Brian Rosner to finish as Principal of Ridley College at the end of 2024

Posted on March 20, 2024 
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“During the chapel service on 19 March 2024, Brian Rosner announced to students that he will be finishing up as principal of Ridley College at the end of this year.

After this, Brian will spend 2025 on research leave and then return in 2026 as a lecturer at the college, focussed on teaching, speaking and writing.

Brian will be giving a concluding, not-to-be-missed public lecture as principal on the evening of Wednesday, 16 October 2024.

Brian has led Ridley since mid-2012. …”

– Announcement and video at the Ridley College website. And food for prayer. Brians asks for prayer for three things —

  1. The Ridley Board as the search for Ridley’s tenth Principal gets underway.
  2. The College – that God would continue to provide for them that they would conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
  3. That he will finish well as Principal and serve God fruitfully in the years to come.

Bible Society Australia to close Eternity News

Posted on March 20, 2024 
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“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the difficult decision made by Bible Society Australia Group to end Eternity News in its current form, marking the closing chapter of a significant era.

This means that effective 30 April 2024, the Eternity News print magazine, website, weekly newsletter and social media platforms, along with the Eternity Jobs website, will cease. …”

– Announcement from BSA Group CEO, Grant Thomson.

Theologically rethinking youth ministry

Posted on March 20, 2024 
Filed under Resources, Theology Comments Off on Theologically rethinking youth ministry

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“How do we speak to children about sin? How can we help youth understand themselves as sinful and in indeed of forgiveness?

What to make theologically of the sense of entitlement in youth culture?

Plus how do we think theologically about the important issue of vibe in youth and childrens’ ministry and in regards to how kids engage with church.

A new book is launched this week ‘Identity, Church Culture and Discipleship in Youth and Children’s Ministry – Australian Evangelical Perspectives on Youth Ministry’.

The papers in the book were first presented at the HOUSE conference for youth and children’s ministers in Sydney.

Three of the thirteen contributors are with us including Ruth Lukabyo, who leads the Youthworks Institute, teaches church history at Youthworks College and has edited this book.

Also with us is Bill Salier, a former Principal at Youthworks College and now heads up the Anglican GAFCON Theological Educators Network.

And Tim Beliharz is on the ministry support team at Youthworks.”

– Watch or listen here.

NSW Conversion Practices Bill — risks to religious freedom

Posted on March 19, 2024 
Filed under Australia, Culture wars, Resources Comments Off on NSW Conversion Practices Bill — risks to religious freedom

“The NSW government has introduced a Conversion Practices Ban Bill 2024 into the Parliament, with the apparent aim of moving it through very quickly. Legislation of this sort has been introduced in other jurisdictions around Australia and elsewhere.

The aim of banning oppressive and violent practices designed to ‘convert’ someone’s sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual is good, of course. But those practices, while they may have existed some time ago, are really no longer around. The problem with these laws now is that their drafting can be so broad that they interfere with the ordinary teaching of religious doctrines and life within families.

These laws are also often premised on the assumption that ‘gender transition’ is a good thing which should be freely available to children, whether or not with parental permission. They raise important issues of concern to all those interested in the welfare of children, whether or not from a religious perspective.

But laws of this sort can in particular have significant implications for religious freedom.…”

– At Law and Religion Australia, Associate Professor Neil Foster highlights important ways the proposed legislation can be greatly improved.

Do read the full article, and – since the legislation is likely to be debated today – urgently contact your Member of Parliament if you desire.

Moore College 2024 Graduation on 26th March

Posted on March 19, 2024 
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Moore College has posted details of the upcoming 2024 Graduation on Tuesday 26th March.

France proposes further diminishing of human dignity

Posted on March 18, 2024 
Filed under Culture wars, Opinion Comments Off on France proposes further diminishing of human dignity

“If you are going to subvert the sanctity of human life at the beginning of life, as you have with abortion, then you are certainly going to also eventually get to subverting the dignity and sanctity of human life at the other end of the age spectrum. …

The slippery slope is indeed very slippery and it is a slope towards the acceptance of euthanasia or assisted suicide or whatever you might want to call it. …

… we are talking about a radical change in French law, and we as Christians understand that reflects an even more foundational and fundamental radical change in morality.”

