Discipleship Training in the Gospels — Preaching Matters
The latest “Preaching Matters” from St. Helen’s Bishopsgate has just been released with a video from William Taylor:
“What is a Gospel, and what are the Gospel authors trying to do? Can you give us some examples of how the Gospels train us? How does the authors’ structure in the Gospels help us understand what true discipleship involves? What difference will this make to the structures and strategies in our churches?
In this month’s Preaching Matters, William describes the radical differences that follow in the way we do evangelism, preach, and disciple others.”
He asks some provocative questions about the way we do evangelism.
The old Absolution switcharoo
“Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
who in his great mercy
has promised forgiveness of sins
to all those who with heartfelt repentance and true faith turn to him:
have mercy on you,
pardon and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,
and bring you to everlasting life,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
In my earlier years as an evangelical, I would rankle when I heard the absolution delivered in this way. ‘Priestcraft!’ my mind would shout. ‘Say us! Are you not also a sinner needing forgiveness, O vicar? …”
– At Church Society’s blog, Tom Woolford has a point worth considering.
(Image: The Absolution from the AAPB, Lord’s Supper, First Order.)
‘Accusations laid bare: In defence of the Archbishop’
From The Australian Church Record:
“The editor of the Australian Church Record has penned a important response to a recent article by Julia Baird concerning a group of Anglican church leaders who have accused Archbishop Glenn Davies of silencing supporters of same-sex marriage.
The ACR response can be downloaded by clicking on ‘Download Special Issue’ from australianchurchrecord.net.”
Direct link to the special issue – PDF file.
Related: Same-sex marriage: Anglican Church leaders accuse Sydney Archbishop of silencing supporters – by Julia Baird, ABC News.
In other media news this week, David Ould has received an apology from The Sydney Morning Herald.
Australian Church Record, Spring 2016
The latest issue of The Australian Church Record (Spring 2016) is now online.
From the article ‘One Man and One Woman’ by Kanishka Raffel –
“The Scriptures delight in human friendship and community. Our hyper-sexualised culture has almost forgotten about intimate non-sexual friendships. Relationships are essential for human flourishing, but marriage is not. But God’s plan and purpose in marriage … reflects his plan to bless individuals, families and society, and to display his faithfulness and love for his people in Christ.”
From the article ‘Church-Planting and Gospel Confidence’ by Simon Flinders –
“Paul’s primary strategy in seeking to make disciples was to proclaim the gospel, rather than to establish a church. That’s not to say he had no interest in the establishment of churches. Clearly he did. But it does tell us that establishing a church was not his first order of business.”
Download it from the ACR website. Direct link to the PDF file.
Chappo’s legacy lives on with Preaching Clinics
“John Chapman was a much loved and great evangelist and preacher not only in Sydney but around the world. He was also a champion of engaging expository preaching and the need to train preachers well. He regularly used to say ‘There is nothing in the world like good preaching. Mind you, there is nothing in the world like the opposite either!’ …
The Chapman Preaching Clinics are part of an integrated program to help preachers keep improving from the day they commence preaching until the end of their ministry.” – News from Moore College.
(Illustration from a Department of Evangelism videocassette cover, 1986.)
A world without God
“Wow. How did this one get past the censors? It was incredible. And moving beyond words.
What am I talking about? Sally Phillips most extraordinary documentary, A World without Down’s Syndrome, which screened on the BBC this week.
Sally is well known as the TV comedy actress from TV shows like Miranda and the Bridget Jones films. She is also a Christian and her oldest son Olly has Down’s syndrome. …
I’m not ashamed to admit I wept – not just a wee cry, but sobbed. I don’t know when I last saw something so moving, profound and world revealing.”
– David Roberston (Minister of St. Peter’s Free Church in Dundee) writes at The Wee Flea. The documentary is available here.
Related: Mom of baby with Down syndrome sends remarkable letter to doctor who recommended abortion.
No Fool
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”
– Jim Elliot.
Today, 8th October 2016, marks the 89th anniversary of Jim Elliot’s birth.
Findings from the New Atlantis Report on Sexuality and Gender
“I would like to draw your attention to one of the most important research events in recent history, and that is the publication in the Fall 2016 issue of the New Atlantis: A Journal of Technology and Society, of a special report on sexuality and gender, subtitled, ‘Findings from the Biological, Psychological, and Social Sciences.’…
In this huge issue of the New Atlantis, Mayer and McHugh go right at what they considered to be the scientific basis behind the claims of the modern sexual and gender revolutionaries. The point of this research, however, and of the two authors, is not so much to make a moral point, but a scientific point. And in order to do so, they’ve looked at the major scientific claims of those who had presented the research on LGBT issues, and in particular issues of gender and sexuality.”
