So Many Dumb Ways To Die?
Posted on May 16, 2026
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From Tim Challies:
“Do you remember the catchy little earworm ‘Dumb Ways To Die?’
In what was undoubtedly one of history’s most successful public awareness campaigns, Metro Trains of Melbourne, Australia, reached millions of people around the world with their message of railroad safety. …”
– He reminds us that – despite all whatever the campaigns tell us – there are really only two ways to die.
Related:
Preach the gospel to yourself
Posted on May 15, 2026
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Dean of Sydney Sandy Grant writes in his Minister’s letter to the Cathedral congregations –
“Dear Friends, Jerry Bridges was an excellent Christian author from the United States, long involved with the Navigators, who died a decade ago this year.
You would benefit from reading any of his books if you can find them, from his 1976 classic, The Pursuit of Holiness, onwards through Transforming Grace: Living Confidently in God’s Unfailing Love, The Discipline of Grace, and The Joy of Fearing God.
He wrote thoughtfully, and very much for the ordinary Christian in the pews.
In a number of his books, he talks about the importance of a believer preaching the gospel to yourself every day. …”
Photo: Jerry Bridges, courtesy Nav Press.
Expository Preaching Trust expands
Posted on May 14, 2026
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“The work of the Expository Preaching Trust is expanding.
As well as Preaching clubs, workshops and conferences, we now have 50 preachers being mentored by 16 experienced preachers.
The Trust began in 2012 and we are now in need of extra help.
From 1 July Michael Leong will join us for one day per week to be the Trust’s Operations Associate. …
Michael holds the degrees of Bachelor of Divinity and Master of Theology from Moore.
As well as mentoring and speaking at the Trust’s conferences, Michael will oversee the promotion of our website and events and coordinate the implementation of the calendar. …”
– Read more at the Expository Preaching Trust.
Analysis: The Abuja “Contradiction” That Isn’t
Posted on May 13, 2026
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We didn’t link to the article by Jay Thomas at First Things yesterday, it didn’t seem profitable. However, if you happen to have read it, George Conger at Anglican Ink has published a very clear and helpful rebuttal.
“Jay Thomas’s recent First Things essay ‘Anglicans and the Abuja Contradiction’ purports to expose fatal logical flaws in GAFCON’s Jerusalem Declaration.
In reality, it reveals something far more interesting: how easily appeals to ‘Anglican tradition’ can mask fundamentally un-Anglican premises. Thomas’s argument doesn’t just fail—it fails instructively, demonstrating precisely why orthodox Anglicans found GAFCON necessary in the first place.
Thomas’s thesis is straightforward: GAFCON stands guilty of rank hypocrisy.…”
– Read George’s response here.
Related:
Photo: G26 at Abuja, via SydneyAnglicans.net.
Should evangelicals sing Hillsong, Bethel and Elevation songs in evangelical churches? — with Mal York
Posted on May 12, 2026
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This week from The Pastor’s Heart –
“Church music is one of the most formative and contested parts of local church life.
People join churches because of music. People leave churches because of music. But music is not a filler between the sermon and the prayers. The songs we sing put theology into people’s mouths and memories.
So how should we choose the songs we sing in church?
Mal York, the dean of students at Sydney’s Moore Theological College, joins us to talk about principles and pragmatics in choosing songs for church.
We discuss theological depth, singability, musical excellence, doctrinal drift, performance culture and what to do with songs from movements like Hillsong, Bethel and Elevation.”
A quote from Mal York to consider –
“Hillsong, whether we like it or not … see their songs as advertising for them. So, they see that whenever you sing a Hillsong song in your church, you are advertising their ministry. Now, some churches might be happy to advertise their ministry, but for me, I found it hard to sing those songs.” (At 13’20”.)
Sex in Marriage
Posted on May 12, 2026
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From Phillip Jensen –
“When Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he had to deal with many issues, some of which were raised by the Corinthians themselves. Several of the issues related to the subject of sexual morality.
Chapters 5 and 6 of 1 Corinthians conclude with the importance of serving God with our bodies, and chapter 7 opens with the issue of how to serve God with your body in the face of sexual immoralities. The answer is not in celibacy, but a right understanding of sex in marriage.
