Cross Cultural Sydney

“In many ways in Sydney, mission has come to us. Nations all around the world have come to our doorstep providing us with an abundance of opportunities to share our faith with them. There is a joy in knowing that we are all one people in Christ Jesus. But ministries focussed on a specific culture or people group can also be highly beneficial and effective. I myself became a Christian through going to an ethnicity-based church. When you are reminded every day that you stand out from the crowd, being with others who stand out with you can be a strong drawcard in building a community.

At Moore, we benefit from the wisdom and experience of people who continue on this work of evangelising a specific people group. Their insight, knowledge and research are generously shared with us to grow the next generation of gospel workers reaching the nations. I look forward to gathering before the throne of the Lamb with every nation, tribe, people and language (Rev 7:9) and singing his praises with these, and many other, people groups. …”

– The Rev Susan An, Dean of Women at Moore College, helps us to get to know some of the people groups of Sydney.

Bishop of Bathurst’s Newsletter — Winter 2024

If you are praying for the churches of the Diocese of Bathurst (or if you’d like to start!), the Bishop’s Newsletter for Winter 2024 is a great help.

– Download your copy (PDF file) from the Bathurst website.

Eric Liddell: The Olympic Champion who ran God’s Race in the Internment Camp

“With the approaching of the 33rd Summer Olympics in Paris on July 26, many people especially Christians are remembering Eric Liddell (1902-1945).

Powerfully depicted in the 1981 Academy Award-winning film Chariots of Fire as the “Flying Scotsman”, Liddell demonstrated to the world a strong Christian conviction. Appreciated or criticised, he refused to run any race on any Sunday, even at the cost of gold medals. However, his missionary work in war-torn China from 1925 to 1945 is less known, and even less known is his Christ-like living in the Japanese concentration camp in China. …”

– At AP, Sonia Liang reminds us of the often-overlooked story of Eric Liddell.

Photo: Eric Liddell at the British Empire vs. USA (Relays) meeting held at Stamford Bridge, London on Saturday 19 July 1924. Public domain, via Wikipedia.

2024 Reconciliation Workshop and Night from Nungalinya College

From Nungalinya College in Darwin:

“NAIDOC week always falls in our term break sadly… but we are very excited to share some videos of our 2024 Reconciliation Workshop and Night! This first video is a beautiful summary of the night…”

A very encouraging 4 minute video, on the Nungalinya College Facebook page (may require logging in the Facebook).

Also see (and a point for prayer):

Nungalinya College is seeking a Principal. (Closing Date: 26th July 2024.)

“The College is looking for a Principal who will lead a Christ-centred educational vision that respects Indigenous Languages and cultures and seeks to empower Indigenous Christians at every level of the College. …”

I taught my teens to drive. Here’s what it taught me about faith.

“We have four teenage sons and we are in the phase of life where, as they each turn 16, we are teaching them to drive.

I am learning that teaching teenage boys how to drive is an exercise in reining in their self-confidence. This came home to me one Friday night as I was driving home with my son and he was pulling into our driveway, which has a very tight turn. I calmly said, ‘You’re not going to make it’, to which he replied …”

– Dr. Peter Orr writes at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Into the World — new video from Moore College

This seven minute video from Moore College features the partnership with churches in Madagascar.

Most encouraging and food for prayer. Take the time to watch.

It would also be suitable to show in church or in home groups.

Talking Back to Death

“One of the most anguished stories I’ve ever read was about what happened to Martin Luther’s daughter Magdalena. Barely fourteen years of age, she was stricken with the plague.

Broken-hearted, Luther knelt beside her bed and begged God to release her from the pain. When she had died and the carpenters were nailing down the lid of her coffin, Luther screamed out: ‘Hammer away! On doomsday she’ll rise again.”…”

– At AP, Mark Powell, with help from John McClean, speaks of every Christian’s sure confidence.

Intimacy with God

“Did you know that God desires a relationship with you? Did you know that God desires an intimate relationship with you?

Jesus the Messiah has made it possible for you and me

And

– In this devotion published by The Global Fellowship of Anglican Churches, Primate of the Anglican Church in North America, Dr. Foley Beach turns to John chapter 15.

A Philosophically ‘Enlightened’ Easter

“The Scottish philosopher David Hume (1711-1776) famously declared that the resurrection of Jesus did not happen.

His logic was simple: the resurrection is a miracle, and miracles cannot happen, and therefore miracles do not happen, and the resurrection did not happen.

However, his logic was simply flawed. …”

– David Burke, Moderator-General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, shares this Easter message.

Dead to sin and alive to God in Christ

Romans 6:6-11

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptised into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.

Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

– ESV.

On Good Friday, we get a glimpse into hell and heaven

“At the centre of the Christian faith are the great Easter events – Jesus’ death on a cross, and on the third day his bodily rising to new life, victorious over sin and death and the devil.

Australians embrace these events as a holiday but most regard them with sentimentality. For Christians, however, the days could not be more weighty, for in Good Friday and Easter Day we glimpse hell and heaven.  …”

– Archbishop Kanishka Raffel writes at SydneyAnglicans.net.

God’s Gift

“Have you considered the legacy you would like to leave? I’m not speaking here of a material legacy for your family but a legacy or gift for the benefit of others.

Writing in The Weekend Australian (March 16-17, 2024), Nicki Gemmell spoke of ‘the ultimate sacrifice’ of Alexei Navalny, the late ‘Russian opposition leader whose sacrifice was driven by a deep love of his country and of his compatriots’. ‘We’re not used to heroes in real life anymore,’ she wrote.

In commenting on Navalny’s life most commentators miss the point that his sense of suffering, even his willingness to lay down his life in the cause of human rights, arose from his Christian faith – something he came to profess in his adult years. Navalny’s heroism echoed in a small way the greatest sacrifice the world has ever known – that of Jesus, the Son of God.

Come with me to the Gospel of John. …”

– At The Anglican Connection, John Mason turns to Scripture to show us God’s extraordinary gift. Good reading this Good Friday.

Passion play with puppetry

“When Epping rector Bishop Ross Nicholson first raised the idea of a Good Friday passion play centred on a large puppet of Jesus, the response was sceptical. Could this really work?

Given that his previous church in Tasmania had done the play for years, he was able to reply with an enthusiastic ‘Yes!’…”

– Judy Adamson has the story at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Photo: Ross Nicholson.

Find Joy, Love and Hope in Jesus — Easter 2024 message from Archbishop Kanishka Raffel

Archbishop Kanishka Raffel has released this Easter message.

Great to play in church – and to share with your friends.

Also, see this report from Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net – and download the video – or the text (PDF file).

He Gets (Some Of) Us

“Hello dear reader, been a while but here I am now all agitated about the recent ‘HeGetsUs’ advert that aired during this week’s SuperBowl. It’s already generated considerable discussion in evangelicaldom.

Not sure what I’m talking about? Well watch this…”

– David Ould comments on a Super Bowl ad – and then shares an alternative.

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