Introducing the Global Anglican Podcast

Terrific new resource from GAFCON.

My battle with Cancer, how God healed me — Kwashi, Anglican Archbishop

“Anglican Archbishop, The Most Revd Benjamin Kwashi has recounted how he was afflicted by cancer to the point that he bought a coffin, prepared his funeral programme, and waited for death.

Kwashi was archbishop of Jos Province of the Anglican Church. He retired as Bishop of Jos in 2023 after putting in 31 years as bishop so he could face his orphanage which had about 400 children and also serve in the Global Anglican Future Conference.

He shared the testimony in a programme aired on Advent Cable Network on Tuesday, February 27. …”

– Church Times Nigeria shares Archbishop Kwashi’s testimony.

Image: GAFCON.

Pray for Mothers Union Sydney

Today’s GAFCON Prayer Request:

“The Mothers Union (Sydney) is hosting an event at the Cathedral on February 23: ‘It takes a Village – stronger together in the family of God.’

Pray for a good attendance, online and in-person, and warm fellowship of Word and Spirit.”

See more here.

Pray for the Upcoming Church of England General Synod

Prayer request from GAFCON:

“The General Synod of the Church of England meets February 23-27.

Pray for the orthodox faithful representatives. ‘Let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ … striving side by side for the faith of the gospel’ (Phil. 1:27 ESV).”

Plans for Consecration of GAFCON General Secretary Paul Donison announced

Here’s an Announcement from The Most Rev. Dr. Laurent Mbanda, Chair, Gafcon Primates’ Council, Primate & Archbishop of Rwanda:

“Dear Brothers and Sisters within our Gafcon family,

On behalf of the Gafcon Primates, it is my joy to announce the upcoming consecration of our General Secretary, the Reverend Canon Paul Donison, as a Bishop in our Lord’s one, holy, catholic and apostolic church on 4 February 2024 at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kigali, Rwanda.

At our November 2023 meeting in London, the Primates passed a resolution asking that Dean Donison be consecrated, as the role of General Secretary is episcopal in nature: guarding and expanding the mission and unity of the Church, and helping to convene the Councils of the Church.

In December 2023, the House of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Rwanda agreed to consecrate Dean Donison as Bishop if the ACNA College of Bishops approved. Furthermore, in January 2024 the synod of the Metropolitan Diocese of Gasabo unanimously resolved that Dean Paul be consecrated as assistant Bishop of Gasabo Diocese.

On 9 January, 2024, the College of Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), consented to the proposal that following his consecration, Bishop-elect Donison will be transferred to the Anglican Church in North America, and Invested as Vicar General (Area Bishop) of the Texas Deanery of the Anglican Diocese of the South. A service of Investiture and Celebration of his New Ministry as Gafcon General Secretary will be held at Christ Church Cathedral, Plano, Texas, USA, on 17 February 2024.

One of Gafcon’s priorities is to raise up a next generation of global leaders, and the Primates are unanimous in our conviction that Paul is the right person to assume this office “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14).

I ask your prayers for Bishop-elect Paul, his wife, Monika, their daughters, and for our whole Gafcon movement. …”

– Source: GAFCON.

Riding the wave of significant growth — with Indian Ocean Archbishop James Wong

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“Gospel ministry in the Indian Ocean is growing rapidly.

Anglican Primate James Wong leads the ministry in Seychelles, Madagascar and Mauritius and is visiting Sydney, on a speaking tour of the Church Missionary Society Australian Summer Conferences.

Archbishop Wong charts a course for further growth in ministry in his region.

Plus he outlines the detailed back room work taking place to reset the Anglican Communion, following the failure of the Church of England leadership to repent, ahead of the significant Global South meeting in Cairo in June.

Archbishop Wong is an advisor to the Gafcon Primates Council and serves on the leadership group of the Anglican Global South Fellowship.”

– Watch or listen here.

Pray for Dr. Siegfried Ngubane as he prepares to become REACH-SA Presiding Bishop

Here’s today’s GAFCON prayer request:

“Rev. Dr. Siegfried Ngubane is the Presiding Bishop elect for the Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of South Africa (REACH-SA), a welcomed new Gafcon province. Pray for Dr. Ngubane as he prepares to assume the role from Presiding Bishop Glenn Lyons.”

Related: REACH SA website.

Photo: Dr. Ngubane with Bishop Glenn Lyons.

