Preparing for Death

Posted on November 8, 2020 
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“Life is about preparation!

I was in 4th class at Clovelly Public School and our teacher, Mr DeRago, told us that he was getting us ready for our final exams. I thought that was amazing since our finals, the Leaving Certificate exams, were still 7 years away.

Apprenticeships are about preparation; all education is preparation; curacies are preparation. We have seminars for preparing for marriage, parenting, and now I am attending retirement seminars.

What next? Death must be in the mix of what’s next, but who runs seminars on preparing to die?…”

– David Cook writes at The Expository Preaching Trust.

(Picture: St. Helen’s Bishopsgate.)

A Review of God’s Design For Women

Posted on November 7, 2020 
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In 2002, I read a book called God’s Design For Women: Biblical Womanhood for Today, by Sharon James, an English thinker, writer, ministry practitioner and a social policy analyst. It gathered into one book all the good things that I believed about men and women, and which I thought were important for others to investigate. I recommended it, lent it and gave it away countless times.

But it was written 18 years ago – before some of the young women I am currently engaging with, were born! So it was a delight, last year, to see that Dr James had, in her words, “rewritten the book to take account of current cultural trends, including the increasing confusion about gender ’identity’. I have also extended the scope to include what is happening beyond my own country.”

– At Equal But Different, Lesley Ramsay shares her review of an important book.

Singing and Not-Singing in COVID Season

Posted on November 5, 2020 
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“Of all the restrictions necessitated by the COVID pandemic, one of the most frustrating, at least for most Christians, is not being able to sing together – either because we’re unable to meet together or because it’s not deemed safe for us to do so even if we are able to be together. Of course, not being able to sing together hasn’t killed us, and it won’t. But it has deprived and diminished us and, understandably, is deeply painful to many. …”

– Rob Smith writes at The Gospel Coalition Australia.

Also published at Latimer Trust.

See also:

Review: Come, Let Us Sing – Christopher Idle, at Church Society.

(Image: Rob Smith at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, courtesy Anglican Media Sydney.)

NAIDOC Week 2020 video from Macarthur Indigenous Church

Posted on November 5, 2020 
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Via SydneyAnglicans.net, here’s a video celebrating Naidoc Week 2020 with the Macarthur Indigenous Church.

Southern Seminary mourns Nick Challies

Posted on November 5, 2020 
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From Albert Mohler at Southern Seminary, where Tim Challies’ son Nick had been studying at Boyce College:

“Nick Challies, a wonderful, kind, loving, young Christian full of life, went to be with the Lord last night. Here is a word from his father’s grief-stricken heart. Please pray for Tim and Aileen Challies and their family.”

Yes, keep them in your prayers.

Photo: Tim Challies, when visiting Sydney in 2018.

Albert Mohler on US Election Day

Posted on November 3, 2020 
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In his daily “The Briefing”, Albert Mohler shares his analysis for US Election Day, Tuesday 3rd November 2020.

See also:

Three Ways to be a Christian on Election Day – For the Church.

Sponsor a Bible college student

Posted on November 3, 2020 
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“This unique program gives Australian Christians the opportunity to sponsor an emerging leader from a developing country to receive culturally appropriate training at a trusted Bible college.

You can choose to sponsor a student as an individual, family, Bible study group, or Church.

By sponsoring a student you will enable a future pastor to be fully prepared to defend the truth of the gospel and faithfully share the good news with their nation.”

– A wonderful initiative from Anglican Aid.

See also:

A new twist on sponsorship – back a Bible student – SydneyAnglicans.net.

Bishop Gary Nelson: “The furthest church from me is a 6000-kilometre return drive.”

Posted on November 2, 2020 
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“The Diocese of North West Australia is so large it could easily fit in the whole UK three times over – reaching from Geraldton on the coast to Kununurra on the border of the Northern Territory.

A population of 150,000 is scattered across 2 million square kilometres, and Bishop Gary Nelson and his team work hard to share the gospel with each person who passes through the world’s largest land-based Anglican diocese.“

– Encouragement to pray, from SydneyAnglicans.net.

In the US – Winter is coming: COVID-19 forces hard choices for Churches

Posted on November 1, 2020 
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“TGC asked five pastors how they’ve been using the relative safety of outdoors, how the weather is a challenge, and how they’re thinking creatively about the changing seasons…”

– A good reminder to pray for churches in the northern hemisphere as the weather gets colder.

Image: Sam Ferguson, Falls Church Anglican, Virginia.

Christians, Conscience, and the Looming 2020 Election

Posted on November 1, 2020 
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“We know who Donald Trump and Joe Biden are, how they behave, the manner of their self-presentation, and the substance of their policies. The act of voting is before us, and for many of us is already done. What do Christians make of all this?”

– In his latest article, Dr. Albert Mohler lays out the choices he sees facing American voters at next week’s Presidential election.

See also this interview with Dr Mohler by John Anderson.

Update:

Beyond John Piper, more Christian ‘how to’ votes – Eternity News.

Anglican Church of Tasmania finalises $3.65 million of compensation to survivors of sexual abuse

Posted on October 31, 2020 
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“The Anglican Church of Tasmania has confirmed it will pay $3.65 million in compensation to 24 survivors of sexual abuse, but will look at selling more assets after its liability estimates more than doubled. …”

– Report from ABC News.

The Protestant Understanding of Justification

Posted on October 31, 2020 
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For Reformation weekend, Ligonier Ministries has this video from R C Sproul. (It’s part of a series.)

Senior Pastors, Self Promotion, Narcissism and Social Media – with Marshall Ballantine-Jones

Posted on October 30, 2020 
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From The Pastor’s Heart –

“Did you watch the Social Dilemma and consider throwing your phone (and the apps installed!) out the window. This week we are thinking through the pastoral opportunities and dangers of social media.

Marshall Ballantine Jones joins Dominic Steele to discuss the impact of social media use on pastors, particularly with regards to encouraging self promotion and narcissistic tendencies.”

– Watch or listen at The Pastor’s Heart.

November 2020 issue of Southern Cross

Posted on October 29, 2020 
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The November issue of Southern Cross is now available at magazine.sydneyanglicans.net

Stories include –

• Rejoicing at the opening of Stanhope Gardens
• Getting the most out of church
• The War you didn’t know about.

Feature articles include –
• Discipling screen-native kids,
• The new Christian sports show
• Cranmer’s strategy for evangelism.

Luther: The Life and Legacy of the German Reformer

Posted on October 29, 2020 
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Thanks to Ligonier Ministries, “For a limited time, watch this documentary in its entirety to discover the events God used in Martin Luther’s life that led him to rediscover the gospel of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.”

– The video is temporarily available on YouTube in celebration of Reformation Day.

Once the link is removed (they don’t say when that might be), the movie will still be available for purchase via these sources.

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