‘Why Expository Preaching is a bad idea’
Albert Mohler, at a 9 Marks conference at Southern Seminary, traces the history of the loss of confidence in preaching the text of the Bible. Well worth listening.
(h/t Colin Adams.)
Opposing Euthanasia
“Euthanasia is being pushed again in NSW. There’s a lot more that could be said, but here’s what I’m sending to my local MPs…”
–Sandy Grant writes at The Briefing.
This is after news that the Rights of the Terminally Ill Bill 2013 may be introduced into the Legislative Council of the NSW Parliament as a private members bill tomorrow – Thursday, 2 May 2013 – by the NSW Greens MLC, Cate Faehrmann.
(Image: Feggy Art on Flickr.)
Keeping the gospel in your sights in pastoral ministry
“Late last year, our ministry team looked at 1 Timothy 3 and 4. We noticed how, smack bang in the middle of these chapters on Christian leadership, is “the mystery of godliness”: that is, Christ our Saviour (1 Tim 3:16 cf 4:10). In other words, to be faithful in pastoral ministry, you have to keep your eyes on Jesus. You have to fight to keep your eyes on Jesus…”
– Great advice from Jean Williams, at The Briefing.
The Church’s One Foundation — the story and a free download
“[In 1866] The Rev. Samuel John Stone was well aware of the effectiveness of singing when he wrote and published Lyra Fidelium … which consisted of twelve hymns, one for each article of the Apostles’ Creed. With each hymn he included a short ‘summary of truths confessed’ in that article, along with a list of the Scripture passages supporting it.
‘The Church’s One Foundation’ was the hymn he wrote for article 9 of the Creed, which affirms belief in ‘the holy catholic church’ and ‘the communion of saints’.”
– Tim Challies posts a story on the origin of the hymn which (though he doesn’t mention it) was sung at the first Lambeth Conference the year after it was written. And there’s a free download too.
(Drs Ligon Dincan, Derek Thomas and Bill Wymond also discuss the hymn, with a bit more background on Bishop Colenso, who is referred to in the original wording of the hymn.)
Thoughts on Sexuality and Gender
John Richardson in the UK has been thinking theologically about sexuality and gender in the context of the current push for ‘same-sex marriage’.
It’s worth taking some time to read his latest posts at The Ugley Vicar.
Kel Richards’ tribute to George Beverly Shea on 2CH Sunday night
We hear that Kel Richards will be presenting a tribute to the late George Beverly Shea on his program, “Nightsong with Kel Richards” on Sydney’s Radio 2CH, between 8.00 and 9.00pm tonight, Sunday, 21st April, 2013.
(h/t Ramon Williams.)
Packer’s testimony to the reality of weakness
Dr J I Packer speaks about his experience of weakness in this short video to introduce his forthcoming book on 2 Corinthians, Weakness Is the Way: Life with Christ Our Strength.
h/t Justin Taylor.
If Dead Men don’t Rise
Almost 2,000 years ago, a Christian named Paul wrote a letter to a group of people in Corinth, a city in Greece.
People in that city had at one time been enthusiastic about the Christian faith, but had then begun to have some second thoughts. They had written a letter to Paul to ask something like, “You told us that this man Jesus died and then came back to life. We’re pretty sure you don’t actually expect us to believe that a man was dead and then alive again. That must have been some kind of a metaphor or a moral, right?”
– Tim Challies takes a look at 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 and the implications of believing the Resurrection didn’t actually happen.
Tips for studying Acts
Here are some helpful tips from Don Carson – via Unlocking the Bible. (h/t Tim Challies.)
Don’t allow Prayer to be edged out
“Once upon a time I used to be part of a Bible study group. We’d spend most of our time studying the Bible together. The problem was we often spent so long looking at the Bible and talking together that we rarely allowed much time to pray.
So we changed the name to Prayer and Bible groups. And you know what? Prayer was still frequently edged out by everything else. I wonder if your experience has been much the same…”
– Dave McDonald calls us to actually pray. In practice. As Sydney Anglicans look to elect a new Archbishop in August, and to a united mission campaign in 2014, let’s not neglect to bring these matters before our heavenly Father.
The Parable(s) of the Lost Sheep
Dr Barry Newman continues to blog about well-known Bible passages, and he’s just finished writing on The Parable(s) of the Lost Sheep. Helpful for preachers and anyone wanting to tease out the meaning of Scripture.
“The parable of the lost sheep, that wonderful story told to so many Sunday School children over the centuries, is not as innocent and lovely as it might first appear. …
The parable is recorded in two of the Gospels: Matthew 18:10-14 and Luke 15:3-7.”
Download his series as a PDF file here.
Moore College Open Events 2013
Open Nights 2013
27th May and 26th August
Open Weeks 2013
27th May – 31st May
26th August – 30th August
Open Day 2013
28th September
See all the details at the College website.
Watch Me
“Using audio from Don Carson, this short video challenges us from the Bible how we must be sharing our lives, opening up the Bible and changing generations as we point them to Jesus.”
– Be encouraged to watch and share. From 10 of those. h/t Tim Challies.
The Spirit of ANZAC
“I think it was at the end or just after the end of the First World War an Army Chaplain expressed his fear that ANZAC Day had the potential to be an alternative religion to Christianity. It seems to me that that he was both right and wrong.…”
– In an article on the Defence Anglicans website, Geoff Webb, Principal Anglican Chaplain to the Army, thinks Christians can find links to the gospel in ANZAC Day.
The Pharisees in Luke’s Gospel
As part of the Preaching Matters video series from St. Helen’s Bishopsgate, William Taylor discusses applying the Pharisees when preaching through Luke. Great for preachers. Good for anyone who wants to think through how the Bible applies today.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…