SMBC 2011 Preaching Conference

Learn about plans for the 2011 SMBC Preaching Conference, May 2–5.

Ligon Duncan reflects on the Lausanne Congress

Watch Ligon Duncan’s interview on the Lausanne Congress on World Evangelism. He argues for much greater engagement with Christians in the Global South.

Runs for 9’47”, he was interviewed by Derek Thomas and Jeremy Smith at Reformation21.

A Fatal Blend

“…the Presiding Bishop will be acting on her own in assuming the mantle of a metropolitan, with absolute authority over her fellow bishops. The Canons purporting to confer such powers are a nullity, because they contravene the powers given to the Presiding Bishop by the Constitution. They thus cannot be the source of any such claimed powers; the Presiding Bishop, if she so acts, will simply have assumed them by force of her will.”

– A S Haley at The Anglican Curmudgeon writes about two very different leadership styles – those of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the TEC Presiding Bishop.

(Photo: Jim DeLa, ENS.)

Heidelberg Conference on Reformed Theology audio

The 2010 Heidelberg Conference on Reformed Theology was held (in Heidelberg, of course) October 27–29.

Speakers were Derek Thomas, Carl Trueman, Jon Payne and Sebastian Heck.

The audio of the talks (and some video) is now available on their website.

Very helpful in thinking about what we do in church. h/t Thabiti Anyabwile.

Social Media and Digital Discernment

“Almost overnight, the budding world of social media has revolutionized the way our culture communicates. Even our vocabulary has been affected. Suddenly, people are “tagging” each other, “tweeting” about themselves, and “liking” everything they see.

For the first time, it’s possible to have “friends” you’ve never even met. Those conversant in the language of social media rarely use complete sentences or even complete words (since they are limited to 140 characters). All the while, words like “screenager,” “vlog,” and “cyberslacking,” are finding their way into dictionaries like Oxford and Webster’s. It’s funny to consider that, not too long ago, surfing was just a water sport and a yahoo was a crazy person. But not anymore…”

– John Macarthur has some very sensible advice.

‘Diocese of Niagara litigation costs’

“For the first time that I’m aware of, the Diocese of Niagara has included the cost of suing ANiC parishes in a financial statement. You can find the statement here and the relevant line shows that in 2009 the diocese, while not preoccupied with distributing free hugs, spent $395,895 on lawsuits…”

– from the Anglican Essentials Canada blog.

The English Reformers on ministry and worship

“The English Reformers faced a formidable task when they began the work of revising the ideas of ministry and worship in the Church. …

In view of the fact that the Reformation is so often regarded as a purely political or social upheaval it is necessary to emphasise that it was essentially a movement inspired by the Bible.”

– Church Society has reprinted the 1992 Churchman article “The Teaching of the English Reformers on Ministry and Worship” by Edgar Dowse. It’s available here in PDF format.

A Portrait in his Actions: Thomas Moore of Liverpool

(Re-posted.) Moore College lecturer, Rev Dr Peter Bolt, is launching Part 1 of his biography of Moore College benefactor, Thomas Moore, during the Liverpool Bicentenary celebrations next month.

The book will be launched by the Governor of NSW, Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC, CVO, on Monday 22 November, 5pm at the Liverpool City Library. Everyone welcome.

More info and order form from the Moore College website.

Dr Megan Best’s Synod speech on the Euthanasia motion

In the ongoing debate on Euthanasia, Dr Megan Best’s speech at Sydney Synod last month is well worth reading and circulating.

“I speak as a palliative care doctor. Palliative care is specialty care for terminally ill patients.

Our state and federal parliaments have been asked to consider changing the law to allow euthanasia. We are told that 85% of Australians support such a change. I believe that what this shows us may not be so much how many people support euthanasia, so much as the fact that many people don’t actually know what it is.

Having discussed euthanasia on talkback radio many times over the years, I have come to realise that misconceptions are rife amongst the general public. Confusion abounds regarding what the legalisation of euthanasia means. But first we need to know what euthanasia is not…”

Read Dr Best’s full speech here (PDF file).

The text of the motion to which she was speaking can be seen on pages 1 and 2 of the Business paper for October 19 2010 (PDF).

Stuart Townend on Corporate Worship — notes

On Friday, songwriter Stuart Townend gave a seminar on Corporate Worship at Oak Hill College in London.

Mike Gilbart-Smith (Twynholm Baptist Church, Fulham) has shared his very helpful notes from the seminar at his blog, Loving Church.

Don Carson’s evangelistic talks in Melbourne

Don Carson spoke evangelistically in Melbourne in August.

The “Christ-Expo” was part of the celebrations of Ridley College’s Centenary. The audio files of Dr Carson’s talks are available on the Ridley website:

Monday: How can we see God?
Tuesday: How can we start over again?
Wednesday: How can God Have a Son?
Thursday: How to get the Best Bread in the World
Friday: How can I believe Jesus Rose from the Dead?

He also spoke at St. Alfred’s Blackburn North on Suffering: a theological response.

Audio: Reformation Conference with Stephen Nichols

Last weekend, at the Omaha Bible Church in Nebraska, Stephen Nichols spoke at their Reformation Bible Conference.

All the audio files have been posted here, thanks to Erik Raymond. Total 67MB. Or links to individual talks below:

The Road to Worms: Jan Hus, Martin Luther, and Sola Scripture
Wittenberg: The Life of Luther and Commitment to the Church
Flossenburg: Martin Luther to Dietrich Bonhoeffer: The Cross and Discipleship
Marks of the True Church with Question & Answer
Sunday morning sermon: Spare Everything But the Word

History comes alive. Great to pass on to members of your church while memories of Reformation Sunday are fresh.

Christians responding to suffering

Over the last week, Bishop of Tasmania, John Harrower, has been sharing the insights of some friends on the topic of Christians responding to suffering. See his blog – Imaginary Diocese.