Spate of scam texts from ‘vicars’ at Melbourne churches

“Parishioners have received scam text messages claiming to be from their vicar at several Melbourne churches during the past week.

The texts named the vicar of the relevant church, and several asked the recipient to transfer money to an account for ‘mission giving’.  …”

– Report and image from The Melbourne Anglican.

ACL Synod Dinner 2023

The Anglican Church League invites all members of the Sydney Synod to the 2023 ACL Synod Dinner.

It will be held on Monday 11th September from 5:30pm (or when Synod rises), at the Bishop Barry Centre, 51 Druitt Street, Sydney. The cost is $30.

Hear Archdeacon Simon Flinders on The Importance of the Local Church.

Simon Flinders is Archdeacon to the Archbishop of Sydney. He has served in parish ministry in Georges Hall, North Sydney and Northbridge.

Dinner bookings are absolutely essential as space is limited.

Sorry – the dinner is sold out.

The new Chinese Measures for Religious Activity Venues come into force on September 1

“Last April, ‘Bitter Winter’ revealed that a draft of new ‘Administrative Measures for Religious Activity Venues,’ intended to replace those of 2005, was being ‘circulated for comments.’ Normally, this is a cosmetic exercise of pseudo-democracy, comments are ignored, and drafts become laws.

In this case, however, it appears that some comments came from official agencies and were taken into account. The final text of the Measures, which will come into force on September 1, is even worse than the draft. …”

– Report from Anglican Ink, and a cause for continued prayer.

“Article 3

Places of religious activity shall uphold the leadership of the CCP and the socialist system, thoroughly implement Xi Jinping’s ideology of socialism with Chinese characteristics for the new era, abide by the Constitution, laws, rules and regulations and relevant provisions on the management of religious affairs, practice core socialist values, adhere to the direction of Sinicization of China’s religions…”

Image: Autograph book entry for September 2nd 1938 is a reminder that “China [still] needs our prayers!”

Be encouraged – God is at work!

“I recently preached at a church from Luke 15 about the lost sheep, the lost coin, the lost son and the lost brother – a great chapter of the Bible for you to read and reread.

It’s one of the great joys of my role with Evangelism and New Churches (ENC) that I get to speak at many churches in this way.

I invited people to come back home to God, made possible through Jesus; to be found by our loving God, who has not given up on searching for them no matter how far away from him they may feel. …”

– John Lavender has this wonderful encouragement for you at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Mission & parenting in a post Christian world – with David Rietveld

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“There have been massive social changes as the western world has shifted from a Christian world view to a post Christian world view. In his new book ‘Being Christian after Christendom’, the senior pastor of Dapto Anglican Church David Rietveld analyzes the changes that churches, pastors and parents face in this transition.

Six weeks ago on The Pastor’s Heart David gave his explanation of the problem.

David is back today to paint a positive way forward for evangelism and parenting amongst the post Christian world view.”

– Watch or listen here.

God gives the growth, but we must sow the seed – Matthew 13:1–23 – Bishop Richard Condie

Bishop of Tasmania Richard Condie speaks at Moore College chapel on the Parable of the Sower.

Great encouragement to 1. preach Christ, and 2. pray for the churches of Tasmania as they hold out the Word of Life.

How intermediate and experienced preachers can improve their preaching

“How do you make sure you continue to improve as a preacher?

You’ve learned the basics about big ideas and supporting ideas and introductions and applications and full notes versus bullet points and eye contact and hand gestures and preaching pyramids and illustrations and why it is better or worse to preach longer than twenty-five minutes. You are able to consistently research, compose and deliver a solid sermon every week without having a meltdown.

But how do you keep improving? …”

– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Mikey Lynch has a simple suggestion.

See also:

Expository Preaching Trust Preaching Workshop.

Why I felt sick watching ‘AI Jesus’

“Whatever their motives and whatever they meant to do, it comes out as next-level stupidity and holding Jesus up as a joke.

I actually felt sick watching it, to see the saviour of the world, the greatest figure in human history, being portrayed like this. …”

– At SydneyAnglicans.net, Russell Powell describes his reaction to the ‘AI Jesus’, and shares some positive things you can do.

