Christmas mission, Christmas transmission
Posted on December 14, 2014
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“For years I’ve been wrestling with how we might ever attract non-Christians to willingly engage with media that communicates the gospel. And then it hit me. The one time non-Christians do want to engage with the Christian message is at Christmas – and there’s no starker example of this than the church carol service. But there’s more. Each Christmas I’ve also heard media channels such as Classic FM playing lots of carols amongst their regular programming, even taking requests for carols!
How interesting that the Christmas story is being broadcast on secular media, to a Christmas-hungry audience. And so after years of wondering, an idea was born – Christmas Carols Radio…”
– Ben Vane, studying at Oak Hill College in London, had a great idea.
Check out Christmas Carols Radio and pass on the URL to your friends in time for Christmas.
[We first posted this link in October. Now’s the time to mention the site to your friends!]
Naive?
Posted on December 13, 2014
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“The Archbishop of Canterbury’s recent remarks are once again somewhat puzzling. One question that comes to mind is whether he really believes this statement that he made: ‘I could see circumstances in which there could be people moving apart and then coming back together.’ …
The problem with looking at tertiary issues is they are often the result of more basic disagreements which in the final analysis have far more leverage on the Anglican Communion. It is my contention that the authority of Holy Scripture as noted in 2 Timothy 3:16 and the person and work of Jesus Christ are actually the primary points of disagreement, though the so-called progressive wing of the Anglican Communion, and indeed the leadership of much of the Western church will not acknowledge it. …
If Archbishop Justin Welby actually thinks that the tertiary issues ARE the issues and in the fullness of time we can all come back together, forgetting the punishment that the Episcopal Church inflicted on those members who chose to depart, and all drink tea and sing Kumbaya together, he is at best naive.”
– Bishop David C. Anderson, President and Chairman of the American Anglican Council, writes in his weekly commentary.
‘Plan to groom ‘talent’ for high office in CofE’
Posted on December 13, 2014
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“A radical overhaul of the Church of England’s leadership is under way.
A key report, still unpublished, sets out a programme of ‘talent management’ in the Church. The report has been signed off by the two Archbishops, and a £2-million budget has been allocated. It was discussed by all the bishops in September, and the House of Bishops on Monday…”
– Story from The Church Times.
Vinegrowers
Posted on December 13, 2014
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Vinegrowers have a new website, complete with some articles to help us see the need for a disciple-making culture in our churches.
“Vinegrowers has seized on a vital biblical truth that’s too easily forgotten in the busyness and distraction of modern ministry life: the heart of Christian growth is God’s people speaking God’s word in the power of God’s Spirit.”
– Dr Lionel Windsor.
To Give Knowledge of Salvation to His People: A Christmas Mandate for Christian Ministry
Posted on December 12, 2014
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“So many moments of our lives pass with almost no sense of significance. The twenty four hours in a day fade into the memory of the seven days of the week, then the thirty-odd days of a month, and then months into years. The years pass into the mist of memory.
But certain moments, certain days stand out in vivid contrast. These are occasions of bright and lasting memory — births, deaths, family reunions, and Christmases. Add to those moments like this, a commencement ceremony. There is something even more special about this ceremony, however, for this is the graduation of those called to Christian ministry, and this ceremony comes fast upon Christmas…”
– from Albert Mohler’s commencement address to be preached later today at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. (If you’re keen, the commencement ceremony will be live-streamed at 10:00 a.m. US EST Friday December12 – the same as 4:00am AEDT Saturday December 13.)
Related:
If you haven’t seen it, last year Southern Seminary gave thanks for 20 years of leadership of Albert Mohler in this 25-minute video. Worth watching – not just for the interesting history, but also a reminder of the value and importance of keeping a theological college faithful to the gospel.
Kay Goldsworthy elected Bishop of Gippsland
Posted on December 12, 2014
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“Kay Goldsworthy has been elected as the Anglican Bishop of Gippsland.”
– Report from The Gippsland Times. She will be the second woman diocesan bishop in Australia.
Update: David Ould has posted these observations.
