Explaining for impact

“In his book Setting Hearts on Fire, the Sydney evangelist, John Chapman, counsels preachers to do six things for every point in their sermons:

• State the point
• Show where it’s from in the Bible
• Explain the point
• Illustrate the point
• Apply the point
• Restate the point.

Of these, our explanations are often the most dull and unexciting parts of the sermon. Illustrations are relatable, illuminating, and often humorous; applications are concrete and practical. When preachers explain the text, however, we wish they’d just get on with it and tell us what to do; it feels like a hoop we have to jump through in order to get to the good stuff. …”

– At The Expository Preaching Trust, Michael Leong explains how to Explain for Impact in a sermon.

Thanks for the Church

From Phillip Jensen:

“Today we start our year’s work by looking at the opening of
1 Corinthians. It’s such an exciting letter covering so many topics that we look forward to God using this podcast to challenge us all.”

– In their first podcast on 1 Corinthians, Phillip and Peter Jensen lay the foundations for what’s ahead. Listen at Two Ways News.

How should a Christian respond to the Bondi Beach shooting?

From The Australian Church Record –

“Although the shooting of Jewish people at Bondi Beach occurred over a month ago, the questions it raises have not faded. Acts of targeted violence leave lasting wounds—within individuals, communities, and cities—and the way we respond to them continues to shape our shared life long after the headlines move on. For Christians, reflection after the immediacy has passed is often when deeper, more faithful responses can be formed. This article is written in that spirit.

By way of background, I am of Jewish descent. My mother accepted Jesus as the Messiah, as I have, and we are often described as Messianic Jews. This heritage shapes how I grieve acts of violence against Jewish people in our own city and how I reflect on them as a Christian pastor in this city who is Jewish.

The shooting of Jewish people at Bondi Beach confronts us with intentional evil, resulting in grief, and was designed to bring fear. As Christians, we must be careful not to respond as the world does. …”

– Andrew Bruce, Rector of St Barnabas’ Westmead, helps Christians think about what we can do, and how we can pray.

The First Evangelical Minister

Thanks to Moore Theological College for producing this graphic to remind us of John Newton and how he came on the First Fleet.

The Rejection of Atheism is turning Boys into Men — Wes Huff and Dan Paterson

From John Anderson:

“John Anderson speaks with Wes Huff and Dan Paterson about the striking cultural shift among younger generations towards a renewed search for meaning, transcendence, and moral grounding. They reflect on disillusionment with secular narratives and the renewed interest in Christianity as a source of lifelong direction and purpose.

Huff and Paterson explore the impact of numerous online role models for young men, including Joe Rogan, Jordan Peterson and Andrew Tate. This is a conversation that questions whether modern society can sustain itself without a deeper moral and spiritual foundation.

Wes Huff is the Vice President for Apologetics Canada and has participated in public dialogues, debates, and interfaith events on issues of belief and religion around the world. He holds a BA in sociology from York University, a Masters of Theological Studies from Tyndale University, and is currently doing a PhD in New Testament at the University of Toronto’s Wycliffe College.

Dan Paterson is the founder Questioning Christianity. He has experience as a pastor, lecturer, and public speaker, having studied Theology and Apologetics in Australia and at Oxford. Paterson speaks regularly to audiences across the belief spectrum on how the gospel connects to life’s biggest questions, and on the popular objections to the Christian faith.”

– Watch at JohnAnderson.net.au.

Authentic Anglicanism: Interview with Ed Loane

From The Australian Church Record, here’s an interview with Ed Loane first published in their Synod 2025 Journal:

“ACR: Ed, thanks for chatting with the ACR in your role as a member of the Sydney Diocesan Doctrine Commission.

In his presidential address to the Brisbane Synod on the 25 June 2022, Archbishop Philip Aspinall made comments that caused the Sydney Diocesan Standing Committee some concern. What were these comments?

EL: The Archbishop spent a large section of his speech focused on the Diocese of Sydney, and particularly its advocacy of the traditional Christian position in relation to human sexuality. He sought to downplay the seriousness of fundamental differences in theology by portraying them as simply typical of Anglicanism throughout its history. …”

– What’s authentic Anglicanism, and how is it different from “comprehensive” Anglicanism?

The most dangerous meeting in your church? Rethinking the Annual General Meeting!

From The Pastor’s Heart this week –

“For many pastors, the AGM is something to be survived — not led.

A governance headache. A compliance exercise.

And for some, the meeting where old tensions resurface and trust quietly erodes.

But what if we’ve misunderstood the AGM?

What if, instead of just doing compliance, we aimed to build confidence?

What if the AGM could be a leadership moment — one that strengthens, not damages, your church?

Jo Gibbs (Reach Australia) and Dave Moore (Hunter Bible Church) on how to plan and lead an excellent church AGM.

• Why good AGM preparation is actually pastoral care
• How to move from enduring the AGM to envisioning it
• Why ‘no surprises’ is kindness, not bureaucracy
• What faithful impact and financial reporting really look like
• And what a genuinely Jesus-honouring AGM would feel like.”

