George Whitefield College intro video

Posted on August 18, 2016
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The team at George Whitefield College in Cape Town, South Africa, recently released this encouraging 5 minute video to introduce the college to a wider audience.

Many of our readers well know that Dr Broughton Knox was the founding Principal of GWC. He and Ailsa travelled to South Africa in 1989, after a long and fruitful ministry in Sydney at Moore College.

George Whitefield College has grown wonderfully under the hand of the Lord over the last 27 years.

Please be encouraged to pray for the College: the faculty and students, and their influence for Christ throughout Africa and around the world.

Rick Smith joins Moore College’s CMD team

Posted on August 17, 2016
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News from Moore College:

“Moore College’s Centre for Ministry Development (CMD) has been assisting in the theologically shaped development of ministers for the past four years. The Centre has recognised the need to assist more clergy through mentoring and for developing new Rectors and has appointed Rick Smith to join the team as a consultant…”

– Story here.

Women’s ministry around the world: interview with Jane Tooher

Posted on August 17, 2016
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“In June of 2015, about 20 women gathered in London for a meeting to discuss women’s ministries in complementarian contexts around the world. Our hope was to learn from one another and encourage each other in our task.

We heard from women in Australia, South Africa, Europe, UAE, and the USA. Led by the Proclamation Trust, we first met at The Evangelical Ministry Assembly (EMA) and enjoyed excellent teaching and fellowship. Afterwards, we traveled to The Oast House Retreat Center to debrief, discuss, and get to know one another.

It was one of those gatherings that left me wanting to share with others the kingdom work being done by women in a variety of settings. I’ve asked these ladies to tell us a bit about their ministries, so that we can all glean from their wisdom and prayerfully support their labors around the world…”

– At The Gospel Coalition website, Melissa Kruger interviews Jane Tooher.

Deuteronomy: One Nation under God by George Athas

Posted on August 16, 2016
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Here’s a new book to be released on 30th September 2016 by CEP, under their Aquila Press imprint –

“Deuteronomy is a daunting book for many readers of the Bible, yet it is arguably the ‘theological backbone’ of the Old Testament.

In this clear and insightful commentary, George Athas brings Deuteronomy to life for contemporary readers, and looks at how the ancient context helps us to better understand this book. He also explains the meaning of Deuteronomy for its original readers, traces the significance of the promises in Deuteronomy through Israel’s history to their ultimate fulfilment in Christ, and considers the enduring message of this extraordinary book for Christians today.”

If you’re keen, you can pre-order the book now!

From the Archives: When to make a stand

Posted on August 16, 2016
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From our Archives: Here’s the text of an address given by Moore College Principal Dr Mark Thompson during the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans Conference in Melbourne in March 2015.

“Three great ‘stands’ in the history of the church:

• the stand of Athanasius over the person of Christ;

• the stand of Martin Luther over the authority of Scripture and justification by faith alone;

• the stand of the GAFCON Primates over the priority of Christ and his mission, the authority of Scripture over denominational processes, revisionist theology, and ethical practice. …

Being prepared to make a stand has characterised genuine Christian leadership throughout the last two thousand years. But why? And when? And how?”

– Very helpful. Download it here as a PDF file.

(Picture: Detail from ‘Luther at the Diet of Worms’, by Anton von Werner, 1877.)

In case you missed them: Is the Pope a Catholic? and Why the Reformation is definitely not over

Posted on August 15, 2016
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mark-gilbert-1 We published these two articles by Mark Gilbert two weeks ago –

Why the Reformation is Definitely Not Over

and

Is the Pope a Catholic? Understanding the Catholic Church.

And you may be interested in the conference:

Understanding Roman Catholicism in the 21^st Century and developing effective evangelistic strategies

Saturday 20th August, 10:00am – 1:00pm

Cost: Free

At Moore College, 19 King Street, Newtown NSW 2042

Register here. (Registrations close 19th August.)

