John MacArthur to the Governor of California on the slaughter of the innocents
“Sir,
Almighty God says in His Word, ‘Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people’ (Proverbs 14:34). Scripture also teaches that it is the chief duty of any civic leader to reward those who do well and to punish evildoers (Romans 13:1–7). You have not only failed in that responsibility; you routinely turn it on its head, rewarding evildoers and punishing the righteous.
The Word of God pronounces judgment on those who call evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20)…”
– John MacArthur, Pastor of Grace Community Church in California, has released an open letter to Governor Gavin Newsom who has been promoting his state as a destination for those wanting abortions – and quoting the Bible in support. (Click the image to read the text on the billboard.)
The letter is a clear and blunt call to repentance. PDF version.
Related:
Can California Become Even More Pro-Abortion? Governor Newsom Signs 13 New Bills to Increase Access to Abortion – Albert Mohler’s The Briefing, 28 September 2022.
From silence to complexification to capitulation
“I don’t often agree with David Gushee, the liberal Christian ethicist whose ‘battles,’ by his own description, have included ‘issues like climate change, torture, LGBTQ inclusion, and white supremacism.’ But he spoke the uncomfortable truth when he observed years ago that when it comes to LGBTQ issues, there is no middle ground: ‘Neutrality is not an option. Neither is polite half-acceptance. Nor is avoiding the subject. Hide as you might, the issue will come and find you.’…”
– Kevin DeYoung explains why evangelical surrender on LGBTQ is almost never a surprise.
See also:
Pivoting to Surrender: A Warning for All Christians – Albert Mohler, March 2021.
Image: St Helen’s Bishopsgate.
Open Doors’ Brother Andrew called home
Open Doors has announced that Andrew Van der Bijl, better known as Brother Andrew, has died at the age of 94.
See Open Doors’ video tribute:
Image: Open Doors.
Cranmer’s Collect, the Christian voice of hope
“During the Queen’s funeral in Westminster Abbey, the words of Thomas Cranmer, burnt at the stake in 1556 for his evangelical Christian beliefs, were heard by more people on a single occasion than at any other time in history.
As Archbishop of Canterbury, Cranmer was the author and compiler of the Book of Common Prayer, commanded for use in public worship in England’s parishes in 1552 during the reign of King Edward VI.
Cranmer’s liturgical book, with minor changes, was reintroduced in 1662 for public worship in the Church of England after the restoration of the Monarchy under King Charles II, hence it is now known as the 1662 Book of Common Prayer (BCP). …”
– Julian Mann reminds us of where that prayer came from! and what it means.
Sydney diocese declares ‘breach of fellowship’ with Australian Church
“The synod of the diocese of Sydney has carried several motions urging changes to the way in which the diocese interacts with the Anglican Church of Australia. …
One motion carried at the Sydney diocesan synod noted ‘with godly grief the deep breach of fellowship in the Anglican Church of Australia exposed at the eighteenth session of General Synod on matters of doctrine and human sexuality’. It requested the synod’s Standing Committee ‘to consider our future approach as a Diocese to meetings of the General Synod’…
Speaking at a pre-synod dinner, Dr Davies, who is the first bishop of the diocese of the Southern Cross, said that, if Sydney diocese really cared for Australia, the ‘best clergy’ and lay people should be sent to dioceses where there were ‘welcoming bishops’. It also needed to support, through the Gafcon diocese, ‘hurting Anglicans’ in dioceses led by ‘revisionist bishops’.”
– Muriel Porter writes in The Church Times – also at Virtueonline.
Photo: Sydney Synod 2022.
Related:
Healing Australia’s gambling disease
From The Pastor’s Heart:
“Australia has the world’s worst rate of gambling losses per capita, being home to less than half a percent of the world’s population but with 20 percent of its pokies.
And Sydney and NSW are worst of all, with about double (or worse) the rate of poker machine losses compared to every other Australian state and territory.
About 40% of all pokies losses come from problem gamblers.
Anglican Dean of Sydney Sandy Grant and Wesley Mission’s Stuart Cameron are asking both sides of politics to come together to address the crisis.”
Photo:
Stu Cameron and Sandy Grant – with thanks to SydneyAnglicans.net where you can read this article on the topic.
