Top Centre magazine 23.1 from the Diocese of the Northern Territory

Posted on April 29, 2023 
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The latest issue of Top Centre magazine (23.1) from the Diocese of the Northern Territory is available on their website.

A great reminder to continue to pray for the ministry of the gospel in the Top End and Centre.

Chinese Christians forced to register for church

Posted on April 28, 2023 
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“There is concern about tracking and persecution in China’s Henan province, where a phone app must be used by worshippers in order to attend church. …”

– Report at SydneyAnglicans.net.

The FAQs: Anglican Group Calls on Church of England’s Leader to Repent

Posted on April 28, 2023 
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“…their example is showing Christians around the globe what it looks like to remain faithful to Christ in an age of compromise.”

– At The Gospel Coalition, Joe Carter addresses one of his ‘explainer’ articles to outline what GAFCON is doing and why.

Photo: GAFCON IV in Kigali, cotters GAFCON.

Charles Simeon: a model for preachers

Posted on April 28, 2023 
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“Charles Simeon was the pastor of Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Cambridge from 1782 to his death in 1836 – a period of 54 years. It is difficult to find anyone before Charles Simeon who set about so systematically to teach people to preach.

By 1832 Simeon had published what he called a ‘skeleton’ or sermon outline on the entire bible – over 2,500 in all! They are quite detailed – a lot more flesh and blood than you might expect on a skeleton. But the skeletons were perhaps an outworking of his own experience as a preacher where for the first 7 years he said he ‘did not know the head from the tail of a sermon’.

JI Packer says that the genius of the skeletons was that they showed the preacher how to make sure that it was the text that did the talking throughout the sermon, rather than the preacher loading up the text with his own ideas. They also encouraged the preacher to find and stick to the one big idea of the text. …”

– Encouragement for preachers from Stuart Coulton at The Expository Preaching Trust.

Family, Being and Home

Posted on April 27, 2023 
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“Many people have expressed much care and concern for Elizabeth and myself knowing we have left many close family and friends on the other side of the country to come and live and serve in the North West. …”

– Recently-installed Bishop of North West Australia Darrell Parker writes of being ‘home’.

“The church world has changed because of GAFCON IV”

Posted on April 26, 2023 
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George Conger shares his experiences of GAFCON IV at Anglican Unscripted.

Spoiler: Very positive and encouraging.

The Kigali Commitment — the statement from GAFCON 4

Posted on April 26, 2023 
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“After a horrible few months in the Church of England, in which we feel that we have been punched in the stomach and kicked in the teeth by our own bishops, it’s really great to be here in Rwanda, where we experience the warm embrace of brothers and sisters in Christ from around the world. …

As Kanishka Raffel told us, ‘the GAFCON Primates and GAFCON branches have been attacked and ridiculed and criticized but they have stood up and stood alongside those who were defamed and isolated for the sake of holding to the truth of God’s word.’ But it is clear that we stand together in unity here. How good and pleasant that is! (Psalm 133)…”

– Read all of Lee Gatiss’ report from GAFCON IV at the Church Society website.

A tale of two bishops: What happens when apostasy reigns?

Posted on April 24, 2023 
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“Go back half a century and the most established church of the Protestant establishment was, without question, the Episcopal Church. Never massive in numbers, that historic denomination sat atop the so-called ‘seven sisters’ of the old Protestant mainline (Episcopalians, Congregationalists [now United Church of Christ, UCC], Presbyterians [PCUSA], United Methodists, the Disciples of Christ, northern Baptists, and Lutherans [ELCA]). Those historic churches had outsize importance in shaping the culture. The word ‘mainline’ was not used inaccurately.

Fast forward to the present and all those denominations have been in precipitous decline for decades. The culture has been secularizing and those churches basically decided to secularize with it. …”

– In his latest article, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Dr Albert Mohler looks at the legacy of Bishop Frank Griswold and Bishop Gene Robinson.

Moore Theological College – then and now

Posted on April 24, 2023 
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Back in 1954 or 1955, this 26-minute film was made to promote Moore Theological College.

It’s a fascinating glimpse into College life in a more formal time.

The film features Bruce Smith as – er- John Smith – a student arriving on his first day at the college, and follows him through to graduation.

Many of Bruce’s contemporary students are seen in the film, as are the Principal, the Rev. Canon M. L. Loane, and the Vice Principal, the Rev. Dr. D. B. Knox. The film is narrated by college student Ron Herbert.

The film is available at both YouTube and Vimeo with thanks to Moore College’s Donald Robinson Library.

Since that film was made, Australian society has changed greatly, but the aim of Moore College – to train people to rightly handle the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15) – remains at the centre.

In 2023, Moore College’s May Open Week is a great way to get a taste of college life.

“Visit our Newtown campus during May Open Week to experience a lecture, meet faculty and students, and get a campus tour from a student. Join us for a day or part of a day, and enjoy morning tea and lunch.

