How should Christians respond to customs, traditions, and stories that have associations with false religions, demonic powers, and evil?Could a church building be covered in cobwebs and used as an invitation to come inside?Would you run a Halloween event for the kids of your church so they don’t feel like they are missing out? Or would you run something as an outreach to connect to the neighborhood? Is it about the occult and to be avoided at all costs and denounced or is it kids in funny outfits and junk food? To talk Halloween, kids and churches our guests are: Craig Roberts, CEO of Sydney’s Anglican Youthworks and former minister of Neutral Bay Anglican Church.Kristen Young, Director of student and community care at Sydney Missionary and Bible College. Support the show--Become a regular financial supporter of The Pastor's Heart via Patreon.

Join us in conversation with Vishal and Ruth Mangalwadi, as they unravel the complexities of Modern India and the Hindu perspective, and helpful ways to engage them with the gospel. Particularly as immigrants from the Indian subcontinent to Australia increase. Vishal and Ruth Mangalwadi explore how the foundations of modern India have been profoundly shaped by the Bible and the Protestant Missionary Movement.They also address touch questions like the issue of female infanticide and widow burning within this context.Through this enlightening conversation, both gain deeper insights into the intricate tapestry of India's cultural and religious landscape, as well as the potential paths towards transforming the lives of our Hindu friends.Plus why is India so obsessed with the movie Oppenheimer?http://thepastorsheart.net/podcast/modern-india-vishal-mangalwaldiSupport the show--Become a regular financial supporter of The Pastor's Heart via Patreon.

We put lots of emphasis and training into becoming better teachers.  But how can we improve the clarity, comprehension, conviction and confidence in public reading?Bad public bible reading is too soft, too fast, with mispronunciations, lack of preparation, bad pausing, emotionless,  lacking understanding of the text, monotone and mono speed. Good public bible reading is faithful to text, without errors, understands context, has good eye contact, articulation, conviction, flow. Simon Camilleri is a member of Melbourne’s Bundoora Presbyterian Church. See http://www.PublicBibleReading.comThe 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 are the issues that senior pastors of smaller churches face - personally and to do with church culture, mission and identity.What are the joys and tensions? What is ministry success? What are the common pastoral frustrations? How is long term ministry fruitfulness helped or hindered by our ecclesiology? What are the particular issues that come up in the middle years of incumbencies? (years four to nine)The reality is that most churches are small churches… they are under 175 members. Stephen Anderson is pastor of Oatley West Anglican Church in the South of Sydney.Stephen has completed a major project on ‘Encouragement for the small church pastor (http://www.smallchurch.au)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.

There have been massive social changes as the western world has shifted from a Christian world view to a post Christian world view. In his new book ‘Being Christian after Christendom’, the senior pastor of Dapto Anglican Church David Rietveld analyzes the changes that churches, pastors and parents face in this transition. Six weeks ago on The Pastor’s Heart David gave his explanation of the problem (https://www.thepastorsheart.net/podcast/being-christian-after-christendom). David is back today to paint a positive way forward for evangelism and parenting amongst the post Christian world view.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.

The Barbie movie has started big conversations around the world and is becoming a significant ‘cultural moment’ - opening up and influencing conversations about death, the gospel, the relationships between men & women and worldview. We explore particularly the evangelistic opportunities and how Christians might best engage.Caitlin Orr is an Anglican Deacon on maternity leave. Sophia Russell is a journalist, mum and member of St Paul’s Carlingford in Sydney’s north west. Jael Riegl is a member at Dapto Anglican Church, to the south of Sydney, and has recently graduated from a degree in English Literature, Law and Philosophy. 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.

1 Timothy 2:8-15 might be the most controversial New Testament passage.  There has been an enormous amount of scholarly attention on this section of scripture, especially over the last few decades, and there are practical questions that we can’t ignore in church life. Lionel Windsor is a New Testament lecturer at Sydney’s Moore Theological College. Lionel teaches the pastoral epistles to third year students. So is abreast of the scholarly debate. Lionel gave a super helpful seminar a few months ago at the Priscilla and Aquila Conference held by Moore College.  We have linked to that seminar and Lionel’s notes here. What are the elephants in the room - Culturally, Philosophically, in Scholarship. What are the issues of interpretation? How do we approach the passage? What issues surround 1 Timothy?What is the significance of ‘quietness’?, ‘let her learn’?, ‘to teach’?What is the connection between teaching and authority? 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.

How do we connect for Jesus with the largest group of migrants coming into Australia?In just in the last few years - the group of Hindus migrating from India have overtaken China and the UK to become the largest constituency of migrants. Evangelizing Hindus is a massive priority.Ben George is chair of the Sydney Anglican South Asian ministry committee known as Satya  Clive has just started as an Evangelist reaching Hindus / South Asians with Evangelism and New Churches.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 heart for the persecuted pastor - with Dan Oli Shani.One in seven Christians are persecuted globally.  That’s 360 million Christians who are denied access to jobs and education, are arrested, attacked, and even killed for following Jesus.Worst effected according to the Open Doors World Watch List are Christians in North Korea, Somalia, Yemen, Eritrea, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan and Iran. All that sounds so distant from the comfort of an armchair in Sydney. Open Doors International is deeply engaged with ministry to persecuted Christians.  Open Door’s Global CEO is Dan Ole Shani from Kenya.  Dan shares his pastor’s heart for the persecuted with Dominic Steele, and suggests ways forward. 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 is meant by each of the terms biological sex, gendered behaviors or expressions, sexual orientation and gendered identity? How do the various terms relate? We talk to former director of Sydney University’s  Graduate Program in Sexual Heath, Dr Patricia Weerakoon, Rob Smith, who is head of doctrine at Sydney Missionary and Bible College and Rev Kamal Weerakoon, who has done masters studies in this area.  Rob, Patricia and Kamal  are encouraging us to treat with love and compassion those with gender dysphoria or gender incongruence. They want to warn against being intimated, silenced and demoralized by pressure from activists and lobby groups who might seek to impose a transgender ideology on everyone.They have just published ‘The Gender Revolution’ which attempts to chart a biblical, biological and compassionate response. (https://matthiasmedia.com.au/products/the-gender-revolution)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.