Peter and I are going to take several weeks to discuss the many issues raised in 1 Corinthians 7. This week, it’s sex in marriage, verses 1-6.”
Being a Christian is not the same as being Religious
Posted on May 11, 2026
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Tim Thorburn writes at The Gospel Coalition Australia –
“One of the interesting facts from early church history is that Christians were accused of being atheists.
They didn’t do the religious things that were expected by their contemporaries in the Roman world. That might be a surprise to many in the secular West, where Christians usually look obviously more religious than their secular neighbours. After all, Christians have faith, they pray, they attend worship services. Many go further by wearing crosses, carrying Bibles, fasting, and orientating their lives around priests, festivals, saints and pilgrimages.
As many of us witness an uptick in interest in religion, including Christianity, especially among young men, I wonder what these new inquirers are attracted to. Is it Jesus and his saving work? Or is it religion, with the trappings of symbols and rituals?
Exploring why the early Christians were accused of being atheists could be a helpful exercise for us in this moment. …”
Comfort in God’s Sovereignty
Posted on May 11, 2026
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“Are you feeling your life circumstances out of control? Or are you feeling anxious about the future?
Let’s take comfort with Scripture’s most comforting teaching: the Sovereignty of God. …”
– Partick Jason shares Scriptural truths at AP, the Presbyterian online journal.
Themelios Volume 51 Issue 1
Posted on May 10, 2026
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The latest issue of Themelios – Volume 51 Issue 1 – was published last month.
Free to download, this is a special issue in honour of D.A. Carson.
There are many contributions, including those by Gary Millar, Graham Cole, Peter Orr, Brian Rosner and David Peterson.
It’s available from The Gospel Coalition – here’s a direct link to the PDF version.
Pastor in Northern Ireland convicted for preaching
Posted on May 9, 2026
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News from The Christian Institute.
Changes in Bathurst Diocese
Posted on May 9, 2026
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Today, the Rev Ben Mackay will be commissioned as Rector of St. Barnabas Orange East. Please uphold him and Bron and their family in your prayers – as well as Bob and Fiona Cameron, who served at East Orange from 2017.
– via the Diocesan Facebook page.
Also, The Western Advocate has published a story on the upcoming retirement of Bishop Mark Calder. It’s a great reminder to pray for Mark and Susan and also for the election of the next Bishop of Bathurst.
– via the Diocesan Facebook page.
Targeted and Engaged Evangelism to the Eastern Orthodox
Posted on May 8, 2026
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Archie Poulos reviews and commends Certainty for Life: An invitation to those in Eastern Orthodoxy by John Diacos –
“I have spent most of my ministry seeking to evangelise Greek Orthodox, and in that pursuit John and I have sometimes laboured together and sometimes in parallel with each other. I have great delight in commending this book.”
– Read about it at The Gospel Coalition Australia.
Is a mother different from a father?
Posted on May 7, 2026
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“Australia has celebrated Mother’s Day and Father’s Day annually since the 1930s. Some might think that these days are a bit of a relic from the past, when traditional gender roles were more accepted and family structures were much less diverse. Couldn’t we now just have a Parents’ Day instead?
I don’t hold particularly strong opinions on whether observing these days is ultimately positive or negative for us as a society. But I do think that having separate days for mothers and fathers offers an opportunity to celebrate something that is increasingly absent from our community: the recognition that a parent is not just a generic, substitutable role. A parent is either a mother or a father. …”
– Just in time for Mother’s Day, The Australian Church Record has published this excerpt from Jocelyn Loane’s book on Motherhood.
Anglican Heroes: John Stott — Church Society Podcast
Posted on May 6, 2026
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From Church Society –
“Mark Meynell talks to Ros Clarke about ‘Uncle John’, his life, ministry and ongoing legacy around the world.”
– Listen here – with links to various resources.
Photo: Langham Partnership.
‘There are no rocks being thrown from this corner’ – Dominic Steele on Sam Allberry
Posted on May 6, 2026
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From Dominic Steele at The Pastor’s Heart – a compassionate and pastorally sensitive, gospel informed response.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…