Episoder
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We’re digging into the Bible’s teaching on sex and gender—inside and outside the Garden of Eden - relating to transgender.
We’re asking foundational questions: Was humanity created androgynous? Does Genesis allow for more than two sexes? Is sexual difference a core part of the imago Dei? What does it mean that the man and woman were naked and felt no shame?
Dr Rob Smith lectures at Sydney Missionary and Bible College and serves with Living Faith, a pastoral ministry of the Sydney Anglican Church caring for those navigating same-sex attraction or gender incongruence.
Rob is the author of a new book The Body God Gives.
Rob also spoke to us in February 2025 about the historic and cultural issues relating to the transgender, under the heading 'The Sexed body is the Gendered Self'.
The Church Co
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There are understandings/interpretations of the Bible that conflict with the conclusions of modern, empirical research - where science and the Bible are thought to be giving competing explanations of the same event or concept.
One way of reading the Bible leads to the conclusion that the Earth is 6000 years old while your local science department will tell you it is more like 4.5 billion years old.
Were human beings created in an instant from dust, or over billions of years through a gradual, meandering evolutionary process?
Was there a moment in our historical timeline at the curse of God on the sin of Adam and Eve when the physical nature of our universe changed?
Were there no volcanoes or earthquakes or floods or bushfires before the curse, or has the universe operated on the same physical principles since its creation, as the conclusions of mainstream geology and astronomy suggest?
Dr Lewis Jones is an astrophysicist from North Carolina, who moved to Sydney to do post doctoral research. Lewis is now director of the Simeon Network, the postgraduate and academic arm of the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students.
The Church Co
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Manglende episoder?
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In a bold move, a meeting of movement leaders from across Australian Reformed Evangelicalism has resolved to work together to see their numbers double over twenty years, through seeing sinners saved.
Leaders gathered for a mini summit organised by The Gospel Coalition Australia at Sydney’s Moore Theological College last week.
Gospel Coalition Australia Chair Rory Shiner says given the unparalleled theological and missional unity between the different organisations there’s a significant window of opportunity to work productively together for God’s glory.
They agreed to work towards an effective target of growing five percent per year through conversion growth.
The Gospel Coalition’s Rory Shiner and Sarah Kuswadi, Reach Australia’s Andrew Heard and Queensland Theological College Principal Gary Millar came straight from the Summit to our The Pastor’s Heart studio to discuss the outcomes of the day and plans for the future.The Church Co
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Andrew Heard says ministries cannot be other than outcome-focused in their work - the question is will those outcomes be good or bad? Conscious or unconscious? Specific or vague?
He addresses critics who confuse having Biblical goals with adopting secular business practices.
Andrew Heard leads the Reach Australia movement, and pastors the influential EV Church on the Central Coast.
• All Christians are goal-driven whether consciously or unconsciously
• Critique often conflate goals with the methods used to pursue them (which is a separate question).
• Paul in 1 Corinthians demonstrates strategic thinking while maintaining gospel integrity
• "Wise master builder" suggests skill and thoughtfulness in ministry, not just faithfulness
• Personal, transformational ministry requires organisation.
• Opposition to large churches and attempting to grow churches creates an impossible task for reaching the world. We need to own the fact that we either need much bigger churches or many more churches, or both.
The Church Co
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An apology and correction in regards to our episode of Tuesday 10 June 2025.
The Church Co
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How can we create gatherings that are both warm and deep? How can we avoid gatherings that are superficial or dry.
How do we embed gospel culture in our church gatherings.
How do we emphasize grace, forgiveness and a welcoming atmosphere?
And how to encourage authenticity and emotional intelligence in gathering leaders. Plus how do we evaluate.
A Pastor’s Heart episode to watch with your staff team.
Toby Neal is Senior pastor at Vine Church in Sydney. And Liv Chapman Leggett leads the gatherings aspect of the ministry at Vine Church.
The Church Co
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What happens when churches move beyond "pious passivity" to strategic intentionality in reaching the lost?
Richard Coekin—founding pastor of Dundonald Church in London and pioneer of REACH UK—joins Dominic Steele to unpack the revolutionary approach transforming churches across Australia and the United Kingdom.
Following on from Reach UK and Reach Australia in May, Richard candidly shares his journey from skepticism about "Pentagon language" and structured frameworks to embracing these tools as valuable expressions of pastoral care and evangelistic intentionality.
"If you don't aim at anything, nothing will happen," he explains, challenging the notion that strategic thinking somehow diminishes reliance on God's sovereignty.
We look at the biblical foundations for strategic ministry, with Richard pointing to Acts 6 as a model where the apostles prioritized preaching and prayer, built ministry teams for delegation, and ensured the church's practical needs were met.
Plus we discuss measuring spiritual fruit.
Whether you're skeptical of strategic approaches to ministry or already embracing them, this conversation offers fresh insights on leading churches that are both faithful to Scripture and effective in mission.
The Church Co
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Live from the sidelines at the Reach Australia Conference on the Central Coast of New South Wales, we sit down with Wade Burnett from McLean Bible Church in Washington DC and Derek Hanna, Reach Australia’s church planting and multisite specialist, for a fresh look at the multisite church model.
