Hoping Christmas is Good News
“If you regularly preach at this time and if, like me, you have been at it for forty years there aren’t too may Christmas-type verses left to preach on.
For all that, it is hard to beat the account of the announcement to the shepherd by the angel of the birth of the Lord Jesus. …”
– Short but sweet classic advice from Chappo – at The Australian Church Record.
Related:
“Do you really believe the gospel can convert your friends?” – John Chapman.
Photo: Matthias Media.
A wonderful gospel resource you might not have seen
We first posted this in 2022, but it’s worth revisiting since so few people seem to know about this valuable (free) resource:
“Have you ever been in a situation where you would love to leave a gospel message with someone but had nothing with you to give? Or the person didn’t read English and that’s the only language you have available?
Global Recordings Network has a unique solution to this dilemma: 5fish! …
The International Orality Network tells us that 4 out of 5 people in the world communicate primarily or exclusively through oral, not textual means. This means that only 1 out of 5 people are happy when you give them something to read – regardless of whether it is a book, magazine, or tract. Everyone else wants to listen or watch!
The Australian Bureau of Statistics conducted a survey in 2006 that informs us that approximately 7 million (46%) Australians aged 15 to 74 years did not reach the minimum standard required for individuals to meet the complex demands of everyday life and work in the emerging knowledge-based economy. Almost half of the Australian population would struggle to read and understand the Bible if you handed them one.”
– At AP (The Australian Presbyterian), Global Recordings Network’s Christine Platt makes a case for 5fish.
Watch the 75 second video below to see how 5fish works.
Consider sharing the video, and links to 5fish, with members of your church.
(We understand the app will soon be updated to add even more functionality.)
The Increasing Value of Christian Testimonies
“Traditionally, apologetics has been concerned with defending and commending the truth claims of the Christian faith. In the 1990s Christian apologist Alister McGrath, in response to changing social attitudes, suggested that apologetics should not just be interested in establishing the truth of the Christian faith, but also its relevance. People wanted to know whether the Christian message had any impact on their lives.
Today, the world has moved on again and we find ourselves needing to address a new situation: the view that Christianity is harmful. We now need to commend the Christian faith in terms of its truth, relevance and its goodness. …”
– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Stephen Liggins has a helpful suggestion for our own personal interactions – and for church gatherings.
How to be fun and not boring in Christmas preaching?
From The Pastor’s Heart:
“Planning Christmas Preaching.
What we are nervous about? What we want to get right? What has worked best? What hasn’t?
And how do we leverage the cultural moment?”
Dominic Steele speaks with Nigel Fortescue at Christ Church St. Ives and Pete Stedman at Norwest Anglican Church.
Chappo – Jesus claims to be the only way to God
In July 1979, John Chapman spoke at a one-off evangelistic meeting for the Sydney University Evangelical Union. His topic was “Jesus Claims to be the Only Way to God”.
John had a heavy cold, but that didn’t stop him preaching Christ with his characteristic clarity and humour.
Hear his 40 minute talk (9.7MB mp3 file). The audio quality is poor, but this recording will bring back many memories of a dear brother.
It’s also a great talk to pass on – and there are many road-tested illustrations which you could use yourself!
(1980 Photo: AFES. This is a re-post.)
From the Archives: Archbishop Sir Marcus Loane remembers the beginnings of the SUEU
From our archives:
In 1980, Archbishop of Sydney Sir Marcus Loane (1912 – 2009), addressed the Sydney University Evangelical Union’s End of Term Service.
In his 19 minute address, Sir Marcus recalls the beginnings of the Evangelical Union, fifty years previously.
Photo: Marcus Loane as Vice Principal of Moore College, 1950.
J. C. Ryle’s Revival Lessons — Andrew Atherstone
From Church Society’s Fellowship of Word and Spirit Conference –
“Andrew Atherstone examines the lessons on revival to be learned from J. C. Ryle’s writings and ministry– at the 2024 FWS Conference.”
Fascinating, encouraging and well worth hearing as we seek to reach Sydney for Christ.
– Listen here.
Lausanne – with Mark Thompson and Chris Edwards
From The Pastor’s Heart:
“5,000 believers gathered from more than 200 nations last month in South Korea.
