The Image of God Reconsidered — Two Ways News podcast

Posted on April 9, 2025 
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From Phillip Jensen:

“One of the most profound and widely quoted verses of the Bible is the creation of Man in the image of God. So, this week Peter and I went exploring some of its implications. It is such a fruitful concept by which to understand humanity, not the least because in the New Testament we find Jesus is “the image of the invisible God”. But before we get there, we need to understand how we are as individuals, male and female, in the image of God as well as how humanity, as a whole, is in his image.

There’s so much fruitful discussion to be had on this passage, we hope our conversation will stimulate yours. …”

– Listen (or read the transcript) here.

The seed that will bear fruit has been planted

Posted on April 9, 2025 
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“At the turning point in John’s Gospel, Jesus makes a seemingly obscure reference to his death. As we get ready to celebrate Easter, let’s take a moment now to explore a powerful yet often overlooked verse to see in a fresh way what Jesus endured and the life he has won for us.

The moment comes in John 12, when some Greeks visit Jesus shortly after his triumphal entry to Jerusalem. …”

– Callan Pritchard writes at The Australian Church Record in the lead up to Easter.

Marshall Ballantine-Jones: Pastors helping parents to talk to teens on social media, the internet and porn

Posted on April 9, 2025 
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From The Pastor’s Heart:

“The addictive nature of social media, the mental health impact on teens, distorted identity and comparison, the way the attention economy undermines discipleship.

Parents (and pastors) so often feel out of their depth.

Marshall Ballantine-Jones created the Digihelp school curriculum addressing sexualised media, and the Resist Recovery Program.”

– Watch or listen here – with links.

Diocese of the Northern Territory Prayer Cycle 2025

Posted on April 8, 2025 
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If you would like help in praying for the work of the gospel in the Northern Territory, see the recently-published Prayer Cycle for 2025.

– Download your copy here. Direct link to PDF file.

The Link – Autumn 2025 – from the Diocese of Armidale

Posted on April 8, 2025 
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Published online a few weeks ago, the Autumn 2025 issue of The Link from the Diocese of Armidale has local stories and food for prayer.

Available here. Or direct PDF file link.

The stats which show Australia’s new relationship with Christianity

Posted on April 7, 2025 
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From Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net:

“One in ten Australians who said they were non-religious in the 2016 census said they were Christian five years later.

That’s not a statistic that we heard in media reporting of the census results, which, if it mentioned religion at all, focussed on the ‘no religion’ category.

However, research company McCrindle, has taken a deeper look at the official statistics as well as its own research …”

– Read here – with information about an upcoming webinar.

Pastoral Care that Commends the Gospel, with Sarah Condie

Posted on April 7, 2025 
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A Gospel Coalition Australia podcast with Jonathan Holt:

“One key part of the ministry we share as the body of Christ is the pastoral care we extend one another. In this episode we are joined by Sarah Condie to talk about how our pastoral care might commend the good news of Jesus.

How do we fulfill the many one-another verses in the New Testament, especially when we often feel burdened with our own concerns, or very aware of our own limitations.

Sarah works with her husband Keith, for Anglican Deaconess Ministries, at the Mental Health and Pastoral Care Institute.”

– Most encouraging. Photo: Keith and Sarah Condie.

Thoughts on Preaching on Good Friday

Posted on April 7, 2025 
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“The Easter season should be the high point on our church calendars- what an absolute privilege to focus on the death and resurrection of Jesus, the very heart of the gospel message.

Most of our practice during the easter season, would be a lead up to Easter for perhaps 1-2 weeks, then Good Friday, on to Easter (Resurrection) Sunday.

Regarding our preaching specifically on Good Friday, Ive been thinking of a few things, I’d like to share. …”

– Jim Mobbs writes at The Expository Preaching Trust.

Alternative Spiritual Oversight – An Invitation – CEEC

Posted on April 6, 2025 
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From the Church of England Evangelical Council.

And a reminder to pray for our brothers and sisters in England who are seeking to stand for the faith ‘once for all delivered to the saints’.

 

The Lioness, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Posted on April 5, 2025 
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“If Narnia was only fiction, I suspect many would muttter but put up with screwing up a great story. But as we know, C.S. Lewis was doing something more with these books; Narnia is a work of allegory. Narnia is theology through story…”

– Murray Campbell responds to reports that Netflix is in discussions with Meryl Streep about playing the role of Aslan in The Magician’s Nephew.

Southern Cross magazine March — April 2025

Posted on April 5, 2025 
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The latest issue of Southern Cross magazine (March – April 2025) is now available in churches.

If you miss out on getting a printed copy, a digital version is available from sydneyanglicans.net.

St. Andrew’s Cathedral Open Day — Saturday 12th April

Posted on April 4, 2025 
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From St. Andrew’s Cathedral –

“Join us Saturday 12th April, 9am-12pm and 1:30-4:00pm.

Guided tours on the hour, every hour. Browse in between.

Limited behind-the-scenes access to parts of the Cathedral rarely accessible to the general public. (Details to come!) …”

– Read all the details here.

Win-win on housing and ministry

Posted on April 3, 2025 
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“More than 250 new affordable homes and critical ministry infrastructure are set to be developed in Bankstown and Regents Park, providing a much-needed boost for west and southwest Sydney.

The projects secured funding under the Federal Government’s Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF). …”

– Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net reports on projects in the parishes of Bankstown and Regents Park.

Forgiveness — a central part of the Easter message

Posted on April 3, 2025 
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“I have been writing a little book about the meaning of Easter called ‘In His Words’ looking at John’s account of what happened on the first Easter weekend, as he records it in his Gospel (chapters 18-21). Several things have struck me powerfully. …”

– At The Latimer Trust, Bishop Wallace Benn reminds us of Easter’s counter cultural message of joy and hope.

Photo: Bishop Benn at GAFCON 1 in 2008 by Peter Frank for GAFCON.

Giving thanks for Campus Bible Study — 50 years on

Posted on April 2, 2025 
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From The Pastor’s Heart:

“Today we review the 50 year impact of The University of New South Wales’ Campus Bible Study on Christian ministries across Australia and around the world – in raising up gospel workers, sending missionaries, planting churches and in Christian publishing.

Former Anglican Dean of Sydney Phillip Jensen led the ministry for thirty years till 2005.  Since then Paul Grimmond and Carl Matthei have been senior chaplains.

Alan Stewart started studying at the University of New South Wales just two years after Phillip Jensen arrived as Anglican Chaplain. Alan was saved by Jesus in 1979 and went on to assist in the ministry, before becoming CEO of Anglican Youthworks, Bishop of Wollongong, head of Church Planting for Sydney Anglicans and then national director of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches.

Tony Payne and Tracey Gowing started as undergraduates a few years after Alan.  Tony went on to run the influential Christian publishing house Matthias Media, while Tracey led the Christian ministry at  Cumberland College Christian Group before returning to UNSW as a senior staff member at Campus Bible Study.”

– Watch or listen here.

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