Moore College Sunday — 6th August 2023

Let’s not forget to pray for Moore College.

Moore College Sunday is coming up on Sunday 6th August and is a great time to remind congregations of the key role of the College in equipping men and women for a lifetime of Christian service.

– Download resources from this link.

The big Barbie movie – a Christian perspective

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“The Barbie movie has started big conversations around the world and is becoming a significant ‘cultural moment’ – opening up and influencing conversations about death, the gospel, the relationships between men & women and worldview.

We explore particularly the evangelistic opportunities and how Christians might best engage.

Caitlin Orr is an Anglican Deacon on maternity leave.

Sophia Russell is a journalist, mum and member of St Paul’s Carlingford in Sydney’s north west.

Jael Riegl is a member at Dapto Anglican Church, to the south of Sydney, and has recently graduated from a degree in English Literature, Law and Philosophy.”

– Watch or listen here.

One & All is all for Jesus

“As Christians around Sydney – and around the world – sing songs written by composers and music groups from Sydney Anglican circles, it’s always exciting to discover another addition to the mix.

One & All, a group born out of the parish centred on Christ Church, Springwood, started in early 2020…”

– Judy Adamson writes at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Remembering Arthur Stace 56 years on

Like a broken record, we’ve mentioned Arthur Stace on our website once or twice over the years.

In some ways, you might call him Sydney’s best known evangelist, chalking the word Eternity on footpaths across the city for more than 35 years. He inspired thousands to wonder at the meaning of that word – hopefully to contemplate where they would spend eternity – and to be attentive to the gospel.

In addition, Arthur was an open-air evangelist, though few were aware he was also ‘Mr Eternity’.

Arthur was called home to be with the Lord Jesus on this day (30th July) in 1967.

He was eventually buried at Botany Cemetery, now part of Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park.

As we remember this humble man, let’s also be encouraged by his example as he laboured to bring the good news of salvation to his fellow Sydney-siders.

See also these two tributes in song – by Nathan Tasker (video below) and Colin Buchanan.

Update on the Church of England’s General Synod — July 2023

Tony Rucinski from the Coalition for Marriage in the UK speaks with the Rev Dr Ian Paul for an update on the July session of the Church of England’s General Synod.

What actually happened with the Bishops’ push for the blessing of same-sex relationships? “We’re in this sort of bizarre no-man’s land.”

Video here.

Link via Anglican Mainstream.

The book for concerned and confused parents

“The 1960s had the sexual revolution and the 2020s has brought us the gender revolution. So this is a fitting title for a book with the clear purpose to ‘provide the biblical basis for a contemporary Christian response to the complicated feelings and experiences of gender dysphoria’. …”

– Russell Powell writes about The Gender Revolution at SydneyAnglicans.net.

The Gender Revolution — book review

“There are times when I receive a new book and find myself saying ‘I don’t think we need a new book on that.’ After all, some topics have been covered so skillfully, repeatedly, and exhaustively that yet another book on the subject could only be overkill.

Yet sometimes I receive a new book and find myself saying, ‘I’m so glad someone has written a book on that!’ There are some topics that may not have been covered sufficiently or that may reflect such new realities that we are still awaiting good analyses.

The Gender Revolution falls squarely in the second category. …”

– Tim Challies draws attention to an important book from an Australian publisher. Most of our readers should be able to find a copy.

The authors speak with Dominic Steele on The Pastor’s Heart.

Review of J. C. Ryle, ‘Christmas Thoughts’

“J. C. Ryle was an unusual clergyman in that he could preach and write, and he could write in different styles while all the time being clear and engaging.

Andrew Atherstone has gathered and edited five of Ryle’s Christmas tracts written during the 1850s and 1860s, and published them for our benefit. …”

– Peter Barnes, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, writes a brief review at AP.

From the foreword of the book:

“This little book contains five of Ryle’s most popular Christmas tracts, originally published during the 1850s and 1860s. They have not been issued in this Christmas form since they were first printed more than a century and a half ago.”

Christmas Thoughts is published by Banner of Truth.

New to Ryle? See –

His Sermons Roused a Sleeping Church – John Piper.

Euthanasia in Canada. MAiD in hell?

“More people are being euthanised in Canada than anywhere else in the world. In the last official report, for 2022, 10,064 people died through what Canadians call ‘medical assistance in dying’ (MAiD). …”

– Michael Cook writes at Mercator. Link via Anglican Mainstream.

Can I share a little secret about speaking at Conferences?

“for me, all things being equal, the hard part of ministry isn’t giving talks at conferences. The hard part is Everything Else.”

– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Rory Shiner shares what’s easy – and what isn’t.

Heresy! Why Christians must confront false teaching

“Jesus warned his disciples that false doctrine and false teachers would arise within the Church. He spoke of thieves, robbers, strangers, hired hands and wolves (see John 10) and of himself as a good shepherd, protecting the flock. So it ought to come as no surprise when the Church becomes something of a battleground, and all kinds of heresies spring up. This has happened throughout history. …”

– Church Society’s Lee Gatiss writes for Premier Christianity.

1 Timothy 2 and the scholarly debate

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“1 Timothy 2:8-15 might be the most controversial New Testament passage.

There has been an enormous amount of scholarly attention on this section of scripture, especially over the last few decades, and there are practical questions that we can’t ignore in church life.

Lionel Windsor is a New Testament lecturer at Sydney’s Moore Theological College. Lionel teaches the pastoral epistles to third year students. So is abreast of the scholarly debate.

Lionel gave a super helpful seminar a few months ago at the Priscilla and Aquila Conference held by Moore College. We have linked to that seminar and Lionel’s notes here.

What are the elephants in the room – Culturally, Philosophically, in Scholarship.

What are the issues of interpretation? How do we approach the passage?
What issues surround 1 Timothy?
What is the significance of ‘quietness’?, ‘let her learn’?, ‘to teach’?
What is the connection between teaching and authority?”

– Watch or listen here.

Penal Substitution Evidences the Godness of God

“Man of Sorrows is a much-loved hymn that meditates on the wonder of Christ’s death for us. Like so many Christian songs that churches sing with conviction and praise, we are reminded of the intense beauty and grace of God’s sacrifice on behalf of sinners.

What happens though when a pastor decides to tell his congregation that the heart of the gospel is not only not the heart of the gospel, but is objectionable and not believed by him?

A Facebook comment appeared on my feed yesterday that caught my attention …”

– Murray Campbell has done Christians a great service by pointing us back to the cross. (He also points us back to the important book, Pierced for our Transgressions.).

Former Engadine Anglican Church youth leader Karen Darda – a missionary in Japan for 26 years – farewelled after death at 58

“About 300 people have packed Engadine Anglican Church to farewell Karen Darda, a former congregation member and youth leader, who passed away after a life of service as a Christian missionary, including 26 years in Japan.