GAFCON Australasia Conference 2022 set for August

The GAFCON Australasia 2022 Conference is planned for 15-18 August.

See the website for details and booking.

Archbishop Ben Kwashi addresses Gafcon GBE meeting

“On the evening of 22nd March, the General Secretary of Gafcon spoke via Zoom, to an audience consisting mostly of members of the Gafcon Great Britain and Europe branch, with others looking in from Africa and North America.

Interviewed by Bishop Andy Lines of the Anglican Network in Europe, Archbishop Ben began by recounting his journey of growing up in a Christian home, then making a firm commitment to following Christ at the age of 20. …”

– From GAFCON GB & Europe. Watch the video here.

Gafcon Ireland Conference 2022

Gafcon Ireland’s Conference – What is the Gospel? – was held on Saturday 26 March 2022 at St. Anne’s Cathedral Belfast.

Archbishops Ben Kwashi and Foley Beach spoke, along with the Revd. Dr. Nick Tucker.

You can see the full event here.

If you know someone who wants to understand what has been happening in the Anglican Communion, and why GAFCON is needed, this address by Archbishop Foley Beach is a very clear and helpful introduction. It’s also wonderfully encouraging to see that the Lord has not been left without a witness.

He turns to the Letter to Jude to help us understand the pagan theology which is infiltrating the Anglican Communion.

“For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” – Jude 4.

Archbishop Foley Beach is introduced and answers questions about himself and ACNA here.

His “must see” address begins here. (Note: If GAFCON Ireland later edits the video, these times might not be accurate.)

Related: these items from our Resources section:

‘Take a stand’ – says Michael Youssef

“The problems in America all started in the pulpits … when the authority of the Scripture ceased – with it came the confusion that we are facing now.” – Dr Michael Youssef.

From The Pastor’s Heart –

“‘Stand for Christ. Stand for the truth. And let the chips fall where they may.”

Senior Pastor of Atlanta’s Church of the Apostles, Dr Michael Youssef, has a prophetic call to share with evangelical pastors today. It is to not give up trust in the scriptures in the face of contemporary challenges on sexuality.

Dr Youssef tells the story of leading his church to depart the US Episcopal Church when the denomination moved against biblical teaching on sexuality, and the way God has blessed them since.

In light of all this, Dr Youssef quotes 1 Samuel saying, ‘Those who honour me I will honour.’

Speaking in terms of the Sydney Anglican Church, Dr Youssef says, ‘I know this diocese, I love this diocese, and I know that God will continue to bless this Diocese even more… when you take a stand.’

Dr Youseff says, ‘Everyone I know who honoured the Lord and took a stand, God blessed that.’”

– Very encouraging.  Watch or listen at The Pastor’s Heart.

Do watch it all. Dr. Youssef also speaks of his first days in Sydney and those who had a huge influence in his life – including Donald and Marie Robinson, Moore College, and learning Biblical Theology.

Praying for GAFCON 4

Today’s prayer item from GAFCON –

“Preparations are beginning for Gafcon 4 (21-28 May 2023).

Later this month, Daniel Willis (Gafcon Operations Manager) and Paul Mirrington (Conference Administrator) plan to visit Kigali.

Pray for safe and successful travel and blessings on their meetings and arrangements.”

Peter Jensen gives thanks for Melvin Tinker

From GAFCON:

After learning of the death of Melvin Tinker, who went to be with his Lord on 23 November 2021, Archbishop Peter Jensen paid tribute to Melvin saying,

“Melvin spoke powerfully at Gafcon 2018 in Jerusalem. He had a gift for analysing the culture from the perspective of the gospel and calling on his listeners to live for Christ alone. He was very courageous and made it clear that loyalty to Jesus was the chief commitment we should all make, even if it means leaving our denomination. For him, the word of God was the light by which we should live. His testimony remains to inspire us.”

Melvin contributed to the Lift Up Your Hearts series of devotions in April this year and an interview ahead of that series can be heard here: Melvin Tinker Everyday Global Anglicans Interview.

Continue to uphold Melvin’s family at this time.

Melvin Tinker

Unwelcome news from Anglican Mainstream in the UK –

“We are sorry to report the death of Melvin Tinker early this morning, from a particularly virulent form of cancer.

Melvin was Vicar of St John’s Newland, Hull, for many years, and known more widely as a speaker and author.

In recent years he developed a unique prophetic analysis of Western secularism, saw its influence on the church, and expressed the urgent need for renewed faithfulness and commitment to biblical truth. This led to him leading his congregation out of the Church of England, into a new Anglican jurisdiction under Gafcon.

I also knew him as a warm hearted friend with a great sense of humour. He will be sadly missed, especially by his wife Heather and his children and grandchildren.

Further tributes will follow shortly.”

Melvin contributed the Lift Up Your Hearts devotions for GAFCON in April 2021.

His book That Hideous Strength: A Deeper Look at How the West was Lost has been a great help to many.

Update: Julian Mann at Christian Today has more.

Anglican Bishop Julian Dobbs on Proclaiming the Gospel in Albany, New York

“The Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany this month opened the door to the practice of same-sex marriage within the diocese, a departure from what was until recently permitted there. Albany was the last remaining domestic diocese in the Episcopal Church to proscribe the use of same-sex rites that were effectively required following the 2018 General Convention.

