Author Archives: Sandy Grant

About Sandy Grant

Sandy is the senior minister at St Michael’s Anglican Cathedral in Wollongong. He is married to Karyn with three young daughters. Prior to entering full-time ministry, his only other job has been in a bottle shop! Sandy enjoys reading theology, biography and crime fiction.

Neither panic nor paralysis (Sandy Grant blogs from the Sydney Anglican Synod)

Pastoral Ministry, Sola Panel

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For better or worse, the Anglican Diocese of Sydney, along with Moore Theological College, is seen as one of the most conservative and influential dioceses in the Anglican world. And many friends outside our area like to know what’s going on.

For this reason, Sola Panel will be running an extra post reporting on Synod (= our denominational ‘parliament’) for the five days we sit over the next two weeks.

Our first day of sitting was yesterday, and it featured mainly set pieces to get things rolling:

  • the presidential address from our Archbishop, Peter Jensen;
  • a fascinating ACL dinner break interview with Alfred Olwa, Dean of Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology, Mukono, Uganda;
  • the Synod service sermon from Rev Paul Harrington, Rector, Holy Trinity, Adelaide (an evangelical bastion in the heart of the Australian “city of churches”—churches which are now often literally or spiritually empty).

Here are some highlights …

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Ideas for strengthening families (Part 4)

Everyday Ministry, Sola Panel

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Read parts 1, 2 and 3.

Another idea for strengthening families is reading something other than the Bible at the breakfast table. (It’s not often you’d see a Sola Panellist reading something other than the Bible!)

However, as you have probably guessed, I’m talking about something that aids our understanding of God—something that has provided a helpful change of pace to straight Bible reading and discussion. In other words, a bit of systematic theology.

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Ideas for strengthening families (Part 3)

Everyday Ministry, Sola Panel

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Recently I shared two great ideas my wife came up with for strengthening family life. Now I’d like to share a couple of ideas I got from elsewhere that particularly focus on helping parents follow Ephesians 6:4 (“Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord”—NIV).

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Ideas for strengthening families (Part 1)

Everyday Ministry, Sola Panel

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In marriage preparation, I generally begin with Jesus’ words in Mark 10:6-9 (where he quotes Genesis 1:27 and 2:24). One of the things I tell couples from this passage is that the best gift they can give any children that God gives them is their own strong ‘one flesh’ relationship. After all, the leaving of father and mother indicates that the husband-wife bond takes precedence even over the parent-child bond.

But how often do parents find themselves running around after their children (precious though they are), struggling to find time for each other in their busy lives? That leads me to my wife’s first great idea for strengthening families.

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The most dangerous excuse for avoiding a conference

Pastoral Ministry, Sola Panel

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What’s the most dangerous excuse for avoiding a conference?

I reckon it’s the one that says, “I’m not going to that conference because I’ve heard what they’re going to say before”.

Maybe you don’t go because because the particular conference speakers are not going to say anything new! But I go because the conference speakers are not saying anything new!

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Leadership on the Front Foot

Review, Sola Panel

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Leadership on the Front Foot by Zachary Veron--cover Leadership on the Front Foot

Zachary Veron

Anglican Press Australia, Sydney, 2009. 204pp.

Pragmatism is always dangerous: passages like 2 Corinthians 4:2, 1 Thessalonians 2:3-6 and 2 Timothy 4:3-4 warn against certain methods that seem to get results and gain listeners for your message. But pragmatism is also commended: passages like Matthew 10:16 (in the context of a gospel preaching mission) and Luke 16:8 (in the context of using money to make friends for eternity) recommend ‘shrewdness’, rather than stupidity, in ministry dealings. (more…)

When they won’t smile or even sing

Life, Sola Panel

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Okay, Tony, I’m with you on not calling our singing the ‘worship time’. I’m with you on not even calling our church gathering the ‘worship service’. I’m with you on wanting to avoid mere emotionalism. In fact, I also know you believe the emotions (or better, the affections) matter.

But I believe singing is important.

I believe the Bible says it’s important.

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Calvin’s birthday

Pastoral Ministry, Sola Panel

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How are you celebrating Calvin’s birthday?

I reckon it’d be hard to be a committed evangelical in the blogosphere without realizing that today is the 500th anniversary of John Calvin’s birth: 10 July 1509.

