The Archbishop’s Christmas message 2016

“From politics to personal life, what more do we want for Christmas than people who will tell us the truth?”

Here is the text of Archbishop Davies’ message: Read more

A bloke called Barry and the Jesus bikes parked around Melbourne

“For the past few years, mysterious bikes have been appearing across Melbourne’s CBD carrying signs preaching that ‘Jesus died for our sins’…”

– The Age has this story about the sign-carrying bicycles left in strategic spots around Melbourne.

(Larger version of the photo.)

Advent is for Adoring Jesus

Desiring God has posted a page of resources to help you focus on the Lord Jesus Christ this Advent.

Among them are the previously published Advent devotionals from John Piper, Good News of Great Joy, and also The Dawning of Indestructible Joy.

Scroll down on this page.
Update:

If you use the PrayerMate app, you can subscribe to John Piper’s Good News of Great Joy so it appears in your app each day of Advent.

Glen Scrivener on evangelism through the local church

“Revd Glen Scrivener, Evangelist with Revival Media, encouraged us to see that our churches are not simply located in villages, towns, and cities up and down the land, but are a theological reality located in Christ.

So although our Church appears weak, God works in the ordinary and we must reach out to the world by church being church.

Glen exhorted us toward preaching, prayer, and pastoral care (starting with our own congregations), instead of relying on various programmes and courses.”

– A most encouraging and challenging talk by Glen Scrivener – via the Church Society blog. (Image: screenshot from one of Glen’s evangelistic videos.)

Moore Matters — Spring 2016

If you haven’t yet opened your copy of Moore Matters from Moore College for Spring 2016, be encouraged to do so. Plenty of worthwhile reading.

Among the articles is a feature on Moore graduate John G. Mason, well-known to ACL members, and currently serving with Anglican Connection in the US. It’s on page 11 of the PDF file available here.

“In 1976, I was given the option to either be the senior associate at a Canberra city church or, alternatively, to plant a new church in the fledgling Tuggeranong Valley in Canberra south. Reckoning that under God starting a new church would enable Judith and me to reach more people with the gospel, I chose the second option. …”

Related: John has just completed a mini-series of posts on the five Solas – in his Word on Wednesday blog at Anglican Connection.

Four Life Lessons from the Funeral of Cliff Barrows

“This morning, I was at Cliff Barrows’ funeral.

In ways I did not expect, the service moved me. Surprisingly, it was not because of the music (although it was amazing), but because of the life that was celebrated. …”

– Ed Stetzer shares examples of godliness, at Christianity Today.

How Cornhill began

From The Proclamation Trust:

“Over the next few days we’ll be posting video highlights from the service of thanksgiving for the 25th anniversary of the Cornhill Training Course, held last week.

First, here’s a brief interview with Dick Lucas on how it all began.”

Light trumps darkness

“Reformation trumps Halloween. In fact it’s no contest.

For reasons unclear to me we’re being enticed by a dark festival of American origins that brings stocks of evil and bizarre to shelves where weeks before fresh food or other cheery merchandise sat. In supermarkets and $2 shops throughout Australia, the dark, the gruesome, the macabre and the scary hold sway.

Why witches hats, ghoulish masks and spider webs? As if swinging with the breeze, parents bend to accommodate this strange festival, children are attracted to it and society is the worse for it.

By strange coincidence, the same weekend as Halloween, the Presbyterian Church of Australia celebrates light. …”

– Presbyterian Moderator-General John Wilson on the light of the gospel, as rediscovered by Martin Luther.

Societas 2016

societas-2016-2 This year’s Societas (the magazine of Moore College’s students) is now ready for your enjoyment and edification.

Download it (a 10MB PDF file) from the College website, or read it online.

Printed copies are also available.

It’s a great way to get a feel for what is happening at Moore College, and is a good resource for prayer.

Also from the College: Moore breaks boundaries of geography with its newest course.

“After 75 years of supporting lay ministry, Moore College is pleased to announce its first fully-accredited online course for laypeople, the Diploma of Biblical Theology (DBT). In development over the past few years the College will launch the DBT in Semester 1, 2017. …”

How Noosa is growing its church attendance

The Anglican Parish of Noosa is featured in the latest Brisbane Diocese magazine, Focus, as the beginning of a series on growing churches.

Moore College graduate Mark Calder is asked about the growth –

“Any growth here has been due entirely to the grace of God and answered prayer. In his kindness, the Lord has brought new people … We see clear Bible teaching as a key to people growing in their love for God and their understanding of his purposes for the world and in their lives.”

An encouraging article, from page 16 of October/November 2016 edition (PDF file).

A Plea for Hymn Books

“It has become fashionable to dispense with hymn books, but they have a number of advantages over screens. Here are three …”

At Church Society’s blog, Liam Beadle wonders what we are losing when we just project the words on a screen.

The church and its mission: visible and invisible

“What is the church for?

In chapter three of his letter to the Ephesians, the apostle Paul reveals his understanding of the purpose of the Church. He doesn’t look at this in sociological terms, from a human perspective, but from a supernatural, spiritual viewpoint.

The primary purpose of the church is to be like a ‘broadcasting tower’, a means of making known to invisible spiritual powers the wisdom of God – wisdom which is described in most familiar translations as ‘manifold’ but which literally means something like ‘multi-faceted’ or ‘variegated’ (Ephesians 3:10).

Ephesians is a contextual theology, explaining the Gospel to people living in a culture very aware of, even fearful of and obsessed by, spiritual powers. Paul, following the rest of the teaching of the Bible and the life of Jesus himself, recognises the existence of these invisible forces, which include angels and demonic spirits…

So it’s not just the church’s traditional position on sexuality which looks totally “weird and odd” (to use Archbishop Justin’s language). The whole project of the Christian faith and the Church is defined in the Bible in ways that are unintelligible to those on the outside, especially with a secular worldview. …”

– At Anglican Mainstream, Andrew Symes reminds us why the church is here.

Persevering with the Desperate

Simon Manchester’s exposition on 1 Kings 19 at the recent Evangelical Ministry Assembly in London is a great encouragement to all in pastoral ministry.