Richard Coekin: ‘Pious Passivity’ vs ‘Strategic Intentionality’
From The Pastor’s Heart:
“What happens when churches move beyond ‘pious passivity’ to strategic intentionality in reaching the lost?
Richard Coekin – founding pastor of Dundonald Church in London and director of Reach UK – joins Dominic Steele to unpack the revolutionary approach transforming churches across Australia and the United Kingdom.
Following on from Reach UK and Reach Australia in May, Richard candidly shares his journey from skepticism about ‘Pentagon language’ and structured frameworks to embracing these tools as valuable expressions of pastoral care and evangelistic intentionality.
‘If you don’t aim at anything, nothing will happen,’ he explains, challenging the notion that strategic thinking somehow diminishes reliance on God’s sovereignty.
We look at the biblical foundations for strategic ministry, with Richard pointing to Acts 6 as a model where the apostles prioritized preaching and prayer, built ministry teams for delegation, and ensured the church’s practical needs were met.
Plus we discuss measuring spiritual fruit.
Whether you’re skeptical of strategic approaches to ministry or already embracing them, this conversation offers fresh insights on leading churches that are both faithful to Scripture and effective in mission.”
What It Means To Be Protestant — Book review
“Gavin Ortlund, not to be confused with his brother Dane Ortlund who wrote Gentle and Lowly (Crossway, 2020), is one of Protestantism’s foremost ‘accidental’ apologists. This is because, as Ortlund himself says in the introduction, he didn’t set out to become this but instead responded to a need he identified on social media.
Ortlund’s YouTube channel Truth Unites has become immensely popular and he is known for discussing various Biblical topics in a clear, historically insightful but most irenic way. This is also the case with What It Means To Be Protestant (Crossway, 2024) which I think is something of a model for how inter-faith dialogue – especially with Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox – should be done.
Due to the nature of the topic, this could easily become abrasive or overly hostile. However, Ortlund does a masterful job at maintaining a respectful and engaging tone.…”
– At AP, the Australian Presbyterian journal, Mark Powell reviews What It Means To Be Protestant.
Multisite Churches: What works and what doesn’t?
From The Pastor’s Heart — an extra edition from the Reach Australia Conference:
“Multisite was a buzz seven years ago. Today, with thousands of campuses launched in the United States—and many hard lessons learned—the mood is more measured. What’s changed? What’s endured? And what can church leaders here learn today from the American experience?
Live from the sidelines at the Reach Australia Conference on the Central Coast of New South Wales, we sit down with Wade Burnett from McLean Bible Church in Washington DC and Derek Hanna, Reach Australia’s church planting and multisite specialist, for a fresh look at the multisite church model. …”
What are Matthias Bible Guides and how can they help you?
The Australian Church Record speaks with Geoff Robson about The Matthias Bible Guides:
“Matthias Media recently launched a new series of books: the Matthias Bible Guides. As one of the editors of the series since its inception, can you tell us how the idea came about? Who in particular do you want to serve with these books?
I often remind myself of this quote attributed to Spurgeon: ‘Visit many good books, but live in the Bible’. As someone whose job is to help bring (hopefully) ‘good books’ into existence, I have to remember that it’s not an end in itself; it’s a means to the end of helping people live in the Bible so they might know the Lord and live for him. That’s the overall aim of the Matthias Bible Guides. …”
– Read here.
Ascension — Church Society podcast
“Ed Moll talks to Ros Clarke about the ‘Cinderella doctrine’ of the ascension and why we should pay more attention to it.”
– The latest Church Society podcast.
Related:
Daniel 7 and the Ascension of the Son of Man – Wyatt Graham at The Gospel Coalition Canada.
Paul and Sue Harrington: Lessons on the way
From The Pastor’s Heart – this week at the Reach Australia conference on the NSW Central Coast:
“Paul Harrington has led the Trinity Network of Churches in Adelaide for 33 years, guiding it from a single congregation of 800 to a thriving network of 13 churches with over 2,600 members.
Sue Harrington is a Reach Australia board member, has been deeply involved in supporting pastors’ wives, families, and women in ministry and runs a consultancy business.
Together, we discuss the lessons learned along the way, the emotional and practical challenges of planting daughter churches, and the role of humility and servant-hearted leadership. We explore the cost and recovery after sending, the evolving nature of church leadership, and the often overlooked but critical support needed for ministry households.”
The Christian’s daily battle
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:11-13)
“Paul’s letter to Titus takes as one of its central themes ‘knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness’ (Titus 1:1).
The apostle is eager to show the relationship between the ‘grace of God that has appeared’ in Jesus, and the ‘self-controlled, upright and godly lives’ that are the fruit of God’s grace in the lives of those who ‘wait for the blessed hope’. …”
– Archbishop Kanishka Raffel writes at SydneyAnglicans.net.
(Also in the print edition of Southern Cross magazine, May-June 2025.)
Work and Rest — What does God’s rest mean for his people?