– Watch or listen here.

 

Bondi and Antisemitism

From Phillip Jensen:

“Before we start our 2026 Two Ways News series on 1 Corinthians, we need to have an important discussion on Bondi and antisemitism. This is something that neither of us imagined would happen.

Not all our listeners will agree with our views, but we hope the thinking and discussion is helpful grist to the mill.”

– Listen to this edition of the Two Ways News podcast from Phillip and Peter Jensen.

Church Society podcast – Leviticus

From Church Society,

“Dr Katherine Davis, author of the new Hodder Proclamation Bible Commentary on Leviticus talks to Lee Gatiss about its relevance as Christian scripture today.”

– Listen here.

Photo credit SMBC.

New federal hate speech laws- impact on religious freedom?

Associate Professor Neil Foster shares his opinion on the ‘“Hate Speech” laws –

“After the dreadful terrorist incident at Bondi on December 14 2025, where 15 folk from the Jewish community were murdered, the Federal government has introduced new ‘hate speech’ laws at the national level.

Whenever there is a proposal to target ‘hate speech’ there is always a potential danger that unpopular religious views will be caught up in the ban. However, it seems that the recently enacted changes will have little impact on religious freedom in Australia, except where religion is offered as a reason to justify calls for violence against others.

In this post I will try to spell out what the changes are, and why they seem to be a reasonable response to the danger of terrorist violence. …”

He does note that, “Perhaps surprisingly there is no clear definition of ‘hate group’ provided in the amendments.”

– Read it all at Law and Religion Australia.

170 Years of Moore Exhibition

From Moore Theological College:

“The Donald Robinson Library is celebrating the College’s 170th anniversary with a special exhibition on the Lower Ground Floor, featuring archival items from across the College’s history.

The display starts with Thomas Moore and the College’s early days in Liverpool, followed by items showcasing its growth and expansion.

The second part of the exhibition features documents from the lives of three key Principals (Nathaniel Jones, T.C. Hammond and D.B. Knox), alongside informal photographs and student-led publications giving an insight into the College’s communal life.

On display now until 19th June.”

Source: Moore College.

The influence of reading

Ian Carmichael – with Matthias Media from the start (when they were known as St Matthias Press!) – shares some thoughts about reading:

“It will, I’m sure, come as no surprise to you that I am a reading enthusiast. But I don’t mean I read enthusiastically; I don’t. I generally find reading quite hard work (especially reading whilst remaining awake – which I concede is the more effective of the two modes of reading). No, I am a reading enthusiast because I believe wholeheartedly in its benefits. I am confident of its benefits generally and its benefits for our growth and maturity as Christians.

An organization in Australia called Australia Reads is on a mission to get more Australians reading, and they’ve published a significant report into the reading habits of Aussies in the hope of revealing potential strategies for achieving that mission.

I have now read that report. (See, their mission is working already!) …”

– Read it here.

Admittedly, this is could be a plug to buy books from Matthias Media (their New Year sale ends tomorrow!), but it’s also encouragement to church leaders to set an example in reading.

Photo: Ian and Stephanie Carmichael.

The Long Road to the English Bible: William Tyndale’s life and legacy, part 1

A new resource from Tyndale House.

Tony Watkins hosts a new Tyndale House Podcast series as 2026 marks the 500th anniversary of the publication of William Tyndale’s New Testament.

“This is the first episode in our new series exploring William Tyndale’s life, Bible translation, and legacy. Tony Watkins interviews experts in the sixteenth century and the history of the Bible. In this first episode, they explore the history of Bible translation prior to William Tyndale and the cultural context in which he lived and worked.”

– See it here – or direct on YouTube.

Will the new Archbishop of Canterbury be any different?

“The election of the Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury will be confirmed at St Paul’s Cathedral on the 28th January.

She inherits a Church and a Communion in crisis.

It is profoundly regrettable that the lack of decisiveness of Mullally’s predecessors will now become her problem. The failure to deal with progressive teaching at home and abroad, and the fallout that comes from decades of prioritising the reputation of the institution over and above the needs of victims of abuse, means Sarah Mullally has a very full inbox. …”

– Sadly, the writer of this opinion piece at Anglican Futures does not have high expectations.

Where we complementarians can get it wrong with preaching

“Over my past 26 years of ministry, I have become increasingly aware of a problem in the way complementarians teach about who should be allowed to preach.

Let me be clear—I am a complementarian, and I believe that a faithful application of 1 Timothy 2:11–15 includes a prohibition against women authoritatively teaching (now referred to as preaching) to a mixed congregation. I also believe that women who have the gift of preaching should be encouraged, trained, and given appropriate contexts to exercise that gift. I want to affirm and train women in this area.

However, complementarians often speak about 1 Timothy 2:11–15 in isolation from 1 Timothy 3:1–7. …”

– Fiest published in the ACR’s Synod 2025 Journal, Moore College’s Dean of Students Mal York points us to the full context of what Paul says about who should preach.

Image: Mal York preaching at Moore College chapel.

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