The Anglicans Behind the Bonhoeffer Movie

Posted on November 21, 2024 
Filed under History, People Comments Off on The Anglicans Behind the Bonhoeffer Movie

“When Gafcon emerged to ignite the global Anglican realignment, Emmanuel and Camille Kampouris enthusiastically joined. Recognizing the unique courage of leaders like Peter Akinola, Bob Duncan, and Peter Jensen, they supported the movement every way they could, with Emmanuel taking on a key leadership role.

Around the same time, they also began working on a second passion project, an idea for a movie on Dietrich Bonhoeffer. …”

– From The Anglican Church in North America.

Commitment to Christ

Posted on November 21, 2024 
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Bishop Keith Sinclair opened Church Society’s 2024 Junior Anglican Evangelical Conference in August. His topic? “Commitment to Christ”.

– Listen here. Most encouraging.

What is the JAEC?

“Established by John Richardson in 2011, Church Society has hosted this conference since 2014. It is specifically for those who are ‘junior’, that is anyone considering ministry in the Church of England, lay or ordained, through training, curacy and the first few years of incumbency or the equivalent. The conference aims to help anyone in that category be more effective as an Anglican Evangelical, making the most of every opportunity to reach the lost for Jesus, build up the church through his word, and send workers into God’s harvest field.”

Photo: Church Society.

Make the Most of Sunday Mornings — Two Simple Changes

Posted on November 21, 2024 
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“Ah, Sunday. That majestic morning when my children awake to the aroma of eggs and bacon and fresh-squeezed orange juice. When they bound down the stairs, Bibles in hand and a song in their hearts. When I lead them in family worship over breakfast, and my wife plays the piano as we prepare our hearts for meeting with the people of God.

The only downside when we finish is that we still have time to kill. Oh well. At least we’ll be super early to church — again!

If you’re smirking, it’s because you know this is not reality. …“

– At Desiring God, Matt Smethurst has a couple of suggestions to help you (and others) at church – because, as he says, “Christianity is not a spectator sport”.

Photo: Christ Church Cathedral, Darwin, via the Diocese of the Northern Territory.

Ministry in the Later Stage of Life

Posted on November 20, 2024 
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Earlier this month, Phillip Jensen spoke at a Prime Time event at Croydon Park.

He speaks to retirees (or those hoping to be): “We have the gift of a decade.”

See what he means – and what we can do with it.

How to be fun and not boring in Christmas preaching?

Posted on November 20, 2024 
Filed under Evangelism, Resources Comments Off on How to be fun and not boring in Christmas preaching?

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“Planning Christmas Preaching.

What we are nervous about? What we want to get right? What has worked best? What hasn’t?

And how do we leverage the cultural moment?”

Dominic Steele speaks with Nigel Fortescue at Christ Church St. Ives and Pete Stedman at Norwest Anglican Church.

– Watch or listen here.

‘A wound that can’t heal’: Church calls for recognition of genocide

Posted on November 19, 2024 
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“The Anglican Diocese of Melbourne has joined calls for the 1915–1923 Armenian, Assyrian and Greek genocides to be recognised by the state government.

More than 3 million Armenian, Assyrian/Syriac and Greek Orthodox Christians suffered from the systematic mass murder, expulsion and forced conversion beginning on 24 April 1915.

This population continues to be one of the most persecuted, dispossessed and scattered in the world. …”

– Report from The Melbourne Anglican.

Duties of Church Membership (ii) — Church Society Podcast

Posted on November 19, 2024 
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“In 1954, the Church Assembly (the forerunner to General Synod) asked the Archbishops of Canterbury and York to write this short guide to the duties of church membership.

It is a simple list which could be given to every person in church, indicating what is expected of them as disciples of Christ and members of the congregation. Presumably in 1954, there were already concerns that not everyone who attended church understood these. It is certainly the case today that newcomers to church have no idea about many of them.

In this week’s episode of the podcast, Tony Cannon and Martin Lane discuss the final three items on the list: financial giving, upholding marriage and bringing children up in the Lord, asking what benefit they would bring to individuals and congregations if we were all more faithful in doing them. Forthcoming episodes will cover the other items on the list. …”

– The latest Church Society podcast.

