Anglican Communion

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Written by: Peter Brain

Created: 01 September 2024

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: Peter Jensen

Created: 01 September 2023

In speaking of the challenge of GAFCON, I ought to indicate, of course, that I myself was present when the idea of GAFCON was born in December 2007 and helped organise the first Jerusalem Conference in June the next year. Following that I became the General Secretary of GAFCON, a position I held until 2018. Thus, I am no uncommitted bystander, although I am no longer present at the key policy-making decisions. However, I can speak with some knowledge about the history and significance of the movement, and I want to discuss something of the challenge that GAFCON represents in the Anglican Communion and a particular challenge that GAFCON faces.

Among bishops and the keen observers of the Anglican Communion, the phrase ‘Lambeth 1.10’ refers to something so well known that it needs little introduction or explanation. It is, of course, a reference to the famous (or, for some, infamous) Resolution of the Lambeth Conference in 1998 on the subject of human sexuality and especially homosexuality. The Resolution was passed by an overwhelming majority of those present and voting, namely 526 to 70.

Read more: The Challenge of, and the Challenge to, GAFCON

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Written by: Bishop Keith Sinclair

Created: 01 June 2023

Global Implications from Lambeth 1998 Resolution 1:10 and Actions Since

This is an abridged version of the address given by Bishop Keith on Tuesday 18th April at GAFCON 4 in Kigali, Rwanda.

Let me begin with the global implications of Resolution 1:10 from Lambeth 1998.

It is important to remember that 1998 was the last time all the Bishops of the Anglican Communion met together as one body to take counsel together. They followed the pattern of earlier conferences, praying under the word of God and sought to express the mind of the whole Anglican Communion, as part of the one, holy, catholic, apostolic church.

In Resolution 1:10 they sought to express that mind in relation to human sexuality. The whole resolution was passed overwhelmingly by 526 to 70. Given the overwhelming numbers and the clear summary of the teaching of Scripture, there might have been reason for confidence that this Resolution would now shape the life of the whole Anglican Communion. The main reason for confidence, however, was that 1:10 did no more and no less than attempt to faithfully summarise the teaching of scripture in relation to human sexuality.

It spelt out;

• In view of the teaching of Scripture (the basis of all that follows), upholding faithfulness in marriage between a man and a woman in lifelong union, believing that abstinence is right for those not called to marriage.
• What biblical holiness meant especially for those ordained and the authorised prayer ministry of the Church;
• It said we “cannot advise the legitimising or blessing of same sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions”;
• It recognised and committed the whole Church to “recognise(s) that there are among us persons who experience themselves as having a homosexual orientation” and “to listen to the experience of homosexual persons;
• The bishops wished to assure these people “that they are loved by God and that all baptised, believing and faithful persons, regardless of sexual orientation, are full members of the Body of Christ” AND
• And “while rejecting homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture”, they called, “on all our people to minister pastorally and sensitively to all irrespective of sexual orientation and to condemn irrational fear of homosexuals, violence within marriage and any trivialisation and commercialisation of sex”.

These were bold statements even then, and rightly based on Scripture and the gospel. They called the church to be full of truth and grace built on the word of God.

The resolution in the matter of human sexuality was calling the whole church to the obedience of the whole gospel as revealed in the whole of scripture for the blessing of the whole world.

Brothers and Sisters if we are to commend this Resolution today as expressing the truth and grace of God in the Bible, as I hope we will, let us commit to fully live this truth and grace ourselves wherever we live and whatever our cultural context, acknowledging humbly our own sin, even as we call upon the whole Anglican Communion to live fully in this grace and truth now.

COUNTER CULTURAL CALL

I hope you will agree that Resolution 1:10 gives expression to the call of Romans 12:1-3 in relation to our obedience of faith in matters of human sexuality. All of us are called to remain faithful to the gospel and the word of God.

All of us may find that difficult in different ways according to our own culture.

