A Canary in the Anglican Coalmine

Posted on March 13, 2025 
Filed under Australia, Australian dioceses, Culture wars Comments Off on A Canary in the Anglican Coalmine

“At a recent meeting in Germany, religious freedom experts from around the world warned of a climate of ‘increasing intolerance’ towards people of faith in Western nations. Anja Hoffmann, Executive Director of the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe, who was one of the organisers of the event, said:

It is very worrying that the peaceful expression of personal religious beliefs on matters relating to marriage and family has become the potential end of a political career or employment, or even the beginning of a court case … This is a serious threat to religious freedom and leads to widespread self-censorship among traditional believers in the West.

Australia is not immune from this slide into intolerance. …”

– Mark Durie, Senior Research Fellow at the Melbourne School of Theology, has republished this important essay on his website.

Written for Quadrant, and first published in the March 2025 issue, it’s a wakeup call for Christians and churches across the country. Essential reading.

Hope for Sydney

Posted on March 13, 2025 
Filed under Good News, Sydney Diocese Comments Off on Hope for Sydney

“The Buddhist faith in which I was raised as a child teaches rebirth. The Christian faith into which, by God’s grace, I was rescued, teaches that you must be born again. So, it could sound like these two faiths have something in common. But in fact, this is not so.

The ‘rebirth’ taught by the Buddhist faith says that, after death, you are born into another lifetime. It’s called rebirth because the life into which you are reborn depends on the life you have lived – what you sow in one life you reap in your next life. …”

– Archbishop Kanishka Raffel shares the hope everyone needs.
At SydneyAnglicans.net.

Improving self reflection to strengthen resilience in ministry workers

Posted on March 12, 2025 
Filed under Resources Comments Off on Improving self reflection to strengthen resilience in ministry workers

From The Pastor’s heart this week:

“A new study shows that training in systematic self reflection will develop resilience among ministry workers, who are at risk of stress related ill health.

Self reflective resilience training is beneficial to those in ministry roles and programs in this area can minimise stress related ill health.

BUT, Not all self reflection is equal.

Organisational Psychologist with Sydney’s Center for Ministry Development Kirsty Bucknell has surveyed and tested a significant number of Australian Protestant Ministry workers to analyse the relationship between self reflection and mental health outcomes. …”

– Watch or listen here.

The Power of Words — How could we keep silent? Two Ways News podcast

Posted on March 11, 2025 
Filed under Resources, Theology Comments Off on The Power of Words — How could we keep silent? Two Ways News podcast

From Phillip Jensen:

“Sadly Peter was sick when we recorded this episode of Two Ways News, so it is a solo effort for today’s topic. Thankfully, Peter has now recovered.

From Genesis 1 we see the power of God’s word, which is part of God’s wisdom by which he created the world. Thus, the power of words is one of the joys and problems of life. The devil’s power is in his lying words. Yet it is God’s word that never returns to him empty but always achieves his purposes. Understandably but wrongly, this leads people in authority to censorship.”

– Listen here.

Top Centre News — Issue 1 for 2025

Posted on March 11, 2025 
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The first issue of Top Centre magazine from the Diocese of the Northern Territory was published online a few weeks ago.

It includes one article, “Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Cyclone Tracy”, and another on the centenary of Oenpelli mission.

– Click on ‘Download latest issue’.
Much food for prayer.

Related:

Letter from Principal of Nungalinya College, Darwin, Dr. Keith Cole – written 1st January 1975, just after Cyclone Tracy.

Syrian Patriarchs denounce ‘Dangerous Escalation of Violence’ as hundreds of Alawites and Christians are killed

Posted on March 10, 2025 
Filed under World news Comments Off on Syrian Patriarchs denounce ‘Dangerous Escalation of Violence’ as hundreds of Alawites and Christians are killed

Food for prayer:

“In recent days, Syria has witnessed a dangerous escalation of violence, brutality, and killings, resulting in attacks on innocent civilians, including women and children. Homes have been violated, their sanctity disregarded, and properties looted—scenes that starkly reflect the immense suffering endured by the Syrian people.

