ACC EMAG #3 2022

#3 2022

EMAG

quarterly publication for acc leaders

POST-PANDEMIC SUBSTANCE ABUSE CAN WOMEN BE SENIOR PASTORS? HELPING UKRAINIAN REFUGEES

NEXT GEN Reaching Generations For Jesus

Re-Thinking University Ministry

Metaverse: A Danger To Your Kids 1

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SIDE

IN

Next Gen How is the next generation responding to the message of Jesus? Today’s children, teenagers and young adults will emerge as our future leaders, so every church should have a strong focus towards Next Gen ministry.

ACC SNAPSHOT: Celebrating ACC Church Life

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NEWS 7 ACSF Opens New Offices Community Award for Andrew Paech 2022 AC Graduation BIRTHDAY IN A BOX 10

by Alison Bonhomme ACCI 12 Introducing Project 22 Welcome back to PanAsia!

HELPING UKRAINIAN REFUGEES 14 Interview with Paul Bartlett REACHING GENERATIONS FOR JESUS

by Wayne Alcorn

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GEN Z: THE TIKTOK & SIDE HUSTLE GENERATION McCrindle Research

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ACCKIDS RESOURCES 20

by Andy Kirk BRING ME THE CHILDREN 21

by Allyson Parker RE-THINKING UNIVERSITY MINISTRIES

by Matt Heins

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REFLECTIONS ON YOUTH ALIVE 26

by Dave Edgar OUR ROOTS ARE REVEALED IN OUR FRUIT

by Cameron & Renee Bennett

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THREE THINGS THAT WILL TAKE DOWN YOUR KIDS

by John Hunt

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METAVERSE 33

by Mal Fletcher GENERATION TO GENERATION 35 RESEARCH 39 Penetcostal Reflections Project Burnout Research POST PANDEMIC SUBSTANCE ABUSE

by Ruth Limkin

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CAN WOMEN BE SENIOR PASTORS? Jacqueline Grey interviews Dr David Parker

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TRANSITIONING TO RETIREMENT 45

by Laine Willis NEW RELEASES 46 3

Celebrating ACC Church Life

@nationschurch.wa Fellowship

Communion

@newhope_church Mother's Day

@australiachristianwomen Easter

Women

Love in Action

@novachurchadl Children

Follow ACC Snapshot on Instagram: 4

@glowchurch

@kingschurchau Community

@_paulebartlett

@calvarysc Chaplaincy

@chaplaincyaustralia

@accsnapshot

#accsnapshot

@glowchurch

@hopecentre

Pentecost Sunday "But you will recieve power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8 @neuma.church

Across the nation, ACC churches celebrated Pentecost Sunday, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit promised by Jesus. Celebrated fifty days after Easter, it marks the birth of the Church, and the foundation of our Pentecostal ethos.

@calvarytsville 5

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ACSF Opens New Offices ACC National President, Wayne Alcorn, officially opened the brand new ACS Financial premises in Melbourne, on 17 May 2022, together with the ACSF team and ACC National Executive.

The new property is in a prime position as the new headquarters of ACSF, located at at 431 Canterbury Road, in Surrey Hills.

ACSF CEO Jon Holloway, said, “With ACS Financial now established in our own Head Office property, this is an amazing milestone over our 30 year + history serving the ACC Movement.”

“It symbolises the amazing hand of God on our Movement and business, much diligence, hard work, vision and expertise over many years and the tireless and patient support of the National Executive past and present, and our clients across the ACC and beyond,” stated ACSF Board Chair, Stephen Crouch.

“After an initial refit and with further development plans in hand to develop both sites into a major commercial asset, this asset will underpin our business and the Movement for many years to come."

John Hunt, Wayne Alcorn, Jon Holloway & Stephen Crouch

Community Award for Andrew Paech Congratulations to Andrew Paech, who was awarded with a NSW Government Community Services award, presented by Stuart Ayres MP in May 2022.

Andrew Paech with Stuart Ayres MP

Andrew is the director of WestCare Community Services, the community care arm of Imagine Nations Church in Penrith, NSW under the leadership of Pastors Jack and Carol Hanes.

Andrew completed a Bachelor of Theology at Alphacrucis (then Southern Cross College) in 2000. Today he oversees and engages in a diverse range of benevolent and transformative activities while seeking to meaningfully engage with the business, civic, community, and social networks in his city. WestCare initiatives, such as Steps of Hope and the Penrith Men’s Walk & Talk, are a great support to the local community.

Only two of these awards are handed out each year, so this is a huge honour and privilege for all the staff and volunteers of WestCare.

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2022 AC Graduation Congratulations to the 1077 students who graduated from Alphacrucis on 14th May 2022.

Over 750 people attended the Sydney graduation ceremony, where 96 walked across the stage to receive their graduation certificates.

Mark Varughese delivered an inspiring keynote address, and another highlight was the presentation of an Honourary Doctor of Ministry to Darlene Zschech.

Watch video highlights.

Honorary Doctorate for Darlene Zschech Darlene Zschech was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Ministry for her eminent contribution nationally and globally toward religious, cultural, and social leadership in the areas of worship, church ministry and community service.

Stephen Fogarty, Michael Murphy, Darlene & Mark Zschech

An ordained minister of ACC, Darlene is a worldrenowned composer, worship leader, author, and speaker. She has been credited as one of the leading pioneers of the contemporary worship movement worldwide. In 1995, the live album “Shout to the Lord” became the first Christian album in Australia to go gold and platinum in the US. With her husband Mark, Darlene pioneered Hope: Rwanda in 2004, and HOPE: Global has expanded into other parts of Africa, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and India. Penning many worship songs and author several books which have been translated into over 20 different languages, Darlene has made a significant contribution toward shaping contemporary Christian creative arts worldwide, and being one of the greatest innovators in Christian creative arts in Australian history.

Read More: Generations of families who have studied at AC 8

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Birthday in a Box

by ALISON BONHOMME

The day you were born was special and you are worth celebrating!

This is the message inscribed (literally) inside every Birthday In A Box gifted by Horizon Church. Birthday in a Box was born out of desire to express love and value to vulnerable children throughout Australia.

The idea came from an unexpected place Instagram!

