Pastoral Address to CANA Council April 2014 The Rt. Rev. Julian M. Dobbs Missionary Bishop of CANA

Transcription

1 In the name of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Amen! I am thrilled that we have gathered for the annual Council meeting of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America. Our gathering here in Reisterstown, Maryland is a visible sign of our unity in Christ and in the mission of the Church, a mission and unity for which our Lord Jesus Christ prayed in John chapter 17. I have chosen the high priestly prayer of Jesus to be the theme of this pastoral address. Unity in Christ, unity in CANA and unity in the gospel mission of the Church. Last month Brenda and I were privileged to lead 31 people from across the Convocation of Anglicans in North America on a study tour through the Holy Land. It was an incredible time to consider the Bible in its cultural and geographical context and to worship the Living God in places such as, Nazareth, Galilee and Jerusalem. When we arrived in Israel, I said to the group, Throughout our time here in the Land of Israel we are going to encounter the miraculous God of the Bible. This is the land of miracles. In the Valley of Elah, five smooth stones were gathered from a brook and Goliath the giant was killed. In Bethlehem, a virgin Jewish teenager gave birth to the Savior of the World. In the north of Galilee, five loaves and two fish fed over five thousand people and then ultimately the greatest miracle of all, an empty tomb with a little sign which reads, He is not here, He is Risen. The biblical record makes it clear that time after time, the God of the Bible breaks into human history to manifest his power and reassure his people that He is sovereign, the maker of heaven and earth. He is our miracle making God. I believe that the Convocation of Anglicans in North America is one of God s incredible miracles. We are now in the 9th year of our mission. From very humble beginnings our ministry has grown to over 100 churches associated with CANA across 30 States and in Canada, over 435 chaplains and clergy and four missionary dioceses. We remain a missionary jurisdiction of the Church of Nigeria [Anglican Communion] and a founding jurisdiction of the Anglican Church in North America. CANA is truly a miracle! I am tremendously grateful to the dedicated clergy, lay leaders, chaplains and congregations who have supported CANA with their faithful prayers, financial giving and continued encouragement. Some have been journeying with CANA for a number of years, and others have just recently become part of the CANA family.

2 Many of our congregations and clergy suffered considerably as a result of their faithful and courageous defense of the faith once for all entrusted to the saints. Success in the courts was very muted and many were disappointed with the results; and yet, a new stronger missional expression of the Anglican Church has begun to emerge in North America. Reflecting on the journey of the past nine years, and recognizing that in many respects that we had hoped and prayed for different outcomes, The Rev. Dr. John Yates, Rector of the Falls Church Anglican, a member congregation of CANA in Virginia said, God is good, loving, and faithful. We have seen this on vibrant display in so many ways in our life together during these years, and we will continue to trust that He has even better things for us. Our new Anglicanism is by no means perfect. Many obstacles and challenges remain - we continue to be divided over the ordination of women to the presbyterate, differences over worship style and churchmanship separate many of us, but what is emerging is growing, it is missional and gospel focused and most of all it desires to be honoring of Almighty God. As recently as last month, new CANA churches have been planted. Congregations are creatively working with other churches and turning secular locations into sacred space and new pastors and chaplains are being ordained and commissioned for Christian service. I think of Church of the Holy Spirit in Tulsa, Oklahoma that purchased a former limousine warehouse and transformed it into a wonderful sanctuary and worship center. Or what of St. George s Colorado Springs which after forfeiting their campus through court action, reclaimed the original church building which had been used as a bar and transformed it into a magnificent Christian campus. This truly is a miracle! I think of the incredible chaplains ministry impacting schools, college campuses, hospitals and our Armed Forces. CANA is a miracle from God and I am humbled to serve as Missionary Bishop, building upon the strategic vision of our founders who humbly and fearlessly paved the way for us today. In particular, I want to acknowledge the visionary and sacrificial leadership of our founding Missionary Bishop, The Rt. Rev. Martyn Minns. Bishop Martyn, Angela and Rachel have served CANA with considerable distinction. 2