A year on from the Lambeth Conference

“This time, last year the University of Kent’s campus was awash with bishops and their spouses …

Despite a third of the bishops boycotting the event, there were more than 600 bishops present from about 165 countries. So much could have been achieved, but the organisers of the Lambeth Conference could not risk public dissent so there were no resolutions and no votes …

the Archbishop of Canterbury announced that matters of human sexuality were now matters indifferent, the ultimate adiaphora…”

– At Christian Today, Susie Leafe, Director of Anglican Futures, reminds us that the Lambeth Conference was worse than a monumental exercise in futility – it had catastrophic consequences for the Anglican Communion.

Link via Anglican Mainstream.

Bishop of Bathurst’s Newsletter — August 2023

The Bishop of Bathurst’s Newsletter — Winter edition, August 2023 — has been published by Bishop Mark Calder.

Be sure to download your copy to help you pray for the ministry of the gospel of the Lord Jesus in Central and Western NSW. (There is also information on how to support the work financially, if you are able.)

From the newsletter –

“Pray for all our stipendiary clergy

– that they would be refreshed, sustained and encouraged in their work – Andy Martin, Andrew Thornhill, Bec Choi, Ben Connelly, Ben Mackay, Brett Watterson, Carl Palmer, David Blackmore, James Boardman, James Daymond, James Hodson, Jonny Lush, Jono Williams, Phil Howes, Bob Cameron, Roger Phelps, Sally Phelps, Steven Klouth, Tim Smith and Wally Cox. Pray also for our many other clergy who serve and help so wonderfully!

Pray too for our stipendiary lay ministers: Lizzie Watterson, Levi Kowalczyk and Jo Watts + Glenn and Wendy Murray.

Parishes without clergy – Dubbo, Cudgegong Valley, Kelso, Narromine, Gilgandra, Coolah-Dunedoo, Condobolin, Trundle, Coonamble, Warren, Bourke-Brewarrina, Cumnock and Warren. Please pray that the Lord would raise up 13 godly, able and passionate people to serve in ALL of these parishes, to his great glory! And please thank the Lord for all who serve these parishes in the meantime – both lay and ordained.”

– PDF file here.

Brett Murphy explains why he had to leave the Church of England

In an interview with Dave Piper at TWR-UK, Brett Murphy gives some of the background why he felt compelled to leave the Church of England. Link via Anglican.ink.

Earlier:

Rev Brett Murphy leaves the Church of England – 08 July 2023.

Brett Murphy — I have joined the Free Church of England (GAFCON) – 14 July 2023.

The Barbie movie — Do you ever think about dying?

“Barbie is big. Its $150 million marketing campaign was more than was spent on the film itself, as the makers decided early on that they wanted it to make an impact.

One of the most surprising takeaways from this film (alongside questions about gender roles, stereotypes, struggles and what it means to be men and women) has been its position on mortality. …”

– At SydneyAnglicans.net, Tara Sing shares some more ways to think about the Barbie movie – for the eternal good of others.

Preaching a good and powerful word

“As we start to explore what it means to tremble at God’s word, I want to suggest that our relationship with the Scriptures as God’s word is more complex than most of us are willing to admit.

On the one hand, we know that Scripture is powerful, it is the Word of God. The preacher’s job is to get out of the way so that God’s powerful word can work in the hearts of people. We quote Spurgeon’s famous, ‘Defend the Bible, I’d sooner defend a lion. Just let the truth free and it will defend itself.’ We exhort each other to ‘let the word do the work’ and we share those wonderful stories of people who were converted just by reading Scripture. …”

– The Australian Church Record has published this edited transcript of Paul Grimmond’s address at the Nexus 2023 Conference. He reminds us, “When we talk about God and his word, we speak of a relationship that is utterly unique in our experience.”

Image: Moore College.

Speaking with Two Voices

“In John Bunyan’s classic, The Pilgrim’s Progress, there is a character Mr Facing Both Ways who lives in the village of Fair Speech. Bunyan is exposing one of the temptations in life which is to speak out of both sides of our mouth in the hope that everybody will appreciate us.

Yet there is a very real sense in which the Christian message does come with two voices; there is indeed a double-sidedness to the Christian life. …”

– Presbyterian Moderator-General, Peter Barnes, writes to encourage believers to sing two notes at once.

Graphical overview of Peter Jensen’s “The Life of Faith”

Peter Jensen’s book The Life of Faith: An Introduction to Christian doctrine was launched at Moore College in March this year.

At his website by faith, not by sight (‘my little repository of diagrams and scribbles about Jesus’), Alan Au at Captivate Presbyterian Church in North Ryde has created a terrific graphical overview of the book.

See it here. And you can get the book from Matthias Media.

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