Following in Faith: The Good Shepherd Leads Global Anglicans

“Many global Anglicans face a challenging question: whether and when to join the Gafcon movement.

In this second conversation, Philip de Grey-Warter explains when and why he connected with Gafcon. Such decisions, complex and often costly, rightly begin in prayer, and Philip encourages church leaders to find comfort in their simple obedience to God.

When we follow the Good Shepherd, God will provide the support we need: friends, fellow leaders, genuine spiritual oversight, and strength in the gospel.”

– In the latest Global Anglican Podcast, Gafcon General Secretary Bishop Paul Donison continues his conversation with the Rev. Philip de Grey-Warter.

Local evangelism and global mission: Maintaining focus on the ends of the earth

“I remember the moment clearly. For several years my wife and I had been weighing up the prospect of vocational ministry. I loved opening the Bible with people and helping them to know Jesus better, but I felt inadequate for the task of pastoral ministry.

Our perspective changed when we received a prayer letter from friends who’d just arrived in a new country for their first term of missionary service with CMS. …”

– Scott Millar writes at The Australian Church Record.

Related:

Dinner helps us pray for global mission – Tara Sing writes at SydneyAnglicans.net.

How to tell if it’s a Prosperity Gospel Church

“The prosperity gospel is a diverse, popular, and worldwide movement that understands faith to be the instrument through which Christians can attain physical health, material riches, and divine favor. There are countless thousands of these churches around the world with various levels of adherence to the key tenets of the wider movement, yet they rarely advertise themselves as prosperity gospel churches.

So how can we know if a church is part of this movement? …”

– Tim Challies summarises some helpful guidance drawn from a book by Kate Bowler.

Absolute Banality, a Rejection of Roman Catholic Doctrine, and Abandonment of the Gospel

“Now, we as Evangelical Protestants don’t believe that the pope holds the keys of the kingdom, we believe the church does. But nonetheless, the Roman Catholic Church believes that the pope does. But this pope appears to have little interest in holding the keys of doctrinal accountability or even of moral clarity.

But the religious world, the theological world, was pretty much set abuzz on Sunday night because the interview that Pope Francis did with 60 Minutes, the venerable CBS program. …”

– In his The Briefing for Tuesday 21 May 2024, Dr Albert Mohler comments on the International Criminal Court, and then (Part IV) turns to consider Pope Francis’ interview on CBS last weekend.

This link should jump to the relevant part of the interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes.

The traumatic implications of artificial intelligence

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“Artificial Intelligence is an oncoming tsunami that will catch all of humanity off guard.

It is a change more like a wheel than a typewriter.

But what will this do to our sense of self?

Stephen Driscoll, in ‘Made in our Image – God, artificial intelligence and you’ says artificial intelligence may do great harm – giving more power to sinful people, governments or companies.

He says artificial intelligence will likely trend towards people pleasing – giving each of us what we want now/a sense of heaven now or it may become more debauched.

It may even become an existential threat to us – because EITHER it lacks a wise moral system OR it righteously opposes our sin.

Artificial intelligence will likely lure us into our own individual heavens and unbundled freedoms, but it won’t fix our souls.

Stephen Driscoll works in ministering to postgrads and academics at the Australian National University in Canberra as part of the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students.”

– Watch or listen here.

Reality

“We have just come back from a few days on the Gold Coast, which has one of the largest film production studios in Australia.

One of our sons is filming a series for TV called, ‘Good Cop, Bad Cop’. During our visit we went on set and saw the incredible expertise and equipment required to produce such a series.

The series is set in a place called Eden Vale in Washington DC and yet it was filmed in a little town called Canungra, Qld; the community hall, shops, the local park even the litter bins all had to be re labelled, ‘Eden Vale’. …”

– At The Expository Preaching Trust, David Cook points us to what it real.

Why isn’t the House of Bishops prepared to engage?

