Call to continue gospel vision at Thanksgiving Service for Mike Ovey
“All Souls, Langham Place was packed on Monday 13th March as hundreds of men and women, young and old, gathered to worship God and give thanks for the life and ministry of Mike Ovey, the dearly loved former Principal of Oak Hill College, who died on 7th January aged 58.
Hugh Palmer led the service, featuring hymns with All Souls’ trademark uplifting music. Current students at Oak Hill read the opening biblical sentences; there were four outstanding tributes to Mike and a sermon based on Philippians 1:21, ‘for me, to live is Christ, to die is gain’.
All the speakers emphasised how Mike Ovey combined robust love for truth with compassion for people.”
– Anglican Mainstream’s Andrew Symes reflects on the Thanksgiving Service for Mike Ovey.
Is the Cross sufficient?
“Paul thought it was. Let’s do a cross-check on this (pun intended) – the greatest Christian who’s ever lived – what did he say? Among other things:
Galatians 6:14 ‘May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ’.
The great Apostle Paul thinks this much of the cross of Christ – that it’s his only boast. Let’s go further:
1 Corinthians 2:2 ‘For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.’
Paul says that his repeated and constant theme in preaching is the crucifixion of Christ. When he says: ‘I resolved to know nothing’, it’s not that he didn’t say anything else – it’s hyperbole, to make the point that all his preaching centres on the cross.
We use that word ‘cross’ as shorthand. It’s a synecdoche, where the part stands for the whole, or a single word stands for a whole concept. So the word cross is synecdoche for the whole doctrine that Christ died for sinners upon the cross – or, alternatively put: it stands for the belief that atonement was made for sinners through the suffering of Christ on the cross.
Is the cross sufficient? Are we right in the Christian church to make such a big thing about it, and to centre on it? Surely there’s works of mercy, relief of the poor and other good works to make our focus? Other churches certainly think this way.
Last year, the Uniting Church in Australia’s social services department…
Oak Primary School in the UK, a school boasting that it runs ‘in accordance with the principles of the Church of England’…
A few years ago, the PCUSA removed /Getty’s song ‘In Christ Alone’ from their new hymnbook … ”
– An exhortation we need to hear – from Presbyterian Moderator General, John Wilson. Read it all here.
Related:
At the 2015 NEXUS Conference, Chris Braga gave a very helpful 18 minute exhortation.
Does your church or Christian organisation explicitly speak of the Cross of Christ and what it means?
Or is it assumed?
Encouragement: It’s not too long – watch the video in your Parish Council meetings, committee meetings, home groups, staff meetings – at GoThereFor.com.
Dr Peter Adam – sermons on Colossians
Late last year, Dr Peter Adam spoke at the Tasmanian Christian Convention from the Letter to the Colossians.
You can hear his talks at their website.
Preaching as a Means of Survival
“The church’s only recourse in a secular city is to continue to do what it has always done, preach the Word.
We cannot hope that somehow we might stumble upon a third epistle to Timothy, which gives alternative ministry options to what Paul exhorts his protégé to do in Second Timothy. Our only hope is to continue to do what Jesus and the Apostles’ commissioned us to do. Whether we find ourselves in circumstances of cultural acceptance or cultural hostility, we must preach the Word.”
– The third and final post in a series on Preaching in a Secular Age, by Albert Mohler, is essential reading.
Related: Why I value expository preaching – Murray Campbell at GoThereFor.com.
The inviting nature of Christianity
“‘Albert McMakin’ is not a name familiar to many today, yet this man has significantly influenced your life. He worked on a farm in Charlotte, North Carolina, back in the 1930s—but it is not by virtue of his agricultural prowess that his influence has extended your way. The reason Albert still rates a mention in books and can be easily found via a Google search is because of what he did in 1934.
That year an evangelist was conducting a series of meetings in Charlotte, and Albert persuaded a young 16-year-old man to attend one of the gatherings. As incentive, he said that the younger man could drive his vegetable truck into town for the meeting. The teenager went and, before long, was converted. The teenager’s name was Billy Graham—the man who went on to preach the gospel to more people in-person than anyone else in human history. Albert’s simple invitation was used by God to play a key role in the conversion of this future evangelist. …”
– To start the working week, here’s an encouraging article from Stephen Liggins, at GoThereFor.com.
By faith we let them go
“The outpouring of grief over the death of our Principal Mike Ovey has been extraordinary. So much has been said. So much is still to be said. So much could be said.
Mike was my dear friend and brother, my boss and co-conspirator, my mentor and inspiration. I just wanted to say a few personal words which I know reflect the thoughts of our community at Oak Hill College. …”
– At the Oak Hill College blog, faculty member Dan Strange shares some thoughts and a meditation from C.H. Spurgeon.
God will meet all your needs — you can be sure of it
“What can we be sure of for 2017?
I can send you a New Year’s card with the most sincere expression of goodwill: wishing you the happiest year, seeking better outcomes for you and hoping for improved health. But can we, in any way, be sure of such things? Can we be sure that this year will be any better than last? Can we be sure of anything?
It’s the uncertainties of life that are certain. What remains true is that in terms of happiness, better outcomes and good health: 2017 is a complete unknown. BUT, what we can be sure of is that the Apostle Paul is right when he says: ‘God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.’
What remains absolutely true is Paul’s testimony in Philippians 4:19. …”
– Presbyterian Church of Australia Moderator-General John P Wilson has released this God-honouring New Year’s message.
Sydney Diocese — some summer reading
It’s a quieter time of year, with the possibility of catching up on reading. Recently published is Dr Bruce Ballantine-Jones’ Inside Sydney. (We understand there will be copies available at the bookshop during NSW CMS Summer School – as well as lots of other reading.)
See also this interview with Bruce Ballantine-Jones, “Gospel Ministry and Church Politics: What’s the Connection?”
Back in 2012, Dr Mark Thompson (now Principal of Moore College) wrote a series of articles on the theological convictions which undergird Sydney Diocese. We hope you will be encouraged by revisiting those posts below, and ask you to pray that, in 2017, we will cling to Christ more closely, finding our joy in Him –
- Sydney Anglicans I. Biblically confessional
- Sydney Anglicans II. The congregation as the centre
- Sydney Anglicans III. Complementarian ministry
- Sydney Anglicans IV: The Primacy of the Word
- Sydney Anglicans V: A commitment to mission
- Sydney Anglicans VI: An evangelical episcopate
- Sydney Anglicans VII: The value of theological education
Five Bible inputs to grow, grow, grow
“At one recent conference Rico Tice spoke about reading the Bible on four different levels. I am going to borrow his framework and develop it in my own way. So here are five Bible inputs that will help you grow upwards in Christ. …”
– At Unashamed Workman, Colin Adams shares some great ideas about Christian growth.
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.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…