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.
Moore College Missions 2016
Posted on May 18, 2016
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“How joyous and encouraging has it been to follow each Moore Missions team this week?
Having arrived at the mid-week mark of the annual missions week, we can praise God for how easy it is for us to share in what the teams are doing. Thanks to the one-stop-shop at the Moore Missions site, we are steadily updated about the 13 teams of Moore students and faculty.”
– Thanks to the new-fangled Internet, you can get the latest to help you pray for Moore College missions across Sydney and further afield. Please be encouraged to do so.
Broken bad
Posted on May 18, 2016
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“I’ve noticed something of a cultural shift in the way we evangelicals talk about the human condition: more and more, we are ‘broken’, rather than ‘sinners’ – people who act out of our ‘brokenness’, not our ‘sin’, rebellion’, ‘disobedience’ or ‘rejection’ of God.
And I’m not convinced this shift is all good…”
– At GoThereFor, Claire Smith points out a drift in language you might not have noticed.
Greens promise to end religious exemptions to Sex Discrimination Act
Posted on May 17, 2016
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“The Greens have promised to remove religious exemptions to federal anti-discrimination law and increase funding to the Safe Schools anti-bullying program.
The promises are contained in broad-ranging Greens policy for LGBTI rights to be released on Tuesday by their LGBTI equality spokesman, Robert Simms, and gender identity spokeswoman, Janet Rice…”
– From The Guardian. (h/t SydneyAnglicans.net)
See also The Greens policy statement.
Looking for a See Change?
Posted on May 17, 2016
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“The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, is seeking an adviser for Anglican Communion affairs, to work from Lambeth Palace, his London home and office.
The successful applicant, who will be a priest or bishop in the Anglican Communion, will ‘serve and support the Archbishop in all matters relating to his Anglican Communion responsibilities.’
The closing date for applications is 9 June; and Lambeth Palace say that ‘Given the nature of this role, applications are welcome from all [priests and bishops] of the Anglican Communion, particularly those from the Global South.’…”
– Details from The Anglican Communion News Service.
(Photo of Lambeth Palace courtesy archbishopofcanterbury.org.)
Ministry in Exile — Nexus16
Posted on May 16, 2016
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Nexus16 is coming up on Monday 23rd May at Annandale.
Speakers include Lionel Windsor, Phil Colgan, Chris Braga and Kanishka Raffel, with an extended Q&A between Dominic Steele and Phillip Jensen.
Tony Payne writes:
“Nexus 2016 is less than a week away (10am 23 May 2016), and we have to tell the caterers this Wednesday how many spit roast lunches to prepare.
So if you’ve been wavering, procrastinating, or just too busy to get to it, now is the time to act. Head over to our website to register. You’ve got till midnight Tuesday 17 May. (You can still come if you register after that time but we won’t be providing lunch for you).
We’re very encouraged not only by the numbers already registered (25% more by this stage than last year) but by the increase in groups all round Australia who have been telling us that they are planning to be part of the day via Livestream (more details here).”
Obama Administration issues decree demanding total obedience to moral revolution
Posted on May 16, 2016
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In the latest episode of Albert Mohler’s The Briefing (May 16, 2016), Dr Mohler looks at the tactics and implications of the Obama Administration’s latest moves in the areas of sexuality and gender identity.
He describes it as “the dissolution of a civilisation” and the “abandonment of moral sanity”.
Listen to the episode to see why. In time, a transcript will be added to that page.
He includes link to reports in US media.
Archbishop Freier renews calls for Asia Bibi to be released
Posted on May 16, 2016
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“It is nearly seven years since a young Pakistani Christian mother was condemned to die for blasphemy, and she still languishes in death row in a Pakistani prison.
Her crime: to drink water from the same bucket as her Muslim co-workers, then to defend herself against their accusation that she was unclean and had polluted them…
The worldwide Anglican Consultative Council, at its meeting in Lusaka, Zambia, last month, heard in detail about this young woman’s unjust and inhumane treatment.”
– Anglican Primate Philip Freier, renews calls for Asia Bibi to be released.
Same Sex Marriage: Don’t wait till after the Election
Posted on May 16, 2016
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Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in NSW, Kevin Murray, wrote this piece in the current edition of The Pulse, the NSW Presbyterian magazine.
“Each of us should make the time to learn what each party is promising on this issue because it is one that could profoundly affect our life as a nation for many many decades.”
Full text below: Read more
Reflecting on Fifty Years of Expository Preaching in Australia (1965–2015)
Posted on May 15, 2016
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“I was a new convert when I attended the CMS Victoria Summer School at Belgrave Heights in January 1965, when John Stott gave those studies in 2 Corinthians. It was the first time I had heard expository Bible preaching.
My response was, ‘That is how to preach the Bible, and that is what I want to do!’
I knew that such preaching would grow churches, and when I went to London in 1972 and visited All Soul’s Langham Place and St Helen’s Bishopsgate, I saw that it worked!”
– At The Gospel Coalition Australia, Peter Adam remembers the impact of expository Bible preaching, as exemplified by John Stott. (Photo: St. Helen’s Bishopsgate.)
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…