Home & Away with David Short, rector, St John’s Anglican Church, Shaughnessy, Vancouver

David Short is an ‘Aussie abroad’. How does a Sydney lad adapt to a new culture, become an agent for gospel change, care for his family in a very different and challenging environment, and maintain a sense of humour? In addition, Dave is embroiled in a fight for orthodox Anglicanism within the Diocese of New Westminster.
In order for us to grasp the pressures, frustrations and joys that Dave faces, we’ve elected to print his frank comments in full, not only for your information, but also for your prayers (see ‘please pray’ box on right).

SR: Dave, tell us how you came to Christ and who the key ‘players’ were in this process?
DS: Growing up in a Christian home, my family taught and showed Christ to me. I have been very priviliged in the youth leaders and friends I have had. My brothers-in-law have encouraged me. As a teen, I was deeply impressed with the expository teaching of John Stott and Dick Lucas.

SR: And your own family now?
DS: I’m married to Bron. She’s just published a book, Beyond Hope, about the British Columbia goldrush (and it’s tellingly dedicated to me!). Ben is in his last year of high school and Josh is in grade nine.

SR: Why ministry and why Vancouver?
DS: I was rightly pushed into ministry by others. I started out as a youth worker. I did this for three years and then entered Moore College. After ordination, we were sent to Manly for four years. I came to Cananda (St John’s) under a two-year ministry/study scholarship arrangement. Near the end of that time I was invited to become the rector.
St John’s is a regional congregation situated in a wealthy area. We have many young families, though our youth ministry struggles. We are more liturgical in our morning services than most Sydney Anglican churches, and less liturgical than just about every other North American Anglican church.

SR: What is your Vision for St John’s?
DS: There are two sides to our vision, Stuart. Internally, we aim to be devoted to the Apostles’ teaching, to fellowship and to witness. Externally, we believe God has placed us within a dying denomination to be an agent of renewal and change.
I believe that we are in a Diocese that has unilaterally severed its connection with the global Anglican Communion by being the first to officially bless same-sex unions. The real issue here is the authority of Scripture and how it functions in the life of an association of churches. This leads to conflicting views of God, salvation, revelation, the work of the Spirit, the uniqueness of Christ and so on.
This has been pasted over by commissions and task forces under the pretence that if we remain structurally and liturgically connected, it doesn’t matter what we believe or teach. If evangelicals, who are biblically and theologically motivated (and not that interested structural and liturgical connectivity) begin to challenge non-biblical structures, then that is considered to be a profound ‘sin’ by the liberal hierarchy.

SR: So how do you relate to this ‘hierarchy’?
DS: In the Diocese of New Westminster we are regarded by a great many as ‘church wreckers’. This is because we have removed ourselves from Synod, stopped paying assessments, and indicated that we cannot remain in structural communion with those who act to change God’s word.
The Archbishop of British Colombia supports our local bishop and is opposed to our actions. So there are now a number of challenges for us. We must defend ourselves at law, we need to work with other churches in creating a biblically orthodox ‘alignment’, and we must not be distracted from the ministry of the gospel of Jesus.

SR: Does the Diocese of Sydney have a role to play in this ‘alignment’?
DS: Oh yes. Sydney is looked to for direction by evangelicals throughout the world. Archbishop Jensen’s leadership outside Sydney has been pivotal in this past year. Did you know that the statements of support for us by [your] Standing Committee have slowed the persecution of evangelicals?

SR: So how is Sydney Diocese viewed in your part of the world?
DS: In general, Sydney is deeply loathed and profoundly stereotyped. You are seen as being backward, misogynistic, redneck fundamentalists.
But hey, you know what? The further I am away from Sydney, the better it looks!