Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Ravi Zacharias on man's spiritual problem

Thursday, May 14, 2020

UPDATE: Pastor Sam went to be with the Lord on May 16, 2020

Please Pray for Pastor Sam by Dean Gavaris on Scribd

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Abortion: Is it a Gospel Issue? – April 29, 2020

Pastor's Academy (BLOG)

104 Hendon Lane. London N3 3SQ +44 (0)20 8346 7587
pastorsacademy@londonseminary.org

Yesterday was the 52^nd anniversary of the Abortion Act coming into effect in Great Britain (27 April 1968). Many of us have been moved in recent months by Heidi Crowter, a young woman with Down’s Syndrome who has initiated a case against the UK government because abortion law discriminates against babies with disabilities. It has been a rare moment when our media have allowed us a tiny glimpse of the meaning of a procedure that is tragically common. But it is only a tiny glimpse, and only a part of the meaning of abortion in the UK. Since the Abortion Act came into effect, almost 9 ½ million unborn babies have been killed. That is one child dead every three minutes for 52 years.¹But it is not just children; the mothers damaged by abortions, physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually are another of the abortion industry’s guilty secrets.

In contrast with the situation in the United States and perhaps in part in reaction to the way American Christians have addressed the issue, evangelicals in the UK have remained largely silent on the issue of abortion.² It was therefore encouraging last week to attend an online event organised by Brephos: “Abortion: Is It a Gospel Issue?”³

The event began with Glen Scrivener interviewing Vaughan Roberts about a new book on abortion, co-authored with Dr Lizzie Ling.⁴This arrived on my desk today and looks like an excellent short resource (I’ll post a short review soon). Vaughan and Glen helpfully explored ways in which ministers can speak about abortion and connect it to the gospel by speaking of the uniqueness and value of humans as God’s image-bearers. Vaughan also spoke helpfully about why we might be nervous of “going there,” but how his congregation, and not least women in his congregation, have found it helpful when he has. In short: given the statistics, there will undoubtedly be women in our congregations who have had abortions, and others who would consider it. Addressing the subject with courage and compassion is therefore a pastoral necessity.

This was beautifully illustrated by a fabulous testimony from Laura Mann. Laura spoke movingly of feeling pressured into having an abortion at the age of 19, and of the terrible trauma she experienced for years afterwards: nightmares, night tremors, shame, overwhelming guilt, secrecy. She spoke passionately about the need to help women (and men!) understand abortion, and understand why it is wrong and damaging. She also observed how the church’s silence does nothing to help those trying to come to terms with having had an abortion. In her words: “If we keep quiet, we won’t help people deal with stuff. What will happen is we will have broken people playing at church.” We have begun to realise this in pastoring people with same-sex sexual desires. But it is true in every area of life. When we shy away from loving people with God’s truth, the pastoral consequences for individuals and churches are disastrous.

Finally, Dean Gavaris from New Jersey spoke about the gospel-centred pregnancy advice service he leads. Dean’s zeal for the gospel and love for women and unborn children was evident, and it was encouraging to be reminded that zeal for evangelism and zeal for human life do not conflict with one another, and that abortion is a gospel issue not primarily a political one.

However, through no fault of his own, this was probably where the cultural differences between British and American evangelicals became most apparent. Much more needs to be said, theologically, ethically and pastorally about abortion than it was possible to cover in a few hours online. And if we are to speak into our own social, political and ecclesial contexts on this side of the Pond, much of that work will need to be done by us. If the British Church will not speak up in protection of the unborn, who will? If we will not speak to warn and protect men and women and teenagers who might otherwise offend God and harm themselves in providing and seeking abortions, who will? If we will not minister the gospel directly and winsomely to those who have already had abortions, who will?

And if we will not speak now, what will we say of the next 9 ½ million children to die?

https://www.pastorsacademy.org/blog/ethica/abortion:-is-it-a-gospel-issue/

[1] This is, of course, an average figure. In reality, as the www.righttolife.org.uk article linked above notes, in 1969 there were 54,819 abortions. Since then “there has been a 270% increase in the total number of pregnancies ending in abortion in England and Wales.” In fact, “Almost 1 in 4 (24%) pregnancies in England and Wales now ends in abortion.”

[2] John Stott, Issues Facing Christians Today (Leicester: IVP, 1^st pub.1984) is a notable exception, as is the excellent work of brephos.

[3] A recording of the event is available here.

[4] Lizzie Ling and Vaughan Roberts, Abortion (London: The Good Book Company, 2020).

