Freedom19 Conference

Freedom for Faith’s Freedom19 Conference is planned for Wednesday 4th September at NSW Parliament House in Sydney.

Details and booking here.

Churches, Same-sex ministries and the law

Neil Foster, at Law and Religion Australia, writes:

“I am delivering a seminar paper on the topic “Churches, Same-sex ministries and the law: discrimination and religious freedom” on August 20. For those who are interested, there is a copy of the paper here…”

Our King, Abortion and Us

“Maybe you have had an abortion. If you haven’t, it’s very likely you know a woman who has and quietly carries the experience around with her every day. She has quite possibly told no one about it. We can easily be oblivious to the sadness that lies behind the faces of those around us, including our Christian sisters. Then of course you’ll also know men, families, friends and health workers who have experienced abortion up close and quietly carry the burden of it too. Abortion is more common than we often realise.

So, it’s important to talk about abortion thoughtfully as Christian women. There are many ways in which God’s Spirit can take up this issue and use it to probe, convict and comfort every one of us through His Word.

In these three short articles, we will let God’s Word talk us through abortion and show us something of ourselves, our King and His Kingdom love at work.  …”

– Earlier this year Equal But Different published three articles by Robyn Bain.

Article 1, Choosing Abortion.

Article 2, Abortion and the Gospel: Love, Guilt & Life Derailed.

Article 3, Kingdom Love at Work.

A family shares all of life

“In Galatians 6, Paul shows us how the grace of God operates in the life of the church family as we live for others, bearing one another’s burdens. Although it can seem difficult and so is often neglected, this is an important part of Christian fellowship. Is this how your church family helps one another? …”

– At The Australian Church Record, Ben George writes to encourage Christians to genuinely support each other.

Contacting members of the NSW Upper House

With the NSW Upper House expected to begin to debate the abortion bill this week, readers may care to avail themselves of the Australian Christian Lobby’s portal to e-mail all Members of the Legislative Council.

The page links also includes some suggestions for point you could make.

Of course, you can also contact members individually.

Related:

“Archbishop Glenn Davies has told a State Parliamentary inquiry that the catchcry of new legislation has been ‘decriminalisation’ but skates over the details that it radically extends abortion in New South Wales.

Abortion is not unlawful in New South Wales under certain circumstances because of a precedent set by the ruling of a District Court Judge in 1971.

The new legislation, which allows for abortions up to birth without effective safeguards, has had minor amendments in the state’s Legislative Assembly and now goes to the Upper House for scrutiny and then a vote.

After two weeks of media appearances and joint appeals with other religious leaders, Dr Davies was able to speak directly to the Upper House MPs who form the Social Issues Committee of the Legislative Council. …

The Archbishop also lodged a submission by the Social Issues Committee of the Diocese, which argued against the legislation on several grounds, including its impact on women. …”

Martyn Iles, Managing Director of the Australian Christian Lobby, will address the Stand for Life pro-life rally at Martin Place, Sydney on Tuesday August 20.

Thousands of people are expected to attend to show their opposition to the extreme NSW abortion bill that will be debated in the NSW Upper House this week. The Australian Christian Lobby is co-hosting the event with other pro-life organisations.

It follows polling released by ACL today which indicates strong opposition to the bill.

Mr Iles will be joined by MPs including Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers leader Robert Borsak and Tania Mihailuk MLA from the ALP as well as faith and community leaders.

Stand for Life

When: 6pm-9pm Tuesday August 20, 2019

Where: Martin Place (Macquarie Street side)

Moore College Open Week 2nd — 6th September

It’s Moore College Open Week 2nd — 6th September 2019.

Details at the link.

Annual Moore College Lectures 2019 – Gary Millar speaking

The Annual Moore College Lectures 2019 start next week – 15th, and 19th – 23rd August.

Dr Gary Millar, Principal of Queensland Theological College.

Topic: ’Great Expectations? A Biblical Theology of Transformation’.

Unborn children need your help

In an e-mail, the Australian Christian Lobby is encouraging people in NSW to contact their MPs to ask them to vote against a bill which is scheduled to come before the Lower House tomorrow (Tuesday 6th August 2019).

In his e-mail, NSW Director of the Australian Christian Lobby, Kieren Jackson, writes:

“What is in the bill?

See also:

The Australian Christian Lobby.

