2024 Annual Moore College Lectures now online

Posted on September 5, 2024 
Filed under Moore College, Theology Comments Off on 2024 Annual Moore College Lectures now online

Video recordings of the 2024 Annual Moore College Lectures by Dr Tom Schreiner have now been published online.

Dr Schreiner, Associate Dean for the School of Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kentucky, spoke on “The Battle for the Truth of the Gospel” from the Letter to the Galatians.

Watch them here.

Confronting the big attendance drop — with Toby Neal, Dave Jensen and Geoff Bates

Posted on September 3, 2024 
Filed under Evangelism, Sydney Diocese Comments Off on Confronting the big attendance drop — with Toby Neal, Dave Jensen and Geoff Bates

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“What should the church pastor / staff team / church council or bishop do about the big drop in attendance?

A new report shows Adult Attendance in churches in Sydney is down 7% or 14% against population (over a decade).

Adult attendance declined at approximately two-thirds of Sydney Anglican comparable church centers, and only one-third of church centers recorded an increase in attendance.

The big problem is newcomers.  We just are not reaching them.  Newcomers are down to 5.4%.

And with fewer new people joining churches, the churches that are growing are primarily growing at the expense of churches that are declining.

A noticeable decline in attendance was recorded in 2018-2019, especially in the most rapidly secularising areas of our region.

The issues are not just external. We have internal issues. There are denominational and congregational factors at play. There are key church health characteristics that show internal health factors are lower in those regions – factors relating to congregational character and leadership. …”

– Watch or listen here as Toby Neal, Dave Jensen and Geoff Bates discuss with Dominic Steele.

UK Government ban on Islamophobia would prevent gospel proclamation

Posted on September 3, 2024 
Filed under Culture wars Comments Off on UK Government ban on Islamophobia would prevent gospel proclamation

“With the strong likelihood that the Labour government will outlaw Islamophobia, could Christians who deny that Islam is a saving faith fall foul of the law? Labour’s Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, also Communities Secretary, confirmed in the House of Commons on Monday September 2 that the government is actively considering a definition of Islamophobia. …”

– Julian Mann reports from the UK at Christian Today.

CLASS and the Evangelical Church in England

Posted on September 3, 2024 
Filed under Resources Comments Off on CLASS and the Evangelical Church in England

From Church Society:

“Evangelicals in Britain are overwhelmingly white and middle class. Of course, it is always good when any group of people come to know the living God and worship him in church; and it is good that the intense efforts to evangelise the university-educated over the past century have borne fruit.

However, there are problems. When any group is dominant in any setting, it easily assumes that its own way of doing things is normal. The way things are done becomes not just the right way, but the only way. It is very easy in such contexts to be oblivious to the way in which the majority way actually excludes people who come from a different group.

Many evangelicals are aware of this, and in some cases actively fight against it. Yet despite understanding all this, and despite their determination for class not to be an issue, evangelicals seem to have been singularly ineffective in eliminating the boundaries.

Class and the Evangelical Church in England by Kirsten Birkett surveys recent research on this topic and discusses some of its implications. We want to reach the whole country with the gospel: what can we do to prevent class from being a barrier?”

– Ordering details for Kirsten Birkett’s new book here.

She spoke about her research in this Church Society podcast in June 2024.

New Principal appointed for Nungalinya College in Darwin

Posted on September 1, 2024 
Filed under People Comments Off on New Principal appointed for Nungalinya College in Darwin

“It is with much excitement that we can announce Dr Yane Damanik as the next Nungalinya College Principal! Picture here with her husband Roni, please see a paragraph from Yane introducing herself to the Nungalinya family:

‘I am deeply grateful and excited for God’s calling into this role at Nungalinya College. I am a Moluccan woman from the Maluku islands located in East Indonesia in the Western Pacific Ocean. I came to Australia as an overseas student trained in mission and Christian counselling at Kingsley Theological School in Melbourne. After completing my studies, I enjoyed a variety of roles in teaching, counselling, pastoral work and community development

Our family moved to the Territory in 2011 to serve with the Australian Indigenous Ministries (AIM). During this time, we were also involved in pastoral ministry at Living Water Uniting Church in Humpty Doo. Since leaving the NT in 2017, we have continued our work with AIM, where I held various roles, most recently as the Mission Coordinator, while also lecturing in Sydney. With our children now young adults Uni students, my husband and I believe that God is calling us back to Darwin to a ministry that I am passionate about: theological training in Indigenous contexts, a focus that was also the subject of my doctoral study. I am humbled to think that God has woven together my previous ministries, background and studies to prepare me for this new role.

