How to revolutionise your church towards a 5% conversion target
From The Pastor’s Heart –
“How to turn around evangelistic stagnation in your church — or how to start pursuing a 5% goal?
Across Australian Evangelicalism there is a bold goal — growing our churches by 5% per year through conversion growth.
But some pastors are asking: “We haven’t seen anyone become a Christian here in years… where do we even start?”
We talk:
• Should we even have an evangelism target?
• What are the theological issues?
• How do you start when conversions have been rare?
• What cultural changes actually make a difference?
• Funnels, programs and “conversion engines.”
• And how to build momentum with stories, prayer and team alignment.
Three pastors who are right at the beginning of the journey, Brett Middleton (St Luke’s Miranda), Ben Molyneux (St Faith’s Narrabeen) and Dan Au (Cornerstone Kogarah) — We set an evangelism target – Now what?”
The Question for Joggers: Why are you Running?
From Phillip Jensen:
“Last week’s episode of Two Ways News was very dark and gloomy.
This week, we are looking at the same passage, but turning our attention to the light of salvation that is caught in the rainbow covenant of God as we read of the saving of Noah and his family.”
– Hear Peter and Phillip Jensen in (theological) conversation at Two Ways News.
Among other things, Peter shares what happened the day he came to Christ – as well as the topic of Billy Graham’s sermon. Phillip recalls that same day.
More importantly, Peter appeals to everyone listening to take the opportunity to repent today – before it is too late.
Related:
Two Ways to Live – the choice we all face.
Living and Speaking of Christ in a Secular Age
From Moore College:
“If you have ever felt like your life is a set of non-overlapping bubbles, work here, sport there, church on Sundays, neighbours somewhere else, you are not alone. Josh and Susannah Apieczonek reflected that this kind of compartmentalisation has become sadly normal in Western life. It is not how we were made to live, but it has quietly shaped how we see the world. This is one reason many Christians feel held back from sharing the gospel: our worlds rarely intersect, our schedules are full, and our instincts are shaped by a culture that prizes the here and now over the eternal. …”
– Sarah Bingham shares highlights from a talk by Josh & Susannah Apieczonek.
She explains,
“Josh and Susannah Apieczonek have long been connected to Moore College. Josh, now the incoming Head of Mission and Lecturer in Mission, completed a Bachelor of Divinity and Diploma of Ministry in 2004, and Susannah studied at the College in 2008. Before moving to France, Josh taught Christian Studies and served as a chaplain at St Andrew’s Cathedral School, Sydney.
Together, they have spent the past decade serving with CMS in Lyon, France, in student and church ministry, particularly among university students and in church planting. …”
Reflecting Christ’s Love
“Here at Moore, we want to be as helpful as we can in preparing students who are married to love their spouses well and to invest in their marriages—for the good of their families and for the good of the church. This love needs to be nurtured and informed.
While this is true for every marriage, there are some additional pressures, expectations and joys that come to married couples in Christian ministry. …”
– Simon and Margie Gillham share how important it is to support married couples among the student body at Moore College.
The “eye-opener” of disability
“When you see provisions for people with disability at your church, do you ever put yourself in the shoes of the person who will use them?
Or do you just assume that the hearing loop has a practical set-up for visitors, the news sheets and overheads can be read by everyone, and no-stairs access into the church means that those with physical impairments can get around easily? …”
– Very helpful article by Judy Adamson at SydneyAnglicans.net – with practical suggestions.
How to Present Your Sermon Really Well
“Like every skill worth doing, good preaching requires sustained study, effort, practice, self-evaluation, and a determination to improve and master the skill.
Good delivery must come not as a replacement for, but as the culmination of the certain basic convictions about preaching:
That preaching is central to Christian worship, growth, and evangelism;
That preaching must be Christ-focussed;
That the preacher must be a godly Christian growing in Christ;
That the sermon must expository and carefully prepared. …”
– Agree or disagree with details, Campbell Markham writes to encourage and help preachers do what is vitally important. At AP.
Related:
The Preacher Responding To Criticism
– Bob Thomas writes at The Expository Preaching Trust…
“Criticism of our preaching falls into three categories: ‘mindless’ criticism and therefore not worth worrying about except to try graciously to correct; negative criticism but worth swallowing our pride, taking notice of and responding to; and positive criticism, so thankfully received as it spurs us on to greater endeavour.”
Church music in a culture obsessed with self expression – with Alanna Glover
From The Pastor’s Heart –
“What does healthy, joyful, word-shaped congregational singing look like in a culture obsessed with self-expression?
We are shaped more than we realise by the culture around us. And today one of the most powerful cultural forces pressing on our churches is expressive individualism — the idea that the authentic self must be expressed and affirmed.