3 They have given of themselves, their talents and resources and poured out their lives for this expression of biblical, missionary Anglicanism in North America and beyond. Bishop Martyn, Angela and Rachel currently reside in the United Kingdom and are fulfilling an important ministry serving the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans [GAFCON] they will return to the United States next month. Today we honor all our founding leaders in North America and Nigeria who have so courageously and sacrificially given of their lives as faithful servants of Christ our Lord and gifted us this wonderful Convocation of Anglicans in North America. CANA Bishops And Dioceses Earlier this week, the CANA bishops met together in retreat to worship, pray and discuss our common life together in the Convocation. Our bishops will address us later in our Council meeting, however suffice it to say at this juncture, CANA is fortunate to be served by dedicated and faithful men in our episcopate, who provide biblical, godly and sacrificial leadership in our dioceses across the CANA family. Bishop Amos Fagbamiye and his wife Abike make their home in Indiana. Bishop Amos serves as the CANA bishop of the Missionary Diocese of the Trinity. The mission of the MDT is to build a Christ-centered, multicultural, multiracial, Biblebased church that believes in the apostolic teaching and is sensitive to human needs. Bishop Derek Jones and his wife Connie make their home in Alabama. Bishop Derek serves as the CANA bishop of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy. The Diocese of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy supports the endorsement and care of chaplains serving in the US military, federal and local government, hospital and hospice, law enforcement and other vocational and volunteer chaplaincies serving their communities. Bishop Felix Orji and his wife Lillian make their home in Texas. Bishop Felix serves as the CANA bishop of the Missionary Diocese of CANA West. The diocese is a fellowship of believers whose mission is to make disciples of Christ by preaching the biblical gospel of grace, teaching God's Word faithfully to believers, and supporting one another in the mission and ministry of the Church, to the glory of God alone. In addition to the diocesan bishops, CANA is blessed by God to be served by Bishop Dave and Mary Ellen Bena in Virginia, Bishop David and Mary Ann Anderson in 3

4 Georgia, Bishop Roger and Gretsie Ames in Ohio and Bishop Martyn and Angela Minns currently in the United Kingdom. At our CANA bishops retreat this week, the bishops agreed to request each CANA congregation tithe a minimum of 4% of their income to their respective diocese. This will enable each diocese to make their own required contribution to the CANA Headquarters and to The Anglican Church in North America. Jesus said, give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. 1 I commend our CANA bishops to your personal and public prayers. These faithful men, their wives and families often find themselves on the front line of intense spiritual pressure. Pray that Almighty God would protect them, provide for them, empower them and use their lives for His glory alone. CANA Archdeacon In our Anglican structure, bishops are supported in their diocesan ministry by archdeacons. From early Christian times an archdeacon was a man who the bishop selected from among the clergy for his personal service. An archdeacon is a person called to support the bishop in higher servant-hood and service. I have asked the Venerable Ronald Gauss to serve as Archdeacon of CANA and to establish a CANA College of Archdeacons who will support our clergy and bishops in their ministries. Our four CANA dioceses were created as a result of the September 2011 decision of the Church of Nigeria, which gave approval for the creation of missionary dioceses within CANA. The Missionary Diocese of the Trinity, the Diocese of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy, CANA West and CANA East are each dioceses of CANA. They exist as members of the CANA family as a result of our missional relationship and affinity together. It is through CANA that each diocese is associated with the Church of Nigeria. CANA Headquarters I am incredibly grateful for our small and very dedicated team at the CANA Headquarters in Virginia all our staff are part-time. The Rev. Neal Brown is a recent additional to the Headquarters Team offering much needed leadership, especially given my demanding travel schedule. 1 Luke 6:36 ESV 4

