PrayerMate celebrates ten years

PrayerMate is ten years old, and has been a blessing to so many. It may help your prayer life.

Out-Thought or Out-Discipled? Mission and Ministry in 2020s Australia

“In 1901 about 96 percent of Australians identified themselves as Christian. By the 1950s this had hardly moved, with a good 89 percent nominating Christian on the census.

The big change has happened in the last half-century. It began in about 1963, and it has accelerated in the last ten years. The next census, due this August, is almost certain to mark a significant milestone: the first time fewer than fifty percent of Australians identify as Christian. …”

– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Rory Shiner helps us understand the context in which we preach the gospel to Australians today.

His article was first published in the recent ACR Journal.

Image: The Pastor’s Heart.

Religious Freedom Weekend June 11-13, 2021

Neil Foster, at Law and Religion Australia, writes,

“Let me commend this event, the ‘Religious Freedom weekend’ to be celebrated over June 11-13, 2021; details available at this website: religiousfreedomweekend.com.au.

The weekend is being sponsored by Freedom for Faith, a legal think-tank supporting religious freedom in Australia which I am proud to be associated with. This is not a conference, but simply a weekend where we are encouraging believers all over Australia, and those who just support the important human right of religious freedom, to celebrate religious freedom and consider what they can do to support this right.

There is a Resource Pack outlining some current challenges, with some suggestions for prayer for churches and other religious groups. There is a call which can be sent to Members of Parliament to support proposals to protect religious freedom, especially through laws prohibiting religious discrimination. Church leaders can also email for further resources.

I think this is a great resource and encourage all those who read this blog to support it and share it with others!”

Anglican Aid Update for Churches – May 2021

At last week’s Diocese of Sydney Synod, this short video from Anglican Aid was screened. It introduces their partnership with the people of Madagascar. and would be ideal to show in church or to small groups.

A downloadable version is available via the website where there’s also an update in the situation in India.

What Can we Learn Today from the Preaching of John Stott?

“John Stott visited Australia in January 1965, and this visit, one of many, had a profound effect on Australian preaching.

Stott gave Bible studies on 2 Corinthians at the Anglican Church Missionary Society Summer Schools in several states in Australia. Much Australian preaching at that time was on ‘a text’, that is, on an individual verse from the Bible, often without much regard to its context.

In his Bible studies John Stott was demonstrating the obvious value of preaching from passages of Scripture, and from consecutive passages of Scripture. His example had a profound impact on Australian preaching, initially transforming preaching in Anglican churches, but soon also in other churches as well. …

Under God, he was part of a revival of systematic expository preaching in the UK in the 20th Century, which was achieved through Willie Still in Aberdeen, and Martin Lloyd-Jones, John Stott and Dick Lucas in London, and has spread around the world.”

– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Peter Adam’s article is an encouragement for preachers and their hearers.

Image: An interview with Peter Adam at St. Helen’s Bishopsgate.

Australian Church Record Journal for Autumn 2021

The latest Australian Church Record Journal (for Autumn 2021) has been posted on their website.

This issue focusses on topics relating to the election of the next Archbishop of Sydney.

(Note that the ACL does not have a preferred nominee but encourages continued prayer for the Election Synod and each of the Nominees.)

Engaging Preaching

“In his substantial biography of J.I. Packer, Leland Ryken interviews Dr. Packer regarding his literary and spoken style and rhetoric:

Did Packer consciously cultivate the stylistic and rhetorical strategies that I have explored?

I asked him that question and he said yes. He followed that affirmation with the explanation, “One of the things I am is a communicator”.

Ryken highlights Packer’s anticipation of questions in his hearers, ‘but someone will say’, or, ‘but wait a minute’, or ‘you may still be wondering’, all of which serve clarity…”

– At The Expository Preaching Trust, David Cook shares encouragement for preachers.

Things I have learned about coaching senior ministers – with Peter Mayrick

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“Ministers have a crucial role as a source of guidance and authority in the church environment – but we also need coaching, guidance and support.

So how do we make sure that as spiritual leaders we are doing effective ministry? What heart issues and skills should we be focussing on to encourage sustainable and innovative service?

This week we’re speaking to an expert on the topic of ministry training, Peter Mayrick. As the co-director of the Centre for Ministry Development at Moore College, his key area of responsibility is supporting pastors and churches. Peter shares his wealth of experience with us as we discuss what’s helpful for coaching those who will shoulder the most responsibility for the health and growth of a church.”

– Watch or listen here.

