Essentials

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Written by: Gavin Perkins

In its 2018 report An Evangelical Episcopate, the Sydney Diocesan Doctrine Commission helpfully elucidated the core responsibilities of a Bishop in the Anglican Church. The first priority of a Bishop is to be a guardian of ‘the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints’ (Jude 3). This is the priority found in the New Testament and in the Anglican Ordinal. Through public proclamation and defence of the apostolic gospel and by personal example the bishop is to do all in his power to ensure that the teaching of Scripture shapes and directs the life, ministry and mission of his Diocese. Other priorities flow from this. The Bishop must order the ministry of the Diocese towards this gospel witness and ministry, he must exercise pastoral concern and insight, he must represent his Diocese faithfully nationally and internationally, and he must administer the work of the Diocese in line with its mission. This is the vital and onerous task of each Bishop and so we must remain deeply committed to pray for our Bishops, and we rejoice in great thankfulness for those who have and continue to discharge these duties. In this edition of Essentials, it is wonderful then to have three such faithful Bishops represented as contributors. In a global and national Anglican context in which Bishops have often been at the vanguard of heterodoxy rather than orthodoxy, it is a great joy to hear from these three brothers, Peter, Kanishka, and Paul in this edition.

Alongside these contributions we have our eyes lifted to see the work of ARDFA amongst some of the most distressed displaced peoples, holding out the love of Christ in the darkness, and we also have our minds stimulated to see with clarity the glory of Jesus’ transfiguration and its purpose for his ministry. I commend our Spring edition to evangelical Anglican friends across Australia.

GAVIN PERKINS, BOWRAL NSW
EDITOR

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Written by: Jessica Boone

From the Border: Powerful Partnerships Bearing Fruit from Burden

Powerful partnerships between Anglican churches are bringing Christ’s love to some of the most vulnerable communities.

Since the military coup in February 2021, fighting has intensified in Myanmar between the military and insurgents. It continues to have widespread, devastating effects across the country, including severe economic hardship, shortage of health services, and people unable to meet their basic needs. These hardships are particularly acute for the Karen minority, a marginalised Christian people group who also face persecution and have few options for earning an income. Karen and Karenni states have seen some of the most intense levels of fighting, displacement, and humanitarian need in the country.

There are tens of thousands of Karen people internally displaced in Myanmar or living as refugees along the Thai-Myanmar border. New waves of refugees are prompted by flair-ups in the fighting and aerial strikes. Many flee into the jungle and then make their way to refugee camps like Mae La for safety. Mae La is the largest of nine refugee camps in Thailand, hosting around 34,000 refugees of all religions.

Through ARDFA, churches from the Melbourne and Bendigo Dioceses, and St. Alban’s in WA, have been loving the Karen people in their plight, supporting the Diocese of Hpa-an in partnership with the Mothers Union (MU) and Karen Anglican Ministry at the Border (KAMB), a group of churches established on the Thai- Myanmar border area by Anglican evangelists. KAMB aims to show Christ's love as they help people in need, so as to “bear one another’s burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).

Though their resources are limited, KAMB has worked tirelessly to bring relief to those displaced along the border, including remote areas of the jungle, who often lack food, clean water, and other essentials. They also play a major role in caring for new refugee arrivals into Thailand, many of whom experience trauma and are left desolate after having to flee their homes so quickly. These new arrivals come with very little yet need to be able to support their families to survive.

These ministries move beyond simply meeting immediate needs. They’re also securing more lasting and holistic transformations and building sustainability in the lives of the Karen. In Myanmar, ARDFA’s plantation project in the remote village of Htee Ka Haw has provided the local people with the resources they need to generate income. In Thailand, land was purchased for St Luke’s Toh Ta Anglican Church with help from the Bendigo Cathedral. ARDFA raised funds to build a kitchen and dining hall that is serving the church and its community. The annual School of Biblical Theology Conference has seen Karen Christians strengthened for ministry with training in preaching, leadership, and teaching, assisted over the years by the Rev Marc Dale and other visiting teachers from Australia.

By helping new arrivals in Thailand to start microenterprises, refugees are empowered to provide for their families, become self-sustaining, and maintain their independence and dignity.

Naw Kyi Kyi Win rejoices that, “by the grace of God, the project is going well! As we help the people in need, we serve the Lord.” She is one of the many Christians who are serving the refugee community through the New Arrivals Project.

