Wednesday' Catch: 'The Inside Story on GAFCON’s Communiqué' And More

The Inside Story on GAFCON’s Communiqué
The October 16 launch of a Global Anglican Communion by the conservative renewal movement GAFCON has captured headlines around the world. Yet many are puzzled about how the decision was made, who will join in, and what the development will mean for the future of the Canterbury-based Instruments of Communion.

Leaders are failing in holiness and too many Christians are ignorant about Jesus’ key message, says evangelist
Too many pastors are failing to live holy lives, while many ordinary Christians are clueless about the core point of Jesus’ teaching, veteran evangelist Rev Dr Stephen Tong said on Tuesday.

In a challenging address to the general assembly of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), Indonesian evangelist and theologian, Dr Tong said that so many pastors were living extremely hypocritical lives, “womanising” and committing adultery during the week, then coming to church on Sunday to preach the Word of God.

In ACNA’s upside-down world, abuse survivors are considered the problem
The crucial truth to remember is that when someone comes forward and tells the truth about abuse, they are not the one causing harm to the church.

Why Non-Christians Don’t Like Christians (Hard Truths for Church Leaders)
Let’s talk about something that’s hard—but important: why so many non-Christians don’t like Christians.

In this video, I walk through 5 things we often do (even with good intentions) that actually turn people away from Jesus. From judgment to hypocrisy, to the way we use churchy language or treat people like projects—these are real barriers we can do something about.

The truth? This isn’t just an image problem. It’s an integrity problem.

I’ve wrestled with these issues in my own life and leadership, and my hope is this helps you create a church culture that looks a lot more like Jesus.

3 Qualities Necessary to Learn from our Critics
Nobody likes to be criticized, at least not at first. Sometimes criticism is warranted. Sometimes it’s not. And sometimes it hard to differentiate between the two. The writer of Proverbs implies that we should learn from and even seek out the beneficial wounds from our critics. Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy. (Pv 27.6) But when we need to heed a message from a critic, how can we position ourselves so that we can benefit from it? Below I suggest three ways we can do so.

Does Simple Church Still Work? 

Nearly twenty years after releasing his groundbreaking book Simple Church, Eric Geiger reflects on why complexity in your church still doesn’t scale, how complexity subtly creeps in as you grow, and what he’s learned since he started leading Mariners Church.

He also shares the great things that happen when older church leaders choose to set aside their own agendas and die to their egos so the next generation can thrive.

The Power of Repetition in Liturgy
Every week, when Anglicans gather around Word and Sacrament, the familiar prayers of the Book of Common Prayer are spoken again. To many Evangelicals, this feels foreign—“It’s the same thing over and over.” But what critics often dismiss as “rote repetition” is, in fact, the very means by which the liturgy forms us, grounding our faith more deeply with each Lord’s Day.

The Vesture of the Lord's Table 

I wrote this article for readers who want to learn more about how Anglicans "did church" in the three centuries before the Catholic Revival of the nineteenth century and who are interested in reviving the practices of the reformed Church of England from what was a formative period for classical Anglicanism.

How to Keep Small Groups Thriving Through the Holidays (Without Losing Momentum)
The holidays bring joy, warmth, and celebration—but they also bring disruption. Between travel schedules, family gatherings, and Christmas programs, many churches see their small groups slow down or even pause entirely. When this happens, leaders often feel discouraged, wondering how to sustain small group ministry during the holidays. But it doesn’t have to be that way. With a bit of creativity and care, you can help your group stay spiritually engaged and relationally strong through one of the busiest seasons of the year.

Healthy small group ministry during the holidays doesn’t mean overloading people—it means giving them opportunities to experience community and faith in ways that fit the rhythm of the season. By shifting expectations and focusing on connection rather than completion, your small group can emerge from the holidays more united than ever.

Called by Name: Practicig Everyday Hospitality 

There was a long season in our lives when our home was a gathering place. We regularly hosted large groups of people for food and fellowship, endeavoring to heed the call of 1 Peter 4:9 to “show hospitality to one another without grumbling” by making our home a welcoming place.

Now we’re in a different season—one where it’s challenging to host people in our home. Yet I know the call to be hospitable remains. So how can I welcome others in this new season of life?

Image Credit: GAFCON