Reformational Anglicanism and a New Global Communion — Dr. Ashley Null

Dr. Ashley Null gave the Inaugural John H. Rodgers Lecture at the Trinity School for Ministry in Pennsylvania on Reformation Day 2023.

“At the first Gafcon conference in Jerusalem in 2008, the Rt. Rev. John Hewitt Rodgers, Jr., in whose beloved memory this new, annual lecture series is now held, gave a landmark address entitled Where do we go from here?

In his Zoom Memoirs, recorded with the Rev. Dr. Stephen Noll, who is with us tonight, John commented that he considered this address to be the high point of his ministry in the wider Anglican Communion after retirement. High praise indeed for its message to which we should pay attention.

John began by noting a need to define what authentic Anglicanism actually is. Here is his brief description …”

The American Anglican Council has now published his address here.

Photo: GAFCON.

Pray for St. Patrick’s Bible College

Prayer focus from GAFCON:

“Following a huge increase in the numbers of believers, St. Patrick’s Bible College (Madagascar) is expanding its capacity to train leaders.

Praise God for the increase in students and the new dormitories to accommodate them.”

Related:

The Rev Berthier Lainirina, Principal of St Patrick’s Theological College speaks at Moore College Chapel, September 2023.

New Gafcon General Secretary asks for your prayers

Dean Paul Donison has released this video as he assumes office as Gafcon General Secretary.

Source: Gafcon.

Archbishop Benjamin Kwashi steps down as Gafcon General Secretary

Archbishop Ben Kwashi has concluded his time as General Secretary of Gafcon. He has recorded this encouraging video.

Do give thanks for this dear brother.

And pray for Paul Donison, Rector and Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Plano, Texas, as he takes up the mantle.

Statement from the Gafcon Primates 16 November 2023

Statement from the Gafcon Primates 16 November 2023

This week marks a tragic moment in the history of the Church of England. On Wednesday, November 15, its General Synod approved a proposal to encourage its bishops to continue their work in creating and implementing liturgical prayers of blessing for same-sex unions. The Synod additionally voted to approve an amendment that will allow clergy to go ahead and conduct standalone services of blessing on a trial basis. This means that, beginning next month, Anglican clergy in Church of England churches will be able to do what the prophet Balaam could not and would not do by going against the Word of God and blessing that which God has condemned (Num 24:12-14).

Holy Scripture is clear and unequivocal in its affirmation that the only proper context for sexual intimacy is the relationship of a man and woman who have been joined together in marriage. All forms of sexual intimacy outside of this context are condemned as immorality and are behaviors from which the people of God are regularly called to repent. In I Corinthians 6:9-10, the apostle Paul tells us “not to be deceived” on the seriousness of such immorality and warns us that those who fail to repent of it will not inherit the kingdom of God. And one of the behaviors he specifically names is that of homosexual activity. Elsewhere the New Testament specifically warns against false teachers who promote sexual immorality within the church (2 Peter 2:1-3, Jude 3-4, Rev. 2:19-24) and instructs us not to listen to or heed their words.

This week, the Church of England has made it clear that they disagree with Holy Scripture. They have decided that they can bless that from which the Bible calls us to repent. What is more, although these motions were passed by very narrow votes among the clergy and laity, the bishops gave their support and approval by a very clear majority. This is a tragedy for Anglicans, for not only has the Church of England done what its own Thirty-Nine Articles forbid by approving ceremonies that are “contrary to God’s Word written” (Articles XX, XXXIV), but a majority of its bishops have broken the vows which they swore at their consecration, to “banish and drive away all erroneous and strange doctrine contrary to God’s Word” (BCP Ordinal).

We lament the actions of the Church of England’s synod this week and we commit ourselves to pray and support those within its fold who continue to uphold the authority of God’s Word and to defend the faith “once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). Nearly fifty percent of the clergy and lay delegates at the Synod voted against these motions and we have no doubt that they, along with many other Anglicans throughout England, are currently experiencing grief and pain over these developments. We grieve with them, and we recommit ourselves to supporting the ministry of biblically faithful Anglicans throughout England, especially through the faithful ministry and mission of the Anglican Network in Europe.

Jesus Christ has promised us that the gates of hell shall not prevail against his church (Matt 16:18). Today we remember that promise and, even as we grieve, we rejoice that Christ is both the head of the church and the Lord of history and that his Word and his Kingdom will prevail.