The Christian Churches while strongly condemning any act that threatens civil peace, denounce and condemn the massacres targeting innocent civilians, and call for an immediate end to these horrific acts, which stand in stark opposition to all human and moral values.

The Churches also call for the swift creation of conditions conducive to achieving national reconciliation among the Syrian people. They urge efforts to establish an environment that facilitates the transition to a state that respects all its citizens and lays the foundation for a society based on equal citizenship and genuine partnership, free from the logic of vengeance and exclusion. At the same time, they reaffirm the unity of Syrian territory and reject any attempts to divide it.

The Churches call on all concerned parties within Syria to assume their responsibilities, put an end to the violence, and seek peaceful solutions that uphold human dignity and preserve national unity.

We pray that God may protect Syria and its people and that peace may prevail throughout the land.

JOHN X
Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East MOR

IGNATIUS APHREM II
Syriac Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church

YOUSSEF ABSI
Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East”

– Details and links to more information here.

“The Christians of Syria are one of the oldest Christian communities in the world. Today, however, that community faces the very real possibility of being extinguished altogether. …”

CEEC stands with the Evangelical Alliance in calling for a ‘national day of prayer’ against proposals to legalise assisted suicide

Posted on March 9, 2025 
Filed under Culture wars Comments Off on CEEC stands with the Evangelical Alliance in calling for a ‘national day of prayer’ against proposals to legalise assisted suicide

“The Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) has commended the Evangelical Alliance’s call for a ‘national day of prayer’ on Tuesday 25 March, against proposals to legalise assisted suicide in the UK.

CEEC joins with the Evangelical Alliance, CARE, the Christian Medical Fellowship, Affinity and the Christian Institute, in asking people to call on the Lord’s mercy and protection for those who will be deeply impacted should the law pass in Holyrood and Westminster. …”

– from The Church of England Evangelical Council.

Do your Sunday Songs pass the test?

Posted on March 9, 2025 
Filed under Resources Comments Off on Do your Sunday Songs pass the test?

“How does a pastor decide which songs to introduce? Why one song and not another? Here are a gauntlet of questions I ask when considering a new song for my church.

If we’re going to sing a song on Sunday, it’s got to pass all the way through. …”

– At The Gospel Coalition, Brandon Ryan addresses an important question.

Repeating the Basics — The Cross and the Resurrection

Posted on March 8, 2025 
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“Friends in Christ, today I am going to repeat the basics!

When the Apostle Paul summarises the central gospel truths he preached, he writes of what he…

‘…passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…’ (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

It is what you should hear of again and again at any decent church – in our preaching, in our songs, in our confessions, creeds and prayers:

– In the Cathedral Newsletter, Dean of Sydney, Sandy Grant, reminds us of what we must not forget.

A short reflection on the significance of Lent

Posted on March 8, 2025 
Filed under Australian dioceses, Resources Comments Off on A short reflection on the significance of Lent

On the Bathurst Diocese Facebook page, Bishop Mark Calder has a short reflection on the significance of Lent (which began on Wednesday).

– Watch here. (May require a login to Facebook.)

Guides to Focussed Personal and Corporate Prayer

Posted on March 7, 2025 
Filed under Resources Comments Off on Guides to Focussed Personal and Corporate Prayer

“One Sunday last year a member of our church, a dear sister who is intentional about her faith, came to me with great joy and shared that over morning tea there had been a deep Christian conversation at her table. It had unfolded quite naturally and everyone on the table was involved.

I suspect this may have happened because everyone at that table has been involved in a church-wide project, using a book in the Five Things to Pray series…”

– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Meredith van der Klip highlights a ‘simple but brilliant” (says Sinclair Ferguson) resource.

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.

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