How to influence your conscience (before someone else does)

“What was the first music you owned? For me it was a CD by Blink 182, The Mark, Tom and Travis Show. Well, when I say owned I mean permanently ‘borrowed’ from my brother when I was 10 years old. I enjoyed it so much that it became the only CD I listened to. ‘Enjoyed’ is really an understatement too. I listened to it and sang myself to sleep every night for six years—much to the annoyance of my brothers.

Wanting to relive the nostalgia of my youth, I went to sing a song from this CD at a karaoke night with Korean friends from my church. After displaying a rather remarkable range in pitch of which I was rather proud, my ballad was cut short as the sexually explicit content of the song I was singing became apparent. …”

– At GoThereFor.com, Mike Taylor writes to encourage you to be aware of what shapes your thoughts.

Mr Eternity: The Story of Arthur Stace, launched in Sydney

The long-awaited biography of Arthur Stace, ‘Mr. Eternity’, was launched by Bible Society Australia in Sydney yesterday.

Appropriately, the launch was held in Darlinghurst, at the Eternity Playhouse, formerly the Burton Street Baptist Tabernacle. It was there, in 1932, that Arthur Stace heard evangelist John Ridley, and felt called to write Eternity on the streets of Sydney – something he did for the next 34 years. (Stace had become a Christian at St. Barnabas’ Broadway two years earlier, saved from a life of despair and alcohol.)

‘Mr. Eternity: The story of Arthur Stace’ is the fulfilment of a long-term project by Elizabeth Meyers, daughter of the Rev. Lisle Thompson, Minister of Burton Street Tabernacle 1951 – 1964. She was joined by Roy Williams (author of ‘In God They Trust’) who continued her research to help complete the book. The pair uncovered previously unpublished details of Arthur’s life and background.

Roy Williams introduces the book. Photo by Trevor Dallen.

To coincide with the publication, Lisle Thompson’s 1956 tract, ‘The Crooked Made Straight’, has been updated and reissued.

Photo: At the launch, Elizabeth Meyers, with Fairfax photographer Trevor Dallen, who took several iconic photos of Arthur Stace in 1963.

The book, published by Acorn Press, is available from these sellers.

Companion material has also been published here.

Unfamiliar with the story of Arthur Stace? You can read our earlier potted version here and related posts.

John Chapman Preaching Conference: Bryan Chapell and William Taylor videos

While the Moore College academic year has finished, the college is continuing to make some terrific resource videos available for your edification:

The videos of Bryan Chapell at the John Chapman Preaching Conference in September are now available online:

Talk 1: https://vimeo.com/236191612

Talk 2: https://vimeo.com/236203773

Talk 3: https://vimeo.com/236216522

Talk 4: https://vimeo.com/236226316

Q&A: https://vimeo.com/236211217

Along with William Taylor’s talks given at the John Chapman Preaching Clinic in February 2017, they are grouped in this album: https://vimeo.com/album/4863840

Gospel Ministry and the “Nowhere” Generation

John Chapman said, “the first 50 years are the hardest” – Phillip Jensen has been at it for more than 50 years!

Now, with Two Ways Ministries and focussing on young adults, his fresh vision connects the permanent gospel with the changing social dynamics of Sydney’s growing “Nowhere Generation”. Few people have such experience or freshness of vision for today and the future.

If you want to be involved in reaching the coming generations with the gospel of Jesus, this is an evening not to be missed.

Moore College, Thursday 30th November 7:00pm – 9:30pm. Book here.

Same-Sex Marriage — An Initial Response

“The nation has decided in favour of same sex-marriage. It is now right for the parliament to implement the society’s wish.

Christians who voted ‘no’, and I am one, have a lot to be thankful for even in this result. …

So, with all this to be thankful for, am I pleased with the result? No, of course not. I voted against this decision and would do so again if asked to.

I’m saddened by it, not so much as a Christian but as an Australian. Marriage is a creation ordinance not a religious sacrament. I don’t think it is a good decision for Australian society or family life.”

