Faithful listening

“What to do if we find the preaching we’re fed Sunday by Sunday is biblical, yet quite standard, and maybe a bit dull? … When we hear nothing really new to us, except the old, old story of Jesus and his cross?

Are we so well fed, that these become meals we feel we can skip as we feel like it?

Here’s an old hymn (#49, Olney Hymns) by John Newton, of ‘Amazing Grace’ fame. He often wrote a new hymn each week, while ministering in the parish of Olney!

But these days I doubt anyone is singing this one! …”

– In the St. Andrew’s Cathedral Newsletter, Dean of Sydney Sandy Grant draws attention to a little-known hymn by John Newton. (Sadly, we don’t hear many new Christian songs like this one!)

The hymn may be found on page 386 of the PDF version of Olney Hymns published by Christian Classics Ethereal Library. (Click on Download, then select PDF.)

This painting of John Newton by John Russell hangs in the CMS building in Oxford. Photo © Marylynn Rouse / The John Newton Project, used with permission.

Songs for the Summer – Psalm 1

At The Anglican Connection (and writing for a North American readership), John Mason shares two reflections on Psalm 1 for his Word on Wednesday –

Part 1: Happiness, Part 2: The Path to Life.

Hey Christian – Be Vexed by the Olympics Opening Ceremony. Be very Vexed.

“I just assume now that any public performance across the Western world that is staged by super smart, progressive creative designers will contain some element of blasphemy. And it should vex us. …”

– Stephen McAlpine has some thoughts about the Olympics opening ceremony.

Elite sports chaplain Ashley Null: ‘The gospel is the antidote to performance-based identity’

“We’re not two minutes into our interview before Rev Canon Dr Ashley Null starts weeping gently.

It is not what I was expecting.

The danger with the relentless researching of your subject in preparation for an interview is that you’re bound to make some assumptions. My first was that Null, a Yale and Cambridge alumnus who is a leading expert on Thomas Cranmer and the theology of the English Reformation, might be intimidatingly intellectual and inaccessible to us mere mortals.

My second was that this might make for a difficult interview with an overly fastidious subject.

I was wrong on both counts. …”

– At Premier Christianity, Emma Fowle speaks with Ashley Null. Take the time to read. (Link with thanks to Anglican Mainstream.)

Related:

Chaplaincy on Track – SydneyAnglicans.net.

Photo courtesy Gafcon.

Eric Liddell: The Olympic Champion who ran God’s Race in the Internment Camp

“With the approaching of the 33rd Summer Olympics in Paris on July 26, many people especially Christians are remembering Eric Liddell (1902-1945).

Powerfully depicted in the 1981 Academy Award-winning film Chariots of Fire as the “Flying Scotsman”, Liddell demonstrated to the world a strong Christian conviction. Appreciated or criticised, he refused to run any race on any Sunday, even at the cost of gold medals. However, his missionary work in war-torn China from 1925 to 1945 is less known, and even less known is his Christ-like living in the Japanese concentration camp in China. …”

– At AP, Sonia Liang reminds us of the often-overlooked story of Eric Liddell.

Photo: Eric Liddell at the British Empire vs. USA (Relays) meeting held at Stamford Bridge, London on Saturday 19 July 1924. Public domain, via Wikipedia.

Review of Packer’s ‘Proclaiming Christ in a Pluralistic Age’

“I was eating pizza the other night with two young men, one a Christian, the other a seeker. We talked about what it means to be a Christian and some of the challenges of the Christian life.

The first surprise was that they/we couldn’t get through two family-sized pizzas. The youth of today!

The second was that they thought that becoming a Christian in 2024 was a way of rebelling.

One told how his boss, a Gen X Roman Catholic, explained that young men shouldn’t be going to church but should instead be finding a girlfriend to sleep with and getting drunk. The young man found this boringly orthodox, ignoble, and distasteful. He felt certain that there must be a better way to live.

I’m having conversations like these more and more these days. Are we seeing early signs of a spiritual awakening among young people? I wonder whether the Lord is beginning a new work among these younger generations.

What I know for certain is that the Church must be ready to receive young seekers. That means that our churches must be refuges of radical, self-sacrificial love. Parched and thirsting for meaning and community in today’s desert of online isolation and spiritual desolation, nothing will attract young people more than an actual flesh-and-blood loving Christian community. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

This kind of strange Christ-like love can arise only from an intimate relational knowledge of Jesus himself.

This is where a book like Proclaiming Christ in a Pluralistic Age comes in.

J. I. Packer (1926–2020) was a British theologian, author of the now-classic Knowing God (1973), who for most of his working life was a professor of theology at Regent College in Vancouver. He stands alongside John Stott, F.F. Bruce, Michael Green, Dick Lucas, Martyn-Lloyd Jones and other superb conservative-evangelical British preachers and theologians of the twentieth century.

The book is in fact a lightly edited transcription of five lectures that Packer first delivered at Kuyper College in Grand Rapids in 1978, and then at Moore College in Sydney. …”

–At AP, Campbell Markham reviews J I Packer’s Proclaiming Christ in a Pluralistic Age. (Bold added.)

And you can also see or hear Packer’s five lectures at the Moore College Annual Lectures in 1978 – in glorious grey and white, thanks to the Donald Robinson Library at Moore College.

