Witness when the Vibe shifts

“Have you heard the vibe has shifted? Whether you call it a quiet revival, the surprising rebirth in belief in God, or something more modest, it appears there is a new sense of openness towards Christianity.

Christians may have felt increasingly sidelined in the recent past, but now, at least in some circles, we are being given a hearing where we weren’t before. Something of this phenomenon has been reflected in my own local experience. There has been a steady trickle of young people who are seeking answers to big questions and are willing to listen to what their Christian friends have to say. Perhaps you have seen the same in your own context.

That raises the question, how should we conduct ourselves when we feel we are finally given a hearing? …”

– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Pat O’Keefe, a member of the team at St. Mark’s Northbridge, points us to the encouraging example of the Apostle Paul’s witness.

Beyond the Crisis: Global Perspectives on a training culture for the next generation

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“A training culture for the next generation:  Healthy Churches producing new ministers for the next generation.

Across the world, the number of candidates putting themselves forward for gospel ministry is in decline. Many churches are feeling the pinch – struggling to find leaders and often looking elsewhere to fill ministry gaps.

Yet healthy churches don’t just maintain ministry; they reproduce it. They raise up and send out the next generation of gospel workers.

This week in Sydney, a group of evangelical movement leaders from across the globe have gathered to sharpen one another in this task: creating a culture of training that will multiply gospel workers for the decades ahead.

The shift they are calling for is from passively plotting decline to actively asking, What are we going to do?—and then taking decisive steps toward it.

We’re joined this afternoon by three of those symposium participants.

From the UK, Robin Sydserff of the Proclamation Trust.

From Santiago, Chile, Matt Pope – pastor and trainer of pastors in five Latin American countries, formerly of St Ebbe’s in Oxford.

And from Cleveland, Ohio, Marty Sweeney – pastor for training at Old North Church and long-time champion of multiplying ministry apprentices.”

– Watch or listen here.

Enrolments in Bible Colleges

Some historical perspective and a challenge from David Cook:

“Moore College and SMBC experienced record enrolments in 1960, 1969 and 1980.

I was part of the student enrolment in SMBC in 1969, we had 35 men enrolled in our year compared to 7 men in the year before.

What had happened?

Billy Graham had conducted campaigns in Sydney in 1959, 1968 and 1979.

There is a direct relationship between lively, faithful, engaging Bible preaching and people both being saved and people offering themselves to train for ministry.

Here in Sydney in my own denomination, J. Graham Miller’s ministry at Hurstville Presbyterian was the catalyst God used to call numbers of men into training in the late 1970s,  Phillip Jensen at Uni of NSW was similarly used of God.

Men and women would be changed by such preaching and would be so challenged that they gave serious prayerful consideration as to make such ministry their life’s vocation. …”

– Do read it all – at The Expository Preaching Trust.

And see the end of his article for some fine aids for preachers.

See also:

Daily Bread’s Journey Through.

On Graham Miller’s Method for “Personal Daily Bible Study”.

Image: David as a guest preacher at St. Helen’s Bishopsgate.

The believer’s assurance in times of groaning — Romans 8:1-39

In anticipation of celebrating Dick Lucas’ 100th birthday next month, here’s a recording of ‘brief notes’ on Romans chapter 8 he made late last year.

He points us to the sure hope of everyone who trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ, whatever our age –

“Recorded in early October 2024, this is expected to be Dick’s last formal talk, though he continues to speak penetratingly of biblical truths with the many scheduled visitors to his home.

In this brief survey of Romans 8, he considers not only the deep comfort of the chapter, rooted in solid hope for the future, but also its realism concerning present experience in a ‘groaning’ creation.”

– Listen here, from St. Helen’s Bishopsgate.

PDJ on the ‘Quiet Time’

“Friends in Christ, the most helpful article I ever read on personal Bible reading and prayer was written by Phillip Jensen.

This was more than 30 years ago when he was a university chaplain – long before he became Dean of this Cathedral. At that stage I had never even heard of him. But his article helped me so much I kept it all these years. Today I share an extract with you…”

– Dean of Sydney Sandy Grant shares an encouraging extract – in the Cathedral newsletter.

Starting Strong: Thriving in the First Years of Preaching — new podcast

Here’s a new podcast from two Presbyterian ministers (Matt and Oli) in Victoria.

It’s “the podcast we would have liked five years ago when we started out.”

Listen to their 8 minute introductory episode and you’ll probably recognise voices from their ‘teaser’. (Or just listen the episodes already available!)

Six chats with seasoned preachers are online so far.

Listen here.

GSFA Primates Encourage Faithful Anglicans in England

“On Friday 18th July, the GSFA Chairman, Archbishop Justin Badi, together with Deputy Chairman Archbishop Samy Shehata and Hon Secretary Archbishop Titus Chung, had a series of meetings with Church of England leaders, culminating in a special evening reception for over three hundred clergy and leading laity at which they were the guests of honour.

They were invited by the Alliance, a broadly based movement of orthodox Anglicans which seeks to combat the move to overturn two millennia of Christian teaching on marriage and human sexuality being driven by the Church of England’s bishops in General Synod. …”

– from The Global Fellowship of Anglican Churches.

Unless a Grain of Wheat…

“Over two weekends in June and July I attended farmers’ camps, one in Gippsland and one in Yackandandah, both in Victoria.

Gippsland was made up mostly of dairy farmers battling to be more efficient to reduce costs as they receive less and less for their milk.

At Yackandandah many of the farmers were graziers, their concern is late rain …

At both camps I preached on John 12:20-26, where the Lord Jesus announces that his hour has finally come.”

– David Cook writes at The Expository Preaching Trust.

Image: A 2024 photo of Armidale’s Bishop Rod Chiswell with David Cook.

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.

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