Wait not for the bishops!

“It’s remarkably easy to criticize the bishops for their inertia and timidity when you’re in the parish, but if you become a bishop the shoe is suddenly on the other foot! Ryle saw at first hand the heavy constraints upon evangelical episcopacy in the Church of England.. …”

– At Church Society’s blog, Andrew Atherstone, editor of J. C. Ryle’s autobiography, shares some of the fruits of his research. Ryle himself learned that evangelical laity and clergy should not sit back and wait for others to fight for the truth.

Five Days in England

“You could search the world but I don’t think you would find a country with more church history per square mile than England.

So let’s say you had five days and wanted to see just a little bit of that church history. What could you do? Take a look at what I did, how far I travelled, and how much I saw, in five days in England.”

– Tim Challies gives us a taste of what he’s been up to in England.

On The Way With MLK

“This Wednesday (April 4) marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King. He was 39 years old.

April 1968 is also the month that I was rescued from the consequences of my rebellion against God through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. I was 16 years young. …”

– This week, David Mansfield gives thanks for Martin Luther King Jr. – and his message about forgiveness. At SydneyAnglicans.net.

The Final Week of Jesus

Justin Taylor writes:

“Each day this week I’ll post a video on what happened during the original Easter week of April, AD 33. …

For more information, including a day-by-day guide with the complete biblical text and commentary, you could pick up the Kindle version of The Final Days of Jesus: The Most Important Week of the Most Important Person Who Ever Lived by Andreas J. Köstenberger and Justin Taylor.”

– at The Gospel Coalition.

New Billy Graham Archive Collections to be opened to the Public

“Today the Billy Graham Center Archives at Wheaton College announced that on March 19, 2018, they will open two new collections that had been embargoed by Graham and the BGEA until his death.”

– Justin Taylor at The Gospel Coalition shares news historians will find exciting.

The incredible story of Captain Gardiner

Bishop of Chile, Rt. Rev. Héctor Tito Zavala Muñoz, tells the story of Captain Allen Gardiner and his mission to bring the gospel to Chile.

From GAFCON.

Billy Graham in Sydney — and the best decision Phillip Jensen ever made

“I was just 13 when I first heard Billy Graham preach. At his urging, back on that autumn day in 1959, I decided to give my life to Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. It was the best decision I have ever made and so I have remained for ever thankful to God for Billy Graham.

William Franklin Graham was one of the world’s global citizens, but this week, at age 99, he died in his native state of North Carolina. He preached in more countries to more people than any other man in history. Amongst his preaching tours he visited Sydney three times (1959, 1968, 1979). On each occasion the gospel he preached affected thousands – changing individuals, families and communities. His was a global mission that affected local communities. It was a high-profile ministry that transformed the lives of little people.”

– Read Phillip Jensen’s tribute to Billy Graham, and get a sense for the impact on Sydney of this preacher of the gospel.

Billy Graham Preaches in Sydney

“In ideal weather conditions, Billy Graham’s Sydney Crusade opened at the Show Ground with record first day’s crowd of over 50000 Dr. Graham’s address was simple, direct, and Bible based, of about forty minutes’ duration, concluding with an invitation for decisions…”

– In memory of his life, and with thanksgiving to God for his ministry – the Australian Church Record has re-published their report on the opening night of the Billy Graham 1959 Sydney Crusade.

(Photo from his 1979 Crusade, courtesy Ramon Williams.)

Christianity Today feature on Billy Graham

Christianity Today – founded by Billy Graham in 1956 – has a special feature on its founder.

Peter Jensen ‘a new person’ after hearing Billy Graham

Dr Peter Jensen spoke with Dominic Steele at The Pastor’s Heart today, giving thanks for Billy Graham and his ‘the Bible says’ message.

Peter related how he left the 1959 Sydney Crusade knowing he was ‘a new person’.

Most encouraging. Many would benefit from watching this.

Watch at The Pastor’s Heart Facebook page – soon to be posted to the website.

(Peter also gives an update on GAFCON.)

