Soldiers are not like Macadamia Nuts!

“I have often thought that the typical Aussie bloke is a bit like a Macadamia. You know there is a soft kernel somewhere inside, but the shell is so hard that is seems impossible to crack. So too with soldiers. No doubt there is a spiritual side to them, but the shell is like reinforced concrete. Or so I thought…”

– Ridley College graduate Chaplain Andrew Grills writes about the spiritual openness he has discovered among those to whom he ministers. On the Defence Anglicans website.

And what advice are military chaplains giving Defence Force members looking for churches? It’s a challenge to see if our churches measure up.

(Defence Force Chaplains are always on the lookout for faithful and innovative clergy.)

The Wind of Change: All Africa Bishops Conference, Uganda

“In February 1960, British Prime Minister Harold MacMillan delivered his historic ‘wind of change’ speech in Cape Town, heralding the end of Great Britain’s colonial presence in Africa. Fifty years on, there is a spiritual ‘wind of change’ blowing in Africa which promises to end the predominance of London based institutions in the leadership of the Anglican Communion and the current All Africa Bishops Conference in Entebbe convened by CAPA (the Council of the Anglican Provinces of Africa) provides the clearest evidence yet of this change in the spiritual weather.

It must have seemed to Lambeth strategists that the Archbishop of Canterbury’s presence at this high profile African conference with an agenda dominated by uncontroversial humanitarian issues would be a golden opportunity to portray the Anglican Communion as back to ‘business as usual’ after Rowan Williams’ decision to invite the consecrators of Gene Robinson to the 2008 Lambeth Conference led to the principled absence of some 230 mainly African bishops.

If so, they badly misjudged the mind of the conference. After the first day, the public relations dream is threatening to turn into a nightmare and Dr Williams may well by now be wishing that he had stuck to being a merely virtual presence by video as at April’s South to South Encounter in Singapore.…”

– Read it all at SPREAD.

The Gospel Song — an Animation

At Worship Matters, Bob Kauflin shares an animated video by Chris Powers – based on Sovereign Grace’s ‘The Gospel Song’, and some words from John Piper.

(The song is also available on that page as a free download.)

‘The heresy of Oakeshott’s hero’

“Your story says Peter Cameron was found guilty of heresy for supporting the ordination of women (”Uncompromising heretic caught in the national spotlight”, August 24). This is untrue.

I quote from the press release at the time… ‘The matters at issue in the judicial process have related to Dr Cameron’s view of the Bible and its authority…’”

– In today’s Sydney Morning Herald, two letters respond to yesterday’s story about the independent MP Rob Oakeshott. On the Letters page – near the bottom.

(Photo: Rob Oakeshott.)

Why aren’t ‘Emerging Adults’ emerging as Adults?

Albert Mohler writes about a significant shift in US culture (it’s also happening in Australia).

Related: The Spirituality of Emerging Adults.

The Gospel for those broken by the Church

This talk by Dr. Rod Rosenbladt (known to many through The White Horse Inn broadcast) on the topic ‘The Gospel for those broken by the Church’ is well worth your time.

It runs for 50 minutes and is available from New Reformation Press (direct link to 36MB mp3 file).

“For all of you who have been given morality lessons instead of the Gospel, hear how Dr. Rod Rosenbladt succinctly presents Christianity as first and foremost a genuine truth claim about Christ as our righteous substitute, instead of a never ending list of popular religious recipes for personal success.”

(Photo: Bryan Johnson.)

Trivia served up for the twittering classes

“Saturday night will be the first election in 33 years that I won’t be behind a microphone for an election coverage. For the first time, I’ll experience an election party and probably turn to the internet for updates…”

– Russell Powell has some reflections on the coverage of the election campaign in his weekly roundup at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Also, don’t forget the resources for comparing policy statements at Australia Votes from the Australian Christian Lobby.

The Inerrancy of Scripture: The Fifty Years’ War… and counting

“Back in 1990, theologian J. I. Packer recounted what he called a ‘Thirty Years’ War’ over the inerrancy of the Bible. He traced his involvement in this war in its American context back to a conference held in Wenham, Massachusetts in 1966, when he confronted some professors from evangelical institutions who ‘now declined to affirm the full truth of Scripture.’ That was nearly fifty years ago, and the war over the truthfulness of the Bible is still not over — not by a long shot…”

While it’s never been quite the issue in Australia as it has been in the US, the implications of questioning the trustworthiness of Scripture are clear in this piece by Albert Mohler.

Idea for your church: Garage Sale Giveaway

Some Canadian churches are running garage sales with an difference:

“The only way to explain that God’s love is free in a tangible way … is to say every item here is free.”

Read about it here. (h/t Anglican Essentials Canada blog.)

To Serve is to Suffer

“In a world where physical health, appearance, and convenience have gained almost idolatrous prominence, God may be calling Christians to demonstrate the glory of the gospel by being joyful and content while enduring pain and hardship. People who are unfulfilled after pursuing things that do not satisfy may be astonished to see Christians who are joyful and content after depriving themselves for the gospel. This may be a new way to demonstrate the glory of the gospel to this hedonistic culture.”

– Christianity Today has published this challenging essay by Ajith Fernando, national director of Youth for Christ in Sri Lanka.

30 days of prayer

Now that Ramadan has begun (August 11 – September 9 2010), it’s a great time to love Muslim people through prayer.

30-days.net has much helpful information, including PDF resources and a 2.2MB downloadable prayer guide. Worth passing on.

Who is Arthur Bennett?

At Between Two Worlds, Tony Reinke shares his research on the author of the much loved collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions, The Valley of Vision.

Federal Election resources

While not supporting any party, the Centre for Public Christianity has assembled a range of material to help Christians to make an informed choice in the coming Australian Federal Election.

As well, the Australian Christian Lobby has just posted a new interview with Julia Gillard, in addition to its earlier material.

August–September DNWA prayer notes

The latest Diocese of North West Australia Prayer Notes and Bishop’s Letter are now available on their website – for your prayers.

Preach Christ

“The motto of all true servants of God must be, ‘We preach Christ; and him crucified.’ A sermon without Christ in it is like a loaf of bread without any flour in it. No Christ in your sermon, sir? Then go home, and never preach again until you have something worth preaching.”

– At Between Two Worlds, Tony Reinke has assembled some challenging reminders from C H Spurgeon.

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