From his recent visit, the Rev Marc Dale from St. Alban’s Anglican Church, WA, reports that “when they arrive they get a month of food and capital… People have been set up with animal husbandry; weaving has been successful too. There are many food stalls - the camp is so big, it is its own economy!” In this bustling camp, Naw Toe Pwae’s ducks are multiplying. Meanwhile, Naw Mu Phaw received 500 Baht ($20 AUD) for one shirt that she had woven, which is helping to meet her family’s needs. On the profits of his family’s weaving, Saw John Htoo Say was able to build a house. Saw Poe Law Eh bought a guitar with his start-up capital and now has 20 people attending his music class.

Some of his students are now serving in the church worship band. Saw Nu Say is making cement stoves and selling them. Naw Ray Htoo attempted to expand her shop to sell drinks. It worked, and now she is sewing clothes as well, having leased a sewing machine from St. John’s MU for 200 Baht.

Life in a refugee camp is difficult for anyone, but for people with a disability, the challenge is compounded. Tragically, when he was just one month old, Saw Eh K'tu Moo (now 28) became very sick and lost the use of his legs. He walks on his knees and uses both hands to move about. Using the toilet is most difficult, as he has to go downstairs and outside. It is particularly hard for him during the rainy season. Our partners at St. John’s church report that, “his mother brought him to Mae La for safety as he cannot run when something happens. She went back to Myanmar to bring the other children."

The next development in ARDFA’s work is to improve the daily lives of refugees with disabilities. Support includes nutritional food, toiletries, medication, disability aids, accessible toilets suited to their needs, and assistance to attend regular medical appointments. Yet, amongst the hardship, ministry is fruitful and there is much to praise God for. The vulnerable are being cared for by brothers and sisters they’ve never met. Christians are supporting and serving one another as they rebuild their lives. Churches are being strengthened and evangelism is everywhere. People are coming to faith and are being baptised. Refugees are turning to Christ as they encounter Christians, witness their faith, and receive gospel-motivated love. Please keep Myanmar, its people, and our partners in your prayers.

Jessica Boone,
Anglican Relief and Development Fund Australia

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Written by: Peter Brain

Encouragements from the Familiar (or habit-forming praying brings joy to the mundane)

Some years ago, I remember reading the sage comment from George MacDonald: ‘nothing is so deadening to the minister as the habitual dealing with the outside of things.’ I took it on board as a timely warning and came up with a proposition: ‘that familiar things used rightly can become our best friends’. Let me suggest six familiar Prayer Book prayers, which if prayed regularly with a good heart, can keep us refreshed and joyful in local church ministry. They are not instant cure-alls, but have been one reason why so many pastors have been, and remain, faithful in this noblest of all tasks: the pastoring of men and women, boys and girls, in local churches, small and large, across our nation and beyond.

Habitual work, as with any vocation, be it parenting, spousing, farming, researching, labouring, teaching, administrating, health care, business, governing, policing and the trades require the establishment and practice of healthy habits. Ministry is no different in this regard, since as noted by Logan Pearsall Smith: ‘The test of a vocation is the love of the drudgery it involves’. Without good habits the mundane can easily divert us from our calling. However, habits that bring us into God’s presence can fill us with joy as we remember the big picture enterprise God has called us to. Habits that enable us to attend to the often mundane and unexpected demands, unnoticed and unappreciated, difficult as well as the easy are vital. By drawing us into fellowship with our Chief Shepherd we will have a better chance of avoiding the deadening effects of the ‘outside of things’. We will be kept from being defined by our role, helping us to be defined by our relationship with the Lord Jesus, as adopted children of our heavenly Father. These priceless prayers can keep us from falling into the ministerial hazards of comparing ourselves with other pastor’s, their gifts, churches, prominence or personalities, releasing us to be grateful to God, content to serve where He has called us to, loving and fully committed to the people of our church and quick to encourage our fellow pastors and leaders.

The prayers are all from the 1662 Prayer Book. For clarity I have used the AAPB 1978 version of each text. Some will be better known than others. Each is memorable, and I am very grateful to God and the pastors who led our services, and glad to testify that along with the Bible, have become part of my DNA as a believer since 1964 and a pastor since 1975. I share them with my fellow Anglican pastors and have no hesitation in commending them to fellow pastors from other denominations. They are entirely consistent with the Bible and have stood the test of time in encouraging and shaping pastors and believers through the ages. My only regret is that many of my fellow evangelicals may not have benefitted as much as they might have, given the demise of the full range of prayer book services. Pastors and their congregants may have been unwittingly robbed of this rich source of habitual encouragement at a time when, for various reasons, it has been difficult to stay on track as disciples and when local church ministry has never been harder.

