Global Encouragement for Wales

Posted on October 4, 2023 
Filed under GAFCON, People, Wales Comments Off on Global Encouragement for Wales

In this media release from the Anglican Convocation in Europe, Bishop Stuart Bell writes about last week’s visit of Archbishop Ben Kwashi to Wales –

“Archbishop Ben was the guest of the Evangelical Fellowship of the Church in Wales meeting with Anglican leaders for 24 hours (28-29 September) at the Hookses, the retreat of the late John Stott in Dale, Pembrokeshire.  In one session he spoke of what God is doing more widely in the Anglican communion and in another he gave encouragement from the Scriptures and from his own experience that we should stand firm.  ‘We have nothing in Nigeria’, he said, ‘so if we give up Christ then we would have less than nothing; whereas if you in the west were to give up Christ you still would have your comfortable lifestyle.’

‘The church has delegated the care of persecuted Christians to other organisations.’ It seems so wrong that the church should pass motions about climate change and human sexuality but at the same time seem to ignore the suffering of fellow Christians who are being persecuted around the world.

During the following 24 hours (29-30 September) he spoke at the Wales Leadership forum.  On the Friday evening he was interviewed about his own Christian experience and then he responded to questions from the floor.  On the Saturday morning he spoke on the theme of hope in a bruised and broken world.  He based his address on the concluding words of Habakkuk inviting us to rejoice however difficult our circumstances might be.  Those comments come from a man who has lived through the killings of more than 50,000 Christians in Nigeria and the burnings of hundreds of churches in his own diocese.  ‘If we embrace homosexuality,’ he said, ‘then that would give the Muslims one more reason to kill us’.

Not only has Archbishop Ben faced death by the hands of murderous opponents, but more recently he has faced death from stage four cancer on two separate occasions.  He retired from his ministry in Jos on 30th September whilst he was with us, only to continue his ministry as General Secretary of Gafcon but now moving to a new compound where his wife will be caring for 400 orphans.  That’s fruitful living!”

– Received via e-mail.

The Legacy of Charles Christopher Godden – A Testament to Faith

Posted on October 4, 2023 
Filed under History, Moore College, People Comments Off on The Legacy of Charles Christopher Godden – A Testament to Faith

Mark Earngey, Head of Church History at Moore College, shares the story of Moore College graduate Charles Christopher Godden 1876-1906.

For more on C. C. Godden, see

“Let there be peace”: the spiritual legacy of C.C. Godden – Moore College.

A unique memorial: the John Francis Cash Memorial Chapel after 70 years – Moore College.

Images: Moore College.

Blind spots in the evangelical ecosystem – with Mikey Lynch

Posted on October 4, 2023 
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From The Pastor’s Heart:

“Whether we are the senior pastor, theological college lecturer, missionary, student worker, Christian publisher, or denominational leader – we all work within an evangelical ecosystem. And it’s possible for us to make it harder or easier for our ministry peers to play their part in glorifying God.

Mikey Lynch’s new book The Vine Movement, published by Matthias Media, explores how churches, missionary organisations, evangelical student ministries, chaplains and denominations can all work together best.

Mikey Lynch is a director of Reach Australia, leads the AFES staff team at the University in Hobart and is the editorial director for Gospel Coalition Australia.”

– Watch or listen here.

What’s wrong with the Church of England? — Church Society podcast

Posted on October 3, 2023 
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From Church Society:

“The second in the mini series looking at the Church of England featuring Charlie Skrine, James Cary, George Crowder, Lee Gatiss and Ros Clarke.”

Includes clips from the recent Junior Anglican Evangelical Conference.

– Listen here.

Bishops in Communion and Prayers in Love and Faith

Posted on October 2, 2023 
Filed under Church of England, Culture wars Comments Off on Bishops in Communion and Prayers in Love and Faith

“To say that the House of Bishops Occasional Paper Bishops in Communion, published in 2000, is not well known is an understatement. Twenty-three years after its publication very few people in the Church of England even know of its existence. However, despite this fact, Bishops in Communion remains an important document because the understanding of how bishops are meant to conduct their ministry which it puts forward continues to shape the way in which bishops operate in the Church of England today.

