The Pastor's Heart with Dominic Steele

Will the new Gospel Coalition help or harm the cause of Christ in Australia? Bill Salier and Akos Balogh from The Gospel Coalition Australia are promoting it. Dominic Steele thinks it will do more harm than good and urged The Gospel Coalition to go back to the drawing board. Here's a summary of reservations from Dominic and a Christian social media marketer: 1 StrategyThis campaign focuses on the question of the historicity of Jesus. While this is a typical apologetic question, it is not one that comes up often in conversations when people are weighing up the gospel. Most people accept Jesus as a historical figure, but are asking the question "How is Jesus relevant to me?". This campaign is not speaking to that question at all.2 Title “Jesus, History’s Biggest Hoax?”This will either cement or suggest to the majority of viewers that Jesus is a hoax. In general, 1-1.5% of people who see a post on Facebook will click through to the landing page or meaningfully engage. This means if 100 people see the title “Jesus, History’s Biggest Hoax?”, then 98.5% of the audience will just read the headline and move on. 3 The average video watch time on Facebook is 10 seconds.This means a significant number of people watch less than 10 seconds. The first 10 seconds of the video does nothing to dispel the notion that Jesus is a hoax or a fairytale. 4 The video structure encourages natural drop offWhile all of the content in the video is relevant to a historical understanding of Jesus, the structure of the video continues to rely on negative questions, where the voice over suggests reasons Christianity may be wrong and then refutes them. This fundamentally fails to understand the drop of rate of videos - even if someone makes it to 20 seconds, and hears the first question, “Where the disciples liars?" it is highly likely they won’t stick around for the answer. By using this structure, the immediate result will be that people have the assumption that Jesus is not a verifiable historical figure confirmed.5 Call to actionThe end of this video asks: “Why did hundreds and then thousands come to worship a Jewish criminal?” and then shows a link. There is not a strong reason to click through or even a suggestion as to do next. Even if someone watched the full video, and was convinced that Jesus did die and rise again, there is no reason for them to find out more or explanation of what it means for them personally. www.thepastorsheart.net/podcast/helporharmThe Church Cothechurchco.com is a website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Advertise on The Pastor's HeartTo advertise on The Pastor's Heart go to thepastorsheart.net/sponsorSupport the show

An explosive petition has brought to light a tidal wave of sexual abuse at Australian schools at the hands of young men.The idea to create the now-viral online petition came after former Kambala School student raised the issue with friends via an Instagram poll. 72 per cent of 300 of her friends said they or someone they are close to had experienced sexual assault from a student from an all-boys school in Sydney's eastern suburbs. You can view the petition online at: https://www.teachusconsent.com/The stories in the petition are profoundly confronting and disturbing.We explore the part played by pornography, a heart of sin, the role of parents, peer group, broader youth culture, compulsivity, messaging to boys and girls and the role faith plays.  Marshall Ballantine Jones has just completed a PhD on Pornography and it’s impact on adolescents, pornography and social media… and the connections to narcissism and sexting.Natalie Ray used to direct a Christian boarding house for female Sydney University students. She serves on a school council and is in pastoral ministry at Northlight Anglican Church.  http://www.thepastorsheart.net/podcast/sexual-assault-at-schoolFor school enquiries about programs and consulting email Dr Marshall Ballantine-Jones at digihelpabout@gmail.comFor parent enquiries about talking with tweens and teens: Patricia Weerakoon’s Talking Sex By The Book & Culture Reframed Parenting Portal (an international secular resource)For church leaders resistporn.org/leadersFor people struggling with pornography problems resistporn.org/self-helpIf this has raised any issues for you, call the support services: Lifeline 13 11 14; beyondblue 1300 224 636; Domestic Violence Line 1800 65 64 63; 1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732The Church Cothechurchco.com is a website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Advertise on The Pastor's HeartTo advertise on The Pastor's Heart go to thepastorsheart.net/sponsorSupport the show

There are many different aims when it comes to planning an Easter service. We're focusing on helping our members recognise Jesus' death and resurrection, helping those on the fringe of our Church understand the propitiation of God for possibly the first time, and we also have neighbourhood contacts visiting.This week on The Pastor's Heart, we're discussing how to get the whole Church on board with engaging the neighbourhood, welcoming and follow up, and what does and doesn't work. We also discuss the goals of Easter gatherings and how to make Easter accessible to a multicultural community.Paul Webb is the Senior Minister at Chester Hill Anglican Church, Elliot Temple is responsible for Mission at Christ Church St Ives and Andrew Levy is the Director of Mission at Christ Church Gladesville. The Church Cothechurchco.com is a website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Advertise on The Pastor's HeartTo advertise on The Pastor's Heart go to thepastorsheart.net/sponsorSupport the show

