A Call to Evangelicals to Stand Firm — Bp. Rod Thomas

Posted on March 7, 2017 
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“Since the widely publicised General Synod debate about the House of Bishops’ Report on marriage and same-sex relationships, there has been speculation about the Archbishop of Canterbury’s call for ‘radical inclusion’ and a number of bishops have called for the Church of England to be more affirming of same-sex relationships. The latter see the Church as being on a trajectory towards change. One bishop, John Wraw, has explicitly said he hopes that in time there will be full acceptance of same-sex marriages in the Church of England.

Evangelicals in the Church of England are on a different trajectory. We hope we are not insensitive to the value of intimate relationships or the needs we all feel for intimacy and life sharing. But it is both our conviction and our experience that, as people who find their identity in Christ, there is great joy, fulfilment and blessing in obedience to the Word of God. …”

– Bishop of Maidstone, Rod Thomas, calls evangelical Christians in the Church of England back to the saving gospel, and away from false teaching.

When good friends dream big for the gospel: Newton, Wilberforce & Johnson

Posted on March 5, 2017 
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“In the mid-1780s John Newton, the celebrated slave-trader turned preacher, became re-acquainted with one William Wilberforce, a young MP who had recently become an Evangelical. It was the start of a remarkable partnership.

1786 saw their first great project. The British Government had announced plans to establish a convict colony at Botany Bay in New South Wales. Newton had been thinking about mission to ‘the South Seas’ for a long time. …”

– From The Australian Church Record – an edited extract from a paper by Craig Schwarze, first presented at the Moore College Library day in 2013.

Related:

Giving Thanks for John Newton.

(This painting of John Newton by John Russell hangs in the CMS building in Oxford. Photo © Marylynn Rouse / The John Newton Project, used with permission.)

From Strength to Strength — A Life of Marcus Loane — reviewed

Posted on March 5, 2017 
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In the Autumn 2017 issue of Australian Presbyterian, Bruce Murray briefly reviews From Strength to Strength – A Life of Marcus Loane, by ACL Emeritus Vice-President Canon Allan M. Blanch.

“Together with a good supply of appropriate photographs, this book gives an excellent coverage not only to Loane’s life but also to the history of the Anglican Church in Australia.”

It’s on page 21 of this 7MB PDF file.

The book was launched in October 2015. Copies are available through the publisher.

Christian street preachers convicted for quoting the King James Bible

Posted on March 5, 2017 
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“Two Christian street preachers have been convicted of religiously aggravated harassment after quoting from the King James Bible when asked questions about Islam and homosexuality by hecklers. … 

the claims of the prosecutor that merely quoting the Bible is both abusive and criminal goes to the very heart and foundation of freedom of religion in the UK.”

– Story from Barnabas Fund.

See also: In 2008 the UK was saved from a new blasphemy law – Barnabas Fund.

TEC Bishop Michael Curry “intervenes” in Supreme Court transgender case

Posted on March 4, 2017 
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“Presiding Bishop Michael Curry of the US based Episcopal Church has put his name to a document going before the Supreme Court, as it examines the issue of transgender bathroom use. …

The case involves a teenager who took on male gender identity and was allowed by his school to use the boys’ bathroom for two months. But then, after some parents objected, he was offered a private bathroom instead. …

Bishop Curry anchored his support of the brief in Genesis 1:26-27…”

– Report, including an ‘interesting’ reading of Genesis 1:26-27, from The Anglican Communion News Service. Photo: Episcopal News Service.

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners

Posted on March 4, 2017 
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“That simple statement from 1 Timothy 1:15 has always been one of my favourite Bible verses, for a number of reasons.

Pre-eminently, though, it is because it conveys the heart of the gospel. It always reminds me of the picture the Lord Jesus himself gave of the shepherd who seeks the lost sheep until he finds it, lays it on his shoulders and brings it home safely.

Whatever else you may think about the Lord coming into the world, saving sinners was his chief aim and his death on the cross was the chief means.…”

– GAFCON General Secretary, Dr Peter Jensen, continues his series of posts marking the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

What has God joined together?

Posted on March 3, 2017 
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Sydney Anglican parishes will soon be receiving copies of the booklet “What Has God Joined Together?”. 

A companion website has also been launched.

It has the full text, Chnese translations, an essay entitled “Does God approve of same-sex sexual activity?”, and links to resources for Ministers.

Archbishops Jensen and Akinola in Burlington, Ontario

Posted on March 3, 2017 
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“Archbishops Peter Jensen and Peter Akinola in were in Burlington Ontario this evening to talk about GAFCON.”

– Anglican Samizdat. has photos and video of the event, which was introduced by the Anglican Network in Canada’s Bishop Charlie Masters.

They speak in Vancouver next week.

Newtown building hides manuscripts more than 500 years old

Posted on March 3, 2017 
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“When Reverend Mark Thompson was helping design what would become Moore Theological College’s new learning and teaching centre, he asked for two things.