Scrolling one day, I stumbled upon a US business that shipped a birthday experience for children, all contained in one box. As an avid gift giver, something leapt within me and I began to imagine the opportunities we might have to create something similar.

I love to plan my kids’ birthdays, whether big or small occasions and I am so passionate about all the little details.

Recognising that many parents don’t have the opportunity to do the same for their kids inspired me to pursue the concept of Birthday In A Box. Working with our incredible team, we had some initial conversations with community organisations that we already had established relationships with. From there we created a pro-forma box and launched the idea to our church.

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INSIDE THE BOX The boxes are distributed by our partner organisations directly into the hands of the parents so they are able to personally create a memorable birthday experience for their children.

Each box is age appropriate and includes everything a little heart desires on their birthday: Birthday decorations, a cake to bake, candles and party poppers to celebrate.

A gift card to purchase the eggs, milk and butter for the cake, it’s all there! We also include gifts; something the child needs (practical items such as socks, school equipment and other items for personal wellbeing), something the child wants (toys, fun knick-knacks, beauty products, games) and something to read (a book to encourage a love of reading). These beautiful boxes put a ready-made birthday into the hands of families in crisis at no cost to the family.

OVERWHELMING RESPONSE The response from our church and community has been overwhelmingly positive. One case manager who works with children in out-of-home care, was so moved by the idea. He said “You have no idea how much that

ONE IN SIX AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN AGED 0-14 YEARS LIVE IN POVERTY. THIS REPRESENTS OVER 1.2 MILLION AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN. NATIONALLY, EIGHT IN EVERY ONE THOUSAND AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN LIVED IN OUT-OF-HOME CARE (AS AT MAY 2021).

ONE IN 32 CHILDREN AGED 0–17 YEARS RECEIVED CHILD PROTECTION SERVICES IN 2019–20.

would mean for some of the kids I work with. We are currently only given a budget of $10 to take them out to MacDonald’s for a feed and that is all they get for their birthday.”

Our church community has been so supportive and generous both financially through giving to the initiative and practically by getting on board with box packing parties.

At this time, we have partnered with grassroots organisations in our core locations in NSW and WA to distribute the boxes through their existing networks. This ensures that the boxes get to those families and children who are most in need. Our future hopes for Birthday In A Box are to extend our reach into other locations across Australia.

the hearts of leaders who are open and willing to test and try something new. A great place to start is to speak with local organisations already reaching the people you want to support and find out what they need, what would truly bless their clients and community. Finally, keep listening for the whisper of God. He is always speaking, even when you’re on Instagram!

For more information about Birthday in a Box, visit birthdayinabox.org.au Click here to watch the Birthday in a Box video.

These gift boxes are just one way that we can show the love of God to children and families facing difficult circumstances and we pray that this simple act helps them to know they’re valued and loved.

Birthday in a Box came from a moment of God-inspired thought and the overflow of who we are as a church. We believe God is creative and will drop inspired ideas onto

ALISON BONHOMME and her husband Brad, are the Senior Pastors of Horizon Church.

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Get yo u involve r church d throu gh P RO J E CT 22

4 REASONS WHY YOUR CHURCH SHOULD PARTNER WITH ACCI:

Introducing Project 22

by JOHN HUNT ACCI is excited to announce the launch of Project 22 – a new way for churches to partner with missionaries and projects around the world.

Project 22, which replaces 1Day, allows churches to sponsor specific projects and activities at any time throughout the year and importantly, to build relationships with those teams and individuals. Each activity is implemented by an ACCI field worker or project partner as part of their long-term strategy to see whole of life change in the communities where they work.

It is our prayer that the projects would be a catalyst for a growing relationship between the sponsoring church and our dedicated workers around the globe – thus providing a platform for churches to live out God’s call to disciple the nations.

THEOLOGICAL ALIGNMENT There are many different belief structures out there, even amongst the body of Christ. When partnering with ACCI you are dealing with people who agree on the fundamental doctrines of our movement. These are people who believe in the power of the Holy Spirit, that salvation is man’s only answer and that we have the ultimate hope in the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

OPERATIONAL INTEGRITY We make sure that funds get used for the purpose they are given. Over the past 60 years, we’ve developed a robust means of accountability – including regular monitoring and evaluation – for all our activities. Our missionaries and field workers, with the help of our support staff, ensure that what is set out to be achieved, is achieved.

ORGANISATIONAL PROTECTION Any Australian charitable organisation (including churches) donating to work overseas must now operate in accordance with the External Conduct Standards as set out by the Australian Charities Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC). These standards are high and failure to meet them can result in churches losing their ACNC charity registration. ACCI provides training to all our overseas organisations and individuals, and holds them accountable to these standards. This protects everyone involved, including the Australian churches supporting this important work.

RELATIONAL CONNECTION ACC is a big family with many different connections that rise above any single individual. And ACCI is an integral part of this. Giving through ACCI helps to grow and strengthen our movement, while connecting your church with other members of the ACC family.

JOHN HUNT is the Director of ACCI. 12

PANASIA 1-4 AUGUST, 2022

Novotel Phuket Resort Registration: acci.org.au/panasia

Welcome back to PanAsia!

After two years of meeting online, due to the pandemic, we are excited to welcome everyone back to PanAsia Conference in person this year.

The conference will be held at the Novotel Phuket Resort in Thailand, running from 2-4 August 2022. It will be a time for missionaries, church leaders and individuals to reconnect and be inspired by what God is doing throughout the nations.

“As we land on the 'new normal’ in a post pandemic world, it is time for us to take a fresh look at missions in this era. I would personally love for you to join with us this August. So, dust of your passport and make sure to register!” – John Hunt, ACCI Director “I’ve been attending the PanAsia Conference for 10 years. Each year I come away inspired and fuelled, as unsung heroes share the most remarkable stories of love, courage and dedication.” – Brad Bonhomme, Senior Pastor Horizon Church, ACC National Executive Member, NSW State Executive Member.

