Top Centre magazine from the Diocese of the Northern Territory

Posted on August 9, 2021 
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The latest issue of Top Centre, the magazine of the Diocese of The Northern Territory, is now available on their website. Top Centre 21.1.

It includes a feature on Phil and Leeanne Zamagias, who have completed their time in the NT. They have moved to Echuca, where Phil will lead the team at Christ Church Anglican.

Fuel for your prayers for the Top End.

Sandy Grant to be Dean of Sydney

Posted on August 8, 2021 
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“The Archbishop of Sydney, Kanishka Raffel, has appointed Canon Sandy Grant, of St Michael’s Cathedral Wollongong, to be the new Dean of Sydney.

He will be the 13th Dean of Sydney, a post with a history stretching back to 1858 when William Macquarie Cowper was appointed as the first Dean.

Canon Grant has been the Senior Minister of St Michael’s in Wollongong since 2004 and will take up his ministry at Sydney’s St Andrew’s Cathedral in December. …”

– Read the news from SydneyAnglicans.net.

Sunday morning encouragement

Posted on August 8, 2021 
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With thanks to Emu Music.

Lift Up Your Hearts Devotional from Jodie McNeil during August

Posted on August 8, 2021 
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During August 2021, GAFCON’s Lift up Your Hearts devotionals are by Jodie McNeil. He’s sharing from 1 Kings.

“Each day’s devotion is based on one chapter from 1 Kings, where we witness King David’s final days, King Solomon’s wisdom and his temple construction, the tragic fall from grace by so many of the disobedient kings of the divided kingdom, through to the extraordinary ministry of Elijah.

Jodie seeks to help us read 1 Kings as Christian scripture, understanding this remarkable book in its Biblical Theological context. As we experience the highs and lows of the rule of God’s kings, we will learn so much more about the true king of the Kingdom of God, Jesus the Messiah, and what that means to us as we follow him as our king.”

Illustrations: harlotry, professionalism, or audience engagement?

Posted on August 6, 2021 
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“Preachers are communicators.

We need to give attention to engaging the congregation; truth won’t do a person good if they are not awake to hear it. That is why introductions are so important. I try to engage people from my first words.

However, an interesting introduction will not sustain engagement for 20 minutes. …”

– David Cook, former Principal of SMBC, continues to encourage preachers in their calling.

At The Expository Preaching Trust.

In a Pandemic, people need to be ready for Eternity

Posted on August 6, 2021 
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Today is the 91st anniversary of Arthur Stace hearing the gospel at St. Barnabas’ Broadway, on Wednesday 6th August 1930.

In the midst of a global pandemic, the message of Eternity is as relevant as ever.

Related posts.

(Photo of Arthur Stace by Les Nixon, December 1952.)

God’s heart for all humanity

Posted on August 5, 2021 
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“Tensions are very high in our community at the moment. Take the illegal anti-lockdown protest on 23 July 2021 in Sydney. The protesters were expressing a fear and anger that’s clearly present amongst many. They were wrong to express it in this way. But you can feel it, can’t you? I know right now many of us are feeling the frustration. Some of us are in almost impossible situations: climbing the walls! And it’s hard. …”

– Lionel Windsor preached from 1 Timothy 2:1-7 at Moore College Men’s Chapel yesterday, 4th August, 2021.

A much-needed refocussing in these difficult days.

Five Foundations that Lead to Compromise on Sexual Ethics

Posted on August 4, 2021 
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“Even if all roads eventually lead to the sexual-ethics-line-in-the-sand, they don’t all originate in the same place. It’s helpful to consider some of the different, subtle shapes Christianity can take that at first might seem benign – but will later set up a Christian for compromise.

From what I’ve observed, most deconstructing Christians who shift on sexual ethics come from a faith background that has one (or more) of these precarious foundations…”

– Brett McCracken at The Gospel Coalition seeks to help Christians stand against the tide.

What should we say about vaccines + vaccination passports for church?

Posted on August 3, 2021 
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At The Pastor’s Heart, Dominic Steele speaks with Phillip Jensen, Ray Galea and John McLean on what pastors should say about vaccination. An helpful discussion with plenty of food for thought.

