evaporated and the next generation risks losing its imaginative inheritance.

But we can still read! some say. Sure, we read snippets here and there wherever we scroll online, and we dip into an occasional article or post on a sports page or in a political forum. But reading a book, going about it the old-fashioned way, where you give yourself over to a thoughtful and sustained argument that unfolds over several chapters, or where you lose yourself in a novel alive with beauty and subtlety – this practice appears less and less common for all ages, but especially the young. …”

– At The Gospel Coalition, Trevin Wax has encouragement and a challenge for us all.

The Hardest Thing for Christians to Do

“What’s the hardest thing for Christians to do?

To tidy up and do things around the church? To ‘bring a plate’ for after-church fellowship? To tithe? (two or three other tithers + you = no more financial problems for your church!) To believe that Christ is coming again? To have assurance of salvation? To live in personal relationship with Christ?

No. Christians can do all these things fairly easily.

The hardest thing for Christians to do is …”

– Read on to discover what Bob Thomas, retired Presbyterian minister, sees as the hardest thing for Christians to do. At AP.

Evangelism – A Priority in Your Parish? — Neil Prott

From our archives:

“There is nothing more wonderful we can do for anyone than introduce them to Jesus Christ.

However, this is not reflected in the programme of many parishes today.

No doubt there are numerous reasons for the current state of affairs. Our analysis should take in the Scriptural factors as well as the obvious ones. …”

– The late Neil Prott wrote this article for ACL News back in 1989.

(We gave thanks for Neil when he was called home in April 2022.)

Evangelism and the Local Church

From AP, the Australian Presbyterian journal, Mark Powell speaks with Dave Jensen –

“Dave Jensen talks about his amazing conversion to faith in Jesus as well as why he is passionate about seeing others come to faith in Jesus.

Dave’s ministry now is helping local churches be equipped to share the Gospel with others.”

– Watch here.

Preaching’s Big Umbrella

“Apostle Paul unfolds a big umbrella over the work of the pastor/teacher in 1 Corinthians 1.23,24: ‘But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God’.

This begs the question for every preacher: Am I preaching Christ in all the fullness of His Person and Work to all-comers, sceptics and saved, sinners and saints, in the face of all opposition and all acceptation? …”

– The Expository Preaching Trust features this post from Bob Thomas, retired Presbyterian minister and, for many years, the Editor of New Life.

(Bob shared his experience of ‘church union’ in The Crisis of 77.)

Reaching Out in Difficult Situations

“Timothy has been given a tough assignment — he has been designated to supervise the churches in the regions of Ephesus. He is to proclaim the gospel positively; he is to correct the damage done by the false teachers; and he is to lay down patterns of proper congregational life. …”

– From our archives – a 1988 talk given by Bishop Dudley Foord.

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