Integrating missional and attractional evangelistic strategies – with Richard Borgonon

Posted on May 20, 2023 
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From The Pastor’s Heart:

“Richard Borgonon is the author of Word 1-2-1.

He presented at the recent Gafcon Conference in Kigali alongside Christianity Explored’s Rico Tice on how a church might have an integrated evangelistic strategy incorporating both an evangelistic course and a program where members are encouraged to personally evangelise their friends through personal bible reading.

After Rico Tice headed off for a coffee, we sat down to ask Richard how might this work.”

– Watch or listen here.

Tim Keller to receive hospice care at home

Posted on May 19, 2023 
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From Tim Challies:

“…Tim Keller’s family just shared the news that he has been discharged from the hospital to receive hospice care at home.”

He links to this Instagram post.

Do uphold Tim Keller and his family in your prayers at this time.

See also (05 January 2022), “Growing My Faith in the Face of Death”.

“the beginning of the end of freedom of conscience in Australia”

Posted on May 19, 2023 
Filed under Australia, Culture wars Comments Off on “the beginning of the end of freedom of conscience in Australia”

“In this crucial episode, Wendy Francis, Acting CEO of ACL, exposes the alarming attempts by the ACT government to compulsory acquire Calvary Hospital. Freedom of conscience and faith is at risk, and we cannot ignore it.

If the government succeeds with Calvary Hospital, there is serious concern, shared by many, as to which institutions could be targeted next across the country. …”

– Wendy Francis of the Australian Christian Lobby speaks plainly about the ACT Government’s move to compulsorily acquire Calvary Hospital, Bruce.

“The Government is not God.”

See also:

Say NO to the forcible takeover of Calvary Hospital – Australian Christian Lobby. (And follow the link to take action, if you desire).

Why is the Ascension the most important moment in the New Testament?

Posted on May 18, 2023 
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In a post republished for Ascension Day, Dr Ian Paul calls us to see the importance of Christ’s Ascension:

“We might miss this because of our theological tradition, but we often miss it because of our failure to read carefully.

In Peter’s Pentecost speech, the climax of what God has done in Jesus is not the resurrection, but Jesus being ‘exalted to the right hand of God’ (Acts 2.33).

In support of this, he cites Ps 110, the most cited psalm in the NT (just pause to take that in…), with its imagery of ‘the Lord’ (messiah) taking his seat at the right hand of ‘the Lord’ (Yahweh, the God of Israel).”

– Read it all at Psephizo.

Moore College Welcomes New COO

Posted on May 18, 2023 
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“Moore College is pleased to announce the appointment of our new Chief Operating Officer,  Mr Soo Sing Goh.

Mr Goh is currently the Finance Director and Company Secretary at the Church Missionary Society Australia (CMS-A). …

The current COO, Dr Laurie Scandrett, has been with Moore College on an interim basis and will be retiring from his position in early September.”

– News from Moore College.

Catholic Archbishop ‘shocked and stunned’ at ACT’s proposed takeover of Calvary Hospital

Posted on May 17, 2023 
Filed under Culture wars, News Comments Off on Catholic Archbishop ‘shocked and stunned’ at ACT’s proposed takeover of Calvary Hospital

“After serving Canberra for more than 44 years, Calvary Public Hospital Bruce has been blindsided by the ACT Government, who yesterday announced it had begun an acquisition process to take control and ownership of the hospital, reports Catholic Voice.

If the proposed legislation is passed at the end of the month, the hospital will cease to operate under the governance of the Little Company of Mary. …

Canberra Health Services will run the hospital from July 3. …”

– Story from CathNews.

Related:

“Established in 1885 by the Sisters of the Little Company of Mary, Calvary is a not-for-profit Catholic health care organisation. Our mission is to provide quality, compassionate healthcare to the most vulnerable, including those reaching the end of their life.” “Calvary is a Values based organisation” – Calvary Care.

Petition to Save Calvary Hospital Bruce – Catholic Voice.