REGISTER FOR PANASIA 2022

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Helping Ukrainian Refugees ACC interview with PAUL BARTLETT PAUL, YOU SAW FIRST-HAND WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE INFLUX OF REFUGEES FROM UKRAINE ON YOUR RECENT VISIT TO POLAND. CAN YOU DESCRIBE AND SHARE SOME OF THE IMPRESSIONS (AND THE EMOTIONS) OF WHAT IS HAPPENING THERE? PAUL: Annette and I went to Europe to train young adult church planters, as our church (Lighthouse) has planted 35 churches. We would thought this would be a normal trip, post Covid, except the war in Ukraine broke out.

While we were in Poland, we visited the Warsaw Railway Station. We saw the platform packed with people who were arriving, and have been arriving for months. Some two million Ukrainian refugees have come over the border after fleeing the conflict.. What was most disheartening was many of them had also been told that they would be flying to another country again - UK, America etc. I can’t imagine how traumatic it is to not only flee your country, but find you’ll be moving country again. Mostly they are woman and small children, because the men have remained at home to fight. To be moved to a country that you may never get back to your own country again or see your husband or father was quite difficult to watch.

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YOU HEARD SOME HARROWING STORIES OF THE REFUGEES DURING YOUR VISIT?

PAUL: I was having coffee with a Polish Pastor when he leaned over to me and said, “A friend of mine who is a Pastor in Ukraine, just called to tell him some terrible news. The Ukrainian Pastor and his Youth Pastor had been hiding from Russian soldiers in a basement of a house for many days. They had become very hungry and thirsty, so the Youth Pastor decided to go up and look for food above ground. They found out later that the Youth Pastor had been found shot dead, simply for looking for food.

I remember another lady who was quite tearful. She and her husband had a church in Ukraine and he stayed back to bring humanitarian support to as many people as he could. She fled by herself, unsure of the fate of her husband. On the day that she left, a huge bomb or missile hit their church and obliterated their church building. It was such a large explosion and she described a five-metre crater left in the ground from where her church once stood.

What we constantly heard from the many refugees we met, is that the Russians are not targeting military sites, but they are driving down neighbourhoods, towns and cities and indiscriminately firing with tanks and guns into homes, schools, hospitals etc. Most of these people have to flee because they live in neighbourhoods that have been attacked by the Russian soldiers.

HOW IS THE CHURCH HELPING THOSE WHO ARE FLEEING FROM THE WAR IN UKRAINE?

PAUL: Even though we saw many difficult things while we were in Poland, we proud and thankful for the work of ACCi missions and their associates, Ps Steve and Maylin Wyndham have been working in Europe for over 10 years. Through them 35 churches have been planted, and we taught them already how to be community engaging churches. So we were proud to see so many of the churches we had planted were actively and quickly involved in helping the Ukrainian refugees.

We saw everything from language classes for adults and children, helping to assimilate them into the country that they were going to live in. There was food being handed out. Most importantly, the generosity of the Polish church and people who are opening up their homes without question to strangers to come and live with them. A lady from a Polish church who only had a one-bedroom unit, allowed a family of up to eight people to stay in the loungeroom for two months now.

ANY OTHER COMMENT REGARDING THE UKRAINE SITUATION AND HELPING REFUGEES?

PAUL: One of the goals we have right now through ACCI and Steve and Maylin Wyndham is to provide six months’ worth of support for 50 refugee families. We can help provide food and resources for children or a whole family, or provide accommodation in terms of rental space for one family. This can be done for one month or six months. We can provide relief for the war zone area of Ukraine as we have people from Poland travelling across the border to provide food, hygiene and water to people that need it most.

DONATE TO THE UKRAINE APPEAL

PAUL BARTLETT is the NSW & ACT State President, and National Director of ACC Community Engagement.

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Hope Centre 16

Reaching Generations for Jesus

by WAYNE ALCORN There are few verses in the Bible that I find more confronting than Judges 2:10.

"After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel."

To give it context, this is preceded by the book of Joshua that tells of the wonderful stories of conquering the enemy and entering the Promised Land. When I read this verse years ago, it dawned on me that though Joshua led the Israelites to take the Promised Land, they lost the next generation.

I have lived with this conviction for decades now; we live potentially one day away from revival, but also one generation away from extinction.

There is a question that demands answers. After two years in a global pandemic, is how is the next generation responding to the message of Jesus?

Many pastors who I’ve talked to, admit there has been a drift in church life among teens, young adults, and families with young children. I have great respect for parents who have faced long weeks of lockdown with their small children without any support. Understandably, some parents found it just too hard to go through the process of getting family ready for scaled-back kids ministries and services. It was easier to stay home and watch church online in their pyjamas.

I want to celebrate the ACC youth and kids leaders in our churches across our nation. I love seeing kids coming to church, dressed as superheroes and full of excitement. In fact, I want to lead a church where kids are dragging their parents here every week.

When I was a young boy, more than 50% of Australian children went to Sunday School. Today’s stats would tell us it's under 5%. Almost all the children attending kids programs belong to Christian parents, who take them to church. So we've lost a lot of ground, and access into the community.

We lost it when we stopped reaching children for Christ, Monday to Saturday. It’s time to reprioritise childrens’ outreaches beyond the four walls of our church buildings.

Let’s never forget, they don't stay young for long. They grow up into places of influence. If we haven't taught them the principles of the Word of God as they grow, a secular mindset shapes their worldview, as well as the areas that they influence.

I am a huge supporter of children and youth ministry.

Thorough research has revealed an estimated 318,000 decisions have been made for Christ at youth rallies across our nation in four decades. I’m energised for the future, and anything we can do to take ministry to the next generation to the next level - to connect and engage with uni students on campuses, and start reaching kids across our communities. There are many encouraging signs across our movement. We are seeing a significant resurgence of Kingdom life in many churches. The challenge, however for all of us is to remember is not be caught up in the moment like the Joshua generation and risk impacting another generation for Christ.

WAYNE ALCORN is the National President of the ACC.

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Gen Z: The TikTok & Side Hustle Generation After a tumultuous couple of years, Generation Z (those born between 1995 and 2009), are changing how things are done. They are turning to Tik Tok to upskill themselves, sharing what global issues they want to see change on and are getting ready to enter the workforce and embrace the flexibility the new world of work offers.

STUDENTS TURN TO TIK TOK BEFORE THEIR PARENTS TO LEARN NEW SKILLS Teachers (50%) websites {48%) and Tik Tok (42%) are where students are turning to teach themselves new skills. The engaging digital platform of Tik Tok comes in above parents {39%) and other social media sites like You Tube (37%) and lnstagram (36%), as well as the more traditional format of books {19%).

