Halloween and the Dark Side — What should Christians think?
“The coming of Halloween is a good time for Christians to remember that evil spirits are real and that the Devil will seize every opportunity to trumpet his own celebrity…”
– Albert Mohler asks how Christians should respond to Halloween.
Free Reformation Day resources from Ligonier Ministries
“In celebration of Reformation Day, for the first time ever we’re replacing our usual $5 Friday sale with Free Reformation Day Friday.
Until 11:59pm ET on Friday, October 31, 2014, [2:59pm AEST Saturday, November 01] you can download the following digital resources for free.”
– A generous gift. eBooks, plus audio and video resources on the Reformation, with a focus on Martin Luther and John Calvin. (Around 2GB in total.)
Senator encourages involvement in Solidarity Sunday
Senator David Fawcett spoke yesterday about the persecution of religious minorities, particularly Christians, under ISIL, and informed the Senate of Solidarity Sunday. (YouTube.)
“Bill Shorten’s description of Christians ‘wide of the mark’.”
“The Australian Christian Lobby’s Lyle Shelton has said Bill Shorten’s speech backing same sex marriage at their conference was “wide of the mark” because of his characterisation of Christians as people who invoke God and Bible to attack blended families and demonise people for who they love. …”
– report from The Australian.
See also:
- Why we invited Bill Shorten to our National Conference – Lyle Shelton, Australian Christian Lobby (including video of the Q&A session).
“I’m grateful to Opposition Leader Bill Shorten for speaking at our national conference at the weekend. Enormous pressure was put on him to stay away….” - Text of Bill Shorten’s Speech to the Australian Christian Lobby National Conference.
Armidale Centenary
“Sydney Archbishop Glenn Davies will be the keynote speaker at a special service in Armidale next month to commemorate the centenary of the Anglican Diocese of Armidale…”
– from The Armidale Independent. See also the Diocese of Armidale’s Centenary page, history publication (‘I Will Build My Church’), and upcoming events.
Pray for Christians who are ‘living in Babylon’ this weekend
Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, International Director of Barnabas Fund, calls for prayer for persecuted Christians on the Barnabas Fund Day of Prayer, this Saturday, November 1st:
“The fires of anti-Christian persecution rage on around the world. Through most of the Middle East, and in large parts of Africa and Asia, our brothers and sisters continue to suffer discrimination, ill-treatment and violence because of their love for Christ. Research has estimated that around 200 million Christians – about 10% of the total number – are disadvantaged, harassed or actively oppressed for their faith…”
See also www.livinginbabylon.org
And the Australian Christian Lobby is calling for churches to stand in prayer with their persecuted brothers and sisters on November 2nd – Solidarity Sunday.
The heavens declare
Beautiful images of the Earth, as seen from just beyond the Moon, taken by China’s unmanned lunar mission.
The State of Theology
Ligonier Ministries surveyed 3,000 US adults about what they believe.
While the Australian context is not quite the same, it’s worth taking the time to look at the results and hearing R C Sproul discuss them.
Defence Sunday 2014
Anglican Chaplains to Australian Defence Force would appreciate your prayers – and “Defence Sunday” (November 9th, the Sunday closest Remembrance Day) would be a good time to focus on them and those to whom they minister.
Various resources are available via the Defence Anglicans website, including Remembrance Day Prayers, Bible Readings, and Resources. with audio files of the Last Post and other music.
Mission 2020 — To see Christ honoured as Lord and Saviour
The Synod of Sydney Diocese last week, in committing itself to Mission 2020, adopted these statements –
Our Vision – To see Christ honoured as Lord and Saviour in every community.
Our Mission – We commit ourselves afresh, in prayerful dependence on the Holy Spirit, to glorify God and love our neighbour by proclaiming the Lord Jesus Christ, calling people to repent and living lives worthy of him.
See the full statement of Vision, Mission and Values here (PDF file).
And see also SydneyAnglicans.net: Synod recommits to Mission.
Societas 2014 now available
It’s a highlight of the diocesan calendar — Societas, the Moore College Students’ magazine, has been released for 2014.
You can download the 16.8MB PDF file – or read it online.
Mark Fairfull at Moore writes: “Hard copies can be ordered from the College. There is no longer a charge to purchase the magazine, but the College is inviting people to make a voluntary donation to help cover the publication and postage & handling costs if they wish to do so.”
Grab your copy now, be informed, and be moved to pray for the College.
GAFCON Chairman’s October 2014 Pastoral letter
The October 2014 Pastoral Letter from Archbishop Eliud Wabukala (Chairman of the GAFCON Primates’ Council) –
“the investiture demonstrated that the realignment of the Anglican Communion is now established and unstoppable.”
Extract:
“The recent news that Lambeth 2018 has been postponed, perhaps indefinitely, is the latest sign that the old institutions of the Communion no longer command confidence. We must remember that the fundamental reason for this is doctrinal. We are divided because the Faith is threatened by unbiblical teaching.
In contrast, GAFCON 2 demonstrated that we were emerging as a new and effective ‘instrument of unity’ for the Anglican Communion. Nearly twelve months later, that reality was underlined at the investiture of Archbishop Foley Beach as the second Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America by the Primates gathered in Atlanta, representing GAFCON and the Anglican Global South, receiving him as a Primate of the Anglican Communion.
Speaking shortly after that historic service I said ‘It is a sign of great hope for the Gospel in the world. It is not a small thing that has happened’. There was no need for us to be reminded of the reasons why GAFCON had called the Anglican Church in North America into being five years ago because the investiture demonstrated that the realignment of the Anglican Communion is now established and unstoppable.
Anglicans around the globe are now affirming this fact. Last month the Provincial Synod of the Anglican Church of Kenya unanimously approved a resolution to be in formal partnership with the GAFCON movement. Then just before the investiture, the Synod of the Diocese of North West Australia passed a resolution recognizing ‘the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) as a member church of the Anglican Communion, in full communion with Diocese of North West Australia’. Shortly afterwards, the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney passed a resolution which recognized ‘that GAFCON is an emerging instrument of communion when others have failed to provide the well needed leadership’ and stated ‘recognizing Synod’s desire to be in full communion with the ACNA.…. Synod congratulates the Most Reverend Foley Beach on his consecration as Archbishop to the ACNA.’…”
– Read the full Letter on the GAFCON website.
Bill Shorten speaks at Australian Christian Lobby national conference
“Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has told a Christian conference he supports same-sex marriage.
Mr Shorten made the comments in a speech to the Australian Christian Lobby national conference in Canberra this morning.
‘When I see people hiding behind the bible to insult and demonise people on the basis of who they love, I cannot stay silent, I do not agree,’ he said…”
– Story from ABC News. (Photo: BillShorten.com.au)
Related: Australian Christian Lobby media release.
Are there Three Ways to Live?
“There are only two ways to live: one leads to death, the other to eternal life.
However, Christians share with non-Christians a great desire to find a third way…”
– Phillip Jensen writes in his weekly column for the Cathedral.
Colin Bale to be Moore College Vice-Principal
“Rev Dr Colin Bale has been appointed Moore College’s new Vice Principal. Colin has been a member of the College faculty since 1999 and its Academic Dean since 2009. The two roles will be joined from 1 January 2015…”
– Grab the details from the Moore College website.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…