You might have missed — 10th April 2015
Here are some posts you may have missed in recent weeks:
Is there a Future for Confessional Anglicanism? – ACL conference audio.
When to make a stand (PDF) – Dr Mark Thompson.
David Ould interviews Archbishop Eliud Wabukala and Dr. Ashley Null at the Anglican Future Conference in Melbourne.
Dr Wesley Hill speaks at Moore College.
New collection of essays by Professor Edwin Judge launched.
ACL Regional Information Nights, coming up on 27th April and 4th May.
Beginning in Jerusalem: The Theological Significance of the 2008 Global Anglican Future Conference
Archbishop Peter Jensen gave the Richard B. Gaffin Lecture at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia on March 18, 2015.
In “Beginning in Jerusalem: The Theological Significance of the 2008 Global Anglican Future Conference”, he explains the reasons for GAFCON, giving a glimpse of the pain involved, and the hope for the future. Speaking to his Westminster audience, he said, “You perhaps need to enter into our experience so you can prepare yourself for what may come.”
This is a sobering encouragement to watch. Thanks to Church Society for the link.
Related:
GAFCON Final Statement and the Jerusalem Declaration – 29 June 2008.
The Jerusalem Declaration formatted as a PDF file.
The dead end of sexual sin
“Indwelling sin is a parasite, and it eats what you do.
God’s word is poison to sin when embraced by a heart made new by the Holy Spirit. You starve indwelling sin by feeding yourself deeply on his word. Sin cannot abide in his word. So, fill your hearts and minds with Scripture…”
– Rosaria Champagne Butterfield writes about what she learned from John Owen about our status in Christ as we struggle with sin.
Honest Evangelism — new book from Rico Tice
Rico Tice (founder of ‘Christianity Explored ’) has a new book out, ‘Honest Evangelism’.
David Ould has the links – including where you can get a copy. This looks to be a very helpful resource.
The interview (8:50) is well worth watching.
Preaching Colossians
In the latest Preaching Matters video from St. Helen’s Bishopsgate in London, Charlie Skrine talks about preaching through Colossians – and the normal Christian life. Watch it here.
Gordon Moyes
Gordon Moyes, Superintendent of the Wesley Mission in Sydney, 1979–2005, and member of the New South Wales Legislative Council 2004–2011, has died, according to this post from his son David.
Update: John Sandeman at the Bible Society has written this tribute.
Update 2: We hear that there will be a Service of Thanksgiving in Wesley Church 220 Pitt Street Sydney at 2:00pm on Friday 10th April 2015.
The Empty Tomb and the Risen Christ — The Centrality of the Resurrection to the Christian Faith
“The pattern of the Christian year is an exercise of the Church’s annual remembrance and proclamation of the Gospel. The annual celebrations of Christmas and Resurrection Day help the Church to ponder again the truths of Christ’s incarnation and resurrection from the dead.
Christians understand that every Lord’s Day is Resurrection Day, but this Sunday is the festival which draws all Christians face to face with the empty tomb and the truth of the resurrected Lord…”
– Albert Mohler reminds us that “Christianity stands or falls with the empty grave”.
Jesus Christ and the Revolution of Destiny
“In this series of three lectures, we will be exploring the identity of an individual: an individual who lived and wrote almost 2,000 years ago, but whose writings still challenge and convict countless millions today.
That individual is the apostle Paul, and his writings are in the pages of the Bible, in the New Testament.”
– Holiday reading in the form of a lecture given by ACL Council member Dr. Lionel Windsor.
Good Friday statement from the Primate of Kenya
Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, Primate of Kenya, has released this statement after the murderous attack in north-eastern Kenya –
“My dear Brothers and Sisters, On this Good Friday we gather in our churches across Kenya in the shadow of a great and terrible evil. People who deal in death have slaughtered 147 people in Garissa, most of them students, and brought wrenching anguish to their families and a deep sadness to our nation.
These young people died because they were Kenyans and they were Christians. This attack was a calculated manifestation of evil designed to destroy our nation and our faith, but on this Good Friday we are reminded that the very worst evil can do is not the last word.…” – Read it all here.
