Submissions to Religious Freedom Review closing Wednesday 14 February!

Michael Kellahan, from Freedom for Faith, posted the above video last week.

From the Religious Freedom Review Expert Panel’s web page:

“The Expert Panel welcomes submissions from the public addressing the matters set out in the terms of reference until 14 February 2018. You can make a submission below by filling out the form and/or uploading a file.” (emphasis added)

Considering making a submission to the Panel? Time is running out!

Here are some relevant links:

Submission to Religious Freedom Review – Assoc. Professor Neil Foster shares the submission sent in his personal capacity.

My submission to the expert panel on religious freedom – Dr Lionel Windsor.

Be heard on religious freedom – Bishop Michael Stead.

Please Speak Up For Religious Freedom – Australian Christian Lobby.

Growing godly kids #1

“Many Christian parents hope and pray that their children will grow in faith but don’t often know what practical steps they can take to help this.

Over the next few articles we’re going to discuss some little steps we can all take to deliberately disciple the children in our families and churches by training them to pray, read the Bible and be active in the life of the church. …”

– The Australian Church Record has published the first of another series of helpful articles by Pete Tong.

My submission to the expert panel on religious freedom — Lionel Windsor

“The Expert Panel on Religious Freedom in Australia is taking submissions until 14 February 2018. Here’s my submission …”

– Dr Lionel Windsor, lecturer at Moore College, and one of the ACL’s clerical vice-presidents, has shared his submission – at Forget the Channel.

Please don’t forget the deadline for submissions.

Blindspots & Barriers

“Since 2011 Jane Tooher has been Director of the Priscilla & Aquila Centre (P&A): a centre whose stated mission is to benefit women and to encourage their ministries in partnership with men.

We chat to Jane about possible blindspots and barriers to effective complementary partnerships in ministry. …”

– The Australian Church Record has published this interview with Jane Tooher.

Michael Kellahan next guest on The Pastor’s Heart

Freedom for Faith’s Michael Kellahan is the next guest on The Pastor’s Heart – to be streamed live on Facebook tomorrow (Tuesday 30th January 2018) at 2:00pm.

From Dominic Steele:

“With submissions to the Ruddock inquiry into Freedom for Religion being given amazingly tight deadlines, Michael’s been responsible for co-ordinating a ‘heavy weight’ response to the inquiry on behalf of a series of leading Protestant churches.”

Watch live, and also see or hear replays at The Pastor’s Heart on Facebook – or thepastorsheart.net.

The Art of Reading Aloud — Clifford Warne

After seeing the video from David Suchet, we were reminded of this classic audio file – The Art of Reading Aloud – by broadcaster and master storyteller Clifford Warne. At SydneyAnglicans.net.

A wonderful resource which deserves to be widely heard.

(Image: Clifford Warne and Toto on Anglican Television’s Sing Me a Rainbow, with thanks to Reason for Hope on Vimeo.)

David Suchet on reading the Bible well in public

David Suchet (well known for his portrayal of Poirot) recently spoke at Oak Hill College in London about reading the Bible well in public.

In this video, he shares his conviction and some tips.

Bargains at Matthias Media – until Thursday 1st February 2018

Worth checking out, including three great books by Chappo for only $2 each! Buy a bunch and give them away.

(For Australian orders only, and while stocks last.) At Matthias Media.

Preparing for the Ruddock Review

“The Ruddock Review has the potential to produce a legal framework, at the federal level, which will undergird a new societal compact for the religious freedom of people of faith and their organisations in an increasingly irreligious society. …

The terms of reference for the Panel are broad, and crucially include the interaction of Commonwealth and state law. …”

– Check the Freedom for Faith website to be informed about submissions to the Ruddock Review.

The Prayer that turns the World upside down

“… Christians pray this prayer as a way of learning how to pray and what to pray – as Jesus teaches us to pray.

The Lord’s Prayer is the prayer that turns the world upside down. Are you looking for revolution? There is no clearer call to revolution than when we pray ‘Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’ But this is a revolution only God can bring … and He will.

This short prayer turns the world upside down. Principalities and powers hear their fall. Dictators are told their time is up. Might will indeed be made right and truth and justice will prevail. The kingdoms of this world will all pass, giving way to the Kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ.

It all comes down to one of the shortest prayers found in the Bible. The Lord’s Prayer takes less than 20 seconds to read aloud, but it takes a lifetime to learn. Sadly, most Christians rush through the prayer without learning it – but that is to miss the point completely.

Perhaps this is part of a larger problem. Gary Millar, who has written some enormously helpful resources on prayer, goes so far as to argue that ‘the evangelical church is slowly but surely giving up on prayer.’ The statement is shocking, but the truth of his assessment is even more shocking. Why are evangelicals giving up on prayer?

The statement is shocking, but the truth of his assessment is even more shocking. Why are evangelicals giving up on prayer?

Millar suggests that life is easy for most evangelicals – perhaps too easy. …”

– Albert Mohler has posted this excerpt from his new book (also available on Audible) on the Lord’s Prayer.

(Gary Millar will be the speaker at the CMS NSW/ACT Summer School in 2019.)

‘Taking the truth of God’s word into God’s world’ – new book of Mike Ovey’s writings launched

“Moore College Principal, Dr Mark Thompson, reflects on his close friend, the late Mike Ovey, in this video encouragement filmed for and played at the January book launch in the UK of The Goldilocks Zone: Collected Writings of Michael J. Ovey.”

– News and video from Moore College.

The book was launched in London last week.

Here’s a list of sellers, in Australian dollars. Also available here.

The Pastor’s Heart – deep interviews with Aussie pastors 2:00pm Tuesdays

Starting today (Tuesday 23rd January 2018 at 2:00pm), Dominic Steele is kicking off a series of interviews with pastors – The Pastor’s Heart.

They will be streamed live on Facebook, and the podcast will also be available on iTunes afterwards.

See all the details at thepastorsheart.net – and hear David Mansfield speak about John Chapman and the new book The Chappo Collection – today at 2:00pm.

Update: Watch the recorded chat here.

A most encouraging and heart-warming tribute to Chappo.

Alasdair Paine to visit Australia

Alasdair Paine, the vicar of St. Andrew the Great in Cambridge, is visiting Oz in March to expound Philippians at two conferences for Pastors:

On 6-8 March is speaking at the Presbyterian Theological College in Melbourne, and 13-15 March at the Sydney Missionary and Bible College. David Cook and David Jones are also speaking at the conferences.

(Prior to ministry training at Wycliffe Hall in Oxford, Alasdair studied geography at Trinity College in Cambridge and was Head of Geography at Eton. While in Sydney, he will speak to young geographers at the Scots College.)

GAFCON YouTube channel

From the GAFCON Communications Team:

“We are delighted to announce the launch of a Gafcon YouTube channel to keep people like you more informed and better equipped to stand up for uncompromised biblical truth.

There are 17 videos posted currently and we will be adding more regularly. Please take a moment to have a look.

You’ll find yourself both more aware of what’s happening – and encouraged by the words of people like you who are coming together to stand for the Bible and preach the true gospel of Jesus Christ.”