Different parts of Lambeth 1.10 will challenge our different cultures in different ways, sometimes in difficult ways, but that is what will happen when we do not conform to this world but allow the Spirit of God to transform us by the renewing of our mind.

At all times and in all places we will find we have to be countercultural, including in relation to sexuality.

As we are faithful and where necessary counter-cultural as Lambeth 1:10 invites us following on from Romans 12, then we can by the grace of God transform our own culture.

CONSEQUENCES

But faithfulness and cultural transformation is not what happened after Lambeth 1998.

We have heard already of the reaction to this resolution in North America and the consequences in relation to the Instruments of Unity, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the admonishing response of the Global South, and the creation of GAFCON. We have heard of the necessity of drafting and approving the Jerusalem Declaration in 2008.

The well-known words of the Primates meeting of 2003 bear repeating, not least in considering the recent decision of the General Synod of the C of E, 20 years later, and the Lambeth Conference in 2022, when there were for the first time ever in the history of the Anglican Communion bishops present in same sex unions.

This was the Primates in 2003 in response to the consecration of one bishop and the blessing of same sex unions then “At this time we feel the profound pain and uncertainty shared by others about our Christian discipleship in the light of controversial decisions … to authorise a Public Rite of Blessing for those in committed same sex relationships, and by the 74th General Convention of the Episcopal Church (USA) to confirm the election of a priest in a committed same sex relationship to the office and work of a Bishop.”

And then “If his consecration proceeds, we recognise that we have reached a crucial and critical point in the life of the Anglican Communion and we have had to conclude that the future of the Communion itself will be put in jeopardy. This will tear the fabric of our Communion at its deepest level.”

We appear to be in a place where the Church of England is now proposing to do on the recommendation of the English House of Bishops and the Archbishop of Canterbury what the Primates said in 2003 should not be done.

INSTRUMENTS OF UNITY TO 2008?

Before we consider briefly what has happened now in the Church of England, it is worth asking ourselves how throughout the intervening period the so called instruments of unity have tried to find a way to repair this tear. Has there been an attempt to find a way to walk apart given that the divisions on both sides recognise this as not being adiaphora?

It soon became clear in North America before and after the consecration of Gene Robinson, that those arguing for a change in the doctrine and practise of the Anglican Communion believe this to be a matter of justice, invoking all the prophetic words on the subject in scripture in support. Those Provinces following TEC and the Anglican Church of Canada, in New Zealand, Brazil, Scotland, Wales have rejected Lambeth 1:10, and declared that the blessing of same sex unions is not contrary to the teaching of Scripture and those in such unions may be ordained and consecrated as Bishops.

A Commission was established in October 2003 by the Archbishop of Canterbury at the request of the Anglican Primates. As we now face the continuing consequences some of the Commissions’ comments still make for salutary reading; it said in 2004 “However, if realistic and visionary ways cannot be agreed to meet the levels of disagreement at present or to reach consensus on structures for encouraging greater understanding and communion in future it is doubtful if the Anglican Communion can continue in its present form.”

“Should the call to halt and find ways of continuing in our present communion not be heeded, then we shall have to begin to learn to walk apart.”

But these words were not heeded; the moral authority of Resolution 1:10 was not recognised and the tear worsened.

INSTRUMENTS OF UNITY 2008 TO LAMBETH 2022

What I find extraordinary is that since that time, nearly 20 years ago now, and with another Lambeth Conference in view (even delayed by the pandemic) there has not been another attempt made to repair the tear, no intra Provincial commissions to find a way forward even if it means finding a way to walk apart. Rather after the Primates Meeting in 2016 the Archbishop of Canterbury appealed to “good disagreement” which seemed to mean that both these convictions about the “teaching of scripture” could be permitted within the Anglican Communion without any decision being made between them. This view became explicit during the Lambeth Conference 2022. A call to reaffirm Resolution 1:10 seems to have been introduced into the Call on Human Dignity (at the last minute) only to be hastily withdrawn after protest.

