Thank-you Fireys as Sydney prays

Posted on January 21, 2020
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“Sustained applause greeted Rural Fire Service Senior Assistant Commissioner Bruce MacDonald as he was introduced at a Prayer service at Sydney’s St Andrew’s Cathedral on Sunday 19th January for those affected by the bushfires. …”

– Russell Powell has the story of Sunday’s service at the Cathedral for everyone affected by the bushfires. At SydneyAnglicans.net.

World Watch List 2020

Posted on January 21, 2020
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Open Doors has released its World Watch List for 2020.

Fuel for prayer.

Spiritual Formation: the rise of a tradition

Posted on January 20, 2020
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“Spiritual formation” seems to be an innocuous phrase, for Christians; a good thing to do, what we would want for ourselves and others. It is in use in general church circles, and in more formal literature. In particular, if one investigates developments concerning theological education, it is very clear that spiritual formation is what theological education should be about. …

“Spiritual formation” seems a reasonable thing for Christians to do, but what exactly does it mean, and why is it seen as the main purpose of theological education? …

– Church Society has published some excerpts from an article by Kirsty Birkett in the current issue of Churchman.

Archbishop Foley Beach’s January GAFCON Chairman’s letter

Posted on January 19, 2020
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“For many of us, Christmas is a time for celebrating the birth of Jesus, the Word becoming flesh, and enjoying time with family and friends. However, for some of our brothers and sisters in Christ, Christmas has become a time of increased threat. …”

– In his January letter as GAFCON Primates Council Chairman, Archbishop Foley Beach highlights the need to pray for the persecuted church.

The ACR speaks with Jane Tooher about the Priscilla and Aquila Conference

Posted on January 18, 2020
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The Australian Church Record recently spoke with Jane Tooher, Director of the Priscilla and Aquila Centre at Moore College, about the upcoming P&A Conference for 2020.

Read the interview here.

On Preaching, the Supper, and the Unity of the Church

Posted on January 16, 2020
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“Recently, the well-known pastor and author Francis Chan made some alarming comments about preaching, the Lord’s Supper, and the unity of the church.

In this episode of Pastors’ Talk, Jonathan Leeman chats with Mark Dever, Bobby Jamieson, and Mark Feather about Chan’s comments in particular and the topics of preaching, the Supper, and unity more generally.”

– Listen here.

Sound an Alarm: Gender Activism is about to silence us

Posted on January 16, 2020
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“The Victorian government intends to pass a law very soon that may see ordinary citizens imprisoned if they speak up against the chemical, psychological and physical mutilation of confused adolescents. …”

– Retired Judge of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia Stuart Lindsay, writes this opinion piece in Quadrant.

Should we trade in Funerals for “Celebrations of Life”?

Posted on January 16, 2020
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“Over the last decade of serving the local church, I’ve noticed a trend: people don’t like thinking about death. In every conceivable way, we dismiss, ignore, and refuse to acknowledge our mortality. In the words of the blues artist, Albert King, ‘Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die.’

Nobody wants to die and nobody wants to think about death…”

– At 9Marks, Jason Hill considers a question many Sydney Anglican ministers also confront.

Prayer: the heart of evangelism (Ephesians 6:17–20)

Posted on January 15, 2020
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“One of the best things we can pray for is that the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ will go out to the world, both through us and through others.”

– Lionel Windsor nears the end of Ephesians and comes to a key passage.

(Photo: GAFCON.)

Canterbury Cathedral hosts Award Ceremony for ‘top UK Abortionist’

Posted on January 15, 2020
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“Ann Furedi, head of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), Britain’s largest abortion provider, was made an Honorary Doctor of Science at a ceremony in Canterbury Cathedral on Nov. 22.”

– Report from Church Militant.

A Service of Prayer for those affected by the Bushfires

Posted on January 14, 2020
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St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney is holding a service of prayer for all affected by the Bushfires.

It’s this coming Sunday, 19th January 2020 at 10:30am.

(The Cathedral is located at the corner of George and Bathurst Streets in Sydney.)

Abuse in the marriages of ministry leaders

Posted on January 14, 2020
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“This week on the Pastor’s Heart, we address the complex issue of domestic abuse within the relationships of ministry leaders.”

Dominic Steele speaks with Jenni Woodhouse, pastoral care coordinator for the Church Missionary Society NSW & ACT, and previously chaplain for the Sydney Anglican Church’s Professional Standards Unit.

The Recruitment Problem

Posted on January 13, 2020
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“While I was training at Moore Theological College (2012- 2015) the constant rhetoric was that the Sydney Anglican Diocese was oversupplied with full-time gospel workers. We were warned from the very beginning of the need to be creative in funding our own Sydney Anglican positions if we were to stay in Sydney.

From one perspective, this was a great win for the Kingdom! It forced many people to consider full-time gospel ministry outside Sydney and caused those who wanted to stay in Sydney to consider the cost of staying. …”

– The Australian Church Record has republished this article by Mike Leite in the ACR’s Journal for Summer 2019.

Photo: Moore College, 1956.