Moralistic Therapeutic Deism
Posted on December 12, 2014
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Christian cartoonist Adam Ford (Adam4d) offers this primer on the religion of many westerners.
(These concepts will be familiar to listeners to Mike Horton’s White Horse Inn.)
Time magazine names Ebola fighters as ‘person of the year’
Posted on December 11, 2014
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“Time magazine has named the medics treating the Ebola epidemic as its “person of the year” for 2014, paying tribute to their courage and mercy…”
– Report from ABC News. Photo: Samaritans Purse.
Related: Are Christian Missionaries Narcissistic Idiots?, Albert Mohler (07 August 2014.)
Winter (heart) warmers
Posted on December 10, 2014
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From The Proclamation Trust:
“Last month saw our annual Autumn Ministers conference, the audio from which is now online. Vaughan Roberts’ opening and closing expositions from Revelation encouraged and challenged us in our ministry.”
Listen to both expositions here.
Hundreds farewell ‘champion of Christian education’
Posted on December 10, 2014
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“Hundreds of people have gathered at a funeral service for prominent Sydney layman John Lambert, the architect of a resurgence in building Anglican schools. …
From 1994 to 2009 Mr Lambert was the Director of Schools Development at the Sydney Anglican Schools Corporation, during which he contributed significantly to the establishment of 12 new Anglican schools within the Diocese of Sydney.”
– Story from SydneyAnglicans.net.
‘A chaplain at the centre of a national tragedy’
Posted on December 9, 2014
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“As chaplain to Cricket NSW, Simon Flinders first met Phil Hughes as a bright young recruit who began playing for the NSW Blues in 2007. Simon has been a constant presence at training sessions and matches over his 10 years as chaplain, getting to know the boys from the sideline, and ministering from the bench. He’s ‘part of the furniture’ — not in the inner circle, but a regular fixture — someone to be called upon if tragedy were to strike…”
– Story from Bible Society Australia. Photo: St. Mark’s Northbridge.
Archbishop Welby interviewed for The Times
Posted on December 8, 2014
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An interview with Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby was published in The Times on Saturday.
The full article is behind a paywall, however, Anglican Mainstream has some excerpts.
Tribute to Sir Fred Catherwood
Posted on December 7, 2014
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“Sir Fred Catherwood, eminent British industrialist and politician, died peacefully on Sunday 30 November at the age of 89. Sir Fred gave more than 45 years of faithful service to IFES.
Married to Elizabeth – daughter of pastor and theologian Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones who helped found IFES – Sir Fred held senior offices in both IFES and UCCF Great Britain from 1961 to 2007…”
– Penny Vinden has a fitting tribute to Sir Fred Catherwood on the IFES website. His funeral was on Friday in Cardiff.
Asia Bibi: no release without international pressure, lawyer says
Posted on December 7, 2014
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“The human-rights lawyer who is risking his life by defending Asia Bibi has denounced the blasphemy law under which she has been sentenced to death as a ‘tool of oppression’.
Her lawyer, Naeem Shakir, told an audience at Westminster Abbey on Saturday that the international community must put pressure on the Pakistani authorities to reform the law…”
– Story from Church Times.
Related: Barnabas Fund campaign “Save Aasia Bibi: Don’t let her die”.
Church Society on the Appointment of a ‘headship’ evangelical Bishop
Posted on December 6, 2014
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“Church Society welcomes the news that a man who upholds the complementarian view of headship will soon be appointed to the vacant See of Maidstone. …
The imminent appointment of a bishop with this conviction is an important step in realising that commitment and rebuilding trust in the family of the Church. We are particularly encouraged by the recognition that the evangelical complementarian perspective should be represented in the College of Bishops after several years without a spokesman.
We wish to stress that this is but a first step: for flourishing, rather than mere toleration and tokenism, more surely needs to be done. For example, if soon a complementarian suffragan were to be appointed in the province of York also, that would be a further positive expression of the Church’s intent that complementarians can flourish within the structures and life of the Church.…”
– Statement from Church Society by the Rev Dr Lee Gatiss, Director, and the Rev Paul Darlington, Chairman.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…