They may help us face John Piper’s challenge: ‘that the first responsibility of the minister each day is to pray him/herself into happiness’. I am not suggesting that they should be prayed every morning (though we could do worse), nor that they are a silver bullet, but by keeping the big picture of ministry before us in prayer, the mundane and familiar become infused with large doses of God’s grace in our dual callings, as disciples and pastors.

My own conviction, borne out of experience and observation, is that these prayers, and others like them, refresh our minds, continue to captivate our hearts with love for our Saviour, ensuring our ministries are exercised ‘under God’, for His glory and for the people under our care (Gal 2:20, 1 Thess 2:8 and 1 Peter 5:1-4).

Habits are clearly commended in Scripture (Eph 6:17-20 with the four traditional means of bible, prayer, church and witnessing noted, 1 Tim 4:7b-8 with its emphasis on training and Gal 6:7-10 with its sowing metaphor outlined thus:

If you sow a thought, you reap a word.
If you sow a word, you reap an act.
If you sow an act, you reap a habit.
If you sow a habit, you reap a character.
If you sow a character, you reap a destiny. 

1. Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ our Lord. Amen. (Holy Communion AAPB)

This prayer, like the double-edged sword of Heb 4:12-13 (was it in Thomas Cranmer’s mind as he penned this prayer?) has awful consequences for those praying it trying to run from or hide sin from God. However, those who come humbly, find the remarkable assurance of Heb 4:14-16 filling their contrite heart with confidence before His throne of grace. This re-centering has many applications including:

Warnings to be heeded if we are lazy with our use of time, cherishing sin, thankless or cranky with those we are ministering with and to (Col 3:17,23; Psalm 66:18; Eph 4:3; Phil 2:1-5).

Encouragement to the weary pastor that God knows who and where we are (Ps 139, 121), our struggles and weaknesses (2 Cor 4:7-12;11:28-29;12:7-10), promising strength in our calling (1 Thess 5:24), and assurance that His Sovereign hand can always be trusted for good (Rom 5:3-5; 8:17 and 26-30).

Comfort to the pastor unsure of the congregation’s acceptance. God who knows our, and their hearts fills us with confidence that irrespective of our feelings or their attitudes toward us we are secure in His acceptance of us, as believers through justification by faith and as pastors, as dearly loved sheep and under-shepherds of His flock (Rom 5:1- 2. Jn 10:11-21; 1 Pet 5:4; Rev 2:2,9,13).

Challenge to live for the praise of God alone. His praise is never fickle or mere flattery. Knowing He is in our grandstand cheering for us, come what may, means we can relax, finding our comfort from Him.

2. Almighty and most merciful Father, we have strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have left undone what we ought to have done, and we have done what we ought not to have done. We have followed our own ways and the desires of our own hearts. We have broken your holy laws. Yet, good Lord, have mercy on us; restore those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to mankind in Jesus Christ our Lord. And grant, merciful Father, for his sake, that we may live a godly and obedient life, to the glory of your holy name. Amen. (AAPB Morning prayer p20)

The general Confession is ever so realistic since it reminds us that we who gather, stand on unholy ground, together. We can only come to God through repentance and faith. This hearty reminder not only keeps us in tune with the teaching of the New Testament (1 John 1:8-2:2) but ought to fill our hearts with gratitude for God’s gracious pardon through Jesus Christ. Any sense of pride or one-up-man-ship evaporates as we meet together with hearts open, not only for God’s nourishment and correction, but ready for any and every opportunity to serve each other, whether we like them or not. The reality is that there is only one kind of person we are able to church with each week: and that is a fellow sinner! The same goes for them with us! This unflattering, but joyful truth, is borne out in that all the exhortations in the New Testament to forgive, to be patient, to esteem, to love, to serve, to encourage are written to believers. This prayer will keep our expectations grounded and realistic (church is more like a hospital for sinners than a sanctuary for saints!). To be sure we are treated by God as saints (61/62 times plural in the NT) but we are to earnestly seek to become more and more like our Saviour in obedience. The local church is a crucible where our Lord grows us as we patiently exercise grace laden responsive service to fellow sinners. Every time we meet, this prayer reminds us to thank God for His grace to everyone else who has gathered with us. Grace that reminds us: we stand together on holy ground through Christ.
3. Clothe your ministers with righteousness: and make your chosen people joyful. (Psalm 132:9). Lord, save your people: and bless your inheritance. (Psalm 28:9). These ‘versicles and responses’ come from Morning and Evening Prayer (AAPB p.27/32) and are two of six prayers from the Psalms that are full of encouragement and challenge for ministers. The minister is prayed for by the congregation, who in turn are reminded that they, along with their ministers, are ‘God’s chosen people’ and ‘inheritance’. Nothing is as ennobling for believers to be reminded of this high calling, or as challenging to ministers to be Godly and faithful in lifestyle and ministry. God’s chosen people will be (or at least ought to be) joyful when their minister knows they are justified (counted righteous) in God’s sight by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This will keep ministers from relying upon the size of our church, popularity or abilities, which can only cause us to push our congregations to fulfil our own agendas or be impatient with them if they won’t or can’t.

