FRIDAY REVIEW

Pressing On Toward the Goal

January 11, A.D.2008

As we move further into Anno Domini 2008, some of our New Year’s resolutions may have fallen by the wayside already. The health clubs and purveyors of home exercise machines have taken in sizable profits even if some of our resolve to avail ourselves of the benefits of their equipment has flagged.

Some of us are already a few days behind on our commitment to increased Bible study with One-Year Bibles. Others may have missed a couple of days of morning prayer time or deeper listening to the Lord so that we might “love him more dearly and follow him more nearly.”

When we stumble and fall short of our good resolutions, the important thing is not to despair and give up but to call on God’s grace and power to renew our commitments and turn them back into action. In our weakness it is all too easy to lose sight of our goals, of the big picture, of those things that are our most important priorities.

As Christians our primary goal is to grow closer to God, to become more Christ-like, and to focus our energies on living out the Great Commandments and the Great Commission. As the Apostle Paul put it, “…one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14). We must forget the old self and press on toward the new creature that God has made us in Christ.

I also encourage you to add another high priority New Year’s resolution to your list. Resolve to press on toward your future as orthodox American Anglicans this year. A very few think there is still a realistic hope of turning TEC around. Some have decided to remain in TEC and minister the Gospel despite growing opposition to the unchanging truth of God’s Word. Others know that their future in TEC cannot continue and they are taking counsel as to how best to make a godly exit. Others sadly are in denial and simply hope that somehow the “different gospel contrary to the one received” will not come near their door.

More and more, however, are counting the costs and putting their resolve into action. In our Southeastern Convocation, two Tennessee parishes have now left TEC for the Gospel’s sake. The Rev. Frederick Richardson and members of Holy Cross, Murfreesboro will begin their worship this Sunday as Faith Anglican Fellowship refugees under the temporary care of Uganda. They saw the move as “necessary for the health of their congregation.” In Winchester, the Rev. Bill Midgett, citing the necessity to “choose between the true Gospel and a false one,” led members of Trinity out of TEC and into the temporary care of Nigeria as Christ the King Anglican.

What do these two congregations have in common in addition to a love for Jesus and His Gospel? They both have maintained their connection to the Anglican Communion and they have seen their future as orthodox American Anglicans in the Common Cause Partnership (CCP), the separate ecclesiastical structure in North America for which the Global South Primates have called.

As we look to see what God is doing, it seems clear that he is raising up the CCP as His plan for the future of orthodox American Anglicanism. Our next major step on the global stage will be the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) to begin June 15 in Jerusalem. “The vision, according to Archbishop Nzimbi is to inform and inspire invited leaders ‘to seek transformation in our own lives and help impact communities and societies through the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ’. Bishops and their wives, clergy and laity, including the next generation of young leaders will attend GAFCON (www.acn-us.org/milestones/2008/jun-15/global-anglican-future-conference.html).”  The GAFCON web site is www.gafcon.com.

As the New Year unfolds, I encourage you to resolve to look around you to see where your orthodox colleagues of the future are. Some are still in TEC for the time being. Others, although still officially in TEC, such as ACN affiliated congregations, Forward in Faith North America parishes, and the APO dioceses have already realized that the CCP is the heart and hub of our spiritual and structural future together. The number of CCP parishes outside of TEC is growing through the recent departure of the ACN Diocese of San Joaquin, the congregations of the ACN International Convocation, the AMiA, the CANA, the REC, the APA, and the Anglican Network in Canada.

Resolve to find all these orthodox brothers and sisters in your neck of the woods and build relationships with them in mission and ministry for they will be your fellow workers for the harvest in the American Anglican vineyard.

Your brother in Jesus the Christ,

Jim McCaslin+