To register, please fill out the form [at the link] below …”

Statement from Lambeth Palace, 21 April 2023

Posted on April 22, 2023 
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“Responding to ‘The Kigali Commitment’ issued by GAFCON IV today, a spokesperson for Lambeth Palace said:

‘We note that The Kigali Commitment issued by GAFCON IV today makes many of the same points that have previously been made about the structures of the Anglican Communion. As the Archbishop of Canterbury has previously said, those structures are always able to change with the times – and have done so in the past. The Archbishop said at the recent Anglican Consultative Council meeting in Ghana (ACC-18) that no changes to the formal structures of the Anglican Communion can be made unless they are agreed upon by the Instruments of Communion.’ …” (emphasis added)

– Archbishop of Canterbury’s website.

And from the GAFCON IV Kigali Commitment, representing perhaps 85% of global Anglicans:

“Public statements by the Archbishop of Canterbury and other leaders of the Church of England in support of same-sex blessings are a betrayal of their ordination and consecration vows to banish error and to uphold and defend the truth taught in Scripture. …

We have no confidence that the Archbishop of Canterbury nor the other Instruments of Communion led by him (the Lambeth Conference, the Anglican Consultative Council and the Primates’ Meetings) are able to provide a godly way forward that will be acceptable to those who are committed to the truthfulness, clarity, sufficiency and authority of Scripture. The Instruments of Communion have failed to maintain true communion based on the Word of God and shared faith in Christ.

All four Instruments propose that the way ahead for the Anglican Communion is to learn to walk together in ‘good disagreement’. However we reject the claim that two contradictory positions can both be valid in matters affecting salvation. We cannot ‘walk together’ in good disagreement with those who have deliberately chosen to walk away from the ‘faith once for all delivered to the saints’ (Jude 3). The people of God ’walk in his ways’, ‘walk in the truth’, and ‘walk in the light’, all of which require that we do not walk in Christian fellowship with those in darkness (Deuteronomy 8:6; 2 John 4; 1 John 1:7).

Successive Archbishops of Canterbury have failed to guard the faith by inviting bishops to Lambeth who have embraced or promoted practices contrary to Scripture. This failure of church discipline has been compounded by the current Archbishop of Canterbury who has himself welcomed the provision of liturgical resources to bless these practices contrary to Scripture. This renders his leadership role in the Anglican Communion entirely indefensible. …” (emphasis added)

Great Encouragement — yet much Grief that this is needed

Posted on April 22, 2023 
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Dominic Steele and the team in Kigali have posted a number reactions to the Kigali Commitment.

Do watch them here to understand something of the sadness and pain in this moment, as well as the encouragement to stand firm in Christ.

Interviewees include (not in order) –

* Michael Stead, Statement Committee Chair
* Richard Coekin, Co-Mission Network, London
* Jay Behan, New Zealand Bishop
* Lee Gatiss, UK Church Society Director
* Andy Lines, Bishop for Anglican Network in Europe
* Julian Dodds, USA Bishop
* Vaughan Roberts, Minister of St Ebbes Oxford
* William Taylor, Minister of St Helens London
* Matt and Anne Kennedy, Binghamton New York
* Pete Smith & Jennifer Hercott, Gafcon Australia
* Bill Atwood, Regional Secretary for the Americas
* Rico Tice, Christianity Explored
* Jonathan Pryke, Jesmond Parish Church, Newcastle upon Tyne
* Trevor Johnson, Tim Anderson, Ireland

Photo: William Taylor and Vaughan Roberts speak of their great encouragement at the release of the Kigali Commitment – as well as their sadness and grief that this is needed.

An Historic Moment for the Anglican Communion: Key Takeaways from the GAFCON IV Kigali Commitment

Posted on April 22, 2023 
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“The final version of the Gafcon IV Kigali Commitment (2023) will go down in history as among the historic turning points of the Anglican Communion.  It was virtually everything the delegates had hoped for, and as Rev Canon Alison Barfoot and I observed in our podcast yesterday, it is substantively the same as the first draft even after the Statement Team reviewed 550+ comments submitted!

Here are some of the key takeaways. I encourage you to read and reflect upon the GAFCON Kigali Commitment (2023) for yourself. …

But let me offer the following eight take-aways and commentary on the GAFCON Kigali Commitment. …”

– Canon Phil Ashey from the American Anglican Council has posted these very helpful observations on The GAFCON IV Kigali Commitment released last night.

He also outlines the new leadership of GAFCON –

“Archbishop Foley Beach and the Gafcon primates have passed the baton to the next leaders of the movement. Archbishop Laurent Mbanda (Rwanda) is the new Chair. Archbishops Kanishka Raffel (Sydney) and Miguel Uchoa (Brazil) are the vice-Chairs. Archbishop Kwashi (Nigeria) will continue as General Secretary. In other words, the face of the top leadership of Gafcon is a global Anglican Communion face, representing (with Global South) the 85% majority of Anglicans in Africa, Austral-Asia, and the Americas. It is the same face we find in the top leadership of the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans.”

