Amazing Grace — 250th anniversary on New Year’s Day 2023

We may all be thinking about Christmas, but New Year’s Day is close behind.

On 1st January 2023, it will be exactly 250 years since the first singing of John Newton’s hymn Amazing Grace.

Learn more about the hymn and the anniversary, and download the original words, at The John Newton Project.

The above video, made for the 240th anniversary, gives some helpful background. (We’re thankful to The John Newton Project’s Marylynn Rouse for all her research!)

“This brief video shows how John Newton was inspired to write the hymn Amazing Grace for New Year’s Day, Friday 1 January 1773.

John Newton wrote his hymn to accompany his sermon on 1 Chronicles 17:16,17. He drew inspiration from the life of King David in looking back to the past, looking around at the present, and looking forward to the future.

Note Newton’s own words for the 6 verses – towards the end of the video.”

What new hymn might you write for New Year’s Day 2023?

The worst of all nightmares!

“What is your worst nightmare? We all have those trivial nightmares. Falling into an endless pit. Being encircled by sharks. Waking up with a nest of spiders on you (which happened to me for real at beach mission one year!). But if I were to ask you to seriously consider your worst nightmare – what you fear most – what would you say? …”

– At The Australian Church Record, Mike Leite reminds what truly wonderful news Christmas really is.

The Stable & Cross

Joshua Bovis at St John’s Tamworth shares this Christmas message, written for his parish newsletter.

________

There are certain words, certain objects and certain things that at first glance don’t seem to work when they are combined. For example, my older brother Colin, who is a chef in England, once worked at a lovely pub called The Axe & Compass. For the life of me I cannot work out what an axe has to do with a compass nor how one points to the other.

Christmas reminds me of The Axe & Compass. Not because it is pub where much drinking will happen, but because the essence of Christmas contains two words, two objects that at first glance, also don’t seem to work when they are combined, and those two things are the stable & cross. 

Perhaps your response to these two things is the same as my initial reaction when I heard about the Axe & Compass, what does the stable have to do with a cross? How does one point to the other? After all we all know the Christmas story. We have all seen the nativity scene in our local shopping centres. Ok, so the traditional nativity scene has taken some liberties regarding the number of wise men, wherever there was actually an inn or an upper room, a stable or a cave. But we all know the basics, there a young very pregnant woman, her concerned husband, a birth, a healthy newborn baby boy, a star, Bethlehem and Angels. 

So what does the cross have to do with a stable? Why is that part of Christmas? How does that fit with a stable? A cross is about Easter isn’t it? And wait a second…the stable is about a birth, Easter is about a death, how can the stable and cross go together?

The answer is not as way out as it seems. The stable and the cross go together when we ask the question ‘why’? Why was Jesus born? Why did he come to this earth? Why did Jesus leave his throne in heaven to become vulnerable flesh and blood? Why did God become one of us?

The wonderful thing about these questions is that they are questions that have an answer, and even more wonderful, Jesus himself answers the question. 

In his Gospel, Mark records an event where two of Jesus’ disciples, James and John had plans, big plans. They were ambitious and wanted great things – for themselves. And they thought the key to greatness was Jesus, so they asked him to make them great. Jesus turns their worldview upside down (or is it the right way up?) by telling them that the key to greatness is serving others. Then Jesus gives them the example of himself and, at the same time, answers the question of why he was born. He says:

“FOR EVEN THE SON OF MAN CAME NOT TO BE SERVED BUT TO SERVE, AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE AS A RANSOM FOR MANY.”

A sad fact of Christmas for many of us is that we often receive gifts that don’t last, that are not that useful and (let’s be honest) that we don’t like. To me, gifts like this could be described as hollow. The stable and the cross are the ultimate gift from the God who loves us, for it is the person of Jesus who links them both together and He is the point of both.

Christmas is a wonderful opportunity to spend time with family and friends, it is wonderful opportunity to eat food we don’t normally eat, (and to eat more than we would normally eat), and it is often a time of connecting with others. The stable and cross is God’s way of connecting with us and the stable and cross is the only way that we can connect with him. 

The Stable & Cross words seem like words that don’t go together – but to have Christmas without them makes for a Hollow Christmas. No-one likes hollow gifts at Christmas, so when we see the Stable & Cross, why settle for a hollow Christmas? Why would we want to?

Have a blessed Christmas!

Pastor, Don’t get cute this Christmas

“I know the feeling.

Christmas comes around every year. The same songs. The same texts. The same story. Most of the time I love the familiar rhythm of Advent and the comforting routine of tradition.

But as a pastor, I also know that sense of desperation: “How many more Christmas sermons and holiday homilies can I possibly come up with?” And I rarely do a full four-week Advent series. The poor brother who does an Advent series every year for 40 years is going to preach at least 160 sermons on Christmas. I sympathize with the temptation to novelty.

But don’t do it, pastor. …”

– At The Gospel Coalition, Kevin DeYoung has wise advice.

Islam, Christianity and the World Cup in Qatar – with Sam Green

From The Pastor’s Heart –

“It’s World Cup Final week in Qatar and Muslims are using the event in a highly coordinated proselytizing campaign, or what they call Dawah, both in person and online.

