New CMS Victoria State Director
Posted on August 13, 2012
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“The Revd Dr Jonathan Wei-Han Kuan has been appointed the new State Director of the Church Missionary Society in Victoria, the Chair of the Victorian Branch Council of CMS, Pam Thyer, has announced.
Dr Kuan will take up his appointment on Monday 24 September…”
– CMS Victoria media release, via Anglican Media Melbourne.
Preserving the Gospel in the Seminary
Posted on August 12, 2012
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in March last year, Albert Mohler (President of Southern Baptist Seminary) and Peter Lillback (President of Westminster Seminary) spoke about the history of their seminaries. It’s a good reminder of what needs to be preserved. From ‘Christ the Center’. (Audio & video here, or on YouTube – via Justin Taylor.)
The Two-Pronged Strategy of a Master Evangelist
Posted on August 10, 2012
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“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.)
President’s Address — Dr Mark Thompson at the 2012 ACL Annual General Meeting
Posted on August 9, 2012
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At the Anglican Church League’s Annual General Meeting tonight, outgoing President Mark Thompson gave his last address as President –
“For seven years I have been the President of the League, and as you know, tonight that privilege and responsibility will pass to another.”
Gav Poole elected President of the Anglican Church League
Posted on August 9, 2012
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Media release, 9th August 2012
At its Annual General Meeting on 9 August, the Anglican Church League elected the Rev Gavin Poole, Rector of Cherrybrook Anglican Church, as its new President. Mr Poole succeeds the Rev Dr Mark Thompson who had been the President of the League since 2005.
Dr Thompson spoke enthusiastically about the new president.
‘Gavin brings to this role his wealth of experience as a Rector in the diocese, as part of a ministry team in the United States for several years, and helped organise the FCA Leaders’ conference in London this year’, he said.
‘He is deeply committed to the evangelical character of our diocese and the importance of the work of the League in guarding and growing that critical inheritance. He is an excellent choice to lead the League into the next period of its life.’
Gavin commented,
‘I have a strong appreciation for this diocese and its evangelical heritage. We must work hard to maintain and build upon that which has been left to us by our evangelical forefathers. I am also thankful for the way Mark has served the ACL over the past 7 years. I look forward to serving in this capacity.’
The ACL Council encourages prayer for Gavin as he takes up his new responsibilities.
(Photo: The four most recent Presidents, left to right: The Rev. Gav Poole, Outgoing President Dr. Mark Thompson, Previous Presidents Rev. Zac Veron and Canon Bruce Ballantine-Jones.)
Dick Lucas — The race set before us (2)
Posted on August 9, 2012
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Dick Lucas preached on Hebrews 12:1-3 last Sunday at St Helen’s Bishopsgate.
Most encouraging.
See or hear it at the St. Helen’s website.
Tasmanian Parliament urged to reject same-sex marriage legislation
Posted on August 8, 2012
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“The Anglican Church in Tasmania has today urged Members of Parliament to reject the Premier’s proposed legislation to allow same-sex marriage in Tasmania.
The Church continues to hold the position that marriage is a lifelong union between a man and a woman, voluntarily entered into for life. …” – Media release from the Diocese of Tasmania.
On preaching and preachers
Posted on August 7, 2012
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“This is an article about preaching that is meant to be read by non-preachers. … As someone who is rather new to the pulpit, I thought it might be helpful to tell you what some of the surprises have been as I’ve somehow transitioned to a person who preaches on a regular basis…”
– Tim Challies shares some thoughts about preaching. Perhaps you could use these to inform your prayers for preachers.
Sydney Anglicans VII: The value of theological education
Posted on August 6, 2012
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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
Devote Yourselves to Prayer
Posted on August 3, 2012
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Encouragement from Gary Nelson, Bishop of North West Australia:
“There’s no escaping the emphasis on prayer that comes to us from the Scriptures – whether we look to the example of the apostles, or the response of the Pentecost converts, or Jesus’ clear teaching on prayer. We’re called to pray!
So what a joy it is to share with you in this key ministry. Here in the North West we could not survive without prayer and the encouragement we receive from the army of pray-ers across our nation. Please keep praying.”
– Read his letter here. (And please remember the people of the North West in your prayers.)
The Spiritual Athlete – the race set before us
Posted on August 3, 2012
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Dick Lucas preached this edifying sermon on 2 Timothy 4:1-8 on Sunday morning at St. Helen’s Bishopsgate.
Sydney Anglicans VI: An evangelical episcopate
Posted on August 2, 2012
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In part six of his series on Sydney Anglicans, Mark Thompson looks at the evangelical commitment of the episcopate –
“So when we in Sydney do want to understand and explain what a bishop should be — what an evangelical Anglican bishop should be – where do we go?”
Read it all here –
The diocese of Sydney has been extraordinarily blessed with faithful leaders throughout its history. Many of these have been ordained; many of them have not. The eleven Archbishops (at first merely ‘Bishops’) of Sydney have included some of the most effective evangelical leaders in global Anglicanism. With very few exceptions, the Archbishops and Bishops of Sydney have been determinedly evangelical, theologically motivated and personally engaged in evangelistic mission. We have had much for which to give God thanks. Read more
Bishop of Riverina to retire
Posted on August 2, 2012
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“The Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Riverina, Doug Stevens, has announced his intention to retire from his present role on Sunday, November 11. …
‘Having recently turned 60, I feel that it is time to respond to what I perceive as God’s leading to return to parish ministry…”
– from page 3 of Anglican News – The Newspaper of the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn, August 2012. PDF file.
Themelios 37.2
Posted on August 1, 2012
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The latest issue of Themelios (issue 37.2) is now available as a free download from The Gospel Coalition.
It includes articles by Don Carson and Mike Ovey, and many book reviews (a review of Paul Barnett’s The Corinthian Question: Why Did the Church Oppose Paul? is among them.)
Marriage in Gospel Focus — Tim & Kathy Keller
Posted on July 31, 2012
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Tim and Kathy Keller spoke on “Marriage in Gospel Focus” at the Gospel Coalition’s Women’s Conference in Florida recently.
Video of their talks can be seen here on Vimeo – 49 minutes well spent, and worth passing on. Would be ideal for watching in a Bible Study group.