Robert Schuller dies at 88
“The Rev. Robert H. Schuller, the televangelist who drew millions of followers with his “Hour of Power” broadcasts from the Crystal Cathedral, the glittering house of worship recognized around the world as the locus of his signature brand of motivational Christianity, died April 2 at a care facility in Artesia, Calif. He was 88…”
– Story from The Washington Post. Photo: Hour of Power.
(Not familiar with Robert Schuller and his ‘possibility thinking’ sin-free message? You can see the first episode of Hour of Power from 1970. Message from 21:45.)
Archbishop sends message to Kenya after attack
Anglican Diocese of Sydney
Public Statement
Friday 3rd April, 2015
Archbishop Glenn Davies this afternoon sent a message of condolence to the Anglican Primate of Kenya, Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, after the attack on Garissa University which killed more than 140 students.
The text of the message reads:
We are shocked and dismayed by this wanton and deliberate attack on Kenyan citizens in Garissa where Christians in particular seem to have been singled out.
The violence and loss of life is sickening.
We grieve with the families of students who have lost loved ones, some of whom were deliberately targeted because they own the name of Jesus.
May God enable you and the church to stand firm in this time of testing.
You may be assured of our prayers for peace in the nation of Kenya, for healing for those injured and bereaved, and for our brothers and sisters to stand firm in the face of persecution and to be filled with a spirit of love, the perfect love which drives out fear (1 John 4:18).
– source SydneyAnglicans.net
GAFCON Easter Pastoral Letter 2015
“… last week it was my privilege as Chairman of GAFCON to share in the launch of the Australian branch of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans.
I believe this is a new beginning for united gospel witness across the continent, sharing the same determination and passion for the gospel as that of the pioneering Anglican chaplain and missionary, Richard Johnson, who led the first recorded act of Christian worship on Australian soil on Sunday 3rd February 1788…”
– Chairman of the GAFCON Primates’ Council, Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, writes an Easter Pastoral Letter.
Archbishop of Sydney’s Easter message 2015
“It is a measure of our society’s fast pace (or perhaps commercialism) that this year, hot cross buns came on sale just after New Year’s Day.
By now, three months later, we have become so used to them that we forget they are marked with a cross.
The speed of our lives leaves us little time to reflect on the timeless truth of this symbol.
You may eat and enjoy your hot cross buns without ever noticing. But if you stop and think about it, the cross is out of place on such a treat.
Because the cross is an instrument of torture. The cross means pain. The cross means death. So why was Jesus, God’s righteous son, on a cross at all?
The Bible tells us that on the cross, Jesus took the judgment that we deserve. He died, was buried and three days later, rose again.
What does the cross mean to you?
For followers of Jesus, the cross is now empty because Jesus has risen from the dead and offers us new life.
This Easter, the mark of the cross can mark a new beginning for you, too.”
Dr Glenn N Davies
Archbishop of Sydney
Easter 2015 AD.
Watch the video from Anglican Media Sydney.
Read the text (PDF will download to your device).
And the story from SydneyAnglicans.net.And here’s a version formatted as two to an A5 page, suitable for printing to insert in your church newsletter this weekend. (115kb PDF.)
Archbishop of Melbourne’s Easter Message 2015
This year’s Easter message from Dr Philip Freier, Archbishop of Melbourne, can be seen here.
Flawless Bible Tour 2015
“In the Sydney Diocese we enjoy a wonderful legacy of faithful biblical scholarship, preaching and teaching. As we rejoice and revel in that legacy, let us join together to strengthen the integrity of gospel proclamation and Bible teaching throughout the developing world.
Throughout April, Anglican Aid will be raising awareness and financial resources through the Flawless Bible Tour for the massive need to train men and women in Africa, Asia and the Pacific…”
– Learn about the Flawless Bible Tour – coming to pretty much every church building in Sydney Diocese this month – from Anglican Aid.
Further: Am I just a Big April Fool? – David Mansfield.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…