It is a privilege to build on the excellent work accomplished at Nungalinya by God’s people over many years. I look forward to working alongside the college community to advance the vision of empowering Indigenous Christians for leadership across churches and communities in Australia.’ ”

– from the Nungalinya Facebook page.

A Review of “The Widening of God’s Mercy: Sexuality within the Biblical Story” by Christopher B. Hays and Richard B. Hays

Posted on August 31, 2024 
Filed under Culture wars, Theology Comments Off on A Review of “The Widening of God’s Mercy: Sexuality within the Biblical Story” by Christopher B. Hays and Richard B. Hays

“Sometimes when people change their mind it is occasion for joy and celebration, for there is no virtue in adhering to past opinions for the sake of tradition or fear of criticism.

In this case, however, Richard Hays’s change of mind is a cause of grief and sadness instead of joy, especially for those like me who have learned so much from his outstanding scholarship over the years. …”

– At The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, Thomas Schreiner reviews “The Widening of God’s Mercy: Sexuality within the Biblical Story”.

See also:

At The Gospel Coalition, Rebecca McLaughlin shares her review of the book:

“For decades, Christians seeking to uphold the Bible’s ‘no’ to same-sex sexual relationships have quoted Richard Hays’s treatment of this topic in his Moral Vision of the New Testament. But Hays (emeritus professor of New Testament at Duke Divinity School) has coauthored a new book, The Widening of God’s Mercy: Sexuality Within the Biblical Story, arguing for ‘the full inclusion of LGBT+ people in Christian communities.’

Readers might expect to find that Hays has changed his mind about the meaning of the verses that apparently prohibit same-sex sex. But he hasn’t. Instead, he and his son, Christopher (an Old Testament professor at Fuller Theological Seminary), suggest God has changed his mind. …”

A fresh encounter with John’s Gospel

Posted on August 31, 2024 
Filed under Australian dioceses, Good News Comments Off on A fresh encounter with John’s Gospel

“An epic Bible reading at St Jude’s Carlton invites attendees to encounter Jesus in a powerful and immersive way.

John’s Gospel will be read aloud in full, allowing people to experience the entire book and notice the threads running throughout.

The event is part of a series of free public readings Simon Camilleri will deliver across Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney churches in September 2024.

Mr Camilleri said he was excited to present the entire gospel story for people who may never have heard it before. …”

– Story on page 28 of The Melbourne Anglican for September 2024.

Simon is reading John’s Gospel at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney on Saturday 7th September.

Moore College School of Biblical Theology 2024

Posted on August 30, 2024 
Filed under Moore College, Theology Comments Off on Moore College School of Biblical Theology 2024

Coming up next week!

We understand it’s not too late to register.

Details here.

Interview: The Christian Church and Porn

Posted on August 30, 2024 
Filed under Resources Comments Off on Interview: The Christian Church and Porn

From AP, the national journal of the Presbyterian Church of Australia –

“In this episode of AP’s Profiles in Christian Living, host Mark Powell sits down with Dr. Marshall Ballantine-Jones to discuss the sensitive and pervasive issue of pornography.

Dr. Ballantine-Jones, who holds a doctorate on the societal impacts of pornography, shares his personal faith journey and presents alarming statistics about the prevalence of pornography in the Church and wider community.

The discussion delves into the harmful effects of porn on individuals, relationships, and society, and offers hope through practical solutions and spiritual guidance. Learn more about the Resist program, a course designed to help people break free from pornography addiction.”

– Watch here.

