Reflections on discipleship (part 1)
“How do you get someone to do something when they are afraid; they lack confidence and competence; they are uncomfortable; they have no experience; they have no vision or passion? This is the question that often plagues pastors and ministry leaders as they seek to empower people to serve…”
– At Equal but Different, Lesley Ramsay has the first in a series of encouraging posts on disciple-making.
Learning to Speak Christian in an Online World
At Moore College’s Centre for Christian Living, two weeks ago, the topic was “Learning to Speak Christian in an Online World”.
The aim of the centre is “to bring Biblical ethics to everyday issues”.
Watch Lionel Windsor’s talk. Practical and encouraging.
See also the intro by CCL Director Tony Payne and The Q&A afterwards.
Might make you want to get Lionel’s book. (Or like us on Facebook.)
Insulting religion and legal consequences
“Two recent news items raised interesting issues of free speech about religion and its legal consequences. One was a comment by Mr Peter Fitzsimmons; the other a report about an ‘anti-Muslim’ banner being flown at a football game…”
– Neil Foster, at Law and Religion Australia, looks at two very topical examples of speech relating to religion.
Back to Basics Part 4 — Repentance
“As we think through the significance of the meeting of Primates in Canterbury, we come to the key subject of repentance.
The issues before us have doctrinal and political aspects. But, finally, they are spiritual and that is why repentance matters.
The original tragic division in the Anglican Communion was the responsibility of certain North American Anglicans. They have been invited back into communion with those who severed relationships.
But this is not simply a matter of apology without change.
The need is repentance, with the hope of reconciliation and restoration…”
– GAFCON General Secretary, Dr Peter Jensen, writes the fourth of six reflections in the light of January’s Primates Meeting.
Taking God at his Word — free audiobook April 2016
Christian Audio’s free book for April 2016 is Kevin DeYoung’s Taking God at his Word.
Christopher Ash at the Moore College Graduation 2016
Christopher Ash gave the Occasional Address at the 2016 Moore College Graduation.
Watch the encouraging, but challenging, video at the link.
Earlier related story from SydneyAnglicans.net.
What is the Anglican Consultative Council meeting for?
“The Archbishop of Canterbury has written to urge all Anglican primates to attend the Anglican Consultative Council in Lusaka from April 8-19.
The primates of Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda have indicated that their representatives cannot attend because the spirit of the Primates Meeting in Canterbury, which introduced consequences for TEC and its participation in Communion decision-making on doctrine and polity, appears to be being overridden or ignored. …
Kenya and Nigeria were very gracious in trusting the conversations at Canterbury and the decisions made there. They now suspect that they were misled.
Lusaka is not the place to sort out church polity, unity, doctrine or matters of sexuality. Those are the callings of the primates meeting and the Lambeth conference of Bishops.”
– Chris Sugden writes for The Church of England Newspaper. Via Anglican Mainstream.
Gospel speech: now available as an ebook
Gospel Speech: a fresh look at the relationship between every Christian and evangelism is a short biblical exploration of the way the gospel shapes the speech of every Christian as they confess Jesus Christ with their mouth.
Written by ACL Council member Dr Lionel Windsor, the book is now available in electronic format.
Moore Graduates called to die to self
“This year’s 102 graduates from Moore Theological College have been called upon to “die to self” in their ministries, so that their work will produce more fruit for the gospel.
The address, focussing on John 12:24 and delivered by former Director of the UK Cornhill Training Course the Rev Christopher Ash, directed people to the pattern of Christ…”
– Story from SydneyAnglicans.net. Please be encouraged to pray for those who are now seeking to serve Christ in various spheres of ministry.
Back to Basics 3 — Fellowship
“Fellowship, or Communion, is a very precious gift of the gospel. The Lord Jesus laid down his life for his Church, his Bride. Christians are united to Christ for their salvation. Inevitably, then, we are united with one another. We are all one in Christ Jesus.
I have been trying to think through the implications of the January meeting of Primates for the Anglican Communion and for GAFCON.
The Communique and the story of the meeting certainly put a lot of store on fellowship and unity. The Primates, we are assured, were unanimous in their desire to walk together, difficult though it is…”
– Dr Peter Jensen, GAFCON General Secretary, writes the third of his reflections following the Primates Gathering in January 2016.
‘University of Sydney evangelical students vote to keep Jesus’
“An evangelical student group has refused to remove a vow to Jesus from its constitution despite being threatened with deregistration from the Sydney University student body.
The Sydney University Evangelical Union was issued an ultimatum by university’s student union last week to remove a requirement that new members sign ‘Jesus is Lord’ or be deregistered from the university…”
– Eryk Bashaw reports in The Sydney Morning Herald.
See also Enlightenment is just so yesterday at university by Brendan O’Neil, in The Australian –
“If there were a prize for the most Orwellian action of the year (there really should be), the USU would surely win.
The student union has given the EU until March 31 to overhaul its constitution. But the EU is fighting back: this week its members voted by a whopping 71 to 1 against changing its membership rules to suit the tastes of the interfering union.
… If ruling bodies, whether the state or a student union that wields power on campus, can use pressure or threats to make private associations rewrite their constitutions, which is the soul of all institutions, then we enter into very dark territory indeed.”
