God in the Rainforest by Kathryn Long — Review by Wei-Han Kuan
“There are few stories in the English-speaking evangelical Christian world that have had greater impact than that of the Auca Five. Five young North American men, full of the promise and potential of the post-WWII generation, speared to death in equatorial Ecuador as they sought to bring the Gospel of Christ to a hitherto unreached, reclusive, jungle tribe. …”
– CMS Victoria State Director Wei-Han Kuan looks at an important and sobering book, God in the Rainforest: A Tale of Martyrdom & Redemption in Amazonian Ecuador by Kathryn Long,
Men Praying for Moore
The next Men’s Prayer gathering to pray for Moore College is on Saturday 21st September.
Seeing God at Ground Zero: an Aussie’s testimony from 9/11
“A meteorologist would tell you there were sprawling areas of high pressure, but to me it was simply a picture-perfect day for my last full day in New York, and an opportunity to explore the tourist hot spots.
First on the list was the viewing observatory inside the World Trade Center’s South Tower. It was Tuesday, September 11, 2001. …”
– At The Australian Church Record, Anthony Phillips reflects on his experience, and the lessons he learned from that day in New York.
Latest Northwest Network – fuel for prayer
The latest Northwest Network, from the Diocese of North West Australia, is now available for your encouragement to to fuel your prayers for the people of the north west. Dated August 2019.
Australian Church Record Journal for Spring 2019 now out
Download your copy of the latest Australian Church Record Journal for Spring 2019 here.
Contents:
Thank God for Ordinary Pastors
Mark Earngey
Wangaratta Defies National Church
Kanishka Raffel
The Opened Eyes of Wilberforce
David Ould
Evangelism in the Upper Mountains
Jon Guyer
Gospel Growth through ANeW
Sam Broadfoot
New Life in an Ancient Parish?
Ben Wilkinson
Contending side by side
Tom Habib
Some Observations for Ordinary Pastoral Ministry
Archie Poulos
The Christian and His Worship
D. Broughton Knox.
Archbishop urges Anglicans to join the Stand for Life Rally
“Archbishop Glenn Davies has warned of the dangers of the Bill which allows abortion up until birth, urging Christians show support for the life of the unborn before the Upper House considers the Bill. … Dr Davies urged promotion for the ‘Rally for Life’ on Sunday afternoon, 15 September in Hyde Park.”
Promotional flyer (PDF file).
See the Promotional video on Facebook or on Vimeo.
CMS Summer School 2020
CMS NSW & ACT has posted this video to encourage people to come to the 2020 Summer School.
New Commonwealth Religious Freedom Laws
“The Commonwealth Attorney-General has released Exposure Drafts of a package of Federal Bills designed to improve religious freedom protections under Australian law, along with associated explanatory information. The legislation responds to the recommendations of the Ruddock Panel into Religious Freedom, released late in 2018. Public comment has been invited by 2 October, 2019.
The main item is the Religious Discrimination Bill 2019 (“RDB”), which broadly replicates the existing pattern of anti-discrimination laws enacted by the Commonwealth, but picking up for the first time at the Federal level the “protected characteristics” of “religious belief or activity”. Two ancillary Bills propose consequential amendments to other legislation, add some specific matters to be taken into account in objects clauses for other discrimination laws, and slightly amend or clarify the laws on charities and marriage.
The RDB is a lengthy document (68 clauses over 52 pages), with some complexities that will need to be unpacked. But I would like to offer a brief overview and an initial response, which will be followed up later by more detailed comments about particular issues. I can say, however, that it looks like being a worthwhile and helpful change which in general will further the cause of religious freedom (for both believers and non-believers) in Australia.…”
– Neil Foster, Associate Professor in Law, offers an initial opinion at Law and Religion Australia.
‘Belief…’
“When the subject of religion comes up we often hear comments like: ‘Religion is for the weak-minded’, or ‘it is poisonous’. We also hear, ‘All religions are the same’. And if the conversation continues, we might get told, ‘Religious people are so self-righteous!’ There are also those who tell us, ‘Everyone’s right in their own kind of way.’ ‘In any case, when I die, if there is a God, I’m sure he’ll accept me: I’ve led a good life’.
So, in this indifferent and sometimes hostile world, how do people come to faith in Christ? In 2 Corinthians 4 Paul provides some helpful clues. Let me identify them briefly. …”
– At The Anglican Connection, John Mason continues a series of short reflections on sharing the gospel. Others here.
The seduction of worldly wisdom
“When it comes to living our lives as Christians, we need a wisdom that’s much bigger than what the world has on offer. Our society is happy and content with worldly wisdom, because worldly wisdom seems to work – at least for a while. …”
– Ainsley Poulos writes at The Australian Church Record.
Words with purpose (Ephesians 4:29–30)
“Words are fundamental to our lives. We use words to share, to create, to love, to define ourselves, and to build societies and worlds. We live through words. That’s why one of the most powerful things you can do for someone is to help them give a voice to their own words. …”
– Encouragement to think before we speak. Lionel Windsor writes at Forget the Channel.
Cathedral Conversation – NSW Abortion Legislation
St John’s Anglican Cathedral Parramatta is hosting a Cathedral Conversation on “Choices: The conversation about abortion we need to have”.
On Monday, 2nd September 2019 from 7:30pm. Read more
Am I serving others with how I post photos?
“I have slowly watched my Instagram feed change from arty experiences of life to mostly photos of my kids.
I remember one day prior to having kids thinking, ‘Don’t they’ – meaning people exactly like myself now, parents – ‘have anything better to post?!’
I now think the answer is yes and no. …”
– At GoThereFor.com, Pip Taylor shares some wisdom on what, why, and how to share.
The Forbidden Grief
“This is the grief you were not supposed to feel.
They told you that abortion was safer, both psychologically and medically, than childbirth. Yet now this is the loneliest grief of all. There are no photos, no little reminders of past joys, no shared memories, and no grave to visit.
To the outsider there is nothing, but the reality is very different. Now even your happiest moments are shadowed by a secret sadness. People grieve greatly – and sometimes feel guilty – even after a miscarriage, but it is so much worse after an abortion. With an abortion, grief is mixed with real objective guilt.”
– Written by Peter Barnes, President of Evangelicals for Life, The Forbidden Grief is a pastoral resource for those who are grieving and struggling through past decisions regarding abortion, showing the reader where true forgiveness and restoration can be found.
To be released next week – now available for order from The Wandering Bookseller.
The gospel for criminals (Ephesians 4:28)
“I owe a huge debt to prison chaplains. My whole nation does. Richard Johnson and Samuel Marsden were foundational figures in the history of Australia. Johnson came out on the First Fleet in 1788, and Marsden followed him.
They were evangelical ministers, and they were prison chaplains. That’s because the whole colony of New South Wales was a prison. Apart from the original owners of the land which became known as New South Wales, everyone was involved in the correctional system in some way: either as a customer, or as a service provider.
As the colony was being set up, mission-minded evangelicals in England knew that this new prison needed the gospel of Jesus Christ. So they made sure that the position of chaplain was included in the colony, and they provided gospel ministers to fill it. …”
– Biblical encouragement from Dr Lionel Windsor at Moore College.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…