Greetings for new Kenyan Primate
Posted on May 24, 2016
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The GAFCON website has posted these messages of greeting to the new Kenyan Primate The Rt. Rev. Jackson Ole Sapit, who was elected last week:
Archbishop Peter Jensen – on behalf of GAFCON.
Archbishop Stanley Ntagali – Primate of Uganda.
Archbishop Foley Beach – on behalf of ACNA.
Andy Lines – on behalf of Crosslinks, also gives thanks for the ministry of Archbishop Eliud Wabukala on his coming retirement.
Catch up with the Nexus16 conference
Posted on May 23, 2016
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If you missed the Nexus16 conference at Annandale today (or would like to revisit it), you can view the videos at the Nexus website.
The videos include interviews with various attendees – and the talks!
Are you ashamed of Jesus?
Posted on May 23, 2016
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“You’re an embarrassment to be around.”
“Please don’t walk next to me – I don’t want people to know that we’re together.”
These are painful words that no one ever wants to hear. But does my life speak these words to Jesus?
This is the question that has troubled me since my first day visiting persecuted Christians in the Middle East with Open Doors…
– At Communicate Jesus, Steven Kryger has a challenge for you.
Primate of Uganda welcomes new Kenyan Primate
Posted on May 22, 2016
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Archbishop of Uganda, Stanley Ntagali, has sent this message to the newly-elected Archbishop of Kenya:
The Rt. Rev. Jackson Ole Sapit
Archbishop-elect
Anglican Church of Kenya
KENYA
Dear Archbishop-elect Jackson,
Greetings from the Church of Uganda in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!
On behalf of the House of Bishops of the Church of Uganda, the clergy, and laity of the Province, we extend our hearty congratulations to you on your election as the next Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya.
We have been praying for the election and believe that God’s will has been done. Your colleagues have recognized God’s apostolic calling and anointing on you, and we believe His grace will be sufficient for the big ministry ahead of you. We shall warmly welcome you to the GAFCON Primates Council and look forward to walking together as neighbours in East Africa in the cause of Christ, His Gospel, and the expansion of His Kingdom into every corner of our region and into every heart.
We thank Archbishop Eliud for his steadfast leadership of the Anglican Church of Kenya and the global GAFCON community. He has been single-minded in proclaiming and contending for the “faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). We believe the future is very bright for the Anglican Church of Kenya and we thank God for your election to serve as Archbishop and shall pray for you as you prepare to receive the baton being passed to you.
Your brother, in Christ,
The Most Rev. Stanley Ntagali
ARCHBISHOP OF CHURCH OF UGANDA.”
– via GAFCON.
Women teaching Men — How far is too far?
Posted on May 22, 2016
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“Where is the line when it comes to women teaching men? May women preach on Sunday mornings? Teach a Sunday school class? Lead a small group? Instruct a seminary course? Speak at a conference? At a couples retreat? Or on the radio?
May women ever teach from Scripture when men are in the audience? Should men even be reading this article? How far is too far?
It’s a question being asked by scores of women who want to be faithful to the Bible and want to exercise their spiritual gift of teaching in a way that honors God’s pattern of male headship in the church…”
– Mary Kassian outlines an answer at Desiring God. (h/t Tim Challies.)
Church of Scotland votes to allow ministers to be in same-sex marriages
Posted on May 22, 2016
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“The Church of Scotland’s highest law-making body has voted to allow its ministers to be in same-sex marriages.
The church’s general assembly, which opened in Edinburgh on Saturday, voted in favour of extending a law passed last May that permits ministers to be in same-sex civil partnerships.
The decision, after years of deliberation, means the church maintains the traditional view marriage as between a man and woman, but allows individual congregations to ‘opt out’ if they wish to appoint a minister or deacon in a same-sex marriage or civil partnership…”
– Story from The Guardian. (Photo credit: Church of Scotland.)
Related (from June 2012): St. George’s Tron, Glasgow, secedes from Church of Scotland.
“We believe the Church of Scotland is choosing to walk away from the biblical gospel, and to walk apart from the faith of the worldwide Christian Church.”
Can we love our enemies in a godless world?
Posted on May 22, 2016
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“At the Sydney Writers’ Festival yesterday, the much loved social commentator and author of The Good Life and Beyond Belief Hugh Mackay opined about the teacher at the root of Western ethics: ‘Jesus never told anyone what to believe in. He only spoke about how to treat each other.’…”
– At the ABC’s The Drum, John Dickson answers Hugh Mackay’s assertion. (Hugh Mackay photo credit: ABC.)
See also: You got that one wrong, Hugh Mackay. Jesus absolutely told people what to believe in. – Bible Society Australia.
“Exemptions” in discrimination laws applying to churches
Posted on May 22, 2016
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“Australia is in the midst of a Federal election campaign at the moment (thankfully, one which will end on July 2, unlike the one being endured by our friends in the United States, which seems to stretch on interminably!) But law and religion has now emerged as one of the election issues.
This time the question is not about same-sex marriage (SSM), although the various parties’ views on that topic are well-known (at the moment, the Australian Labour Party (ALP) has promised to introduce SSM within 100 days if elected, and the Liberal-National Party Coalition, currently in power, has promised to put the matter to a plebiscite after the election if they are returned.)
But the latest question has been raised by a minority, but increasingly influential, Greens Party, which has included as part of its election platform a promise to remove ‘religious exemptions to federal anti-discrimination law’…”
– Neil Foster, at Law & Religion Australia, looks at the background and some implications of election promises from The Greens and others. Very relevant.
