Why GAFCON Ireland?

Posted on May 5, 2018 
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GAFCON recently published some sobering statistics about Ireland:

• 70 towns with a population of 5000+ with no evangelical witness of any sort.

• 30 towns with a population of 10,000+ with no evangelical witness of any sort.

• 6 towns with a population of 20,000+ with no evangelical witness of any sort.

Related: Dr Peter Jensen at the launch of GAFCON Ireland.

Speaking for the C of E on sexuality

Posted on May 4, 2018 
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“There was a bit of a furore last week, caused by the publication of a letter sent by William Nye, who is General Secretary to the General Synod and the Archbishops’ Council, to The Episcopal Church of the United States (TEC).

The letter had been written and sent last October, in response to a request from TEC for reactions to their plans to revise the liturgy of their Book of Common Prayer removing gender references in their marriage rites.

The publication of the letter provoked a strong reaction in a letter to the Church Times from 126 clergy and laity, as well as two further letters from Giles Goddard and Anthony Archer.

It is worth reading carefully what William Nye actually says, since it is not obvious from the responses that everyone has done so. …”

– Ian Paul does take a closer look at the letter.

Among other things, he also answers the claim, by critics of the letter, that the ‘majority of Anglicans’ want the Church’s doctrine changed. He says, “in order to make the numbers work, it turns out that you have to allow people to self-identify as Anglicans, rather than ascertain whether they actually participate in Anglican worship or are members of their local Anglican church.”

T C Hammond on Article 28, the Lord’s Supper

Posted on May 3, 2018 
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“Next to the question of Justification by Faith only the problems connected with the Lord’s Supper present a wide field of controversy in the Reformation period. This is illustrated by the fact that four Articles are devoted to the consideration of these questions.

The Article we are considering underwent an important change in 1563. Much controversy has gathered around the change. Some have urged that it indicates a change in theological thought between 1552 and 1563. In order to appreciate the position we have just to notice the change which was made and then to examine with care the wording of our present Article. …”

– The Australian Church Record has republished T.C. Hammond’s 1961 consideration of Article 28.

Give thanks for the last ten years of gospel ministry in Vancouver

Posted on May 2, 2018 
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Ten years ago this month, Michael Ingham, Bishop of the Canadian diocese of New Westminster, declared David Short (Rector of St. John’s Shaughnessy), his colleagues Dan Gifford and Dr. J I Packer, as well as eight others, to have abandoned the ministry.

A Diocese of New Westminster e-mail, dated May 16, 2008, put it this way –

“As you may have heard, with a group resignation from the Anglican Church of Canada, we now have some clerical vacancies in four of our parishes: St. John, Shaughnessy, St. Matthew, Abbotsford, St. Matthias and St. Luke, and Good Shepherd.

THOSE WHO ABANDONED MINISTRY:  Here is the list of the Clergy for whom Bishop Michael issued “Notice of Abandonment of the Exercise of the Ministry” (under Canon XIX): …”

Though regarded by that diocese as having ‘abandoned the ministry’, give thanks that they continue to serve the Lord Jesus, as ministers of the gospel, as before.

Today, the church which used to meet at St. John’s Shaughnessy is St. John’s Vancouver.

Remembering that history, please be encouraged to pray for the congregation of St. John’s, and others who stood, and still stand, for the authority of God in his Word.

Pray for the clear and faithful proclamation of the gospel in Vancouver, and across Canada.

Related:

Bishop Ingham sends ‘notice of presumption of abandonment’ to St. John’s Shaughnessy – February 23 2008.

Largest Anglican Church congregation in Canada leaves historic church home – September 9 2011.

“In what may be the greatest rupture in Christianity since the Reformation, disagreement over basic Christian beliefs has separated Anglican congregations around the world into two camps, usually labeled orthodox and liberal, with those holding to historic, Bible-based values and beliefs in the vast majority. The St. John’s Vancouver Anglican congregation has aligned itself with the mainstream global Anglican Church, rather than continue as part of the local, more liberal Diocese of New Westminster. The decision by this congregation and sister parishes resulted in frozen bank accounts and a court action to determine which party was conducting the ministry for which the buildings were intended.”

New Westminster considers plans for three ‘returned’ parishes – April 16 2012.

“Having won the court battle for the buildings of St. John’s Shaughnessy, St. Matthias and St. Luke, and St. Matthew’s Abbotsford, the Diocese of New Westminster must decide what to do with them…”

St. John’s Shaughnessy, Imposters – Anglican Samizdat, May 1 2018.

One of the current uses for the old building.

Read other posts from our archives concerning St. John’s Shaughnessy here.

Photo: Dan Gifford, David Short and J I Packer chat before the first Sunday service of St. John’s Vancouver in their new location, 25 September 2011.

Church Website Providers — Comparison of pricing and features

Posted on May 1, 2018 
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Over at Communicate Jesus, Steven Kryger has published an up-to-date comparison of providers of church website providers.

Also see his earlier post: 15 things the best church websites do.

 

Protect your church in one simple step

Posted on May 1, 2018 
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“There is a sad progression that begins with the people growing weary and ashamed of truth.

No longer able or willing to endure sound teaching, they get rid of the truth-tellers and accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions. Inevitably, they soon turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

All of this is laid out in chapter four of 2 Timothy.…”

– Tim Challies reposts an article he wrote several years ago.