Evangelising Adults through Song: Colin’s Calvary Road Show

Posted on November 18, 2024 
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“Beyoncé, Madonna, Adele, Bono, Slash, Ringo, Drake… how many artists are recognised by merely their first name? In Australian Christian circles, Colin has reached such dizzying heights. For thirty years his name has been synonymous with Christian kids’ music, and for good reason. He has perhaps evangelised more Australians than anyone else this century, recorded hundreds of theologically robust songs, many that will likely be sung for generations.

But did you know Colin also does great concerts for adults?…”

– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Kingsley Davidson introduces Colin  Buchanan’s The Calvary Road LP and Show.

Photo: The Gospel Coalition Aust.

Chappo – Jesus claims to be the only way to God

Posted on November 17, 2024 
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In July 1979, John Chapman spoke at a one-off evangelistic meeting for the Sydney University Evangelical Union. His topic was “Jesus Claims to be the Only Way to God”.

John had a heavy cold, but that didn’t stop him preaching Christ with his characteristic clarity and humour.

Hear his 40 minute talk (9.7MB mp3 file). The audio quality is poor, but this recording will bring back many memories of a dear brother.

 

It’s also a great talk to pass on – and there are many road-tested illustrations which you could use yourself!

(1980 Photo: AFES. This is a re-post.)

Preparing Your Funeral

Posted on November 16, 2024 
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“The emptiness of secularism is never more evident than at the funeral.

On one occasion, preaching in the Moore College Chapel, my Principal, D.B.Knox, made the point that death, whether it be 1, 2, 20 or 30 years away, was relatively close for us all.

I am now at an age where I am told it is wise to have my Will handy, together with the Powers of Attorney and Title deed to our apartment. As well, I have included some guidelines for my funeral service, after all, this will be my last opportunity to testify to God’s saving work in my life. …”

– At The Expository Preaching Trust, David Cook shows us what it is like to think about your own funeral. If you trust in Christ, your funeral can be markedly different from the empty ‘celebrations’ we often see.

2024 St Antholin Lecture: Evangelicals Before Evangelicalism

Posted on November 15, 2024 
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Church Society has posted the video of this year’s 2024 St Antholin Lecture.

“In this year’s St Antholin Lecture, Rachel Ciano from Sydney Missionary and Bible College explores the use of the term ‘evangelical’ in the early English Reformation.

This is a fascinating look at how the much-disputed word evangelical first came to be used by enemies of the Reformation, and Rachel Ciano explores what it meant and implied during this formative period in our history.

Can you guess who was the first English person to describe people as evangelical?

The lecture is followed by a time of Q & A with Dr Lee Gatiss and Dr Mark Burkill (Trustees of the St Antholin Lectures), from the livestream of the lecture on the day.”

Watch here.

Gafcon responds to the resignation of Archbishop Welby

Posted on November 14, 2024 
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A Statement from Gafcon:

“We were saddened by the news of the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the reasons for his decision. While the Gafcon Primates have been critical of the Archbishop’s leadership, the circumstances of his resignation is not an occasion for rejoicing, but for grief and self-reflection.

The presence of child sexual abuse in the church of God is a pernicious evil, which has brought devastating, long-term effects upon survivors and their families. Yet their trauma is only exacerbated by negligence or inaction in pursuing and prosecuting perpetrators for their crimes. Such failures to act also grieve the heart of God and bring shame upon his church.

We appreciate Archbishop Justin’s willingness to resign from his office, as it shows evidence of his desire to take responsibility for his own lack of action in investigating the allegations against John Smyth, which came to light in 2013. While his own admission of regret and remorse is welcome, the past cannot be undone.

Leadership in any sphere of life is challenging, and no less so in the church of God. Christian leaders are called to be shepherds of the flock. Yet, none of us is perfect, as we all make mistakes, but owning our failures is also the mark of good leadership. While some errors of judgment have greater consequences than others, the Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, knows our frailty and forgives all who are truly penitent. He also cares for the downcast and broken, as he cares for those who have been abused.