From Phillip Jensen:
“The creation account of Genesis finishes in a most unexpected place – rest. The idea of God resting on the seventh day is so familiar to us that we sometimes miss how extraordinary it is. That God should rest and bless the seventh day, inviting us to share it with him is one of the wonders of the Bible.
In a society dominated by and priding itself in ‘busyness’ and confused and conflicted over ‘work/life balance’, God’s teaching on the Sabbath day is a welcome relief for Christians. Yet it is not simply an individual issue, for the Sabbath is to be celebrated by all of creation.”
– Listen at Two Ways News – including listeners’ feedback!
Hope in the Psalms of Lament
“I am frequently drawn to the Psalms of Lament. These psalms are highly personal. They reflect deep pain but also hope and trust in our loving God.
The psalms of lament resonate with the brokenness I see and experience. Their first lines are poignant, moving …”
– Dr. Veronica Hoyt, Director of the Priscilla & Aquila Centre at Moore College, reflects on the Psalms of Lament.
Jesus in a post-truth world: Audio
Lionel Windsor shares:
“This is the audio of a talk I gave at Leura Anglican Church on 18 May 2025. It’s the first in a three part series, designed to be accessible to churchgoers and non-church-goers alike.”
– Listen here.
King’s Birthday Conference 2025
Two Ways Ministries’ 2025 King’s Birthday Conference is coming up at Moore College on Monday 9th June.
“From Feminism to motherhood, from animal rights to toxic masculinity, from racism to euthanasia, Australia is in an ethical turmoil on many issues. Christians often feel in the crossfire of these culture wars. Do Christian ethics apply to non-Christians?
This year at the King’s Birthday Conference, Phillip Jensen is going to look at how becoming a Christian takes us back to the universal morality of Creation.” …
“As we expect to fill the Marcus Loane Hall to capacity, we are planning to have an overflow venue. We have introduced an early bird rate which will end on May 31 so those who register early can get a seat in the Marcus Loane Hall – confirmation of seating in the Marcus Loane Hall is only possible until the hall is full.
Early bird $25, Early bird concession $10
From 1st June: Regular price $30, Regular concession $15.”
– See the details, and register.
The Genesis of Science
From Phillip Jensen:
“You knew that we couldn’t undertake a series on Genesis 1-11 without dealing with science – and so here it is.
Mind you, it may be different to what you are expecting as we explore the background to the warfare between science and religion (aka Christianity). We do not want to hold the Bible to ransom from the captivity of science, but science from the captivity of history. Where has science come from and how has it been derailed or helped by an understanding of the sinfulness of humanity?
Neither Peter or I claim any expertise in the practice of science, but both of us have serious questions about the history of science, the understanding of Genesis in the light of science and the understanding of science in the light of Genesis. I hope you find it informative.”
– Listen at Two Ways News.
Everyone needs (to be) a mother
“When someone becomes a parent – whether to biological, adopted or fostered children – it means, among other things, that they have the privilege and responsibility of teaching that child about God. Because God has revealed himself in the Bible, it means teaching their child God’s word and modelling to them what it looks like to be a follower of Jesus Christ. The child’s parents are primarily responsible for this teaching and modelling (Prov 1:8-9; Eph 6:1-4).
Yet the gospel is also taught and modelled by members of the church family more generally. …”
– As Mother’s Day approaches, The Australian Church Record team have dug into their archives to hear again from Jane Tooher on what it means to be a spiritual mother.
Preaching Mentoring – new semester begins Sunday 27 July
From The Expository Preaching Trust:
“Mentoring of preachers is one of the most effective inputs the Trust has into the ministry of preachers.
The Trust is pleased to offer mentors free of any charge to preachers.
Mentors can be accessed on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis.
Mentors available include: Don Barker, Graham Barnes, Jono Buesnell, David Burge, Elizabeth Burns, David Cook, Stuart Coulton, David Jones, Michael Leong, Simon Manchester, Jim Mobbs, Janet Riley, Jenny Salt and Marshall Scott.
A pastor writes, ‘Nothing has helped my preaching more than the encouragement and correction of a preaching mentor who speaks with grace, truth and a deep grounding in God’s word’. …”
– Learn about this encouraging ministry at their website.
What’s really going on in the faith lives of young Australians?
From The Pastor’s Heart:
“We explore the findings of the Your Story Research Report — a significant national study that listens to the voices of more than 400 young people as they reflect on their spiritual journeys.
We find out who and what has, and is, shaping young people’s faith from their childhood, though to adolescence, to right now.
There are insights into the eight “faith journeys” —from Embracing to Reconstructing to Disengaging— highlighting the importance of relationships, trust, and belonging in shaping faith over time.
Plus advice for churches, families, and schools on how to nurture young people in ways that are both personal and sustainable.
Graham Stanton is Director of the Centre for Children’s and Youth Ministry. He lectures in Practical Theology at Melbourne’s Ridley College.”
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…