The big mistake many secular people make about religious discrimination

“There’s a big mistake many secular people make about religious discrimination.

It’s a mistake I’ve seen repeated many times. Even by (or especially by) educated secular commentators. This mistake is a fairly recent one. But it’s impact is serious: it’s eroding religious freedom in Australia. …”

– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Akos Balogh thinks there’s a better way of understanding the issues.

Resilience

“Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart (2 Corinthians 4:1). The trouble is, in ministry it can be only too easy to lose heart.

So begins Birkett’s short and incisive work that details her research into the idea of resilience and Christian ministry. This is much needed, given that burnout is all too common in ministry.

What sets Birkett’s work out from the crowd is that she is not writing a survival plan. …”

– At Church Society’s blog, Aled Seago commends Resilience, a new book by Kirsty Birkett.

Seven ways you can contribute to better Public Discourse

“Paul D. Miller, professor of the practice of international affairs at Georgetown University, recently authored a white paper for the ERLC [Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention] on ‘Faith and Healthy Democracy.’ …

Here are their seven encouragements for individuals and families to be healthier contributors for the common good.”

– From Justin Taylor at The Gospel Coalition.

One encouragement: Put down your smart phone, and don’t give them to kids.

What do you want to become? (Ephesians 5:5–7)

“What do you want to become? When you close your eyes and picture yourself in 5 years, 10 years, 20 years, what will you have become? What do you hope for, pray for, and plan for? …”

– Don’t be deceived, Lionel Windsor at Moore College has some encouragement for you from God’s word.

Books of the Reformation: An Interactive Exhibition

On Monday, 28 October 20129, from 6:30 pm, Moore College is running a free event as part of the NSW State Library’s Sydney Rare Book Week.

Booking here.

Dr Peter Jones on The Arrival of the Post-Secular Age

Reformers Bookshop in Stanmore is hosting an event with Dr. Peter Jones, Executive Director of TruthXChange in Los Angeles, on Monday 21st October at 7:00pm.

Details here.

Dr. Jones is also speaking at the Australian Christian Lobby’s “Not Ashamed” 2019 National Conference in Sydney on Saturday 19th October. See the short video of Dr Jones on this page.

Crowd Madness and The New Religion of The West

“ ‘There are 2 gunman at the university – tell your friends on campus’.

The text arrives from a friend, who knows I’m often on campus. But I can’t believe it: surely this is spam?

So I ring my friend to confirm. Yes, the text is legit: A collegue of his has a contact at the university.There really are gunmen at Southern Cross University in Lismore.

I well up with anxiety. My head starts racing. Is this really happening?…

But the herd mentality isn’t limited to stressful rumours about active shooters (as bad as they are). Any idea can lead to herd mentality, as it spreads among a population.”

– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Akos Balogh draws some helpful ideas for Christians from a new book about western culture.

Submission on the Religious Freedom draft laws

Associate Professor Neil Foster shares his personal submission on the Government’s package of draft laws on Religious Freedom – at Law and Religion Australia.

If you would like to make your own submission, you have until 5:00 pm on Wednesday 2nd October 2019.

The Moon is Always Round

“In one of those wonderful gifts of God in the midst of darkness, I received a copy of Jonny Gibson’s book The Moon is Always Round only a day before hearing that the New South Wales parliament had failed to protect the most vulnerable in society and had passed its Abortion Bill.

Though the Bill received some significant amendments, its basic thrust remains and we have descended further into a culture of death where life has no intrinsic value, only what we decide to give it. If you want this child, that’s OK. Go ahead and carry the child to full term and share your life with her or him. But if you do not want this child, for whatever reason, then this life is expendable, disposable. It was a tragic piece of news to hear that this Bill had been passed. The darkness encroaches even further.

Enter Jonny Gibson’s book. …”

– Moore College Principal Dr Mark Thompson commends a book about a sensitive and important topic.

It’s available locally from Reformers Bookshop.

David Ould also has a review.:

“In The Moon is Always Round Jonathan Gibson has given us a fine gift – the tragedy of the stillbirth of his daughter turned into a book to help children process suffering.

Illustrated beautifully by Joe Hox, Gibson takes us through the story of that loss through the eyes of his son Ben, using the waxing and waning of the moon as an illustration of something that we can’t always see but we know is always there.”

False Comfort: The Treacherous Gospel of Wrathless Universalism

“An increasing number of Christian books, podcasts and blog posts tell us that we shouldn’t believe in a God who judges and punishes sinners – especially on the Cross of Jesus or eternally in Hell. Sooner or later, they assure us, everybody will be saved.

Here are 10 questions to ask when you encounter such theology …”

– Here’s a helpful post by Andrew Moody on a very sobering topic, at The Gospel Coalition Australia.

Freedom for Faith submission on the draft Religious Discrimination Bill

“Freedom for Faith has released its submission to the Commonwealth Government on its Exposure Draft Religious Discrimination Bill. …

I recommend it as an excellent overview of the Bill, with a good summary of its good points and some areas where it could be improved. …”

– See Neil Foster’s latest post to download a copy of the submission, along with previous comments – at Law and Religion Australia.

Holy talk (Ephesians 5:3–4)

“Human beings are social creatures. We need to belong. One of the most obvious ways we do that is by the way we speak. Whenever we speak, in all sorts of small ways, we’re signalling to others how and where we belong. Often our nationality, our social class (or our aspirations!), our particular generation, our allegiances, influences, and personalities are all revealed when we speak.”

– As he continues his reflections on the Letter to the Ephesians, Moore College’s Dr. Lionel Windsor turns to chapter 5, and the complete inappropriateness of pornolalia.

Read or listen here.

Practical tips for sharing the gospel with a stranger

“How are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?… Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:14, 17)

How often do we consider the urgency of Paul’s words here? …

– At GoThereFor.com, Mike Taylor shares some very helpful ideas for sharing Christ. Read, and be spurred to action.

God in the Rainforest by Kathryn Long — Review by Wei-Han Kuan

“There are few stories in the English-speaking evangelical Christian world that have had greater impact than that of the Auca Five. Five young North American men, full of the promise and potential of the post-WWII generation, speared to death in equatorial Ecuador as they sought to bring the Gospel of Christ to a hitherto unreached, reclusive, jungle tribe. …”

– CMS Victoria State Director Wei-Han Kuan looks at an important and sobering book, God in the Rainforest: A Tale of Martyrdom & Redemption in Amazonian Ecuador by Kathryn Long,

Men Praying for Moore

The next Men’s Prayer gathering to pray for Moore College is on Saturday 21st September.

Details and RSVP here.

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