If you can change the language, you can change the entire society
In the 31 August 2018 edition of The Briefing podcast, Albert Mohler looks at several current stories illustrating the language wars over gender and sexuality.
The Church and the Bible (Part 2)
“What particularly threatens us as members of the Church of England is the very serious danger of the official acceptance by our Church of doctrines and practices which are additional and contrary to the Scriptural witness – and all in the supposed interest of larger and truer unity among Christians.
As each Lambeth Conference makes more obvious, there is the growing pressure of the Anglican Communion, and of a striving after a comprehensive ‘wholeness‘ whose governing principle is not uncompromising loyalty to the Scriptures, as the one supreme rule of faith and conduct, but the holding together in one family of churches which have come to believe and worship differently …”
– Alan Stibbs wasn’t writing yesterday, but in the January 1960 issue of The Australian Church Record.
The Tyranny of the Immediate in Short Attention Span Theatre
“Over the weekend Alan Jacobs, distinguished professor of the humanities in the Honors Program of Baylor University, had an important post on how we process the never-ending influx of information fixated on Now …”
– Read this, rather than just liking on Facebook. From Justin Taylor.
Learn about the nine new GAFCON Networks
Learn about the nine strategic global Networks launched at GAFCON 2018.
Working alongside men in ministry
“In ‘The value of training women for ministry’, Tracey Gowing shared some of her practical wisdom on how to train women for ministry and why that’s a worthwhile task. But as a ministry staff-worker on various university campuses around Australia, Tracey hasn’t just trained women! Many men will testify that they learned invaluable lessons about leadership and biblical manhood from having Tracey as their co-leader.
What’s her secret? Tracey has no new, radical beliefs—she just trusts the Bible. …”
– At GoThereFor.com, Lauren Driscoll continues her interview with Tracey Gowing.
Denham Court Anglican Church celebrates 180th birthday
“As the face of Denham Court continues to evolve each year, one beautiful building has stood the test of time.
Parishioners at Denham Court Anglican Church celebrated the historic building’s 180th birthday on Sunday. …”
– Local news from The Macarthur Advertiser.
Photo: Denham Court Anglican.
Why evangelicals in the Church of England need to talk openly
“One year before WWI broke out, Winston Churchill wrote a memo: ‘Timetable of a Nightmare.’
It predicted details of the coming war. Churchill frequently warned of the danger his country faced – the majority of his fellow leaders merely complained about him. Sir Henry Jackson spoke for many when he wrote that he ‘did not like the style’ of Churchill’s writing.
Churchill’s warnings of danger were ignored and instead his manner, style and motivations were impugned. Trying to prepare the military and nation to defend itself felt like wading through treacle with chains of iron around his neck – because free and open debate about the actual issues was precluded by those in a position to act. …”
– Peter Sanlon writes at Evangelicals Now. (Link via Anglican Mainstream.)
Jesus never directly said “I’m God!”: Answering our Muslim friends (Part 2)
“But Jesus never directly said he’s God”, says our Muslim friend. How would you answer?
Part 1 of this series had us step forward on the front foot against this specific challenge by rejecting the premise and reframing the issue.
But if we did work within the boundaries imposed by our Muslim friends, how would we defend the deity of Jesus from his own words in the Gospels? …
– Ryan van der Avoort continues to share practical advice, at The Australian Church Record.
Hitting the right note
“A music ministry stream is to be added to Moore’s Advanced Diploma of Bible, Mission and Ministry course.
… designed for music ministers, for all who serve in music ministry and those preparing and leading church services …”
– News from Moore College.
Archbishop Davies presents proposal for NZ Anglican future
“Archbishop Glenn Davies has addressed some of the leaders of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia (ACANZP), proposing ‘Distinctive Co-existence’ as a solution to the issues facing the Church after their Synod’s decision to allow the blessings of same gender relationships. …”
– Read the full story at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Be sure to read Archbishop Davies’ A PROPOSAL FOR THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF AOTEAROA, NEW ZEALAND & POLYNESIA (PDF file – may download to your computer – Alternative link.).
Ambulance staff see a lot of ‘death and dying’ and one man provides different help
“With only a Christian cross on the epaulet of his blue uniform to distinguish him from other paramedics, senior chaplain Paul McFarlane had barely finished parking when he was asked for help. …
‘We can walk right in because we are part of the team,’ said Reverend McFarlane. …”
– A Sydney Morning Herald story today on the value of Ambulance Chaplaincy.
(Photo: NSW Ambulance Service.)
Depending on Others
“O that it would rain! I admit to not knowing a whole lot about sheep and cattle and seasonal crops but I have been a person for sixty years and I’ve been farming people vocationally for thirty years of my working life.
I hope that doesn’t sound inappropriate and if it does, please forgive me. But like a farmer who hates to see his stock in poor condition, I am a person who hates to see any of God’s people in a similar condition. Sadly, those two things go hand in hand in times of drought. …”
– Bishop of Armidale, Rick Lewers, writes on his diocesan website.
Ramon Williams: a look through the lens – documentary in the works
As mentioned earlier this week, a documentary on Ramon Williams and his media ministry is in the works.
There is also an opportunity for people and organisations who have benefitted from Ramon’s work to help honour him.
Christian Media and Arts Australia have a story – and there is further information from documentary producer Richard Attieh at TV Group.
Reaching people with the gospel
Archbishop Peter Jensen has long been an advocate of looking for opportunities to share the gospel in taxis – and he was sure to carry a copy of The Essential Jesus (The Gospel According to Luke) to give away.
Tim Challies recently spoke at a bookshop in Scotland, and was asked about good ways to share the gospel with people.
His reply? “Uber!”. Good advice.
What is the gospel? — An appeal for clarity
“I remember, more than twenty years ago now, an international visitor to Sydney being asked this question. Throughout the week that he had been here, the speaker had appealed to the gospel many times.
Clearly in a part of the world well-known for the strength of its evangelical witness, such an appeal was essential if he was to get a hearing. But the appeal had not been convincing and it had become increasingly obvious that at this most basic level our guest had a very different idea of what exactly it was that he was appealing to repeatedly throughout the week. So some brave soul — someone braver than me — publicly asked him the question. What is the gospel?…”
– Dr. Mark Thompson, Principal of Moore College, tackles a crucial question in a new essay.
Take the time to read it all here. [This is a re-post from 2015.]
You can also download it as a 240kb PDF file.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…