9Marks eJournal on Church Discipline
“Western culture doesn’t seem to understand tough love. Love today means unconditional acceptance. If you love me with conditions, you don’t love me. You’re judgmental and intolerant.
God knows better. He knows we’re finite and fallen. Therefore, his love challenges us at the very points of our finitude and fallenness for our good, and that’s not comfortable.
Church discipline is just such an uncomfortable act of tough love, which is why 9Marks would like to spend two issues of the eJournal considering this important topic…”
– Jonathan Leeman introduces the current 9Marks eJournal – on the seldom-addressed topic of church discipline. Worth reading – it’s available as a 420kb PDF file.
The Antioch dimension
“If there is to be long-term church growth today, there must be a regular, considerable amount of Christian teaching, as well as extensive evangelism. How else can the Lord’s commission of Matthew 28:19, 20 be fulfilled, if there is not a comprehensive explanation and application of the Lord’s doctrinal and moral teaching?…”
– In the last issue of Cross†Way, David Hilton reflects on how followers of the Way became to be known as ‘Christians’. PDF file from Church Society.
Leadership on the front foot — 20% off
As a follow up to last week’s mention of the 2009 Australian Christian Book of the Year Awards, we thought you might be interested to know that Youthworks is selling Zac Veron’s ‘Leadership on the front foot’ for 20% off.
(You can download a sample chapter from their website.) Photo: Zac Veron, Bishop Paul Barnett and Don Howard receive their awards.
The Work of the Minister of the Gospel
“You have been called as minister in this congregation and you have been ordained in pursuance of that call. There are many functions which devolve upon you in that particular capacity, but I want to draw your attention particularly to two of these functions because I believe they are the two main functions which devolve upon the minister of the Gospel. …”
– Food for sober reflection from a 1960 ordination charge given by John Murray – with thanks to Martin Downes at Against Heresies.
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
There are a number of bands seeking to make hymns known to a contemporary audience. Page CXVI, apparently in Boulder, Colorado, is one – check out their website and hear (or buy) their album – at pagecxvi.com
“Inspiring People”: Connect09 initiative
Connect09 Executive Director Andrew Nixon writes:
I want to tell you about some important events planned for September and October, as part of the strategy to reach the Central Business districts of our cities. These events will be unlike any we have ever staged.
1. They are designed to attract outsiders, even those who don’t know a Christian – hence we will advertise extensively in the CBD.
2. They will feature high profile Christians in prominent positions, who will tell their life stories, including their testimony, during panel discussions.
3. These discussions will be integrated with an offer to explore the Christian faith through the “Life of Jesus” course using “The Essential Jesus”.
Events will be held over five weeks, either before, during or after work in the CBD, North Sydney and Parramatta, starting Tuesday 15 September.
The”Inspiring People” website is now live.
41 Questions to ask a potential Church
Colin Adams at Unashamed Workman has posted questions he asked of the elders at his new church prior to him being called.
There are a lot of sensible questions there.
Freedom, Biblical Baptism and Christ Centred Communion
Barry Newman, well known to many in Sydney Diocese, and one of the ACL’s vice-presidents, has recently started his own blog. He begins by looking at the sacraments.
(h/t David Ould.)
Do we have free will?
Andy Naselli writes:
“This summer my church… hosted a “Difficult Issues Series” on Wednesday nights, and on June 10 I addressed this topic: “Do We Have a Free Will?”
MP3 (1 hour and 45 minutes including Q&A)
Handout (7-page PDF), Condensed Essay (4-page PDF).”
– thoughtful resources from Andy Naselli’s theology blog. (Andy serves as research assistant to Don Carson at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.) h/t Justin Taylor.
Davies and Spong agree
“It is not often that I find myself in agreement with Bishop Jack Spong.
According to the Church of England Newspaper report of 21 August, the former Bishop of Newark has rejected Presiding Bishop Katharine Schori’s contention that nothing had changed as a result of the 76th General Convention’s votes on gay bishops and blessings…”
– Bishop of North Sydney, Glenn Davies, writes at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Mark Dever interviews Phillip Jensen
While in Sydney, Mark Dever conducted an interview for 9Marks with Phillip Jensen. Both Phillip and Mark speak about bringing change in a church.
Video of the interview, which runs for 16 minutes, is posted at phillipjensen.com.
Preach on Alienation — to Reconcile
“Of course, there are great temptations not to preach on sin(!) Brian McLaren tells us that this is not the way to reach Gen-Xers. Robert Schuller told us this was not the way to reach Boomers. Harry Fosdick told us this was not the way to reach Moderns. I am sure we could find such sentiments all through history, and the reason is that we do not like to be told that we are sinners…”
– Chad Brand. (h/t Unashamed Workman)
Ryle on Sin
“Men will never come to Jesus, and stay with Jesus, and live for Jesus, unless they really know why they are to come, and what is their need. Those whom the Spirit draws to Jesus are those whom the Spirit has convinced of sin.
Without a thorough conviction of sin, men may seem to come to Jesus and follow Him for a season, but they will soon fall away and return to the world.”
– Bishop J.C. Ryle, Faithfulness and Holiness: The Witness of J.C. Ryle, p. 114, 115. (Thanks to Erik Kowalker at J.C. Ryle Quotes.)
Wearing the disguise of Faithfulness
“The inevitability of the votes to allow the affirmation of homosexual unions and the calling of homosexual ministers is rooted in decisions made prior to those crucial votes. The actions in Minneapolis would be inconceivable but for the fact that the denomination has for decades allowed increasing theological pluralism to mark its membership and its leadership…”
– Al Mohler writes on the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s decisions last week,
Getting church right
The Liturgical Panel of Sydney Diocese has been working on new resources to help those involved in planning and leading contemporary-style worship gatherings.
While it’s a work-in-progress, their helpful website is now up and running, and features a ‘Service Builder’. It’s at bettergatherings.com. Thanks to all involved!
Related: Bishop Robert Forsyth’s column at SydneyAnglicans.net. and Thinking about what we do in church (i).
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…