His series title was “We Preach Christ Crucified”. Very much worth watching.

At about an hour each, why not consider watching these with your Bible Study?

Lecture 1 –  We’ve a Story to Tell.
Lecture 2 – The man Christ Jesus.
Lecture 3 – He emptied himself: the divinity of Jesus Christ.
Lecture 4 – The wonderful exchange.
Lecture 5 – No other name: the uniqueness of Jesus Christ.

Related:

The Moore College Annual Lectures 2024 with Tom Schreiner.

A way back from disillusionment and disappointment in ministry — The Pastor’s Heart

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“Disillusionment is one of the great threats to the Christian life and to Christian ministry

A wise man said the worst thing in ministry was not a pastor who quits, but a pastor who doesn’t quit, but who keeps going when they’ve given up.

Sydney Missionary and Bible College Karl Deenick shares his own experience of hitting a major wall after seven years of pastoral work.

We unpack how ministry challenges can lead to a sense of disillusionment, especially among millennials, plus a way back.”

– Many will resonate with this one. Watch or listen here.

Related:

Gathered Together by Karl Deenick. (Matthias Media.)

Peter Adam’s talks at the 2001 Proclamation Trust Senior Ministers Conference:

The Making of a Man of God – 1.
The Making of a Man of God – 2.
The Making of a Man of God – 3.

Albert Mohler: President Biden Drops a Political Bomb

Dr Albert Mohler at Southern Seminary has released another ‘special edition’ of his The Briefing podcast to comment on the withdrawal of President Joe Biden from the Presidential race.

Obviously, his opinions are his own, but Australians who might not have been following events closely will find this a helpful overview, along with his critique of some of the positions held by candidates or potential candidates.

– Listen here. (26 minutes.)

Reading the News the Biblical Way

“The news can be overwhelming on a good day and depressing on a normal day. Wars, scandals, financial crises, social decline, and political buffoonery are enough to make anyone exhausted.

We need to learn to read the news the biblical way. Revelation can help us. …”

– Darryl Dash at The Gospel Coalition Canada reminds us of two important truths from the Book of Revelation.

FREEDOM24 conference August 5

From Assoc Professor Neil Foster at Law and Religion Australia:

“Freedom for Faith is hosting the FREEDOM24 Conference 9am-4pm on Monday August 5th at Village Church Annandale in Sydney. I highly recommend this conference!

Livestream tickets are free, to maximise access for those who cannot attend in person.

FREEDOM24 conference will develop your understanding of threats to religious freedom in Australia from historical, theological and policy perspectives.

Historian Sarah Irving-Stonebraker will examine the history of religious freedom, while John McClean of Christ College will share a theological perspective on how the church is to respond to legal threats to ministry. We will also have a number of experts unpack the major religious freedom concerns in Australia, as well as implications and paths forward for advocacy.

Issues examined will include: …”

– Details and link for tickets.

Savour Christ in Every Psalm

“For the greater part of church history, Christians have viewed the Psalms through the lens of fulfillment in Jesus Christ.

In particular, they have read the Psalms as the songs of Jesus — songs sung by Jesus in his life on earth, and songs in which the risen and ascended Jesus still leads his church in singing on earth. …”

– At Desiring God, Christopher Ash encourages us to do what millennia of Christians (including centuries of Anglicans) have done.

Things I wish I heard in a Funeral Sermon

“Several months ago, I attended a vaguely Christian funeral. It was Christian in the sense it had familiar elements of our faith: a Bible reading, a short sermon and a cross adorning the hall. Yet it was vague because I left uncomforted and unconfronted by the substantive truths of our faith.

The guests came and went without hearing the gospel. Our hope of seeing the dearly deceased was not articulated beyond the ethereal mention of faith, hope and love. …”

– This article by Renee Zou, published by The Gospel Coalition Australia in May, is an encouragement to all who have an opportunity to speak or preach at such difficult times.

Hate Speech – Vilification Laws and Threats to Religious Speech

Associate Professor Neil Foster writes at Law and Religion Australia –

“I have presented a paper today surveying Australia laws on ‘hate speech’ and ‘vilification’, as they have an impact on religious free speech. The paper can be downloaded here…”

– Here’s the link.

What I wish I knew before becoming a senior minister

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“What would Dave Keun and Jon Kwan like to tell their younger selves if they could travel back in time before they took on the position of senior minister?

How has their sense of ownership changed?

What has been most difficult about the transition to the role? What mistakes have they made?

Dave Keun has been senior minister of Kellyville Anglican Church in Sydney’s North West since March  2022.

Jon Kwan has been lead pastor of St David’s Forestville (on Sydney’s Northern Beaches) since May 2022.”

– Watch or listen here.

Jonathan Edwards and the Spiritual benefits of Church Music

“Christianity has always been a singing faith and music plays a big role in the life of the church. But church music is also controversial. Some people leave a church because of music, while others join a church because of music. Some churches split because of music, and others make a lot of money from their music.

Jonathan Edwards, a pastor-theologian from 300 years ago, can help us step away from the politics of church music for a bit to consider the theology of church music. …”

– Ricky F. Njoto writes at The Gospel Coalition Australia.

Related:

Music for the Church: Mark Dever Interviews Keith Getty – at 9Marks.

On Repetitive Worship Songs – John Piper at Desiring God.

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