Common Prayer for Homes — a new resource

Repost: Originally posted 04 April 2020 – a reminder of this locally produced resource:

From the Better Gatherings website (an initiative of the Diocese of Sydney), here is a very helpful addition to use when you can’t meet in church.

“A new liturgical resource has been completed which provides flexible forms of household worship to serve the churches, by complementing the spiritual resources already being offered during this difficult period: Common Prayer for Homes: Resources for Family Worship.

We trust it will be of some assistance to the ministry already taking place in homes, and ultimately we hope that it provides some good benefit to the spiritual lives of Christ’s flock.”

“Common Prayer for Homes” contains:

HOUSEHOLD WORSHIP – 1ST ORDER
a classic approach to Christian worship, easily modified for any household
HOUSEHOLD WORSHIP – 2ND ORDER
another classic approach to Christian worship, with various options to suit many households
HOUSEHOLD WORSHIP WITH KIDS
a simple approach to Christian worship which is suitable and easily adaptable for young children
MORNING PRAYERS FOR EVERY DAY
an all-in-one guide to morning prayers for each day of the week, for group or individual use
VARIOUS PRAYERS FOR THE HOME
a short collection of prayers which can be prayed in our homes
COLLECTS
this traditional name is given to short and beautiful prayers which cover the whole year, and special occasions.

Download “Common Prayer for Homes” from Better Gatherings. – and do share widely.

Here is some encouragement from the back cover:

Read the Holy Scriptures humbly with a meek and lowly heart, to the intent that you may glorify God, and not yourself, with the knowledge of it. And read it not without daily praying to God, that he would direct your reading to good effect.

– Archbishop Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556)

Therefore, confident in your holy teaching and promises, and all the more since we are gathered here in your presence and in the name of your Son our Lord Jesus; we fondly plead with you, our good God and Father, that in the name of our only Saviour and Mediator, by your infinite mercy, you would freely forgive our transgressions and so draw and lift our thoughts and desires to you, that from our whole heart we may seek you, and that according to your good pleasure and will, which alone is reasonable.

– John Calvin (1509-1564)

The Almighty Lord, which is a most strong tower to all that put their trust in him, to whom all things in heaven, in earth, and under earth, do bow and obey: be now and evermore your defence, and make you know and feel, that there is no other name under heaven given to man, in whom, and through whom, you may receive health and salvation, but only the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

– from the Book of Common Prayer (1549)

We ask Mark Earngey about ‘Common Prayer for Homes’

Resources for ANZAC Day

This Sunday is ANZAC Day – These resources from Defence Anglicans (including audio of the Last Post) might come in handy for use in your regular church service or for a special gathering.

Related: What to preach on for Anzac Day? – David Cook.

A Royal Funeral with a message for everyone

“Kings, Queens and Princes, the great and the small, the young and old, will all meet death and face the judge of the earth. As the writer to the Hebrews explains, ‘people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment’ (Hebrews 9:27). …”

– Murray Campbell in Melbourne gets to the clear message from the royal funeral.

See also: The Order of Service.(PDF)

Image: Royal.uk

Peter Jensen on pure speech

In his editorial in The Global Anglican 135/1, Peter Jensen reflects on the power of words.

Via Ros Clarke comes this excerpt on the Church Society blog:

“Bad doctrine, which is a travesty of the gospel, is doing much harm. But just as harmful is the careless or self-serving language by which other believers are traduced either secretly or publicly.

To repel Satan in his assault on you, is to put on the whole armour of God, especially to buckle on the belt of truth (Eph 6:14). And it is to commit yourself to pure speech:

Not the speech which follows the world in foul language and in blasphemy. So frequent has this become in entertainment, let alone the marketplace, that it is fatally easy to allow our minds to become infested with obscenities and to begin to use them ourselves. …”

– Read the excerpt here, Or start a subscription.

Jesus’ Post-Easter Priority

“Is Jesus Smart? We often think of Jesus as loving, kind, and selfless, but have you ever considered him smart? If we are honest, we must conclude that he is. He is the ‘author of life’ (Act 3:15) who came in the flesh! And since he is smart, he wasn’t ‘winging it’ when he met with his disciples in a locked room that first Sunday evening.

As a thoughtful and intelligent person, Jesus would have been very intentional about his first words to them and to us, and we find them in John 20:19-21…”

– Mark Eldredge at The American Anglican Council has a challenge for churches.

Romans Crash Course

From Lionel Windsor at Moore College:

“This is a 75 minute video course in Paul’s letter to the Romans designed for small group leaders, children’s leaders, and anyone else who wants to get a handle on this incredibly rich biblical letter.”

– Watch here.