Five Tips to help you through an extended Lockdown

Posted on August 2, 2021 
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“Greater Sydney is enduring an extended two-month lockdown (which could be extended even longer).

In this video, TGCA interviews Psychologist and Chaplain Sarah Balogh as she gives five tips to help you through an extended lockdown…”

– Very timely, from The Gospel Coalition Australia.

Australian and English evangelicals show different approaches to Anglican institutional revisionism

Posted on August 1, 2021 
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“On the same day (19th July) that Gafcon Australia publicly unveiled their plans to establish an alternative Anglican jurisdiction in response to the trajectory of revisionism in the Church of Australia, the Church of England Evangelical Council issued a statement about the Bishop of Liverpool’s address to the MOSAIC campaign group, in which he called for same sex marriage in the Church of England. The difference in the two statements is symptomatic of more general differences between the way that orthodox Anglicans are engaging with the national church in both countries.

The CEEC statement begins with an appreciation of Bishop Bayes’ subsequent apology for his attack on those who believe the historic teaching of the church on sex and marriage …”

– At Anglican Mainstream, Andrew Symes makes some very interesting comparisons. He has a strong challenge to his UK readership.

Andrew’s sentiments would probably have been shared by the late John Richardson. Twenty-eight years ago, the ACL’s newsletter published his article “UK Evangelicalism: Optimistic?“. John consistently argued that evangelicals in the Church of England need to fight for the faith once for all delivered to the saints, rather than act like gentlemen playing cricket.

And, for good measure, here’s a brief clip of John speaking about the significance of his 1993 year at Moore College.

Image of Andrew Symes: Christian Concern.

Southern Cross for August 2021

Posted on July 30, 2021 
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Once more, it’s not possible to distribute printed copies of Southern Cross magazine (in fact, it wasn’t printed this month) – but Anglican Media Sydney has posted the full issue online.

From Archbishop Kanishka Raffel’s column (Sickness, COVID and the hope to come, page 15):

“John’s Gospel records an episode in the life of Jesus that is both deeply personal and powerfully universal.

As far as Scripture records, Jesus never experienced illness himself. He did, however, experience hunger, thirst, the barbarous physical cruelty of flogging and crucifixion. And of course, Jesus experienced death.

Jesus is famously recorded on numerous occasions being swamped by people who were ill or suffering from some mental, physical or demonic affliction. His reputation as a healer was documented even by non-Christian ancient sources.

In John chapter 11 we are given a window into how Jesus was affected by the sickness of others. …”

Thanks to Jane Tooher, there’s also a profile of “A woman who did not give in to fear” – Dorothy Mowll. (page 16).

 

Read online (or download the PDF file) at magazine.sydneyanglicans.net.

Archbishop Kanishka Raffel’s message for churches for Sunday 1st August 2021.

Posted on July 29, 2021 
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Archbishop Kanishka Raffel has recorded this message for churches for their online gatherings on Sunday, 01 August, 2021.

We’re sure you’ll find it an encouragement.

Russell Powell has more at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Should Christians be opposed to vaccination?

Posted on July 29, 2021 
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“‘The blood of Jesus is my vaccine’, read one protestor’s sign during the recent Sydney anti-lockdown demonstration. It’s such a pious statement, but it’s a misguided one too, propagating a position that is neither well-founded nor widely embraced by Christians. In my view, Christians protesting vaccination campaigns need to be challenged, because they are contending for a position that is both scientifically and theologically misinformed. …”

– Chase Kuhn, Chair of the Social Issues Committee of the Diocese of Sydney, and Lecturer at Moore College, writes for ABC Religion and Ethics.

Related:

Distorting the Christian message doesn’t help anyone – Murray Campbell.

Faith

Posted on July 29, 2021 
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“It must be heart-breaking for someone with a life-threatening condition to know about a new treatment but have no access to it.  Family and friends will campaign and fundraise.  Every effort will be made by them because they know that there is a solution to the problem, and that they just need to get hold of it somehow.

For Christians, salvation is like that …”

– George Crowder at Church Society begins a series of posts on the Christian essentials of faith, hope and love.

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