As the report into the sexual misconduct of Ravi Zacharias was released I (Dominic) was deep in preparation for teaching on Mark 12:38-40 where Jesus addresses the hypocritical faith leaders who love the external praise, devour vulnerable women and in the end will receive harsher judgement. It is now clear that the world famous Christian Apologist Ravi Zacharias •Engaged in sexual abuse on many occasions, in different places over many years - involving many women•He used those who worked in massage parlours, importing them from overseas and pursued more than massages. •It was predatory.  He engaged in a repeated pattern of skilful grooming, manipulation and pressure - on his emotionally and financially vulnerable therapists•He used the Gospel and Christian language to gain the confidence of his victims. *One woman details many incidents over years where the famous Christian leader raped her. *All the while preaching Jesus This is an excerpt from last Sunday's address at Village Church Annandale, Sydney and the congregational question time that followed. I hope it helps you as you process the release on the report on Ravi Zacharias report’s sexual misconduct last weekend.There’s a link to the released report and David Robertson’s summary in the show notes.RZIM report on Ravi Zacharias’ sexual misconduct David Robertson has summarised the report and given his reaction hereFull talk is available here:https://villagechurch.sydney/serieshttps://villagechurch.sydney/series/mark-11-15--jesus-in-jerusalem#ravizacharias #rzim #occaThe Church Cothechurchco.com is a website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Advertise on The Pastor's HeartTo advertise on The Pastor's Heart go to thepastorsheart.net/sponsorSupport the show

The face of Australia is changing. More than half Australia’s migrants come from Asia and that’s a field that is ready for harvest. Plus, with the changes in China and Hong Kong there’s a new wave of migration expected, and the churches of the west need to be ready. We are joined by pastors, Ying Yee, from Chinese Christian Church Sydney, Adam Ch’ng, from Cross and Crown in Melbourne and Stephen Oh, from Sydney Living Hope Community Church. They all serve on the board of the new The Gospel Coalition Australia Asian Network which is being launched this Friday night. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org.au/Asia/The Church Cothechurchco.com is a website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Advertise on The Pastor's HeartTo advertise on The Pastor's Heart go to thepastorsheart.net/sponsorSupport the show

Harsh new rules have just been approved by the parliament of the Australian state of Victoria, banning conversion practices relating to sexuality. The parliament has made illegal practices that have been part of Christian religion since the start of the church. What does the law say a pastor should do if asked for guidance on matters of sexuality? What does God say?  Pastors have questions on what the law says in regards to teaching in church, in small home groups and 1:1, and on how evangelical pastors respond in love to people with questions about personal sexuality.  And significantly when and how should Victorian pastors and Christians obey God and disobey their government?  The Australian Presbyterian Moderator General Rev Peter Barnes has written to congregations saying: "The Apostle [Paul] considered himself innocent of the blood of all because he proclaimed the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:26-27). We are obliged before God to preach all that He has revealed to us, whether law or gospel, and to do so in a spirit of love and truth."There is nothing unique in such legislation. When King Darius exceeded his God-given authority, Daniel did ‘as he had done previously’ (Dan.6:10)."It is our task to keep on keeping on, to proclaim and to live out so far as we can the gospel of Christ which has been entrusted to us. "Our guests are Neil Foster, the Associate Professor of Law at Newcastle University, Peter Barnes, the moderator general of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, and Heath Easton, pastor of Drouin Presbyterian Church, just to the east of Warrigul in regional Victoria. See 'Collision of laws: the impact of Commonwealth law on the Victorian CSP law' by Neil FosterSee 'Victoria's Conversion Practices Bill is as bad as they say it is' by Neil FosterThe Church Cothechurchco.com is a website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Advertise on The Pastor's HeartTo advertise on The Pastor's Heart go to thepastorsheart.net/sponsorSupport the show