Here is John Stott in his book “Same Sex Relationships” quoting Wolfhart Pannenberg (Professor of Theology at Munich) with approval “The biblical assessments of homosexual practise are unambiguous in their rejection!” He (Pannenberg) therefore concludes that a church which were to recognise same sex unions as equivalent to marriage “would cease to be the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church”.

For a tremendous assessment of the Lambeth Conference 2022, please see the superb Communique from the Global South and its reaffirmation of Lambeth 1:10 in its entirety, its call for a resetting of the Anglican Communion and its call for visible differentiation from those Provinces which have impaired communion by departing from the biblical faith.

CHURCH OF ENGLAND

What of the Church of England?

It seems that what was permitted at Lambeth 2022 is now being promoted within the Church of England. The plea for unity is made constantly without regard for the truth which is at the heart of Resolution 1:10, the teaching of scripture.

There are however still many orthodox and evangelical voices in the Church of England who uphold that truth and have not accepted the claim that unity can be divorced from it.

The church which God used to bring the gospel to so many parts of the world because of her faith in that scriptural revelation, now seems to have succumbed to the very cultural captivity it appealed to so many to renounce.

Formally it remains to be seen how the Bishops’ will respond to what has been said globally and in England. At the Lambeth Conference 2022 the Archbishop said “the validity of the resolution passed at the Lambeth Conference 1998, 1:10 is not in doubt and that whole resolution is still in existence.” The question on the lips of many in England and around the world is “valid to whom”? If this is still true, then surely the revised prayers and guidance which the Bishop’s will bring to Synod, must explicitly demonstrate they are within Resolution 1:10, which must mean there can be no blessings of sexual relationships outside heterosexual marriage. We are praying that the Archbishops and Bishops will draw back.

We await the final proposals, pastoral guidance and prayers in July or later this year. We are told that what is proposed is not a departure from the doctrine of the Church of England. The General Synod have required the Bishop’s to ensure that this is the case.

CONCLUSION

Let me finish with words from the prophet Jeremiah who has become a bit of a familiar friend over these last years. These words became something of a watchword for Bishop JC Ryle first Bishop of Liverpool. I am sure he would echo them now in relation to the Church of England and the whole Anglican Communion

Thus says the Lord: Stand at the crossroads and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies; and walk in it and find rest for your souls.

Jeremiah 6:16

Bishop Keith Sinclair has just finished up as the National Director of the Church of England Evangelical Council and is an EFAC Global Trustee and retired Bishop of Birkenhead.

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Written by: Stephen Hale

Created: 01 September 2022

What is the current state of play in the Anglican Church in Australia*? That’s a big question and the following are a few perspectives.

1. Encouragements

It used to be that there were three evangelical Dioceses in Australia – Sydney, Armidale and North West Australia. It was that way for a long time. Today we can be encouraged by a big shift. Many Dioceses have changed or are changing! It is a fundamental realignment. Even in Dioceses where evangelicals are in a minority, there are great signs of change and growth. This showed up more fully at General Synod in both the range of speakers from right across the country and also in the election results.

This growth and change can be attributed to many factors (in no particular order):

• Two strong theological Colleges in Moore and Ridley (are they the two strongest Anglican Theological Colleges in the western world?)
• Healthy and encouraging episcopal ministry in many places
• The work of BCA/CMS
• EFAC’s role in being a fellowship and a place of encouragement for gospel ministry and biblical preaching. People know each other across our country because of the many Conferences held over many decades
• Healthy models of good parish ministry and good quality clergy and high calibre lay leadership
• An ongoing commitment to ministry with children and families and young people
• Strong student ministry
• Church planting and evangelism
• People’s willingness to participate in Synods both nationally and in their own Dioceses
• Community care expressed in all sorts of ways in all sorts of places
• Work in schools
• Cross cultural ministry and the growing number of language specific (non-English) churches
• Indigenous ministry and partnerships 

2. Challenges

There is much one could say here as well, but here are five major challenges.