But we should not leave celebrating this most important Reformation theologian and pastor to the publishers and conference organizers! John Piper’s annual biographical studies of great evangelical leaders has proved the historical interest is there!

So how are you celebrating Calvin’s birthday in your local church or in your own life?

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Alex Ferguson and ministry success

Pastoral Ministry, Sola Panel

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I played and refereed soccer as a kid, but I prefer to watch Rugby League. So apart from the World Cup, I don’t watch much soccer these days.

That means I was unaware of the full extent of Alex Ferguson’s achievements as Manager of Manchester United, until I noticed that their 0-0 draw with Arsenal last week to win the English Premier League had seen their club draw equal with Liverpool as record holders for the greatest number of titles.

Under Ferguson’s stewardship, Man U have won eleven English Championships. Eleven! In addition, there were two European Champions Leagues, and five FA Cups among 25 trophies in all. Ferguson is the most successful manager in British football history.

But what’s any of that got to do with ministry?

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Wrong reasoning for maternity leave

Life, Sola Panel

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Australia’s federal government is seeking to introduce a nation paid maternity leave scheme in this year’s budget.

I not sure whether I’m for or against the policy itself. But I know I’m against the reasons being advanced for the policy!

Basically the reasoning being advanced implies that (i) motherhood is unproductive and (ii) it gives aid to the now established dogma that the two incomes needed to pay off the mortgage are more important than quality and quantity time with the kids.

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The power of Columbo

Everyday Ministry, Sola Panel

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I loved Jean’s post on the tongue-tied Christian who struggles with the snappy response to evangelistic opportunities that open up in conversations. I guess I recognized myself in the mirror.

By providence, I’d just begun reading a book on evangelism and apologetics by Greg Koukl called Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing your Christian Convictions.

Although he talks about “controlling conversations” in a way I’m not quite comfortable with, so far, there’s stacks that’s helpful.

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An interview with Andrew Barry

Everyday Ministry, Sola Panel

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Today we interview Andrew Barry.

How did you come to Christ?

I grew up in a Christian family. Thanks be to God for giving me such a great Mum and Dad! Although I went to church throughout my childhood, I don’t think the penny dropped until I was in Year 10. I just moved to St Matthias (the original home of The Briefing), and three things happened:

  1. I heard an amazing sermon series on the book of Ecclesiastes by Ken Simpson, and I understood for the first time that I couldn’t hold onto everything else, but I could hold onto Christ.
  2. I was discipled by Martin Pakula (whom I hold in the highest regard) and a brilliant group of youth leaders. They pushed us so hard. I went out with them sharing Two Ways to Live on a university campus when I was in Year 12. They put flesh and blood on to what it was to live for Christ.
  3. When I joined St Matthias, I met Christians my age who actually wanted to talk about God and who actually wanted to pray. I liked them so much, I ended up marrying one of them!

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Timothy: timid or tough?

Thought, Sola Panel

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Recently, in our staff meetings, we discussed John Stott’s excellent book The Living Church: Convictions of the lifelong pastor. I say ‘excellent’ despite Stott’s fondness for citing former Church of England Archbishops—not all of whom were uniformly reliable guides to the truth. I must admit that Stott’s love of ‘balance’ reminded a colleague of the old joke

Q. Why did the Anglican cross the road?
A. To get to the middle! (*Groan*)

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An interview with Peter Sholl

Everyday Ministry, Sola Panel

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Today we interview Peter Sholl.

Pete, how did you come to Christ?

I grew up in country New South Wales in a Christian household. As a family, we’d head off to church and Sunday school every Sunday without fail. I knew Jesus personally, and I trusted that he knew what was best for my life.

When I was 17, I moved to Sydney to study engineering at the University of New South Wales, living in New College. The first night I was there, an upper year student (who is now the rector of All Saint’s Petersham in Sydney) stood up and announced that a group was going to church and that anyone was welcome to come. This was a significant moment for me as my family wasn’t with me any more; I could do what I liked!

I went to church, and over the next four years as a student, was fed a hearty diet of Bible at church and in small groups. These were very important years for me; they gave me a great grounding for Christian growth as I moved into my 20s and beyond.

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