Clear content and high worship

Pehaps the best way to summarize what has been happening the past couple of days is to offer some quotes from our distinguished roster of speakers. Each of the presentations has been of the highert caliber, from Biblical expositions to commentary on the issues facing the Communion. True to the original intention of the conference planners, the focus has clearly been on the future (Global Anglican Futures Conferent- GAFCON)- how we might continue to work, serve and evangelize together in a truly cooperative global partnership.

Dr. Os Guinness on "The Gospel and Secularism": The whold modern world represents the greats oportunity for the Gospel since the apostles. It also represents the greatest challenge to the Gospel. Never underestimate the profound anti-Christian assumptions of secularity. Never have evangleiclas had clearer views on the authority of Scripture, but never has evangelical behavior been more chaotic and permissive that it is today. Those who choose to look to contemporary culture to guide their fath decisions, lose the authority of Scripture and cut themselves off from Christianity arond the world."

Ap. Henry Orombi (Uganda): Like that paralytic at the pool the Church is living but is powerless. The Lord is asking us the same question he asked the paralytic, 'Do you want to be healed?'"

Bp. Michael Nazi Ali (Rochester, UK) speaking on authentic Anglicanism: The future of the Anglcian Communion is to be found in its authentic nature, not in recent innovations or explanations. That nature is our submission to the authority of Scripture, confessing, and govered by the councils that have the ability and the authority to lead the church and theach the Christian faith. If you (the participants in GAFCON) are anything gathered here together, you are the beginings, the miraculous beginings, we may say, of an ecclesial movement for the sake of the Gospel and for the sake of Christ's Church.

There was a panel discussion last night on the Gospel in the Middle Easter. Participating in the panel were Dr. Lamin Sanneh (professor of Missions and World Christianty, Yale Divinity School), Dr. Salim Muyaner ( Palestinian Christian and founder of Musalaha a ministry of reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians), and the Rev. Evan Thomas, a leader in Israel's Messianic Community. To hear them speak together, very frankly, about the history of violence between Palestinian (Christian and Muslim) and Jew and the work of mission and reconciliation they were doing was both refreshingly honest and heartening that such a conversation could be a part of our meetings. Dr. Sanneh, a former consultant to Lambeth, also spoke encouragingly of GAFCON, "I am absolutely convinced that GAFCON is a part of the wave of the future. The Anglican Communion has to respond to GAFCON, not as a threat, but as an asset- work with it."

There have also been very informative worships on Anglicanism and HIV AIDS, The Gospel and Leadership, Anglican Identity, Marriage and Family, Church Planting and Evangelism, Theological Education

If you are interested, many of the GAFCON sessions are available on line through Anglican TV, archived at www.GAFCON.org

Yesterday we gathered at the temple steps (all 1200 of us) for worship. The site is the closest in Israel to where Peter preached at the Day of Pentecost. There was no place on earth where it was more appropriate to sing, "O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing My Dear Redeemer's Praise." We did just that at the top of our lungs.