A Prayer for the afflicted saints of Iraq
Rick Phillips, Senior Minister at Second Presbyterian Church in Greenville, South Carolina, has written a prayer you could use or adapt. And you will be helped by checking the Bible references he gives too. At Reformation21.
Biblical Theology — Guardian & Guide of the Church
The latest 9Marks Journal is out and is available for free download in a variety of formats.
How you can help N. Iraq right now
From Stuart Robinson, Bishop of Canberra & Goulburn:
Dear Friends and colleagues,
Having read my letter to the Prime Minister of Australia, a great many people are asking how they might take action.
1. Do please pray for an end to the violence – resources for prayer and giving are here. This is a good link if you are living in the northern hemisphere.
2. The Bible Society has launched an appeal. You can give here.
3. Through your own email contacts and social media outlets ensure local leaders and politicians and are apprised of what is in fact taking place. This link really should go viral.
4. The most recent statement of the Archbishop of Canterbury is also worth circulating widely.
5. For those who wanted an electronic link to my letter (to on-send to local leaders and politicians) it is here.
6. Finally – a note from Archbishop Mouneer – expressing his thankfulness for our interest and prayer. You are at liberty to circulate widely.
My dear Bishop Stuart,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
I cannot tell you how much your prayers and encouragement means to me and to the Christians in the Middle East especially at this very difficult time.
Please continue to pray for us, as we will be praying that God will strengthen you.
May the Lord bless you!
+Mouneer
The Most Rev. Dr. Mouneer Hanna Anis
Bishop of the Episcopal / Anglican Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa
President Bishop of the Episcopal / Anglican Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East
Diocesan & Provincial Offices. 5 Michel Lutfallah Street, Zamalek, Cairo 11211
Website: http://www.dioceseofegypt.org
An Invitation from God
Part of the “Jesus Brings” initiative.
Looming Famine in South Sudan
Anglican Aid’s David Mansfield writes:
“Anglican Aid has entered a partnership with the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Sudan (ECSS&S) to support a project to assist communities prepare for an expected famine during the summer of 2014/15.
The expected famine is due to the inability of displaced people to plant crops.
While emergency food security will be provided by other agencies, the Church in South Sudan is assisting through a Peace Dividends Project to assist people to plant crops to provide longer term food security.…
Anglican Aid [is] suggesting people forgo a meal out and contribute the money to support South Sudan.”
Donations may be made online or by phoning 02 92841406. (Click the image for a larger version.)
How do we lose sight of the basics?
At the recent NEXUS Conference, Richard Chin spoke on how ‘gospel DNA’ can be distorted and corrupted in our ministries. His wide-ranging talk is well worth watching. See the video here.
Moore College Sunday 2014 — Watch the video
Moore College wants to encourage you to pray for the college, and they’re going to great lengths to solicit your prayers!
See their Moore College Sunday website and watch the video. (Moore College Sunday in 2014 is this weekend, Sunday August 3rd.)
5 things you can do to help Iraq’s persecuted Christian
“If you’re like us, you’ve probably felt outrage and despair reading about the situation in Iraq’s second largest city, Mosul.
Islamic militants have taken over the ancient city (traditionally called Nineveh and featured in the story of Jonah) to establish an Islamic state. In the process, they’ve demanded Christians leave, convert or die. It’s resulted in the city emptying of Christians whose families have lived there for thousands of years. They are now sheltering in mosques, churches, refuge camps in Kurdish cities without their belongings.
So far away from the situation, it’s easy to feel helpless. But there are some things you CAN do. Here’s 5 things you can do to help Iraq’s persecuted Christians…”
– Read the list of ideas at The Bible Society.
Oak Hill Commentary — Summer 2014
The Summer 2014 edition Oak Hill’s Commentary magazine is now out (just in time to enjoy during the British heatwave).
New KCC app
Katoomba Christian Convention has released an app for iOS, Android and Windows phones – to stream audio of talks, to keep up to date with coming events, and to ‘participate in our conventions’.
Available via this link.
NEXUS Conference 2014 talks
The talks from the 2014 NEXUS Conference are being posted on their website – see them here. Most encouraging.
‘Out of step’ with the times — but not the Bible
“The Church of England’s decision to allow women bishops may represent a historical shift in attitudes in its General Synod, but to the dismay of supporters of the ordination of women, the move may hold little sway for Sydney’s Anglican community…
‘As much as we respect the Church of England, it is no longer the centre of our world,’ Bishop Forsyth said. ‘It’s not our Rome, it’s a partner church in the worldwide community of Anglicans.’…”
– from The Sydney Morning Herald.
Includes a quote from ACL President Gav Poole –
”Sydney is known around the world for its evangelical character and its holding to the authority of the scriptures,” he said. ”That’s a long tradition here in Sydney and something we have always appreciated.”
Who is the most important person in your church?
“Who is the most important person in your church? On one level it’s kind of a silly question to ask. Yet in his book Healed at Last, Scott Blackwell provides an answer that is both sweet and encouraging. He tells about his friend Steve who has been profoundly disabled since birth.”
– Tim Challies draws attention to Healed at Last.
‘Can I Really Trust The Bible?’ Promo
You might enjoy this promotional video for Barry Cooper’s book, Can I Really Trust the Bible?
When the sermon could have been better
In the latest Preaching Matters video from St. Helen’s Bishopsgate in London, William Taylor speaks about what to do when your sermon wasn’t really up to scratch.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…