After a decade of decline, Sydney Anglican church attendance has grown by more than 20% in just three years. This is now higher than at any point since 2013.

But underneath the encouraging headline, the picture is uneven. Larger churches have grown fastest. Around 13% of churches reached an approximate proxy for the report’s 5% conversion target.

Plus, a significant group of churches remain in long-term decline.

So what’s driving the turnaround? Are people actually coming to faith in Jesus? Or are Christians moving between churches? And why are churches with stronger children’s and youth ministries growing faster?

Craig Roberts, CEO of Anglican Youthworks and chair of the committee behind the new Sydney Anglican attendance report, says there’s much to thank God for, but there’s also some challenging numbers, as Sydney Anglicans pursue the ambitious goal of 5% annual attendance growth through people coming to faith in Jesus.

To watch or listen to Bible Teaching from Dominic Steele at Village Church Annandale Sydney goto this link.

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What's the functional idol in your own ministry? Career? Family? The platform? The numbers? Are we preaching law as legalism dressed up as discipleship, or grace so loose it asks nothing of anyone? 

Do we actually rest, or just talk about it? And when my church's own reputation is on the line, does truth-telling survive contact with self-protection? 

In this episode, we examine the application of the ten commandments to pastoral leadership today. 

Most Anglican churches have given up reading the Ten Commandments aloud. 

Phillip Jensen says that's sad. 

And when Dominic Steele read the line in his new book, he almost choked, because he was a member of the church Phillip pastored for 15 years and doesn't remember it happening there at all.

The Ten Commandments have stood for centuries as a basic statement of good works, but in our society they're being quietly displaced by shallower substitutes. And the problem isn't just out there — it's in the church as well.

We are with Phillip Jensen, former Dean of Sydney's St Andrews Cathedral, now heading up Two Ways Ministries. He has just published “Written on Our Hearts”. 

To watch or listen to Bible Teaching from Dominic Steele at Village Church Annandale Sydney goto this link.

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1986. London’s Westminster Central Hall. The then young Australian preacher Phillip Jensen takes the platform at the Evangelical Ministry Assembly, and detonated UK Anglican Evangelicalism 

Dick Lucas, the elder statesman of UK Evangelicalism Rector of St Helen's Bishopsgate, said his mind was "blown apart by these bold Australian exhortations." 

Chris Green says a room full of ministers in training were "revolutionised overnight." 

It's the third in our occasional series of specials on evangelical oral history.

We are with Dr Andrew Atherstone (Wycliffe Hall Oxford) and this time we trace how a Sydney rector's insistence on Bible teaching and the local congregation, over and above inherited Anglican structure made such an impact on the UK evangelical scene. 

Jensen's 1986 and 1988 addresses didn't just inspire, but they gave a generation of English ministers permission to think differently about bishops, boundaries and where real spiritual authority lives.

Phillip Jensen’s Evangelical Ministry Assembly talks are here. https://phillipjensen.com/resources/?_series=evangelical-ministry-assembly-uk

#evangelical #anglican #history #phillipjensen #dicklucas

To watch or listen to Bible Teaching from Dominic Steele at Village Church Annandale Sydney goto this link.

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For evangelical Christians in the Church of England, the question of whether to stay, resist, or leave is a live crisis.

If you’re deciding whether to head into C of E ministry or carve out a path in independence, or if you’re a pastor navigating a "mixed denomination," how do you maintain gospel integrity when institutional leadership turns away from historic orthodoxy?

Church historian Dr. Andrew Atherstone (Wycliffe Hall, Oxford) to look back at six decades of evangelical oral history—and what it teaches us about our current crossroads.

We cover:

• The 1960s Crisis: Why ministers like Herbert Carson, Eric Lane, and Moshe Radcliff reached the breaking point and the intense personal cost of separation.
• Lloyd-Jones vs. Stott (1966) & Keele (1967): The iconic confrontation that defined the "in it to win it" strategy for a generation.
• The David Jenkins Stress Test: How a controversial bishop radicalized evangelicals to plant across parish lines and rethink financial support.
• 
  

Dr Atherstone has been presenting on this at Sydney’s Moore College Lectures.

To watch or listen to Bible Teaching from Dominic Steele at Village Church Annandale Sydney goto this link.

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We often speak about the pressures and heartbreaks of pastoral ministry. But we speak far less about its joys, privileges and eternal rewards.