5 Neal has offered his time in a voluntary capacity and serves very faithfully in addition to his ministry as priest-in-charge of Redeemer Anglican Church, Leonardtown, Maryland. Mrs. Brenda Dobbs continues to serve as the CANA Registrar, ensuring that our dioceses share common procedures and our database of clergy and congregations remain current. Mrs. Maggie Marcum is our new financial administrator giving day-to-day management of the CANA finances. Miss Moriya French is serving as administrative assistant to the registrar and myself. Our modest offices are located within the Barnabas Aid complex in McLean, Virginia. Barnabas Aid works to support Christians where they are suffering and under pressures as a result of their faith in Jesus Christ. I strongly commend the work of Barnabas Aid to each of you, your congregations and dioceses as a mission organization worthy of your funding and financial support. The Church Of Nigeria [Anglican Communion] The Church of Nigeria [Anglican Communion] has offered us in North America a Spirit-filled, gospel-centered, apostolically commanded, incredible gift to rebuild and replant biblical Anglicanism in North America. Our connection to the Church of Nigeria is relational, it is missional, it is legal and it connects our dioceses, clergy and congregations firmly and unimpeachably to the world-wide Anglican Communion. Towards the close of 2013, a new protocol was written, which now governs the relationship between CANA, the Church of Nigeria [Anglican Communion] and the Anglican Church in North America. The Protocol has been signed by Archbishop Duncan, Archbishop Okoh and me as. I highlight the following four matters from the Protocol: 1. The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) and The Anglican Church in North America enjoy full communion with one another through common membership in the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON). 2. The Constitution and Canons of the Anglican Church in North America shall apply to and govern our life in CANA, except in those matters addressed by our own Constitution, Articles of Incorporation, or Bylaws. 5

6 3. The Protocol outlines a new and agreed process for the election of additional CANA bishops which shall include a diocesan nomination committee, consultation with the Missionary Bishop, and election by the College of Bishops of ACNA and then Nigeria. 4. In those places where there is geographic overlap between churches in a CANA diocese and churches in another ACNA diocese, every effort will be made to maintain the highest possible level of mutual concern and cooperation. Across Nigeria s middle belt and northern states, intensified attacks against Christians by the Al Qaeda affiliated terrorist group, Boko Haram, have plunged the region into serious crisis. Scores of Christians have been slaughtered, many churches have been burned and destroyed and Christian homes and businesses have been attacked. The situation is of serious concern. On a recent visit to Washington, D.C. I accompanied the Primate of All Nigeria at meetings with The Department of State, The United States Commission for Religious Freedom and The Heritage Foundation. The Primate made a robust appeal to the Obama Administration urging the United States to declare Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. After a lengthy delay the State Department eventually made this designation in November It is my intention to introduce a motion during our business session calling upon this Council to express its support for Christians in Nigeria and everyone whose life and livelihood have been or are being devastated by the attacks of Boko Haram. The Anglican Church In North America Under the very godly and capable leadership of The Most Rev. Robert Duncan, the Anglican Church in North America has joyfully and very deliberately embraced the vision to replant biblical, missionary Anglican Christianity across the United States and Canada. CANA is a founding jurisdiction and full member of the Anglican Church in North America. As such, the CANA bishops serve as bishops of the ACNA. In addition, I am pleased to serve as a member of Archbishop Duncan s Cabinet [representing CANA] and a member of the Governance Task Force of the Province. Each of our CANA dioceses has made application to be received and recognized as a diocese of the Anglican Church in North America, which enables us to take our place in this new missionary Anglican Church. 6

