Sermons from Chappo for your edification

Thanks to Moore Theological College, audio recordings of dozens of sermons by John Chapman (1930 – 2012) are available for your encouragement and edification.

If you are looking for a model of faithful evangelistic exposition, these will be a wonderful help.

The full collection can be found at this link.

Photo: Matthias Media.

I’ve seen more professions of faith in the past two years than the previous eight combined.

“I’ve been preaching evangelistically for 10 years now. I’ve preached at more than 100 different events and conferences. One thing strikingly obvious has been the increase of professions of faith of young adult men to gospel proclamation. As the word is preached, more and more young adults are becoming Christians or showing interest.

I would say that I’ve seen more young adults respond with professions of faith in the past two years than in the previous eight combined. …”

– At SydneyAnglicans.net, here’s some real encouragement from Dave Jensen.

Image: Dave Jensen speaking at St. Helen’s Bishopsgate in London, August 2024.

A Surprising Power

“With the current geo-political upheavals many fear what the future holds. The uncertainty today is exacerbated by the angry divisions within societies. Vindictiveness has replaced respectful and serious conversation. And we can feel utterly powerless when it comes to talking about our faith.

In Perelandra or Voyage to Venus, the second in CS Lewis’ science-fiction trilogy, Ransom, the main character, feels powerless in confronting an evil force at work on the untainted planet Venus. The crafty subtle evil power reflects the temptations in Genesis chapter 3. Despite being a learned scholar in philology, Ransom constantly finds himself defeated in his arguments. What can he do?

This raises an important question for us, for today people have little knowledge of the Jesus of the Gospels. …”

– John Mason writes with encouragement in this week’s Word on Wednesday at Anglican Connection.

The Quiet Power of a Courageous Word

“Sometimes it is the simplest of matters that bear the greatest fruit. A simple deed, a simple gift, a simple word can make all the difference. They can even begin a cascade that changes lives and changes the world.

Charlotte Elliot, a satirist and skeptic, had become bedridden and embittered. One day a pastor from Geneva, Switzerland, passed through her town and was asked to meet with her. …”

– Tim Challies shares this encouraging story of how the Lord brings people to trust in Jesus.

Undated public domain  photo of Charlotte Elliot (1789-1871).

Wonderful help for reading the Bible in public

Many of us can give thanks for excellent public Bible reading in churches.

But how can we help church members read the Scriptures clearly and in an engaging manner?

Clifford Warne (1930 – 2003) was a much-loved Christian communicator and broadcaster.

Perhaps his greatest passion was to ensure that the Bible is communicated well.

In 1979, he and Paul White published, through the Anglican Information Office in Sydney, a small book entitled “For Reading Out Loud”.

In the introduction they state –

“Some people who think the Bible has nothing to say to them, do so not because they’ve read it, but because they’ve only heard it read.

An unprepared or careless reading of God’s Book meant to them blurring of meaning and boredom.

These are days of trained news readers on television and radio. Why should we not have skilful Bible readers in church?

For the reader, learning, using and mastering the few rules set out in this book will make the Scriptures live in a new way.

For those who listen, it can mean a new understanding of the Bible and a desire to read it for themselves.

THE HEART OF THE MATTER IN READING ALOUD IS

TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU READ
TO SOUND NATURAL and
TO MAKE THE MEANING CLEAR.

When words are spoken, the meaning is not in the words alone, but in

THE EMPHASIS
THE PHRASING and
THE EXPRESSION given to those words.”

In addition to writing on the subject, Clifford Warne gave many talks and lectures. Three, in particular, were often distributed on cassette tape.

Thanks to Russell Powell at Anglican Media Sydney, three key recordings are once again available and are wonderful resources for individuals and churches.

They are –

The art of reading the Bible aloud.

A storyteller’s secrets.

How to hold an audience.

They are all accessible from this page at SydneyAnglicans.net.

We can be thankful for excellent Bible reading in churches – Let’s help all who read do it well!

Living and Leading in the Way of the Cross — Don Carson

From The Gospel Coalition’s Carson Center Podcast –

“In this lecture [from 1 Corinthians chapter 4], Don Carson emphasises the role of Christian leaders as servants of Christ and the importance of faithfulness, humility, and integrity in their leadership.

Carson urges Christian leaders to avoid pride, remain accountable to God, and uphold the way of the cross in their lives.

Carson stresses the importance of discipline and the need for leaders to serve as models of Christlikeness within the church and community.

He teaches the following:

– Listen here.

Photo: Don Carson at the Next Level Conference in 2016.

In peace I will lie down and sleep

“It was another night of lying on the floor in the dark, my arm raised awkwardly through the cot so my daughter could hold my hand against her face, her favourite (and seemingly only) way to fall asleep.

