South Sudan Floods appeal

“Sydney-based Reverend Samuel Majok, leader of the South Sudanese congregation at St Mark’s Oakhurst, is raising funds for many thousands of people impacted by recent severe flooding that devastated most of Jongei State, where Samuel’s family is from. …”

– Learn more at Anglican Aid. (Photo: Anglican Aid.)

See also:

The emergency you haven’t heard about – SydneyAnglicans.net

Death and starvation as floods destroy South Sudan – ABC Religion and Ethics Report.

Church Society launches The Global Anglican

During a live event this evening, Peter Jensen, Alfred Olwa and Sammy Morrison joined Lee Gatiss and Ros Clarke for the re-launch of Church Society’s theological journal.

Established as Churchman in 1879, the new journal is now known as The Global Anglican.

The launch issue may downloaded here from Church Society.

Preaching the Wisdom of Proverbs

“Having won the NRL Premiership for the second successive time in 2019, the Coach of the victorious Roosters, Trent Robinson, was asked what he would do to win three in a row in 2020.

The coach responded that he would do nothing differently because 2020 would be different, different schedule of matches, injuries and weather conditions. The prize, he said, would go to the team which adapted best to change.

None of us could have anticipated then, how different 2020 would be to 2019.

None of us can predict with certainty what a day will bring but God knows and orders all things and,  a Bible reading in the morning may become exactly the word from God we need to hear for that particular day. That is why we need to pay more respect to the random nature of the book of Proverbs.

There are three ways to preach the book of Proverbs …”

– At The Expository Preaching Trust, David Cook shares some helpful tips on preaching from the Book of Proverbs.

Also on Proverbs:

When Solomon’s Fool Created a Social Media Platform – Tim Challies.

“The fool of the book of Proverbs is a vivid illustration of practical atheism, for this foolish man lives as if there is no God and as if God isn’t concerned about human behaviour. The fool may not actually deny the existence of the divine, but he practically denies it by choosing to live according to his own way rather than God’s. Though wisdom is available, personified in the form of a woman who cries aloud and begs everyone to follow, the fool chooses to go his own way instead and displays all the devastating consequences of such rebellion.

Solomon’s fool is relevant to every age, and certainly not least to this age when we have such ready access to forms of communication that in any other era would be considered the stuff of science fiction.”

Southern Cross — September 2020

The September 2020 issue of Anglican Media Sydneys Southern Cross magazine is now available to read online, or to download as a PDF file.

(Click on the icon at the top left of the linked page to download.)

From Generation to Generation: Societas 2020

The 2020 edition of Societas, the annual magazine produced by the students at Moore Theological College, is now available for download or to read online.

Much encouragement.

Do share the link.

Freedom for Faith Submission on the Anti-Discrimination Amendment (Religious Freedoms and Equality Bill) 2020

Freedom for Faith has published their Submission on the NSW Anti-Discrimination Amendment (Religious Freedoms and Equality Bill) 2020.

Read it here. (Link via Neil Foster at Law and Religion Australia.)

See also the submission from David Ould at St. John’s Parramatta.

Expository Preaching on the wane? — David Cook

I studied at Moore Theological College from 1973 to 1975, under the principalship of D.B.Knox.

Those who studied at Moore under Dr Knox always anticipated his Doctrine 1 lectures, held twice a week for the whole of first year.

Dr Knox would usually open the lecture making reference to our text, ‘In understanding be men’, by a former principal of Moore, T. C.Hammond.

These remarks would usually take about 10 minutes and then the rest of the lecture consisted of questions and answers.

Knox would occasionally correct Hammond, who wrote his book on an ocean liner, travelling from Ireland to take up his appointment in Sydney.

Dr Knox would say, ‘the archdeacon may have been seasick at this point’.

What impressed me was that Knox, who rarely corrected Hammond, did so on the basis not of the Anglican doctrinal standard, The 39 Articles, but on the basis of God‘s Word, the Bible.

That was Moore’s enduring legacy to me, through lecture room and chapel service, the Bible was taught and preached as the final authority in all matters of faith and practice.

I have recently been part of a committee discussing what it means to be ‘reformed’.

The 5 Solas have been referred to, but finally, I think we have come to the conclusion that the foundation of Reformed theology and conviction, is that the Bible is God’s breathed out word and is our final court of appeal.

We believe what we believe, because that is what the Bible says.

This was the core of Luther’s argument with the Roman church in the 16th Century.

When called upon to retract his writings, Luther said, ‘Unless I am convinced by the text of the Scriptures or clear reason, for I do not trust in the Pope or the Councils alone…I am bound to the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not retract anything…’

It is the influence of the Reformers and men like D.B.Knox, which have led me to seek to have the Scriptures at the centre of my life and preaching.

Calvin referred to the Bible as a pair of spectacles, ‘which dispel the darkness and give us a clear view of God’.

The point of these remarks for preaching is that we preach the way we do because of what we believe about the Bible and how God reveals himself. J.I.Packer said, ‘the text of the Bible is God preaching to us’.

The faithful preacher will be God’s mouthpiece, by explaining, expounding, declaring the Bible.

How foolish to have a word from the mouth of God and to displace it with our own thoughts and inclinations!

Does your preaching show your respect for God, your desire to honour him, by faithfully and engagingly proclaiming the Bible?