'While it is important to instil in Generation Z an appreciation for deep learning and to question what they learn online, the short videos on Tik Tok provide an efficient and convenient way for this generation to upskill themselves. It is the sentiment of "why read it when I can watch it?" - Ashley Fell, social researcher.

ENDING RACISM AND CLIMATE CHANGE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES TO GEN Z Today's youngsters are not only a digitally savvy generation, but they care about social good, even more so than their older counterparts. The top global issues for today's students are ending racism (83%), reducing climate change (79%), social equality (78%) and alleviating poverty (78%).

'Gen Z are a mobile, social, visual, digital and global generation, aware of global issues and looking up to global activists. They are the most formally educated generation and empowered through screens to not only be more aware of global issues but engage with and 18

speak up about them.' - Ashley Fell, social researcher.

GEN Z ARE READY TO EMBRACE HYBRID WORKING AND FLEXIBILITY Gen Z {82%) are more likely than Australian workers (62%) to describe their ideal working situation as a hybrid one.

Just 10% describe their ideal situation as everyone working from the workplace all the time.

Students see the flexible working lifestyle {60%) as the greatest opportunity for themselves in the future. This is followed by productivity and benefits that come from technology (47%) and career mobility {47%). It is a good thing they view this as a positive, as we predict a school leaver today could have 18 jobs across 6 careers over their working life.

While many educators who are already in the workforce view the future as challenging, today's students have grown up in a world that has shaped and prepared them for it. So much so, that career mobility {47%), increasing workforce diversity {45%), emerging industries and diverse careers (44%) are seen as opportunities by this generation. This is alongside the opportunity to create a more equitable society (44%) and building a globally sustainable future (36%).

'The next generation of employees are unlikely to engage with workplaces that are not willing to respond to the generation of talent coming through.' - Ashley Fell, social researcher.

86% OF STUDENTS TODAY ANTICIPATE WORKING IN THEIR OWN SIDE HUSTLE. Today's students have an entrepreneurial mindset. When asked about their ideal way of working in the future, only 14% of students say their ideal employment situation is to

be an employee only. Almost nine in ten students {86%) anticipate working in something they have started on the side. This could be either an entrepreneur {11%), mainly as an entrepreneur but also working as an employee on the side (27%) or mainly as an employee but working in something they have started on the side (48%).

Males are more likely than females to have their ideal employment situation as one that is predominantly being an entrepreneur, with almost half (46%) in this category compared to three in ten females (31%).

'What many older generations see as obstacles, this generation see as opportunities. As the world of work changes, students intend to use the new world of work to their advantage. The traditional workforce is changing, and organisations would be wise to prepare themselves for a new generation of workers who are bringing new paradigms and perspectives to what work will look like in the future.' - Ashley Fell, social researcher.

Source: McCrindle Research June 2022.

For more on Gen Z, click here.

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ACCKids Resources

by ANDY KIRK

ACCKids and local children’s ministry are an extension of a bigger world of the Australian Christian Churches right across our nation. We partner and work together with churches and pastors, to minister to children and families, both in and outside the Church.

With stats saying 5% of kids that are in church right now are those from Christian parents, we need to get back to reach all children. Kids ministry on Sundays is important, but it cannot be at the expense of being outward focussed.

REACHING COMMUNITY I’m excited as people are stirred to get back out in the community. Supporting and reaching kids in the community can start with a nutrition program, such as going into primary schools with breakfast clubs. It could be helping teenagers going through puberty and finding acceptance.

RESOURCES FOR PARENTS ACCKids is looking for ways we can partner with churches to help bring resources that provide parent engagement so that it can support Sundays with weekdays.

Everyone got to use digital media through the Covid restrictions, and now it can be utilised for kids and their families about Jesus.

The Bible App for Kids is a great resource, and we recommend the Kids Bible Experience to help pre-teens discover their own daily rhythm of seeking God. Other great resources include Feed and Parent Cue. We’ve also been developing a new Christians course for children and Netflix style videos that will break down the Gospel very simply. This will allow parents or children to go through it so that they understand what the gospel is.

More info and resources: acckids.org.au

ANDY KIRK is the National Director of ACCKids.

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'Bring Me the Children'

by ALLYSON PARKER ACC NSW Kids Director and ACC Safer Churches National coordinator, Allyson Parker, shares her observations, and greatest hopes and concerns for the future generations.

I distinctly remember the Holy Spirit saying to me, “Bring Me the children.” This has been the passion of my life since that moment 28 years ago.

Being entrusted to share the hope, life and ways of God with the most impressionable and vulnerable hearts is the greatest privilege and responsibility anyone can hold.

What children learn and experience about God before the age of nine, sets the foundation for their whole worldview.

What we believe by the age of 13 is almost unchangeable until we die, so it is critical that children’s ministry is done with passion, excellence and in a way that engages children, so they fall in love with Jesus and His Church.

Today, I think my greatest responsibility is to help support and develop committed, skilled, faithful and connected children’s pastors and leaders. I’m also passionate about seeing children transition well into Youth and continue to grow in faith and leadership, as well as working to empower parents to take on their God ordained role as the primary discipleship leaders.

GREATEST CONCERNS

Kingdomcity

Digital Technology I have concerns for the upcoming generation in regards to the brain formation and disassociation of interpersonal connection through the use of digital technology. There is more and more research into this field, and there can be benefits from use of digital technology, however it must be supervised and limited.

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“I have concluded that children are the single most important population group for the Church to focus upon. Many churches may not go that far, but I do hope that they will at least consider the research findings and place a greater emphasis upon children. Such a shift in priorities could well bring about the spiritual renaissance that many church leaders have long been praying for.” – George Barna

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Child Abuse I have concerns for what the impact of unsupervised digital access opens children to particularly in regards to sexually explicit content and connection to those who would abuse them. The Covid pandemic has exacerbated this concern. There were 21 million reports of online child exploitation last year and the majority of child abuse material was produced by children in their own bedrooms and bathrooms, according to the Taskforce Argos Documentary in 2021. Many studies have shown the average age of first exposure to pornography was between eight and ten years of age.

