Are you ready for the New Creation?
The Australian Church Record has tonight republished a wonderful article by John Chapman, who died this evening in Sydney.
“We should contemplate the New Creation where we will be ‘Like Jesus’. What a joy that will be. I will be perfectly in God’s image. That’s a thing to be longed for. ‘The glory which will be revealed’ will so dwarf our life here that it will take on the significance of our first day at kindergarten.”
– Read it all at the Church Record website. (Also at The Briefing.) Photo: Matthias Media.
The Two-Pronged Strategy of a Master Evangelist
“It’s amazing how culture changes and we don’t notice it. The practices that one generation took for granted become unknown, and slightly shocking, to a later generation. Even for those of us who live through the change it happens too incrementally for us to observe it. It is when we revisit the old times that we detect how much we have changed – sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse, and often without any real difference.
Recently, I had the privilege of publicly interviewing John Chapman as he recounted his many decades of Christian ministry. In the interview, he unwittingly challenged us about changes happening that neither he nor we had noticed. …”
– Phillip Jensen writes in his weekly column. (Photo: John Chapman, 1980.)
Sydney Anglicans VII: The value of theological education
Mark Thompson writes part seven of his series on Sydney Anglicans –
“It is hardly an exaggeration to say that you will not understand the Diocese of Sydney unless you’ve understood its theological college…”
Read it all here –
Without a doubt the single most important resource God has given to the diocese of Sydney is Moore Theological College. Opening in 1856, thanks to a marvellously generous bequest by Thomas Moore, an early settler in Sydney, it has provided theological education for the vast bulk of Sydney’s clergy over the last one hundred and fifty-six years. Read more
Chappo unplugged
Richard Chin, National Director of AFES, recently interviewed much loved evangelist John Chapman. As Sandy Grant says at The Briefing, “Younger generations of ministers in Sydney and Australian evangelicalism should hear this for personal edification but also to understand something of our heritage.”
You will be greatly encouraged and helped by investing 86 minutes of your time in watching Chappo. Classic. And give thanks for our dear brother.
Making the most of the Cross
“The second sermon I ever gave was a cracker. People told me! It was logical, engaging and humorous. I succeeded in explaining, illustrating and applying the Bible in a way that captivated the listeners. My girlfriend (now wife) even started to believe that I might have some hope of becoming a preacher! But, it’s time for public confession. I basically pinched the whole talk, idea for idea, point for point, from John Chapman.
I don’t think I was the first to do this, and I’m certain that I wasn’t the last. You see, I’d looked over the Bible passage again and again, and I couldn’t see any way to make it clearer than Chappo…”
– Dave McDonald commends Chappo’s book Making the Most of the Cross.
Anglican Evangelism and Evangelical Anglicanism, 1945-2011 — the challenge we face
This week John Richardson spoke at the Evangelical Anglican Junior Clergy Conference in the UK, and he’s posted the text of his first address online. It’s a very interesting overview of Post-war UK evangelical Anglicanism. He includes mention of some help, in the Lord’s providence, from the colonies –
“Many in the Evangelical Anglican constituency were therefore increasingly uncomfortable with the direction being taken by the movement, and in the mid-1980s, under the leadership of Dick Lucas, the Evangelical Ministry Assembly and the Proclamation Trust struck out in a different direction.
The Proclamation Trust aimed unashamedly, and in its own mind principally, at a recovery of preaching. Nevertheless, this inevitably entailed a recovery of theology, and so the speakers invited to address the EMA were often men of theological acumen as well as skilled communicators.
Notably, however, most of them came from abroad — it seemed that in the UK they were in short supply. Many were from America but some, and in the end the most influential, were from the Diocese of Sydney in Australia.
Two key English Evangelicals made some revealing comments about the impact of just one of these visitors, John Chapman, who then headed the Department of Evangelism in the Diocese of Sydney. …”
– Read it all at The Ugley Vicar. (Photo of John Chapman, courtesy of AFES.)
New Principal for Queensland Theological College
The Queensland Theological College has announced a new Principal — from Ireland!
“Irish eyes smiling on Queensland Theological College
The Queensland Theological College (QTC) will appoint the Rev Dr. Gary Millar as its new principal from 2012. Read more
Encouragement and example in Evangelism
What is the gospel?
In characteristic style, Chappo gets straight to the point –
“It does not focus upon us, not should it draw attention to us. It focusses on the Lord Jesus Christ. That is what the gospel is about. The gospel is not about us. The gospel is not even about us and our needs. It not even about us and our needs and those being met in Christ. It is none of those!
The gospel is about Jesus Christ our Lord. That is the gospel. I’m not talking about how you engage people in listening to the gospel – you might do that in a hundred and one different ways. But when I have gospelled you, it is about the Lord Jesus Christ that I have spoken from beginning to end.
It is about him. OK?”
– from a talk given in the UK in 2004. (See the last link on this page – “The Training an Evangelist Needs – 2 Cor 4v5”.)