Sharpened and Refined: a missionary journey – Kylie Zietsch

Posted on August 29, 2024 
Filed under Encouragement, Moore College, People, South Africa Comments Off on Sharpened and Refined: a missionary journey – Kylie Zietsch

From Moore College, an interview with Kylie Zietsch:

“Despite my education degree, the volunteer work I was doing in Johannesburg, ministering to students and the homeless, lacked the firm foundation of theological education. So in 2010 I came to Moore College intent on studying for a year. But I soon realised I wanted to go deeper into the word and grow skills in how to approach ministry, so one year grew into four, and I finished the Bachelor of Theology.

I am really thankful for my time at Moore. I was surrounded by women with whom I could walk the journey of life and ministry, with whom I could think through future plans, and who encouraged me in my faith. Looking back now, the student body were formative in encouraging me in mission and sharpening me, preparing me for the mission field.. …”

– Read it here.

Positive Masculinity

Posted on August 29, 2024 
Filed under Culture wars, Theology Comments Off on Positive Masculinity

“Friends in Christ, this month, Micaela Cronin, the country’s first Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner, handed down her first ‘report card’ to federal parliament on progress of the government’s National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children. …

Also highly significant in my view, Ms Cronin urged governments to help redefine masculinity and engage men effectively. She said, “we need to have eyes on men in different ways than we do now”. She said she was being told consistently by women to “please work with our men” and data uncovering how men become violent and stopped being violent was desperately needed. [Source]

It’s at this point I offer some Christian reflections.”

– The Dean of Sydney, Sandy Grant, turns to Scripture to show us what a real man must be like.

Latest issue of Themelios (49/2) now available

Posted on August 29, 2024 
Filed under Resources, Theology Comments Off on Latest issue of Themelios (49/2) now available

The latest edition of Themelios (volume 49, no. 2) is now available for download – or to read online – from The Gospel Coalition.

Includes a book review by Moore College’s Lionel Windsor (that’s also available here).

– Download or read online the full issue here.

A prayer for the displaced

Posted on August 28, 2024 
Filed under Resources, World news Comments Off on A prayer for the displaced

“I’m sure that, like me, many of you are deeply concerned about the ongoing civil war in Sudan, which is being increasingly covered by the international news media.

The deteriorating situation means the country is facing what the UN has described as “one of the worst humanitarian disasters in recent memory.” There are now 10.5 million internally displaced people (IDPs)* in Sudan, making this the largest displacement crisis in the world. Almost all of these IDPs are in areas with acute levels of food scarcity.

And it’s not just Sudan that is seeing an increase in IDPs.…”

– Canon Tim Swan, CEO of The Archbishop of Sydney’s Anglican Aid, writes to encourage you to pray – and offers a prayer you could use.

Keith Green, Bill Hybels, and the Loss of Steeples and Bells

Posted on August 28, 2024 
Filed under Opinion Comments Off on Keith Green, Bill Hybels, and the Loss of Steeples and Bells

“I used to love Keith Green’s music and singing when I was a younger Christian. Not to say I don’t still retain some warm memories of his songs.  But in my early twenties I found him to be the one singer who spoke to me. And he was already dead by the time I first heard of him.  A big influence in my early Christian walk.

Okay I loved Larry Norman and his lyricism and irreverent attitude (I once saw him play live in Belfast and he was scarier than a paramilitary with a few pints in him). And I enjoyed early Randy Stonehill (especially the Welcome to Paradise classic).

But there was something sincere and deep and otherworldly about Keith Green. I still find myself singing those songs in my head from time to time. …”

– Here’s a thoughtful piece by Stephen McAlpine.

The terrible scourge of Female Genital Mutilation and what Christians are doing about it

Posted on August 28, 2024 
Filed under Resources Comments Off on The terrible scourge of Female Genital Mutilation and what Christians are doing about it

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“The terrible scourge of Female Genital Mutilation and what Christians are doing about it.

Plus how the Tanzanian Church has been built through the labors and prayers  of Australian Christians, and why prosperity gospel preachers are as wicked as witch doctors!

We are joined by Bishop Mwita Akiri from Tarime in rural Tanzania, Judith Calf who served as a missionary in theological education in Tanzania for 20 years, and Tim Swan who leads the Anglican Aid Ministry here in Australia.”

– Watch or listen here.

← Previous Page — Next Page →