“It is now fairly clear what the next stage of the Prayers of Love and Faith process will be. In July the House of Bishops will propose that stand alone services for the blessing of same-sex couples (including those who have entered into a civil same-sex marriage) will be permitted under the terms of Canon B5 and will also propose that the current discipline forbidding clergy to be in same-sex marriages will no longer be applied in at least some dioceses

It is also clear that, at the moment, the bishops are absolutely intransigent in refusing to even consider the possibility of either a provincial settlement to meet the needs of traditionalists as requested by CEEC, or even some kind of non-provincial transferred episcopal arrangements for traditionalists.

The maximum they seem prepared to offer is some kind of regionally arranged delegated episcopal oversight, which would still  leave traditionalists under the ordinary jurisdiction of their diocesan bishops regardless of where that bishop stands on the sexuality issue.

What struck me as I digested this news over the weekend is that in coming to their current positions the bishops appear to have simply ignored four key statements made into three previous House of Bishops’ documents.…”

– Martin Davie points out key failures of the Church of England’s House of Bishops.

Image: Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.

Bathurst Diocese newsletter Pentecost 2024

Here’s the Bathurst Diocese newsletter for Pentecost 2024 – Download the PDF file from their website.

Please continue to pray for the churches and towns of the diocese – and for Bishop Mark Calder, as he seeks to faithfully preach Christ, encourage the churches, and listen to the concerns of all.

CityAlight — His Glory and My Good

Here’s a new video from CityAlight.

Update on the Worldwide Anglican Communion from Bp Jay Behan

“The upcoming Global South Fellowship of Anglicans (GSFA) meeting in Cairo is being held from 11-15 June, and I will attend.

Its purpose is to gather orthodox Anglican leaders from around the world who are committed to a new covenantal structure to unite Anglicans worldwide in mission and ministry. …”

– In a recent e-mail update from the Church of Confessing Anglicans Aotearoa NZ, Bishop Jay Behan commends Archbishop Laurent Mbanda’s GAFCON Response to the Primates meeting in Rome, and explains why he will attend the GSFA meeting in Cairo.

Hope25 Launch Video Pentecost 2024

Here’s a video to introduce Hope25.

You can learn more at the Hope25 website:

“Hope 25 is an opportunity for us to share the hope that we have in Jesus.

It is an intentional season of sharing hope in Jesus for every parish and community in the Australian Anglican Church.

We are asking each parish to commit to doing (at least) one thing to help share the hope that we have in Jesus during this season.

We aren’t going to tell you what to do, but we will provide resources and support so that each parish can act locally and contextually, sharing the hope we have in Jesus in a way that best fits your context. It may be that you have multiple different groups within your parish and a number of different events are needed to engage with those group. Or, you may choose to band together on one event, it is entirely up to each parish or community to choose.

Dates: Easter Day (April 20, 2025) to Pentecost Sunday (June 8, 2025)”

Church leaders urge bishops to offer ‘pastoral provision’ to ordinands, as an urgent priority

“Church leaders have called on bishops in the Church of England to allow ‘pastoral provision’ for those being ordained this summer and going forwards, as an urgent priority.

Church leaders, who are part of the Alliance, issued a letter to all diocesan bishops in the Church of England, following a meeting with 80 ordinands last Thursday in London…”

– Report from the Church of England Evangelical Council.

Into the World — new video from Moore College

This seven minute video from Moore College features the partnership with churches in Madagascar.

Most encouraging and food for prayer. Take the time to watch.

It would also be suitable to show in church or in home groups.

Meet Jesus: The Missiology is Right

“In 1959 the Billy Graham Association conducted Australia’s most successful evangelistic mission. Large venues, huge crowds, and compelling preaching. It was extraordinary. Six decades on, however, some features of that mission look quaint, even odd. …

It was a different world. Evangelising Australia now is a different sort of challenge. Consider the 2024 Meet Jesus campaign—the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students’ (AFES) effort to invite Australians to meet Jesus in the pages of Gospels. I think the missiology is right.”

– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Rory Shiner commends Meet Jesus.

After 20 years of partnership, there’s still work to be done

“The link between Sydney and the gospel work of African Enterprise is continuing, with clergy about to relaunch teaching Moore College’s Preliminary Theological Certificate in African cities under the AE umbrella. …”

– Encouraging news via SydneyAnglicans.net.

← Previous Page — Next Page →