Get a Bible with all the words
Posted on August 20, 2009
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In this 2 minute video clip, John Piper explains why we need a Bible translation that has all the words.
Archbishop’s address at Civic Commemorative service for William Cowper
Posted on August 19, 2009
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“2 Timothy 4:7,8:
‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.’
It was this text that Bishop Barker chose for the funeral sermon of Archdeacon William Cowper in July 1858. It was an apt summation of a great man, a man who helped lay the foundations of our national life and lay them strong and true. He had a vision of what it is to be human and Christian, a vision which still offers us a challenge as to who we should be in our generation. Our city owes a huge debt to Cowper…”
– Archbishop Peter Jensen spoke at yesterday’s Civic Commemorative Service for Archdeacon William Cowper, at St. Philip’s Church Hill, York Street.
(Image courtesy William Cowper website.)
Ministry changes in Canberra & Goulburn
Posted on August 19, 2009
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Bishop of Canberra & Goulburn, Stuart Robinson, has announced a number of ministry appointments in the diocese. Key among these is the invitation to Trevor Edwards to become a full-time Assistant Bishop.
Trevor has been Rector of St. Matthew’s Wanniassa and, since 2004, also part time Assistant Bishop with responsibilities for outreach and renewal in the diocese. Trevor’s many friends in Sydney will wish him well as he continues to serve the Lord Jesus in this new ministry.
Details from Bishop Robinson’s letter on the Canberra and Goulburn website.
Understanding the Pentateuch
Posted on August 19, 2009
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In 2005, James Robson, Tutor in Old Testament and Biblical Hebrew at Oak Hill College in London, gave a series of evening lectures on the first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch.
The course ran for 8 weeks, with two lectures each week. They are available as mp3 files courtesy of Oak Hill and would be suitable to listen to on your iPod on the way to work. Each one is about 50 minutes long.
Jesus: Connections for life
Posted on August 19, 2009
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Dominic Steele has produced a booklet to spell out Jesus’ answers to the questions raised by Jesus All About Life campaign which starts in Sydney on September 7.
Details from Christians in the Media.
It promises far too little — the false gospel of prosperity theology
Posted on August 19, 2009
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“‘God knows where the money is, and he knows how to get the money to you.” That was the message of Gloria Copeland as she was speaking at the Southwest Believers’ Convention recently held in Fort Worth, Texas. …
This ‘turbocharged’ theology offers a false hope, presents a failed message, and is a False Gospel.”
– Al Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, writes bluntly about the false gospel of ‘prosperity theology’.
See also this from last year on Word of Faith preachers.
(Oh, and if you must see for yourself the messages given at “the Southwest Believers’ Convention”, you can do so here. Note: the mp4 video files are around 1GB each.)
Pray the Bible
Posted on August 18, 2009
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Ligon Duncan and Dan Arnold, in conjunction with the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, have produced an online prayer resource based on Matthew Henry’s book A Method for Prayer.
Ligon Duncan writes that in the book, “Henry lays down an outline of a plan for prayer (Adoration, Confession, Petition, Thanksgiving, Intercession, and Conclusion) and supplies the contents of prayer from the Scriptures themselves.”
The website follows this same pattern. It’s available at matthewhenry.org. (h/t Tim Challies.)
A Further Look into ECUSA Finances
Posted on August 17, 2009
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“The attorneys for ECUSA approve the expenditure of missionary funds in the areas of San Joaquin, Fort Worth and Pittsburgh. These ‘dioceses’ are not — and probably will never be, unless and until they win their respective lawsuits and gain access to the funds of the majorities who voted to leave — self-supporting, even though the dioceses which left each allowed those remnants to keep their own properties and bank accounts. But that is inadequate for them to keep their own clergy paid while the suits are pending — because all of the individual parish pledges and plate collections must go 100% to the payment of the cost of maintaining the current lawsuits. Thus there are no local funds available to pay clergy, and the helpful DFMS must step in. …”
– Christian lawyer A S Haley has been gleaning information about the Episcopal Church’s finances and over the weekend posted this article at Anglican Curmudgeon.
