For the first time in five years, the national body of the Anglican Church of Australia met this week to discuss many matters, including its teaching about marriage.

In this first gathering since the marriage plebiscite in 2017, the members of this so-called ‘General Synod’ were asked to agree to a statement that simply reaffirmed what it had always declared, namely that marriage is between one man and one woman, exclusively, for life.

In the end, the decision was made to separate the vote into three ballots, and whilst the lay and clergy votes were firmly in support of the orthodox statement, the majority of bishops in charge of dioceses around Australia did not vote in favour, with 12 against and 10 for.

Because the statement was not passed, the Synod simply maintains the previous, orthodox position from 2017, although relationships within our national church continue to deteriorate.

For us in Jamberoo, this has very little impact, because our own Diocese of Sydney strongly affirms the Bible’s teaching on marriage, and is not required to adopt the theology of the national church.

Yet, for Anglican churches in dioceses where their bishops reject the Bible’s teaching on marriage, it becomes increasingly difficult for orthodox ministers to submit to the leadership of their progressive bishops.

That is why Gafcon is so important, as it provides support and encouragement to those who are seeking to faithfully teach the word of God in a hostile environment.

Furthermore, recent developments in Gafcon Australia have begun to provide a pathway for individual churches to leave the Anglican Church of Australia and join a new diocese, in fellowship with over 70% of orthodox Anglicans around the world.

Let us pray that those who have strayed from the orthodox position will repent and believe the clear teachings in the Bible, and resist the temptation to conform to the world.

Let’s also pray that through these challenging times that the Lord will give us fresh energy to proclaim Christ faithfully to the nations!

JODIE McNEILL

(Photo credit: 19melissa68 via Flickr.com)

Last weekend, 30 youth and leaders from Jamberoo Anglican headed up to the Blue Mountains to attend KYCK, a conference for high schoolers.

From Friday night until Sunday lunchtime, we gathered together with over 2000 other young Christians.

We ‘enjoyed’ the famous Blue Mountains cold and rain for the purpose of meeting together with youth from churches around the state, sitting under God’s word together and singing praises to him.

Over the 6 sessions of the weekend, we looked at the book of Philippians, and particularly thought about the theme of ‘Joy’.

We were encouraged by Paul’s words and example of joy, writing about being confident in the supremacy and love of Christ, even as he penned those words from a prison cell.

Philippians 3:6-7 reads ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’

Joy according to Philippians looks like having confidence in Christ, and being ‘stoked on Jesus despite circumstances.’

For a Christian, we can always have joy in Christ whatever situation we find ourselves in.

Joy exists alongside day-to-day emotions like happiness or sadness.

Paul’s situation in a Roman prison was hardly a happy experience, but he was so joyful in Christ.

Paul knew his eternity was secure with Christ, so he could remain full of joy.

Nearly 2000 years later, that truth remains the same for us.

If we have a relationship with Jesus, Romans 8:31-39 reminds us that nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of Christ.

My prayer for us is that we keep leaning into our relationship with Jesus, and keep discovering the peace of God, which transcends all understanding.

That’s something to be joyful about.

BRAD VIDILINI

How confident are you about the future?

There are so many unknowns right now, aren’t there?

At a time of escalating war in Europe, and an ongoing global pandemic, it’s harder and harder to make plans about anything.

Sometimes it’s hard to be confident in the future when there’s so much uncertainty, but there’s actually something in which we can have total confidence.

We can have total confidence in our eternal future, if we personally follow Jesus.

The Bible tells us that if we personally follow Jesus, then we can be totally confident about Judgement Day.

In Romans 8 we read that, “If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?” (verse 31 and 32)

We can have certainty for eternity because God gave up his Son Jesus for us.

But what’s more, we are spiritually bulletproof if we follow Jesus, verse 33:

33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honour at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

That means that on Judgement Day there will be no condemnation for those who personally follow Jesus.

Furthermore, because Jesus rose from the dead, it means that we’ve got more than enough evidence for our confidence.

We can have “right standing” with God, because Jesus took our place.

If you personally follow Jesus as your loving ruler, then he will take care of you on Judgement Day, and you will have nothing to fear.

That’s a future we can have confidence in!

JODIE McNEILL

(photo credit: Dr. Matthias Ripp via Flickr.com)

On Wednesday night I joined with millions around the world to watch the telecast from the MCG of the memorial service for Shane Warne.

It was a joyful occasion of thanksgiving for the life of a man who entertained people throughout the world with his antics on and off the cricket field.

As someone who has the privilege of conducting funeral services, I found it fascinating to watch what happens when unbelievers try to make sense of death and the afterlife.

We heard that Shane was “taken from us” too young… an acknowledgement that someone or something was in control of the universe.

Another person was certain that he would be together with Warnie again soon… which showed a confidence in life after death.

Others mentioned that they knew that Shane was watching down on them, as a star in the sky.

Furthermore, nearly all of those who reflected on his life did so by directly addressing Shane, even though they had already conducted a funeral to dispose reverently of his mortal body.

It seemed that there were very few, if any, materialistic atheists at that memorial service.

Almost everyone spoke as though there was immortality of the soul in some way, and that the death of a body does not signal the end of a person’s existence.

And yet there was almost no mention of God at all.

This is tragic, for we know that, “each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment,” (Hebrews 9:27).

So, no matter how positive a person might feel about their eternal future, there is judgement awaiting them.

And the only way to be rescued from that judgement is through Jesus, for “Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people” (Hebrews 9:28).

JODIE McNEILL

(Photo credit: Tomme G via Flickr.net)

In last week’s questions I was asked what I would say to someone who wanted to wait till the ‘eleventh hour’ to follow Jesus.

This question follows up the story Jesus told about a landowner who recruited different people throughout the day to work on his farm, and then he decided to pay everyone a full-day’s pay, even those who only did an hour’s work at the end of the day… the ‘eleventh hour’

And this question asks why people wouldn’t want to wait until the last minute to follow Jesus, rather than having to do it all through your life.

Well, firstly, you don’t know when you’re going to die, do you?

Hearing the news about Shane Warne’s passing was a bit confronting for me.

After all, he was only a year older than me… and now he’s suddenly dead… well before anyone thought his life would come to a close.

If someone my age thought they could just wait till they’re 70 to become a Christian, then they might die when they’re 50… and then wouldn’t that be foolish for them?

So if you are planning on waiting till you’re older, how do you know you won’t die earlier?

Secondly, why wouldn’t you want to become friends with Jesus straight away?

Becoming a Christian will be tough at times, but being friends with Jesus is the best thing anyone can do.

Why wouldn’t you want to rush in right now and stop being enemies with God and enjoy the peace that passes all understanding?

Becoming friends with Jesus isn’t a chore… it’s a blessing… so don’t put it off… even if you could be sure you had time to wait.

And if you’re not sure if you’re truly saved and forgiven by Jesus, then what are you waiting for?

JODIE McNEILL

(photo credit: John Voo via flickr.com)