Christ amongst the crayons – reaching out through a multicultural, multigenerational kids ministry

Posted on October 6, 2017 
Filed under Encouragement, Sydney Diocese Comments Off on Christ amongst the crayons – reaching out through a multicultural, multigenerational kids ministry

“In September 2016 my husband and I planted a new multicultural service at Chester Hill Anglican. We started with 8 kids under 4 (not all ours!). Now we regularly have 30-40 kids on Sunday and many more at mid-week activities. Our kids come from very diverse ethnic backgrounds, many are refugees. My role in the church plant was to establish and grow this kids ministry. …”

– At The Australian Church Record, Beth Webb shares from encouraging news from the parish of Chester Hill.

Review of NT discrimination law — guest blog

Posted on October 5, 2017 
Filed under Opinion, Resources Comments Off on Review of NT discrimination law — guest blog

Associate Professor Neil Foster writes,

“The Northern Territory government has released a discussion paper called Modernisation of the Anti-Discrimination Act (Sept 2017). It invites comments by 3 December 2017. You can almost get the tone of the paper from the title! After all, who in this fast-changing age could oppose anything called “modernisation”? But there are a number of concerning recommendations and comments made from the law and religion perspective, and there are some real doubts whether the proposals properly reflect religious freedom principles.

My colleague Dr Alex Deagon from QUT has graciously provided a guest blog post in which he outlines his comments on two major concerns with the proposals to amend the Act. Those who are interested in the interaction of discrimination law and religious freedom should find them very helpful, and may wish to make their own comments in response to the discussion paper. There are other controversial proposals in the paper which may be the subject of future posts. …”

– Read it all at Law and Religion Australia.

‘Freedom of speech challenged’ as No campaign denied bookings

Posted on October 5, 2017 
Filed under Australia, Culture wars Comments Off on ‘Freedom of speech challenged’ as No campaign denied bookings

“The Catholic Archbishop of Hobart, Julian Porteous, has warned of a ‘direct challenge to freedom of speech’ after the No campaign was denied bookings by both the University of Tasmania and Wrest Point Casino for an event on Friday evening.

Archbishop Porteous had been due to speak at the function along with Australian Conservatives Senator Cory Bernardi; Victorian Liberal MP, Kevin Andrews; Australian Christian Lobby managing director, Lyle Shelton, as well as ‘mummy blogger’ Marijke Rancie.

The Archbishop issued a statement this evening saying: ‘Despite signing contractual agreements and paying hire fees in full, Wrest Point Casino has advised the No Campaign that the venue is now unavailable.’…”

– Story from The Australian. (Subscription) See also The Herald Sun.

Service for Las Vegas

Posted on October 4, 2017 
Filed under Sydney Diocese Comments Off on Service for Las Vegas

“A special service will be held at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney on Thursday, October 5, in commemoration of those affected by the Las Vegas massacre at the weekend. …“

– Details from SydneyAnglicans.net.

Wanniassa to Holbrook: City-to-Country Mission

Posted on October 4, 2017 
Filed under Australian dioceses Comments Off on Wanniassa to Holbrook: City-to-Country Mission

“In July St Matthews, Wanniassa, ran a mission to Holbrook. Praise God for an abundance of opportunities to share the saving news of Jesus with kids, teens and adults. The program allowed the team to make connections with all people through door-knocking, a Trivia/Games night and a Big Brekky, in addition to the usual host, social and church settings. …”

– Good news for Holbrook – from the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn website.

Labor MP Chris Hayes seeks safeguards for religious freedoms

Posted on October 4, 2017 
Filed under Culture wars Comments Off on Labor MP Chris Hayes seeks safeguards for religious freedoms

“Labor MP Chris Hayes has spoken out to defend those who fear same-sex marriage could curb ­religious freedoms, arguing that the issue of protection must be ­addressed to ensure ‘laws do not violate one’s genuinely held ­beliefs and conscience’.

Mr Hayes, the chief opposition whip, said he ‘appreciated’ ­arguments that enacting same-sex marriage could ‘impact on ­religious freedoms, teaching of doctrine, and the functioning of faith-based organisations such as schools, aged-care and welfare agencies.’…”

– Story from The Australian (subscription).

Mr Hayes’ statement may be read here (PDF).