The Most Rev Dr Laurent Mbanda
Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church of Rwanda
Chairman
Gafcon Primates Council
16 November 2023.

PDF version.

Photo: Gafcon Primates Council meeting in London, 6-9 November 2023.

For those at a crossroads — press release from The Anglican Network in Europe

For those at a crossroads

A response to the General Synod of the Church of England’s resolution on 15 November 2023

Thus says the LORD: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’”(Jeremiah 6:16 ESV)

Yesterday a majority at General Synod voted to continue to travel along a road that arrogantly rejects the authority of scripture, the historic teaching of the church from earliest times and the vast majority of Anglicans worldwide. They have walked away from the life transforming grace and truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We reiterate the deep sadness we expressed after February’s General Synod: “We grieve with those who have been dismayed and heartbroken by this betrayal in the abandonment of the sufficiency and supremacy of scripture which has until now been the bedrock and rule of the Church of England. We honour those who have courageously contended for orthodoxy… We especially feel the pain of those who continue to make costly stands for godliness and have been abandoned by those who were meant to shepherd and protect them.”

For both clergy and laity who cannot travel the road chosen by General Synod, the next weeks and months will mean much heartfelt prayer, seeking the Lord and wrestling in conscience with the implications of what it means for each one to be faithful. However, we stand with you and we are much in prayer for you.

“You are not alone. You have a home.”

Rt. Rev. Andy Lines (Presiding Bishop of ANiE)
Rt. Rev. Stuart Bell (Assistant Bishop of ACE)
Rt. Rev. Tim Davies (Assistant Bishop of AMiE)
Rt. Rev. Ian Ferguson (Assistant Bishop of ACE)
Rt. Rev. Lee McMunn (Assistant Bishop of AMiE)

ENDS

Statement from the Gafcon Primates Council 6-9 November 2023

In a statement issued at the end of their meeting in London, the GAFCON Primates reaffirm they are not leaving the Anglican Communion.

The Council received the resignation of Archbishop Ben Kwashi, former Bishop of Jos, as the General Secretary and announced that Paul Donison, Rector and Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Plano, Texas, will be the new General Secretary.

Much more in their full statement below:

 

Statement from the Gafcon Primates Council

The Gafcon Primates Council met in Uxbridge, UK from 6-9 November 2023 under the chairmanship of the Most Rev. Laurent Mbanda, Archbishop of Rwanda.

We commenced each day with prayer, praise and reflection on Holy Scripture, encouraged by the teaching of Paul, reminding Timothy of the importance of discipleship, the faithfulness of God and that the servant of God should not be ashamed as a workman who correctly handles the word of truth, and to his letter to the Corinthians regarding the importance of preaching Christ Crucified and nothing less.

Conscious of the forthcoming meeting of the General Synod of the Church of England, the Primates reaffirmed their commitment to the Jerusalem Statement of 2008, which describes Gafcon as ‘a spiritual movement to preserve and promote the truth and power of the gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ as we Anglicans have received it.’ The Jerusalem Statement rejects the proposition that authentic Anglicans are only those recognised by the Archbishop of Canterbury. On the contrary, the criteria of Anglican identity are outlined in the fourteen points of the Jerusalem Declaration which continue to define authentic Anglicanism, despite the abandonment of many of these features by those who purport to be Anglicans. We have witnessed over the past twenty-five years the slow, but relentless, moral decay in parts of the Anglican Communion where the world’s values have been endorsed and embraced, replacing the clear teaching of God’s word written.

We continue to affirm that we are not leaving the Anglican Communion. We are delighted to work with the Global South (GSFA) in the task of resetting the Communion, which was foreshadowed in the 2008 Jerusalem Statement, and explicitly declared in the Kigali Commitment of 2023. Given the failure of the so-called Instruments of Communion, we shall not be attending the 2024 Primates Meeting in Rome, convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and encourage all orthodox Primates to join us in this stand against those who support a revisionist agenda.

Furthermore, we encourage Gafcon Provinces to consider withdrawing all links with any English diocese whose bishop supports the proposals, currently before the General Synod, to sanction the blessing of same-sex couples. We also extend the right hand of fellowship to and support all bishops, clergy and laity who oppose these revisionist doctrines and courageously uphold the teaching of Christ on the sanctity of marriage as God has ordained it (Matthew 19:4-6). We especially commend those English bishops who have distanced themselves from the egregious recommendations of the House of Bishops.

