In a significant interview on the Rest is Politics Podcast England’s Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, has denied the teaching of the bible, and the teaching of his church. It is Archbishop Welby’s most public betrayal of his ordination and consecration vow to ‘banish error and to uphold and defend the truth taught in Scripture.’Archbishop Welby’s comments came on the eve of an important House of Bishops meeting in the UK, which considered a request from a group called The Alliance, consisting of 2360 clergy whose churches represent 42% of the Church of England’s Sunday attendance, and who hold to the Bible’s teaching on sexuality.They are asking for a separate orthodox province to be created within the Church of England. Vaughan Roberts is the senior minister of St. Ebbe’s in Oxford, and is one of the signatories of the request from The Alliance. The Church Cohttp://www.thechurchco.com is an excellent website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Support the show--Become a regular financial supporter of The Pastor's Heart via Patreon.

David Moore, the Executive Pastor of Hunter Bible Church and author of 'The Team Leader’s Handbook,' shares key insights on structuring effective ministry teams. He discusses how team leaders can thrive in their roles, emphasizing the importance of preparing for fruitful conversations categorized into four types. Moore also highlights the transition from team member to leader, using a soccer coaching analogy to illustrate leadership dynamics, and the necessity of prayer in aligning team goals, enhancing collaboration, and minimizing conflict.

5,000 believers gathered from more than 200 nations last month in South Korea. It is 50 years since Billy Graham and John Stott first launched the Lausanne movement in Switzerland. Anglican Bishop of North Sydney Chris Edwards has described the congress as like an all you can eat buffet - where some parts tasted amazing / fantastic and  I kept wanting more and yet other parts even a mouthful made me feel nauseous. Principal of Sydney’s Moore Theological College Mark Thompson says there were some great highlights including a presentation by Vaughan Roberts on sexuality but also areas of concern.The Church Cohttp://www.thechurchco.com is an excellent website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Support the show--Become a regular financial supporter of The Pastor's Heart via Patreon.

Historical literacy is a critical tool for Christians, deepening faith and enhancing evangelism and discipleship.Sarah Irving Stonebreaker says we’ve forgotten how to engage well with the past, we don’t know why the past might be relevant to us today, and we have missed out on being part of a larger story.We need to uncover overlooked histories, bringing historical injustices to light, move beyond  culture wars, bring historical injustices to light and recognise the sins of the past (including our own).Sarah is Associate Professor of History in Western Civilization at the Australian Catholic University.She says the church can offer a rich narrative that can reconnect those feeling adrift.Sarah Irving Stonebreaker has a new book "Priests of History: Stewarding the Past in an ahistoric Age." https://bit.ly/4eSfpfJThe Church Cohttp://www.thechurchco.com is an excellent website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Support the show--Become a regular financial supporter of The Pastor's Heart via Patreon.

Harriet Connor, editor of 'Parenting in God’s Family' and writer for Growing Faith, joins Kat Ashton Israel, a mother of five and contributor to the book. They dive into what Christian parenting really means and share tips for effective family Bible time. Discover how to juggle church commitments with young kids and tackle the digital age's challenges with teens. They also discuss navigating teen faith crises and fostering meaningful spiritual practices, all while addressing the ups and downs of parenting in faith.

Samuel Green, an evangelist to the Islamic community and author of ‘Where to start with Islam,’ shares his insights on effectively engaging Muslims in conversation. He emphasizes building confidence in church members to invite their Muslim friends by addressing key topics like the differences between the Bible and the Qur’an, and key theological concepts such as the Trinity and salvation. Green also discusses his upcoming debate with a Muslim apologist, highlighting the importance of respectful interfaith dialogue and tailored evangelistic approaches.

How do you work in a team excellently with those above you in ministry? How do you as a team member take responsibility for the success of your church? What can ministry team members do well to help the whole team function better?What mistakes do team members make? And what about confidentiality on team?Michael Davies is associate pastor of Lighthouse Church in Gorokan, NSW.Megan Stevens serves at Vine Church in Surry Hills in Sydney. Peter Blanch is a ministry consultant with Reach AustraliaThe Church Cohttp://www.thechurchco.com is an excellent website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Support the show--Become a regular financial supporter of The Pastor's Heart via Patreon.

How do we help children in Christian families escape and recover from the devastating effects of domestic abuse? Pastoral consultant Jenni Woodhouse says there is a hidden epidemic of coercive control where a parent with narcissism or borderline personality disorder makes life impossible for their both their spouse and children. We also explore the impact of domestic abuse on children of all ages, from teenagers to toddlers.What responsibility does the church have? What should a church leader do?  How can we as church leaders detect and address these issues in the congregation?Jenni Woodhouse is a pastoral care consultant with the Church Missionary Society.The Church Cohttp://www.thechurchco.com is an excellent website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Support the show--Become a regular financial supporter of The Pastor's Heart via Patreon.

What should the church pastor / staff team / church council or bishop do about the big drop in attendance? A new report (bit.ly/AttendancePatterns) shows Adult Attendance in churches in Sydney is down 7% or 14% against population (over a decade). Adult attendance declined at approximately two-thirds of Sydney Anglican comparable church centers, and only one-third of church centers recorded an increase in attendance.The big problem is newcomers.  We just are not reaching them.  Newcomers are down to 5.4%.And with fewer new people joining churches, the churches that are growing are primarily growing at the expense of churches that are declining.A noticeable decline in attendance was recorded in 2018-2019, especially in the most rapidly secularising areas of our region. The issues are not just external. We have internal issues. There are denominational and congregational factors at play. There are key church health characteristics that show internal health factors are lower in those regions - factors relating to congregational character and leadership. Geoff Bates pastors Life church in Sydney’s North West and chairs the committee that produced the Attendance Patterns Review report. Toby Neal pastors Vine Church in inner Sydney, which has seen remarkable growth.Dave Jensen works at assisting churches to grow in their evangelistic temperature through Evangelism and New Churches. Host Dominic Steele also served on the committee that produced the report.The Church Cohttp://www.thechurchco.com is an excellent website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Support the show--Become a regular financial supporter of The Pastor's Heart via Patreon.

Plus how the Tanzanian Church has been built through the labors and prayers  of Australian Christians, and why prosperity gospel preachers are as wicked as witch doctors!We are joined by Bishop Mwita Akiri from Tarime in rural Tanzania, Judith Calf who served as a missionary in theological education in Tanzania for 20 years, and Tim Swan who leads the Anglican Aid Ministry here in Australia.To support Anglican Aid projects in Tanzania: https://anglicanaid.org.au/locations/tanzania/The Church Cohttp://www.thechurchco.com is an excellent website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Support the show--Become a regular financial supporter of The Pastor's Heart via Patreon.