Shine, Perishing Communion
Christian lawyer A S Haley, who blogs at Anglican Curmudgeon, tries to unravel the extraordinary events at the Anglican Consultative Council’s vote on the proposed Anglican Covenant on Friday.
“The philosophy of keeping opposites at the table for discussion as long as possible works only for so long as each side can see that the table is level. If it becomes apparent that it is being tilted to favor one of the two sides, the motive for continuing to stay at the table immediately ceases.”
A long but very interesting post. (h/t Anglican Mainstream.)
See also this from The Anglican Communion Institute –
“Friday’s session of the Anglican Consultative Council is an embarrassment to Anglicans everywhere, and a sad display of procedural confusion. Members were given complex resolutions right before the vote without sufficient time to study them and understand their consequences. Resolutions that had been distributed earlier were replaced by resolutions drafted by a committee largely composed of members from provinces known to be opposed to the Ridley Cambridge Draft. …”
Photo of Abp Rowan Williams at ACC-14: ACNS.
Being a good pastor of Christ’s flock
Sovereign Grace Ministries in Maryland have posted online downloads from their Pastors Conference held last month.
Both audio files and PDF files of notes of the main sessions and the seminars are freely available at their website.
Strong words of encouragement to all who are entrusted with the ministry of caring for Christ’s flock.
Even better than forgiven
“The voice that spells forgiveness will say: ‘You may go: you have been let off the penalty which your sin deserves.’
But the verdict which means acceptance [justification] will say: ‘You may come; you who are welcome to all my love and my presence.’”
– Sir Marcus Loane, quoted in John Stott, The Message of Romans. (Thanks to Of First Importance.)
Archbishop Peter Jensen in Ireland
The Evangelical Fellowship of Irish Clergy has posted online the video of two addresses by Archbishop Peter Jensen – given at St. Saviour’s, Dollingstown in Ireland on 20th April 2009. A large crowd of lay people and clergy was on hand to hear Peter speak.
The first message is from Jeremiah 9 (15 minutes), and is a call to repentance.
The second talk, ‘Refresh the Vision’ (49 minutes), is a commentary on the situation in the Anglican Communion and is a strong call to faithfulness, courage and sacrifice. Worth passing on.
The Gospel in three minutes
This three minute video was produced for the UCCF New Word Alive 08 conference.
h/t Unashamed Workman.
Foxes Book of Martyrs
Foxes Book of Martyrs is the free audio book from ChristianAudio during May.
Richard Dawkins and John Lennox on The God Delusion
This debate – on Richard Dawkins’ celebrated book The God Delusion – took place in Birmingham, Alabama, in October 2007.
The video is well worth watching – right to the end.
Love in a time of Swine Flu
The history of humanity is the history of sickness, disease, and death. When sin came, death came, and sickness remains the leading agent of death. The horseman of pestilence has visited plagues and pandemics upon humanity throughout the centuries. Even in the age of modern medicine and the conquest of so many diseases, the very real risk of pandemic remains — and we feel it in our souls. …
– Albert Mohler on our need for Christ, our Physician.
Recognition for North American Anglicans
The April 16 communiqué issued by the GAFCON/FCA Primates’ Council declared the Anglican Church in North America as genuinely Anglican and recommends that Anglican Provinces affirm full communion with the ACNA.
What does this mean? …
– ACL Chairman Robert Tong writes at SydneyAnglicans.net
April 2009 Themelios online
The latest version of Themelios – now published by The Gospel Coalition – is available from their website.
Worth downloading and reading!
Escaping Anonymity
“Left to our own devices, we will soon devise or succumb to all kinds of evil. As Christians we know that we need other believers to hold us accountable to the standards of Scripture. …”
– Tim Challies writes at Ligonier Ministries’ Tabletalk.
Church Record editorial: Diocesan Mission Midpoint Report
“We’re half way there! The half way point of the Sydney diocesan mission is a good time to take stock. We have had enough time to see whether our plans are working and it’s not too late to change. The Midpoint Report was prepared by the Mission Board Strategy Committee. …
Given the significance of this report it is surprising that there has not been more written or said about it. …”
– Thought-provoking Editorial from the current issue of The Australian Church Record.
Gospel Coalition 2009 Conference audio and video online
Audio and video files of the main talks at last week’s The Gospel Coalition 2009 Conference in Chicago are now online.
Better Bishops
“Reform is sometimes heard as being, at heart, opposed to episcopacy itself. Occasionally we are accused of being ‘congregational’. This is where Mark Burkill’s booklet is so helpful. He carefully reviews the history of how episcopacy has developed and shows that while it cannot be regarded as ‘essential’ to the life of the church, it is nevertheless a wise way to order our affairs. … Mark’s booklet highlights the benefits of a biblical approach to episcopacy and helps us to see how we can support godly bishops. …
He finishes with a plea that something which is a secondary feature of church life should not be regarded as primary.”
– Rod Thomas, Chairman of Reform, writes about Mark Burkill’s booklet Better Bishops – published by Reform in December 2008, and now made available on their website.
Archbishop Peter Jensen in Scotland
Archbishop Peter Jensen spoke last weekend at St. George’s Tron Church in Glasgow.
On Saturday night he spoke on ‘Contending for the Faith’, and on Sunday morning, ‘Striving side by side for the Gospel’.
The audio files of the talks are now available at the links above.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…