It will also mean that the minister, like every other believer, should be seeking to live righteously in every aspect of their life. As pastors we are to be examples to our congregations and communities. Like Paul we want to be able to say to people: whatever you have … heard or seen in me-put it into practice (Phil 4:9). Our chief desire will be to watch our life and doctrine closely (1 Tim 4:16). Because we will be watched, we are wise to watch our lifestyle knowing that the God who watches us, welcomes us as justified sinners and adopted children. We therefore covet this prayer of His people. It goes without saying that God’s chosen people will rejoice when their minister preaches the great truth of ‘justification by faith alone, in Christ alone, by grace alone for the glory of God alone’. No doctrine is as full of encouragement to believers as this, nor as humbling to proud and self-reliant sinners. For these reasons here is a prayer for pastors to pray for each other since it will keep us on track, encourage the Lord’s inheritance, issue forth in good works, deliver joy to all who respond and perseverance in faithful preaching when people want to foolishly justify themselves before God.

4. O God, the author and lover of peace, in knowledge of whom stands our eternal life, whose service is perfect freedom; defend us your servants in all assaults of our enemies, that, surely trusting in your defence, we may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (AAPB p.28).

There are many hazards of discipleship for all believers, not least for ministers of the gospel in the front-line ministry of local churches. There are assaults of enemies of the gospel and from the great deceiver himself. The chief of these is to take back what we once surrendered to Jesus when we were converted and then set apart for ministry. The reminder that the One who saved us for eternal life, did so for the purposes of installing and investing us for a lifetime of consecrated sacrificial service, is timely given post-covid pressures, hedonism and public opposition. The world and Satan conspire to cause us to see our privileged call as either drudgery, joyless duty or too demanding to maintain. My attraction to this prayer has been that simple but wonderful phrase ‘whose service is perfect freedom’. It has served to recall me to the heart of my Saviour and Lord whose pattern, in incarnation and atonement was initiative taking, sacrificial and other-person service. This He freely gave on behalf of his people (Acts 20:27-28, Jn 3:16, 10:11, Gal 2:20), calling us to replicate and imitate in our lives (Jn 12:23-26) and find blessing in our emulating obedience (Lk 9:24, 10:20, 11:27-8, 12:32-4,37,17:29-30). The freedom of being justified by faith is a freedom to serve the Saviour. It knows nothing of laziness, self-serving or holding back (as shown by Jesus), and comes with the assurances of (Mt.28:20, 1 Cor 15:58, 2 Tim 4:6-8, 2 Peter 1:10-11, 1 Jn 3:2-3). Freedom, spoken of by Jesus in Jn 8:31-32 comes as we hold to His teaching. Like all good prayers the truths that underpin the freedom of service have the power to keep us joyful through every challenge of our calling to be serving children and servants. This prayer has the power to deliver us from the seductive ‘individualised personal Trinity of my Holy Wants, my Holy Needs, and my Holy Feelings’ (Eugene Peterson: Eat This Book page 31) so prevalent in our day in our culture and so easily imbibed by us believers.

5. Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give humble and hearty thanks for all your goodness and loving kindness to us and to all men; we bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your amazing love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace; and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us that due sense of all your mercies, that our hearts may be truly thankful and that we may declare your praise not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be all honour and glory, now and forever. Amen (AAPB p35).

This prayer reminds us of the two main reasons why we ought to give thanks to God. The common grace gifts enjoyed by all people, summed up by ‘our creation, preservation and all the blessings of this life’ and the saving grace gift of ‘the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ’ furnish us with unlimited reasons to thank God. Forgetfulness of this command to ‘thank God’ (I Thess 5:18) is as crippling to the pastor’s joy and perseverance as the disobedience of thankless pagans in Rom 1:21-23. Hearty thanks should be the heartbeat of every believer. We who are pastors have further reasons to be thankful since God calls us to be among His people sharing our lives as well as the gospel (1 Thess 2:8). As we do we get to sit and pray with fellow believers who remain faithful in chronic sickness, bereavement, temptations, troubles, trials of every kind, opposition, depression, disappointments and the snares of riches. Seeing people turn up on Sundays for worship and fellowship, give us further evidence of God’s grace. Thankfulness does many things for us like: keeping us from the diabolical tendency of allowing our anxiety and disappointment over those who have not turned up to be felt by those who have! Thankfulness keeps us from the idolatry of satisfaction with gifts rather than with our generous Giver, by doubling our blessing as we share them with God. Thankfulness keeps us from the happiness killers of preciousness about money, time and housing.