Multisite was a buzz seven years ago. Today, with thousands of campuses launched in the United States—and many hard lessons learned—the mood is more measured. What’s changed? What’s endured? And what can church leaders here learn today from the American experience?
We explore the personnel, strategic, and pastoral complexities of multisite ministry. From varied governance models to launch strategies, leadership fit to congregational model —
And how to decide whether we should launch a new campus, reassess a current model, or weigh multisite against church planting.
The Church Co
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This week on The Pastor’s Heart, we’re live from the Reach Australia conference at Erina on the Central Coast of New South Wales.
It’s an inspiring gathering, with 1,300 church leaders from across Australia and beyond, including New Zealand, South Africa, America, and the United Kingdom, coming together for encouragement and equipping to better Reach Australia.
Paul Harrington has led the Trinity Network of Churches in Adelaide for 33 years, guiding it from a single congregation of 800 to a thriving network of 13 churches with over 2,600 members.
Sue Harrington is a Reach Australia board member, has been deeply involved in supporting pastors’ wives, families, and women in ministry and runs a consultancy business.
Together, we discuss the lessons learned along the way, the emotional and practical challenges of planting daughter churches, and the role of humility and servant-hearted leadership. We explore the cost and recovery after sending, the evolving nature of church leadership, and the often overlooked but critical support needed for ministry households.
The Church Co
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It is 1700 years since the council of Nicaea and the publication of the Nicene Creed - but what are we to make of it?
It was the twentieth of May in the year 325 that the Council of Nicaea first met.
Pope Francis said ‘The Nicene Creed is a powerful sign of unity among Christians.’
The 17 hundredth anniversary of the Council of Nicaea - is being used - by the Roman Catholic Church to push the idea that ‘All Christians are Nicene Christians.’
However the difficulty is that while we say the same words, Roman Catholics and Protestants mean vastly different things, and any unity is a fake unity at best.
Leonardo de Chirico is pastor of the Church Breccia di Roma and director of the Reformanda Initiative.
Rachel Ciano lectures in Christianity and History at Sydney Missionary and Bible College. She is a faculty member at the Rome scholars and leaders network, hosted by The Reformanda Initiative.
The book ‘The Nicene Creed’ is available from Matthias Media.
The Church Co
thechurchco.com is a website and app platform built specifically for churches.Anglican Aid
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We explore the findings of the Your Story Research Report — a significant national study that listens to the voices of more than 400 young people as they reflect on their spiritual journeys.
We find out who and what has, and is, shaping young people’s faith from their childhood, though to adolescence, to right now.
There are insights into the eight “faith journeys” —from Embracing to Reconstructing to Disengaging— highlighting the importance of relationships, trust, and belonging in shaping faith over time.
Plus advice for churches, families, and schools on how to nurture young people in ways that are both personal and sustainable.
Graham Stanton is Director of the Centre for Children’s and Youth Ministry. He lectures in Practical Theology at Melbourne’s Ridley College.
Download the Your Story Research Project: https://www.convergeoceania.com/yourstory
The Church Co
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For decades, the trend across Western countries seemed one-way: away from faith in Jesus Christ. But could the tide be turning?
Evangelist and author Glen Scrivener outlines signs of a "quiet revival" emerging, particularly among young people in the United Kingdom (and how things are different in Australia).
Drawing on new research from the UK Bible Society and reflecting on wider cultural shifts, Glen discusses why the story of secularisation may not be as inevitable as once thought — and why a surprising number of young adults are returning to church.
We also reflect on influences like Jordan Peterson, the role of community in a hyper-individualistic culture, and the opportunities — and challenges — now facing churches in both the UK and Australia.
Is this the beginning of a new movement towards Christ?
The Church Co
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The death of Pope Francis marks a pivotal moment for Roman Catholics.
What does this transition mean for the future of Catholicism and how should Protestants respond?
From Vatican City, Leonardo Di Chirico offers a firsthand perspective on reactions in Rome, while Rachel Ciano provides historical context from Sydney.
Many Protestant leaders have referred to Francis as a "brother in Christ," but Francis's final public act—granting indulgences during Easter—epitomizes the theological chasm between Catholic and Protestant understandings of salvation.
His distinctive Marian devotion and frequent requests for prayers further highlight fundamental differences in how salvation is understood.
The contrast between Benedict XVI's emphasis on Roman doctrine and Francis's focus on Catholic universality reveals a pendulum swing in Roman Catholicism that will likely now swing back.
Leonardo di Chirico is pastor of the Church Brecca di Roma and director of the Reformanda Initiative.
Rachel Ciano lectures in Christianity and History at sydney missionary and bible college, and is part of the faculty at the Rome scholars and leaders network, hosted by The Reformanda Initiative.The Church Co
thechurchco.com is a website and app platform built specifically for churches.Anglican Aid
Anglican Aid - To find out more about how to support Anglican Aid.Advertise on The Pastor's Heart
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New South Wales’ Conversion Practices Ban Act has just come into effect — along with guidelines from Anti-Discrimination NSW that many Christian leaders believe overstep the legal boundaries and impact ordinary pastoral ministry.
