Are we post Christian or post Secular? – with Mark McCrindle

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“The new McCrindle report ‘An undercurrent of faith’ says:

Founder and Principal of McCrindle research, Mark McCrindle, says his report shows a new search for purpose and meaning and asks is ‘Australia Post Christian or are we now Post Secular?’

Plus we compare the findings of the national McCrindle report with the recent Sydney Anglican report on Church attendance.”

– Watch or listen here.

The Problem of Sextortion: A Message for Parents and Pastors of Teenage Boys and Young Men

A special edition of Albert Mohler’s The Briefing:

“It’s a special edition of The Briefing for the parents of teenage boys and young men. Not only parents, but the pastors and youth pastors and those who are directly concerned with teenage boys and young men. And this is going to be material I wouldn’t discuss in the way I’m going to discuss it today, in the normal edition of The Briefing.

This is a privileged conversation, but it’s an urgent conversation for the parents of teenage boys and young men, and others ministering to them and who love them, and it’s that love and concern for them that leads to this special edition today. It’s about the problem of sextortion. …”

– Watch, listen, or read the transcript here.

The Best Friday

From Phillip Jensen:

“Holidays are always marvellous opportunities to relax and catch up with friends, but the Easter holiday is even better because it gives us time to think about the greatest weekend in human history: when our Lord and Saviour died and rose again. The death of Jesus was so great that I would call Friday not just good, but the best Friday.”

– Hear Phillip and Peter Jensen in the latest Two Ways News podcast. Well worth listening and sharing.

Conversion Act protest needs to be targeted carefully

“NSW has now joined Victoria in having a Conversion Act come into operation that bans some forms of Christian ministry. The Conversion Practices Ban Act 2024 No 19 aims to “aims to “ban practices directed to changing or suppressing the sexual orientation or gender identity of individuals”,” and created a civil penalties scheme.

Victoria’s act goes further than the NSW one. Despite the NSW Premier Minn’s promise not to ban prayer, certain types of prayer are now against the law in NSW following Victoria. The Other Cheek reported the then-opposition-leader’s promise: “Labor’s Chris Minns promises no ban on preaching, prayer in conversion therapy bill.“

But the prayer promise was not kept. Prayer with an LGBTQIA individual with the aim for them to be celibate or change orientation is clearly defined as illegal in the NSW Act. In the case of sustained prayer, definitely so. …”

– John Sandeman at The Other Cheek adds more on the ‘Conversion Act’ in NSW.

Using Artificial Intelligence

“The [British] Prime Minister said recently that ‘Artificial Intelligence will drive incredible change in our country’ and that he wants to ‘turbocharge’ the industry and make Britain a world leader in this area.

Growth in this arena has really taken off and caught the public imagination in the last few years, and naturally that has led many Christians to be curious and ask questions about it.

So I decided to dig into AI, and did a bit of training…”

– At Church Society’s blog, Lee Gatiss looks at AI.

The Image of God Reconsidered — Two Ways News podcast

From Phillip Jensen:

“One of the most profound and widely quoted verses of the Bible is the creation of Man in the image of God. So, this week Peter and I went exploring some of its implications. It is such a fruitful concept by which to understand humanity, not the least because in the New Testament we find Jesus is “the image of the invisible God”. But before we get there, we need to understand how we are as individuals, male and female, in the image of God as well as how humanity, as a whole, is in his image.

There’s so much fruitful discussion to be had on this passage, we hope our conversation will stimulate yours. …”

– Listen (or read the transcript) here.

The seed that will bear fruit has been planted

“At the turning point in John’s Gospel, Jesus makes a seemingly obscure reference to his death. As we get ready to celebrate Easter, let’s take a moment now to explore a powerful yet often overlooked verse to see in a fresh way what Jesus endured and the life he has won for us.

The moment comes in John 12, when some Greeks visit Jesus shortly after his triumphal entry to Jerusalem. …”

– Callan Pritchard writes at The Australian Church Record in the lead up to Easter.

Marshall Ballantine-Jones: Pastors helping parents to talk to teens on social media, the internet and porn

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“The addictive nature of social media, the mental health impact on teens, distorted identity and comparison, the way the attention economy undermines discipleship.

Parents (and pastors) so often feel out of their depth.