“ … I appreciate the fears of religious institutions that enacting same sex marriage could impact on religious freedoms, teaching of doctrine, and the functioning of faith based organisations such as schools, aged care and welfare agencies. These are legitimate concerns and matters I believe have to be addressed in order to ensure laws do not act to violate one’s genuinely held beliefs and conscience.

However, it is not just the issue of same sex marriage that may impinge on religious freedom. Therefore, I believe steps should be taken to protect religious liberty. …”

Photo: Chris Hayes’s website.

‘I should have thought that one through’

Posted on October 3, 2017 
Filed under Church of England, Culture wars Comments Off on ‘I should have thought that one through’

“Asked … if gay sex was sinful, [Archbishop of Canterbury Justin] Welby said: ‘You know very well that is a question I can’t give a straight answer to. Sorry, badly phrased there. I should have thought that one through.’…”

– Story from The Guardian.

Related: a warning from Albert Mohler:

“This is a moment of decision, and every evangelical believer, congregation, denomination, and institution will have to answer. There will be no place to hide.

The forces driving this revolution in morality will not allow evasion or equivocation. Every pastor, every church, and every Christian organization will soon be forced to declare an allegiance to the Scriptures and to the Bible’s teachings on marriage and sexual morality, or to affirm loyalty to the sexual revolution.

That revolution did not start with same-sex marriage, and it will not end there. But marriage is the most urgent issue of the day, and the moment of decision has arrived.”

– from Which Way, Evangelicals? There is Nowhere to Hide, June 10, 2015.

“The Conversation” and impacts of same sex marriage

Posted on October 2, 2017 
Filed under Culture wars, Opinion Comments Off on “The Conversation” and impacts of same sex marriage

“Two pieces in the Australian online forum ‘The Conversation’ today make misleading statements about the possible impacts of the recognition of same-sex marriage in Australia, and warrant some response.

One article suggests that there is no doubt that churches will still be able to decline to solemnise same-sex marriages. The other is a ‘fact check’ on assertions about the mandatory nature of ‘safe schools‘ programs following such a change. In my view both pieces are likely to mislead. …”

– At Law and Religion Australia, Associate Professor Neil Foster responds to two articles published in The Conversation today. (The first article was also republished by the ABC.)

Reformation talks from the Presbyterian Church of Australia

Posted on October 2, 2017 
Filed under History, Resources Comments Off on Reformation talks from the Presbyterian Church of Australia

It’s Reformation 500 month – October 2017 – and the Presbyterian Church of Australia has released three downloadable videos you could watch for your own benefit, or in Bible Study groups.

“The Presbyterian Church of Australia offers this package of three church history videos to assist your church – particularly in its small-group ministries – to help celebrate the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s posting of his 95 Theses, and the subsequent Protestant Reformation … 31 October 1517.

There are three consecutive video sessions (each lasting about 50 min) followed by suggested discussion questions. Ideally, they’ll be of most benefit during the last two weeks of October and the first of November, but they’ll be available for as long as they are being used. …”

– from Moderator-General John P Wilson.

  1. Martin Luther – (1) the struggle in his heart: Romans 1:7-17.
  2. Martin Luther – (2) the struggle against his church: 2 Timothy 3:10-17.
  3. John Calvin – developing the church’s theology: Acts 2:38-47; 1 Timothy 3:14-16.

Principles of Complementarian Ministry

Posted on October 1, 2017 
Filed under Resources, Theology Comments Off on Principles of Complementarian Ministry

“This is the outline for a brief presentation I gave at the MTS Mission Minded conference On 1 Oct 2017. The presentation was part of an elective panel discussion with Jane Tooher (director of the Priscilla and Aquila Centre at Moore College), Phil Wheeler (director of Evangelism and New Churches) and myself, titled ‘Complementarian Ministry in Light of Eternity’.”

– ACL Vice President Dr Lionel Windsor shares this resource you may find helpful.

The Reformation and your church

Posted on October 1, 2017 
Filed under History, Resources Comments Off on The Reformation and your church

“It’s the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, and right now there’s no shortage of material being published on the topic. Why might this 9Marks Journal possibly add to the pile?

We asked our contributors to consider the Reformation’s relevance specifically to the local church and the pastor. Why should pastors care? Take a look at D. A. Carson’s piece. What does it have to do with expositional preaching, evangelism, church discipline, church authority more broadly, the ordinances, even pastoral counselling? There are articles on each of these topics, too…”

– Download the latest 9Marks Journal, in a variety of formats. Many encouraging articles.

