Eyes Wide Open: Using Secular Wisdom to Achieve Ministry Goals

“Recently, I had the joy of spending time with some ministers in an area of Sydney where Anglican churches are growing and thriving. Several of the ministers had participated in church consultations that used an outcomes-oriented framework based on solid gospel convictions and utilising organisational systems theory. The consultations had helped the ministry teams accurately measure their present situation and make concrete plans to achieve goals for reaching the lost. This had already led to substantial gospel growth and had given these ministers renewed optimism and Christ-centred confidence in ministry.

I praise God for this. I believe there should be more of it.

The positive power and potential of frameworks like this leads me to keep sounding a note of warning. I’m not trying to dampen enthusiasm for such frameworks. I’m trying to help make their implementation theologically robust for decades to come. …”

– Lionel Windsor at Moore College provides a stand-alone text and video version of his article in the current Synod edition of The Australian Church Record. You might find it easier to read, or watch or listen.

Do check it out.

Reading as Rebellion

“Everyone agrees. We live in an age of vanishing readers – a digital desert where sustained attention has evaporated and the next generation risks losing its imaginative inheritance.

But we can still read! some say. Sure, we read snippets here and there wherever we scroll online, and we dip into an occasional article or post on a sports page or in a political forum. But reading a book, going about it the old-fashioned way, where you give yourself over to a thoughtful and sustained argument that unfolds over several chapters, or where you lose yourself in a novel alive with beauty and subtlety – this practice appears less and less common for all ages, but especially the young. …”

– At The Gospel Coalition, Trevin Wax has encouragement and a challenge for us all.

Gafcon Solemn Summons to Global Bishops

“Dear Brothers and Sisters of Gafcon,

Greetings to you in the name of Jesus, our rock and our redeemer!

The next six months are crucial for our global Anglican church.

This is why the Gafcon Primates have summoned the world’s orthodox Anglican bishops to gather in Abuja, Nigeria, from 3 to 6 March, 2026.

This may be the most important assembly of authentic Anglicans since Gafcon reset the Communion at Jerusalem in 2008. …”

– Read the full message from Archbishop Dr Laurent Mbanda, Chairman of the  Gafcon Primates Council.

Southern Cross September-October 2025

The latest issue of Southern Cross magazine – for September-October 2025 – is now available for your encouragement.

Grab a copy at your church – or see it online here.

New Head of Mission for Moore College

News from Moore Theological College:

“Moore College is pleased to announce that last night the Governing Board approved the Principal’s nomination of Mr Josh Apieczonek to join the Moore College Faculty as a lecturer in mission and Head of the Mission Department from January next year.

Josh is a graduate of the College who has worked at St Andrews Cathedral School and St Andrews Cathedral, before serving with CMS in France for the last ten years. Josh worked with the GBU as well as an elder in a local church, Croix Rousse Evangelical Church. …”

– Full announcement here.

BCA Information Night – October 13 2025

The Bush Church Aid Society is holding an Information Night on Monday October 13.

Perhaps you, or someone you know, would like to find out more about BCA’s work across Australia, with the possibility of going.

Click the image above, or go to this link and scroll down to “Nation Wide”.

(Via the Diocese of Bathurst Facebook page.)

The Hardest Thing for Christians to Do

“What’s the hardest thing for Christians to do?

To tidy up and do things around the church? To ‘bring a plate’ for after-church fellowship? To tithe? (two or three other tithers + you = no more financial problems for your church!) To believe that Christ is coming again? To have assurance of salvation? To live in personal relationship with Christ?

No. Christians can do all these things fairly easily.

The hardest thing for Christians to do is …”

– Read on to discover what Bob Thomas, retired Presbyterian minister, sees as the hardest thing for Christians to do. At AP.

Do Christians have freedom to pray?

“Before the last election, Christians and other people of faith were assured  that ‘an individual of their own consent seeking guidance through prayer will not be banned’.

Now, this promise in relation to the Conversion Practices Ban Act, appears to have been breached by guidelines surrounding the act from Anti Discrimination NSW (ADNSW). …”

– Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net has this important update.

Do watch the embedded video.

What’s the Deal with Jesus for Catholics? — Certainty4Eternity podcast

The latest podcast from Certainty4Eternity has been released –

“Who is Jesus – and how do Catholics and Protestants understand Him differently?

In this episode, Mark and Rayne unpack the most important topics of all: the person of Jesus Christ.

We explore how Catholic theology often overemphasises Jesus’ divinity (especially in the Eucharist), sometimes at the expense of His humanity, and how this shapes Catholic views of the Church, priests, Mary, and the saints. In contrast, Protestants stress that we relate to Jesus personally through His Word and Spirit.

You’ll also hear practical insights into how to lovingly open the Bible with Catholic friends, using tools like the Swedish Method of Bible reading.”

