Concerns raised over ‘poor process’ and ‘lack of transparency’ around appointment of new Archbishop of Canterbury

Posted on March 6, 2025 
Filed under Church of England Comments Off on Concerns raised over ‘poor process’ and ‘lack of transparency’ around appointment of new Archbishop of Canterbury

“The process by which the next Archbishop of Canterbury will be appointed has been criticised at points as being ‘confusing’ and ‘lacking in transparency’, proper process and clarity, according to one academic.

Revd Dr Andrew Goddard, a member of the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC), has raised major questions and real concerns about the process by which the new archbishop will be appointed. …”

– from The Church of England Evangelical Council.

Exploring and Celebrating the Nicene Creed

Posted on March 6, 2025 
Filed under Australian dioceses, History, Theology Comments Off on Exploring and Celebrating the Nicene Creed

“This year is the 1700th anniversary of the Nicene Creed, which is an important part of our liturgy for a number of our services, in particular for the Eucharist. We encourage you to mark this year by devoting some time to focussing on the creed, both personally and as a congregation. …”

– The Ministry Development Committee of the Diocese of Ballarat is seeking to help church members think about what they mean when they say the Nicene Creed on Sundays.

Related:

Credo Magazine feature: 1700 Years after Nicaea. – January 2025.

A pod for God

Posted on March 5, 2025 
Filed under Encouragement, Evangelism, Resources Comments Off on A pod for God

“Before Steve Jobs at Apple invented the iPod, podcasts were called radio shows. As someone who made radio shows for 30 years, perhaps I am not the best person to review podcasts. But then again, maybe I am. Because the basic rules haven’t changed much.

Rule number one is to say something interesting. Rule number two is to be listenable. Sounds simple, right? But not every podcast follows these rules, as just about anyone with a microphone and an internet connection can now be a podcaster. …”

– At SydneyAnglicans.net, Russell Powell introduces a new podcast he has discovered.

The Evangelism and New Churches podcasts page has links to the Fire Up podcast and all the previous episodes on Apple or Spotify.

Openness to Jesus among young people — The Pastor’s Heart

Posted on March 4, 2025 
Filed under Good News, Resources Comments Off on Openness to Jesus among young people — The Pastor’s Heart

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“We are hearing reports from the university campuses, from young adult ministries, and from youth groups – that there is an increasing openness to the gospel of Jesus – and there’s a new openness among young men.

There’s a shift in the culture. There’s something happening that is different among young people – Especially among young men.

There’s a greater biblical ignorance in the rising generation. But significantly more openness.

There’s less hostility when compared to a decade ago. Walk up evangelism is easier and people are more open to discussing their views on Jesus.

And people are being saved. And young men are being saved

Andy Stephenson heads the Youth Ministry support team for Anglican Youthworks.

Dave Jensen works with Evangelism and New Churches encouraging and mobilizing churches in Evangelism and is one of the keynote speakers at the Nexus Ministry Conference on 17 March 2025.

Katie Stringer is involved in high school ministry across Sydney’s secular inner west.”

– Watch or listen here.

Word in Song Conference Sydney 2025 — 22 March

Posted on March 4, 2025 
Filed under News, Resources Comments Off on Word in Song Conference Sydney 2025 — 22 March

From Emu Music:

“Are you passionate about singing that is deeply rooted in Scripture? The Word in Song Conference is a place where worship leaders, musicians, and church members come together to be equipped, inspired, and encouraged – helping you and your church grow in a gospel-centred approach to music and ministry.”

– Details here.

Christ and Creation — Two Ways News podcast

Posted on March 4, 2025 
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From Phillip Jensen:

“Dear Friends,

Hello again, thanks for the feedback and encouragement. Peter and I are enjoying chatting over the great themes of the Creator and creation in Genesis 1.

So far, we have been struck by the opening words ‘In the beginning God created’, which take us to the idea of one God and one universe. But yet when we come to John chapter 1 we find that the word by which God created all, became flesh in the person of Jesus. Furthermore, in Colossians 1, the world was created not only through God’s son but also for him.

So, in this week’s Two Ways News we are exploring the place of Christ in creation. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did in making it.”

– Listen here.

Sydney’s link to Chilean ‘blockbuster’ event

Posted on March 3, 2025 
Filed under Anglican Communion, Sydney Diocese Comments Off on Sydney’s link to Chilean ‘blockbuster’ event

“Supporters from across the globe have travelled to the Chilean capital Santiago for a threefold ceremony that Anglican Aid CEO and former missionary to Chile, the Rev Canon Tim Swan, calls an ‘Anglican blockbuster event’.

The occasion was the retirement of Héctor (Tito) Zavala as Primate of Chile, the consecration of Juan Esteban Saravia as Bishop of Santiago, and the installation of Bishop Enrique Lago as Primate of Chile. …”

– Russell Powell reports at SydneyAnglicans.net.

More than Moralism: Reflections on The Joe Rogan Podcast with Wesley Huff

Posted on March 2, 2025 
Filed under Apologetics, Evangelism Comments Off on More than Moralism: Reflections on The Joe Rogan Podcast with Wesley Huff

“Until recently, I had never listened to The Joe Rogan Experience – one of the world’s most popular podcasts, hosted by American comedian Joe Rogan, who interviews an extensive variety of guests at length. I had also never heard of one of Rogan’s recent guests, Christian apologist Wesley Huff. Despite my unfamiliarity with both, I nevertheless decided to listen to all three hours of their conversation (admittedly with a few breaks).