We likewise commend the ministry and witness of the Anglican Network in Europe as the appropriate and necessary provision of Gafcon for those who cannot in good conscience remain in a Church which flagrantly abandons the teaching of Scripture.

We rejoiced in hearing reports of gospel growth in various extra-provincial dioceses authenticated by the Gafcon Primates. Both the Anglican Mission in England and the Anglican Convocation in Europe, which comprise the Anglican Network in Europe, have been blessed with a growth in number of congregations and members. Likewise, the Church of Confessing Anglicans in Aotearoa New Zealand and the recently formed Diocese of the Southern Cross in Australia have also seen gospel growth as Christ is faithfully proclaimed.

We welcomed Presiding Bishop Glenn Lyons to take his seat on the Primates Council, having endorsed the Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of Southern Africa (REACH-SA) as an authentic Anglican Province, after a 150-year history of successive Archbishops of Canterbury, who refused to endorse, let alone acknowledge, what Archbishop Cranmer would have clearly seen as an authentic Anglican Church (Article XIX, On the Church).

As our movement grows, we agreed to refocus our attention on strengthening the nine Networks established in 2018. These networks covered a range of Christian ministries, for the health of the Church.

We have reactivated the Bishops Training Institute (BTI) under the guidance of Bishop Henry Orombi. While the BTI has been in abeyance since the onset of COVID-19, we pledged to work with the GSFA in the education and formation of those elected as bishops in the church of God.

We received the resignation of the Most Reverend Ben Kwashi, former Bishop of Jos, as the General Secretary, a position he has held for five and a half years. We acknowledged the extraordinary gifts of this servant of Christ, his global promotion of Gafcon and his passion for evangelism and equipping the saints. Archbishop Kwashi will continue to be involved in various programs of the Gafcon Movement. We appointed the Very Reverend Paul Donison, Rector and Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Plano, Texas, as the next General Secretary and pray that God will bless him as he takes up this significant and strategic role in the Gafcon Movement.

Faithfulness to Christ is costly. We grieved over a report from the Province of Myanmar, whose church and people face significant challenges. We also received news from the Most Rev. Ezekiel Kondo, Archbishop of the Episcopal Church of Sudan, that on All Saints’ Day, one of his churches in Omdurman had been destroyed by warring factions in the area. We commended both of our episcopal brothers and their provinces to the gracious care of our Sovereign God. We also prayed for those suffering in South Sudan, in Gaza and Israel and in Ukraine.

Without the gospel, we are lost. Without the fellowship of like-minded Anglicans, we are impoverished. Without prayer, we are powerless. We therefore commend the following Gafcon Prayer to all members of our Gafcon family for regular petition before our gracious God.

GAFCON COLLECT

Eternal God and gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ died for our redemption; commissioned His disciples to preach the good news;
and sent the indwelling Holy Spirit in every generation to embrace and proclaim salvation in Christ alone:
Arise and defend your Church, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.
Shine the light of your Holy Word upon hearts darkened by error and strengthen the work of Gafcon so that the Anglican Communion throughout the world proclaims Christ faithfully to the nations, that captives may be set free, the straying rescued, and the confused restored.
Bind your children together in truth, love, unity and courage, that we, with all your saints, may inherit your eternal kingdom, through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
Amen.

The Gafcon Primates Council
The Most Reverend Laurent Mbanda – Rwanda
The Most Reverend Miguel Uchoa – Brazil
The Most Reverend Foley Beach – North America
The Most Reverend Henry Ndukuba – Church of All Nigeria
The Most Reverend Stepehen Kaziimba – Uganda
Presiding Bishop Glenn Lyons – The Provence of REACH Southern Africa
The Most Reverend Tito Zavala – Chile
The Most Reverend Stephen Than Myint Oo – Myanmar
The Most Reverend Ezekiel Kondo – Sudan
The Most Reverend Samy Shehata – Alexandria
The Most Reverend James Wong – Indian Ocean
The Rt Reverend Malcolm Richards – representing the Archbishop of Sydney

9 November 2023

Source: GAFCON.

Gafcon Primates meeting in London concludes tonight (Australian time)

A prayer request from GAFCON:

“The meeting of the Gafcon Primates concludes today.

Pray for safe travel as the Primates and regional representatives return to their homes. Pray for effective communication and implementation, following their decisions.”

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