And here’s an idea:

While Billy Graham’s name is in people’s consciousness, why not show Billy’s My Hope: The Cross video.

Dominic Steele to speak with Peter Jensen about Billy Graham – 3:00pm today

From Dominic Steele at The Pastor’s Heart Facebook page:

“Former Sydney Archbishop Peter Jensen will speak live with Dominic Steele this afternoon in a special edition of The Pastor’s Heart, remembering … Billy Graham, who has died aged 99.

Billy Graham’s 1959 Crusade was perhaps, at a national level, the closest Australia has come to what could be described as a revival.

Peter Jensen himself became a Christian listening to Billy Graham that day.

Write ‘Billy’ in the comments below to be notified when ‘The Pastor’s Heart’ is live.

The full interview will be available later at www.thepastorsheart.net.”

3:00pm AEDT today (Thursday 22nd February 2018)

Dr Billy Graham’s life and influence

Anglican Media Sydney has made available Russell Powell’s 2008 interview with David Aikman on his book “Billy Graham: His Life and Influence”.

Well worth 5 minutes of your time.

Go, Bear the Saviour’s Name…

“In advance of my upcoming trip to Australia and New Zealand, I’ve been studying all I can find on the early history of Christianity in those two nations. Australia was settled by the British first, of course, and served as a kind of staging point for missionaries to reach New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

Australian Christianity begins with Richard Johnson, the chaplain of the very first fleet to reach her shores. He had been hand-selected for the task by William Wilberforce and his associates, and immediately got to work preaching the gospel and carrying out the duties of a pastor. He did so with the blessings and prayers of many in his home country, including John Newton, (author of “Amazing Grace”), who wrote this little poem in his honour. …”

– Tim Challies (who will be in Sydney shortly) quotes John Newton’s words to Richard Johnson.

Image: John Newton, courtesy of Marylynn Rouse at The John Newton Project.

Related: ‘Go, bear the Saviour’s name to lands unknown’.

Martin Bucer and the Reform of Worship

“If Martin Bucer (1491-1551) is not an unsung hero of the Reformation, he is certainly an undersung hero. This particularly is the case when it comes to public worship.

Bucer’s fingerprints are all over Calvin’s Form of Church Prayers (1542) as well as the Book of Common Prayer (1552, 1559, 1662).

Calvin acknowledges that most of his Form was borrowed from Bucer, while Bucer’s 50-page response to King Edward VI’s first Book of Common Prayer (1549), entitled Censura, led to major alterations in a solidly if incompletely Reformed direction.…”

– At Reformation21, Terry Johnson provides a bunch of reasons to give thanks for Martin Bucer. Bucer’s influence on Sydney Anglicans is not insignificant.

See also:

Remembering Martin Bucer – Steve Tong at The Australian Church Record –

“In 1556 the Catholic Queen Mary exhumed Bucer’s remains from Great St Mary’s, chained his bones to a stake in the town marketplace, and burnt them along with all his available works. This unceremonious treatment was overturned by Queen Elizabeth I in a formal act of rehabilitation on 22 July 1560 and a brass plaque was placed on the location of Bucer’s original grave.

Unlike the very public memorial to Latimer, Ridley and Cranmer in Oxford, Bucer’s brass plaque is hidden from everyday sight. So it is with Bucer’s legacy for Anglican evangelicals.”

The Role of Creeds and Confessions in doing Theology

“A wise traveller makes preparations for a trip (Matt. 10:8–10). Any traveller who attempts a difficult journey without a map risks not arriving or worse.

The Christian life is a journey to the heavenly city (Heb. 11:8–15). A map is a record of the journeys of travellers who have gone before us. Strangely, however, many Christians attempt the Christian journey without the benefit of maps – in this case, the ecumenical creeds and Reformed confessions. …”

– Regrettably, many churches have dispensed with creeds and confessions.

In a featured article from Ligonier’s Tabletalk magazine, R. Scott Clark (Westminster Seminary California) writes about their great value.

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