1. The future of the parish
   In many parts of the country the parish system is struggling to survive. This is particularly the case in remote rural Australia, as well as in parts of our major cities where the demographic realities (aging congregations) are now pushing many churches into precarious places. The first step is often moving to part time ministry and then the cobbling together of unviable churches as a way of continuing on.  Most people go to the church of their choosing and this has big implications as to the shape and relevance of the so-called local church. How many micro churches can a Diocese sustain and how do we manage decline while responding to new opportunities for growth?
2. Rebuilding during an ongoing health crisis 
   Generally speaking, many churches are 20% to 30% smaller in mid-2022 than in mid-2019. This has been very tough as people are having to manage two things simultaneously: maintaining ministry in a context where the impact of illness is a week in and week out reality and having less people overall. At the same time, many people are seeking to rebuild ministries that may have fallen away during these past two years. The overall sense is that many people are both exhausted and somewhat disheartened.
3. Children’s, Families and Youth
   There has been a general decline in the number of children, families, and young people with whom churches are connecting with. While there has been a necessary focus on being child safe, this has made the task of raising volunteers much more complex and challenging. New innovative ideas are needed for connecting with non-church children and families as well as young people. Helping young people (and their parents) to navigate the complex sexual and identity issues of our day is incredibly demanding and pastorally challenging.
4. Ordained Ministry 
   At present there is an increasing concern that the number of people offering for ordination is not sufficient to meet the ongoing needs into the future. Whether this is a temporary blip, or an on-going trend is unclear. Many (one could even suggest, far too many) clergy are being asked to go into unhealthy churches in the hope of pulling off a revival. While this is possible and does happen, in many cases it leads to people being crushed and often leaving ministry. In the main, most clergy would prefer to work in a team rather than on their own. It is easier to start a new church than to turn around an established church.
5. Evangelism 
   For the last decade or more there has been a huge conversation going on about mission and how we enable our churches to become missionally effective. These conversations have been important. At the same time, it has become increasingly complex and to some extent overwhelming. There are so many ways forward being promoted that it can be confusing and disempowering for many people. In the midst of all of this discussion and ferment we seem to have lost sight of simply seeking to see people come to faith. In a context where the wider culture is seemingly running against us, this passion for the gospel and for reaching the lost needs to be recaptured and encouraged. In God’s providence the language specific (non-English) ministries set a shining example for us.

Bishop Stephen Hale
Chair, EFAC Australia and EFAC Global

*Contention around orthodoxy and marriage were addressed in my report on General Synod in the last edition.

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Written by: Stephen Hale

Created: 01 June 2022

Most of the news in the secular press and various religious media from the Anglican General Synod has focussed on one motion and one issue. Indeed, General Synod did consider an important motion seeking to affirm the traditional understanding of marriage. The context for this was the Appellate Tribunal decision in relation to same sex blessing in the Diocese of Wangaratta. The Tribunal had indicated that if the General Synod wanted to make a statement on marriage it was should do so. The motion to affirm a statement on the doctrine of marriage was moved by Archbishop Kanishka Raffel in a thoughtful and sensitive speech and seconded by Natalie Rosner (Melbourne) who spoke to the pastoral challenges of upholding the Bibles teaching. While it was solidly supported in both the house of laity and the house of clergy, the house of bishops narrowly voted not to support it. It is worth noting that Sydney delegates accounted for roughly 50% of the lay and clergy support. There was therefore strong support from people from a wide range of dioceses across the country.

For those present there was significant upset at the outcome of this motion. While disappointing, it doesn’t change anything in any Diocese, nor does it change the previous statements of General Synod which have consistently upheld an orthodox doctrine of marriage. The reality is that since the Appellate Tribunal decision in 2020, Dioceses have been free to make their own decisions in relation to same sex blessings.