How many minutes had we been like this now? Five? Ten? Twenty? You start to lose track of time when lying still for so long, night after night after night, kept awake only by the ache in my hips reminding me of the need to do more exercise. …”

– At The Australian Church Record, Kat Cowell ponders the Lord’s love, power and presence.

Evangelism for Introverts and other Encouragement

“Street vendors fascinate me. I’ve refused them time without number — but it hasn’t been personal. Deep down, I admire them. I wish I were more like them.

They seem unafflicted with the fear of man. They step into the middle of the walkway, make eye contact, smile, and then thrust their perfumes or cellphone covers upon you. They know we don’t want to hear, yet they speak anyway. One woman snared me recently with her heavy accent. She lifted her voice, and when she saw me pause, she knew she had me. She smelled fear. Before I knew what had happened, my children held massive balloons in their hands and toys in their arms, and she was asking them which ones they liked best. She was insistent that I hear her message.

Why don’t I share the gospel like that?…”

– At Desiring God, Greg Morse writes to encourage us to speak the news people need to hear.

Related:

The Forgotten Evangelists: Mobilizing Ordinary Members in Everyday Evangelism – 9Marks.

“Something concerning is happening in many faithful churches today. The gospel is proclaimed from the pulpit. Prayers are lifted. Mission trips are put into the budget and scheduled for the year. And yet week after week, many church members fail to evangelize the lost.

It’s not usually because they don’t believe in evangelism. I would bet that most church members genuinely want their friends and neighbors to know Christ. But when it comes to speaking up, they freeze.

What’s holding them back? …”

Double the number of reformed evangelicals in Australia over twenty years

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“In a bold move, a meeting of movement leaders from across Australian Reformed Evangelicalism has resolved to work together to see their numbers double over twenty years, through seeing sinners saved.

Leaders gathered for a mini summit organised by The Gospel Coalition Australia at Sydney’s Moore Theological College last week.

Gospel Coalition Australia Chair Rory Shiner says given the unparalleled theological and missional unity between the different organisations there’s a significant window of opportunity to work productively together for God’s glory.

They agreed to work towards an effective target of growing five percent per year through conversion growth. …”

– Rory Shiner, Sarah Kuswadi, Andrew Heard and Gary Millar join Dominic Steele.

Watch or listen here.

On Preaching

David Cook introduces –

Simon Flinders recently spoke to our preaching club at Abbotsford on preaching.

Simon preached and then spoke about preaching, the following are his thoughts:

“Preaching has many detractors these days. There are many who question its place or its relevance, this is not new, it may be that the detractions come more frequently these days.

The attacks may come from bored and resentful pew sitters; from educators who are moving toward more student directed learning; from learning style advocates who argue for more varied presentation methods; from the social media generation who are not used to sitting and listening unless the content comes in super short grabs, YouTube hits and Insta reels; from those who value God’s voice in another form, like direct words of prophecy or dream revelation; from evangelists who may question preaching which they think may seem unattractive and even alienating to the visitor at church.

Why then should we persist with preaching? …”

– Read it all at The Expository Preaching Trust.

Alistair Begg Farewell Service

Alistair Begg, who spoke at this year’s NSW/ACT CMS Summer School, was farewelled from Parkside Church in Cleveland Ohio on Sunday. (Alistair has served at Parkside since 1983.)

– Watch here.

2025 Moore PTC Graduation – Occasional Address

From Moore College:

“Building Christ’s body through truth and love – Ephesians 4:7-16.

At the 2025 Moore PTC Graduation, Dr Lionel Windsor urged us to build up the church by speaking the truth in love and furthering unity and maturity in diverse ways to fulfill God’s purposes. From Ephesians 4, this is a powerful encouragement for all who serve Jesus.”

– Watch here.

The heart of God for children

“Children have a unique way of humbling us. From the joys of first steps to the frustration of sleepless nights, children shape our experiences in profound ways. But beyond our personal encounters, what does God say about children? How does he view them, and what should our response be? …”

– Charles Cleworth, who teaches Theology, Philosophy and Ethics at Moore College, writes at SydneyAnglicans.net.

We are on mission with Jesus

“ ‘Jesus is in the midst of his people as we pursue the mission on which he has sent us,’ Archbishop Raffel has told church leaders and evangelists from 57 countries and territories who gathered in Berlin last month. …”

– Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net has this report on the European Congress on Evangelism in Berlin – organised by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

We understand that the Archbishop’s address will be published in the next Southern Cross.

Photo courtesy Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, with thanks to Russell Powell.

Anglican Heroes: Richard Hooker — Church Society podcast

In the latest Church Society podcast, Dr Ros Clarke speaks with Nigel Atkinson about Richard Hooker (1554 – 1600).

Why should we know about Richard Hooker today – and how has he been misrepresented (by Cardinal Newman, for example)?

Did he really turn his back on the Reformation? (Answer: No.)

This may be a revelation to many Anglicans.

– Hear the full conversation.

Next Page →