Thankfulness helps us navigate difficulties well, as means of our growth and as opportunities to be living sermons showing that we really do believe the wonderful doctrine of Romans 8:28 and endorse God’s purpose of conforming us to the likeness of His Son (Rom 8:29).

6. Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness and put on the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came among us in great humility; that on the last day, when he comes again in his glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen. Advent (AAPB p.180).

Our Lord’s gracious warning that in the last days ‘the love of many will grow cold…and that he/she who endures to the end will be saved’ (Matt 24:12) has been echoed by fellow ministers: ‘when Christ calls a man he bids him come and die’ (D Bonhoeffer), ‘if Jesus Christ be God and died for me, no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him’ (CT Studd) and ‘in the Christian life we do not stand still, we use our gifts and make progress or we lose what we have’ (Leon Morris). If thankfulness bids us to look up to God, then this prayer summons us to look forward, not to our dream church call, nor to retirement, but to the consummation when: elect from every nation…the great church victorious, shall be the church at rest. As we are taught in Scripture, the great Day of our Lord’s return in glorious majesty will be the time when the fruits of faithful living, loving preaching, Christlike example, sacrificial service, plodding pastoral care and winsome witnessing will be displayed before our very eyes gathered around the Throne of grace. We stand in awe that God’s great plan will come to fruition by His faithfulness, and in our small way, as our efforts play their part. Our Lord’s return in glory invests our work with honour and purpose. In this way we will be kept from giving up, seeking earthly recognition, neglecting evangelism or thinking (our) ministry of the gospel futile. This eternal perspective will give texts like 1 Cor 15:58, Matt 6:20, 24:31, 42-43; Eph 5:27 and 1 Tim 6:19 new currency. Riches given to sustain and bless us (Gal 6:9-10).

Peter Brain

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Written by: Kanishka Raffel

The Challenge EFAC Exists to Address

(Presidential address at the 2024 EFAC National Conference)

What a joy it is to be together in this way. As President of EFAC Australia it’s my privilege and pleasure to welcome you to Sydney, and to this National EFAC Conference – Recharge Refresh Renew

I have been asked to welcome you, which I am most happy to do, and to speak about something close to my heart. I think the program says something like ‘ministry challenges and opportunities in Sydney’, which is close to my heart indeed, but I have chosen instead to speak about the challenge that EFAC exists to address. Having served outside of the diocese of Sydney in local church ministry for twenty years, I can testify to the crucial significance of gospel fellowship – or ‘Evangelical Fellowship’ – in sustaining, encouraging and equipping me for the ministry to which God had called me.

In the early 1960s John Stott was convicted about the necessity of an international fellowship of Evangelical Anglicans because his global travels alerted him to the threat to ministry that was posed by the widespread experience of isolation.

In Australia, this includes geographical isolation which is not inconsiderable - and we have gathered from the four corners of our island continent - but in particular no doubt, Stott had in mind the reality then as now that convictions about the trustworthiness and authority of Scripture, the centrality of the Cross, the urgency of evangelism and the necessity of personal Spirit-empowered

growth in godly living were essential and everywhere evident in the Bible, but frequently peripheral or absent from Anglican ministry in some places. Added to this ‘theological isolation’ was a pattern of excluding or marginalising such perspectives from the institutional structures of diocesan life in ways that discouraged or opposed evangelical ministry.

Faithful Anglican ministry can be found just about anywhere and everywhere, but often those who are preaching the gospel, winning the lost, building up believers, equipping the saints for works of ministry are doing so in circumstances where they have little encouragement from the local leadership and often little fellowship with likeminded others. EFAC was established to connect gospel-minded Anglicans; to provide mutual encouragement and foster gospel partnership. And we ought to see clearly that such evangelical or ‘gospel’ fellowship is a means of grace. And I think it can be said that it finds its origins in the very beginnings of global, gospel mission.

I’ve read to you from the end of Colossians because these lists of names and greetings give us a window on the fellowship that is formed by the gospel. The community that is formed around the Jesus whom this letter proclaims: Jesus – the image of the invisible God, firstborn in creation, firstborn from the dead so that he might have the supremacy in everything, the Head of his body which is the church. The gospel that is proclaimed to every creature under heaven, proclaims this Jesus, and as people believe in Him, a fellowship is formed around him.