But what happens when this cultural air we breathe seeps into our church music? When sincerity becomes more important than truth, when the band is excellent yet the congregation is silent, and when singing shifts from ‘we proclaim Christ together’ to ‘I express what I feel’?
If we do not address this, we risk disengaged congregations, weakened church identity and a missed opportunity for deep spiritual formation that comes as we sing God’s word to one another.
Alanna Glover — longtime church music leader, former member of Garage Hymnal, ten years with Emu Music, songwriter, trainer and theologian — has just completed significant research on expressive individualism and congregational singing in evangelical churches.”
– Watch here. (Emphasis added.)
Seeing God at Work — Unearthing genealogical treasure
From Phillip Jensen:
“This week in Two Ways News, we continue the theme of family. Having dealt with the family of Cain in chapter 4, we turn to the new family of Adam. In this family, God’s word enables us to see the Lord’s plans for salvation, hinted at in Genesis 3:15 and worked out in Noah.
We don’t often have sermons on genealogies, but hopefully this episode will help us see their importance.”
– hear the latest podcast with Peter and Phillip Jensen at Two Ways News.
Moore College Style Guide: Music Video
A bit of fun from the 2025 Moore College Review and Dr. Lionel Windsor.
Even if it’s not your style, you might learn something!
Family Likeness — Who do you think you are?
From Phillip Jensen:
Welcome again to Two Ways News. Working with my brother makes it a bit of a family concern.
The last episode of the older brother killing the younger reminds us of the mixed blessing of family life. In this episode, we follow through the family of Cain. It’s not a pleasant story, though in the midst of evil there are great achievements.
Don’t forget to tell others of Two Ways News.
The Growing Threat to Religious Freedom
“I have long been an admirer of Professor Patrick Parkinson and his work. The Emeritus Professor of Law and former Dean of the University of Queensland, has been outspoken in his Christian faith, his defence of religious liberty as well as his academic critique of The Safe Schools program. And so my interest was significantly piqued when I heard about his new book Unshaken Allegiance: Living wisely as Christians with diminishing religious freedoms (St Matthias, 2025). …”
– At AP, Mark Powell reviews Unshaken Allegiance by Professor Patrick Parkinson.
Image from Mark Powell’s recent interview with Professor Parkinson.
The Book of James — Church Society podcast
From Church Society:
“Lee Gatiss talks to Daniel Eng, author of a new commentary on the book of James, about the book’s key themes and practical applications.”
– Listen here.
The Nicene Creed: The nature of Christian unity and the meaning of gospel words — reviewed by Robert Doyle
“The Nicene Creed: The nature of Christian unity and the meaning of gospel words is a carefully written, informed, and thoughtful examination of basic Roman Catholic beliefs following the implicit and explicit trajectory laid out in the Nicene Creed: the doctrines of the authority of Scripture, Trinity, person and work of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the virgin Mary, salvation, church, and the world to come.
It arises out of the teaching and pastoral ministries of the authors, who all – whether in Italy, France, Belgium, Ireland, Australia or the United States – are involved in proclaiming and explaining to today’s Roman Catholics the gospel of Jesus Christ as it is presented in the Scriptures.
The book is marked by careful attention to sources and fair critical evaluation of them. It is missiological. The intended audience is Bible study groups in Evangelical churches. More widely, its analysis and presentation make it an excellent introduction to contemporary, foundational Roman Catholic beliefs and how the scriptural gospel speaks to them. …”
– Dr Robert Doyle reviews this important book at The Australian Church Record.
Preaching Plan 2026
Some very practical advice from David Cook at The Expository Preaching Trust:
“Preachers are teachers (Eph 4:11-12; 1 Tim 2:7; 2 Tim 2:24), all teachers know the value of a clear curriculum.
Now is a good time to be working on your preaching curriculum for 2026.
There are 52 weeks in our teaching year, 4 terms of 9 weeks each; pre-Christmas Advent 4 weeks; post-Christmas holiday period 6 weeks; school term breaks March /April 2 weeks, June/July 2 weeks, September/October 2 weeks. Total 52 weeks. …”
Image: David Cook speaking at St. Helen’s Bishopsgate.
Athens Archaeological Sites with photos
Moore College Lecturer (and member of the Anglican Church League’s Council) Dr Lionel Windsor is continuing to publish fascinating pictures from his recent trip.
“In July 2025, I visited Athens with my wife Bron and daughter Ellie. We went to see archaeological sites associated with the Apostle Paul. Here are some photos of the sites and museum exhibits. They help to provide context for New Testament texts associated with Athens. Enjoy!”
– They certainly do help provide context – and are a great reminder that when we read the Book of Acts, we are dealing with history – real people and real places – a real gospel.
Photo: On top of The Areopagus.
Related:
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…