Sydney Standing Committee motion on Gippsland ‘breach of trust’

So much for submitting to authority: Sydney Standing Committee motion on Gippsland ‘breach of trust’ : Anglican Church League, Sydney, Australia:

The resolution continued “Standing Committee considers that Bishop McIntyre’s earlier appointment of a practising homosexual to a ministry office and his May 18, 2012 statement represent –
(a)        a departure from the teaching of Scripture,
(b)        a departure from the Lambeth Resolution I.10 of 1998,
(c)        a departure from Faithfulness in Service §7.4,
(d)        a breach of the Australian Bishops’ Protocol agreed to by all Australian bishops (including the Bishop of Gippsland) in March this year,
(e)        a breach of trust and fellowship at a profound level which deeply grieves us.

Does God's Law Change? by R.C. Sproul Jr.

A helpful separation in laws, but it still may seem a bit arbitrary: Does God's Law Change? by R.C. Sproul Jr. | Ligonier Ministries Blog:

The distinction between positive and natural law, of course, is not always easy to make. We are not free to simply dismiss the outward at will. Consider Nadad and Abihu who apparently thought positive law was this kind of fire and natural law was just fire. Things did not go well for them. One way we can know the difference, however, is when the Bible itself calls for the change. Jesus said the bread was His body broken, the wine the cup of the New Covenant. Jesus told Peter to eat the pork. This is the same Jesus who told us that not one jot or tittle would pass away from the law.  Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. His natural law reflects not only the nature of things, but His own unchanging nature. Circumstances may change. Our Lord does not. Neither then does our obligation to obey whatsoever He commands.

Leadership in 3D

John MacArthur via a video speaking on how you can not lead via video. Leadership in 3D

Fake Love, Fake War: Why So Many Men Are Addicted to Internet Porn and Video Games

Worth reading the whole thing: Fake Love, Fake War: Why So Many Men Are Addicted to Internet Porn and Video Games - Desiring God:

Pornography promises orgasm without intimacy. Video warfare promises adrenaline without danger. The arousal that makes these so attractive is ultimately spiritual to the core.

The answer to both addictions is to fight arousal with arousal. Set forth the gospel vision of a Christ who loves his bride and who fights to save her. And then let's train our young men to follow Christ by learning to love a real woman, sometimes by fighting his own desires and the spirit beings who would eat him up. Let's teach our men to make love, and to make war . . . for real.

20 Quotes from Father Hunger

20 Quotes from Father Hunger - Desiring God:

So what is it then? What is masculinity? Simply put, masculinity is the glad assumption of sacrificial responsibility. A man who assumes responsibility is learning masculinity, and a culture that encourages men to take responsibility is a culture that is a friend to masculinity. When a culture outlaws masculinity, they soon learn that such outlaws are a terrible bane to them, instruments that destroy civilization with their mutant forms of masculinity. Every society needs masculine toughness, but it needs a toughness that lives and thrives and is honored within the boundaries of the law. And if we want this kind of toughness in the men, we have to teach it to the boys, and cultivate it in them. Like a concrete foundation, masculine toughness has to lie underneath masculine tenderness.

In Which I Ask Ann Voskamp's Forgiveness...

Authors are people too: In Which I Ask Ann Voskamp's Forgiveness... | Challies Dot Com:

I did poorly here and I can see that I need to grow in my ability to critique the ideas in a book even while being kind and loving to its author. There was reason for the shame I felt when I saw that name in my inbox. I had put effort into reading the book and understanding and critiquing it, but no real effort into showing love and respect for the author. I had assumed poor motives and in arrogance and thoughtlessness had squelched useful discussion of the book’s strengths and weaknesses.

The atheist fundification of believers.

I do think the Atheists and Fundies read the Bible in the same way: dangerous idea: The atheist fundification of believers.:

He added the problem with an Atheist insisting on a fundamentalist interpretation of Scripture to a non-fundamentalist Christian is he the atheist in a sense has to put on the hat of a Fundamentalist Religious Apologist and try to convince his opponent to adopt a view of Scripture both already reject before turning around and offering an Atheist criticism of the Fundamentalist view. 

Matt Chandler - Entertainment generation

We are the most entertained generation than ever before and yet we are still bored: Matt Chandler - Entertainment generation - YouTube

Anglican and Catholic Dioceses of Bathurst to enter into Covenant

I wonder if it will be awkward if they have communion together: Anglican and Catholic Dioceses of Bathurst to enter into Covenant : Anglican Church League, Sydney, Australia:

Anglican Bishop of Bathurst Richard Hurford and Catholic Bishop Michael McKenna will sign the covenant which will commit the two dioceses to:
• an annual ecumenical service;
• a bienniel joint clergy day;
• local services to enliven common witness to our baptism in Jesus Christ;
• exploring possibilities for sharing church plant and resources;
• cooperation in preparation for Christian marriage and Christian education; and
• openness to fellowship with other ecclesial communities.

Basics Conference 2012

Another conference that has some free audio/video up that might be worth checking out: Basics Conference 2012 - Basics Conference 2012 - Parkside Church |

I Have Friends

A good point about institutional solutions not being personal: I Have Friends by R.C. Sproul Jr. | Ligonier Ministries Blog:

“Well,” he explained, “it’s a group of men who are active in your life, that care for you enough to challenge you when you fall into sin. They watch out for you, support you, encourage you to grow in grace and wisdom.” “In that case,” I retorted, “I do have an accountability group. It’s just that I call them my friends.”

That Seamy Chain of Syllogisms

It is a slippery slope argument, but this one might be true. After all we live in a secular country, all voices should be allowed: That Seamy Chain of Syllogisms:

The reason why homosexual marriage won't end the debates (and the hate crimes of those who take up the wrong side of the debate) is that these marriage "reforms" clearly have not solved the problems of the bisexuals. With our arbitrary limitation of marital status to two and only two people, we are plainly telling the bisexual that he must choose between a heterosexual marriage or a homosexual marriage, but that he can't do both. "But I am both!" he wails . . . suppose this poor little buster wants to express all of his sexual yearnings within the holy bonds of matrimony, and the clerk down at the county courthouse, just seething with hate, won't give him a license with a place on it for three signatures. And then the Muslim guy, next in line, wants one with a place for four signatures.

Nehemiah Found!

Nice: Nehemiah Found! « With Meagre Powers:

Among the Dead Sea Scrolls, scholars found fragments (and, in some cases, fuller scrolls) of every biblical book except for Esther and Nehemiah. Until now. Torleif Elgvin (Evangelical Lutheran University College, Oslo) and Esther Eshel (Bar Ilan University, Israel) will be publishing a collection of more than two dozen previously unknown scroll fragments, including the first known fragment of Nehemiah.

Letter to a 12-Year-Old Girl About the Eternal Destiny of Those Who Have Not Heard the Gospel

I like the fact that Piper answers letters written by children. And this is a good question: Letter to a 12-Year-Old Girl About the Eternal Destiny of Those Who Have Not Heard the Gospel - Desiring God:

Does that mean that people will be saved and go to heaven if they have never heard of Jesus? No, that is not what God tells us in the Bible.

Ed Young Pastor Fashion

Turns out this site isn't a parody... which now makes it a bit of a joke: Ed Young Pastor Fashion