‘Soviet Style’ Acquisition Of Canberra Hospital A Dangerous Precedent – Australian Christian Lobby –

“So unprecedented is the move, that the Labor-Greens ACT Government will introduce new legislation to execute its decision. The Catholic owned hospital has been a strong advocate for the sanctity of human life by conscientiously objecting to the provision of elective abortions and opposing the introduction of assisted suicide in the ACT.”

And in a letter from Archbishop Christopher Prowse Catholic Archbishop of Canberra and Goulburn:

“My prayers and thoughts are immediately directed to the 1,800 workers of the hospital and their families. They must be worried about the ramifications of this decision for their future employment.

I am also concerned that this action, based on obsessive government control, would deprive future generations in Canberra of the choice of hospital care based on the ethos of our cherished Catholic faith.

There is a rising fear, also, that this extraordinary and completely unnecessary government intervention could set the scene for future “acquisitions” of any faith-based health facility or, indeed, any faith-based enterprise, including education or social welfare. …”

Photo: Calvary Hospital, Bruce, in Canberra’s north via Calvary Hospital website.

Mercy ministries: reaching the poor through social action

Posted on May 17, 2023 
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“I’ve found that, so often, churches don’t seriously consider the working-class communities on their doorstep unless it is in connection with social action.

Too often, our projects involve doing things for or to people, not with them. To engage with people, involve them in church life and our own lives, is harder; but that is to treat people as people. …”

– in her series on ‘Class and the Church’, Kirsten Birkett considers the place of ‘mercy ministries’ and asks what might be missing. At the Church Society blog.

What I need most from my minister

Posted on May 16, 2023 
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“When we forget that ministry is godliness, we forget that godliness is the goal. Churches can begin to exist simply for the purpose of increasing the number of people coming on a Sunday. Ministers can begin to overlook the sinful habits in their own lives, perhaps even justifying them or rationalising them away, because of the good ‘ministry’ that they are doing. And individual Christians in the church can begin to measure their own Christian walk simply by how involved or active they are. …”

– Tom Habib reminds us of the greatest need we have for the personal lives of our ministers – at SydneyAnglicans.net.

King’s Birthday Conference — Monday 12th June 2023

Posted on May 16, 2023 
Filed under Resources, Theology Comments Off on King’s Birthday Conference — Monday 12th June 2023

From Two Ways Ministries:

“In May 2023, King Charles will be crowned and all will say ‘Long Live the King’.

But what does it mean? Do we want it? And why do we say it?

The topic of the King’s Birthday Conference this year will raise many issues in the Bible about kings and rulers, as well as kingdoms and our nation.

The conference will be a great time to hear Phillip and Peter Jensen teach the Bible clearly, meet with old friends and new, have a Q&A session and prayer time – all included in your registration for the in-person event at Moore Theological College, Sydney.

Archie Poulos (Head of Department of Ministry and Director of Centre for Ministry Development at Moore College) will be our chairperson for the event. …”

– See all the details here.

The mass hysteria and psychosis of modern society

Posted on May 15, 2023 
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“In many ways George Orwell’s 1984 could be regarded as a prophetic novel. Although written in 1949 there are parts of it that are even more apposite for 2023.

In the novel Orwell describes the Two Minutes Hate – a daily public period in which the citizens of Oceania watch a film showing Emmanuel Goldstein, the main enemy of the State, and his Brotherhood. They are encouraged to show their hate for him and their love for Big Brother. Orwell’s picture is a masterful description of group psychology – what he calls groupthink. It shows how people can transfer their own anxieties and anger on to an external enemy (who doesn’t really exist), and thus diverts them from questioning The Party – the governing authorities. In this way The Party can deal with thoughtcrime and thoughtcriminals. …”

– In his latest column for subscribers to Evangelicals Now, and reposted at his blog The Wee Flea, David Robertson calls on Christians to think for themselves.

What constitutes Anglican identity?

Posted on May 15, 2023 
Filed under Church of England, History, Theology Comments Off on What constitutes Anglican identity?