We are joined by legal expert Associate Professor Neil Foster, South Sydney Bishop Michael Stead, and Summer Hill Anglican Assistant Minister Simon Swadling.
Together, we unpack the implications of the new law for Christian preaching, prayer, counselling, and discipleship — especially in matters of sexuality, marriage, and gender.
We discuss:
The difference between the legislation and the government’s explanatory materialsThe implications for pastors, parents, and churchesThe tone and posture of faithful gospel ministry in a hostile legal environmentWhy some pastors are calling for civil disobedience — and others for restraintThe Church Co
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The new McCrindle report ‘An undercurrent of faith’ says:
Those turning to Christian faith are not who we might expect - it’s especially older people, the recently widowed and recently separated or divorced.The move is most on away from Christian identity in outer suburbia and regional areas.Australians are still turning to Christianity in large numbers, despite a decline in Christian affiliation.While 85,000 15-24 year olds have moved towards Christianity in the last five years, that’s dramatically down on a decade agoFounder and Principle of McCrindle research, Mark McCrinde, says his report shows a new search for purpose and meaning and asks is “Australia Post Christian or are we now Post Secular?”
Plus we compare the findings of the national McCrindle report with the recent Sydney Anglican report on Church attendance.
The Church Co
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The average 11-year-old spends 4.5 hours daily on non-school screens. By 15, 70% of boys regularly view pornography. This isn't harmless fun—it's rewiring young brains during critical development.
The addictive nature of social media, the mental health impact on teens, distorted identity and comparison, the way the attention economy undermines discipleship.
Parents (and pastors) so often feel out of their depth.
Marshall Ballantine-Jones created the Digihelp school curriculum addressing sexualised media, and the Resist Recovery Program.
The Church Co
thechurchco.com is a website and app platform built specifically for churches.Anglican Aid
Anglican Aid - To find out more about how to support Anglican Aid.Advertise on The Pastor's Heart
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Today we review the 50 year impact of The University of New South Wales’ Campus Bible Study on Christian ministries across Australia and around the world - in raising up gospel workers, sending missionaries, planting churches and in Christian publishing.
Former Anglican Dean of Sydney Phillip Jensen led the ministry for thirty years till 2005. Since then Paul Grimmond and Carl Matthei have been senior chaplains.
Alan Stewart started studying at the University of New South Wales just two years after Phillip Jensen arrived as Anglican Chaplain. Alan was saved by Jesus in 1979 and went on to assist in the ministry, before becoming CEO of Anglican Youthworks, Bishop of Wollonong, head of Church Planting for Sydney Anglicans and then national director of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches.
Tony Payne and Tracey Gowing started as undergraduate a few years after Alan. Tony went on to run the influential Christian publishing house Matthias Media, while Tracey led the Christian ministry at Cumberland College Christian Group before returning to UNSW as a senior staff member at Campus Bible Study.
The Church Co
thechurchco.com is a website and app platform built specifically for churches.Anglican Aid
Anglican Aid - To find out more about how to support Anglican Aid.Advertise on The Pastor's Heart
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Proclamation is for every Christian, one’s Christian faith is always public and a command is not needed to link faith to speech.
'I believed therefore I spoke' - That’s what the Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:13. And yet it’s a verse hardly referred to in the last few decades in discussions over who is responsible for evangelism.
Chris Braga of Grace West Anglican Church Sydney told the Nexus Conference in Sydney that 2 Corinthians 4:13 shows that there’s a spiritual reflex that internal faith (in the crucified and resurrected Jesus) will challenge fear and lead to speech.
Not because we’re commanded, but because we can’t help ourselves.
The Church Co
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Pastors facing up to our imposter syndrome - navigating the noise that leads us to make bad decisions.
As Pastors, we feel the pressure to have the right answers to people’s questions.
We want to be able to navigate the complexities of life and church and land everyone safely at the other end.
People share with us and the hardest parts of their lives, they trust us with their most private issues, and time and their money.
And they trust us that we will handle the most complex relationship difficulties with wisdom.
We end up feeling like imposters. Who am I to lead the people of God? And how can I have wisdom here?
Archie Poulos from Sydney’s Moore Theological College has found the secular book Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment helpful as he has addressed these issues.
The Church Co
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A new study shows that training in systematic self reflection will develop resilience among ministry workers, who are at risk of stress related ill health.
Self reflective resilience training is beneficial to those in ministry roles and programs in this area can minimise stress related ill health.
BUT, Not all self reflection is equal.
Organisational Psychologist with Sydney’s Center for Ministry Development Kirsty Bucknell has surveyed and tested a significant number of Australian Protestant Ministry workers to analyse the relationship between self reflection and mental health outcomes.
Kirsty’s just completed her PhD on this subject and says while there is a high sense of purpose and personal satisfaction in ministry work the stressors and strains of the role have been associated with burnout and stress related ill health.
The Church Co
thechurchco.com is a website and app platform built specifically for churches.Anglican Aid
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