Is this consistently true, every time you take the pulpit?

My current screen saver is a quote from the late R.C.Sproul:

‘I think the greatest weakness in the church today is that almost no one believes that God invests his power in the Bible. Everyone is looking for power in a programme, in a methodology, in a technique, in anything and everything but that in which God has placed it, His Word!’

David Cook.

The Pastor’s Heart: ‘The Minister Drought’ with Mike Leite and Mark Earngey

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“Across the Western world theological college enrolments are down. Today it’s the third part of a conversation about this problem.  Specifically we are focusing on the issues of Sydney.

We’re exploring the joint issues of not enough people putting themselves forward for ministry and the shortage of senior ministers for Sydney’s Anglican Churches.

Moore Theological College Lecturer Mark Earngey and St George North Assistant Minister Mike Leite have been researching for several years the underlying issues that have contributed to the Sydney minister drought.

Mike’s responsible for editing the recently released booklet ‘Sydney Anglican Ministry.’  Mark is behind the latest edition of the Australian Church Record Journal.

Plus we review the important ‘From Sydney to the World’ online conference held on the weekend, which was aimed at putting recruiting for ministry back on the agenda.”

– Watch or listen at The Pastor’s Heart.

Related:

The Minister Drought: A Millennial’s Perspective – Angus Martin at The Australian Church Record.

A Prayer for VP Day

A prayer for the 75th Anniversary of Victory in the Pacific – by the Rev Mark Charleston.

Our Lord Jesus Christ said:

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”

Almighty God and Heavenly Father,

Whose kingdom rules over all and in whom there is perfect freedom. We give thanks this weekend for all who served in the defence of this country during the Second World War.

As we remember those men and women who served – in the ranks of our Navy, Army, Air Force and Merchant Navy – we thank you for their sacrifices, in conflict and in captivity, for the cause of peace and freedom.

We pray today for peace in our world.

Have mercy on our broken and divided world and banish the spirit that makes for war. We ask that leaders of nations and governments will pursue freedom, justice and the welfare of all peoples.

In an uncertain world, marked by senseless violence and selfishness, we pray for ourselves. Fill us with courage and love to share the good news of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Have mercy upon all who do not know life through faith in Him. By your Holy Spirit, turn the hearts of nations to our risen Lord Jesus – and to the peace with you that passes all understanding.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

– Source: SydneyAnglicans.net.

ACR Winter 2020 Journal

The Australian Church Record’s Winter 2020 Journal is now up on their website.

Grab your copy for plenty of stimulating reading. And pass on the link to others!

Ministering from a distance: Paul’s ministry from prison

“Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon from prison. He would doubtless have preferred to be with them in person (Phil 1:8), but as he was kept apart from them he ministered from where God had placed him as best as he could.

We don’t get any sense that Paul felt his life was on hold: he continues to make the most of his daily circumstances (Col 4:3ff), preaching to the palace guards and all those around him (Eph 6:19; Phil 1:13), and sending out messengers with hand-written letters to the churches to encourage them and receive news for his own prayers and encouragement (Eph 6:22; Phil 2:18; Col 4:7-9). And we see clearly that although his relationships with these churches were different, his priorities – for clear gospel teaching and for the church to be built up in maturity in his absence – remained the same. …”

– A very relevant article by Caroline Clark at The Australian Church Record.

Matters of moment from Luke 15 — Dick Lucas

St. Helen’s Bishopsgate is continuing to post helpful resources for preachers from Dick Lucas.

In the latest release, he wants to help preachers “dig for treasure” in Luke 15.

CMD Media Training for churches

“We at CMD are very conscious of the enormous challenge it has been for many churches to conduct their services online since late March and now the challenge continues in another form.

Many church leaders need to consider how to continue providing church online whilst beginning to conduct live services on site with reduced numbers.

For many this will mean that pre-recording services is not realistic and therefore they are considering running a ‘hybrid model’ or church services whereby the live service is streamed live to those at home. …”

– The Centre for Ministry Development at Moore College is looking at how they might support churches with all these changes.

Evaluating Evangelistic Courses

“Pastors regularly ask for a recommendation on evangelistic courses. What works best? What do you think of X or Y course? Do you have something that suits English second language contexts or a less literate demographic?

Recently, that question has been sharpened around the course best suited for an online ‘digital’ presentation of the gospel (as COVID 19 has revealed more engagement than expected through digital platforms/social media). …”

— Phil Wheeler, Director of Evangelism and New Churches in Sydney, wants us to ask key questions in looking at various evangelistic courses.

Care for Beirut

Anglican Aid has launched an appeal –

“Anglican Aid is working closely with Christian partners in the Middle East to care for people affected by yesterday’s explosion in Beirut, Lebanon.

We are providing relief and aid funds through the Baptist Association of Lebanon, to enable them to support their neighbours and be a light in the darkness at this critical time.”

Update:

“Our brothers and sisters in Lebanon were already battling a health and economic crisis due to the Coronavirus pandemic. This tragic explosion has compounded their suffering,” said Canon Tim Swan, the CEO of Anglican Aid. “We ask our supporters to pray for Beirut, and to show the love of Christ for them by giving to this appeal.” – SydneyAnglicans.net.

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