7 In June this year, the College of Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America will meet together to elect a new archbishop. The new archbishop will serve for an initial period of five years and will provide leadership across the Province, representing the church in the international arena. I urge you and your diocese to regularly pray that the ACNA bishops will know the mind of Christ as they prepare to elect one of their own as archbishop. Our participation in the mission and life of the Anglican Church in North America comes as our nation embraces many social, religious and political changes which provide us with divine opportunities to strategically witness to Christ crucified, risen and coming again. More people than ever before are finding their religion outside of the church In the United States, protestants have fallen below 50 percent of the population Two thirds (67 percent) of clergy in the United States do not believe that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God. North America is restless and searching. Our towns and cities once again need the transforming gospel of Jesus Christ and it is into this environment that the Lord has called us in CANA to declare, defend, and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ in a manner that results in changed lives and transformed communities for the glory of Almighty God. The creation and ministry of each of our dioceses is in direct response to the Great Commission declared by our Lord Jesus Christ to go and make disciples. To be effective disciple-makers in the post modern world, each CANA diocese and congregation will need to be deliberately prayerful, seeking the will of Almighty God and the enabling and guiding of God the Holy Spirit in our mission. Our preaching and teaching of the Word of God written needs always to be faithful, engaging and impacting. Our public worship services must always be well planned and our clergy and lay leaders need to be well prepared. We must have a growing commitment to discipleship, evangelism, local and global mission and a desire to serve the poor of our communities modeling our ministry upon Christ our Lord. There are two areas of ministry that I have chosen to highlight at this CANA Council that I see as priorities for our CANA dioceses. 7

8 I could have chosen intercession and spiritual warfare because we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 2 I could have chosen stewardship, because we need to ensure that our dioceses, clergy and congregations are appropriately managed and resourced; but I have chosen two areas of ministry that I am asking our bishops and dioceses to make a substantial and determined commitment alongside their other very important visions and goals. Church Planting and Leadership Formation Church Planting As North American Anglicans we have made a quantum leap into planting innovative and extraordinary new congregations in widely diverse contexts. I firmly believe that in light of the spiritual gifts, dynamic energy, commitment to our Lord Jesus Christ and the immense creativity and flexibility that the Convocation of Anglicans in North America is being called by the Living God to plant healthy, growing and faithful Anglican congregations committed to biblical faith, apostolic order and global mission. I have been granted the privilege of successfully planting three (3) churches. Brenda and I know first hand the joys, set-backs and triumphs of starting Anglican churches from the unique, hand-to-the-plow perspective of the planter. Together with other church planters, I believe that the vigorous, continual planting of new congregations is the single most crucial strategy for the numerical growth of the Body of Christ in any city, and the continual corporate renewal and revival of the existing churches in a city. To assist us with this vision, I have invited the Rev. Canon Alan Hawkins, the Vicar of Anglican 1000 to address CANA Council later this afternoon. Anglican 1,000 was born to help fulfill the prophetic call from Archbishop Bob Duncan for the Anglican Church in North America to faithfully and passionately pursue God s commission to spread His Gospel by the planting of new congregations. Leadership Formation To grow our newly planted missions into viable Anglican congregations and then become planting churches themselves, our CANA dioceses must recruit, train and develop new clergy who are well trained and consider themselves as missionaries in their local contexts. 2 Ephesians 6:12 8

