Discover serving in Bathurst Diocese
Posted on August 8, 2025
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From the Diocese of Bathurst –
INFORMATION ZOOM EVENING
12 AUGUST @ 7:15 PM – 8:30 PMAre you interested in ministry opportunities and pathways outside of the city? Are you curious about what it actually looks like to minister out west? Are you keen to hear about what it is like to SHARE JESUS for LIFE in the Bathurst Diocese?
Join us for an Information Zoom session and have all your questions answered! All welcome!
– Interested? Register at this link.
(And even if you are not able to go, you can still pray for the progress of the gospel and the building up of Christ’s people in Bathurst.)
The believer’s assurance in times of groaning — Romans 8:1-39
Posted on August 8, 2025
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In anticipation of celebrating Dick Lucas’ 100th birthday next month, here’s a recording of ‘brief notes’ on Romans chapter 8 he made late last year.
He points us to the sure hope of everyone who trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ, whatever our age –
“Recorded in early October 2024, this is expected to be Dick’s last formal talk, though he continues to speak penetratingly of biblical truths with the many scheduled visitors to his home.
In this brief survey of Romans 8, he considers not only the deep comfort of the chapter, rooted in solid hope for the future, but also its realism concerning present experience in a ‘groaning’ creation.”
– Listen here, from St. Helen’s Bishopsgate.
PDJ on the ‘Quiet Time’
Posted on August 7, 2025
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“Friends in Christ, the most helpful article I ever read on personal Bible reading and prayer was written by Phillip Jensen.
This was more than 30 years ago when he was a university chaplain – long before he became Dean of this Cathedral. At that stage I had never even heard of him. But his article helped me so much I kept it all these years. Today I share an extract with you…”
– Dean of Sydney Sandy Grant shares an encouraging extract – in the Cathedral newsletter.
The Power and Purpose of Apocalyptic Preaching
Posted on August 7, 2025
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From The Gospel Coalition’s Carson Center, an audio recording of a lecture by Don Carson –
“In this lecture, Don Carson discusses the unique nature of apocalyptic literature, emphasizing its distinct historical context and symbolic language. Carson argues that apocalyptic texts like Revelation can be engaging and evangelistically effective. He discusses the importance of understanding these texts within their original setting and literary genre to grasp their full theological significance. …”
Listen – or read the transcript.
Is 5% Enough?
Posted on August 7, 2025
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“There seems to be a change in the cultural atmosphere in much of the West. It may be that people are more open to the Gospel. The question is, how should we take advantage of that? How do we use this cultural moment to bring the gospel to those who are lost? We always need to humbly remember that ‘many are the plans in the heart of a man, but it is the Lord’s purpose that stands’ (Proverbs 19:21).
This year’s General Assembly of the NSW Presbyterians accepted a motion I put forward to reflect on how we do evangelism. The Assembly ask the Mission Committee to evaluate the status of evangelism within the Presbyterian church of NSW and to report back to the 2026 GA with recommendations which will help the whole church work together to bring the Gospel to all the people of NSW.
The Assembly also heard a call for the Presbyterian church to double in 20 years. Providentially the Gospel Coalition recently held a summit where the same doubling in 20 years was agreed. They declared that this could be done by seeing 5% conversion growth in each church over a period of 20 years.
The Pastor’s Heart, a fascinating and helpful podcast presented by Dominic Steele, has recently had three podcasts focusing on this numerical target …”
– At AP, the online Presbyterian journal, David Robertson reckons we should ‘go for glory’.
Unblocking the pipeline: Identifying and addressing obstacles to ministry recruitment
Posted on August 6, 2025
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From The Pastor’s Heart:
“In the past month, two of the most respected evangelical training institutions in the world have closed or announced closure of their campuses.
In July, Spurgeon’s College in London—a pillar of Baptist theological education for nearly 170 years—closed, citing financial strain and a dramatic decline in student numbers.
A few weeks earlier, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS) in Chicago —long regarded as a flagship seminary of North American evangelicalism— said they would shut down its Illinois campus and relocate to Canada, merging with Trinity Western University in British Columbia.
TEDS student numbers have dropped from 750 to 400 fulltime equivalents.
These are not isolated incidents. Across the UK, Australia, and globally, churches are asking:
Where will the next generation of gospel workers come from?
Orlando Saer—lead pastor of Christ Church Southampton, Chair of the Reach UK South church planting network, and Chair of 9:38, a UK ministry seeking to raise up gospel workers, has helped lead the Yarnton Consultation, the most comprehensive look yet at the state of ministry recruitment in the UK.”
Trajectory 2025
Posted on August 6, 2025
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From Two Ways Ministries –
“Relationships
God is personal, so life is relational.
Relationships bring about our greatest joys and our deepest sorrows. The Bible teaches that the heart of the law is to love God and love our neighbours.
The usual trajectory of our lives is that we are born in families, grow in friendships, then die alone. So how does God’s wisdom change our relationships; or what is the trajectory of our relationships?
This might be your very first time at a Trajectory weekend, or you may have been for the last 8 years – either way this weekend will be of great benefit to you as you listen to challenging Bible teaching pushing you to keep re-calibrating your Trajectory to God’s.
A weekend for 18-30 year-olds, unpacking the Bible, building our skills and building our networks – all for the Glory of God.”