– Watch here.

On September 11, Two Australians reflect on a sickening murder in the USA

Stephen McAlpine and Murray Campbell each reflect in their own way on the murder of well-known conservative activist and debater and professing Christian Charlie Kirk –

“Reading the commentary today feels as though a black veil has descended upon  America. Here in Australia, young people especially know the name Charlie Kirk. He was followed by millions, including many Gen X and millennials across Australia. …”

–  Charlie Kirk murdered. R U OK? – Murray Campbell.

“I am sitting here on September 11 in Sydney, on a pouring wet spring morning, trying to take it in.

Yes, September 11.

I remember sitting in our lounge in Perth late that night in 2001 while Jill was feeding our baby daughter watching in horror as the Twin Towers came down.

Back then, in the aftermath of those events, the West sincerely believed that the existential problem it had was coming from the outside. We had to ensure that we were better organised and that our borders were more secure.

Now waking up to the terrible news that Charlie Kirk has been shot and killed at a university reveals the ugly truth: the existential problem of the West has come from the inside. Our borders can be as secure as we like, the people that truly hate us come from within us. We have rotted from within. …”

– Charlie Kirk is dead. And I am Sad (Sad and Angry) – Stephen McAlpine.

See also:

A Day That Will Shape a Generation: The Murder of Charlie Kirk – Albert Mohler.

Where Is King Jesus When Violence Reigns? – Collin Hansen at The Gospel Coalition.

Dick Lucas at 100: ‘Transforming preaching’

In the Lord’s providence, Dick Lucas turns 100 today.

At Evangelicals Now, Robin Sydserff shares the gratitude many feel for Dick and how the Lord has used him.

“This September will see Dick Lucas’ 100th birthday. As Director of The Proclamation Trust (PT), a ministry started by Dick in 1986, it is my privilege to write something to mark this milestone, though on behalf of countless others in the UK and around the world.

Dick eschews praise. He is a humble, godly man who has assiduously pointed away from himself to Jesus. A suggestion to call the new PT building at Elephant and Castle ‘Lucas House’ was quickly voted down. Instead ‘Proclamation House’ was chosen, reflecting the ministry, not the man. …

Dick’s open-handedness and collaborative spirit, extended beyond bringing Anglicans and Independents together in the UK to reach across the world. [including Australia!]”

– Read it here.

From Adrian Reynolds, FIEC Associate National Director –

How Dick Lucas Helped Me to be a Better Preacher.

And from St. Helen’s Bishopsgate –

“Wishing Dick Lucas a very happy 100 birthday today!

We are so grateful to the Lord for Dick’s many years of faithful gospel service both at St Helen’s and far beyond.

Dick’s talks are available on St Helen’s resource library or catch up on Dick’s recent Bible Matters interview with Leo and Tiff.”

Top photo from a 2014 St. Helen’s video.

The missing 70%

From The Pastor’s Heart this week –

“Reaching the 70% of the population who are significantly underrepresented in our churches.

We’re talking about everyday Australians — people who’ve gone straight into the workforce rather than university. That includes hairdressers, plumbers, builders, business owners, factory workers, truck drivers, IT staff, and media creatives — as well as many in marginalised communities.

Within this group, there’s huge diversity:

Yet while this group represents the majority of Australians, they make up only a small minority in our churches. Why is that? And how can we do better?

We discuss why this group is missing from many of our congregations, the cultural and learning barriers they face, and how we can shape ministry, training, and preaching to better reach them with the good news of Jesus.”

– Watch or listen here. Challenging and important to consider.

The New Testament Creator

From Phillip Jensen:

“Peter and I have had a great time pondering the early chapters of Genesis. But the best commentary and authentic understanding of Genesis is found in the New Testament. So for the next few weeks, we are turning there to see what the New Testament makes of the early chapters of Genesis.”

– Listen here.

Thousands stand for the unborn at March for Life in London

“Thousands of people from across the UK came together to be a powerful voice for the unborn at the March for Life in London on Saturday.

Organisers estimate that at least 10,000 people turned out for March for Life UK 2025 on Saturday. …

This year’s March for Life was supported by a number of Christian leaders including Anglican and Catholic bishops, evangelist Glen Scrivener, Christian Concern CEO Andrea Williams …”

– Report from Christian Today. (Updated link.)

Image: March for Life UK.

Australian Church Record Journal — 2025 Synod edition

In time for this year’s gathering of the Sydney Synod, The Australian Church Record has released their Synod edition of the ACR Journal.

The theme of this issue: Be Careful How You Build.

“As leaders in Sydney gather for Synod and consider the future shape of our churches, we must ask: are we building with gospel wisdom?

Inside this issue:

– from The Australian Church Record. (Direct link to PDF file.)

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