So I want to consider three aspects of the fellowship formed around Christ that we can glean from these closing, personal greetings.

First, the fellowship of Christ is a fellowship without barriers.

In 3:11 Paul had said, ‘here - that is, in the church - there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and is in all.’

(As you know, Paul says something similar elsewhere including ‘male and female’.) And to this day, this remains the most stunning affirmation of inclusivity the world has ever known.

Those whom Paul mentions in these closing verses are Jews like Aristarchus, Mark and Justus; and there are gentiles like Tychicus, Onesimus and Epaphras. But Paul regards them all with the same affection. He calls Tychicus ‘faithful minister and fellow servant’, Onesimus a ‘dear brother’, Epaphras, a ‘fellow servant’; Aristarchus, Mark and Justus he calls ‘fellow workers’ who ‘brought him comfort’.

The gospel has come into the lives of these people with very different backgrounds - ethnic backgrounds, religious backgrounds - and they were not only different, but their backgrounds required that they had nothing to do with one another. Whole communities of people who avoided, mistrusted and despised each other. But these are people who have received Christ Jesus as Lord. He is Lord of all and reconciler of all; and as he has reconciled them to himself and God the Father, he has reconciled them to each other as well.

Now there is a new community - there is a community of Christ in which the barriers count for nothing; because Christ has united what was divided. Paul seemingly makes a few casual introductions and conveys some courteous greetings - but he reveals the power of the gospel to break down barriers between people.

Paul sends greetings from Luke the Gentile doctor, and Paul greets a wealthy woman and landholder Nympha who offers hospitality to one of the churches in the area.

These greetings are not just Paul tidying up his letter. He is continuing to minister to this new and immature congregation and he is continuing to minister to us, as God applies these words to our own situation today.

I hope as we draw aside for these few days you will be renewed and refreshed in this powerful truth of the gospel that breaks down barriers and unites people to Christ and to each other.

The church that receives Christ Jesus as Lord is one where ethnic, economic, social and personal barriers take second place to unity in Christ. Christ is all and Christ is in all.

Second, these greetings and personal remarks show us a fellowship of Christ that serves Christ. 

Paul describes himself at the beginning of the letter as an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. Later, as a servant of the gospel. Apostle and servant. But what we learn from these greetings is that the gospel draws people into a fellowship around Jesus who entrusts and commissions and enlists all those who are his, into his mission.

The work of the gospel is carried on by a great partnership of co-workers who are not seeking to promote themselves but to serve others and proclaim Jesus. Paul says that he is sending Tychicus and Onesimus so that they may ‘encourage their hearts’ and ‘tell them everything that is happening’.

Paul has just said to them that they should pray with devotion and watchfulness and thanksgiving and it’s clear that Paul wants the Colossians to be informed about everything happening to him so that they can pray about it. He exhorts them to pray, and then he sends them a living prayer letter so that they can pray.

Those whom he sends serve the mission by taking the letter; those who receive the letter serve the mission by praying in response to it. To belong to the fellowship that the gospel of Jesus creates is to serve the mission of that gospel and be enlisted in that work.

Tychicus and Onesimus are going to the Colossians with the letter, but others are remaining with Paul and wrestling in prayer for those who are in Colossae. Epaphras is remaining with Paul and v12 says ‘he is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God mature and fully assured. I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.’ And I take it, his ‘hard work’ is the work of prayer.

Archippus is described as Paul’s fellow soldier in the letter to Philemon. Possibly, because he is mentioned after the church in Laodicea, he has a ministry in Laodicea. That is all we know about him. Just a name at the end of this part of scripture you might think - but in reality a wonderful work of God. Not an apostle, not an eyewitness of Jesus - just a man who in God’s mercy heard of the Lord and his work on the cross, repented and put his faith in him and became a servant in the Lord’s mission field. An ordinary believer. But that’s so valuable isn’t it? Because we’re ordinary believers.

Though we are distributed across the full breadth of this amazing country – some in cities, some in remote towns and regional centres, some in universities or prisons or hospitals or schools or universities or military bases – we are in fact a vast fellowship of coworkers in the Lord’s harvest field. I think that is both glorious and beautiful. Men and women, lay and ordained, theologically trained and those with a long obedience in the same, Spirit-led direction. Fellow workers and servants of the Lord, at work in the Lord’s harvest field.

