Expositional Preaching – new 9Marks Journal
The latest 9Marks Journal is out. It’s on expositional (otherwise called expository) preaching.
Pray through Ramadan
As the month of Ramadan begins, Christians around the world are being urged to pray for their Muslim friends and neighbours, that they may hear the saving news of Jesus Christ and to put their trust in him.
Open Doors is one of several organisations providing prayer resources. Another is 30 Days Australia.
Did you forget the Cross?
At the recent NEXUS Conference, Chris Braga gave a very helpful 18 minute exhortation.
Does your church or Christian organisation explicitly speak of the Cross of Christ and what it means?
Or is it assumed?
Encouragement: It’s not too long – watch the video in your Parish Council meetings, committee meetings, home groups, staff meetings – at GoThereFor.com.
Related: Mission Minded.
Two Ways Ministries launch (updated with video)
When Phillip Jensen resigned as Dean of St. Andrew’s Cathedral at the end of 2014, it wasn’t so that he could retire.
His new venture, Two Ways Ministries, was launched at Moore College on Saturday 30th May, with the help of a large group of friends.
The tag line of Two Ways Ministries is “Preaching the gospel by teaching the Bible”. Phillip explains that his aim is to promote the strong connection between faithful exposition of the Bible and preaching the gospel. He, and a few consultants, aim to model evangelistic preaching from the Bible. As well, he plans to continue recruiting and training young preachers, and writing.
Watch or listen:
Richard Chin asks Phillip Jensen about the new ministry. (video)
Two Ways Ministry and book launch – Phil Colgan. (video)
Phillip spoke on 2 Timothy 4:5, “Do the Work of an Evangelist” (video) or audio only.
The ministry was launched with prayer.
As well, a book of 20 essays in honour of Phillip – Let the Word do the Work – was also launched by The Australian Church Record.
The offices of Two Ways Ministries are inside Moore Theological College and can be contacted here.
Please do pray for this new ministry, at the same time giving thanks for tools such as Two Ways to Live – which has been such a blessing to so many over the years.
Let the Word do the Work
At the launch of Two Ways Ministries on May 30, Phil Colgan also launched a new book of twenty essays by friends and colleagues of Phillip Jensen.
Entitled Let the Word do the Work, Essays in honour of Phillip D. Jensen, it’s published by The Australian Church Record.
Contributors to the volume:
Peter Blowes, Peter Bolt, D.A. Carson, Chris and Mona Chia, Richard Chin, Paul House, R. Kent Hughes, Matthew D. Jensen, Peter Jensen, Paul and Sandra King, Simon Manchester, Colin Marshall, Joshua Ng, Tony Payne, Carmelina Read, Rob Smith, William Taylor, Mark Thompson, Tim Thorburn, Jane Tooher.
Here’s the Preface, by ACR Editor Peter Bolt:
“When Phillip Jensen announced his resignation from St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney, the Directors of the Australian Church Record immediately requested me to commission a volume of essays in his honour.
It is no exaggeration to say that Phillip, with his focus on clear Bible teaching and gospel proclamation, has been an enormous influence in maintaining and shaping Sydney’s evangelicalism. It is equally clear that his ministry has influenced good, evangelical change throughout Australia and in significant places across the globe.
Of course, the thanks and praise must go to the Lord Jesus Christ, who called Phillip to himself in order to thrust him out as yet another labourer into his harvest field. But because his ministry has brought so many benefits to so many people and also to the evangelical cause, it would be an act of ingratitude to Christ if we did not also thank Phillip himself for his faithfulness to the Saviour. Rejoicing in the Lord’s work, and in the work of his servants ought to go hand in hand.
These essays are offered in this double thankfulness, and with the hope of more good things to come as Phillip enters the next phase of his service of the Lord Jesus.”
You can order Let the Word do the Work from Matthias Media.
Praying for those who serve those who serve
The 2015 Defence Anglicans Prayer Diary is now up on their website.
Use it to help you uphold in prayer those who minister to members of the Australian Defence Force.
Don’t miss the ACL Georges River Region Information Night Monday 15th June
Don’t miss our ACL Georges River Information Night –
• What is the Anglican Church League?
• What do we do? Why is this worth your interest and support?
• Why do many consider consider the League to be vital for the life of the Diocese of Sydney?
Please be encouraged to invite others in your church (clergy or lay) who may be interested in the work of the ACL.
Anglican Future Conference videos
Videos of talks from the Anglican Future Conference in Melbourne in March 2015 (programme) are now available, thanks to the Peter Corney Training Centre.
They are terrific resources – check them out and consider how you might use.
30 Days of Prayer
Food for Prayer. 18 June – 17 July 2015.
Leland Ryken and Sam Storms on J I Packer
Justin Taylor sat down recently with Sam Storms and Leland Ryken – both of whom have written books on J. I. Packer. It’s a 20 minute video.
J. I. Packer is best known for his books Knowing God, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God.
The Bible and same sex relationships: A review article
“The reason that homosexual relationships make so much more sense to people today than in previous times is because they have absorbed late modern western culture’s narratives about the human life.
Our society presses its members to believe ‘you have to be yourself,’ that sexual desires are crucial to personal identity, that any curbing of strong sexual desires leads to psychological damage, and that individuals should be free to live as they alone see fit…”
– Tim Keller responds to two celebrated books which argue that the Bible allows for, or supports, same sex relationships.
Words of encouragement from Gordon and Ruth Russell
Moore College has posted four brief, but very encouraging, videos with College graduates Gordon and Ruth Russell.
Take the time to watch. At around three minutes each, the videos are ideal for screening in mid-week meetings or on Sundays.
2. Why Moore, and what’s next for you?
Christ amongst the ‘gods’
“Today, Australia is visibly a religiously plural society. Christianity is no longer the ‘normal’ religion. Religious diversity is the new normal. And we experience that diversity daily. … This is the first of three articles about responding to religious plurality in Australia…”
– the Gospel, Society and Culture Committee of the Presbyterian Church of NSW is helping Australian Christians to think through the issues of living in a multifaith society. You can download the PDF file here.
This is the God who Saves – new EP from Michael Morrow
“Michael Morrow is a UK based Australian musician who has produced songs with EMU Music and on his own.
You might remember him from songs like This Life I Live, Nothing But The Blood, and Come Hear The Angels Sing.
He’s just released a four song EP that takes its name with the first track, This Is The God Who Saves…”
– thanks to Gary Ware for spotting this.
David Cook on Preaching Galatians
“Why is the Gospel so momentous? Is the work of Christ sufficient to bring us into relationship with God, or do we need to make some additive? What place is there for the law in the lives of Christians already saved by grace through faith?
David Cook explains why it is so important to preach Galatians properly. The law will not justify us, but neither will the law sanctify us. The law is no help in causing us to grow in godliness or in maintaining our relationship with God. The work of Christ doesn’t need supplementing by anything we may attempt to do.”
– Check out the latest Preaching Matters video from St. Helen’s Bishopsgate.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…