I have concerns about the impact that family abuse, violence, addictions and breakdown has upon their lives.

Rising Anxiety I have significant concerns for the rising levels of anxiety in our children and young people.

Avoiding an over saturation and exposure to constant adult conversation and media content, even if inadvertent, is perhaps the easiest way to reduce such anxiety. As adults, our responsibility is to be aware of what our kids see, hear and are connecting with, so we must take that responsibility seriously. With any issue that could cause anxiety in a child’s life, how we respond is the greatest teacher. One of the greatest gifts we can give our children is the ability to pray in faith and to seek God for a promise to stand on.

Raising children full of hope begins with children knowing security and love. Sowing into our own personal walk with God and relationships, so children have parents who are loving, kind and spiritually strong in all the seasons of life, is not only a gift we give ourselves- but one we give our children and this is an investment we need to make in the families of our churches.

Our words have such power. We need to bring life with them to our children and our homes and in what we speak over this generation as church leaders. We each need a revelation of Elohim, so our trust is firmly in God All Powerful and our words reflect this trust. In the end, even if the world is destroyed, we have heaven as our home and an eternity to be with Jesus, so what’s the worst that could happen? When this is settled in our own hearts we can carry our kids with courage and hope.

By far my greatest concern for this generation is how completely lost they are – the 97+% who are never in church and never have a conversation about God. We have children coming into our SRE classes in NSW who have never heard the name of Jesus. At an SRE class in a school in Sydney this year, when told they would learn about God, a kindergarten student asked, “What’s God?” not even, “Who’s God?” we are talking about an unreached people group here in our own nation.

Australia was the fourth most secular country in the world by the Global Youth Culture Study released by One Hope in 2020,. Aside from any concerns, my heart is that the next generation just deserve the chance to know about Jesus; to know that God loves them; and that forgiveness and heaven and hope can be theirs. They deserve to know the goodness of God. If we, the Church, won’t deliberately seek to reach them then who will? “What’s God?” should never be a question our children are asking. If children’s ministry remains a low priority in the church budget and staffing, then we will continue to see generations lost and we will need to live with the standard of leadership that is a result of this in all areas of our culture.

My greatest hope for them is that when they hear the Gospel, they are the most likely age group to respond. Jesus changes everything and through the Holy Spirit, we can see them walk in the love, power, authority and purpose of Christ. Perhaps the greatest legacy I can leave is to help Senior Pastors see the critical role their children’s ministry plays in the church they will see in 10 - 20 years.

ALLYSON PARKER is the ACC NSW Kids Director and ACC Safer Churches National coordinator.

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PlanetUNI 24

Re-thinking University Ministry

4 Keys for Effective Uni Ministry

by MATT HEINS "The university is a clear-cut fulcrum with which to move the world. More potently than by any other means, change the university and you change the world” (Charles Malik, former President of the United Nations General Assembly) We all want to reach the next generation for Christ and university ministry is an important opportunity to for us to do just that. As a movement, we have a wonderful heritage of university ministry from the pioneering work of Students for Christ, continuing with local church outreach today.

Faith Christian Church has been actively engaged in university ministry for over 20 years and I have been encouraged to see the fruit that has come from this.

University ministry is vital if we want to reach a lost world for Jesus, yet it is an area that is still largely unreached. I believe a strategic focus on university students is an important mandate for the church.

Here are four keys to effective university ministry: 1. UNIVERSITIES ARE MISSION FIELDS Universities are opportunities for us to preach the Good News and reach the lost. They are mission fields, filled with young people who are just beginning to shape their understanding of the world, their opinions and their faith. We can see universities simply as institutions that are anathema to Christian faith, or we can choose to see a mission field. When I think of universities, I think of Jesus’ words:

and we have an opportunity to lead them to Christ now.

University students are in a stage of transition in their life and many of them have travelled far from home to study.

At such a stage of life, students can be incredibly open to hearing the Gospel, if we are strategically positioning our churches to do so. In the South-East of Melbourne, many International Students have attended our services over the years, with a hunger to hear the Good News.

While some of those students return to their home country a few years later, they return as Spirit-filled Christians, eager to share their faith with others. When we bring a Kingdom mindset to this ministry, we can see the potential to sow into the future generation and to influence multiple communities and even nations.

3. TAKE RISKS Like any mission work, it takes time to build a university ministry. If your church is located near a university, I encourage you to take time to build it. It doesn’t need a lot of resources – we began with a handful of leaders. But it does take leaders who are willing to take risks and try new ideas to reach a new generation.

Red Frogs is a great example of an organisation that has been working to serve university students and safeguard a generation. (https://redfrogs.com.au/programs/ universities) 4. PRAY FOR OUR UNIVERSITIES Universities are battlegrounds, with competing ideologies, fighting for the attention and loyalty of the next generation. Let’s continue to pray that the gospel will be preached and that we will see a harvest every year.

“Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest” (John 4:35) 2. SEE THE OPPORTUNITY Our future leaders are studying in universities around the country right now. They are our future pastors, missionaries, political leaders and C.E.Os. They are the future of our church and the future of our nation,

MATT HEINS is a member of the ACC National Executive and State President of Victoria. He is senior pastor, with his wife Franca, of Faith Christian Church.

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Reflections on Youth Alive

by DAVE EDGAR It was the mid 2000s and I’d found myself whisked down to Melbourne on a three-hour bus trip from a small country town in northern Victoria. I really had no idea what I was about to experience.

As a 14-year-old, it felt like there were more people in that stadium than my entire town’s population. I was completely enamoured by the bands performing and the strongmen tearing phonebooks in half, but none of it measured up to the moment I found myself down the front as an angry, fatherless teenager with tears in my eyes, responding to an altar call to recommit my life to Christ. It was one of the many moments that help shaped who I would become in Christ. God deposited something in me that night that only grew as the years went on.

Fast forward to 2016. Whilst serving as youth pastors of Faith Church in Dandenong, my wife Ailen and I were entrusted with the leadership of Youth Alive in Victoria.

We quickly discovered the unique anointing that rests on Youth Alive as a movement. It’s not an establishment or an office. It’s a cohort of motley youth pastors and leaders that are unrelentingly sold-out to reaching the

Evans and Chris Caine, are still being written by today’s generation of Youth Pastors.