It is 50 years since Billy Graham and John Stott first launched the Lausanne movement in Switzerland.
Anglican Bishop of North Sydney Chris Edwards has described the congress as like an all you can eat buffet – ‘where some parts tasted amazing / fantastic and I kept wanting more and yet other parts even a mouthful made me feel nauseous’.
Principal of Sydney’s Moore Theological College Mark Thompson says there were some great highlights including a presentation by Vaughan Roberts on sexuality but also areas of concern.”
Related:
The photo of Billy Graham and Jack Dain mentioned in the conversation can be seen here on the Lausanne website.
Read the original Lausanne Covenant here.
Update:
The challenges of mid-life – a spiritual buffet for a 50-year-old – Bishop Chris Edwards at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Phillip Jensen on The national soul – 1 Timothy 2:1-7
Phillip Jensen spoke at Moore College chapel last Friday.
He turns to one of the most controversial passages in the New Testament, 1 Timothy 2:1-7.
Do take the time to watch – and share the link with others in your church.
– Watch here.
Highlights from the Seoul Statement at Lausanne 2024
“Just before the opening ceremony of the Fourth Lausanne Congress for World Evangelization—a gathering of more than 5,000 church leaders from around the world—the Seoul Statement was released. Each time the Lausanne Congress has met, a document has been published: the Lausanne Covenant in 1974, the Manila Manifesto in 1989, and the Cape Town Commitment in 2010.
The Seoul Statement builds on the good work of those previous documents while addressing several challenges facing the church today. The preface reiterates the need for urgency in evangelism and calls for the church to ‘nurture the faith and discipleship’ of believers by responding biblically to ‘trending social values and to distortions of the gospel, which have threatened to erode the sincere faith of Christians and to destroy the unity and fellowship of the church of the Lord Jesus.’
The 13,000+ word document seeks to give voice to the call of this Congress: Let the church declare and display Christ together! The Statement is worth reading as a whole, but here are some highlights. …”
– At The Gospel Coalition, Trevin Wax shares some highlights from the Seoul Statement at Lausanne 2024.
Evangelism encouragement from Bishop Dudley Foord
Bishop Dudley Foord spoke to the ACL’s 1988 Annual General Meeting.
The topic he chose was “Reaching Out In Difficult Situations”.
While many things have changed since 1988, the need for men and women to hear the gospel and be saved has not. Be encouraged and challenged. In our Resources section.
A “Must Hear” address — Dave Jensen at the ACL Synod Dinner 2024
“Taking the evangelistic temperature of the Diocese of Sydney” is the topic of Dave Jensen’s address at the Anglican Church League’s Synod Dinner held on 16th September 2024. Dave is the Assistant Director of Evangelism and New Churches in the Diocese of Sydney. (Larger image.)
Listen Here: Read more
“Will you help the crowds see Jesus?”
“Two years ago we met in the southwest growth corridor at Oran Park and I asked you, ‘Do you see the crowds?’ The crowds of people moving into Sydney – growth areas and established areas, people from many nations, people without knowledge of the Lord and his cross. Today I want to ask, will you help the crowds see Jesus?”
With that challenge, Archbishop Kanishka Raffel opened the Synod in the Greenfields in northwestern Sydney. …
– Report from Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Below: Watch Archbishop Kanishka Raffel’s Synod Address.
The purpose of the Lord will stand — Australian Church Record Journal for Synod 2024
The Australian Church Record has published a special edition of their Journal to coincide with the meeting of Sydney Synod starting this weekend.
Whether or not you are a member of Synod, this is well worth downloading, reading and sharing.
Highlights include interviews with Robert Tong and Laurie Scandrett, but much else to see too.
“They said I had what they were missing and asked to visit my church”
“I spoke recently at the GAFCON Australasia gathering in Brisbane. GAFCON is the “mission arm” of the movement of orthodox global Anglicans. Hundreds had eagerly put aside time and paid to travel there from every Australian state and territory, as well as New Zealand, PNG and Myanmar.
We looked at Romans 1, full of Paul’s personality and emotion. This is a little surprising because Paul didn’t plant the church and hadn’t visited it yet. Yet it drips with authentic affection and concern. …”
– Archbishop Kanishka Raffel writes at SydneyAnglicans.net.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…