Christians called to respond to Planned Parenthood
Posted on August 5, 2015
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“We have come to a singularly important moment in the battle against abortion (which is to say, the battle for life). The stunning undercover videos by the Center for Medical Progress have taken us right to the heart of the abortion industry. …
Yesterday’s video, the fifth, is the most horrendous yet… It is absolutely sickening, absolutely shocking, absolutely unflinching, absolutely real. It exposes the industry, shining a billion-watt light into its darkest recesses. What was meant to remain hidden has now been made plain.
Once you see this, you cannot unsee it. Once you know what happens in Planned Parenthood and a host of other clinics, you cannot unknow it. That’s true even for those of us who live on the other side of an international border. What happens in America doubtless happens in Canada, England, and everywhere else.”
– Tim Challies has 4 ways Christians (particularly in the US) can respond, including links to helpful material, as does Justin Taylor.
Planting Churches in Japan
Posted on August 5, 2015
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The Ligonier Ministries website has an encouraging interview with Dr. Dan Iverson, country leader in Japan with Mission to the World. (The team includes CMS’ Karen Darda and several other Australians.) Good background for prayer.
Turmoil in Newport Beach
Posted on August 5, 2015
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“The people of St. James the Great Church in Newport Beach, California, thought they had their bishop’s long-term support when they moved into the building in October 2013, after the diocese’s long-term property battle with former members who joined the Anglican Church in North America. He was at the ceremony and offered his blessing.
But now they have no building because the Rt. Rev. J. Jon Bruno signed a deal in May to sell it for $15 million to a luxury housing developer. They feel betrayed, and they are fighting back.
In July church members filed a lengthy complaint, or presentment, against the bishop. It charges Bishop Bruno with 147 violations of church law…”
– The Living Church has the latest on St. James, Newport Beach.
Church Leaders’ views on Marriage
Posted on August 4, 2015
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Presbyterian Moderator-General David Cook, along with Roman Catholic spokesman Brian Lucas, were interviewed today by Neil Johnson on Vision Christian Radio’s 20Twenty programme.
The topic: the proposed changes to Australian marriage laws.
The 47 minute segment can be downloaded here as a 19MB mp3 file.
Vaughan Roberts at Moore College chapel
Posted on August 4, 2015
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Vaughan Roberts spoke on Acts 16 (Paul and Silas at Philippi) at Moore College Chapel this morning.
Listen here. (43MB mp3 file.) Super encouraging.
(You can hear other recent chapel sermons here.)
Knowing God in dementia
Posted on August 4, 2015
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Here’s an encouraging video from Mary Andrews College.
Mark Wormell, who lectures at the college on Ministry with Seniors, speaks about ‘Knowing God in dementia’.
Speaking of domestic abuse
Posted on August 3, 2015
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“I want to talk about four traps that await us when we try to understand and respond to domestic abuse.
They are: a tendency towards totalizing; seeing abuse as a gender issue; misapplication of the Bible; and avoiding the Bible’s teaching about men and women…”
– on the newly revamped Equal But Different website, Dr. Claire Smith writes to help Christians respond rightly to domestic abuse.
The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert — free audiobook August 2015
Posted on August 2, 2015
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The Christian Audio free download for August 2015 is The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield.
It’s read by the author, and the zipped mp3 version is 207MB in size.
A Clear or Cloudy Gospel? – A review of ‘The Suburban Captivity of the Church’
Posted on August 1, 2015
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“An interesting juxtaposition of events happened to me last week. I found myself reading Tim Foster’s The Suburban Captivity of the Church at the same time as eagerly following the consultation conference of the Australian chapter of The Gospel Coalition.
Tim Foster is the Vice Principal of Ridley Theological College in Melbourne and the book has been shortlisted for the Australian Christian Book of the year award. The Gospel Coalition Australia is a local iteration of The Gospel Coalition originating in the US. Two voices labouring to see Australia won for Christ. Yet, given the difference in descriptions of the gospel were so significant, I felt it prudent to review Foster’s recent book.
The major purpose of Foster’s Suburban Captivity is ‘… to develop a theology of gospel and culture, and then illustrate how contextualisation works.’ (p. 5). …
It’s not a pedestrian read. Foster strongly denounces conceptions of the Gospel that centre upon the sacrifice at Calvary, and calls for a reconceptualisation of the Gospel around God’s wider purposes. We are told in no uncertain terms that this is the only way to break the shackles of our suburban captivity…”
– An important review by Mark Earngey, an ACL member currently studying Reformation theology and history at the University of Oxford.
Tim Foster has posted this response.
Moore College Sunday 2015
Posted on July 31, 2015
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Many churches are focussing on Moore College for their prayers on Sunday August 2nd.
“The MCS theme this year is about partnering with Moore in prayer as we equip students to tell the world the one story worth knowing by heart – the story of Jesus.” – Read all about it.
The dangerous calling of Christian missions
Posted on July 30, 2015
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“America’s evangelical Christians are facing a critical time of testing in the 21st century. Among the most important of the tests we now face is the future of missions and our faithfulness to the Great Commission. At a time of unprecedented opportunity, will our zeal for world missions slacken?
Just as doors of opportunity are opening around the world, the church seems to be losing its voice. A virtual re-paganization of Western culture is occurring around us at a velocity unprecedented in human history. At the same time, we are also witnessing the rise of militant Islam…”
– Albert Mohler reminds his readers that the dangerous nature of Christian missions is just as the Lord Jesus predicted.
Canberra & Goulburn: Pastoral Letter concerning the Redefinition of Marriage
Posted on July 30, 2015
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Bishop of Canberra & Goulburn, Stuart Robinson, wrote to members of his diocesan Synod in a pastoral letter yesterday:
“At our Synod in September, I am already aware that people will want to discuss either the rights and wrongs of homosexuality or the merits and problems of same-sex marriage. It is important for us to remember that there are already some limits around what such discussion can and cannot achieve, because…”
Mission Awareness Week at Moore College
Posted on July 30, 2015
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“Mission Awareness Week 2015 was held last week (20-24 July). MAW is an important event in the Moore College calendar. It is held annually in July and provides the opportunity to see what God is doing in the world, and to be challenged as to how we are going to be involved in God’s mission work…”
Two days left to have your say for NSW scripture in schools
Posted on July 29, 2015
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“There’s only two days left to contribute to the NSW government review of special religious and ethics classes in schools.
The independent review looking into Special Religious Education (SRE) and Special Ethics Education (SEE) in NSW primary and secondary schools was announced in October last year and began in March.
Parents and carers, SRE and SEE teachers, current and former students and other interested parties are able to contribute their views here, before submissions close this Friday 31 July…”
– Report from the Bible Society. (Emphasis added. Image: Youthworks.)
Societas 2015 launched
Posted on July 28, 2015
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Just in time for Moore College Sunday (being observed in many churches this weekend), the 2015 edition of the Moore College students’ magazine, Societas, has been released.
It’s available online – to view or download using ISSUU – or to download as an 11.2MB PDF file from the college website.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…