The Criminalization of Christianity in Finland
“In a foreshadowing of America’s future under coercive secularism, a Finnish politician and Finnish bishop will go on criminal trial next week for merely upholding historic Christian teaching on sexual morality.
The trial is a telling measure of the erosion of Christianity in Europe.
Juhana Pohjola, a Lutheran bishop, and Päivi Räsänen, a member of Finland’s Parliament, stand accused of an act increasingly forbidden in the de-Christianized West: quoting the Bible. …
After Räsänen quoted from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans in a tweet, she found herself under police interrogation for 13 hours.”
Gary Millar’s “Read This First”
“As our culture continues to become less ‘Christian’, more and more people are becoming less and less familiar with the Bible – in some cases, they have never actually seen a Bible, let alone read it. I’m convinced that we can do a better job at helping people to get started.
Personally, I’ve often wanted to be able to hand something to people which helps them to get into the Bible, rather than just giving them a gospel (or a whole Bible) and expecting them to make sense of it. This is a very simple ‘primer’ to help people do just that. …”
– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Jacob York asks Gary Millar about his new book, Read This First.
Anglican Aid — Tonga: Volcano Emergency Response
From Anglican Aid:
“Anglican Aid and the Anglican Relief and Development Fund Australia have partnered with the Evangelical Wesleyan Church in Tonga to distribute urgently needed relief to the people impacted by the recent volcanic eruption.
We are also working with Missions New Zealand to provide supplies to four Anglican Churches in the capital, Nuku’alofa, to distribute among their local communities.”
Resources for churches to publicise the appeal. Top image: JMA.
Three Simple Ways to Flatten your Neighbour
“As our society becomes increasingly post-Christian, it’s no surprise to see the vanishing of a Christian view of humanity—an understanding that allows for complexity, even expects it.
Instead, we give in to the impulse to divide everyone into categories of ‘bad’ or ‘good,’ and then treat them accordingly.
The result? Fewer and fewer people, even in the church (and we ought to know better!), who are able to distinguish what’s good and bad in the same person, or truth and falsehood in particular causes. …”
– Wise observations from Trevin Wax at The Gospel Coalition.
Expository Preaching Trust launches 2022 Programme
“2022 is the 11th year of the Trust’s ministry. Our ministry takes three forms …
1. Preaching Workshops …
2. Mentoring …
3. Preaching Clubs … ”
– Read all about it at the website of the Expository Preaching trust.
Anglican Aid’s Prayer Diary 2022
The Archbishop of Sydney’s Anglican Aid Prayer Diary for 2022 is now available on their website.
Related:
Love, serve, train – how one man is giving back – SydneyAnglicans.net
John Anderson with William Lane Craig
Before Christmas John Anderson spoke with philosopher, theologian and apologist Dr. William Lane Craig for his “John Anderson Direct” series –
“John and William discuss the historical plausibility of the resurrection of Christ, contemporary physics and faith, the existence of evil, and the Jewish Renaissance.”
Watch here. (The video on YouTube has links to sections of the conversation.)
The Story behind Amazing Grace
Marylynn Rouse from The John Newton Project was interviewed on Premier Christian Radio’s Sunday Night Live for 16 January 2022.
Most encouraging.
The pastor, the church and social media
From The Pastor’s Heart:
“What’s best practice for churches and Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and TikTok?
How does a pastor’s non Christian and Christian audience impact the way we use social media.
To what extent do potential church members decide to join/not join your church, based on your social media posts?
How can we shift internal church disagreements off social media, rather than airing disputes before unbelievers?”
Launch 2022 – spurring on our school-leavers – Reconfigured due to COVID
Phillip Jensen writes:
“Starting uni and continuing to live for Christ throughout uni is not a given for many young men and women. Launch is a great opportunity to help school leavers be cemented into the Christian network and gospel activities on their campus.
Launch 2022 is only two weeks away so could you pass on an invitation to your school-leavers and their parents?
With Covid continuing to impact people’s movements we’ve recreated Launch. It is no longer residential in Katoomba which increases covid safety, reduces cost and makes it even more accessible!”
See phillipjensen.com/events/launch for details and registration.
Aim to be Unremarkable
“Our culture operates according to the myth of the great person model of leadership. An extraordinarily gifted person is the solution to most problems. What every struggling organization needs is a great leader who, by virtue of extraordinary qualities, will be able to turn that organization around.
When imported into the church, we long for great leaders. …”
– At The Gospel Coalition Canada, Darryl Dash reminds us what we really need in our churches.
$3, $5, $10 – books on special from Matthias Media
Matthias Media has a bunch of books on special at the moment.
“Sale ends Monday 31 January, unless a book sells out before then.”
Click this link to see what’s on offer.
Mothers Union Sydney Annual Seminar — For Such a Time as This
Mothers Union Sydney is holding its Annual Seminar on Friday 25th February.
The theme: For Such a Time as This.
Topics:
The God We Know – Jo Gibbs
Have I the right to be who I am? – Rob Smith
When Dreams are Broken in the family – Jenny Brown, author of Growing Yourself Up.
Details at the MU Sydney website.
Questions Women Asked — reviewed by Claire Smith
“Simonetta Carr’s new book, Questions Women Asked: Historical Issues, Timeless Answers covers a topic close to my heart: the contribution of women to the history of the church.
Even better, she seeks to do so using the women’s own voices—their letters, their books, their poems, their hymns, and their prayers. …“
– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Dr Claire Smith takes a look at an encouraging new book.
The Global Anglican — Vol 135, issue 4
From Church Society:
“The latest edition of The Global Anglican, our quarterly theological journal, is now published. Issue 135/4 includes Peter Jensen’s editorial, ‘Where is the True Church?’ in which he examines the relationship between local churches, denominations and the true church of Christ.”
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…