Tim Challies in Sydney next month

Posted on January 16, 2018 
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“I will be in Sydney on February 22 [2018] and would love to meet you for an informal drop-in event at the Reformers Bookshop! I am dedicating 2018 to traveling the world for my EPIC church history project and am making a stop in Australia. …”

– Canadian blogger Tim Challies will be in Oz next month. More here.

When must we break unity?

Posted on January 15, 2018 
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“At the recent Synod of the Sydney Diocese two important motions were passed concerning the wider Anglican communion.

The first affirmed our Archbishop for attending the consecration of Bishop Andy Lines as a Missionary Bishop for the UK.

The second expressed our sadness that the Scottish Episcopal Church had broken communion with us, and other faithful Anglicans, by their decisions concerning so-called ‘same-sex marriage’.

In those debates, the importance of unity in the church was raised as an argument against these actions. Such arguments need to be heard and considered. …”

– At The Australian Church Record, Canon Phil Colgan asks if ‘unity’ is needed at all costs.

Reclaiming religious freedom in the UK

Posted on January 14, 2018 
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“Barnabas Fund is seeking a new Act of Parliament in the UK to guarantee seven fundamental aspects of freedom of religion. These seven freedoms have developed in the UK by various mechanisms over the last five centuries but are now under threat. A law to protect and guarantee them is urgently needed.

Tracing the heritage of religious liberty takes us back more than 800 years to Magna Carta in 1215. …

As we will explain in a new booklet which Barnabas Fund will shortly be launching, Magna Carta’s affirmation that ‘the English Church shall be free’ was gradually worked out over the centuries into seven specific aspects of freedom of religion…”

– News from Barnabas Fund, via Anglican Mainstream.

Moralism is not the Gospel (but many Christians think it is)

Posted on January 14, 2018 
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“One of the most amazing statements by the Apostle Paul is his indictment of the Galatian Christians for abandoning the Gospel. ‘I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel,’ Paul declared. As he stated so emphatically, the Galatians had failed in the crucial test of discerning the authentic Gospel from its counterfeits. …

This warning from the Apostle Paul, expressed in the language of the Apostle’s shock and grief, is addressed not only to the church in Galatia, but to every congregation in every age. In our own day — and in our own churches — we desperately need to hear and to heed this warning.”

– Albert Mohler writes on perhaps the greatest danger to genuine Christianity in our time.

Giving thanks for Dr. Broughton Knox — 24 years on

Posted on January 13, 2018 
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Former Principal of Moore College, Dr. David Broughton Knox, departed this earthly life twenty-four years ago, on January 14th 1994.

This is a good time to pause, remember, and to thank our heavenly Father for DBK.

To learn more, see also:

1. The Sermon preached by Archbishop Sir Marcus Loane at the funeral in St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney.

2. David Broughton Knox – What we owe to him – by Archbishop Donald Robinson.

3. Broughton Knox: servant of Christ Jesus – by Dr. Mark Thompson, May 2017.

“We have now come to lay him to rest with great sorrow for a loss we can ill afford. But we thank God upon every remembrance of a good and faithful servant.” – Archbishop Sir Marcus Loane.

(Photo with thanks to George Whitefield Theological College.)

Armidale Diocese Clergy Moves

Posted on January 13, 2018 
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For your prayers, the Diocese of Armidale has published news of clergy moves taking place early in 2018.

(Image adapted from an Anglican Church of Australia map.)

How important is Sex?

Posted on January 11, 2018 
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“It has become quite common for Christians to take the line that our business is to talk about Jesus and not about sex and sexual morality. Our obsession with sex is creating a barrier to gospel presentation.

I have to say I am pretty sympathetic to this argument. I never imagined when I began preaching the word of God that our sexual lives would play a big part in the presentation, nor that we would be engulfed in a crisis over the integrity of churches on this issue.

Well, should we stop talking about it and get on with talking about Jesus?

The trouble is, that if we take that line, it will not be the real gospel of Jesus we will be preaching. …”

– GAFCON General Secretary Dr Peter Jensen argues that Christians cannot be silent.

Ministry amongst staff wives and women on staff — Janet Taylor

Posted on January 11, 2018 
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During this morning’s sermon on Colossians 3:18 – 4:1 at the NSW/ACT CMS Summer School, Richard Chin made reference to some talks given by Janet Taylor.