– Albert Mohler outlines some of the key findings of this landmark publication.
And for the relevant issue of New Atlantis, see: New Atlantis Number 50.
Sexual and gender identity issues from a Christian pastoral perspective
Dr. Mark Yarhouse, Psy.D. recently visited Sydney, as a guest of Liberty Christian Ministries.
While here, he sat down to speak with Archie Poulos at Moore College.
Audio files from the 2016 ACL Synod Briefing
On Wednesday 5th October, the Rev. Craig Roberts, Rector of St Augustine’s Neutral Bay, Standing Committee member, and ACL Vice-President, discussed the main issues coming up at this year’s Sydney Synod.
The event was organised by the ACL as a service to members of Synod.
If you weren’t able to be present, here are the audio files. To listen to each section, click on the link under “Audio file”. Each file will open in a new window.
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Audio file |
Topics |
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Introduction and prayer from the Rev. Jason Ramsay. |
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Schools, Archbishop’s election, Synod membership, Conduct of Synod business, Parental leave for clergy. Requests for something to happen: funding church plants, Licensing incumbents, Professional development. |
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Asylum seekers in detention, Same sex marriage. |
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Our Reformation heritage, Growth in churches, Restoring faith, hope and trust in our society, Thanksgiving motions, Community chaplains, Renumeration of Anglicare, Youthworks, Schools Corporation Chairs, Equipping Rectors in leadership, Restricting the length of sermons. |
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Proposal to fund ministries in new growth suburbs, New churches for new communities fundraising drive, Reinvigorating ministry in small congregations, Funding projects in low socioeconomic parishes, Drawdown of diocesan endowment ($3.5m), |
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Thinking theologically about voting in Synod. |
Jesus Always, the sequel to Jesus Calling
“This book is going to be big. Huge, even. Its predecessor has sold well over 10 million copies and more than a decade after publication has no less than 6 editions on the list of Christian bestsellers.
Today, at last, comes the long-awaited sequel, releasing to great fanfare—a million-copy first printing backed by a huge $300,000 marketing spend. One way or another you will come across this book and so will most of your friends and neighbours. You will see it on Amazon, in Costco, in airport bookshops, and perhaps even at your church’s book table. It’s Jesus Always, Sarah Young’s sequel to Jesus Calling. …
The big claim in her little books is that the words come to the reader from Jesus through her. At least, that was the claim of Jesus Calling and, as far as I know, it has not been retracted. Instead, it has been removed. If you are enthusiastic about Jesus Calling or wondering about Jesus Always, this is the one claim you must face head-on. You cannot treat Jesus Always as just another Christian book when Young herself claims it is so much more.”
– Tim Challies confronts the huge problems caused by a book which seems to claim to contain revelation direct from the Lord Jesus.
Here’s a promotional trailer for the new book.
Authority: God’s Good and Dangerous Gift
Authority: God’s Good and Dangerous Gift – that’s the theme for the latest 9Marks Journal, just released.
Why I’m Complementarian
“None of us are called to be ‘complementarian’, but we are called to live in response to God’s freeing word as the person that we are, and we are called to be a Christian man or a Christian woman. Because each calling is shaped by the other, then we end up being what is so suitably described as ‘complementarian’…”
– Jane Tooher, Director of The Priscilla and Aquila Centre at Moore College, shares why she finds ‘complementarian’ the best term to describe the relationships between men and women in Christ. She writes at Thinking of God.
ACL Pre-Synod Briefing — TONIGHT Wednesday 5th October
Pre-Synod Briefing, This Wednesday 5th October, 6:30 – 8:00pm at Chapter House.
As a service to the Synod, the ACL is holding a Pre-Synod Briefing for Synod members.
The Rev Craig Roberts, Rector of St Augustine’s Neutral Bay, Standing Committee member, and ACL Vice-President, will discuss the main issues for this year’s Synod.
Download your invitation here.
The Synod Survival Guide — got your copy?
New to Synod? The Synod Survival Guide (4th edition), by Robert Tong is an invaluable help to make sense of it all.
Presented by the ACL as a service to the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney, you can download your PDF copy here.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…