We’re speaking to Rowan Kemp, from the Christian Evangelical Union at Sydney University, and Rob Copland, from the University of Wollongong about what changes / innovations they are introducing to better reach students in 2021. We discuss the new ministry opportunities that have been developed, the challenge to not be timid, and things that students might have missed out on. The Church Cothechurchco.com is a website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Advertise on The Pastor's HeartTo advertise on The Pastor's Heart go to thepastorsheart.net/sponsorSupport the show

Under God, something a little accidental and thrilling has just happened, so I thought I’d share it here. A year ago I was invited to speak at a conference in the South West of Sydney called SweatCon.  It stands for South West Evangelism and Training Conference.It was so impressive.  There were 20 or so churches working together brilliantly with close collaboration and team work. I came home inspired, encouraged and thrilled to bits. And so when COVID forced the shutdown of the evangelical training conference that we used to send a few of our people up to each year, I said to the other minsters around here, ‘Let’s see if we can pull it off, to set up a local non residential ministry training conference running over four days.’ And so Cultivate Conference was born.  The kind people at SweatCon gave us the strand material. The great trainers from Youthworks came and gave us electives.  Plus there was an elective on sexuality from the crew at livingfaith.onlineWe had four New Testament talks from Bill Salier in the morning and Mike Leite on the Old Testament in the evening.  All for $130 a head.We got local restaurants and cafes to cater.  On the first day - over an amazing Lebanese feast that we had for lunch - I met one young lady who came to Christ in March, who was having her first meal at her first Christian conference.  I had to tell her. ‘Just so your expectations aren’t shattered about Christian Conferences in the future, in terms of food.  It’s all down hill from here.’Let me tell you what was amazing:  From our church - we had at least four times as many people trained - as we have ever been able to get to go away to a residential external conference. It was the best inter-church co-operation that I’ve seen in our area in twenty years of ministry. If it can happen in the hard soil of the inner west of Sydney - then in the many other places where the soil is softer - it’s absolutely possible. And here’s a thing where the Covid disruption could lead to good.  Wouldn’t it be awesome if instead of a total of 5-600 people going to the blue mountains to be trained, across the 26 mission areas of Sydney - there were 26 x 100 people each at one of these local training conferences. There could be thousands more people being trained and equipped in the ministry of Jesus - who would never go to an overnight dormitory conference in the mountains.How do you get the strand material?  Go to sweat.org.au and send the conference organisers a message, be nice and polite, and you never know what might happen.  That’s what I did.See Sydney Anglicans Article: https://sydneyanglicans.net/news/cultivate-conferenceThe Church Cothechurchco.com is a website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Advertise on The Pastor's HeartTo advertise on The Pastor's Heart go to thepastorsheart.net/sponsorSupport the show

Christianity in Australia is in decline. The narrative is we had a few golden years at the start, where 96% of the population identified as Christian, but that has been on a gradual decline for decades. But if that’s the case: - Why does Christianity in Australia go up, not down, after Darwin? - In Australia, why does it go up after WWII? - If the Church was so strong in the middle ages, why was church attendance so sketchy then?This week, Rory Shiner joins us to discuss the ways that modern understanding is wrong about secularism. Rory believes we’ve accepted a narrative that isn’t true, and are making massive pastoral and missional mistakes because of it. Rory is here to debunk the idea that science beat Christianity in the age of the enlightenment and that the Western World has been gradually becoming less religious since then.  Instead, he points us to the vitality in Australian churches, which is completely separate from the percentage of people who identify as Christian in the census. Rory brings a message of hope - but also of warning about the complex mistakes we are making as we reach out to the lost, who may not be as secularised as we assumed.The Church Cothechurchco.com is a website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Advertise on The Pastor's HeartTo advertise on The Pastor's Heart go to thepastorsheart.net/sponsorSupport the show

Adam Lowe from St Bart’s Toowoomba has surveyed his church’s online audience.  Of those surveyed he’s broken them down into four categories.62% are dislocated - physically unable to attend in person church9.5% are missional - online is a safe way to explore a relationship with God19% are convenience - those who live nearby but find it easier or prefer to attend online9.5% are incidental - those who join online when they or a family member is sick or travelling out of townBut what are the next steps for each group, and how do we express our mission to make and mature disciples with those who are gathering online.Download results of Adam's online survey.Download questions for the survey.The Church Cothechurchco.com is a website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Advertise on The Pastor's HeartTo advertise on The Pastor's Heart go to thepastorsheart.net/sponsorSupport the show