Can we learn from history? — Bishop Colenso and the Lambeth Conference

Posted on August 14, 2016
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“Once upon the time there was a bishop—an Anglican bishop—who decided that you couldn’t trust the Bible. He claimed that the Bible was not clear about human sexuality and he rejected the Christian doctrine of marriage between one man and one woman. He wrote that the Bible was not historically trustworthy, and that we ought to prefer our own powers of reason and conscience to know God…”

– Top article from Phil Ashey at the American Anglican Council.

Related: Kevin Kallsen of Anglican TV interviews Canon Phil Ashey.
Great background to the new role of the American Anglican Council in helping the development of churches in the ACNA and further afield.

Serving the Lord — Jane Barker

Posted on August 13, 2016
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“Jane Sophia Barker (Nee Harden) was born in England in 1807. On October 15, 1840 she married Frederic Barker who, at that time, was serving as a rector in Liverpool, England.

They had no children and served in parish ministry together for 15 years until Frederick was asked to be the second Bishop of Sydney. They arrived in Sydney in May 1855 and Jane would remain in Sydney until her death 21 years later…”

– Jane Tooher opens a window into the life, and faith, of Jane Barker, wife of Bishop Frederick Barker. At SydneyAnglicans.net.

“God made me for China” — Eric Liddell beyond Olympic glory

Posted on August 12, 2016
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“Those who have seen Chariots of Fire well remember how it ends, with the magnificent and sentimental music of Sir Hubert Parry’s anthem ‘Jerusalem’ and William Blake’s famous words: ‘Bring me my Bow of burning gold; Bring me my Arrows of desire: Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold! Bring me my Chariot of fire!’

Then the screen fills with these words in text:

‘Eric Liddell, missionary, died in occupied China at the end of World War II. All of Scotland mourned.’

The end.

But in those few words was the real story of Eric Liddell…”

– Have your heart warmed to the true story of Eric Liddell – in this new post from Albert Mohler. (Photo: Wikipedia.)

Moore College to celebrate 500 years of the Reformation

Posted on August 12, 2016
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Moore College will be celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation with some key events.

It’s time to mark your diary!

Details at the College website.

Simon Manchester on Preparing to Preach

Posted on August 11, 2016
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In the latest Preaching Matters from St. Helen’s Bishopsgate, North Sydney’s Simon Manchester speaks about Preparing to Preach.

“What are the priorities we need to have in good preaching?

Preaching Matters welcomes Simon Manchester this month, asks him what his sermon preparation looks like, and he gives us some examples of why handling the text rightly is so crucial for good preaching. Simon talks to us about being sailors and divers, and preaching Jesus not just the Bible.”

Watch it here. Most encouraging.

A Sovereign Protector I have

Posted on August 9, 2016
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“The book of Esther is another reminder that God is in control of all things, not just some things. God is well able to use peoples’ evil intentions to bring about His good purpose.

Joseph’s brothers; the evil Prime Minister of Persia, Haman; the weak Roman Governor of Palestine, Pontius Pilate; the able Jewish lobbyists, who demanded the death sentence for Jesus; and later the deacon Stephen, are all examples that the Sovereign Lord ‘rules the peoples justly and guides the nations of the earth’ (Psalm 67:4).”

– in his latest message, Presbyterian Moderator-General David Cook calls believers to remember who is in control – the One to whom every knee will bow.

(Image: St. Helen’s Bishopsgate.)

Dick Lucas on What makes an excellent Bible teacher

Posted on August 9, 2016
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Earlier this year, Nancy Guthrie spent an hour with Dick Lucas in London for her ‘Help me teach the Bible’ series.

She asks Dick about the early days of his ministry at St. Helen’s, about the Proclamation Trust, and then turns to the character of a Bible teacher, and the way Dick approaches a passage for preaching.

Strong encouragement for preachers, and for congregations.

Listen to the 56 minute conversation at The Gospel Coalition. (54MB mp3 file.)

(Photo: from a St. Helen’s Bishopsgate video.)

Is Same Sex Marriage a “Human Right”?

Posted on August 8, 2016
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“The question posed by the title of this post is simply this: is it a denial of a fundamental human right, for a legal system not to extend the category of marriage to include marriage between parties of the same sex?