To put it another way, the actions that the bishops of the Church of England have taken, and continue to take, during the Prayers of Love and Faith process directly reflect the thinking about the role of bishops which is found in the pages of Bishops in Communion. …

The model of episcopal ministry set out in [the paper] sees bishops as facilitators. The job of the bishops, it says, is to ensure that dialogue between those of different views continues until a consensus emerges about the mind of Christ for his Church. This understanding of the bishops’ role is what shaped the Living in Love and Faith Process. The whole point of that process was to encourage an open process of discernment across the Church of England between those with different views about human sexuality.

If this is indeed the model that is shaping the way that the bishops are acting, it follows that the existence of the Prayers of Love and Faith proposals following on from Living and Love and Faith must mean that the bishops collectively believe that a new consensus has been reached. …”

– At his Reflections of an Anglican Theologian, Martin Davie looks at the self-understanding apparent in the Church of England’s House of Bishops – and why that is a huge problem.

Related:

Churches backing traditional marriage are cut loose by their bishops –

“Paul’s suffering supported his apostolic authority to appeal to these baptised Christians in virulently pagan Ephesus to stand together for the truth of the biblical gospel centred on Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God the Father almighty. Such unity based on a shared understanding of the essentials of Christian truth is vital if the Church is to be effective in proclaiming the gospel and defending it in a hostile culture.

Sadly, the deep doctrinal divisions in the Church of England undermined a united response to a recent attack on orthodox Oxford churches by the university’s powerful 3,000-member LGBTQ+ Society. …”

– Julian Mann asks how can bishops who support novel doctrines be a support for those churches which stick to the Bible.

Bishop of Bathurst’s latest newsletter – Synod 2023

Posted on October 2, 2023 
Filed under Australian dioceses, Encouragement Comments Off on Bishop of Bathurst’s latest newsletter – Synod 2023

Bishop of Bathurst Mark Calder has released his post-Synod newsletter.

Download it for your encouragement and for your prayers. (PDF file.)

Included in the prayer requests:

Parishes without clergy – Dubbo, Cudgegong Valley, Kelso, Narromine, Gilgandra, Coolah-Dunedoo, Condobolin, Trundle, Coonamble, Warren, Bourke-Brewarrina, Cumnock and Warren.

Please pray that the Lord would raise up 13 godly, able and passionate men or women to serve in ALL of these parishes, to his great glory!

The power and pain of perseverance — CCL event

Posted on October 1, 2023 
Filed under Resources, Theology Comments Off on The power and pain of perseverance — CCL event

On 18 October 2023, Moore College Principal Dr Mark Thompson is speaking on “The power and pain of perseverance” at a Centre for Christian Living event.

Watch the 55 second promo video, and register here (it’s free!).

New Presiding Bishop of REACH-SA

Posted on September 29, 2023 
Filed under Other denominations Comments Off on New Presiding Bishop of REACH-SA

Today’s GAFCON prayer request –

“We prayed for the synod of REACH-SA last month. Three new area bishops were elected. Also, The Rev. Dr. Siegfried Ngubane has been elected as the eighth Presiding Bishop of the Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of South Africa. Pray for each of these bishops to know the Lord’s help and guidance as they prepare to take up their roles.

(Photo: Presiding Bishop Elect, Siegfried Ngubane, meeting with Bishop Glenn Lyons).”

At Sydney Synod earlier this month, Bishop Malcolm Richards moved –

‘Synod, noting –
(i)  the long partnership between the Diocese of Sydney and the Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of South Africa (REACH-SA), and
(ii)  that the Synod of that Church met from 11 to 13 September 2023,

(a)  gives thanks to God for –

(i)  the election of the Rev Dr Siegfried Ngubane as the eighth Presiding Bishop of the REACH-SA,
(ii)  the faithful service of the current Presiding Bishop, the Rt Rev Glenn Lyons who will hand over leadership at a date to be announced, and
(iii)  the election of three new Area Bishops for the largest regions (dioceses) in REACH-SA, and

(b)  requests that the Archbishop’s office write to Dr Siegfried and Mrs Maureen Ngubane and to Bishop Glenn and Mrs Sandra Lyons assuring them of the prayers of our people, expressing the congratulations of this Synod and the commitment of this Diocese to continued gospel partnership.’

from the draft Synod minutes.

Bishop Glenn Davies speaks about the ACL

Posted on September 29, 2023 
Filed under Sydney Diocese Comments Off on Bishop Glenn Davies speaks about the ACL

ACL Council Member Michael Latten reports on last week’s visit to Moore College of Bishop Dr Glenn Davies:

On 21 September, 42 students and faculty members came to an Anglican Church League lunchtime talk at Moore College.

