Sandy Grant and Kara Hartley,  who lead the Sydney Anglican Church’s response to domestic violence, are expressing lament and grief at the findings of new national report into intimate partner violence within church communities.The new report into Domestic Violence in the Australian Anglican Church indicates the number of people who are at least occasional Anglican church attenders and are victims of intimate partner violence is the same as or higher than in the wider Australian community. Other key findings include:Evidence that Perpetrators misuse Christian teachings and positional power,Clergy reporting their confidence in their personal capacity to respond to IPV as low to moderate,Our leaders are well informed about the breadth of intimate partner violence and that it is more men than women who commit the violence,While many Anglican victims did not seek support from Anglican church, those that did were helped/felt supported.There are three aspects to the report:A research report on the prevalence of domestic violence, A survey of key clergy and lay leaders,The experiences of family violence of those with a connection with Anglican Churches. Contacts:1800 RESPECT - A 24 hour national sexual assault, family and domestic counselling line.Lifeline 131114 - For anyone across Australia who is experiencing a personal crisis or thinking about suicide.Further discussions:Caring pastorally for domestic abuse victims - Jenni WoodhouseAbuse in the marriage of ministry leaders - Jenni WoodhouseThe difference between domestic violence and dysfunctional relationship - Magdalena LiemSermon: Dominic Steele teaching on Domestic Violencehttp://www.thepastorsheart.net/podcast/domestic-violenceThe 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.

The Homogeneous Unit Principle suggests that outreach is most effective when carried out in the context of a discrete group defined by similarity in cultural background. But David Williams says the mission world's view today is that it's bad in practice and theory. Dr David Williams is the Director of Development and Training for CMS Australia and Principal of the missionary training college St Andrews Hall in Melbourne. Plus we talk the impact of COVID on the raising up and the sending out of missionaries.http://www.thepastorsheart.net/podcast/homogenous-unit-principle 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.

Religious Freedom is being increasingly marginalised in Australia and across the western world.There’s freedom for worship, freedom of speech, freedom of association and freedom of conscience.Australia’s Morrison government was moving to protect religious freedoms.  But all this was put on hold by last year’s pandemic. Freedom for Faith’s Chair Professor Patrick Parkinson talks with Dominic Steele about his hopes for bipartisan legislation.Plus there’s a call for all Christians to be involved in this weekend’s Religious Freedom Weekend.http://www.thepastorsheart.net/podcast/religious-freedom-weekendThe 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.

In reconciliation week we turn our attention to Colonial Australia and a new book out from John Harris, ‘Judging the Macquaries’ - with Peter AdamThe Black Lives Matter movement is bringing the characters of powerful people in colonial times into sharp focus, particularly their attitudes and actions towards slavery and indigenous peoples. Lachlan and Elizabeth Macquarie are among those being scrutinised and reassessed.John Harris paints a more spiritually positive picture of Governor Lachlan Macquarie than had previously been understood.  His wife Elizabeth Macquarie was a clear evangelical.  Lachlan Macquarie’s Christian faith causes him to stand out in significant policy areas from the dominant views of the time: in his attitudes, behaviour and policies relating to both convicts and indigenous persons.The picture of Macquarie is in sharp contrast to his chief antagonist Rev Samuel Marsden.  The book caused me to reassess the more positive view of Marsden that I argued in 2015.The Former Principal of Ridley Theological College Melbourne Peter Adam is one of the foremost voices in this space in Australian Christianity and he is delighted with Harris’ new workTo order ‘Judging the Macquaries’ onlineDominic Steele’s 2015 address on Samuel MarsdenThe 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.

We speak with Sydney Anglican Archbishop Kanishka Raffel on his second day in the job, even before he is formally installed on Friday night.Kanishka reflects on the unifying power of the gospel and the challenges facing the Anglican Church. He shares his hopes for reaching the city, building Churches across new suburbs in Sydney, his thoughts on the future of the national Anglican church and the Sydney Anglican Diocese's future involvement in the international Gafcon movement. Kanishka also emphasises the power of the local Church in being counter cultural and showing the practical difference Jesus’ love makes. http://www.thepastorsheart.net/podcast/kanishkaThe 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 to reach Australia  -  with Gary Millar We’re taking Reaching Australia with Queensland Theological College Principal Gary Millar.Gary’s giving the keynote addresses from Isaiah 6 and Isaiah 61 on Holiness and Hope at a conference of 800 church leaders networked across all Australian states. Gary joins us to talk Reaching Australia, the big problems facing Queensland Presbyterians and the College he leads, plus pastoring a church in Brisbane and the future work of the Gospel Coalition Australia. https://www.thepastorsheart.net/podcast/going-deeperThe 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.

It is crucial strategic moment for the work of the Gospel in Sydney. There is limited time to act as the city of Sydney undergoes massive infrastructural changes.The phenomenal population changes demand a reimagining and redistribution of Church assets, ministry resources and people. The growth will be tremendous, and so will be the responsibility. In the next 50 years, the current Western Region alone will have a population two and half times that of the South Sydney Region or the Northern Region. Today on the Pastor’s Heart we speak to Bishop Peter Lin and Ross Jones, the CEO of the Anglican Church Growth Corporation, about the strategic opportunity and risk of not grasping the moment. Peter Lin's presidential address can be found here.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.

A prophetic word from the most senior evangelical leader in Australia’s Uniting Church, Stu Cameron. Stu has published two short essays over the last week, the first diagnoses the problems in his denomination, saying: We’ve failed the great commission; Stifled entrepreneurial leadership; and most significantly, Have lost confidence in the gospel.The second essay suggests a five fold solution: 1. Confess, Repent, Pray; 2. Obsess about Disciple-Making; 3. Release Property Joyfully; 4. Learn Humbly; and 5. Blow it all Up.Stu Cameron is the new senior pastor of the influential Wesley Central Mission in Sydney, which has an extensive ministry, involving 200 centers and 2000 staff.http://www.thepastorsheart.net/podcast/recovering-great-commission-and-gospelThe 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 can we raise the evangelistic temperature in our church culture plus improve the intentional planning for evangelism in each of our churches? Dan Paterson heads up the new Aussie evangelistic apologetic ministry ‘Questioning Christianity’, based in Brisbane. Dan’s the former Australian team leader for Ravi Zacharias ministries. Dan has prepared an ‘evangelism game plan’ to help churches work on both the strategy and tactics of their evangelism plans. http://bit.ly/QCGameplanPlus how can we create a meaningful space for people with questions and doubts to exist in the church community.http://thepastorsheart.net/podcast/evangelism-gameplanThe 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.

Ministers have a crucial role as a source of guidance and authority in the church environment - but we also need coaching, guidance and support. So how do we make sure that as spiritual leaders we are doing effective ministry? What heart issues and skills should we be focussing on to encourage sustainable and innovative service?This week we’re speaking to an expert on the topic of ministry training, Peter Mayrick. As the co-director of the Centre for Ministry Development at Moore College, his key area of responsibility is supporting pastors and churches. Peter shares his wealth of experience with us as we discuss what’s helpful for coaching those who will shoulder the most responsibility for the health and growth of a church.http://www.thepastorsheart.net/podcast/coaching-peter-mayrickThe 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.