– Phillip Jensen offers his initial response to the result of the Same-sex marriage postal survey.

Update:

The text of Phillip’s article is now also available in Simplified and Traditional Chinese.

Free online courses from The Gospel Coalition

“In a world that is noisier than ever, we want to be a trusted voice directing you toward the God of the gospel.

We want to be a place where your Sunday school and small group can dig deeper together, a place where you can discover the best lectures and books and essays to enrich your spiritual life. One of the core ways The Gospel Coalition serves the church is by providing biblically faithful web-based content for personal and group use.

So, today, we are excited to introduce you to a brand-new and totally free online learning platform.”

– Check out this new resource from The Gospel Coalition.

The Australian Postal Survey – the realities that have not changed

“I write this just hours before the results of the Australian postal survey on ‘same sex marriage’ are released. I want this post to be published before the result is known – and while there are many pundits and polls predicting the result, it is not known yet – because the result, in either direction, will very likely drown out the things that have not changed. …”

– Moore College Principal, Dr. Mark Thompson, writes at Theological Theology.

Protecting religious freedom after “Yes”

“Outrage has erupted in the press and in Parliament over the Exposure Draft of a Bill designed to implement a possible “Yes” vote in the same-sex marriage survey.

Senator James Paterson, a Liberal Party member who personally supports same sex marriage, has released a Draft Marriage Amendment (Definition and Protection of Freedoms) Bill 2017 designed to effect this change, but also to provide protection for the religious freedom of those whose faith will not allow them to approve it. But the Bill has been excoriated as ‘legalising homophobic discrimination’ (Senator Hinch, in a question to the Attorney-General, Senate Hansard, 14 Nov 2017, p 21 of draft proceedings), and as a ‘licence to discriminate’ (Senator Wong, as reported by the ABC.) …”

At Law and Religion Australia, Associate Professor Neil Foster looks at proposed legislation and what might happen next.

Forgiveness Reformed

“In a nut shell the reformation may be said to be about this question of how to obtain forgiveness from God.

It may not seem very relevant these days as most people don’t feel the need of forgiveness…”

– The Australian Church Record has republished this 40-year old editorial. It’s just as relevant today.

Charles Simeon

From Church Society:

“As the Church of England remembers Charles Simeon today, a few Church Society articles which celebrate particular aspects of his ministry for us to learn from today.”

– Links here.

The problem with many ads for ministers

“You ought to read and consider this brief excerpt from Derek Thomas’s commentary on Acts in which he shows how our expectations of pastors – and perhaps their expectations for themselves – are often far removed from God’s. …”

– from Tim Challies. Derek Thomas also provides the sort of ‘advertisement’ you should consider.

Using music to cross religious barriers

“Because the nature of mission is to meet people where they are and bring them into a saving relationship with God, when we try to share the gospel with Catholics—who are expecting to experience God more than understand God—engaging their feelings takes on more importance.

That’s where music can help. …”

– At GoThereFor.com, Mark Gilbert has a simple suggestion.

Remembrance Day resources

Defence Anglicans has some useful resources if you plan to mark Remembrance Day.

The Passion “Translation” of Romans: Problems and questions

“I’ve been asked to review the book by Brian Simmons, Romans: Grace and Glory, Translated from Greek and Aramaic Texts (Racine: BroadStreet, 2017). This is part of Simmons’ wider project known as The Passion Translation (2015).

The following post isn’t designed to be a comprehensive review of the whole Passion translation project; instead I’ve decided to (deliberately) limit myself to this one volume on Romans. I just want to point out a few significant problems with the book, especially with its curious claim to be ‘translated directly from the Greek and Aramaic texts‘…”

– Moore College’s Dr Lionel Windsor looks behind the claim.

(Image courtesy The Passion Translation.)

Why were the 95 theses so revolutionary? — Watch the video

“Last week the College held its final Reformation 500th anniversary event with a lecture on Reformation Day – October 31. Principal Mark Thompson delivered the lecture on the 95 theses and the video is now available online.”

– Story and video from Moore College. A most encouraging and enlightening evening.

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