Preaching resources from the Diocese of Tasmania
The Diocese of Tasmania website has recently added some helpful and encouraging notes on preaching.
Diocese of Niagara financial appeal
From the Diocese of Niagara in Canada:
“The purpose of this letter is to invite you to show your support to Bishop Michael [Bird] and our Diocese by participating in a new initiative called ‘Passion for Justice’. This initiative is a simple, quick and direct way to appeal to all the people who have struggled for and in some cases, voted to move forward with blessing of same gendered marriages and ask for your financial support.” (original emphasis)
The money apparently is needed due to the cost of legal proceedings against ‘a small group of extremists’. – Anglican Essentials Canada blog has the letter here.
What should faithful Lutherans in the ELCA do?
“Simply put, would you stay in perpetuity in a denomination that officially sanctioned adult-consensual incest, adultery, and polyamory (i.e. concurrent multiple-partner unions) and even set up as leaders of the church persons who engaged unrepentantly in such immorality? If the answer is “no,” consider this:…”
– Robert Gagnon at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary offers some biblical advice. (PDF version.) h/t Anglican Mainstream.
Benny Hinn prevented from entering UK
“Benny Hinn was meant to be evangelising the UK as I write, with three days booked from last night until 3 October at Excel in London’s Docklands. But his attempt to enter the country at Stansted Airport was unsuccessful. According to sources he took his private jet to Paris and then tried a second time, at Luton Airport. That attempt failed too, and tonight, Friday, he is on his way back to France. …”
– Ruth Gledhill writes at Times Online. (Image: Benny Hinn Ministries.)
Related: US Senate examines ‘TV evangelists’ and Word of Faith preachers.
The Emerging Church and more with Kevin DeYoung
Mark Dever recently interviewed Kevin DeYoung (co-author of Why We’re Not Emergent) on the Emerging Church – but begins with a discussion on paedobaptism and also eldership in the Reformed Church in America.
This interesting interview was recorded in May and has just been made available at 9Marks. The 47MB mp3 file runs for 68 minutes.
Canterbury: Covenant adoption limited to Provinces
“The Archbishop of Canterbury has welcomed an endorsement of the first three sections of the Anglican Covenant by the Diocese of Central Florida’s board and standing committee, but said only provinces can officially adopt the covenant. …”
– George Conger reports for The Living Church. However, see this 2007 letter. (h/t Stand Firm.)
Cuppa for Cancer in Broome
Quite apart from being an outreach idea, this story from The North West Network is a wonderful testimony to the gospel of Jesus at work in the Diocese of North West Australia. (Used by permission.)
“Why do I have cancer? Is it because I am bad and deserve it? What if I die – am I ready? How will I handle the dying process? What do I really think will happen to me after I die? If I don’t die how do I want to spend the rest of this fragile life?”
These were some of the questions that Helen Morrell, a breast cancer survivor, put to a group of over 70 women who gathered in the grounds of the Broome Anglican Church. Read more
Counterfeit Gods
“To contemporary people the word idolatry conjures up pictures of primitive people bowing down before statues…
Our contemporary society is not fundamentally different from these ancient ones. Each culture is dominated by its own set of idols. Each has its “priesthoods,” its totems and rituals. Each one has its shrines—whether office towers, spas and gyms, studios, or stadiums—where sacrifices must be made in order to procure the blessings of the good life and ward off disaster.”
– From the Introduction to Tim Keller’s soon-to-be-released book, “Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters”.
Read the full introduction at Westminster Bookstore (PDF file). The book is released later this month. (h/t Between Two Worlds)
With Calvin in the Theatre of God
The Desiring God National Conference was held in Minneapolis last weekend with the theme “With Calvin in the Theater of God”.
Through the generosity of Desiring God, audio and video files of all the messages are now available online. (Note: The video files are around 150MB each.)
Continue the ‘conversation’ and keep giving your money
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson has issued an impassioned plea for unity in his denomination via two videos on the ELCA website – (update: This wmv file is one of them)
“My heart aches when I hear ELCA members express a feeling of abandonment because of the decisions on human sexuality taken by our church-wide Assembly. I deeply concerned when ELCA members and congregations are being encouraged to signal that disagreement by withholding financial support…”
Meanwhile –
“Conservative Lutherans from congregations throughout the country voted on Saturday to begin deciding on whether to go their separate ways from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. … ‘We are forming a churchly community because our prior churchly community has walked away from the faith off the one holy catholic and apostolic Church,’ said Ryan Schwarz, a member of the Lutheran CORE (Coalition for Reform) steering committee.”
– from a report in The Christian Post.
Related: Lutherans adopt statement on sexuality.
Wearing the disguise of Faithfulness.
Lutheran Coalition for Renewal.
Mark Dever on 2 Peter 1
On the weekend Mark Dever spoke at the 9 Marks ‘God Exposed’ Conference on Preaching at the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in North Carolina.
Before the conference, on Thursday, he addressed the seminary chapel on 2 Peter 1 and the challenge of preaching God’s word.
The 48 minute video file is now available on the SBTS website. A great reminder. (The last three minutes of the video, on Charles Simeon, is missing – it’s all there on the audio file.)
Canberra & Goulburn 2009 Synod report
The Diocese of Canberra & Goulburn has posted news on last weekend’s diocese synod – including Stuart Robinson’s Synod Charge and the latest Diocesan Statistics.
Please pray for the churches of Canberra & Goulburn as they seek to reach men and women, boys and girls with the saving news of Christ.
Bishop Bob Duncan radio interview
Bob Duncan, Bishop of Pittsburgh and Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America, was interviewed on Christian radio in Pittsburgh last week.
You can hear the interview (37 minutes / 36MB mp3 file) from WORD FM. (h/t Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh.)
A matter of Trust(s)
Here’s an excerpt from the weekly update from Bishop David Anderson, President of the American Anglican Council –
Beloved in Christ,
As we went to press last week there was breaking news of the decision of the Supreme Court of South Carolina, finding in favor of the local parish of All Saints’, Pawley’s Island and against the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina and The Episcopal Church (TEC). Among the findings of the court is that the so-called “Dennis Canon” is illegal in SC and has no effect. The basis for this is that one person can’t establish a trust on someone else’s property. It is the person who owns the property that is the one to establish a trust, if they wish to. Makes sense, doesn’t it? As the court stated in the finding, “It is an axiomatic principle of law that a person or entity must hold title to property in order to declare that it is held in trust for the benefit of another or transfer legal title to one person for the benefit of another.” Read more
Why do the heathen rage?
“Ready for a day to honor blasphemy? According to press reports, September 30 is set as the observance of the first-ever International Blasphemy Day. …
How should Christians respond?
First, take no offense. Refuse to play into the game plan of those sponsoring International Blasphemy Day. The Lord Jesus Christ was and is despised and rejected of men. Our Lord bore the scorn heaped upon him by his enemies. Christianity is not an honor religion. Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are not commanded to defend his honor, but to be willing to share in the scorn directed to him. Is the servant greater than his master?…”
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…