Witnessing to Jehovah’s Witnesses
Posted on October 15, 2008
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Last Thursday was a bit curious — I actually had a scheduled visit from the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Typically, this had started with the ringing of the doorbell (at an inconvenient moment, but then what moments are convenient for such a visit?) by a young woman with child in tow.…
– John Richardson at The Ugley Vicar has some wise words on sharing the gospel with those who come to our doors.
Reform Conference ‘discusses alternative oversight’
Posted on October 15, 2008
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In a report for Times Online on the Reform Conference taking place in London, Ruth Gledhill writes,
“The Rev Rod Thomas, chairman of Reform, the conservative evangelical grouping that represents dozens of Anglican congregations, told parishes they should go ahead and seek alternative oversight, even if the Church of England fails to ‘accommodate’ this solution through its General Synod.”
(Bear in mind, of course, that the issue is not homosexuality per se, but theological liberalism.)
And Martin Beckford in The Telegraph reports,
“The Rev Rod Thomas, chairman of the Reform network of evangelicals, said some clergy and congregations may make the ‘radical’ move of secession from the established church because of the liberal direction in which it is moving on women bishops and homosexuality.
He claimed the differences are now so great that there effectively two religions within the church, one liberal and one conservative, and that at least 25 parishes are already seeking ‘alternative oversight’…”
Sydney affirms women’s ministry
Posted on October 15, 2008
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Synod has strongly affirmed the ministry of women in the Diocese after the Rev Chris Albany’s motion calling the Archbishop to consider how different views on women’s involvement in ministry can be “creatively lived out” in the Diocese was lost…
– Full report on yesterday’s Synod debate from SydneyAnglicans.net. (Photo: Anglican Media Sydney.)
Looking for help in evangelism?
Posted on October 15, 2008
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If you haven’t looked at the Evangelism Ministries website lately, check out their encouraging and practical notes on these topics –
How to pray for evangelism
How to prepare for an evangelistic event
How to prepare for an evangelistic church service
How to do evangelism on a zero budget
A simple feedback card to use at your evangelistic event
– all on the EM website.
How we define ‘Crisis’
Posted on October 15, 2008
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“There is a crisis in the land! And what qualifies as a crisis? The fact that increasing numbers of children grow up in America without fathers? The savage exploitation of women and corrupting of men through legalized pornography? The systematic corruption that is our moneyed political system? The fact that a mother’s womb is the place where the great majority of violent deaths take place in our communities?
Of course not. The crisis is a threat to our money.…”
– Rick Phillips seeks some perspective on the global financial crisis – at Reformation 21.
Melbourne Synod Charge online
Posted on October 15, 2008
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The Archbishop of Melbourne, Dr Philip Freier, gave his Synod Charge to the Melbourne Synod last Thursday. It’s available on the Anglican Media Melbourne website (pdf file).
(Photo: Bryce Amner.)
Mateship doing it tough as cash cult cracks
Posted on October 14, 2008
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Traditional Australian values of mateship, good neighbourliness and offering a helping hand to those in need could be seriously tested by the economic downturn, the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, Peter Jensen, has warned…
– The Sydney Morning Herald reports on last night’s Presidential address at Synod.
Archbishop Peter Jensen’s 2008 Synod Presidential Address
Posted on October 13, 2008
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The audio file of Archbishop Peter Jensen’s Presidential Address to the 2008 Synod meeting of Sydney Diocese – given late this afternoon – is now available at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Connect09 and GAFCON were among the key topics covered. Worth hearing – the 28MB file runs for 80 minutes.
The text of Archbishop Jensen’s address is also available. (Photo: Anglican Media Sydney.)
The Archbishop speaks about Canon RBS Hammond, Rector of St. Barnabas’ Broadway in the 1930s. “RBS” is mentioned in this story about Arthur Stace, “Mr. Eternity” – a man who made Sydney his mission field in an innovative way.
ACL Dinner hears of GAFCON encouragement
Posted on October 13, 2008
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The Chapter House of St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney, was tonight packed for the annual ACL Synod Dinner.
Dr Karin Sowada interviewed two of the Sydney participants at GAFCON – Bishop Glenn Davies and Rev Allison Street. Both bore testimony to the great encouragement it was to share fellowship with Bible-believing Anglicans from around the world. Both speakers also reported the excitement and enthusiasm of the GAFCON attendees over the Final Statement and the Jerusalem Declaration. (Sydney endorsement of the Jerusalem Declaration is set to be debated on Monday night October 20.)
ACL Synod Dinner and Synod Survival Guide
Posted on October 13, 2008
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Get your invitation to the ACL’s Synod Dinner on Monday 13th October. (RSVP Thursday Oct 9th.)
– and also grab a free copy of The Synod Survival Guide (4th edition) by Robert Tong
– by clicking on the images at left.
The authority of the Bible – Leon Morris
Posted on October 13, 2008
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Australian New Testament scholar Dr Leon Morris on the authority of the Bible –
“It is especially important in the contemporary situation that evangelicals bear their witness to the authority of the Bible. Men have lost their best certainties, and in many cases are groping for an authority they can trust. One result of the work of modernists and extreme liberals has been to undermine men’s faith in the Bible. …”
– from Churchman back in 1961. Relevant then. Even more relevant now. Made available by Church Society (pdf life).
Related: Propositional Revelation, the Only Revelation by Broughton Knox.
The need for clear thinking in this area is illustrated by a story from The Calgary Herald in Canada – “Minister enhances faith through meditation”
Meakin, an Anglican priest, was introduced to Christian meditation by her spiritual director while in seminary. … “There are many factors in how we interpret the spiritual life, but once you set aside the words, we can recognize our unity…” (emphasis added.)
Words of comfort for faithful feeling stress
Posted on October 13, 2008
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“The Anglican Church should expect its congregations to experience more anxiety than has been seen for many years because of the economic crisis facing Australia and the world, the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, Peter Jensen, is expected to tell the Sydney Anglican synod today.
Dr Jensen’s warning about the stress parishioners could face in coming weeks and months will be part of his address at the synod, which will focus on the Church’s multimillion-dollar mass evangelisation campaign, called Connect09…”
– Report from The Sydney Morning Herald. (Photo: Joy Gwaltney)
A Conversation: Keller, Piper, Carson
Posted on October 13, 2008
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A wide-ranging hour-long conversation between Tim Keller, John, Piper, and D.A. Carson was video-recorded at the 2008 leadership meeting of The Gospel Coalition and has been posted on Facebook:
Part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6. (hat tip Justin Taylor.)
Don’t Desire Wealth
Posted on October 12, 2008
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John Piper:
I can smell it. It’s like toast or steak or brownies. It doesn’t just draw our desire, it creates desire. Deep drops in the stock market make many people salivate. They know it will rebound. They are sitting on cash. By year’s end their pile could ride the recovery to riches.
For such people I have a word from God. Read more
Time for lay administration
Posted on October 12, 2008
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“When I first attended our diocesan Synod (= denominational ‘parliament’) 10 years ago as a new Anglican Parish Rector (= Senior Pastor), I expected to sit quietly and get a feel for how things worked, reading the business papers and listening to speeches from ‘old hands’ to shape how I’d vote on the various motions and ordinances (= denominational laws).
Somewhat to my surprise, I found myself on my feet, seeking the chance to enter a debate.…”
– Sandy Grant, Rector of St. Michael’s Cathedral Wollongong, writes at the Sola Panel.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…