While you’re there, read about the very exciting A Passion for Life initiative – “a [UK] nationwide initiative that is drawing together local evangelical churches to plan a fantastic variety of missional initiatives culminating in Easter 2010”.
And see their terrific collection of videos — a selection of testimonies and apologetics.
Chappo and the Hallway challenge
Much loved evangelist John Chapman has recorded a two minute video to encourage you to pray for your unsaved friends, and to use the resources available for Connect09.
The video is available at SydneyAnglicans.net and would be ideal to play in church.
As always, Chappo reminds us what it is really all about:
“People who are apart from Christ are lost. Their plight is desperate. They need to be forgiven. And they need to find Jesus as a Friend – as a Saviour. They need to know that he’s died so their sins can be forgiven.”
Tip: You can download the video files from SydneyAnglicans.net, but if you have problems playing them (we did), the 76MB mpeg4 file can be downloaded from Vimeo. You’ll need to register with Vimeo if you haven’t already, and then on this page, the download option is on the very bottom right (“Download Quicktime version”).
Our thanks to the team at Anglican Media Sydney for making these videos available.
Preach or Perish: a Review
ACL President Dr Mark Thompson reviews Preach or Perish, edited by Don Howard –
There is a quite vigorous and exciting debate about preaching taking place in Sydney at the moment. All the participants are convinced of the importance of preaching. They know how critical effective preaching is to the life and growth of Christian congregations. Yet there seems to be a widespread sense of a need to lift the standard of preaching across our city in order to honour our Lord and edify his people.
On the one hand, dry and disengaged literary studies are boring the socks off some congregations. It feels as if pages are being read from a commentary with little concern about how this part of the Bible addresses life as a follower of Christ in the twenty-first century. On the other hand, the life-giving word of God can be so easily swamped by the repartee of the Christian entertainer. The skill of the preacher becomes the focus of attention rather than the power, love and holiness of the God whose word he dares to speak.
Every preacher I know wants to preach better and there is no end to the list of people who want to tell us how. Yet few combine a commitment to handling the Bible responsibly with a concern to communicate effectively as consistently as the contributors to this new book edited by Donald Howard. Donald is known as a trainer of preachers, a pastor concerned that God’s people are built up in faith by the effective application of the word of God to the lives of real people. He is just as disturbed by trite story telling and moralising and as by undigested and poorly communicated profundity. And he is a long-standing member of the ACL!
This collection of brief essays by preachers who have given their lives to helping men and women come to faith — and more, to grow in maturity in faith — through hearing and responding to the word of God, is full of wisdom and help for preachers of all ages. It demonstrates yet again that it is not only the latest internet gurus who know what makes good preaching and what hinders it. Theology and practice come together in an extraordinary way which will challenge old preachers and set good patterns for young ones.
With contributions from the editor, John Chapman, Peter Jensen, Marcus Loane, Donald Robinson, Kel Richards, Dudley Foord, David Cook, and many others, readers are treated to insights into preaching from preachers who have honoured Christ and served his people, not just in a short burst of popularity, but consistently over many years.
If you want to improve your preaching or improve your appreciation of preaching and all that it involves, you’ll benefit from reading this book. It is worth learning the lesson that good principles are lasting principles. I warmly commend it.
Mark D Thompson.
(“Preach or perish – Reaching the hearts and minds of the world today”, edited by Donald Howard, is available from MooreBooks for $25.)
Anglican bishop seeks OK to bless same-sex marriages
An Anglican church in Ottawa may soon be the second in Canada to bless same-sex marriages.
Bishop John Chapman plans to ask the Canadian House of Bishops next week if he can develop an appropriate rite, then designate one parish — possibly Saint John the Evangelist on Somerset Street — to offer blessings to gay couples already married in a civil ceremony…
– Report from The Ottawa Citizen. (Photo: The Anglican Journal.)
Chappo says… Just start talking
In characteristic style, John Chapman says: “This could be just the very thing you’ve been waiting for. It mightn’t be the very thing you’re waiting for – but it’s the very thing you should have been – so if you haven’t been, I’d give it a go anyway.”
John’s commending “Just Start Talking”, a terrific new resource from Sydney’s Evangelism Ministries in time for Connect 09.
Written by Lesley Ramsay and Baden Stace, and presented on DVD by Colin Buchanan and Samantha Boog, “Just Start Talking” is a three week course designed to help ordinary Christians get Jesus into their day-to-day conversations.
Read more about “Just Start Talking” at SydneyAnglicans.net and order copies from Evangelism Ministries (phone 02 9265 1582). To see a video preview, follow this link.