Rejoicing to be safe harbour — ANiE response and endorsement of the 2023 Kigali Commitment

Posted on April 22, 2023 
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Here’s a statement from Bishop Andy Lines, Bishop of the Anglican Network in Europe:

Rejoicing to be safe harbour
ANiE response and endorsement of the 2023 Kigali Commitment

36 delegates from the Anglican Network in Europe, representing both dioceses (The Anglican Convocation in Europe and The Anglican Mission in England) attended Gafcon IV in Kigali, Rwanda.

There was much reason to rejoice and mourn.

Rejoicing in the sufficiency and supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ and his transforming grace, we found great unity in Jesus and partnership with brothers and sisters around the world in proclaiming his word. It has been a significant and memorable experience for us to be part of this momentous gathering. It has been marked by faithful and compelling expositions of scripture, prayerful and heartfelt repentance in personal response, as well as deep concern for the needs of the world. We have been thrilled at the connections made for on-going global partnership as together we ‘proclaim the unchanging truth to a changing world’.

It was a great grief, deep sadness, and with broken hearts that the conference discussed the current crisis in the Anglican Communion. Strong words were used of the ‘betrayal’ and ‘failure’ of the Canterbury-aligned structures to uphold the word of God and banish error. It was with enormous sorrow that we had to conclude the Archbishop of Canterbury and others have ‘abdicated their right to lead’ and their position is now ‘entirely indefensible’. We have rightly mourned.

But we rejoice, therefore, in God’s provision of Gafcon and the ongoing recognition of the Anglican Network in Europe as an ‘orthodox jurisdiction’ and a ‘safe harbour for faithful Anglicans’. We stand with those who are ‘compelled to resist’ within the Church of England, as well as those contending for orthodox Anglicanism within other Canterbury-aligned structures. We welcome Gafcon’s commitment, in partnership with the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans for the resetting and reordering of the Communion and we look forward to playing our part to the glory of God.

We fully endorse the Kigali Commitment.

Bishop Andy Lines
Presiding Bishop

GAFCON Media Release – 21 April 2023 – Statement Committee

Posted on April 21, 2023 
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Friday 21 April 2023

On Friday 21 April, the GAFCON IV Conference Statement was released. The Conference Statement is a summary of what the Conference wants to say to the world and the Anglican Communion. It is a feature of every GAFCON Conference.

The Conference Committee did not work on the substance of the Statement prior to the Conference. It has always been the desire of the Gafcon Primates that the Statement arise out of the Conference.

On Monday 17 April the Conference Statement Committee met to work on the Statement Framework – ideas of things that could be included in the Statement. The Statement Framework, written in English, was then translated into four other languages – French, Portuguese, Spanish and Swahili.

The Statement Framework was made available to the delegates on Tuesday 18 April via an online survey. The online tool enabled delegates to indicate which ideas they agreed ought to be included in the Statement, and to provide written feedback on areas they felt ought to be included that were omitted. In addition, on Tuesday afternoon in the Clergy and Lay Meeting, delegates were led in a discussion of the challenges facing the church and their hopes for the Anglican Communion.

Feedback on these hopes and challenges was delivered to the Statement Committee on Tuesday evening. The group reviewed the feedback and updated the Statement Framework. Further input was given by a number of the Gafcon Primates.

The Draft Statement was read to all the delegates at 4pm on Wednesday 19 April, and then delegates worked in Provincial Groups to review the Draft Statement and provide further comment. Approximately 600 suggested edits were reviewed by the committee overnight on Wednesday, and feedback incorporated into the Draft Statement.

The Chairman of the Statement Committee met with the Primates on Thursday to review the Statement and further edits were made.

A final Statement was prepared on Thursday afternoon and evening, in preparation for presentation to the Conference on Friday.

Members of the Conference Statement Committee:

Chair – Rt Rev Dr Michael Stead – Australia
Ven Kara Hartley – Australia
Rev Canon Dr Mark Thompson – Australia
Rev Anne Kennedy – Anglican Church in North America
Rt Rev Sammy Morrison – Chile
Rev Tim Anderson – Ireland
Rev Andrew Symes – Anglican Network in Europe
Rt Rev Dapo Asaju – Nigeria
Rev Canon Dr John Senyonyi – Uganda
Rt Rev Alfred Olwa – Uganda

Secretariat
Mrs Felicity Stead – Secretary
Rev Nigel Fortescue – Secretary

[ENDS]

Source: GAFCON.

Resetting the Communion ‘urgent’ says GAFCON IV

Posted on April 21, 2023 
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“After a five-day meeting in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, the 1300 clergy and lay delegates to the fourth Global Anglican Future Conference have agreed on a statement calling for an ‘urgent resetting’ of the Anglican communion.

The largest gathering of Anglicans since GAFCON III in Jerusalem five years ago had to grapple with the fallout from the Church of England’s decision to bless same-sex couples. …”

– Russell Powell has this report on the Kigali Commitment and its implications.

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