Former Archbishop of Sydney and Bishop of the Diocese of the Southern Cross, Glenn Davies, with his characteristic wit and humour, outlined the impact of the ACL over the last 100 years in establishing and sustaining the Protestant, Reformed, and evangelical character of the Sydney Diocese and in supporting evangelicals in Australia and beyond.

While Bishop Davies noted the strong influence of the ACL in Sydney on diocesan elections today, he warned that we must never take for granted the evangelical character of the diocese. Like those who came before us, we too must contend for the gospel in Sydney and beyond.

Southern Cross magazine Sept-Oct 2023

Posted on September 29, 2023 
Filed under Sydney Diocese Comments Off on Southern Cross magazine Sept-Oct 2023

The latest copy of Southern Cross magazine from the Diocese of Sydney is now out and will be available in parishes.

You can also read it online, or download your PDF copy.

National Police Remembrance Day 2023

Posted on September 28, 2023 
Filed under Australia, Resources Comments Off on National Police Remembrance Day 2023

Friday 29 September 2023 is National Police Remembrance Day.

It’s a good reminder to pray for all who serve in the police services, and also Christian chaplains to the Police.

in 2018, Archbishop Glenn Davies wrote a prayer for the occasion.

Image: NSW Police Legacy.

US Survey shows mainline denomination church members are much more conservative than their clergy

Posted on September 28, 2023 
Filed under Culture wars, Theology Comments Off on US Survey shows mainline denomination church members are much more conservative than their clergy

In today’s The Briefing podcast, Albert Mohler discusses a survey which shows that in US mainline denominations, the clergy are much more liberal than their congregations.

Yes, this is an American context, but it’s a good reminder as to why Biblical theological education is vital.

– The Briefing, Thursday 28 September 2023.

St. Andrew’s Cathedral Community Garden

Posted on September 28, 2023 
Filed under Sydney Diocese Comments Off on St. Andrew’s Cathedral Community Garden

Dean of Sydney Sandy Grant writes in the Cathedral newsletter about plans for a new ministry space at the Cathedral:

“Friends in Christ, it was a pleasure to show the site and plans for the Cathedral Community Garden to many in-person attenders last Sunday. It was obvious that seeing it ‘from the inside’ as it were is really helpful to imagining what an excellent outdoor ministry space it could be for the Cathedral and for the community.

For example, you could easily imagine a BarBQ there in the summer shade, and how much easier it will be to welcome people into the Chapter House, as well as improved wheelchair access to the Cathedral proper.

To remind you, the project will provide a community garden that will

Completing the Garden will also remove the eye-sore of a building rubble site that has stood unusable behind hoardings next to our beautiful Cathedral for well over two decades.

Let me put all that into a bit of historical context…”

– Read about the plans at the Cathedral website.

The Gospel Coalition announces The Carson Center for Theological Renewal

Posted on September 27, 2023 
Filed under Resources, Theology Comments Off on The Gospel Coalition announces The Carson Center for Theological Renewal

At The Gospel Coalition, Collin Hansen writes,

“On behalf of The Gospel Coalition, I’m pleased to announce the launch of a major new initiative: The Carson Center for Theological Renewal.

Around the world today, biblical illiteracy inhibits spiritual depth—not just in the shrinking church of the West but even in the growing churches of the South and East. But there’s no spiritual renewal without returning to Scripture. And while the internet offers unprecedented access to the Bible, many of the most widely used resources for studying God’s Word are unhelpful at best or heretical at worst.

That’s why TGC has started The Carson Center for Theological Renewal, named in honor of TGC cofounder Don Carson. …”

– Read all about the plans here.

Will there be a place for me in the Church of England?

Posted on September 27, 2023 
Filed under Church of England Comments Off on Will there be a place for me in the Church of England?

“In August, the Church of England announced that a series of meetings were to be held in September ahead of the bishops presenting to November’s General Synod ‘proposals t o enable same-sex couples to come to church following a civil marriage or civil partnership for prayers of dedication, thanksgiving and for God’s blessing’. …

Where does this leave those of us who wish to uphold the faith ‘as we have received it’? Having been an ordained minister in the Church of England for more than 35 years, I wonder if there will be a doctrinal place for me in my later years?…”

– The CEEC’s John Dunnett asks the question and looks at what would be required – in Evangelicals Now, this copy with thanks to Anglican Mainstream.

Related:

The Church that needs you — Charlie Skrine at JAEC 2023.

The Church of England Evangelical Council.

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