It’s worth seeing, isn’t it, what it is like to labour in the Lord’s service. It’s not without its hardship clearly. Paul is in chains. Remember my chains he says in v 18. And even as Paul speaks of three fellow Jewish countrymen who support him, he makes the point that they are the only three - there is for Paul in his service always the sadness that more of his own people have not responded.

So there is physical hardship and emotional hardship in the work. But these greetings are laced with affection aren’t they? There is a great spirit of kindness and mutual support and encouragement and common participation in a common cause.

Tychicus, ‘fellow servant’; Aristarchus, ‘fellow prisoner’, fellow workers in the kingdom of God who have proved a comfort to me; he calls Onesimus, who was a slave, his ‘dear brother’, and the gentile physician Luke, he calls his ‘dear friend’. Bonds of affection, sharing in service and suffering, working hard - the fellowship of Christ that serves the mission of Christ.

Third, Christian fellowship is fellowship in the grace of Christ.

Paul ends his letter with this brief farewell – Grace be with you. He began the letter in the same way – 1:2 Grace and peace be with you. For Paul, there is only one source of grace and peace in the world: ‘the true message of the gospel that has come to you is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world – just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.’ (1:5) They heard and understood and believed the gospel of God’s grace – they heard it from Epaphras, and the gospel of grace gave birth to this Christian community in Colossae. What is this gospel of grace? ‘God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in Christ and through him to reconcile to himself all things by making peace through his blood shed on the cross’ (1:19), and in v23 ‘This is the gospel that you heard’.

By faith in this gospel they are united with Christ in his death and raised with him in glorious resurrection. By this gospel of God’s grace and peace, they are seated with Christ in heaven and will appear with him when he appears in glory.

By faith in this gospel they are transformed into the likeness of Christ; putting off what is evil; being clothed with compassion, kindness, humility, patience and gentleness.

John Stott said in defending the vision of EFAC, ‘Anglicanism is a largely historical phenomenon. Its death in any particular region or nation is not therefore to be regretted, provided that it is followed by a resurrection in a united church which preserves a Biblical Faith ...

Evangelicalism on the other hand, is a theological heritage. … The Evangelical has no wish to be a party man (sic). He desires, if he is true to his own Evangelical principles, to witness to Biblical truth as unchanging divine revelation.’^[i]

We are a fellowship gripped by the divine revelation of the grace and peace of God in the gospel of Jesus Christ, crucified for sin, raised in victory, ascended to the Father’s right hand, and soon returning to judge the living and the dead. It is a fellowship in Christ; it is a fellowship in the service of Christ, and it is a fellowship in the grace of Christ. Our fellowship is the gospel work of God and our fellowship serves the gospel plan of God; the gospel that all over the world is growing and bearing fruit.

My dear brothers and sisters, as we encourage one another in these short days to persevere with trust and joy in the glorious task which the Lord has entrusted to us – in a world desperate for hope and facing God’s just judgement – may the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus be with you, in every way.

Kanishka Raffel
Archbishop of Sydney and President of EFAC Australia

^[i] 1 T Dudley-Smith, John Stott – A Global Ministry, (IVP, London 2001) p 52.

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Written by: Mike Raiter & Tim Collison

Last year Essentials published my article, ‘Homiletical Health Check’, a survey of sermons in 20 churches from different denominations. In that article we heard the preachers speak. Now it’s time to hear the listeners. Essentials decided to conduct a follow-up survey, asking congregational members what they thought of the preaching in their churches. 47 churches were asked to participate; nine responded. Out of those nine churches 53 people filled in the survey. All the churches are evangelical, and just over one-half are Anglican. Nearly all the respondents live in urban areas, with most living along the eastern seaboard: 72% live in Melbourne, Sydney, or Brisbane.

The obvious weakness in the survey is the small data set. Nevertheless, the survey still works as a qualitative assessment of what value members of evangelical churches place on preaching. As such, there are valuable insights for people who preach regularly.

The survey asked 12 questions. We’ll briefly summarise the response to each question.

1: WHAT IS THE FOCAL POINT DURING YOUR SUNDAY GATHERING?

The focal point of most of these services is the sermon.

2: ON A SCALE OF 1 - 10, WITH 1 BEING THE LOWEST, AND 10 THE HIGHEST, HOW IMPORTANT IS PREACHING FOR YOU PERSONALLY?

91% of people surveyed answered the question between 8 and 10. And the lowest score chosen was 7. And those who chose 7 did so because they understood that the other parts of the service were also important to them.

3: WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THAT PARTICULAR RATING IN QUESTION TWO?

Those who responded to question two with a “10” all answered that preaching helps them to know the word of God better, and grow spiritually.