Public Statement from Archbishop Glenn Davies.

Contact details for Members of the Legislative Assembly.

 

A Prayer for the Protection of Unborn Children

Next week, a new bill to make abortion more available in New South Wales will be debated in NSW Parliament.

Archbishop Glenn Davies has urged Christians to pray, and to contact local MPs, who will be in the process of deciding how to vote on the legislation.

Archdeacon Kara Hartley has written a prayer you could use at home, or in church:

Heavenly Father, Lord of life, We thank you and praise you that you are the author and sustainer of life and that every person is created in your image and is precious in your sight.

We pray today knowing that our Parliament is considering significant changes to abortion law in this state.

Father, we pray for those among us for whom this is a very personal issue and a source of deep distress. Strengthen and uphold those who grieve the loss of their child. May the love, forgiveness and hope found through Christ be their comfort. As a Christian community give us compassion and understanding for any among us who have faced this situation.

We pray for our politicians, as they come to vote on this issue next week. May they show courage and commitment to the dignity and sanctity of each human life.

We also pray for ourselves. Help us to speak with grace and sensitivity to one another, among our friends and neighbours and with our local MPs. Help us to be courageous and wise in defending unborn children. Help us not to shy away from our convictions, but boldly stand firm in the truth that all life comes from you and is precious in your sight.

For Christ’s sake and in his name, we pray.

Amen.

Also available as a PDF file. (Photo of Kara Hartley courtesy Sam Law.)

We are a resistance movement

“I don’t know about you, but I’m intrigued by resistance movements – those organised efforts by a portion of a populace to withstand a government or occupying power. When those in control are evil, resistance can be seen as an admirable and even noble task. …

The book of 1 Peter highlights that we – the Christian church – are a resistance movement.”

– At GoThereFor.com, Stephen Liggins draws encouragement from 1 Peter.

Time for Love

“Over the last year or so I have noticed that people have becomes very conversant with hate.

Hate has become a word we apply to the comments of those we disagree with. We have even given it the title, ‘Hate speech’.

No doubt people do say hateful things from a hateful heart but ‘hate’ is a word and an emotion we need to be very careful of. As a word it needs to be used sparingly and as an emotion it needs to be overcome. …”

– Wise counsel from Rick Lewers, Bishop of Armidale.

Transgender discrimination law in Australia — uncertainties

“It is not uncommon to find popular assertions, in relation to the legal treatment of transgender persons, that the law requires that a person who asserts they are of a different gender to their biological sex, be allowed to use bathrooms set aside for their chosen gender, or that they have a ‘right’ to be addressed by the pronoun corresponding to that gender.

In this post I want to point out that it seems quite arguable that the law in most of Australia does not have this effect. … it is important to be as clear as possible on what the law actually says.”

– Neil Foster writes at Law and Religion Australia.

9 Things ‘you should know’ about the Communion Service on the Moon

“This Saturday [Sunday in Australia] marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, when astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first people in history to walk on the Moon. But it’s also the anniversary of the a lesser known event – the first celebration of the Lord’s Supper on the Moon. …”

– from Joe Carter via Tim Challies. Perhaps something which could lead to a gospel conversation this weekend.

Global lessons in theological education — Dr Mark Thompson

“Hold on to face-to-face theological education, for all it’s worth.”

– Moore College Principal Dr. Mark Thompson is just back from a tour of the world’s leading theological colleges, observing best practice and latest trends.

He spoke with Dominic Steele at The Pastor’s Heart. Watch or listen here.

Marriage Remembrances

“As I approach another marriage milestone, it’s worth remembering the journey of family life and the priorities that come with being a family man. I don’t write the ‘Family Matters’ column, but over the weeks ahead I want to offer some insights into family that I hope will prove helpful.

My wife and I, thankfully enjoyed good role models as both my wife’s parents and mine had faithful marriages full of love. We often reflect with thankfulness that we did not experience abuse or violence and we grieve for others for whom abuse and violence was their only experience of home life. In many ways we are products of our up-bringing and we have committed ourselves to walk in the good example of those who raised us. To those less fortunate than us the importance of finding good role models cannot be overemphasised as well as reading good literature on family.

It is why church, among other organisations, can make such a good contribution to family life…”

– Rick Lewers, Bishop of Armidale, begins a series on family for his local newspaper.

The second instalment, on Fathering, has been also been published.

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