Chappo’s book reviewed
Mark Tubbs reviews Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life by John Chapman – at Discerning Reader –
Chapman’s calling as an evangelist informs this book from cover to cover. He presents the good news of the crucified Christ in clear and accessible ways, and quotes large swaths of Scripture, knowing that the Word of God alone has the power to convict and save. Using the parable of the rich fool, Chapman hits hard early on, showing how Jesus labels the person who fails to consider the next life a fool. …
Want to buy multiple copies to give to your friends and relatives? (Of course you do.) See Matthias Media, Moore Books or Evangelism Ministries. (The other place has them too.)
About us
What is the Anglican Church League?
Based in Sydney, Australia, the ACL is an association of evangelical Australian Anglican Christians who desire to maintain the reformed, protestant and evangelical character of the Anglican Church.
This character is based on Scripture and is expressed in the Book of Common Prayer and the Thirty Nine Articles of Religion.
The League has been active in the Anglican Church of Australia since 1909, mainly in the Diocese of Sydney, but also by encouraging evangelical Christians elsewhere.
Read the full list of Council members.
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From Archbishop Glenn Davies –
“The ACL’s role in Sydney is to keep the Diocese evangelical. That’s our role. Our role is to be ever vigilant… What one generation fights for, the next generation accepts and the third one forgets. The stronger the ACL is, the stronger the Diocese of Sydney is; the stronger the Diocese of Sydney is, the better the national Church will be.”
(The Most Rev. Dr. Glenn Davies was Archbishop of Sydney 2013-2021.
He spoke at the ACL’s Confessional Anglicanism Conference in March 2015.)
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From John C. Chapman –
There is in the Pastoral epistles a strong call to guard and preserve the gospel. The ACL was founded and exists to do that. The way they seek to do it is to help us by finding people who are committed to this cause who will serve us on the committees and boards of the various agencies of this vast Diocese.
I have been a member of ACL for more than 30 years and commend its activities.”
(The late Canon John Chapman served as Director of the Department of Evangelism in Sydney Diocese.)
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The ACL’s Policy Objectives
As an evangelical fellowship, the Anglican Church League is committed to these policy objectives –
- To defend and advance the protestant and reformed principles of the Anglican Church based on Holy Scripture and as set out in the Book of Common Prayer and the Thirty-Nine Articles.
- To uphold and promote the local church as the fundamental sphere of Christian ministry, teaching and fellowship.
- To promote the ministry of lay men and women to strengthen the outreach of the gospel within the churches and the community.
- To support the training of godly, competent and biblically committed pastors and teachers to equip the churches to serve Christ through loving obedience to his Word.
- To uphold the supremacy of the Synod in the governing of the Diocese, subject to the Scriptures, and to affirm the need for diocesan committees and organisations to be accountable to the Synod which established them.
- To reform the structures and practices of the [Sydney] Diocese to increase their effectiveness in assisting local church-based evangelism and ministry.
What Does the ACL Do?
The ACL is active in Sydney Synod affairs. It offers advice to Synod members about people suitable for election to committees and other bodies which influence the quality and direction of Church life.
The Council, through its members, nominates people for positions on committees within Sydney Diocese. The League encourages the study of relevant issues through literature, lectures and conferences.
The Council appoints task forces to promote the League’s policies and to consider other relevant matters. It also convenes regional and local meetings for its members. Papers on theological and diocesan matters are also released from time to time. The League’s website seeks to provide up to date news and information of interest to members.
The ACL also seeks to encourage evangelical Anglicans outside Sydney Diocese.
The League is always seeking like-minded evangelical men and women to join in this vital and strategic work.
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About our website
Our website is a ministry to our members and others who are interested. We hope you find it a blessing. We post links to Anglican news, wider Christian news, and resources of various kinds.
Of course, posting a link does not necessarily imply endorsement by the ACL’s Council.
Responses to a new book about the recent history of the Diocese of Armidale
Today saw the launch of a new book – Darkness: The Conversion of Anglican Armidale, 1960-2019 by Thomas A. Fudge, Professor of History at the University of New England.
You can get a feel for the likely tone of the book from a report by John Sandeman in July 2023 (link via our website). And the University of New England website has an interview with Professor Fudge.
Today the Diocese of Armdale has published two responses to the new book –
One by Bishop of Armidale Rod Chiswell –
“‘Darkness – the conversion of Anglican Armidale 1960-2019’ is a book that seeks to bring to light hitherto unheard voices responding to the transition of the Anglican Diocese of Armidale from a middle church diocese to a lower church evangelical diocese. …”
However Bishop Chiswell challenges two of Professor Fudge’s key presuppositions as well as his conclusions.
The other is a Review of the book by Dr. Mark Earngey, Head of Church History and Lecturer in Christian Thought at Moore College –
“Professor Fudge has produced a weighty tome on some of the recent history of the Anglican diocese of Armidale. … While conversion is normally associated with light (e.g. 1 Peter 2:9: ‘that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light’), Fudge interprets the growth of evangelical Anglicanism in the Armidale diocese in terms of darkness.”
In his Review, Dr Earngey provides very helpful historical and theological perspective.
Read both responses at the Diocese of Armidale website.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…