– In his The Briefing broadcast for Monday 18 March 2024, Dr Albert Mohler looks at the sadly predictable pattern – this time, in France.

C of E’s helter-skelter plunge into heresy

Posted on March 18, 2024 
Filed under Church of England, Culture wars, Opinion Comments Off on C of E’s helter-skelter plunge into heresy

“There are many good men and women in the Church of England who simply want to worship and serve God as best they can in the way their parents did. There are ministers whose preaching and teaching has enriched us and whose books Christians read with profit. Such Christians have been betrayed by their denomination. …”

– Presbyterian minister Dr Campbell Campbell-Jack writes at The Conservative Woman.

I Believe in the Death of Julius Caesar and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Posted on March 17, 2024 
Filed under History, Resources Comments Off on I Believe in the Death of Julius Caesar and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

“Mark Twain famously described faith as ‘believing what you know ain’t so.’ He probably observed a good many Christians doing just that. But do thoughtful Christians believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus despite the evidence, or because of it? Today’s date is an occasion for us to consider some of the evidence for Christianity’s central claim.

On March 15, 44 BC – the Ides of March – dozens of Roman senators assassinated Julius Caesar. Nearly 77 years later, on or about Sunday, April 5, AD 33, Jesus Christ was raised from the dead.

We can have justified belief in both events by following four practices historians use to discover the truth about the past. …”

– Published in time for the Ides of March (last Friday), this article at The Gospel Coalition (US) is a good reminder of the confidence we can have in the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

No churchwardens and vacant PCC posts: an investigation into the church volunteering crisis

Posted on March 17, 2024 
Filed under Church of England Comments Off on No churchwardens and vacant PCC posts: an investigation into the church volunteering crisis

“The recent Church Buildings Commission survey in the diocese of Norwich discovered that about 100 churches had no recorded churchwardens. In one rural benefice, there were 19 churches, placing ‘great pressure’ on the incumbent, who had three churches with no PCC members, leaving her with sole responsibility for them.

The Church Times wrote to every diocese last month in an attempt to quantify the extent of the recruitment challenge. …”

– Anglican Mainstream links to an article in Church Times highlighting a[nother] challenge for the Church of England, and especially for smaller churches.

Update:

See also ‘In this age of bloated bureaucracy, pity the poor churchwarden’ by Julian Mann.

Fix the NSW “Conversion Practices” bill

Posted on March 16, 2024 
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We understand that the Parliament of NSW will debate the Conversion Practices Ban Bill starting this Tuesday (19th March 2024) and it could be fully passed through the Upper House as early as this Thursday.

From Freedom for Faith:

“The Conversion Practices Ban Bill is a genuine effort by the Government to fulfill its election promises to protect religious freedom.

However, at several points the Bill remains unclear, leaving ordinary Australians unsure what they can and cannot say or do. (For more information, you can read our full letter to MPs).

This legislation is likely to be debated this week, and may be passed by the end of Thursday.

Write to your MP NOW to ask them to fix this bill.”

– Contact details for your MP here.

March – April 2024 Southern Cross magazine

Posted on March 16, 2024 
Filed under Encouragement, Resources, Sydney Diocese Comments Off on March – April 2024 Southern Cross magazine

The latest issue of Southern Cross magazine from the Diocese of Sydney is now available for download – and print copies should have reached churches.

Many articles to read – but here are two –

Understanding the Cross – Archbishop Kanishka Raffel (page 22).

“At the centre of the Christian faith are the great Easter events – Jesus’ death on a cross, and on the third day his bodily rising to new life, victorious over sin and death and the devil.

Australians embrace these events as a holiday but most regard them with sentimentality. For Christians, however, the days could not be more weighty, for in Good Friday and Easter Day we glimpse hell and heaven. …”

and

Remembering Nicholas Ridley – Dr Mark Earngey (page 24).

“Many modern Christians have heard of Thomas Cranmer, some have heard of Hugh Latimer, but most have no awareness of Nicholas Ridley (c1500-1555).