Another important motion did pass which clarified a definition of unchastity as sexual intimacy outside of marriage, with similar levels of support in each house, the only difference being that the house of bishops very narrowly supported it.

From an EFAC perspective there are two things to note. Firstly, the bishops of our church are now clearly out of step with the lay and clerical representatives at Synod. How this will play out is uncertain. The Diocese of Melbourne will be a focal point given the unexpected action of its bishop at General Synod!

Secondly the Synod reflected the fundamental shift that is taking place in the ACA. The majority of those elected or appointed for both the Standing Committee and the Primatial Election Board (except for the House of Bishops) are evangelicals from across Australia. During the Synod there were wonderful speeches from evangelicals from across Australia and many people from many places made great contributions. There was a high level of cooperation between evangelicals at Synod from across Australia.

EFAC Australia ran an evening session at General Synod with around 80 people present. Bishop Mark Short led an interactive panel of Kara Hartley (Sydney), Kate Beer (NT), Bishop Matt Brain (Bendigo) and Bishop Richard Condie (Tas). It was a great session and we spent time in prayer for the Synod.

General Synod reflects the life of our church in many respects. However, it doesn’t reflect the day to day reality of people serving our great God in and through the parishes, church plants and agencies of our church.

Stephen Hale is the former Lead Minister of the St Hilary’s Network and a Regional Bishop in the Diocese of Melbourne. Stephen is the Victorian Director of Overseas Council Australia and Chair of EFAC Global and EFAC Australia.

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Written by: Breeana Mills

Created: 01 December 2021

Anglican priest John Wesley was convicted of the need to preach to English miners who were not engaged in local churches. These gatherings drew the poor and marginalised in every town, seeing many choosing to follow Jesus. So, Wesley created different structures of classes, small bands, and societies, to facilitate discipleship and evangelism within these people groups. So began the Methodist revival.

Mary Sumner experienced the difficulty of motherhood in 19th Century England, where Christian values were coming up against the industrial revolution. Driven by a conviction to support mothers, she gathered women from different social classes together to encourage them in motherhood and faith. Women with no church connections came to faith, worshipped together, and sought to reach other mothers. These meetings multiplied throughout England and were in 9 countries within 7 years. Mother’s Union was born.

Simple forms of church are not new. They have been happening for generations and bringing revival to the traditional church in different ways. Some we have embraced; some we have cast aside. Today’s movements of missional communities, micro churches or simple churches are no different. The question is, will we embrace or case aside such expressions of church?

Long before language of micro church became prevalent, missiologist Lesslie Newbigin offered two critiques of church structures of his times. Firstly, that the fundamental ecclesial unit was too large, and secondly that the current structure of the church emerged from an undifferentiated society, which is no longer descriptive of our modern society (Goheen, 2018, 123–126).

Missiologist Ralph Winter also noted in the early 1990’s that the majority of American churches currently exists for the middle class, and a cross-cultural mission approach will be need to reach the “unreached peoples” of America (Winter, 1990, 98–105). It follows that we see new and different forms of church emerging within the Anglican communion to reach unreached Australians.

Throughout history the Anglican church has adapted to changing circumstances, and in a post-covid world this will be no different.

Recently, the Archbishop of Canterbury faced a similar question with the rise of many fresh expressions with the Church of England. Instead of resisting these new expressions, the Archbishop of Canterbury suggested:

“It is clear to us that the parochial system remains an essential and central part of the national Church's strategy to deliver incarnational mission. But the existing parochial system alone is no longer able fully to deliver its underlying mission purpose. We need to recognize that a variety of integrated missionary approaches is required. A mixed economy of parish churches and network churches will be necessary, in an active partnership across a wider area, perhaps a deanery" (cited in Cray, 2009, x).