It’s Tempting to Sin
Posted on August 5, 2025
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From Phillip Jensen:
“One of the doctrines of the Bible that is easy to demonstrate and widely rejected is the universality of sin.
Sin is not an optional extra choice of some degenerate people. Sin is the inbuilt character of humanity.
But what is sin? How did sin come into the world? What temptation did Satan use? How do moralists sin, and why are they amongst the most sinful of people?
In this episode of Two Ways News, Peter and I discuss the temptation that came to Eve and its implications for our temptation to sin.”
– Listen to the latest from Phillip and Peter here.
Happy birthday to John Newton
Posted on August 5, 2025
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The Rev. John Newton was born 300 years ago, on 4th August 1725.
At The John Newton Project, Marylynn Rouse shares some contemporary tributes to the man who (among other things) wrote Amazing Grace.
The Church in Wales departs from biblical teaching and orthodox fellowship — Diocese of Sydney statement
Posted on August 4, 2025
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Archbishop Kanishka Raffel has released this statement on behalf of the Diocese of Sydney —
The election of the Rt Rev Cherry Vann, a person in a same sex civil partnership, as Archbishop of Wales is a grievous departure from the teaching of the Bible, inconsistent with the understanding of marriage as expressed in the formularies of the Anglican Church, and a tragic rejection of the words of Jesus.
At a time when the See of Canterbury remains vacant, and the Church of England proceeds to develop liturgical recognition of same sex unions, this appointment adds to the increasingly irreconcilable divisions between the majority of the Anglican Communion who hold to the authority and primacy of Scripture in matters of life and faith and those churches that have departed from the teaching of Christ.
In the face of the failure of those who should be witnesses and keepers of Scripture, we give thanks for faithful Anglicans in Wales who hold to ‘the faith once delivered to the saints’ and contend for the gospel within the Church of Wales.
There is, however, a growing number whose consciences prevent them from remaining in a denomination in which the leadership has so clearly departed from the scriptures. For them, we commend the fellowship of the Anglican Network in Europe, under the pastoral care of Bishop Andy Lines.
Archbishop Kanishka Raffel
4 August 2025
— Media release via SydneyAnglicans.net.
Related:
“Church of England’s treatment of Bernard Randall is evil”
Posted on August 4, 2025
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“The Church of England’s treatment of former school chaplain, Rev Dr Bernard Randall, deserves to be described as evil.
The Christian Legal Centre is rightly calling for Dr Randall to be restored to ministry after statutory authorities found that he did not pose a safeguarding risk. …”
– Julian Mann writes at Christian Today.
Photo: Christian Concern.
The Saviour of the world – John 4:1-42
Posted on August 4, 2025
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Moore Theological College Principal Mark Thompson spoke from John 4:1-42 in College chapel on Friday.
“This is, indeed, the Saviour of the world. So that’s what we need to hear – before anything else. Hear those words and know this is the Saviour of the world – and don’t settle for anything less.”
Two points – The Saviour of the world, and The Saved in the world.
Good to hear, and good for your soul.
Starting Strong: Thriving in the First Years of Preaching — new podcast
Posted on August 3, 2025
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Here’s a new podcast from two Presbyterian ministers (Matt and Oli) in Victoria.
It’s “the podcast we would have liked five years ago when we started out.”
Listen to their 8 minute introductory episode and you’ll probably recognise voices from their ‘teaser’. (Or just listen the episodes already available!)
Six chats with seasoned preachers are online so far.
GSFA Statement on the Election of the Rt Rev Cherry Vann as the Archbishop of Wales
Posted on August 2, 2025
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From the GSFA:
Before The Episcopal Church of the United States went ahead with the consecration of Gene Robinson, who was openly in a same sex relationship, as Bishop of New Hampshire, the 2003 Primates meeting in Canterbury warned that this action would “tear the fabric of the Anglican Communion at its deepest level” if it went ahead.
Despite this warning, the divisive rejection of the historic biblical and Anglican teaching on marriage and human sexuality has been allowed to continue without any effective restraint. The election of the Rt Rev Cherry Vann as the Archbishop of Wales is the latest example and we now have a Primate of the Anglican Communion who is, to quote from her address at a Pride Cymru Eucharist in August 2021, “an openly lesbian and civilly partnered bishop”.
Faithful Anglicans of the Global South will grieve that the tear in the fabric of our beloved Communion is now established at the highest level, but this will also strengthen our resolve to restore the Scriptures to their central place in our life together and build covenanted relationships through which we are able to gladly recognise one another as partners in mission and members of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
The Most Rev Dr Justin Badi Arama
Archbishop and Primate of the
Episcopal Church of South Sudan, and
GSFA Chair.
– Source.
“Archbishop of Wales Election Shatters the Communion”
Posted on August 2, 2025
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“Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Gafcon family,
Grace and peace to you from Jesus Christ, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the earth.
It is with a heavy heart that I write to you of grievous events in our beloved Anglican Communion.
The decision by the Church in Wales to elect the Rt Revd Cherry Vann as Archbishop and Primate is another painful nail in the coffin of Anglican orthodoxy. …”
– Chairman of the Gafcon Primates Council, Archbishop Dr. Laurent Mbanda, shares a pastoral letter.
Earlier:
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…