Make the Main Thing the Main Thing on Sundays

“If everything in a church needs to change, where should a pastor start? I want to offer a convictional testimony for making the Bible the main course on Sunday. Every other change should follow. …”

– At 9Marks, Bret Capranica has encouragement for pastors.

John Stott’s Dream Church

“In 1974, on the 150th anniversary of the dedication of All Souls Church in London, John Stott shared his dream for the church, focusing on five elements of faithfulness that would be for the glory of God and the good of the world. Riffing on Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech directed to the injustices of American society, Stott painted an inspiring picture of the church at its best.

In a time of upheaval, when the church’s weaknesses and sins have been exposed, it’s good to remind ourselves what the church has been and can still be when we’re marked by faith, hope, and love. Here is Stott’s fivefold dream for the church, as later published in The Living Church. …”

– Trevin Wax writes at The Gospel Coalition.

Singing as Spiritual Formation

“Churches in Australia go to incredible lengths to sing together. Typically, churches do not have the resources to do music as they’d like. What’s more, views differ on the place of music in church life. Yet Sunday after Sunday, the church sings.

Over the last 15 years, I’ve had the privilege of visiting churches throughout Australia to help in music ministry training. Almost all have been struggling to motivate their congregations to sing heartily, and to develop bands that lead the congregation well. Some church music teams are thriving – praise God! Yet mostly, churches are just getting by. I know of churches where faithful music teams are few in number and exhausted. I know of churches with no musicians – they sing along to YouTube videos in their services instead. I have served on staff as Music Pastor at three evangelical churches (2 in Sydney, 1 in Melbourne), each holding slightly different views on the place of singing and seeking to lovingly engage with congregational expectations of singing’s purpose and song choices. Perhaps these are familiar scenarios. Music ministry is complex.

And yet I’ve not encountered a single church that has excluded singing from its gatherings. Singing on Sundays – some way, somehow – seems to be a non-negotiable. …”

– Greg Cooper published this article back in March at EFAC Australia.

Image: gregcoopermusic.com

The gospel in jars of clay

“Some years ago I was asked what the mission strategy was for the youth ministry at our church. What did we do for evangelism? How were we reaching the lost and proclaiming the good news to non-Christians?

I took the question in good faith, even though I detected a hint of haughty accusation underlying the question, i.e. ‘If you’re not running courses, holding attractive evangelistic events and presenting Two Ways To Live each week, then are you actually doing any evangelism?’ seemed to be the subtext. …”

– Mike Dicker, Principal of Youthworks College, writes in the current Southern Cross magazine – and at SydneyAnglicans.net.

What is relational evangelism?

“I was an ESL [English as a Second Language] teacher in Western Sydney before going to Moore College with the plan to be a missionary.

I had been involved in summer missions and church evangelism for years, though I’m not a naturally gifted evangelist! I now spend my time helping equip everyday Christians to be courageously speaking about Jesus.”

– At SydneyAnglicans.net, Dave Jensen asks Sarah Seabrook about relational evangelism.

Books in Ministry — recommendations from Mark Dever

From The Banner of Truth in Edinburgh –

“We sat down with Mark Dever (a pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church and President of 9Marks) to talk books, ministry, and books in the ministry.”

– A very helpful and encouraging 45 minutes.

You will want to have a pen handy to write down some of his recommendations. As well, there are tips on how to read some of the Puritan authors.

Book Review: Honest Evangelism by Rico Tice

“Do you find evangelism hard? Why is that the case when we have the best news to share?

Here lies a common tension—we know people need to hear about Jesus, yet all too often we hesitate to tell them about him. Maybe it’s a fear of the consequences, that relationships might be broken, especially in a world that increasingly sees followers of Christ as the bearers of bad news rather than good. Or maybe this wasn’t always the case, but weariness has set in from repeated rejection when we have shared.

Guilt then sets in as evangelism begins to feel like we’re not doing enough. …”

– At The Australian Church Record, Sarah Chew reviews Rico Tice’s Honest Evangelism.