Matt Fuller, Senior Minister of Christ Church Mayfair, joins us to discuss his new book, The Joyful Pastor (Despite Everything).

We talk about difficult sheep, false accusations, losing joy, practising thankfulness, avoiding burnout and returning daily to Christ.

And we explore something pastors rarely discuss: the reward promised by the Chief Shepherd.

“When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” — 1 Peter 5:4

An honest and encouraging conversation for weary pastors.

To watch or listen to Bible Teaching from Dominic Steele at Village Church Annandale Sydney goto this link.

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Answering "Anglican", "Catholic", or "Baptist" on the Census isn't a test of church attendance

Before filling out your form, hear researcher Mark McCrindle, and Bishop Michael Stead discuss

1. What the Bureau of Statistics is actually measuring.
2. Why writing your specific denomination helps community planning more than generic labels.
3. How census data impacts real-world support—like hospital, prison, and military chaplaincy.Don't let a secular misinformation campaign fill in your form for you. Get the facts and answer honestly!

The Bureau of Statistics definition of religious affiliation is simple: it’s the faith group you associate with, even if that differs from your active practice or participation.

To watch or listen to Bible Teaching from Dominic Steele at Village Church Annandale Sydney goto this link.

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In this special ‘pop up’ episode of The Pastor’s Heart we talk with New Testament Professor Darrell Bock about how best might Christians might engage culturally to reach Australians for Jesus. 

Plus his love of Sydney,  Sydney Swans Australian football team and why he would move here if he didn’t have grandchildren. Bock is known for getting up at 2am in Dallas to watch the Swans play live on TV.  He will see three Swans games during his current visit to Australia. 

Darrell Bock is executive director of Cultural Engagement at The Hendricks Center and Senior Research Professor of New Testament studies at Dallas Theological Seminary.

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In this special ‘pop up’ episode of The Pastor’s Heart we talk with New Testament Professor Darrell Bock about how best might Christians might engage culturally to reach Australians for Jesus.

Plus his love of Sydney,  Sydney Swans Australian football team and why he would move here if he didn’t have grandchildren. Bock is known for getting up at 2am in Dallas to watch the Swans play live on TV.  He will see three Swans games during his current visit to Australia.

Darrell Bock is executive director of Cultural Engagement at The Hendricks Center and Senior Research Professor of New Testament studies at Dallas Theological Seminary.

To watch or listen to Bible Teaching from Dominic Steele at Village Church Annandale Sydney goto this link.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leading New Testament scholar Darrell Bock gives a rapid fire exploration of Luke and Acts. 

Bock, who is Senior Research Professor of New Testament studies at Dallas Theological Seminary, outlines what first drew him to Luke and answers questions including:

• Is Luke writing before or after Matthew and Mark?
• What kind of historian is Luke?
• How do you explain the difference between Luke’s genealogy and Matthew’s genealogy?
• How do we reconcile the birth narratives in Luke and Matthew? 
• What is Luke’s theology of atonement? 
• What is the kingdom of God in Luke?
• How does Luke use the Old Testament in ways that are different to the other Gospel writers?”
• Why is the Sermon on the Plain from Luke 6 different to the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 to 7?”

Plus Luke’s distinctive emphasis on the world wide expansion of the gospel, the kingdom of God, the Holy Spirit, care for the poor and the creation of one new family from Jews and Gentiles. 

Support the show

Leading New Testament scholar Darrell Bock gives a rapid fire exploration of Luke and Acts. 

Bock, who is Senior Research Professor of New Testament studies at Dallas Theological Seminary, outlines what first drew him to Luke and answers questions including:

• Is Luke writing before or after Matthew and Mark?
• What—what kind of historian is Luke?
• How do you explain the difference between Luke’s genealogy and Matthew’s genealogy?
• How do we reconcile the birth narratives in Luke and Matthew? 
• What is Luke’s theology of atonement? 
• What is the kingdom of God in Luke?
• How does Luke use the Old Testament in ways that are different to the other Gospel writers?”
• Why is the Sermon on the Plain from Luke 6 different to the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 to 7?”

Plus Luke’s distinctive emphasis on the world wide expansion of the gospel, the kingdom of God, the Holy Spirit, care for the poor and the creation of one new family from Jews and Gentiles. 

To watch or listen to Bible Teaching from Dominic Steele at Village Church Annandale Sydney goto this link.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.