As part of the Priscilla and Aquila Conference 2017, “A ministry that builds the church”, Janet spoke about “Ministry amongst staff wives and women on staff”. Very encouraging. You can watch her talk at this link.

See also: Investing in Marriage 2016 at St. Helen’s Bishopsgate.

(The 2018 Priscilla and Aquila Conference is coming up on February 5th – and standard registration is available for a few more days.)

Canadian Primate announces intention to resign

Posted on January 10, 2018 
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“This year on December 3rd, I will God willing reach the age of 65.

I think that is probably no secret in our Church! And in the natural order of discourse around such milestones, questions arise with respect to one’s intentions about retirement. I believe it is incumbent upon me to help move us all beyond whispered speculations to clarity about my intentions. …”

– Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, announces his intention to retire “at the conclusion of General Synod 2019”.

(Via David Jenkins at Anglican Samizdat.)

Advice to a Young Preacher – from Peter Adam

Posted on January 10, 2018 
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“I preached my first sermon in 1967 to a congregation of three people, having had no instruction and no training. I have been learning how to preach ever since.

Here is my advice for those who are starting out in their preaching ministry. …”

– Some great advice from Peter Adam – published at Tabletalk.

(Image from a St. Helen’s Bishopsgate video.)

Interview with Richard Chin

Posted on January 9, 2018 
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Richard Chin, National Director of the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students, is the main speaker at this year’s NSW/ACT CMS Summer School at Katoomba.

David Ould interviewed him yesterday. A very encouraging 29 minutes. Listen here.

Richard makes reference to the article Thank God for the Gift of Cancer, written by Bronwyn Chin for Equal but Different’s journal: June 2012.

Also at the Summer School, CMS revealed their new logo – see their website.

(Image: AFES.)

Volunteers told to use gender-neutral words to avoid causing offence

Posted on January 8, 2018 
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“Volunteers for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games have been told to use gender-neutral language to avoid causing offence.

The Games Shapers handbook, which has been handed to 15,000 volunteers and official staff and contractors instructs workers to avoid phrases like ‘ladies and gentlemen’ and ‘boys and girls’. …”

– Story from News.com.au.

The Anti-Christ Message of Steve Chalke

Posted on January 8, 2018 
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“As I was preparing to preach on Romans 4 for this morning I was struck by these words from verse three – “What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” I read in the commentaries the emphasis on the fact that Paul regarded the whole of the bible as Scripture.

As I looked forward to proclaiming that this morning I then read this from Steve Chalke ““The Bible is a library and not a book – that’s what the Bible literally means… the church over time has come to regard as sacred. It reflects the moral values and consciousness of each author”.

I cannot describe the feeling of despair, anger and hurt that overwhelmed me.  Jesus Christ has given us his Gospel and this Baptist preacher (much to the disgust of most Baptists I know) was directly attacking the Christ of Scripture (the only Christ that exists!).

So I tweeted a response and what disturbed me almost as much was the somewhat nonchalant attitude of some Christians who basically argued that Chalke was old hat and irrelevant.  I beg to disagree – his anti-Christ message causes havoc and is being widely heard. …”

– At The Wee Flea, David Robertson writes about his response to Steve Chalke’s message.

Thinking Theologically about Various issues

Posted on January 7, 2018 
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Phillipjensen.com has posted a number of Q & A style videos with Phillip Jensen.

They are intended, in the first instance, for Persian-speaking congregations, but are in English.

Check them out at this page (click the heading to reveal the list) – or see them at www.phillipjensen.com, where they are currently on the main page.

Archbishop of Melbourne calls for ‘intentional conversations’ on same-sex marriage

Posted on January 5, 2018 
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Archbishop of Melbourne, Dr. Philip Freier:

“I am very conscious of the pain that members of our church who are in same sex partnerships experience at this time when the society has changed in a way that the church hasn’t. …

I propose that we have intentional conversations about this next year. It will be good to prepare for this well and I will be looking for the best way these conversations can take place safely, gracefully and productively.”

– The Melbourne Anglican has this story on an Ad Clerum sent by Archbishop Freier to Melbourne clergy just before Christmas.

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