As we look through scripture it’s clear that ekklesia did not designate a single form, the focus is instead on a gathering of people. It is used in scripture to refer to larger public gatherings, such as in Solomon’s colonnade (Acts 5:12) as well as household gatherings, such as those who met at Priscilla and Aquila’s house among others (1 Cor 16:19, Phil 2, Col 4:15). Both approaches were held together in the early church, where believers met in the temple courts and in their homes (Acts 2:46). Paul’s letter to the Corinthians also demonstrates that these house churches often came together for larger gatherings (1 Cor 11:17, 22). While some may be tempted to see a modern church and small group network in these two structures, Paul is clear that both were a place of discipleship and evangelism (Acts 5:42). The early church used a variety of structures as needed in their context. Perhaps once again, in a post-covid world it is once again a fitting season for a movement of small Anglican churches?

So, what is a simple church or micro church?

Thom Rainer defines a simple church as “a congregation designed around a straightforward and strategic process that moves people through the stages of spiritual growth.” (Rainer, 2006, 60) Brian Sanders defines church Rev  as a “worshipping community on mission,” a group of people engaging together in regular rhythms of worship, community and mission, seeking to be a blessing towards a particular network or neighbourhood (Sanders, 2019, 34). These forms of churches are stripped back and simple. They are accessible not only to the dechurched, but predominately to the unchurched. Like John Wesley and Mary Sumner, these churches seek to take the church to the people, rather than asking the people to come to church. They seek to make disciples, and to multiply disciple-makers. While many of today’s churches seek to grow larger in number, these churches seek to go wider in reach, remaining small by continuing to multiply.

Micro churches are Jesus-centred communities, birthed when a small group of disciples collectively sense a call from God to love and serve a particular community in their area. Whether this is a geographical space or an affinity network, everything they do comes from a genuine desire to love this particular community. Yet, unlike a typical small group or even some house churches who engage together in times of worship and fellowship in community, a micro church also engages regularly in mission together. It’s a part of their identity, they exist for a missional purpose. This purpose shapes the way they engage in worship and fellowship as a community. Their worship still includes regular Anglican practices of the Lord’s Supper, baptism, confession, and intercessory prayer, but seeks to do so in a way accessible to those within their missional focus.

Micro churches seek to be a community conformed to the image of Christ. Graham Hill rightly suggests that the greatest issue in the Australian church today is our lack of conformity to Christ (Hill, 2020, 22). While it may be possible to hide within a larger community, within a smaller group, discipleship or the lack therefore becomes evident quickly. Jesus said people would know we are his disciples by the way we love one another (John 13:35). Micro churches believe that this is an essential part of their witness. As micro churches reach out into the community, they seek to demonstrate Christ and make disciples, multiplying into every corner of our nation to the glory of God.

Finally, these communities are called to unity and collaboration with the mainstream Anglican church. In the early church it’s evident that there is partnership between house churches, and city-wide churches. As a church we are called to unity, but not necessarily uniformity. Our unity should transcend differences in practices, music, and structures, while holding tightly together to gospel truths. The Spirit is equally at work in the mainstream church, as in the many Anglican micro churches already in existence across Australia. Today as micro churches are becoming more prominent within and alongside our churches, the question is will we embrace them?

The micro church movement, by God’s grace, has gained increasing interest, traction, and fruitfulness throughout the pandemic. Whether the Anglican church chooses to accept these expressions or not, they will continue to engage in gospel-centred, Kingdom-focused ministry, taking the church to the unreached peoples of Australia. My hope is that in the future we would see them do so as representatives of the Anglican church of Australia, and we would partner with them as they go.

Recently, a small traditional Anglican church in Melbourne’s east has entered a partnership with a new micro church network church plant. The partnership is hoping that this church plant, primarily of young adults, will learn from the maturity, traditions, and experience of the existing Anglican church, while the existing church will be invigorated by the missional fervour of the church plant. While it is still very much in its infancy, it provides a picture of a possible way forward for the Anglican church of Australia. Micro churches and mainstream churches working together for God’s glory.

 Rev Breeana Mills is Assistant Curate at St Philips Mt Waverly, Melbourne and leader of a nearby micro church network church plant.