Sam Green is a senior campus pastor with the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students, and his special interest for twenty years has been on reaching Muslims for Jesus Christ.”

–  Watch or listen here. Very interesting and helpful.

Moore Matters Summer 2022 now online

The latest copy of Moore College’s Moore Matters (Summer 2022) is now available for download (a 35MB PDF file).

For your encouragement.

The war zone of the Pastor’s Heart – with Peter Orr

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“Peter Orr says there is a crisis among pastors. He says a fight is on for our hearts, ministry and joy.

Pastoral work will only be a joy and sustainable if the congregation self consciously reciprocates the love and encouragement that is extended by the pastor to the congregation.

Peter Orr, who lectures in New Testament at Sydney’s Moore Theological College, is the author of a new book ‘Fight for your Pastor’…”

– Watch or listen here.

Fight For Your Pastor

“Sometimes a preposition makes all the difference. We do not need to look far to find examples of Christians who fight with their pastor. If you speak to just about any one of them I expect he will be able to tell you of people who have fought him tooth and nail over some peeve, some cause, some perceived slight. But much rarer are those who fight for their pastor, those who honor him and his position by battling for his success, for his joy, for his encouragement. …”

– Tim Challies reviews Peter Orr’s book “Fight for your Pastor”.

Availability.

‘Wokeness’ used to be amusingly eccentric – now it’s an authoritarian bid to re-write the history of Western civilisation

“That political use of the term ‘woke’ still has many Australians puzzled.

It’s probably the word I’m asked to explain more often than any other.

So, let’s see if I can give a definitive account of the word’s origins, history, development, and how it’s being used now.

It first appeared in print in America in 1891. …”

– Broadcaster and word expert Kel Richards introduces mystified Australians to the meaning of “woke”.

Mental health and the Pastor – with Keith and Sarah Condie

On The Pastor’s Heart this week:

“How is God’s power at work in human weakness?  What does it mean to say ‘True health is about being in right relationship with God?’

How do we affirm human worth and recognise the complexity of functioning?  What is the connection between our inner and outer life?

How do we distinguish between sickness and sin?

What difference does a Christian community make?  And how can God’s compassion and care be expressed in the midst of difficulty?  …

Sarah and Keith Condie are directors at the Mental Health & Pastoral Care Institute, which is part of Mary Andrew’s College in Sydney.”

– Watch or listen here.

On the Giving of Gifts

“Back in the 90s the book The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman came out. The ideas in that book are something I still hear people talk about today.

The premise is that people express and receive love in five key different ways. They include words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service and physical touch.

I remember first reading this list and being a little bit repulsed by the receiving gifts one. It seemed to me such a selfish, materially focused way of wanting to be loved. Yet as I read the book and reflected on the ways that I have most felt loved, I was shocked to discover that receiving gifts actually was my primary love language. Yikes!

I think many of us feel a hint of this same repulsion at the gift giving that goes on at Christmas …”

– At The Australian Church Record, Jocelyn Loane explains why she is seeking to embrace gift giving this Christmas.

How to Change Your Church

“Pastors often ask me, ‘How do we get our churches to change?’ Too many ministers have alienated their churches trying to bring change. Some have even been fired.

Still, as shepherds, we must lead our churches to change, even though such change will often be difficult. Here’s a few suggestions about how to bring change: teach, stay and love. …”

– In this brief article at 9Marks from 2010, Mark Dever writes about long-term change in a church. Much encouragement.

Quiz Worx Christmas video for 2022 — The Saviour of the World

The wonderful team at Quiz Worx have released their Christmas video for 2022.

“What do a Surf Lifesaver, a Firefighter and a Dr have in common? They all save lives! 

This Christmas join Aneeka, Cosec and the Quiz Worx team to discover what the Bible teaches: that Jesus is the greatest lifesaver ever because Jesus is the Saviour of the World!

This 17-minute video is ideal for use in SRE (NSW) and RI (QLD) classes and assemblies. It is recommended by the creators of Beginning with God, Connect, Big Questions and GodSpace, and supports the learning outcomes of these curricula.”

– See the promo video – and register to see and download the full video resource – here.

They also have lots of other very helpful resources on their website.

Christianity: Weird and Wonderful — Rory Shiner on ‘The World Next Door’

Recorded in August 2022, Glen Scrivener from Speak Life in the UK speaks with Rory Shiner about his new book, ‘The World Next Door: A Short Guide to the Christian Faith’, which he co-authored with Peter Orr.

It’s a fascinating interview with very helpful insights into sharing the gospel in our culture.

Watch here. The book is available from Matthias Media.

Put on your glasses

“On our recent trip to the UK we went on two Christian Heritage walking tours, one in Edinburgh and one in London. Both were excellent.

In Edinburgh we followed the path of the Reformation and the brutal treatment of the faithful Covenanters.

In London we visited John Newton’s church, St. Mary, Woolnoth, as well as many other significant evangelical centres in the square mile which makes up the city of London.

I was struck at the value of having a guide who can give so much extra background information. …”

– At The Expository Preaching Trust, David Cook draws attention to the importance of knowing history.

(David mentions this book.)

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