Worship and Edification in The Book of Common Prayer
Posted on May 19, 2016
Filed under History, Theology Comments Off on Worship and Edification in The Book of Common Prayer
“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
Filed under Encouragement, Resources Comments Off on ‘Don’t Drift!’ — exhortation
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
Filed under Australia Comments Off on Moore College Missions 2016
“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
Filed under Resources, Theology Comments Off on Broken bad
“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
Filed under Australia Comments Off on Greens promise to end religious exemptions to Sex Discrimination Act
“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
Filed under Anglican Communion Comments Off on Looking for a See Change?
“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
Filed under Resources, Theology Comments Off on Ministry in Exile — Nexus16
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
Filed under Culture wars, Opinion Comments Off on Obama Administration issues decree demanding total obedience to moral revolution
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
Filed under Global Comments Off on Archbishop Freier renews calls for Asia Bibi to be released
“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
Filed under Culture wars, Opinion Comments Off on Same Sex Marriage: Don’t wait till after the Election
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
Filed under Encouragement, History Comments Off on Reflecting on Fifty Years of Expository Preaching in Australia (1965–2015)
“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.)
Voting on July 2 — David Cook
Posted on May 13, 2016
Filed under Australia, Opinion Comments Off on Voting on July 2 — David Cook
David Cook, Moderator-General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, turns to the Federal election in his latest comment:
“It is rare for an election to have as a major issue, a matter of morality, as much as this forthcoming poll.
The single issue is Same Sex Marriage, the ALP has said, that if elected they will legislate in the first 100 days for SSM. The Coalition parties, if elected, promise a national plebiscite on the issue.”
Full text below: Read more
NZ Anglican Synod ‘fails to approve gay marriages’
Posted on May 12, 2016
Filed under New Zealand Comments Off on NZ Anglican Synod ‘fails to approve gay marriages’
“Gay Anglicans are reacting with a mix of fury and resignation after the Anglican Synod today failed to approve the blessing of gay marriages. …
This week’s synod voted to set up yet another working party to report back on the issue at the next synod in 2018…”
– Report from The NZ Herald.
See also this report from Anglican Taonga:
“The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia has tabled the ‘A Way Forward’ report on blessings of same-sex couples until General Synod 2018, ‘with a firm expectation that a decision to move forward will be made’ at that time.
Archbishop Brown Turei, Archbishop Philip Richardson and Archbishop Winston Halapua will appoint a working group to establish a structure that allows both those who can and cannot support the blessing of same-sex relationships to remain within the church with integrity.
‘We are aware of the considerable pain that this decision will cause to those most affected,’ said the three archbishops today.
‘But we are confident that our determination to work together across our differences will bring us to a place of dignity and justice for everyone.’
(Photo courtesy Anglican Taonga.)
‘What Frozen needs is a lesbian Elsa’
Posted on May 12, 2016
Filed under Culture wars Comments Off on ‘What Frozen needs is a lesbian Elsa’
This opinion piece in The Guardian has provoked an online petition, “No Princess for Queen Elsa”.
(Photo: Not a Disney character.)
Endurance Needed: Strength for a slow reformation and the dangerous allure of speed
Posted on May 12, 2016
Filed under Encouragement, Resources Comments Off on Endurance Needed: Strength for a slow reformation and the dangerous allure of speed
Several people have told us of the encouragement given by Mark Dever’s exhortations on Endurance in Pastoral ministry – at the Together for the Gospel Conference 2016.
Strong encouragement.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…