Through the collective efforts of faithful Youth pastors all across our state and nation, we’ve continued to see God’s hand move through Youth Alive.

Since 2016 in Victoria, we’ve seen more than 7,000 teens respond to the Gospel; we’ve re-established our State outreach Rallies; we’ll be in 70+ schools in 2022; we’re seeing regional events take place in 17-20 locations; we’re training 500+ youth leaders every year, and have around 50 future youth pastors currently enrolled in the Youth Alive Academy in Victoria.

The great news is that what’s happening in Victoria is only a small part of the phenomenal things that God has done through Youth Alive around Australia. All up, over the past 40 years we have seen 317,922 young people respond to the Gospel!

We’re walking in the fulfilment of prayers prayed in 1982 on that oval in Portsea Victoria. Join me in praying even bolder prayers for the next 40 years.

next generation with the Gospel.

What started on a youth camp in Portsea, Victoria in 1982 continues with strength today. The stories we hear from some of the generals of Youth Alive, like Mal Fletcher, Danny Guglielmucci, Wayne Alcorn, Russell 26

DAVE EDGAR is the Youth Alive Victoria Director

Youth Alive Victoria 27

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EXCLUSIVE EXTRACT

Our Roots are Revealed in our Fruit

by CAMERON & RENEE BENNETT

ministry and then had equally spectacular falls. People love watching the rise but when somebody ends up

We are human and we hurt. To be alive is to

sprawled flat on the ground, it scares us and so we tip-toe away, not wanting to look. Usually we will

sometimes be wounded. It’s what makes us broken and beautiful, all at once. Our scars set us apart and

mutter something like, how could this be and how did

make us who we are. They are a reminder that we are stronger than whatever tried to break us.

that happen. But it is no surprise when what’s on the inside doesn’t match up with what’s being portrayed

We cannot take people beyond where we have gone

on the outside. The danger with being on a pedestal is that we feel incredible pressure to hide flaws we

ourselves, therefore most leadership is actually about honesty, digging deep and facing our most hidden parts. God will place His finger on areas of our life that will rise to the surface again and again until we give in and deal with them. We all have stuff to deal with but we can choose whether these things remain secrets in the dark and grow in their power over us, or whether they will be defeated and we will grow through the experience.

The strength of a tree depends on the health of its root system. Our health as a person and a leader depends on what is going on deep down in our heart. Even when we think we have gotten away with hiding it from the world, it will show up in the fruit we produce, for fruit can only be as healthy as the tree that produced it.

What makes an extraordinary leader is someone who leads from the heart. It is not talent, ability or how cool we are. It’s not our program or the way we hype the crowd. It’s what we carry inside of us. It’s our ability to face ourselves honestly and with vulnerability. It’s to know it’s more than okay to have some broken places, because that’s where God can make His home and go to work in us.

It’s not about being perfect but being perfectly aware of what’s going on at a deeper level.

It’s about not keeping secrets but opening our hearts and fully exploring who we really are.

think might bring us down. So we push stuff away, disowning it and in the process we are disowning a part of ourselves.

One thing we know to be true is that what lies below has a way of bubbling up to the surface and usually at the most inconvenient of times. The ones who end up falling haven’t dealt with themselves honestly. They haven’t learned to embrace their vulnerability. They didn’t see or did not want to see the root that leads to the downward spiral. Time and pride get in the way and it seems too late. But it’s never too late.

God has a habit of taking the broken places and making them into something new and beautiful. What we consider cracks and imperfections are actually places where His light can be seen. He builds a home out of our broken pieces. That home becomes a shelter and comfort to others who, just like we once were, are wandering in the dark alone. If we can be brave enough to allow God and somebody else we trust, to stick their hands inside and touch the core of our pain, then we will know how to do the same for somebody else. We have a whole generation of young people just waiting for somebody who knows how Article published with permission – Extract from Hearts On The High School Floor by Cameron & Renee Bennett.

Click here to order.

It’s working out the patterns of our behaviour and knowing our weak spots, the parts that bruise easily.

We’ve been in this game long enough to watch people’s journey. There have been those who have had a glorious rise in the world of leadership and

CAMERON & RENEE BENNETT are the National leaders of Youth Alive Australia, and Senior Pastors of Public Church.

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Three Things that will Take Down your Kids

by JOHN HUNT There is a three-headed monsters that is trying to eat your children’s faith. Materialism, individualism and atheism are knocking at the door of the heart of your children and it’s our job as parents to lop off its heads.

This triune monster is not defeated by debate or argument, but our rolling up our sleeves and getting on with the job.

It is defeated by practical experience. The man with an experience is not at the mercy of a man with a theory.

Here are three things that you can do to destroy the beast that wants your children.

1. DEFEATING INDIVIDUALISM This rampant philosophy is controlling the masses. It only has one antidote: obedience.

“Trust and obey for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey” I remember growing up singing this song in Sunday School. It was packed full of godly wisdom.

There are few things more subversive to this worldly culture then trusting obedience. Today we think, “there is no greater font of wisdom in the world then me”, therefore, it’s up to me and Frank Sinatra to “do it my way.”

There needs to be a shift from “my way” to “Thy way.”

This is the pathway of true repentance. The radical call to obedient service is the counter to the head of proud individualism. I’m not right all the time, I get things wrong, therefore I have sinned. We are created in His image, we have this quality called will. When we say, “Thy will be done” we are plugging our will into His and as Jesus said, “with God all things are possible.”

So whom should I obey? We all have to live within certain structures of obedience every day. Every day we obey the laws of nature and decent moral behaviour. Every day we are obedient to certain rituals and routines. If you stop to think about it, obedience is not that unusual; it is our default setting.

The word ‘obedience’ comes from a Latin word which means to pay attention, to listen and to be alert.

Obedience is listening and discerning the needs of others, serving them in love. We live in an attitude of obedience, listening to and serving others in humble obedience. Our identity is determined by our community, and also formed 30

by the community. Some argue that religion is the enemy of our so-called “true self” because it seeks to dominate us and confined us to a small space. This idea has contributed to the anger, suspicion and resentment that many have towards individual and institutional authority.

