John 17:20-26 1. Jesus prays for real Christian unity...

John17:20-26

1.JesuspraysforrealChristianunity(verse20-23)-Howitbegins-Whatitis-Whatitshows

2.JesuspraysfortheoverflowingloveofGodtobefulfilledinChristianunity.(v.24)

3. JesuspromisesinthisagetocontinuemakingtheFatherknown (v.25-26)

AnglicanInstrumentsofUnity

• ArchbishopofCanterbury• PrimatesMeeting• AnglicanConsultativeCouncil(ACC)• Lambeth Conference

AnglicanCommunion

ArchbishopofCanterbury

• ThefocusforUnityforthethree InstrumentsofCommunion

• HecallstheLambethConference• ChairsPrimatesMeeting• Presidentofthe AnglicanConsultativeCouncil

PrimatesMeeting

• Establishedin1978asanopportunityfor“leisurelythought,prayeranddeepconsultation”andhasmetregularlysince.

• Theimportanceofthesemeetingshasincreasemarkedlysince2003.

• IntheirJanuary2016meetingtheprimatesagreedtosanctiontheEpiscopalChurchUSA

Lambeth Conference• AllbishopsinAnglicanCommunionmeetevery10years

• ServesacollaborativeandconsultativefunctionandnotagoverningbodybecausetheAnglicanCommunionisaninternationalassociationofautonomousnationalandregionalchurches.

• Expresses"themindofthecommunion"onissuesoftheday.

• Firstmetin1867becauseofCanadianrequest.

GAFCON2008JerusalemAmovementforunitybegins

JerusalemDeclaration

fca.net

2009

St.John’sjoinsANiC

2009

GAFCONandFellowshipofConfessingAnglicansrepresenting35millionactiveAnglicansaroundtheworld,giveformalrecognitiontoACNAanditsorders,welcomingitasafullpartnerprovince.

GAFCON2013NairobiDeepeningcommitmenttoGod’smission

NairobiCommunique

gafcon.org

FirstPriority:MakeDisciples

Thismeansthatourmovementmustbecommittedto—• Evangelising areasofourworldwherecleargospelwitnesshasbecomeobscuredorlostandbringingthegospeltounreachedpeoples.

FirstPriority:MakeDisciples

• Supporting genuinegospelinitiatives,recognisingthattherearetimeswhenthemaintenanceofstructurescanconstraintheproclamationofthegospel.

FirstPriority:MakeDisciples

Guarding thegospel.Weshallcontinuepubliclytoexposeanyfalsegospelthatisnotconsistentwithapostolicteachingandclearlytoarticulatethegospelinthechurchandintheworld.

SecondPriority:DeepenDiscipleship

• WemustkeepstressingthatouridentityisprimarilyfoundinChristratherthaninnational,ethnicortribalattachments..Inaddition,therearemanypressuresonChristianstodaywhichrequireadegreeofmaturityinordertowithstandthem.Theseincludeaggressivesecularism…militantIslamism…andseductivesyncretism whichintroducessupposedlyalternativeapproachestoGodandtherebydeniestheuniquenessofChrist.

ThirdPriority:GospelTransformation

• Wemustwitnesstothetransformingeffectofthegospelinworkingforthetransformationofsociety,sothatthevaluesoftheeternalKingdomcanbeseenhereandnow.Wethereforebelievethatitisrighttoengageinthepublicarenawithgentlenessandrespect

Nairobi communiqueThegospelalonehasthepowertotransformlives.Asthegospelisheard,theHolySpiritchallengesandconvictsofsin,andpointstotheloveofGodexpressedinhisSon,JesusChrist.ThesheergraceofGodinsettingusfreefromsinthroughthecrossofChristleadsusintotheenjoymentofourforgivenessandthedesiretoleadaholylife.ThisenablestherelationshipwithGodthatJesusmakespossibletoflourish.Moreover,justasindividuallivescanbetransformed,socanthelifeofchurches.WethereforecommitourselvesandcallonourbrothersandsistersthroughouttheCommuniontojoininrediscoveringthepowerofthegospelandseekingboldnessfromtheHolySpirittoproclaimitwithrenewedvigour.

• “Idonot askfortheseonly,butalsoforthose whowillbelieveinmethroughtheirword, thattheymayallbeone,justasyou,Father,areinme,andIinyou,that theyalsomaybein us,sothattheworld maybelievethatyouhavesentme.John17:20,21