The Resurrection is Real — The Archbishop’s Easter message 2023

Posted on April 5, 2023 
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“Have you experienced the true meaning of Easter? … Jesus’ resurrection changes everything!”

– Archbishop Kanishka Raffel has released this 90 second Easter message.

Great to share / show in church / put on your church website.

Download the text from SydneyAnglicans.net (PDF).

Report by Russell Powell –

“Sydney Archbishop Kanishka Raffel has used his Easter message, to appeal for people to consider the true message of Easter and the reality of the resurrection of Jesus. …”

Book launch – Peter Jensen’s The Life of Faith: An Introduction to Christian doctrine

Posted on April 4, 2023 
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Moore College has now uploaded the video of the launch of Peter Jensen’s new book, The Life of Faith: An Introduction to Christian doctrine.

Do watch the full video – Peter speaks about his purpose in the book, and explains his use in the lecture room of some of the books he brought along. Very encouraging.

Get your copy of The Life of Faith: An Introduction to Christian doctrine from Matthias Media.

Correlations between leadership behaviours and ministry burnout

Posted on April 3, 2023 
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This week from The Pastor’s Heart:

“What is the relationship between clergy leadership behaviors and burnout?

How does destructive leadership behaviour relate to burnout?

What about conflict at church? How does a minister being the target of personal violence correlate to thoughts of quitting? “

Valerie Ling leads the Sydney’s Center for Effective Living and Center for Effective Serving.”

– Watch or listen here.

Seize the Day — Mothers Union Sydney seminar 2023

Posted on April 3, 2023 
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Mothers Union Sydney’s Annual Seminar for 2023 was held at St. Andrew’s Cathedral on Friday 24th February.

The theme was “Seize the Day – Work and Rest in the light of Eternity”.

A recording of the full livestream is now available on the Mothers Union website.

Speakers and topics on the day were:

The accompanying booklet is available at this link.

Christian MP shares the gospel in Parliament

Posted on April 2, 2023 
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“A Christian MP has spoken in Parliament of his faith: Christ’s incarnation, sinless life, substitutionary death and resurrection.

In a debate in Westminster Hall on the importance of Christianity in society, the MP for Don Valley, Nick Fletcher, said the nation ‘should be proud of our Christian history and our Christian values’.

As well as explaining the message of the Gospel, he expounded the importance of Christian engagement in society, and how famous social reformers of the past were driven to act by their faith in Jesus. …”

– Christian Concern. The key section is from 8 minutes into the speech.

(Link via Anglican Mainstream.)

A new deanery chapter for the City of London

Posted on March 31, 2023 
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As foreshadowed by William Taylor and others, the abandonment of the authority of Scripture by the Church of England’s House of Bishops is having repercussions for relationships between Bible-believing churches and their heterodox bishops.

The latest from St. Helen’s Bishopsgate:

“After the House of Bishops’ recent departure from the Bible’s teaching on marriage and sexuality, new leadership structures are needed.

A new Church of England City deanery chapter has been formed and is taking 5 steps to promote ongoing healthy Church of England ministry.

Here’s an update from St Nick’s and St Botolph’s.”

Watch the four minute video here.

According to Christian Today, “The deanery chapter held its first meeting in the City of London on Monday, attended by 10 clergy.”

Members of the new deanery have decided to take five steps – here’s a rough transcript from the video:

First, to meet together regularly and to invite all clergy in the city of London who are all clergy … who are compelled to resist all episcopal leadership from the House of Bishops on the grounds that their proposed Prayers of Love and Faith undermine the Church of England’s doctrine of marriage such that we can no longer walk in Partnership together.

Second, the meeting elected an acting Area Dean.

Third, some training curates in our deanery have felt forced to pause their post-ordination training. We therefore decided as a chapter that we will aim to provide necessary and equivalent ongoing training for these individuals.

Fourth, we acknowledge that there is an urgent matter relating to the selection of candidates who want to pursue Church of England ministry but are unable to apply because of the House of Bishops’ recent departure from faithful Biblical teaching. Therefore senior leadership from the churches within this deanery chapter will nominate a group of people who can select new prospective ordinands.

Fifth, there is also an urgent matter relating to the deployment of current Church of England ordinands who are hoping to get ordained this summer. We know that many because of conscience are unable to be ordained by the diocesan bishop or any bishop acting on her behalf. Therefore senior leadership from the churches within this deanery chapter will commission these individuals so that they are enabled to work within Church of England churches until such a time that their ordinations can take place.