(Photo: Chappo – this photo of him was taken during the 1980 SUEU Mission – would be cheering the EU. Hear him speak at a 1979 SUEU lunchtime meeting on “Jesus claims to be the only way to God”.)
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the Reality of the Gospel
“The pattern of the Christian year is an exercise of the Church’s discipline. The annual celebrations of Christmas and Resurrection Day force the Church to ponder again the truths of Christ’s incarnation and resurrection.
Christians understand that every Lord’s Day is Resurrection Day, but this Sunday is the festival which draws all Christians face to face with the empty tomb and the truth of the resurrected Lord.
Resurrection Sunday is the central event in the church year–the climax of worship, expectation, and celebration. This celebration is also an acid test of the Church’s faithfulness and conviction…”
– Albert Mohler reminds Christians that we have a heavenly mandate to preach the Resurrection of Christ.
Archbishop Glenn Davies’ Easter Message 2016
Archbishop Glenn Davies has released his 2016 Easter message.
Watch the 90 second video on Vimeo.
And here is a story and summary from SydneyAnglicans.net –
The leader of Australia’s largest Anglican Diocese, the Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies, has spoken of the power of the Christian symbol, the cross, and the threat to religious freedom, in his Easter Message.
“The most universal symbol of all is the cross. Even that is being targeted now in China, where authorities are removing crosses from churches. In fact, religious freedom is under threat around the world.” Dr Davies said in his annual Easter message.
“It is strange that the cross should be feared for its power, because in Jesus’ time a cross meant execution – it meant failure and death. But the great power in the symbol of the cross for us is that is is empty. Yes, Jesus died on the cross but he was raised from the dead.”
Archbishop Davies will preach at the Cathedral on Easter Day (Sunday).
In his Easter Message, Archbishop Davies stressed the resurrection of Jesus which he said “was not merely a resuscitation, because he rose not to die again but to inaugurate a new era beyond this age of death, disease and decay.”
“The resurrection of Jesus means a second chance for all of us, if we will accept it — a chance for new life, eternal life, as our sins are nailed to the cross so that we too shall rise with him.”
Dr Davies also commented on plans for a fixed date for Easter. Dr Davies spoke with the Coptic Pope, Tawadros II, about the issue in Cairo last year. Anglican Primates are close to agreeing on a fixed Sunday for Easter. Dr Davies said “I believe it will be of significant witness to the world if all Christians could unite together with a common date to celebrate this ‘empty’ cross and the inauguration of the new aeon when Jesus rose from the dead and defeated death once and for all.”
That’s Easter — Videos from St. Helen’s
A few years ago, St. Helen’s Bishopsgate in London produced some thought-provoking videos for Easter and Christmas.
You may like to consider how you could use these two Easter videos –
Forward them to a friend. Watch them together on your phone. Show them in church!
Easter messages 2016
Easter is a wonderful opportunity to speak with clarity about the meaning of the Lord Jesus’ death, and the implications of his Resurrection.
Please pray that church leaders will communicate that message as they should, that Christ will be honoured, and that men and women will turn to him in repentance and faith.
Here are some of the messages we’ve spotted so far.
Will our messages to the world this Easter be as simple and clear as the sign in the photo? –
Diocese of the Northern Territory, Bishop Greg Anderson –
“Political commentator Mungo MacCallum recently described Malcolm Turnbull’s performance in the top job as ‘a hugely disappointing resurrection’.
Maybe it is good that the word resurrection still has some place in today’s media. But the first resurrection sets the benchmark. All other so-called resurrections, including the PM’s, are inevitably hugely disappointing. They all, in the end, run out…”
Diocese of Armidale, Bishop Rick Lewers –
“What is surprising about Easter is that the death of Jesus on the cross is all about clemency. Not His, but ours. It is where God would take upon himself the sins of the whole world, accepting the blame for what we have done in preference to leaving us stranded in our blameworthiness with no hope of forgiveness…”
Presbyterian Moderator-General David Cook –
“Toplady’s hymn expresses it well:
‘Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to thy cross I cling;
Naked turn to you for dress;
Helpless look to you for grace;
Foul I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Saviour, or I die.’
By dying on that cross, Jesus won our salvation…”
Diocese of Melbourne, Archbishop Philip Freier –
“What is the resurrection promise of Easter Day? – God’s love will endure and continue, no matter what. Christians look to Jesus’ rising from the dead as not just an historic action but as the promise of his presence with us today – even in the worst of circumstances…”
Australian Baptist Ministries, National Ministries Director Keith Jobberns –
“The Easter celebration is a reminder that humans have been given a second chance. The Easter narrative records that in Jesus, and through relationship with Him we can find freedom from the shackles of fear, acceptance despite our faults and the opportunity to begin anew with God and our fellow humans…”
Diocese of North Queensland, Bishop Bill Ray (PDF)–
“Yes, Christians believe that ‘on the third day Jesus rose from the dead’, but Christianity is more than just believing, it is living this new life in Christ and bringing it to others…”
(Photo: Bicycle bearing a gospel message, in Federation Square, Melbourne, with St. Paul’s Anglican Cathedral in the background, 19th March 2016.)
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…