In March I reported how some Albany clergy had begun seeking canonical residency within the Anglican Church in North America, the first public movement of clergy in New York’s Capital District since the resignation of Bishop William H. Love earlier that winter. The Anglican Diocese of the Living Word, which already has congregations in upstate New York, received a new congregation near Albany and began making plans for a regional ministry network emphasizing church planting. That has now grown to four churches, plus an additional church received into the neighboring Anglican Diocese in New England.

This week I spoke with Diocese of the Living Word Bishop Julian Dobbs about unfolding ministry opportunities in New York’s Capital Region and how the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) hopes to be a faithful and growing witness to the gospel there. …”

– At Juicy Ecumenism, Jeffrey Walton speaks with Bishop Julian Dobbs.

Related:

Bishop Julian Dobbs interviews Bishop William Love.

Gafcon Lawyers Network

Today’s Prayer Point from GAFCON is for the Gafcon Lawyers Network –

“The Gafcon Lawyers Network, led by Dr Robert Tong, has developed valuable skills and expertise in establishing legal structures to help faithful Anglicans remain within our global Anglican fellowship.

Pray for Robert and others as they work on legal solutions in several regions where the established church is irreversibly compromised by false teaching.”

Encouragement to pray for the Gafcon Theological Education Network

“The Gafcon Theological Education Network is led by Dr Peter Jensen. The purpose of this network is to give every bishop in the Anglican Communion access to excellent theological education.”

– Today’s topic for prayer from GAFCON.

(Photo: Archbishop Ben Kwashi with Archbishop Peter Jensen at GAFCON 2018.)

A Hope and a Future for Anglicans

“It is an understatement that Anglicanism is not always neat and tidy.  The very nature of our decision making in councils, as ancient as it may be, is messy.  Things don’t always go as planned.  Sometimes people don’t respect what the whole decides together in scripture, prayerful study and discussion, and waiting on the Lord’s timing.  Sometimes a part demands that the whole adjust to it and runs ahead rather than waiting on the counsel of the whole church.

That seems to be at the heart Bishop Michael Nazir Ali’s decision to leave the Church of England to join the Anglican Ordinariate in the Roman Catholic Church. …

We have included a few articles in today’s weekly newsletter responding to his departure, but I want to offer some good news with some cautious optimism.  On Sunday, October 17, the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) issued their Communique (“The Eighth Trumpet”) after a four-day conference on Zoom attended by 90 delegates from 16 Provinces and one diocese (Sydney), including the Anglican Church in North America.

In the words of the Communique, the purpose of this GSFA gathering was to “address the unchecked spread of revisionism” among all the Churches of the Anglican Communion by enacting a “covenantal structure” that will “enhance ecclesial responsibility” and mutual accountability among the churches of the GSFA …

Now there is an ecclesial body, a Communion to which the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GAFCON) can bring distressed, biblically faithful, orthodox Anglicans from heterodox dioceses and provinces for membership.  GAFCON can authenticate and recognize those in distress and gather them for membership in GSFA—just as St. Paul gathered Gentile converts into churches that enjoyed communion with the established church in Jerusalem under St. Peter.”

– In his weekly newsletter from the American Anglican Council, Canon Phil Ashey sees hope for a genuinely orthodox Anglican communion.

He mentions the just-concluded 8th Global South Conference and its Communiqué (“The Eighth Trumpet”) from the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches.

Statement from Gafcon GB and Europe (GBE) on Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali

“The Trustees of Gafcon GBE (formerly known as Gafcon UK) give thanks to Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali as he steps down from the role of President, which he has held since the formation of the regional Gafcon branch in 2016. …

While respecting Bishop Michael’s decision to join the Roman Catholic church, we remain committed to the vision of a renewed, biblically orthodox, global Anglicanism here in Britain and Europe under the ANiE leadership of Bishop Andy Lines and those that we stand with under the Jerusalem Declaration.”

– from a statement issued several days ago by the Trustees of GAFCON GBE.

Joint Mission in Guinea-Bissau

“The Anglican Church in Brazil has been developing missionary work in Guinea Bissau for two years.

Recently, Bishop Marcio Meira was sent from Brazil to view the work on the field and to ordain Rev Justino, the first-ever native to the diaconate. …”

– Great encouragement in this brief video from Guinea Bissau and GAFCON.

Save the date: Gafcon Australasia Conference 2022

Save the date for the Gafcon Australasia Conference 2022: August 15-18 in Canberra.
More details coming soon.

Statement from the GAFCON Chairman on Michael Nazir-Ali

Gafcon Chairman Archbishop Foley Beach has released this statement –

“To the Gafcon faithful,

I am writing to you today to share the news that Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali has joined The Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. We are deeply grateful for Bishop Michael’s ministry over the years on behalf of the Gafcon movement. He is a stalwart defender of Christian orthodoxy, and my own faith has been enriched and encouraged by his witness and teaching.

Michael is a gift to the global Church, and he has shared with me his willingness to continue to assist the Gafcon movement in any way that might be suitable. While we are still exploring what this might look like, in the near term we look forward to continuing to partner with him in support of the suffering church. Please continue to keep Gafcon, the Nazir-Alis, and the whole Church in your prayers.

The Most Rev. Dr. Foley Beach
Chairman, Global Anglican Future Conference
Archbishop and Primate, Anglican Church in North America.”

Source: GAFCON.

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