The Pastor's Heart with Dominic Steele

We tackle one of the most sensitive issues facing the global church — sexuality. Vaughan Roberts, senior minister of St Ebbe’s Oxford, speaks as both pastor and theologian. In this interview he reflects on deeply personal pastoral encounters — Christians struggling with pornography, same-sex attraction, gender incongruence, and the pain of confusing messages from churches.In Abuaja, Nigeria, Vaughan Roberts, distributed his new book Full of Grace and Truth: The Gospel and Sexuality in the Global Church to more than 470 bishops, clergy and lay leaders of the Global Anglican Communion.At the heart of Roberts’ argument is the argument: God is for sex. Sex is for marriage. Marriage is for life. And ultimately life is for Christ. Roberts’ challenge cuts in two directions. He cautions revisionist Christians not to abandon biblical truth, while also urging conservatives to move beyond moralism to the transforming beauty of the gospel.To order online: https://www.thegoodbook.co.uk/full-of-grace-and-truth The Church Cohttp://www.thechurchco.com is a website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Advertise on The Pastor's HeartTo advertise on The Pastor's Heart go to thepastorsheart.net/sponsorSupport the show

What does the reordering of the Anglican Communion actually mean for Christians in the Australian Church? Archbishop of Sydney Kanishka Raffel on what it means for Anglican churches, clergy and church members in Australia.We explore what ‘principled disengagement’ from the Canterbury Instruments will mean for Australian leaders and other Global Anglican Communion leaders. Plus an update on implementing the Sydney Diocean goal of seeing five percent saved through conversion growth each year.  And Archbishop Raffel responds to criticism over his comments on Pauline Hanson, ‘We must reject hateful words and threats of violence.’ Gafcon Communique: https://gafcon.org/communique-updates/the-abuja-affirmation/A short clip to show in church where Archbishop Raffel outlines the significance of the reordering for members of Australian Anglican Churches: https://vimeo.com/1174575894?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci  Archbishop Raffel news release on Pauline Hanson: ‘We must reject hateful words and threats of violence’:https://sydneyanglicans.net/mediareleases/we-must-reject-hateful-words-and-threats-of-violence The Church Cohttp://www.thechurchco.com is a website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Advertise on The Pastor's HeartTo advertise on The Pastor's Heart go to thepastorsheart.net/sponsorSupport the show

A refugee boy who walked barefoot from Rwanda to Burundi now leads the Global Anglican Communion. In this special episode of The Pastor’s Heart, Dominic Steele speaks with Archbishop Laurent Mbanda of Rwanda, newly appointed chair of the council guiding newly inaugurated the Global Anglican Communion.Speaking from Abuja, Nigeria, just days after the historic gathering that launched the new communion, Archbishop Mbanda reflects on the extraordinary journey that brought him from displacement and poverty to global church leadership.He shares the emotion and conviction behind the moment — why many Anglicans believe a new structure was necessary, why unity must be theological rather than geographical, and why the authority of Scripture remains central.Archbishop Mbanda also responds to narratives circulating in the media — that the new movement is about women bishops or opposition to LGBT people — arguing instead that the central issue is the authority of Scripture and faithfulness to biblical teaching.Along the way, Mbanda warmly commends Vaughan Roberts’ Lausanne Conference address and new book Full of Grace and Truth, urging churches to hold together biblical conviction and Christ-like grace in their response to questions of sexuality. The Church Cohttp://www.thechurchco.com is a website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Advertise on The Pastor's HeartTo advertise on The Pastor's Heart go to thepastorsheart.net/sponsorSupport the show