We have watched the concept of authority disintegrate in the world around us.

So let’s roll up our sleeves. The beast of individualism is destroyed firstly through: Marriage and the Family When you get married, you have to put individualistic selfish concerns aside to submit yourself to your spouse.

Marriage is the destruction of individualism. The same when you become a parent.

The Local Church Church is a community full of brothers and sisters based on identity given, not achieved and held together by the blood of Christ that flows in and through each member.

The notion that, the local church is a place where I go to consume my religion on my own terms and I expect good customer service, is not helping lop the head of this monster. Getting involved with others and building the cause beyond yourself may be the greatest gift you give your children.

The Body of Christ Where we come together with other churches in mutual submission to one another, through our history and scripture we recognise the proclivity of one person to walk down the wrong path, so being submissive keeps us safe.

Importantly there is someone who can say no to you.

2. DEFEATING MATERIALISM Money stands as a fountain head of materialistic Philosophy, that this physical world is all there is. It helps us gain more power and buy more stuff. When Money and possession are 1st in our lives materialism is reinforced . This powerful “ism” is defeated by tithing, when we give money away are you subverting this “ism” in a creative way. Tithing is the way we chop the head off of materialism.

What we do with our money and possessions is a sign of what we truly believe. Jesus said we can’t serve God and money.

When you tithe, you show your money who’s boss. By coveting money, many have departed from the faith.

Tithing is a powerful action. Vanity, pride and greed love material things. How much should I give? Enough so that it hurts, it must hurt a little. If tithing offends you you choose a percentage but it must be preset and systematic or you will give $20 when your conscience is pricked and you will falsely believe you are generous.

3. DEFEATING ATHEISM Atheism, the soft kind that doesn’t notionally oppose the idea of God, just practically lives each day as if no God exist. The answer is prayer.

We must take action, not just make an intellectual argument. Prayer is an experience, when we pray we are saying that God is alive in the world and we are joining our life with His power. In a recent speech my daughter gave at her wedding, she mentioned the time or she caught me in prayer and how it had a profound effect upon her life.

Prayer will not just counter the atheism in the world but the atheism in your own heart. I am not an atheist ? You protest! Yet do you tithe or pray? Is your Christianity just a theory? Church is full of the default atheists, they don’t wear the title is a badge they just live a life as if it all depends on them.

What would the world be like if we practised trusting obedience countering individualism, cut off the head of materialism and all tithed. Build against atheistic mindset by seeking after God in a personal deep relationship through prayer.

I plead with you to get this Ttriune monster before it gets your children. It has them in its sights and will pursue them with great vigour and determination. It’s time for us to stand up.

JOHN HUNT is the ACC Vice President and Director of ACCI. 31

32

Metaverse:

A danger to children & probably you too

by MAL FLETCHER

Since Meta, aka Facebook, announced its plans for the metaverse, I've used the phrase "wild west" more than once to describe it. New investigations show, however, that it's going to be much worse than that, especially for our children.

A report for the UK Channel 4’s Dispatches programme features an undercover journalist who is “disguised” in the metaverse as a 13-year-old. The report paints a despicable picture of malicious and extreme racial slurs, simulated sex acts and blatant discussion about sex acts, all purveyed in front of children.

Thirteen is supposedly the minimum age for creating a Facebook account and therefore accessing the metaverse - although proof-of-age procedures are minimal. But the Dispatches report suggests that no sane parent will want their 13-year-old anywhere near this metaverse.

The metaverse idea isn’t a new one. It’s been around for a while, though as its new brand name suggests, Meta (aka Facebook) would love to claim to have invented it. The metaverse idea essentially means a much more immersive version of the internet.

The metaverse has also been imagined as a unifying application of the entire internet, drawing together all things digital, from AI to cyber currencies, games, augmented reality and more.

Meta’s role in its version of the metaverse already stretches way beyond that of a communications platform provider. Meta will make big money not only from the collection and analysis of users’ data - and sale of same to marketers - but it will also profit from sales of its Oculus Quest 2 headset. This is currently one of the more prominent vehicles for engaging Meta’s alternative universe. Eight million have been sold so far.

For young people, this virtual reality multiverse will not be all high-tech bells and whistles. It will create real dangers - in the form of sexual abuse, financial scams and harmful social > interactions.

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Already, other reports are emerging of children being given access to virtual strip clubs and adults experiencing virtual sexual assault, including gang assault. Granted, the abusers and their victims exist only in avatar form and the assault is virtual. However, for the victims, this does little to reduce the psychological impact of the violent intent - and the feelings of vulnerability it inspires.

Victims are aware that every avatar represents a human being who has chosen to behave in this way.

An added cause for concern is the fact that VR digital technologies are becoming increasingly haptic.

Technologists are working to achieve fully haptic experiences online - that is, experiences that fool all of our senses, not just sight and sound. Researchers have been working for some time on ways to convert smell and taste into transmittable digital signals.

This will increase our ability to lose ourselves in online environments, but it will also boost the impact of negative experiences such as virtual sexual assault. The psychological impacts of this type of attack on young teens or children are incalculable. And many of these assaults result from people responding via simple dating apps. Imagine how many other forms of app might eventually be misused in this way.

Meta claims that it will protect the young in the alternative universe. But if BigTech can't protect young people from the many unscrupulous, bullying and even violent users of today's relatively static internet, how will they regulate behaviour in the untamed metaverse?

VR-based attacks leave a permanent psychological mark on the perpetrators, too. They potentially create a bias toward engaging in short-lived, egocentric and manipulative sexual encounters.

positive and negative ways.

On the benefits side of the ledger, this virtual multiverse will create new opportunities for mass collaboration, innovation and much more realistic levels of social connectivity online.

Already, major companies in sectors such as retail and entertainment see the positive potential here. They’re spending heavily to establish a presence in this network of online worlds. Today, the market size of the metaverse globally sits at around $47.69 billion. By 2028, that's expected to explode to $800 billion.

On the flip side, though, heavy engagement with the metaverse may increase our already significant problems with “absent presence” and “constant (or continuous) partial attention”. Both are making it harder for people to focus in an age of almost constant online distraction.