4: WHAT DIFFERENT TYPES OF SERMONS ARE THERE AT YOUR CHURCH?

The most common type is expositional. The next most common are evangelistic and thematic.

5: HOW FREQUENTLY IS A SERMON IN YOUR CHURCH GIVEN IN A MANNER THAT YOU CAN EITHER TAKE SOMETHING CONCRETE FROM IT, OR THE APPLICATION IS CLEAR?

The majority of respondents (46 out of 53) felt that out of every four sermons at least three had something applicable to their lives.

6: WHEN THERE IS APPLICATION HOW OFTEN IS IT EITHER: "TELL SOMEONE ABOUT JESUS", "READ YOUR BIBLE", "PRAY MORE FREQUENTLY" OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.

60% of respondents felt there is an appropriate balance of application in the sermons. 32% felt the application was always one of those three applications.

7: HOW OFTEN DOES THE PREACHING AFFIRM OR ENCOURAGE THE CONGREGATION FOR THEIR FAITHFULNESS AS CHRISTIANS?

81% of respondents felt that the preaching regularly affirms the congregation for their faithfulness as Christians.

8: WHAT'S THE TYPICAL LENGTH OF SERMONS AT YOUR CHURCH?

About one-third of respondents hear sermons which are between 21-25 minutes long. About another one third are hearing sermons up to 40 minutes long. That means about one-third are hearing sermons between 16-20 minutes, or up to an hour in length.

9: ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE LENGTH OF THE SERMONS? ARE THEY: TOO SHORT, TOO LONG OR ABOUT RIGHT?

89% of respondents felt that they were satisfied with the length of the sermons at their church. This was regardless of whether the sermons were 16 minutes long, or longer than an hour.

10: WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT THE PREACHING AT YOUR CHURCH?

The most consistent comment is that people appreciate preaching which is based on the Bible (36%), is clearly and engagingly delivered, and which they can apply to their lives. People also mentioned that they appreciate well researched sermons.

11: WHAT PARTS OF THE PREACHING AT YOUR CHURCH MIGHT NEED MORE ATTENTION?

The majority said ‘nothing’ (30 %). Those who did comment would like more depth to the sermons, better application, and would like more variety in delivery and style.

12: ARE THERE ANY PARTICULAR COMMENTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IN RELATION TO THE PREACHING AT YOUR CHURCH?

Here’s a sample of the comments:

• “They are Bible-centric, relevant to the sermon series theme, well researched and delivered.”
• “We are blessed with three ministers…with various styles of preaching and all keep us on our toes as they deliver God’s message”.
• “It’s consistently very good.”
• “I look forward to it”.
• “I like longer sermons that go deeper.”
• “We are truly blessed by the standard of preaching”.

There were many other similar comments.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

Again, we need to bear in mind that this is a small sample. Perhaps preachers who are less confident about their preaching or were concerned about what their people might say, decided not to distribute the survey. Or, perhaps, in the busyness of church life it just was too far down the priority list. But a few things stand out.

People value good preaching. One of my (Mike’s) observations over many years is that a good sermon covers a multitude of – not sins - but perhaps deficiencies in other areas. The pastor may not be the best administrator, or a great counsellor, or even a less committed visitor of the people, but if a spiritually tasty and nutritious meal is served up on Sunday then people will thank God for the ministry.

People are receiving solid application. When I ask preachers where they struggle, the most common response is in application. On the one hand, the survey suggests that people feel the Biblical expositions they hear are well applied to their lives. On the other hand, a number also feel that application needs to be a constant focus in the sermons.

People are happy with the length of the sermon.

While ‘how long should a sermon be?’ is a hot debate amongst preachers, if this survey is anything to go by, it’s less of an issue for the people. Most have been trained to listen to a sermon of a certain length and are content with that. The key issue isn’t length but faithfulness to the Bible and good application.

People appreciate sermons that ‘go deep’ and are well-researched. If I can put this in my own words, most people can discern when a sermon has been thoroughly prepared and not just hurriedly written the night before. And they like new insights, perhaps into the text or how the Bible speaks into our contemporary situation. In short, they appreciate sermons that are intellectually stimulating.

Well done! The last lesson to take home from this survey is that many (most?) evangelical preachers are serving God’s people well in their preaching, and so honouring the God who has set them apart for this work. The people really appreciate it (even if they don’t always tell you). Let this be a stimulus to us, not to sit back on any laurels, but continue to grow as preachers to the glory of God and the edification of the saints.

Michael Raiter is the Director of the Centre for Biblical Preaching. Tim Collison is Assistant Minister St Marks’ Camberwell and Secretary of EFAC Australia