Marshall Ballantine-Jones created the Digihelp school curriculum addressing sexualised media, and the Resist Recovery Program.”

– Watch or listen here – with links.

Pastoral Care that Commends the Gospel, with Sarah Condie

A Gospel Coalition Australia podcast with Jonathan Holt:

“One key part of the ministry we share as the body of Christ is the pastoral care we extend one another. In this episode we are joined by Sarah Condie to talk about how our pastoral care might commend the good news of Jesus.

How do we fulfill the many one-another verses in the New Testament, especially when we often feel burdened with our own concerns, or very aware of our own limitations.

Sarah works with her husband Keith, for Anglican Deaconess Ministries, at the Mental Health and Pastoral Care Institute.”

– Most encouraging. Photo: Keith and Sarah Condie.

Thoughts on Preaching on Good Friday

“The Easter season should be the high point on our church calendars- what an absolute privilege to focus on the death and resurrection of Jesus, the very heart of the gospel message.

Most of our practice during the easter season, would be a lead up to Easter for perhaps 1-2 weeks, then Good Friday, on to Easter (Resurrection) Sunday.

Regarding our preaching specifically on Good Friday, Ive been thinking of a few things, I’d like to share. …”

– Jim Mobbs writes at The Expository Preaching Trust.

The Lioness, the Witch and the Wardrobe

“If Narnia was only fiction, I suspect many would muttter but put up with screwing up a great story. But as we know, C.S. Lewis was doing something more with these books; Narnia is a work of allegory. Narnia is theology through story…”

– Murray Campbell responds to reports that Netflix is in discussions with Meryl Streep about playing the role of Aslan in The Magician’s Nephew.

Giving thanks for Campus Bible Study — 50 years on

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“Today we review the 50 year impact of The University of New South Wales’ Campus Bible Study on Christian ministries across Australia and around the world – in raising up gospel workers, sending missionaries, planting churches and in Christian publishing.

Former Anglican Dean of Sydney Phillip Jensen led the ministry for thirty years till 2005.  Since then Paul Grimmond and Carl Matthei have been senior chaplains.

Alan Stewart started studying at the University of New South Wales just two years after Phillip Jensen arrived as Anglican Chaplain. Alan was saved by Jesus in 1979 and went on to assist in the ministry, before becoming CEO of Anglican Youthworks, Bishop of Wollongong, head of Church Planting for Sydney Anglicans and then national director of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches.

Tony Payne and Tracey Gowing started as undergraduates a few years after Alan.  Tony went on to run the influential Christian publishing house Matthias Media, while Tracey led the Christian ministry at  Cumberland College Christian Group before returning to UNSW as a senior staff member at Campus Bible Study.”

– Watch or listen here.

What and Who are Humans?

From Phillip Jensen:

“As we look at Genesis 1, we come to a great climax in the creation of humans in God’s Image.

More bottles of ink have been spilled over this phrase than possibly any phrase in the Bible. What is the image of God? In what way are we in the image of God? What are humans and who are we?

The questions go on and on. Yet this teaching of Genesis 1 has stood the test of time in identifying God’s universal identity and value of humans.”

– Listen to the latest Two Ways News podcast with Phillip and Peter Jensen.

100 Ministry stories — Peter Jensen interviews Lloyd Bennett

From Moore Theological College:

“Former Archbishop of Sydney, Peter Jensen, sits down with Lloyd Bennett – pastor, chaplain, and Moore College graduate.

Lloyd shares how he came to know Christ, his journey into ministry, and the ways God used his time at Moore to shape a lifetime of faithful service. From classrooms to chaplaincy, his story is one of God’s grace and guidance every step of the way.”

– This is a most encouraging interview. Watch or listen here.

Taking the gospel to communities consumed by the here and now

“When I’m at the beach, a phrase I often hear is, ‘Where else would you rather be?’

For a lot of people, living by the beach is their idea of paradise. There is a strong secular hedonism that is pervasive in the culture around suburban coastal contexts. Gripped by lifestyle and materialism, you get a clear idea of where people’s hearts are, and what their idea of heaven might be …”

– At SydneyAnglicans.net, Rich Wenden has some suggestions on connecting with “communities consumed by the here and now”.

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