Saturday, April 25, 2020

Hope Centre UK Links to videos

LINKS for Zoom and Facebook Live broadcasts of Hope Centre Events

equipping churches to speak out for the unborn

Sharing Jesus in crisis pregnancy? Brephos (Pastor Dave Brennan) in conversation with Dean Gavaris from New Jersey April 8, 2020

click here >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1919&v=kCAFOT-U-fs&feature=emb_logo

Brephos -equipping churches to speak out for the unborn child

100% Pro Evangelism — 100% Pro Life || An Interview with Dean Gavaris – broadcast in the UK LIVE on April 20, 2020 (prerecorded)

click here >https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhV4XLi83zQ&feature=youtu.be

‘Casting the Vision’ "HOPE": a New Vision for Pregnancy Centres - ONLINE Tuesday, April 21, 2020 at 02:00 PM UK / 1hour 24 minutes

click here > https://youtu.be/LCUxINSX7W8

Brephos Church Leaders Event - Abortion: Is It A Gospel Issue? Thursday, April 23, 2020 at 9:30 AM EST with Rev. Vaughan Roberts, Laura Mann and Rev. Dean Gavaris

Glen Scrivener interviews Vaughan Roberts, Laura Mann shares her abortion story and why she sees this as a gospel Dean Gavaris with a vision for sharing the gospel in pregnancy centres

click here >> Broadcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ea7n5F9jGA&feature=youtu.be

Event Link: https://www.brephos.org/events

Promo: https://www.cbruk.org/brephoschurchleadersevent

Rebekah Collins introduces the Hope Centre ministry
click here >>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lt3XTPQ8h_Y

===============================================

Available via link from Gateway - email: dean@gateway.org

Introducing Focus on the Heart – a Biblical focused, directive approach to crisis pregnancy center ministry - February 13, 2020 .mp4

Our Visit to the United Kingdom - January 29, 2020 .mp4

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Brephos Church Leaders Event - Abortion: Is It A Gospel Issue?

Thursday, April 23, 2020 at 9:30 AM EST with Rev. Vaughan Roberts, Laura Mann and Rev. Dean Gavaris

Watch Live via Facebook!

3pm – Glen Scrivener interviews Rev. Vaughan Roberts

3:25pm – Laura Mann shares her abortion story and why she sees this as a gospel

3:50pm – short comfort break

4pm – Dean Gavaris with a vision for sharing the gospel in pregnancy centres

click here >> Broadcast

click here >> Event Link

click here >> Promo

A note from Evangelist David Brennan

We are so looking forward to seeing you on Thursday 23April for our special church leaders’ event, “Abortion: is it a Gospel Issue?”

Please click on this link to join us on the day via Zoom (all you need to do is click the link; you shouldn’t have to download any software you don’t already have).

We are asking delegates to sign in from 2:30pm so that we have everyone in place in order to start promptly at 3pm. You’ll enter a “waiting room” upon arrival; we’ll bring you in just before 3pm. Once you’ve signed in do feel free to carry on with your own things until 3pm.

PROGRAMME

2:30pm – delegates start signing in

3pm – Glen Scrivener interviews Vaughan Roberts

3:25pm – Laura Mann shares her abortion story and why she sees this as a gospel issue

3:50pm – short comfort break

4pm – Dean Gavaris with a vision for sharing the gospel in pregnancy centres

4:45pm – Q&A (with all speakers) fielded by Aisling Goodison

5:30pm – prayer and close

We understand if people are unable to stay for all of the Q&A, but aside from that we do ask delegates to regard this conference as a whole and to commit to all of it so that together we can learn more of God’s heart on this critical issue.

BOOK LAUNCH

As you know one element of this day is the launch of Dr Lizzie Ling’s landmark book Abortion (which Vaughan Roberts also helped to write).

The Good Book Company have kindly made available to delegates of this conference only a discounted price of £2.50 per copy, with free postage thrown in.

As I urged readers of Evangelicals Now to do in my recent review, why not buy a few copies of this book; give one to a non-Christian friend and find out what they made of it, and distribute copies within your small group or leadership team and study it together.

Click here to purchase, and don’t forget to apply the code tpa2304 for the discount. The code will be effective until the end of May. Please do not share this code with anyone else.

It’s not too late to invite others to join us on the 23^rd; please do send them this link and they can book in, and then they will receive this email as well.

God bless you and please join me in praying for this event, that God would be pleased to use it powerfully to renew our minds and reform our lives for his glory.

Much love in Christ,

Dave Brennan