John Newton: Ministry on My Mind
Posted on August 16, 2009
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“Over a period of 8 months, following a conversation with friends, John Newton found himself increasingly drawn to the work of the ministry. So for the six weeks which led up to his 33rd birthday (when he resolved he would make a decision) he wrote down some ‘miscellaneous thoughts’ on the subject, which have come to be published in this 25 page booklet. …”
– Paul McFarland reviews previously unpublished writings from John Newton’s private journal as he contemplated calling into pastoral ministry.
As well, former MP Jonathan Aitken commends the booklet in this video on YouTube.
‘Ministry on My Mind’ is available from The John Newton Project in the UK.
The United Church of Canada’s uncertain future
Posted on August 15, 2009
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‘
It’s not the only religious organization in Canada to suffer from a lack of interest. But more than others, perhaps, the United Church has tried to find relevance and attract attention by offering what many complain is an all-inclusive, interpretive and ‘watered-down’ brand of faith. …
At least one church has become a virtual no-God zone.
Gretta Vosper is the minister at West Hill United Church in Toronto and author of With or Without God: Why the way we live is more important than what we believe. …’
– read the full article at the religion blog of the National Post.
(Photo courtesy West Hill United Church.)
Why FCA UK and Ireland?
Posted on August 15, 2009
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“Let me start with my nightmare: in my negative moments it seems not just realistic but likely.
In my nightmare the Church of England, Church in Wales, Church of Ireland and Episcopal Church of Scotland continue on their gradual drift towards the apostasy of The Episcopal Church in America, so that within twenty, or maybe only ten years, it becomes virtually impossible for orthodox Christians to be ordained…”
– Vaughan Roberts, Rector of St Ebbe’s Church in Oxford, spoke at the launch of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans in the UK and Ireland last month.
His talk has now been posted at the GAFCON website. (Photo: Joy Gwaltney.)
New Director for ‘Unity, Faith and Order’
Posted on August 14, 2009
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From the Anglican Communion News Service:
“The Secretary General, Canon Kenneth Kearon, has announced the appointment of Canon Dr Alyson Barnett-Cowan as Director for Unity, Faith and Order at the Anglican Communion Office. The post is a new one in the Communion… Canon Barnett-Cowan is currently Director of Faith, Worship and Ministry of the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada…”
– full report from the ACNS. (Emphasis added.)
However, see also The Anglican Church of Canada: Tearing The Fabric to Shreds!
(Photo of Canon Alyson Barnett-Cowan: Bruce Myers, Anglican Journal.)
A Hymn for ordinary Christians — Great is Thy faithfulness
Posted on August 14, 2009
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“Our church as been trying to memorize one hymn a month for the past ten months. This month we’re working on Great is Thy Faithfulness. I had the opportunity to introduce the hymn yesterday morning and was moved by its history. Here’s what I shared. …”
– Bob Kauflin briefly recounts the story of Thomas Chisholm.
Worship God conference audio online
Posted on August 14, 2009
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More audio resources: Justin Taylor has links to the mp3 files from last weekend’s WorshipGod09 Conference, organised by Sovereign Grace Ministries.
Speakers included John Piper and Thabiti Anyabwile.
In reflecting on the conference, Thabiti Anyabwile writes:
The folks at Sovereign Grace put together the best conference I know of for folks involved in leading public praise. The conference blends both concentrated attention to the word of God and workshops addressing almost every imaginable topic involved in leading worship, songwriting, playing instruments (everything but the Oboe according to C.J.), and a host of other things. It’s a wonderfully refreshing time.
Our English Bible
Posted on August 13, 2009
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Church Society has reprinted a 1936 article by Harold Smith on the origins of the English Bible. It’s an introductory article covering the period before Wycliffe to the Revised Version of 1885.
It’s available as a PDF file from Church Society.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…