9 I believe that our bishops must make directing, educating and unleashing the spiritual power, enthusiasm and entrepreneurial creativity of newly recruited and younger clergy one of our highest priorities. Our CANA dioceses must be decisively committed to the nurture and support of these new clergy and church planters. We must be ready to recruit and train young clergy called by Almighty God to ministry and gifted by the Holy Spirit with the sacrificial willingness to live bi-vocationally as church planters. I firmly believe that our CANA dioceses should create an intentional recruiting program in appropriate seminaries and colleges inviting innovative, Spiritfilled young men and women to join us in our missional journey as we replant Biblical Missionary Anglicanism across North America and beyond. Our Anglican heritage, The Thirty Nine Articles of Religion and The Formularies of the faith are an incredible heritage, which I believe is often neglected in our recruiting and training of new clergy. Remember, we are the church of Latimer, Ridley, and Cranmer. George Washington, William Wilberforce, Jane Austen, Anthony Trollope, Dorothy Sawyers and C.S. Lewis were all Anglicans. We are a church that has much to offer newly recruited clergy and I have invited The Venerables Mark Nordstrom and Alan Crippen to speak to us this Council on Anglican Formation: A CANA Case Study in Building an Organizational Culture of Theology and Worship. May we in CANA lead the way in our zeal for planting new churches and let us be determined to be a conduit for new leaders who are equipped and trained within the great heritage of the Anglican Church, for in doing so, we not only make an investment in this generation, but also in the generation which comes after us. On September 22, 1991, I was ordained as a deacon in God s Church. I was young, enthusiastic and single. At the conclusion of the ordination service, with the bishop s blessing and permission, I announced my engagement to be married to a beautiful, humble kiwi girl with whom I had fallen madly in love. From that moment to this, Brenda my bride has faithfully stood alongside me, supporting me in the ministry to which God has called us both, praying with me, encouraging me, believing in me and loving me. She often reminds me that even though the glass is half empty it is also half full. Thank you my dear Brenda, MAMA Cana, for your love for me and for your belief that the best days are yet to come for the Convocation of Anglicans in North America. 9

10 Both Brenda and I are looking forward to travelling among our CANA dioceses and congregations. We are already excited by your energy and desire to see our communities come to faith in Jesus Christ. There is much excellent ministry being offered in our dioceses and congregations as faithful clergy and lay leaders prayerfully engage in Christian mission. John Chapter 17 Before I conclude this pastoral address, please open your Bibles to our Council Scripture, from the Gospel of John chapter 17. In my mind, there is something wonderfully moving and powerful about the thought, that on the night before He died, our Savior Jesus looked across the centuries and prayed personally for us [for each of us at the CANA Council 2014]. When Jesus prays in the breath taking passage of the end of John 17, He prays for us. Verse 20, I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word. What is it the Messiah prays for? He might have prayed that we would be strategic urban missioners. He might have prayed that Christians throughout the ages would faithfully serve the poor. He might have prayed for success, or for safety, or for happiness. What is it He prays for? He prays for unity. It is there three times, verse 21, that all of them maybe one. Verse 22, that they may be one as we are one. At the end of verse 23, may they be brought to complete unity. What unity? There have been delusions and arguments about unity in the church from the 1 st century until today. There will be moments of great unity but also periods of terrible division and church history bears ample witness to the sad fact that believers do not always get along with one another. As one writer penned, To live above with those we love, oh, how that will be glory. To live below with those we know, now that s a different story. There are an estimated 33,000-protestant denominations across the world. North American Anglicanism is littered with little groups of archbishops and bishops, clergy and congregations who disagree over one issue or another and separate off into new denominations all claiming to be the pure expression of a Cranmarian heritage. 10

11 If we consider Anglican Christianity in North America, it s stating the obvious to say that our Lord s prayer for unity in John 17, is still waiting it s fulfillment. And yet, unity is important. It matters locally, congregationally, nationally, internationally and it is what Christ himself prays for the night before He dies. I want to raise 4 simple questions about unity. What is it like? How is it achieved? Why is it important? When will it be complete? 1. What is it like? Verses 20 and 21, I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The first dimension of effective unity is unity with the apostles. Here in the prayer of Jesus is first and foremost a prayer for historical and doctrinal continuity with the apostles. Brothers and sisters of CANA, truth and doctrine matter if unity is to be more than some lowest common denominator. Here at the beginning of this important prayer is a plea on the Lord s lips for historical and doctrinal continuity between the apostles and the post-apostolic church, between the church of the first century and the church of all subsequent centuries right down to our own Council meeting today. A unified Church has nothing to do with vestments, preferments, hymn books or clergy titles but has everything to do with a unity that is built on the foundation of the apostles with Jesus himself as the cornerstone 3. And look, verse 22, unity in the Church is to model the intimacy of the relationship in the Godhead. Jesus prays that the Church would be one, even as He and the Father are one. Jesus does not pray for cheap or superficial unity. This is a prayer that we, the church may be organically unified to the Father and the Son sharing the divine life, reflecting and embodying the very unity which Jesus has with the Father. This is the amazing dynamic of true unity. Apostolic teaching and the intimacy of the Godhead. Bishop Lesslie Newbigin wrote, It is a unity which not merely reflects but actually participates in the unity of God, the unity of love and obedience which binds the Son to the Father. 4 3 Ephesians 2:20 4 L. Newbigin, The Light has come p