Their discussion was wide-ranging, covering everything from Mesopotamian mathematical conventions to physics and cosmology, but I want here to reflect on one key issue that emerged at the very end of the episode: the distinction between a moralistic view of Christ and the worship of him, especially in our evangelism…”

– Andy Jansen writes at The Australian Church Record.

Who is Melchizedek?

Posted on March 1, 2025 
Filed under Resources, Theology Comments Off on Who is Melchizedek?

“Who is the greatest in the book of Genesis? Abraham? Wrong! The greatest man in Genesis is Melchizedek.

‘Who?’, you say. Even if you have been a Bible reader for a while, your knowledge of Melchizedek may be a little sketchy. Who was he? And why does he matter?

Melchizedek appears in three places in the Bible. We will take these in turn and see how they fit together.…”

– Christopher Ash, Writer-in-Residence at Tyndale House in Cambridge, begins a new series, ‘Curious characters in the Bible’, by exploring questions around the mysterious Melchizedek.

How does an election for a new Archbishop of Melbourne work?

Posted on February 28, 2025 
Filed under Australian dioceses Comments Off on How does an election for a new Archbishop of Melbourne work?

“Current lay and clergy members of the Diocese of Melbourne’s synod will gather at St Paul’s Cathedral on 23 and 24 May to elect a new archbishop. The meeting will be closed to the public.

The last time the two houses of synod (the House of Laity and the House of Clergy) came together to elect an archbishop was in 2006. It was a protracted and rancorous process requiring two separate meetings.

The diocese is currently without an archbishop, with Archbishop Freier retiring on his 70th birthday, as per the synod regulations, earlier this month. …”

– At The Melbourne Anglican, Penny Mulvey provides an outline for the election process.

It’d be good to uphold in prayer Melbourne Anglicans as they work through this process.

Communion Restructure Fails to Bring Renewal — GAFCON

Posted on February 28, 2025 
Filed under Anglican Communion, GAFCON, Global South Comments Off on Communion Restructure Fails to Bring Renewal — GAFCON

“To my brothers and sisters in the Gafcon family,

The recommendations of the December 2024 Report of IASCUFO (the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order) will fail to bring about renewal in the Anglican Communion.

There is merit in the leadership of the Primates’ Council and the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) being handed over from the Archbishop of Canterbury to a rotating, international chair.

But their proposed restructure of the ‘Instruments of Communion’ fails to bring genuine renewal to our Anglican Church.

The IASCUFO recommendations weaken the foundations of our common doctrine by sanctifying the revisionist theologies of provinces and dioceses that have wandered from the truth. …”

– A message from The Most Rev’d Dr Laurent Mbanda, Chairman of the Gafcon Primates Council.

Related:

Fatal Flaws in the Nairobi-Cairo Proposals – Bishop-Elect Phil Ashey at The American Anglican Council.

Praying for the Muslim world during Ramadan

Posted on February 28, 2025 
Filed under Resources Comments Off on Praying for the Muslim world during Ramadan

Various groups produce resources to help Christians pray gospel-focussed prayers for Muslim people during the month of Ramadan. Here is one such resource which you can purchase and download:

“30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World has been inviting Christians to pray with love and respect for Muslim peoples around the world since 1993.”

Details here.

God’s Deep Irony!

Posted on February 27, 2025 
Filed under Theology Comments Off on God’s Deep Irony!

“HG Wells, historian and author of The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds responded to a request from The American Magazine in July 1922, to identify the six most influential people in history.

‘I am an historian,’ he said. ‘I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very center of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history’.

Why then was HG Wells, and many like him, not a believer? Perhaps it has something to do with what we might call, God’s deep irony. …”

– John Mason writes in this week’s Word on Wednesday from The Anglican Connection.

Fatal Flaws in the Nairobi-Cairo Proposals

Posted on February 26, 2025 
Filed under Anglican Communion Comments Off on Fatal Flaws in the Nairobi-Cairo Proposals

From by Bishop-Elect Phil Ashey at The American Anglican Council:

“In December 2024, the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order (IASCUFO) offered a new take on the divisions within the Anglican Communion. The IASCUFO Nairobi-Cairo (2024) proposals are the official statements of the Canterbury-led and TEC-funded Anglican Communion. These IASCUFO proposals call for a ‘reset’ of the Anglican Communion on the basis of mutual loyalty to a common faith, doctrine, and order.

So far so good. But in the process they proposed significant amendments to Resolution 49 of the 1930 Lambeth Conference, which describes the requirements for following Jesus in the Anglican way and therefore membership within the Anglican Communion.

It is these changes proposed by the IASCUFO Nairobi-Cairo (2024) proposals that simply fail to bring about the Communion—much less ‘the highest level of communion possible’—within the global communion of Anglican Churches on the basis of a mutual loyalty to biblical and apostolic faith and order. …

But why would any of us want to be included in a Communion of Anglican Churches that are held together by conversations rather than a common faith, order, and mission?…”

– Read it all here. (Bold added in first paragraph.)

Creator, King and Country — The importance of the first five words

Posted on February 26, 2025 
Filed under Resources, Theology Comments Off on Creator, King and Country — The importance of the first five words

From Phillip Jensen:

Citizenship is a wonderful thing. To be part of something larger than yourself gives meaning purpose and identity. Peter and I grew up in the British Empire having been born before the granting of Australian citizenship. It was for the Empire that our parents and grandparents generation went to the world wars. Today that is almost unimaginable, for now people find their identity in being Australians.

However, when we read Genesis 1 we are confronted with a ruler who is over and above every empire and nation because he is the Creator of all things. In this episode of Two Ways News we look at the meaning and implications of the opening words of Genesis 1.

– Listen here.

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