Book Launch: Down, Not Out by Chris Cipollone

Posted on April 30, 2018 
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Reformers Bookshop in Stanmore invites you to a book launch:

“Local Anglican minister Chris Cipollone has written a new book called Down Not Out about depression, anxiety and the difference Jesus makes.”

Down Not Out will be launched at Reformers Bookshop at 140 Albany Road, Stanmore, from 2:00pm on Saturday 5th May.

Chris serves on the ministry team at St. Matthew’s West Pymble. At the launch he will speak about the book, there’ll be a Q&A and Reformers Bookshop will supply the coffee.

Learn about the book launch here.

Watch a short video, and order the book.

Friends: Your secret weapon in avoiding burnout

Posted on April 30, 2018 
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“More and more, Christians are burning out.

Depending on the circles you run in, this phenomenon can start to feel almost as self-evident as our most basic beliefs about God. Some of our brothers and sisters who are serving the most are feeling like they have the least left to give. …”

– At The Australian Church Record, Lauren Mahaffey shares some encouragement.

Secured by Christ on the cross

Posted on April 29, 2018 
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To meditate on this Sunday:

“Everything that we know and appreciate and praise God for in all Christian experience both in this life and in the life to come springs from this bloody cross.

Do we have the gift of the Spirit? Secured by Christ on the cross.

Do we enjoy the fellowship of saints? Secured by Christ on the cross.

Does he give us comfort in life and death? Secured by Christ on the cross.

Does he watch over us faithfully, providentially, graciously, and covenantally? Secured by Christ on the cross.

Do we have hope of a heaven to come? Secured by Christ on the cross.

Do we anticipate resurrection bodies on the last day? Secured by Christ on the cross.

Is there a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness? Secured by Christ on the cross.

Do we now enjoy new identities, so that we are no longer to see ourselves as nothing but failures, moral pariahs, disappointments to our parents—but deeply loved, blood-bought, human beings, redeemed by Christ, declared just by God himself, owing to the fact that God himself presented his Son Jesus as the propitiation for our sins? All this is secured by Christ on the cross and granted to those who have faith in him.”

— D.A. Carson, Scandalous: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus (Crossway, 2010), 70-71.

‘I believe you and I will care for you’: After the Royal Commission

Posted on April 28, 2018 
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“So big has been the impact of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse that one denomination, Anglican, in this part of Australia — the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn — has paid out four million dollars to victims over the past three years.

Without alarm, the man who was until Easter Anglican Bishop of the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn told me the compensation costs would only increase.

We conducted an ‘exit interview’ in the weeks before he stepped down. …”

– Story from The Sydney Morning Herald. (Photo: Diocese of Canberra & Goulburn.)

Anglican Unscripted with Dr Stephen Noll on GAFCON as at April 2018

Posted on April 27, 2018 
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In the latest Anglican Unscripted (No. 389) from Anglican TV, Kevin Kallsen and Dr. Stephen Noll talk about Dr. Noll’s new book “The Global Anglican Communion“.

They also discuss recent news from the GAFCON meeting in Entebbe, Uganda.

Watch here.

The worthwhileness of written prayers

Posted on April 27, 2018 
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“God in his kindness has recorded for us prayers in his word the Bible, e.g. Dan 9:4-19; 2 Sam 7:18-29; Job 42:1-6; Ps 86; and Mt 6:9-13.

These prayers teach and remind us of many things, including the worthwhileness of written prayers. …”

–  Back in 2016, this article by Jane Tooher was published in Moore College’s Think Tank series.

Thanks to Church Society’s Ros Clarke for the reminder (Written Prayers Redux).

Review of The Passion Translation of the Psalms

Posted on April 26, 2018 
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“My colleague Andrew Shead has written a review of The Passion Translation of the Psalms (“Poetry on Fire”) for The Gospel Coalition’s journal Themelios. Andrew is the head of Old Testament and Hebrew here at Moore Theological College, and is a member of the NIV Committee on Bible Translation. Here’s the abstract of his review article:

Brian Simmons has made a new translation of the Psalms (and now the whole New Testament) which aims to ‘re-introduce the passion and fire of the Bible to the English reader.’ He achieves this by abandoning all interest in textual accuracy, playing fast and loose with the original languages, and inserting so much new material into the text that it is at least 50% longer than the original. The result is a strongly sectarian translation that no longer counts as Scripture; by masquerading as a Bible it threatens to bind entire churches in thrall to a false god. …”

– Moore College’s Lionel Windsor draws attention to an important review.

And you can read the whole of the newly-released Themelios 43.1 here.

Newcastle Diocese Strategic Directions 2018-2021

Posted on April 26, 2018 
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After consultations across his diocese, Bishop Peter Stuart, Bishop of Newcastle, has released a Strategic Directions and Work Plan for 2018 – 2021.

Read about it and download it here and be encouraged to pray for the churches of the Newcastle Diocese.

T.C. Hammond on Baptism (Article 27)

Posted on April 26, 2018 
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“The controversy concerning infant baptism has occasioned much difficulty to many students. The great body of the Reformed Churches accept it. A determined and earnest company, however, reject it as unscriptural.

There are two questions that need to be kept clearly distinguished from one another. …”

– In the latest posts from The Australian Church Record’s archives, T.C. Hammond turns to the question of Baptism from Article 27 – and then considers The Baptism of Young Children.

Related: The Thirty Nine Articles.

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