Do pray for all who seek to be faithful to God’s word in the Church of England.

Anglican Diocese of the Arctic Defies National Church over Same-Sex Marriage

Posted on March 31, 2023 
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Here’s a story from Canada we missed from a couple of weeks back –

“The largest of the 30 dioceses in the province of 1.5 million square miles, the Diocese of the Arctic claims evangelical solidarity with bishops and clergy not recognized by the Lambeth Conference but with GAFCON and the Anglican Network in Canada.

Two bishops, David Parsons and Joey Royal (Suffragan) from the far north will attend GAFCON IV next month in Rwanda, standing with the Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) and the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). …”

– Full story here.

Photo: The Diocese of the Arctic.

2023 Moore College Graduation – Occasional Address

Posted on March 31, 2023 
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The 2023 Moore College Graduation service was held on March 20.

The College has now published video of the occasional address given by the Rev Don West, Principal of Trinity Theological College in Perth.

Don speaks from 2 Corinthians 4:1-18.

– Watch and be encouraged.

Bishop Andy Lines: “GAFCON IV comes at a very key moment”

Posted on March 31, 2023 
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From GAFCON:

Bishop Andy Lines in the UK shares why the upcoming Gafcon IV conference in Kigali is so important for authentic Anglicans like youwho want to see more people come to Christ.

Elon Musk, Apple co-founder, other tech experts call for pause on ‘giant AI experiments’

Posted on March 30, 2023 
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“Elon Musk, Steve Wozniak, and a host of other tech leaders and artificial intelligence experts are urging AI labs to pause development of powerful new AI systems in an open letter citing potential risks to society.

The letter asks AI developers to ‘immediately pause for at least 6 months the training of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4.’…”

– Report from Fox News.

Related:

John Anderson speaks with Professor John Lennox on Artificial Intelligence.

“In 2020, Lennox published 2084 – Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity, which covers key developments in technological enhancement, bioengineering and AI. In the book, he discusses the current state of AI – its benefits, dangers and future implications. …”

“This is not futuristic speculation – this is already happening.”

Prayer as Thought Crime

Posted on March 30, 2023 
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“Stop and pray on the street in front of an abortion facility in England or Wales and you could find yourself under arrest. Never mind if your thoughts were lifted to God silently.

Clause 11 of the Public Order Bill, recently adopted by the Parliament of the United Kingdom, bans “influencing” of any sort, including prayer, in a 150-meter zone around abortion facilities nationwide. An amendment to exempt silent prayer and consensual conversation from the ban failed, ushering in a new era of modern-day thought crimes in the U.K.

The parliamentary debate played out like a dystopian film script. …”

– International human rights lawyer Elyssa Koren writes at First Things.

(Link via Anglican Mainstream.)

The King?

Posted on March 29, 2023 
Filed under Resources, Theology Comments Off on The King?

“On that first Palm Sunday there were joy, acclamation, and tears. Yet, five days later the unthinkable occurred: Jesus was put to death by crucifixion. The contrast between the first Palm Sunday when crowds acclaimed Jesus as king and the day he was strung up on a cross, could not have been more stark. …”

– John Mason reflects on the twin themes of Palm Sunday and Good Friday – at The Anglican Connection.

“Go ahead and invite them”

Posted on March 29, 2023 
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“Research on community attitudes has revealed some encouraging statistics on people’s willingness to attend church during Holy week.

The statistics come from the National Church Life Survey’s Australian Community Survey, taken at the end of 2022.

Asked if they would go to church this Easter if a close friend or family member invited them, 42 per cent of Australians said yes. A further 19  per cent of those surveyed said they were unsure. …”

– Here’s some encouragement from Russell Powell at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Sin, addictions and faith based therapy

Posted on March 28, 2023 
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From The Pastor’s Heart:

“How do we as pastors help people with addictions? Addictions to alcohol, gambling, narcotics, gaming and sex addictions.

How much is sin? How much is addiction?

Penny Wilkinson and her husband Andrew direct the Overcomers Outreach ministry and the Overcomers Place in Sydney.”

– Watch or listen at The Pastor’s Heart. Very helpful.

Moore College Missions 2023

Posted on March 27, 2023 
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Teams from Moore College are partnering with churches far and wide this week.

The College has this page with a feed of news from all the different teams.

It’d be good to pray for them, the churches where they are serving, and opportunities to share the saving gospel.

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