#inChrist (Ephesians 1:3)

More treasures from Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians, thanks to Dr. Lionel Windsor.

Posts already published at Forget the Channel:

  1. Lift Your Eyes: Introducing Ephesians.
  2. Paul: in his own words (Ephesians 1:1a).
  3. Amazing holiness (Ephesians 1:1b).
  4. This God (Ephesians 1:2).
  5. #inChrist (Ephesians 1:3).

– with plenty more planned.

The Bible Theft: Guarding Against Those who Steal God’s Word from the Church

Dr. Peter Sanlon (pictured), Vicar of St. Mark’s Tunbridge Wells, has recently published “The Bible Theft” – a book to help Christians spot the various kinds of anti-Biblical teaching running rampant in the Church of England.

It’s a very timely book, and Julian Mann draws attention to it:

“This tremendously accessible and intelligent book from the pastoral front line breathes the excitement of Christian truth and thus commends the Faith to both Christians and non-Christians.”

Australian readers can order copies from these booksellers (and, doubtless, others).

GAFCON Chairman’s February 2019 Pastoral Letter

“My dear people of God,

Later this month I shall be travelling to Dubai for Gafcon 2019 to share fellowship with faithful brothers and sisters, many of whom will be coming from contexts where restrictions are imposed on Christian witness and faithful discipleship can be costly in many ways.

But I know that despite these hardships, our time together will be joyful because the gospel of God, the good news of our salvation and eternal life in Jesus Christ, will be at the centre of all that we do. …”

– Read the full letter here.

Related:

Toronto Bishop Kevin Robertson invited to Canterbury – Anglican Samizdat.

“On February 7th 2019, Justin Welby welcomed [Bishop Kevin Robertson] and 29 other bishops to Lambeth Palace.”

And a note in an e-mail from the GAFCON Secretariat: “Please remember Archbishop Okoh and his family in your prayers as they mourn the loss of his younger brother John to cancer.”

Knowing where we stand

“Sometimes, in just one public argument, all the worst winds gather together as a perfect storm. Perhaps no article in recent months fits that mould more than an opinion piece that ran just days ago in The Washington Post by veteran columnist Richard Cohen. The headline of the article reads, ‘It’s Not Just Northam. Republicans Must Confront the Bigotry of the Pences Too.’ …

Cohen makes a now familiar argument – he creates a moral parallel between the question of racism and anyone who believes that LGBTQ behaviors and relationships are sinful. He equates discrimination based on skin color with the moral agenda of gay rights.”

– Once again, Albert Mohler reminds Bible-believing Christians of the challenges coming.

Why ‘We’re just like You’ isn’t a great ‘USP’

“Like many of my generation, I was heavily influenced by student ministry, and set off to theological college ready to take on and change the world – or, to be more accurate, to change the church.

It wasn’t the only thing I wanted to do. I did long to see people become Christians, for example. But I also wanted church to be ‘good’. I wanted to do everything in my power to see the Bible taught well; to make sure that the cringe factor was eliminated from what we did when we were together. …”

– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Gary Millar calls for a change of thinking in the way we present church. (Photo: CMS.)

Dr Gavin Ashenden — Conversations with John Anderson

Dr Gavin Ashenden is the latest guest on Conversations with John Anderson, former Australian Deputy Prime Minister. They speak about the current threats to freedom in Europe and elsewhere.

Watch here.

9Marks Journal: Ecclesiology for Calvinists

The latest 9Marks Journal – February 2019 – is now available as a free download.

Plenty to think about.

Bigoted Quackery?

“Let me be the first to engage in some bigoted quackery and talk conversion.

That is to quote Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, who has announced plans to ban so-called ‘LGBT conversion therapy.’

Speaking on Sunday at Melbourne’s Midsumma Pride March, Andrews vigorously criticised the idea that someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity can be changed, calling it ‘a most personal form of torture, a cruel practice that perpetuates the idea that LGBTI people are in some way broken.’

‘We will drag these practices out of the dark ages and into the brightest of lights.’

Then he called it ‘bigoted quackery’ – see my opening remark.

This is at first bewildering for the average Christian reader if only because few have ever heard of something called ‘LGBT conversion therapy.’ It’s a term invented by them, not us.

So, we are left to ask what it means. …

The Human Rights Law Centre and La Trobe University … report condemns the ‘insidious practice’ of churches having a ‘welcoming but not affirming’ policy akin to the adage, ‘love the sinner but not the sin.’…”

– The Australian Christian Lobby’s Martyn Iles unpacks some of the challenges facing Christians in Victoria, and across Australia.

Visible and invisible

“The distinction between the Church visible and invisible was coined by Luther and Zwingli in the sixteenth century, and was much used by all the Reformers, our own included.

The wording of Article XIX (“The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men…”) implies this distinction, and it was in fact basic to all Anglican thinking about the church for more than a century after the Reformation. …“

– The Australian Church Record has republished this 1962 article by Dr. J. I. Packer.

Nexus19 on Monday 25th March — for constructive encouragement in evangelism

The Nexus Conference for 2019 is coming up at Carlingford on Monday 25th March.

For those who can’t be there in person, the event will be livestreamed to sites across Australia.

Read more about the conference – and let Canon Phil Colgan (who also spoke on this topic at the 2018 ACL Synod Dinner) encourage you to keep the proclamation of the saving gospel of Jesus front and centre.

Anglican Aid Prayer Diary 2019

Sydney parishes will have received copies of The Archbishop of Sydney’s Anglican Aid Prayer Diary for 2019.

If you find it more convenient to download as a PDF file to your device, for use on the go, you can get a copy here – or read it online.

If you use the free PrayerMate app, you can subscribe to the Anglican Aid feed.

“New $7.3 million Glebe residence planned for Archbishop Glenn Davies”

“For more than a century Sydney’s Anglican archbishops resided in the 1841-built sandstone mansion Bishopscourt, but the church’s official Sydney residence may take on a far more contemporary look in the future, according to DA plans before Sydney City Council. …”

– Story from Domain (however, at Sydney Synod, it was explained that Archbishop Davies is expected to have retired by the time the planned residence is built).

The Pilgrim’s Progress — free audiobook for February 2019

ChristianAudio’s free audiobook for February 2019 is The Pilgrim’s Progress.

This version is read by Nadia May. It runs for 10 hours and 10 minutes.

Better than Inclusion: Welcome! Response to Church of England Guidance on Gender Transition Services

Glen Scrivener from Speak Life speaks with Dr Ian Paul about the open letter released this week, ‘A Response to the House of Bishops guidance on Transgender Welcome’, and the whole issue of gender dysphoria.

Ian Paul reaffirms that everyone is welcome at church, and explains why.

Watch the conversation.

Read the Letter and see the signatories which includes more than a thousand Church of England clergy.

The evangelistic conversation

“Evangelistic conversations can be tough. Really tough. They can be so tough and discouraging that, after having a few, many people give up and never try again.

However, there are things we can do to allow a tough situation to become enjoyable – and more importantly, effective.

So, what’s a good way to engage in an evangelistic conversation? …”

– Here’s some encouragement from Dave Jensen at GoThereFor.com.

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