SydneyAnglicans.net also has a copy of the letter sent to Dominic Perrottet, MP, Premier of NSW and The Hon. Chris Minns, MP, Leader of the Opposition. (PDF)
Raising Your Family In The Bible
“I remember that when we had our first child, having a Christian home was what I really wanted. My parents sent me to Sunday School but they never went themselves so what to do was all new to me. But where do you start and how do you start?…”
– At Equal But Different, Christine Jensen has some encouragement for Christian parents.
Bathurst Diocese Service for Thanksgiving for Queen Elizabeth II
A memorial service for the late Her Majesty the Queen was held in Bathurst on Thursday 22 September.
See Bishop Mark Calder’s address above.
Download the Order of Service here.
Archbishop Kanishka Raffel’s sermon at the Provincial Memorial Service
SydneyAnglicans.net has published Archbishop Kanishka Raffel’s sermon at the Provincial Memorial Service at St. Andrew’s Cathedral on Wednesday (21 September 2022).
“On the day the news broke of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, I was surprised but not alone in finding myself overcome with emotion. Prime Ministers and policemen and countless visitors to this cathedral, throughout the day and days since, were in tears. Perhaps it was that we did not know how much we loved her. Grief is the price we pay for love, the late Queen once said. …”
The service can be seen here, and the Order of Service can also be downloaded.
Thanks to Anglican Media Sydney for the image.
Armidale Synod meeting this weekend
For your prayers:
Armidale Synod is meeting Friday September 23 to Sunday September 25 at Calrossy Anglican School in Tamworth.
It will their the first in-person full synod since 2019.
Do pray for the churches of this large area of NSW as they hold out the words of eternal life. And pray for Bishop Rod Chiswell and his leadership team.
Image: The Diocese of Armidale stretches from Boggabilla to Lightning Ridge and Walgett, to Quirindi to Tenterfield.
Luther’s monumental achievement
“500 years ago today, on 21 September 1522, one of the landmark moments of the Protestant Reformation took place, one that is not often celebrated as much as the posting of the 95 theses, Luther’s stand at the Diet of Worms in April 1521, or the formal ‘Protest’ submitted to the Diet of Speyer in April 1529.
On that day the first copies of Martin Luther’s German translation of the New Testament emerged from Melchior Lotther the Younger’s print shop in Wittenberg. …”
– Moore College Principal Dr Mark Thompson draws attention to a significant anniversary.
St. John’s Parramatta Service for Thanksgiving for Queen Elizabeth II
From St. John’s Cathedral, Parramatta:
“Join us in the Cathedral on Thursday 22 September, 11am, for a thanksgiving service, remembering the life of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. The service will be livestreamed on our YouTube channel.”
Provincial Memorial Service from St. Andrew’s Cathedral Sydney
The Provincial Memorial Service for Queen Elizabeth II is taking place at 11:00am today (Wednesday 21 September 2022) at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney.
The service can be seen here, and the Order of Service can also be downloaded.
Deconstructing the Queen’s Funeral — The Pastor’s Heart
From The Pastor’s Heart:
“What can we learn about funerals today from the funeral of Queen Elizabeth, which was watched by around four billion people across the world yesterday.
What worked and didn’t work with the Queen’s funeral? Is there anything our guests would have done differently?
David Peterson is the former Principal of Oak Hill Theological College in London and is now lecturing as an adjunct faculty member at Sydney’s Moore Theological College.
Rachel Ciano lecturers in Christian History at Sydney Missionary and Bible College.
Chris Braga is Senior Pastor of Grace West Anglican Church at Glenmore Park in Sydney’s West.”
Related:
The Queen’s Funeral Sermon: some early thoughts – Andrew Roycroft (via Tim Challies)
The Meaning of Funerals and the Making of History: The State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and History on Both Sides of the Atlantic – Albert Mohler, The Briefing, 20 September 2022.
Halloween resource from Matthias Media
Do you have lots of families in your street going door-to-door at Halloween?
This new tract from Matthias Media might be something you could use!
“It’s Halloween! is a very short tract written in language a child can both understand and delight in.
The tract engages them as they dress up for Halloween and explains the difference between dressing up and the actual horrible things that happen in the world.
With the explanation in place, the contrast is drawn between a mixed world going its own way and a world loved and cared for by God through his Son, Jesus. The tract links to the online version of Who Will Be King.
This leaflet is perfect to give out with lollies and treats to children over Halloween, either to trick or treaters door knocking or at a church event. It assumes no familiarity with Christianity or Jesus, and is suggested for children aged 6-12. ”
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…