We pray for Archbishop Justin, his wife Caroline, and his family as the days ahead will not be without difficulty. We also pray for all those who have experienced sexual abuse by false shepherds in the church of God. May they know the peace of God that passes understanding and that heals all our infirmities.

The Most Revd. Dr. Laurent Mbanda
Chairman of the Gafcon Primates Council
Archbishop & Primate of Rwanda (EAR)
Bishop of Gasabo.”

– Source: Gafcon.

GSFA Pastoral Statement Following the Resignation of Justin Welby

Posted on November 14, 2024 
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From The Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches:

“My dear brothers & sisters,

As many of you will now know, the Archbishop of Canterbury resigned yesterday. This follows criticism in the Makin Report published last week of his failure to respond adequately and effectively to the sustained and uniquely brutal abuse of boys and young men dating back to the late 1970’s.

We should hold in our prayers the many who were scarred by this experience and for whom this dramatic turn of events will stir up traumatic memories and re-visited distress. It is also a time of great personal challenge for the Archbishop himself and his family, who are coming under great strain.  We continue to uphold them in prayer during this difficult time.

The GSFA recognizes the observations, findings and recommendations of the Makin Report, including the danger of a church culture in which what is expedient takes priority over the values for which the Church stands. As we proceed with the Cairo Covenant, our fellowship will hold fast to paramount biblical and spiritual principles, including those of fostering a safe church, implementing oversight over best safeguarding procedures in the interests of all groups, parishioners, stakeholders and vulnerable persons who operate within the Anglican Communion.

There has never been a more challenging time for Global Anglicans to come together, and for senior church leaders to exercise their professional responsibilities to review and upgrade their safeguarding procedures, and to be held accountable for timely oversight and church discipline.

“May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ” 2 Thessalonians 3:5

The Most Rev Dr Justin Badi Arama
Archbishop and Primate of the
Episcopal Church of South Sudan, and
GSFA Chair.”

– Source: The GSFA.

GSFA photo.

Is God disappointed with me?

Posted on November 14, 2024 
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“For a long period in my Christian life, I felt like God was always just a bit disappointed in me.

Sure, I believed he loved me enough to die for me, and I knew he forgave me for my sin, but I felt that perhaps God just tolerated rather than delighted in me. After all, Jesus calls us to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect (Matt 5:48). Christians are told to pray continually (1 Thes 5:17). Paul exhorts us to rejoice in the Lord always (Phil 4:4). I knew I wasn’t perfect, my prayers were certainly not continual and I failed to always rejoice, so I felt that God must be constantly displeased with me.

I walked around in a persistent state of low-level guilt. I assumed God gave a bit of a deep sigh and an eye roll each time he saw me fail again.

I wish I had been able to read Faith Chang’s heartwarming book, Peace Over Perfection, in those long years. …”

– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Jocelyn Loane reviews Peace Over Perfection.

Canon Phil Ashey on the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury

Posted on November 13, 2024 
Filed under Anglican Communion, Church of England, Opinion Comments Off on Canon Phil Ashey on the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury

If you haven’t been following developments in the UK, this reaction by Canon Phil Ashey of the American Anglican Council will help explain things:

John Smyth was a Canadian-born British barrister, actively involved with children in the Anglican Communion through several different ministries. He was the chairman of the Iwerne Trust, which ran the Iwerne camps, where he had access and opportunity to abuse hundreds of children and young men. His abuse was not only sexual but physical, performing sadistic beatings on schoolboys and young men attending these camps, as well as attendees at other Christian groups dedicated to the discipleship of young men. This abuse occurred in England but continued in Africa, when Smyth moved to Zimbabwe in the early 80s and continued to run children’s camps. He moved to South Africa in 2001.

Independent investigations revealed that Smyth inflicted sexual, emotional, spiritual, and physical abuse on at least 100 people. The greatest display of hypocrisy within the Church that Smyth participated in was his role as a lawyer representing morality campaigner Mary Whitehouse, prosecuting those accused of blasphemy and immorality. While living in South Africa, he ran the Justice Alliance of South Africa, an organization dedicated to upholding high moral standards in society. He also unsuccessfully opposed the legalization of same-sex marriage in South Africa, claiming that such activity would result in “violence to mind and spirit”. The irony of all this can’t be overstated.