“There is no doubt that the sixteenth-century Reformation changed the world. From politics and social attitudes to things like work and family life. To the art of Michelangelo, the music of J.S. Bach and the literature of Shakespeare. To those on board the Mayflower and to the establishment of the Thirteen Colonies.

The face of Western culture and society over the past 500 years would have been very different without the likes of Martin Luther, John Calvin and many others.

This is certainly true of the Church of England and the way it has developed into the modern Anglican Communion. And yet today, there is great ambiguity about what constitutes true Anglican identity. Where can we turn to in order to start answering such a vexed question?

Let me suggest that we can begin our answer by turning to reconsider one of the foundational Anglican texts: The Book of Common Prayer, originally composed by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer.

But since the Anglican Church has a five-hundred-year history, which edition of the Prayer Book captures the true essence of Cranmer’s vision for the Church? Is it the 1549, 1552, 1559, 1604, 1662, 1928, or 1979 Prayer Book?

What I’d like to do over the next few minutes is to take us back to the historical roots of the Anglican movement. Right to the heart of the Reformation as it unfolded in England under Edward VI from 1547-1553. And with a particular focus on liturgical reform. …”

– “What constitutes Anglican identity?” In 2017, Dr Stephen Tong spoke on “Liturgy in the reign of Edward VI in 16th century England”at the Anglican Connection Conference in Dallas, Texas.

A current reminder of why this paper is very helpful:

– Two Anglican Leaders [Calvin Robinson and Chuck Collins] duke it out over what it means to be Anglican – VirtueOnline.

Portrait of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer by Gerlach Flicke.

A missed golden opportunity

Posted on May 13, 2023 
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David Robertson takes a look at Archbishop Welby’s sermon at last week’s Coronation:

“In the grandeur of the setting and the glory of the occasion, it was easy to think that we were being told something profound, but if you stopped to think about it there was little challenge, little to stimulate and little to point us to Christ, rather than Charles. …”

– Read it all here.

Has there ever been a month like this for BCA? Five Field Staff commissioned in six weeks!

Posted on May 13, 2023 
Filed under Australian dioceses, Encouragement, Good News Comments Off on Has there ever been a month like this for BCA? Five Field Staff commissioned in six weeks!

BCA’s NSW/ACT Regional Officer Paul Sampson writes,

“Our good God has heard and answered your prayers. What a joy to attend the commissioning of not one but five Field Staff in five different locations in just six Saturdays during late January, February and March 2023. Each of these ministries is a testament to the graciousness of our God and the faithfulness of BCA supporters who have prayed diligently for many years and generously provided financial support for these ministries. …”

In his The Narrow Road newsletter for May 2023, Paul shares news of commissionings at

as well as other encouragements.

Download the PDF file here. (Link via the Bush Church Aid Society Facebook page.)

Love Matters – an introduction and response

Posted on May 12, 2023 
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Martin Davie in the UK responds to the publication of Love Matters,

“Love Matters is the final report of the Archbishops’ Commission on Families and Households. The purpose of the report is summarised in the following words from its first chapter:

‘In a time of immense uncertainty in everyday life two key questions need to be urgently addressed:

1. How can we best support every individual and every family to flourish in our complex and ever-changing society?

2. What kind of society do we want to live in?

These challenging questions are at the heart of the Commission on Families and Households, established by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York in Spring 2021. …

The first thing that has to be said is that there is much that is good in this report …”

– however he identifies four areas of concern:

– Read the response here.

All Souls Coronation Prom – from the Royal Albert Hall

Posted on May 11, 2023 
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Not many churches have the resources to organise a Coronation Prom at the Royal Albert Hall. Thankfully, All Souls’ Langham Place with All Souls Music, does.

On Saturday night (the evening of the Coronation) this major event was staged and Rico Tice spoke.

Watch from the beginning – or jump straight to Rico’s address.

(The Michael Andrews whom Rico mentions at the start of his talk is Senior Music Minister of All Souls, Langham Place.)

Thanks to Anglican Mainstream for the link!

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