The announcement of the new Global Anglican Communion has triggered an extraordinary wave of reaction from evangelical Anglican leaders gathered in Abuja this week. For many delegates, the moment was deeply emotional. One leader described it as “the privilege of crossing the river and entering the promised land,” capturing the sense that years of theological tension and debate have now led to a decisive new chapter for Anglicans committed to the authority of Scripture.Inside the conference hall the mood was striking. African bishops began dancing in praise on the platform and in the aisles — a spontaneous expression of joy and thanksgiving to God.The atmosphere was markedly different from the gathering three years ago in Kigali, where the tone was sombre and reflective as leaders lamented the direction of parts of the Anglican world. In Abuja the feeling was relief, gratitude and renewed confidence about the future.In this special episode of The Pastor’s Heart, we bring together reactions from senior Anglican leaders across the global church following the release of the Abuja statement and the establishment of the new Global Anglican Council. The conversation explores why many leaders believe communion must be defined confessionally around the Jerusalem Declaration, and why there is now a call for principled disengagement from the historic Canterbury structures.You’ll hear reflections from Miguel Uchoa, Michael Stead, Julian Dobbs, Alfred Olwa, Emmanuel Egbunu, Vaughan Roberts, John Dunnett, Glenn Davies, Darryl Parker and Richard Condie as they respond to what this moment means for their provinces and for the global Anglican movement. The discussion was recorded for Advent Cable Network Nigeria, where host Promise Njoko-Adebe invited Dominic to co-host the panel.This episode is brought to you by Anglican Aid. The Church Cohttp://www.thechurchco.com is a website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Advertise on The Pastor's HeartTo advertise on The Pastor's Heart go to thepastorsheart.net/sponsorSupport the show

In his first interview after being elected chair of the new Global Anglican Council, Archbishop of Rwanda Laurent Mbanda has outlined how leadership will work in the emerging Global Anglican Communion The GAFCON Primates have dissolved the GAFCON Primates Council — the body that has guided the movement since 2008 — and in its place established a new Global Anglican Council to help lead what is the emerging Global Anglican Communion.The Primates have chosen to broaden authority. The new council will include primates alongside bishops, clergy, and lay leaders, all with full voting privileges. The structure signals a shift toward a more conciliar model of leadership, reflecting the conviction that the existing Instruments of Communion no longer adequately serve the majority of Anglicans worldwide. Rwandan Primate, Archbishop Laurent Mbunda has been elected to chair the Council, until the Athens Conference in 2028.In this Pastor’s Heart special from Abuja, Dominic Steele speaks with:* The newly elected chairman of the Global Anglican Council, Rwanda’s Archbishop Laurent Mbanda, * Archbishop of Sydney Kanishka Raffel, * Former Archbishop of North America and Former Chair of Gafcon, Bishop Foley Beach, * John Dunnett from the Church of England Evangelical Council.Mbunda, Raffel and Beach discuss the reasoning behind the new structures, what they mean for Anglican leadership globally, and how this moment emerged from nearly two decades of GAFCON’s development.We expore why the Primates have chosen to share authority more widely, how the new council will function, and what the leaders involved hope it will mean for the future of Anglican mission, doctrine, and fellowship across the world. Plus The launch of the New Global Anglican Communion Fund with Anglican AID CEO Tim Swan.  The Church Cohttp://www.thechurchco.com is a website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Advertise on The Pastor's HeartTo advertise on The Pastor's Heart go to thepastorsheart.net/sponsorSupport the show

The future shape of the Anglican Communion is being debated this week in Abuja, Nigeria.At the GAFCON conference, more than 400 bishops and global leaders are working through the logic of the proposal that could lead to a new Global Anglican Communion — a fellowship grounded in the authority of Scripture and historic Anglican doctrine.On Day 2 of the conference, Dominic Steele speaks with key leaders including Vaughan Roberts (Oxford), Julian Dobbs (ACNA), and Richard Condie (Tasmania), along with presenters from Uganda, Brazil and Nigeria.They discuss: • The implications of the Church of England’s current trajectory • The logic behind a reordered global communion • The mission opportunity for global Anglicans • What this could mean for churches in the UK, North America and AustraliaThis episode is part of The Pastor’s Heart special coverage of GAFCON 2026 in Abuja.Sponsored by Anglican Aid https://anglicanaid.org The Church Cohttp://www.thechurchco.com is a website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Advertise on The Pastor's HeartTo advertise on The Pastor's Heart go to thepastorsheart.net/sponsorSupport the show