Our Strong Right Arm

Posted on October 1, 2017 
Filed under Theology Comments Off on Our Strong Right Arm

“Have you ever noticed how naturally we take pride in our own achievement and rejoice in what our own strong right arm has been able to perform?

In matters religious, just as in all others, the tendency is for us to put the emphasis on what we ourselves do. …”

– Leon Morris, from the vaults of The Australian Church Record, October 27, 1955.

Dogs, donkeys, cockatoos head to annual Pet Blessings in Newcastle

Posted on September 30, 2017 
Filed under Australian dioceses Comments Off on Dogs, donkeys, cockatoos head to annual Pet Blessings in Newcastle

“The Anglican Parish Telarah Rutherford and Christ Church Cathedral held their annual Blessing of the Pets this week.

A bearded dragon, delightful donkeys, cackling cockatoos and a pack of pooches were just some of the purrfect pets who attended with their human companions.”

– News and photos from the Diocese of Newcastle.

Meanwhile, also in Newcastle Diocese, “Anglican Priest Rod Bower brands Peter Dutton a ‘Sodomite’ in social media post” – Sydney Morning Herald.

Faithfulness to Christ against the odds: the Anglican Communion and the global sexual revolution

Posted on September 30, 2017 
Filed under Anglican Communion, GAFCON, Opinion Comments Off on Faithfulness to Christ against the odds: the Anglican Communion and the global sexual revolution

“Global Anglican leaders will gather to meet in Canterbury in early October for a summit meeting. Most of them come from contexts where the Anglican church is continuing to teach and promote the biblical Gospel of repentance and faith in Christ for salvation, and the historic Christian understanding of sexuality and marriage. A few Provinces, with most of the wealth and power, are dominated by a leadership wanting to promote a different form of Christianity that is more acceptable to the secular West.

The last Primates meeting, in Canterbury January 2016, only made these divisions clearer. The majority of Primates resolved then to work together to continue the important work of the Anglican Communion, but required TEC to withdraw from full involvement, as they had violated the ‘bonds of affection’ by continuing to pursue their revisionist agenda, of which acceptance of same sex marriage was the latest example. But the TEC leadership, along with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Anglican Communion Office, interpreted things very differently. …

Primates from the Global South and their advisors due to attend the meeting in Canterbury should not be in any doubt that the ground has shifted since the fruitless efforts of years gone by to discipline TEC for their revisionist actions which have torn the fabric of the Communion. …”

— The Rev. Andrew Symes at Anglican Mainstream makes clear what next week’s Primates gathering in Canterbury is about.

Please do pray for the Primates, especially that they will be faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ.

(Photo: The 2016 Primates meeting.)

Statement on the Consecration of Gavin Ashenden by the CEC

Posted on September 30, 2017 
Filed under Church of England, GAFCON Comments Off on Statement on the Consecration of Gavin Ashenden by the CEC

“Bishop Gavin Ashenden is a winsome and courageous defender of the Christian faith who has been prominent in supporting the same gospel values for which Gafcon stands, but his consecration was not an initiative taken by Gafcon. The Christian Episcopal Church, of which he is a bishop, is not part of the Anglican Communion and is not a constituent Church of the Gafcon movement.

Gafcon is committed to reforming our Communion from within and it was in accordance with this great vision that Bishop Andy Lines was consecrated as a missionary bishop for the United Kingdom and Europe by Primates representing the majority of the world wide communion in Chicago earlier this year.

We recognize that there is a spiritual vacuum caused by the silence and even compromise of much traditional leadership in the West and it is not surprising that new leadership should emerge. Our preference is that it will emerge from the highest level of cooperation and collaboration between these initiatives, so that those who uphold ‘the faith once delivered to the saints’ (Jude 4) work together as far as the integrity of their church polity allows. Nonetheless, we pray that the ministry of Bishop Ashenden, and all Christian leaders who love the truth, will bear much fruit for the gospel.

Dr Peter Jensen
GAFCON General Secretary.”

— A statement from GAFCON on 28 September 2017.

For background, Kevin Kallsen speaks with Gavin Ashenden (YouTube) about the Anglo-Catholic Christian Episcopal Church.

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