The Joy of Enough — Mothers Union Sydney annual seminar

The Mothers Union Sydney annual seminar for 2026 is coming up next week – Friday 27 February – at St. Andrew’s Cathedral OR via Livestream. It’s a free event!

Details at the Mothers Union website.

Can AI Preach my Sermon?

“We have crossed a strange and significant line. For centuries, those who gathered to hear the preaching of God’s Word could safely assume that the messages they heard were prayerfully prepared by a human pastor. That pastor was someone called by God, shaped by Scripture, and burdened with the task of proclaiming it. In 2026, that assumption can no longer be made.

Recent polling confirms it. …”

– Caleb Phelps at the Proclaim and Defend blog encourages preachers to do the hard Spirit-enabled work of sermon preparation themselves.

He reminds his readers that, “Pastors do not need to lead the charge in technological advancement. We need to give ourselves to the Word. We must study it until we know it, know it until we love it, and then preach it for the spiritual good of God’s people”.

(Link via challies.com.)

Pottery of the Roman Era

“In 1995 I took a semester of Study Leave and went back to University.

The founding Professor of Ancient History, Edwin Judge, was still lecturing at Macquarie University and I enrolled in all his classes.

One of the extra classes available, which I didn’t think would be especially relevant,  was, ‘Pottery of the Roman Era’.

The class turned out to be surprisingly interesting.

The assessment involved writing a 3000 word essay on observations of a piece of pottery …”

– David Cook shares some encouragement to grow in your knowledge of something even more exciting than Roman pottery.

“YouTube sermons helped bring me to Christ”

“I was 28 years of age and living in Darwin. Despite growing up in a Christian family, and calling myself a Christian whenever I had to identify with a religion, I never went to church, read the Bible or prayed at all.

My sister had given me an old laptop. On it, she was signed into her YouTube account.…”

– Dave Jensen shares wonderful encouragement – at SydneyAnglicans.net.

“Supercharging” faith for 20 years

“As Year 13 celebrates its 20th birthday this year, there is rejoicing at the number of students who have taken a gap year to get equipped for life and strengthen their spiritual foundations.

Since beginning with 16 students in 2006, over 1200 young people have been through the program.…”

– A most encouraging report from Tara Sing at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Mentoring 2026

From David Cook at The Expository Preaching Trust –

“Ian Healy believed that one aspect of Shane Warne’s  genius was that he always looked for feedback and who better to give it than his wicketkeeper, Healy.

The Trust makes available preaching mentors, men and women who have had many years of preaching and training experience to give feedback on preaching.

Mentors are available free of charge on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis.

Comments from mentees:

‘…mentoring is the hour each week when I slow down and sharpen the saw. I want to make sure I keep growing sharper in my preparation rather than getting dull over time’.

‘Preaching mentoring is one of the most valuable things I receive, I am a teacher of God’s people, as I am mentored, I have the privilege of being a learner myself’.

One of our mentors, Jenny Salt, adds her encouragement …”

– Read the encouragement here.

Southern Cross February – March 2026

Anglican Media Sydney has posted the February – March 2026 edition of Southern Cross magazine online. (Printed editions will also appear in parishes.)

Get a digital copy here.

Many encouraging stories, including this one about new studios for Global Recordings Network Australia –

You may be familiar with GRN as the producers of the wonderful 5fish resource with the Story of Jesus in 7,000 languages and dialects – 5fish website – app download.

Learn more about the new studios on the Global Recordings Network Australia website – via this video – and in this radio interview on Vision Radio.

Men Meeting the Challenge Conference 2026

The Men Meeting the Challenge conference for 2026 is coming up at The Kings School on Saturday 14 March.From the organisers:

“This year’s theme, ‘Burn Your Boats: Join the Mission, Change the World’ speaks directly into the lives of men who are juggling work, family, church and many other responsibilities. While life is busy and full, this conference provides an opportunity to pause, refocus, and be reminded of the greater mission God has called us to.

‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.’ (Matt 16:24)

Men Meeting the Challenge exists to encourage and equip men to follow Christ faithfully in the everyday realities of life. It is your conference, shaped by and for men who desire to live with purpose, integrity, and gospel conviction.”

– Details and booking here, including a promo video and other resources.

