EFAC Australia
Fourteen Incontrovertible Arguments in Favour of Expository Preaching
- Written by: Peter Adam
Revised 2008
[If John Maxwell can be incontrovertible about Leadership I don’t see why I shouldn’t be incontrovertible about Preaching!]
In his book “The Contemporary Christian”, John Stott describes the preacher’s task as follows: “To preach is to open up the inspired text with such faithfulness and sensitivity that God’s voice is heard and God’s people obey him”. I want to argue that best [but not the only] way of preaching is Expository Preaching – that is preaching and teaching through books of the Bible one by one.
I’m not arguing for boring Expository Preaching, nor do I think that the expository method will by itself ensure that the full message of the Bible is heard. I am arguing that as a general practice Expository Preaching makes sense and is of great value to the preacher and the congregation.
Read more: Fourteen Incontrovertible Arguments in Favour of Expository Preaching
Kenneth Gilbert Frewer – A Tribute
- Written by: Tony Nichols
Kenneth Gilbert Frewer – A Tribute
Over 400 people attended Ken Frewer’s funeral in Perth on January 25. God was greatly glorified in it all. The following is a tribute presented by Bishop Tony Nichols.
The large number gathered here today; the interstate phone calls and activity on social media testify to the widespread sense of loss and unbelief at the passing of Ken Frewer.
Over the past three months no royalty would have had more visitors to their hospital bed than Ken – many of them young people and overseas students to whom he was a mentor and father figure.Few left his side without a reading from the Bible, the Prayer Book or the CMS Prayer Diary.
Ken had a remarkable ministry of friendship which attracted people from all walks of life.He was a man of culture, an excellent pianist and a great conversationalist.But it was his interest in people, his memory for personal details and his thoughtfulness that had an impact on so many.
Scores of people asked him to baptize their children or to be a godparent. He kept track of those children over the years and often officiated at their weddings, as he did for one of our sons.
I personally got to know Ken 45 years ago when he left the public service to train for the ordained ministry at Moore Theological College.He graduated with an Honours BD and Th. Schol.After curacies at Vaucluse and Pymble he was commissioned by the Church Missionary Society for service with the CMS team in Indonesia. (He had done Indonesian studies in his Arts degree).The Protestant Church of Irian Jaya(GKI) appointed him as its first university chaplain in 1977.
Centre for Biblical Preaching
- Written by: EFAC Aust
PRESS RELEASE
Centre for Biblical Preaching
Launch Information here
The exciting vision for the establishment of a training centre to assist churches in Melbourne, Australia and the world to be equipped for Expository Preaching has been realised with the establishment of the Centre for Biblical Preaching. It marks a unique partnership between a mission and a local church.
The Church Missionary Society and St James’ Old Cathedral, Melbourne West have come together to equip men and women for expository preaching both locally and globally. Mike Raiter, Principal of Melbourne School of Theology, will step down from his present position at the end of the year and will commence as Director of the Centre from May, 2012.
The Centre for Biblical Preaching will be based at St James’ Old Cathedral on the edge of the CBD of Melbourne. Mike will lead a team of teachers and trainers who will offer courses, workshops and mentoring in expository preaching, both in Melbourne and in various locations around the world.
Mike will join the CMS Development and Training Team, since a key distinctive of this Centre will be its global focus. Commenting on the need for training in preaching amongst the churches in Asia, CMS missionary Paul Barker observes that, “the needs are enormous”. Through CMS, the Centre will partner with a number of organizations worldwide seeking to meet the urgent need of equipping church leaders across the developing world to more ably and confidently expound the Bible in ways that are culturally appropriate.
Zombie Theology
- Written by: Peter Corney
Zombie Theology – deathly ideas that stalk the Church
By Peter Corney[i]
The following six ideas are eroding classical, creedal, orthodox Christian faith. They sometimes travel under the heading of “Progressive or Emerging Christianity.”
1.CONFORMISM - The radical adapting of the gospel to fit the prevailing plausibility structure (A “plausibility structure” is what a particular culture finds easy to believe at a particular time.) This is often done covertly and dishonestly by continuing to use the language and symbols of orthodox faith but changing their first order or original meaning. Conformism is intellectually provincial; it traps itself in the spirit of the times and fails to give proper weight to the churches historic understanding of the faith. Most of the fundamental issues we face have been faced by the church in the past.
2. UNIVERSALISM – A gospel without repentance and exclusive allegiance to Christ where every one will eventually be members of the Kingdom of God even those who do not believe, reject or ignore Christ or give allegiance to another God.
3. RADICAL INCLUSIVISM – A community without boundaries of belief or practice. Loving Christian hospitality should not be confused with radical inclusivism.
4. SYNCRETISM – The acceptance of all religious beliefs as equally true and the inclusion and blending of all faiths. The logical contradictions embraced by syncretism are breathtaking.
5. COVERT UNITARIANISM - The reduction and erosion of the uniqueness, divinity and lordship of Christ. This eventually unravels the key doctrine of the Trinity. This leads to a new Arianism.
6. PANTHEISM – The confusion of God and the creation in which the distinction is dissolved and the worship of nature emerges. This inevitably leads to Monistic Pantheism and a revival of Paganism. Monism (all is one) is also the fundamental idea beneath Eastern Mysticism.[ii]
C.S.Lewis observed many years ago that Pantheism is fallen humanity’s default religious position, “....not because it is the final stage of enlightenment, but because it is the attitude into which the human mind falls when left to itself. In the absence of revealed religion, humanity gravitates towards natural religion.”(See Romans 1: 18-23)
It also reveals itself today under the titles of Evolutionary Mysticism and Religious Naturalism but it is the old pagan Pantheism.[iii]
EFAC Tribute to The Rev Dr John Stott
- Written by: Richard Condie
By Richard Condie, President of EFAC VIC.
Hebrews 13:7 says: Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.
Today we pay tribute to John Stott, from just four different aspects of his influence on the Church. EFAC, Langham, Lausanne and All Souls. There are many more stories to be told than these, and we hope that this afternoon you will share them with each other after the service. But our hope and prayer,like the writer to the Hebrews encourages, is that remembering this great leader who spoke the word of God to us, we would consider the outcome of his way of life, and we might imitate his faith.
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