Labor plans to appoint discrimination commissioner to ensure LGBTI people ‘feel safer’
Posted on May 21, 2016
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“Labor has announced it will appoint an LGBTI discrimination commissioner to the Australian Human Rights Commission if it wins government in July…”
– ABC News has this report.
(Photo: Senator Penny Wong’s website.)
GAFCON Statement on the New Kenyan Primate
Posted on May 20, 2016
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“On behalf of the worldwide GAFCON movement, I warmly congratulate Bishop Jackson Ole Sapit on his election as the Sixth Primate of the Anglican Church of Kenya and Bishop of All Saints Cathedral Diocese.
Under successive Archbishops, the Kenyan Church has been an inspiration to many. It has stood firm for biblical truth, courageously defended democracy and the rule of law, and kept its spiritual vigour.
We thank God for the gifts that Archbishop elect Sapit brings to his Church for this new season of its life and as we assure him of our prayers, we look forward to the Anglican Church of Kenya’s continued fellowship in the GAFCON family.
May our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, equip him with for every good work to watch over his people and proclaim the transforming Gospel of grace to the world.
Archbishop Peter Jensen, GAFCON General Secretary.
20th May 2016.”
– from GAFCON.
Bishop Jackson Ole Sapit elected Archbishop of Kenya
Posted on May 20, 2016
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“Reverend Jackson ole Sapit of Kericho Diocese elected the new Anglican Church of Kenya Archbishop…”
– News from The Standard, Kenya.
See also: Bishop Jackson Ole Sapit of Kericho elected ACK head – Daily Nation.
The Anglican Church of Kenya has this profile. (PDF) Photo: Church of Kenya.
Update: Announcement from the Anglican Church of Kenya.
‘The Wabukala Succession: Lessons from Past ACK Archbishops’
Posted on May 20, 2016
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The Anglican Church of Kenya is due to elect a new Archbishop today (20 May 2016). Please pray for the outcome.
The Kenyan newspaper, The Star, has published an informative history:
“The curtains are closing on the seven-year tenure of the fifth Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK), His Grace The Most Rev (Dr.) Eliud Wabukala.
Archbishop Wabukala was elected and thereafter enthroned on July 7, 2009. He retired on account of attaining the age limit for serving in the office…”
Earlier: Primate approaches retirement with call to trust. (Anglican Communion News Service.)
“Six bishops are standing in the election to become the seventh Archbishop of Kenya: Joseph Masamba, of Mbeere; James Kenneth Ochiel, of Southern Nyanza; Joel Waweru, of Nairobi; Lawrence Kavutsu Dena, of Malindi; Jackson Nasoore Ole Sapit, of Kericho; and Julius N Wanyoike, of Thika.”
Click the image for the Anglican Church of Kenya website, which has profiles of the candidates.
See also: Anglicans get new archbishop today – The Standard (Kenya).
“By 2pm today, one of the six bishops will be declared the archbishop-elect and await the consecration and enthronement to be conducted on July 3, when he will officially assume the reins of the Archbishop of the Province of Kenya, who also doubles as the bishop of the All Saints Cathedral diocese. Speaking to The Standard yesterday, ACK Chancellor Tom Onyango, who also doubles as the Electoral College chairman, said the new archbishop could be known as early as 1pm.”
Online Bible Study with Abp Justin Welby
Posted on May 20, 2016
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“The Archbishop of Canterbury was joined by thousands of Christians around the world today for his first live Bible study on Facebook…”
– Some encouraging news from the Anglican Communion News Service.
Worship and Edification in The Book of Common Prayer
Posted on May 19, 2016
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“How do we decide what to do with our services? Go trad? Or kick out all liturgy and call it a ‘youth service’? And whatever you do, you know some people won’t be happy. If we were to list all the things that churches can argue over, ‘worship’ would consistently come right at the top.
A wise older minister once observed that even the most united church has the ability to rip itself apart over the choice of hymn book in the pews. This can’t be right, but what is the answer?
David Peterson’s article takes us on a brief overview of a biblical answer to the two questions sitting right at the heart of these arguments—what is worship? And why do we gather as a church?…”
– At the Church Society’s blog, Ben Thompson highlights a 2012 article by David Peterson (pictured) in Churchman: “Worship and Edification in the Book of Common Prayer.” (PDF file)
“Amidst the confusion of contemporary practices and the diversity of opinions about why we gather, it is instructive to return to the simple models we have in The Book of Common Prayer and consider its profound teaching, both stated and implied, concerning worship and edification.
In the three hundred and fifty years since the 1662 revision, it has taken many of us less than thirty years to ‘lose the plot’ as Anglicans in the way we ‘do church.’…”
‘Don’t Drift!’ — exhortation
Posted on May 18, 2016
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At the SMBC Centenary Service on April 15th, David Cook preached from Hebrews 1 and 2, with the theme of “Don’t Drift!”.
“When I was Principal here, I received an invitation … to go to a conference in Cape Town, in South Africa, and the invitation was addressed to ‘The most dangerous person in the Church’. It was a conference for the Principals of Bible Colleges and Theological Colleges. The most dangerous people in the church.
That, historically, is an accurate description. If a denomination moves away from the truth, invariably, it is because its denominational College has moved from the truth…”
Audio of David’s sermon is now available (18MB mp3 file) on the SMBC Centenary web page. Encouraging.
Related: In his weekly column, David writes about Chappo and the need for evangelists.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…