Smyth died before he could be brought to trial.

This past year, the independent review called the Makin Report was commissioned by the Church of England and published this last week, revealing the details on what church authorities knew about the abuse and how they intentionally covered it up or ignored it. Smyth moved to different locations and was allowed to take up posts where he had close contact with young men, even though church leaders knew what was going on. One of those leaders was Archbishop Justin Welby who, in 2013, was informed of Smyth’s abuse but took no action against him. His level of culpability remains to be seen, but he resigned today as Archbishop of Canterbury in a shocking statement.

Though he claimed to take responsibility, much of the statement reads as if he was not so culpable, with hardly an apology but with a pledge to continue entrusting the Church and himself to Jesus Christ. It makes one wonder why this hadn’t happened sooner, when he continued to harbor and abet leaders who destroyed the fabric of Christian morality in the very Christian Church itself. The Smyth case was one horrific example of a leadership style that buries rather than resurrects; hides rather than clarifies; and, frankly, misrepresents rather than speaks the whole truth. This moral failure with regards to Anglicans in England and Africa completely compromises all his leadership and previous pledges from the Canterbury communion towards the majority of the Global South.

Again, the way Abp. Welby dealt with these allegations shows not just an issue with a particular scandal but a recurring practice of burying hard truth and hoping it will go away. It never goes away; truth always comes back to haunt you. That’s the case with the Makin Review and that’s the case with the “Living in Love and Faith” prayers for the blessing of same sex unions in the Church of England– a debacle throughout, in which Welby tried to play both sides and cover up the painful truth that there is no compromise. It’s this desire to stay neutral that, in the end, isn’t neutrality at all. He did nothing when he heard about what Smyth was doing, just like he did nothing to bring discipline to wayward churches and leaders in the Anglican Communion.

The larger debate on human sexuality within the Church of England and increasingly elsewhere in the Anglican Communion is certainly not a case of individual abuse. But with regards to the Archbishop of Canterbury’s “spiritual leadership” of the Anglican Communion, it is spiritual abuse at a corporate level that is damaging countless souls under his care; he has refused to deal with it. In his statement today, he wrote, “It is my duty to honour my Constitutional and church responsibilities, so exact timings will be decided once a review of necessary obligations has been completed.” But where was his duty to honor and defend the Faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3), including the Church’s unbroken biblical teaching on marriage, not only as a bishop but as an archbishop and the spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion? So now he resigns for this particular scandal, at this time, in the Church of England—but without regard  for the myriad of spiritual scandals he oversaw over his tenure in the See of Canterbury?

Welby’s leaving leaves a lot of questions for the future of the Anglican Communion.

What kind of successor will take his place, and will he or she continue the fracturing or help bring unity based on biblical truth and faithfulness to the unbroken teaching of the Church?

How does this affect Gafcon and the Global South? Does his resignation really matter to them? And what does the See of Canterbury mean for the identity of global Anglicanism, when its highest leader utterly compromised his spiritual and temporal leadership of the Mother Church by aiding and abetting the worst serial abuser in the history of the Anglican Church?

Is this the final nail in the coffin of Canterbury’s post-colonial domination of the Communion?

Isn’t now the time, at this moment, for the Global South and GAFCON to rally the rest of the Communion around repentance? What better moment to proclaim Christ faithfully to the nations and draw other national and regional Anglican churches into the covenantal structures of the Cairo Covenant, ratified in June in Egypt, to carry on the Anglican Communion under biblically-faithful commitments?

Archbishop Welby’s resignation has been a long time coming. What a sad and tragic end to what had been a much hoped for beginning of a return to biblical-faithfulness in the Mother Church. Please pray for the victims of this horrific abuse, and for Anglicans to walk everywhere in the light (I John 1:7-9) as we move forward.

– Received by e-mail. Now also posted on the American Anglican Council website.

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