The atmosphere was electric in the cathedral in Abuja, Nigeria as the the Word of God from 2 Corinthians rang out with unmistakable clarity: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers… Come out from them and be separate… Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates.”The preacher was the Archbishop of Nigeria, Henry Ndukuba, and his message landed with force. Many of the Primates, Archbishops, Bishops, Clergy and Laity from across the Anglican world would have preached on that passage in the past, but the Holy Spirit pressed it home in a remarkable way. In this episode of The Pastor’s Heart, Dominic Steele speaks with Glenn Davies — former Archbishop of Sydney and now Bishop of the GAFCON Authorised Diocese of the Southern Cross. Together they reflect on the emotional and spiritual tone of the conference as it begins, the shift since the sober mood of GAFCON 2023 in Kigali, and the key questions now facing global Anglican leaders — including the future structure of the communion, the role of the Global South, and the difficult realities for churches seeking faithfulness while still legally tied to Canterbury.PlusBishop of South Sydney Michael Stead outlines the way the conference statement will be formed from the ground up. Presiding Bishop of the Anglican Network in Europe Andy Lines speaks on how the Church of England has failed to repent, despite the clarion call of the Gafcon23 conference. Mwita Akiri is former Bishop of Tarmi in Tanzania and co-ordinator of Gafcon for Tanzania.  The Church Cohttp://www.thechurchco.com is a website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Advertise on The Pastor's HeartTo advertise on The Pastor's Heart go to thepastorsheart.net/sponsorSupport the show

Dominic Steele reports from Abuja, Nigeria, as nearly 500 Anglican leaders gather for GAFCON 2026 in what many believe could prove a decisive moment in the reshaping of the Anglican Communion. Delegates have arrived from across Africa, the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australasia, despite significant travel disruption caused by the US–Iran conflict and Middle Eastern airspace closures. For many Australians, flights were cancelled only hours before departure. This preview episode of The Pastor’s Heart sets out what is expected in the coming days: proposals for the structure and operation of a new Global Anglican Communion, distinct from Canterbury. The story stretches back through the Jerusalem Declaration of 2008 and the strong Kigali statement of 2023, in which leaders representing the majority of the Communion expressed no confidence in the existing Instruments of Communion. This week, foundations for a renewed and confessionally orthodox global fellowship are anticipated to be agreed.Steele outlines the program for the week, including plenary sessions, presentations and votes on doctrine, fellowship and leadership structures. Particular attention will be given to the biblical basis of communion, the failures of current Canterbury-centred mechanisms and how future alignment will be defined. Questions around governance, canonical relationships and financial partnerships are also expected to be addressed.Over the next five days, The Pastor’s Heart will release daily 30-minute reports with interviews from primates and key leaders, alongside full-length conversations on YouTube. Coverage is brought in partnership with Anglican Aid. This episode provides essential background to what may become a defining chapter in modern Anglican history. Advertise on The Pastor's HeartTo advertise on The Pastor's Heart go to thepastorsheart.net/sponsorSupport the show

For many of us, Easter is the highest attention moment of the year. But how do we turn that attention into genuine Gospel impact? How do we help people attend in the first place, how do we move from visitor to believer, and how do we run follow up that actually happens?How to engage the neighbourhood, welcome deliberately, lead hearts to love Jesus in the gathering and preaching, and leading well into followup courses. We cover what to prioritise, what not to do, whether evening events are worth it, how to serve families well, and simple next steps that help guests come back.Featuring three Sydney mission pastors: Brayden Lucas (Christ Church Gladesville), Peter Blake (St Stephen’s Normanhurst) and Pip Witheridge (St Paul’s Carlingford). The Church Cohttp://www.thechurchco.com is a website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Advertise on The Pastor's HeartTo advertise on The Pastor's Heart go to thepastorsheart.net/sponsorSupport the show

Well, we give it a serious go in 30 minutes.What is the “righteousness of God”?Is it faith in Christ or the faithfulness of Christ?Who is the “I” in Romans 7?What exactly is Paul saying about Israel and the Law?How does Romans use the Old Testament?And is the gospel mainly about individual salvation or shaping a new community?Ridley College’s Brian Rosner has just released a major theological overview of Romans ‘Strengthened by the Gospel’ — and along the way he thoughtfully engages nearly every major scholarly controversy.If you’ve ever taught Romans, struggled with Romans, or simply wanted to understand Romans more deeply you will enjoy this fast moving discussion through the controversies of Romans. To purchase Strengthened by the gospel: https://reformers.com.au/products/9781433572555-strengthened-by-the-gospel-a-theology-of-romans-brian-rosner The Church Cohttp://www.thechurchco.com is a website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Advertise on The Pastor's HeartTo advertise on The Pastor's Heart go to thepastorsheart.net/sponsorSupport the show