Following in Faith: The Good Shepherd Leads Global Anglicans

“Many global Anglicans face a challenging question: whether and when to join the Gafcon movement.

In this second conversation, Philip de Grey-Warter explains when and why he connected with Gafcon. Such decisions, complex and often costly, rightly begin in prayer, and Philip encourages church leaders to find comfort in their simple obedience to God.

When we follow the Good Shepherd, God will provide the support we need: friends, fellow leaders, genuine spiritual oversight, and strength in the gospel.”

– In the latest Global Anglican Podcast, Gafcon General Secretary Bishop Paul Donison continues his conversation with the Rev. Philip de Grey-Warter.

Local evangelism and global mission: Maintaining focus on the ends of the earth

“I remember the moment clearly. For several years my wife and I had been weighing up the prospect of vocational ministry. I loved opening the Bible with people and helping them to know Jesus better, but I felt inadequate for the task of pastoral ministry.

Our perspective changed when we received a prayer letter from friends who’d just arrived in a new country for their first term of missionary service with CMS. …”

– Scott Millar writes at The Australian Church Record.

Related:

Dinner helps us pray for global mission – Tara Sing writes at SydneyAnglicans.net.

CityAlight — His Glory and My Good

Here’s a new video from CityAlight.

You Are Not Alone: Standing with the Global Faithful

“Standing up for the authority of Scripture begins in loving obedience to the Lord and all the roles he has given us to play.

For the Revd Philip de Grey-Warter, a Gafcon leader in the UK who stepped out in faith from the Church of England, his joy is evident as he serves first his family and parish, and also gives generously of his time to the growing global fellowship of orthodox Anglicans.

Philip tells how Gafcon has given many worldwide Anglicans a renewed sense of belonging, and he encourages those among us who feel isolated to reach out and serve.”

– Episode 5 of Gafcon’s Global Anglican Podcast has just been released. Gafcon General Secretary Bishop Paul Donison speaks with the Rev. Philip de Grey-Warter.

Very encouraging, and food for your prayers for the faithful – both those who remain in the Church of England, and those who have stepped out and found support and fellowship through Gafcon.

‘The hardest talk I’ve ever given: Loving God’ – with Ray Galea

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“‘God wants all of me to love all of God all the time’ says Senior Pastor of Fellowship Dubai, Ray Galea.

We want our staff and leaders to live and serve in ministry out of an overflow of the love of God for them. Grasping this love properly lifts our service from duty to desire.

As pastors we are so committed and focused on encouraging our congregations to love God with all their hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. But do we stop to consider that our own love for God might be the limiting factor?

The pastor’s love for God will be a limiting factor for the congregation’s love for God. If we do not truly have hearts for God, how could we possibly lead others to the same?…”

– Watch or listen here.

Armidale Preaching Conference Review

From The Expository Preaching Trust:

“On 6-7 May we held a fully subscribed Preaching Conference in St Peter’s Cathedral, Armidale.

The conference was sponsored by the Trust and co chaired by Rod Chiswell, the Bishop of Armidale, and David Cook of the Trust. …”

– Read here.

Showing Christ’s love to children in need

“Are you constantly amazed by the depths of God’s love described in these verses like we are?

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (John 4:9-10)

God loved us by sending his son Jesus into the world, who laid down his life for us. And as the Apostle John writes, this truth gives us a powerful reason to love others.

We love because he first loved us! (John 4:19)

All around the world, Anglican Aid’s partners are taking these verses to heart. …”

– At Anglican Aid’s website, Anna Grummitt shares some encourgement and also a way you can help.

The church as our village

For Mother’s Day, SydneyAnglicans.net has published a version of a talk Jocelyn Loane gave  the Mothers’ Union Sydney conference in March:

“During COVID lockdowns I started collecting memes about parenting to get the vibe of how the internet portrays being a mum.

I came across memes that played on the old African proverb that it takes a village to raise a child. One said this: ‘They say it takes a village. I believe it also takes a vineyard’. Which might tell you something about how people found those months of home learning! …”

– Read it here.

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