Glass, to show ‘we’ve got nothing to hide’ and sandstone, ‘to say we’re not something that’s just emerged yesterday’, Dr Thompson said.…”

– Story in the Sydney Daily Telegraph.

Compassion: Why we’re leaving India, but still have hope

Posted on March 3, 2017 
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“In two weeks, Compassion International will be out of India.

The child development ministry confirmed … that after 48 years, its final day of operation will be March 15.

That means shutting the doors of 589 Indian-staffed development centers caring for more than 145,000 children, more than any other of the 25 countries where it works. …”

– Christianity Today has this background.

Image: Compassion Australia CEO Tim Hanna explains the situation.

Article 1 — Of Faith in the Holy Trinity

Posted on March 1, 2017 
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“To be Protestant, we need to be catholic. That’s the key point of Article 1, and the sure foundation upon which all the Articles are built.

Hang on though, you might say – wasn’t the Reformation about being against Catholicism, about refuting its many errors? …”

– Church Society is beginning a series of posts on the Thirty Nine Articles. Here’s the first one.

Is the Cross sufficient?

Posted on March 1, 2017 
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“Paul thought it was. Let’s do a cross-check on this (pun intended) – the greatest Christian who’s ever lived – what did he say? Among other things:

Galatians 6:14 ‘May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ’.

The great Apostle Paul thinks this much of the cross of Christ – that it’s his only boast. Let’s go further:

1 Corinthians 2:2 ‘For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.’

Paul says that his repeated and constant theme in preaching is the crucifixion of Christ. When he says: ‘I resolved to know nothing’, it’s not that he didn’t say anything else – it’s hyperbole, to make the point that all his preaching centres on the cross.

We use that word ‘cross’ as shorthand. It’s a synecdoche, where the part stands for the whole, or a single word stands for a whole concept. So the word cross is synecdoche for the whole doctrine that Christ died for sinners upon the cross – or, alternatively put: it stands for the belief that atonement was made for sinners through the suffering of Christ on the cross.

Is the cross sufficient? Are we right in the Christian church to make such a big thing about it, and to centre on it? Surely there’s works of mercy, relief of the poor and other good works to make our focus? Other churches certainly think this way.

Last year, the Uniting Church in Australia’s social services department… 

Oak Primary School in the UK, a school boasting that it runs ‘in accordance with the principles of the Church of England’…

A few years ago, the PCUSA removed /Getty’s song ‘In Christ Alone’ from their new hymnbook … ”

– An exhortation we need to hear – from Presbyterian Moderator General, John Wilson. Read it all here.

Related:

At the 2015 NEXUS Conference, Chris Braga gave a very helpful 18 minute exhortation.

Does your church or Christian organisation explicitly speak of the Cross of Christ and what it means?

Or is it assumed?

Encouragement: It’s not too long – watch the video in your Parish Council meetings, committee meetings, home groups, staff meetings – at GoThereFor.com.

Curtains and convictions: how not to get preferment

Posted on March 1, 2017 
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“Harry had felt a bit out of place ever since he arrived at the budget hotel for the ‘Pipeline’ conference. The other participants (he couldn’t help calling them ‘contestants’ to himself) all seemed terribly nice, but there was a slight aura of unreality about the earnest attentiveness in each conversation.

“Well I suppose we’re all pretending a bit”, he said to himself. He didn’t want to go, but his wife had persuaded him. After all, now that there was an evangelical ‘talent pipeline’ for appointment to senior posts, it would be wise to make use of it. Perhaps he could get on the inside track, and influence the organisation from within? …”

– Here’s a short story by Andrew Symes at Anglican Mainstream.

Slightly related: Yes, Prime Minister.

Good news about preaching

Posted on February 28, 2017 
Filed under Opinion, Sydney Diocese Comments Off on Good news about preaching

“In the middle of last year I had an eye operation that left me unable to read for some time. Instead I began to analyse Sydney sermons, since so many churches now record the preacher and have sermons available on their websites. In just a few months I listened to about 40 sermons. …

For the sake of analysis I used the time-honoured technique of asking myself about matter, method and manner. I also checked things such as Bible passages used, length, fairness to the text and exhortation.

Here is what I have found so far …”

– Originally published in the Diocese of Sydney’s Southern Cross, Dr Peter Jensen, former Archbishop of Sydney, and now General Secretary of GAFCON, takes a look at Sydney sermons.

Expository preaching — The antidote to anaemic worship

Posted on February 28, 2017 
Filed under Opinion, Resources Comments Off on Expository preaching — The antidote to anaemic worship

“Though most evangelicals mention the preaching of the word as a necessary or customary part of worship, the prevailing model of worship in evangelical churches is increasingly defined by music, along with innovations such as drama and video presentations. When preaching the word retreats, a host of entertaining innovations will take its place. …”

– Albert Mohler writes about the central place of expository preaching in the life of the church.

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