Courageously Staying in The Church of England

From Church Society –

“Lee Gatiss, Chris Moore and Ros Clarke discuss what it takes to stay in the Church of England and faithfully contend for the gospel.”

– Listen here.

Young People are turning to the Bible

Murray Campbell writes:

“Search is on for meaning and for hope.

Last year reports from the UK and USA suggested that the Bible is becoming more popular than ever. Indeed, a huge resurgence in Bible sales is taking place, especially among the U25s. These whispers are growing louder, with The Guardian reporting yesterday,

‘Sales of the good book reached a record high in the UK in 2025, increasing by 134% since 2019 – the highest since records began – according to industry research. Last year, total sales of Bibles in the UK reached £6.3m, £3.61m up on 2019 sales.

Leading the charge is young people. Only 4% of 18- to 24-year-olds said they attended church monthly in 2018, but in 2024 that number rose to 16% – the largest increase of any age demographic.’…”

– Read here.

‘Keep Your Armour Bright’

“As an 81 year old slave of Christ who strives to be non emeritum sed retractum (not retired but retreaded) I’m an inveterate attender of Ministers’ Conferences, whether it involves travelling to the opposite end of the Earth or more locally to those conducted by the Expository Preaching Trust, to sit at the feet of greatly gifted godly teachers and enjoy warm fellowship with others ‘of like precious faith’.

Charles Wesley wrote: ‘To keep your armour bright, attend with constant care; still walking in your Captain’s sight and watching unto prayer,’ and attendance at such conferences is a great way of doing this, taking in spiritual refreshment ourselves so that we will go back to our posts better equipped to ‘refresh the hearts of the saints’ there. …”

– Bob Thomas shares this encouragement at The Expository Preaching Trust.

A Change of Subject — Peter Jensen’s Global Anglican editorials

From Church Society: “Featuring a selection of editorials, articles and reviews from the 2024 issues of The Global Anglican, this digital digest is free to download.”

This Digital Digest includes a number of book reviews, several articles, and no less than four Editorials by former Archbishop of Sydney Peter Jensen. Here’s the start of one of them  –

“In the midst of a huge crisis for the Church of England and for the rest of the Anglican Communion, it may be thought that an editorial in The Global Anglican would address itself to the topic. But so much is being spoken and written about these matters, that I considered that a totally different subject may be refreshing, one that addresses the ordinary business of ministry wherever in the world it is conducted.

Thus, it will be an oddly personal editorial and I hope that readers will forgive me for it. I have been reflecting on my ordained ministry experience of fifty-five years and thought that it may interest some at least if I make some observations about what the Lord has taught me in that time. I make no claim to uniqueness or comprehensiveness or profundity, but for all that my thoughts may be helpful to some, whether in ministry or contemplating ministry, or gazing at ministry from the outside.

I offer ten aphorisms in no particular order, with an explanation for each one as I proceed.…”

– A generous gift from Church Society which, no doubt, will encourage you to think about subscribing to digital or print editions of The Global Anglican.

Image from The Pastor’s Heart.

We have Smartphones — Why memorise Scripture?

“When Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness, he answered each temptation by reciting a passage from Deuteronomy (Matthew 4:1–11). He clearly had these verses memorized, for lugging the scroll around in the desert would have been impossible.

But modern minds might ask, ‘If I can access any verse anytime I want with the touch of a finger on a six-ounce phone, why memorize?’ Has the marvel of digital technology made memorization obsolete?

My answer to this question is ‘Absolutely not!’…”

– Follow Andrew Davis’ argument at Desiring God. (Link via challies.com.)

Southern Cross December 2025 — January 2026

The latest copy of Southern Cross magazine from the Diocese of Sydney is now available.

If you don’t see a copy in your local church, you can also read it online.

Let the young man come to church with mixed motives

“Has there ever been a cohort more scrutinised for seeking out the message of the gospel and the refuge of the church than The Young Man cohort at this particular point in history?

Has there ever been a level of scepticism levelled towards seekers than towards this particular type of seeker – The Young Man?

I find it strange. Strange and slightly deflating. After years of wringing our hands about the lack of evangelistic fruit in the West, there’s suddenly an uptick – indeed somewhat of a surge – among a cohort that has been viewed as the Holy Grail by evangelists – The Young Man! … But we are suspicious.”

– Steve McAlpine makes a very good point.

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