This would have surprised his contemporaries – even his opponents – because of his centrality to the English Reformation. One of his enemies put it like this: ‘Latimer leaneth to Cranmer, Cranmer to Ridley, and Ridley to the singularity of his own wit’. It was thought that if Ridley could be toppled, then the prizes of Cranmer and Latimer would also be won. Evidently, Nicholas Ridley was a Reformation giant of his time, and we can appreciate much from his life and ministry in ours. …”

Download your copy here.

Ministry Opportunities in Bathurst Diocese

Posted on March 15, 2024 
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Here’s the latest list of vacant parishes in the Diocese of Bathurst – for your prayers, and perhaps for your consideration.

Getting the word right

Posted on March 14, 2024 
Filed under Encouragement, People, Resources Comments Off on Getting the word right

From SydneyAnglicans.net:

“Dr Peter Ryan was a missionary with Pioneers in Namibia teaching at NETS (the Namibia Evangelical Theological Seminary). He and his wife Paula returned to Australia in 2017.

Peter has completed his doctoral studies in Mark’s Gospel at Moore College and now serves as the (very able) director of Cornhill: a ‘Bible handling’ course to help people prepare for ministry – especially in communicating God’s word.

Cornhill has two centres – one at Moore College on a Tuesday and one in Rooty Hill on a Thursday. Peter and his wife Paula have two children. He talks to Simon Manchester, who is also one of Cornhill’s visiting teachers.…”

– Read here.

Photo: Peter Ryan.

NSW Conversion Practices Ban Bill — Freedom for Faith calls for clarity

Posted on March 13, 2024 
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“The NSW Government has introduced its Conversion Practices Ban Bill into Parliament on Wednesday March 13.

This legislation is a genuine attempt by the NSW Government to keep its promises to faith communities. However, there are still concerns about the breadth of behaviours that the bill covers.

In the lead up to the NSW election, Chris Minns made clear commitments that any legislation to ban ‘conversion practices’ would protect religious freedom, including prayer, teaching and consensual requests for support. These commitments were repeated by many Labor MPs and candidates at forums across the State.

This legislation represents a genuine effort by the Government to keep those promises. The legislation does protect against the most extreme violations of religious freedom that have been seen in the Victorian legislation and replicated in previous proposals in NSW. It also exempts medical practitioners, allowing them to continue doing what is in the best interest of the patient. Finally, the bill provides an exemption for parents to talk to their children, although unfortunately this does not extend to important family relationships such as grandparents.

However, the bill is weakened by the problematic use of the vague term ‘suppression’. Due to the breadth and uncertainty around what is a suppression practice, it remains unclear exactly what conduct would be in the scope of the bill. In other jurisdictions, simply encouraging a person to remain celibate outside of heterosexual marriage is considered ‘suppression’. This uncertainty risks breading fear in faith communities as to what is allowed.

We call on the Government to give greater clarity as to what is and is not a ‘suppression’ practice.”

– Freedom for Faith has published a webpage with the latest on the NSW Government’s proposed Conversion Practices Ban Bill.

You can also sign up for e-mail updates.

Nationwide evangelistic collaboration: Meet Jesus and the power of prayer

Posted on March 13, 2024 
Filed under Australia, Evangelism Comments Off on Nationwide evangelistic collaboration: Meet Jesus and the power of prayer

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“The old saying is ‘A rising tide lifts all boats.’  But could the spark of story telling, and celebrating faith increase evangelism in churches and on university campuses everywhere?

National Director of the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students Richard Chin is emphasising the importance of prayer, through what he calls a ‘two-for-two’ model, and asks churches to join him in consistent branding in a nationwide push to introduce people to Jesus.

We discuss practical steps to integrate evangelism into the church’s DNA, champion the role of head, heart, and hand in fostering a consistent culture of outreach.

Rory Shiner is senior pastor of Providence Church, Perth and Chair of the Gospel Coalition Australia.

Baden Stace leads the ministry team at St Stephens Normanhurst in Sydney’s north.

Elliot Temple is missions pastor at Christ Church St Ives also in Sydney’s north.”

– Watch or listen here.

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