12 2. How is it achieved? Logically, if there is to be unity with the apostles, that unity will be built and strengthened where their teaching is loved and taught. If there is to be unity with the Father and the Son, unity will grow where individuals are in relationship with God the Father, through God the Son. We have the unique opportunity to express our fundamental and unwavering commitment to the historic Faith once for all entrusted to the saints 5 as expressed in Holy Scriptures and declared in the creeds to our communities, our nation and the world from numerous influential locations in our increasingly globalized world. It was Hugh Latimer, one of the three Oxford Anglican martyrs who said in a sermon, Unity must be according to God s holy word we ought never to regard unity so much that we forsake God s word for her sake. 6 We may not always agree on every detail of doctrinal interpretation. We will have different prejudices and preferences but if we know him and if we share his life, we can experience the divine unity for which Jesus prays. We trust the same Savior. We submit to the same Lord. We live by the same faith. We re moving towards the same eternal destination and that binds us together. Former Archbishop of Canterbury, Archbishop William Temple said, The way to the union of Christendom does not lie through committee rooms, though there is a task of formulation to be done there. It lies through personal union with the Lord so deep and so real as to be comparable to his union with the Father Why is it important? Verse 21, So that the world may believe that you have sent me. My brothers and sisters, that the eyes of the world are on the Church, they always have been. I suspect they always will be. The world is quick to detect hypocrisy and defect. What do they see when they look at Anglicans in North America? A Church divided in competition, inconsistent, ineffective, irrelevant, yielding, repelling rather than attracting. Why should a person from another religion be persuaded of the uniqueness of Christ when they re faced with a torn and divided Church? The disunity in the Church emasculates evangelism and hamstrings the Church s effectiveness. Dear People of God, both truth and love need to be at work in the Church to maintain unity. Our preaching should be truthful and loving. 5 Jude 3 6 The Works of Hugh Latimer, page William Temple, "Readings in St. John's Gospel" 12

13 Our relationships should be truthful and loving. Our evangelism should be truthful and loving. When unity goes, so too does our effectiveness. We fail Christ in the world by making it harder for others to take his love seriously. 4. When will unity be complete? Jesus looks beyond the cross and beyond history to the coming glory, which is his forever. It s a strong prayer verse 24, Father, I want, I desire, I determine that they whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory. Heaven is the ultimate prospect in Christian unity. It is the only perfect solution. It is the consolation for all the frustrating imperfections of our own age. That doesn t mean we stop working at unity in our congregations, in our denominations, nationally and internationally, of course not. We need to keep our eyes fixed on heaven because that ultimately is the only place where we will experience perfect unity. Here then is a glimpse of Christ s vision of unity in John 17. It is spiritual, it is visible, it is practical. It is built on truth and it thrives on love. It is God given, not man made. It is indestructible and yet it needs constant working. It will be perfected finally in heaven when the one Church joins the Trinity in a unity of love beyond our imagination. What a prospect! Amen! As we engage in the mission of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America, may I remind you, the work we are together called to embrace and undertake is a holy work, it is to be done in the name of Almighty God and it is done for His glory alone. As your new Missionary Bishop, I am humbled to be a shepherd in this great task, as we together continue to fight the good fight and stand fast in the faith once for all entrusted to the saints. Amen. 13