Why Theology?

Posted on February 6, 2010 
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Here’s a two minute video that could be used in church. It was created as part of a short film competition related to John Harris’ new book Dug Down Deep.

See the other film entries at JoshHarris.com.

Pastor welcomes Hell Pizza

Posted on February 6, 2010 
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This story from a Rockhampton newspaper last month is a simple example of how to steer people away from controversy and towards the Lord Jesus.

Story via St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Rockhampton.

(Great to see they are also using The Essential Jesus.)

Taking Sovereignty Seriously

Posted on February 5, 2010 
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Mark Thompson recommends John Woodhouse’s article in the issue of Southern Cross to be distributed in churches from this Sunday … He quotes John as writing —

“I am astonished at how glibly we sometimes speak of gospel work — as though leadership skills, ministry strategies or entrepreneurial flair is what is needed to make the gospel effective. Leadership is not what makes the blind see. Strategies do not make the deaf hear. Entrepreneurs do not make the dead walk!

It is God who calls out his elect, chosen by him before the foundation of the world. They could not have saved themselves and nor could we have saved them no matter how clever we are. And he hardens the heart of others in their chosen state of lostness.”

Find the article on pages 18 and 19 (‘Serving a Sovereign God’) of the February 2010 Southern Cross.

Resources from around Australia

Posted on February 5, 2010 
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It’s exciting to see helpful new resources being produced for Anglicans around Australia. Here are some you may wish to check out –

1.) For kids – from the Diocese of Canberra & Goulburn

Lessons for Children during Lent by Jane Robinson.

“a series of six very simple lessons for children during Lent…”

2.) For adults – from the Diocese of Tasmania

Lectionary-based study outlines – Growing Disciples of Jesus.

“designed for use in home or church-based study groups, and to be a helpful resource for preachers as well.”

3.) For adults – from the Diocese of North West Australia.

World-Changing Sermons – from the Book of Acts. Lenten studies by Bishop David Mulready, available from Anglican Youthworks Sydney.

“For each of the six weeks leading up to Easter … explores a world-changing sermon from the book of Acts.”

(Check out the song ‘The Mission of God’ at the above link.)

Christianity Explored

Posted on February 5, 2010 
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Kevin DeYoung at the Gospel Coalition is enthusiastic about Christianity Explored.

‘But I saw it on TV’

Posted on February 4, 2010 
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Here’s a disturbing report on how the mainstream US media reported a large anti-abortion demonstration in Washington two weeks ago.

From LifeSiteNews. (h/t Anglican Mainstream.)

Sovereign Grace music sale

Posted on February 4, 2010 
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Sovereign Grace music and books are at reduced prices during February. Of particular interest to Australian readers will be the mp3 album downloads.

Details at Bob Kauflin’s Worship Mattters.

Packer on The Fall

Posted on February 4, 2010 
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“It may fairly be claimed that the Fall narrative gives the only convincing explanation of the perversity of human nature that the world has ever seen.”

– This excerpt from J I Packer’s Concise Theology is a good reminder of what’s wrong with the world and why all need to hear of Christ.

Desiring God Conference for Pastors 2010

Posted on February 3, 2010 
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The Desiring God Conference for Pastors is currently taking place in Minnesota and as talks are given, audio and video is being made available online.

Here’s John Piper’s invitation to the conference, and the notes on the pre-conference seminar by Paul Tripp are challenging and well worth reading (1, 2).

‘My voice is like a useless cry in the wilderness’

Posted on February 2, 2010 
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Archbishop of Egypt, Dr Mouneer H. Anis, has resigned from the ‘Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion’ and has given his reasons –

“After much prayer and consideration, I hereby submit my resignation from the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion (SCAC). I have come to realize that my presence in the current SCAC has no value whatsoever and my voice is like a useless cry in the wilderness…”

Read his letter. (h/t Stand Firm.)

– and also this reaction from Dr Stephen Noll –

“The letter from Bp. Mouneer Anis is a bombshell in the midst of the Covenant process…”

Update: Response from the Archbishop of Canterbury. Photo: ENS.

Suffering well: Faith tested by pastor’s cancer

Posted on February 1, 2010 
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“Another cancer patient Chandler has gotten to know spends his time in radiation imagining that he’s playing a round of golf at his favorite course. Chandler on this first Monday in January is reflecting on Colossians 1:15-23, about the pre-eminence of Christ and making peace through the blood of his cross.”

– from a surprisingly good AP article about Matt Chandler.
(h/t Gordon Cheng.)
Related: J C Ryle on Sickness (from the old part of our website.)

Speaking of liberalism…

Posted on February 1, 2010 
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“Washington Episcopal Bishop John B. Chane’s announcement that he expects to retire in the fall of 2011 wraps up nine years at the helm of a diocese he acknowledged had not grown or prospered during his tenure. …

Bishop Chane took the helm of the diocese in 2002 with a series of confrontational moves. …

Once installed, the new bishop imported a number of liberal clergy onto his staff, including retired Massachusetts Suffragan Bishop Barbara Harris. He quickly commissioned a diocesan same-sex marriage rite and performed it himself in June 2004.”

– report by Julia Duin in The Washington Times.

Related: Diocese of Washington announcement.

Engaging with Liberalism

Posted on February 1, 2010 
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“But within the local church liberalism can be pervasive not because it enters via the pulpits, but via public worship—a softening of the mind and a lowering of the defences through the songs sung, the prayers prayed and the liturgies used. …

It is nearly eighty years since our forebears fought to ensure that the 1928 Prayer Book would not be accepted into the Church of England. Compared to Common Worship*, that book appears to be a compendium of soundness! The ex opere operato view which is pretty well explicit in the baptism service is simply astonishing. This is where at the Synod level evangelicals need to resist such trends and at the parish level refuse to capitulate.”

– Melvin Tinkler points out the bankruptcy of liberalism and offers advice on how to resist it. His 2008 article from Churchman has just been republished by Church Society (PDF file).

* Common Worship is in wide use in the Church of England.

Hitchens explains the gospel

Posted on January 30, 2010 
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Earlier this month the Portland Monthly in Oregon, published the transcript of an interview with atheist Christopher Hitchens. He spoke with Unitarian minister Marilyn Sewell.

One of them rejects Jesus, the other wants Jesus but without ‘all that stuff’ –

Sewell: “When you speak of ‘religion’ in your book God is Not Great it seems to me that you’re generally referring to the fundamentalist faith of various kinds. I’m a liberal Christian, and I don’t take the stories from the Scripture literally. I don’t believe in the doctrine of Atonement – that Jesus died for our sins, for example. Do you make any distinction between fundamentalist faith and liberal religion?”

Hitchens: “Well, only in this respect: I would say that if you don’t believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ – in other words, the Messiah – and that he rose again from the dead and that by his sacrifice our sins are forgiven, you are really not in any meaningful sense a Christian.”

The transcript on the website has been fairly heavily edited and leaves out an exchange immediately following the above. Sewell says she believes…   Read more

Pray for Moore College

Posted on January 30, 2010 
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Vicki King in the Development Office at Moore College writes –

“Please pray for our new 1st Year students beginning at College on Monday. We have approximately 100 full time students who would value your prayers:

In addition, we have almost 50 part-time students who have registered. This is the first time part-time study has been available at Moore and so it’s very encouraging that so many have taken advantage of this excellent opportunity to grow in knowledge of the Bible while being able to continue on with work and other responsibilities.

It’s not too late for people to register for the part-time courses so if you know of people who would benefit from this type of study, please direct them to the website or have them call Alex Cowling on 9577 9928.”

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