Related to this is the challenge of "shallow think". Studies show that, because of our constant multi-tasking online, we tend increasingly to think broad and shallow, rather than narrow and deep. We know a little about a lot rather than a lot about a little. We don’t specialise as much as we once did, yet specialists are still highly valued in every sector of society.

The metaverse may negatively impact already fraught social interactions, too. Facebook’s (at times unethical) internal research has shown that social media messages attract more eyeballs when they appear to provoke anger rather than empathy. People often prefer “hot” responses, to more calm & measured ones. Imagine how much greater that problem might be when we super-charge our internet engagement via the metaverse.

CONTIINUE READING >

Studies on the long-term effects of frequent pornography use reveal that it often morphs into ever more risky forms of behaviour. These can include extra-marital affairs, seducing of work colleagues, making indecent phone calls, or something even more serious such as assault.

Users often report developing problems with intimacy.

They feel they can’t enjoy sexual experiences because they’re addicted to the unreal, often infantilised versions of human interaction.

For most people, the first engagement with the multiverse will be innocent enough. It will feature what I call “sociable media”, the next iteration of social media.

This is where people use VR devices to place their 3D online avatars in virtual spaces, for meetings with avatars of friends or colleagues. The experience will be immersive, in a way the current internet is not - except, perhaps, among the gaming community.

Because the metaverse is so immersive, it will multiply the impact of the internet, perhaps exponentially, in both 34

MAL FLETCHER the founder and chairman of 2030Plus. He is a respected keynote speaker, social commentator and social futurist, author and broadcaster based in London. www.2030plus.com

Generation to Generation Over seven decades of training and equipping thousands for the work of the ministry, graduates of the ACC’s national Bible College have included many generations from various families.

Mark, Darlene and Zoe Zschech “It’s a great honour and privilege.” Those were Darlene Zschech’s words as she received her Honorary Doctorate at AC’s 2022 graduation.

Through the various ministries that Darlene has been involved with over the years, she has had many interactions with Alphacrucis. She particularly pointed out that all her mentors over the years have studied at Alphacrucis.

Darlene believes knowledge is so important because “you’ve got to know why you believe what you believe.” She would encourage anyone to pursue knowledge and study if it is something that’s on their heart. Her advice to anyone considering that step is

“Treat yourself and go deep in the Word of God. You’ll never, ever regret it.”

She reflects on when she was younger, when she didn’t have the privilege of having the opportunity to study. “But now, my children, my daughter, my husband – everyone’s studying at Alphacrucis! And we couldn’t be more grateful.”

“Ministry is about serving others unto Christ. We’re not going to win others through our own endeavours, but we can build others up by teaching them the word of God, which is our firm foundation. That’s why the > study of the word of God is so important.”

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Mark, Darlene and Zoe Zschech

(continued)

Darlene knows many people who have studied at Alphacrucis and has watched them grow in confidence over that time. “This transformation into confidence isn’t arrogance but confidence with humility. It’s a direct result of studying amongst the culture at Alphacrucis.”

Darlene’s husband Mark is currently completing his Masters of Leadership at AC. Her daughter Zoe completed a Diploma of Music some years ago and is now studying Leadership. Zoe is heavily involved in HopeUC church life - leading worship, youth, and in the administration side of things as well. Darlene proudly says that her daughter has a real leadership gift in her life.

Summing up Alphacrucis in one word, Darlene didn’t hesitate: “Empowering.”

Keith Ainge, and daughter Naomi Vale “Sue and I thank God for Alphacrucis University College. It’s impact on our ministry over half a century has been incalculable. Our gratitude is overwhelming when we see its ongoing influence on the ministry of our daughters and their families. It is hard to believe how much Alphacrucis has developed, over the years, and I am convinced that the best is still to come.” – Keith Ainge The Ainge family have many connections to the national Bible College. Keith Ainge studied at Commonwealth Bible College from 1972-73, and went on to lecture at the Katoomba campus for five years from 1979. While pastoring the AOG church at Giraween in Perth, Stephen Fogarty was his youth pastor.

Keith was elected to the ACC National Executive in 1997 and served in the role of National Secretary for 16 years, including six years as a board member of the college.

Keith and Sue’s daughter, Naomi, studied at Southern Cross Bible College (SCBC) between 1997 and 1999. Naomi was head student in 1999 and graduated with a Bachelor of Theology. Today she serves on the Executive team of Kardina Church, Victoria.

Their son-in-law, Andrew, married to their daughter Rachel, is also a graduate of the national bible college. Today they pastor Harvest Church in Horsham, Victoria.

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Leeanne Cameron, son Matthew and daughter Maegan Leeanne completed a Diploma of Ministry (Leadership) in 2016 and is considering returning to study a Graduate Certificate of Leadership. Lee and her husband Brad are the campus pastors at HopeUC Charmhaven on the Central Coast of NSW. Her son Matthew completed a Diploma of Music Industry and daughter Maegan is currently studying her Bachelor of Education.

“I have completed a Diploma in Ministry and am part way through a Bachelor of Education. I love how Christ and a Christian worldview is an integral part of all my studies - not just the 'ministry' subjects.’ – Maegan Cameron

Allyson Parker and daughters – Christina, Emily & Rebecca “I love that AC provides robust theological training with a clear Pentecostal perspective, which I believe is vital for anyone pursuing ministry within our Movement. As each of my daughters has stepped into various ministry roles both within the church, and without, the training AC has given them has been foundational to the growth and leadership they have required for ministry, as it has been for me.” - Allyson Parker The Parker family have been members of the ACC for decades and almost the entire family has studied at Alphacrucis.

Allyson studied at Chester Hill, completing a Cert 4 in Ministry. She is the Generations Pastor at Imagine Nations Church in Penrith, NSW and is also the ACC National Safer Churches Co-ordinator and the NSW/ACT Kids’ Director.

Christina, Allyson’s eldest daughter, completed Cert 4 in Ministry in 2011 and serves at Imagine Nations Church.

Her second daughter, Emily, completed a Bachelor of Ministry in 2016 and then graduated with a Master of Teaching (Primary) in 2020. She now works as a Year 1 teacher at Penrith Christian School.

Rebecca, the youngest completed a Cert 4 in Ministry at AC. She serves as the Children’s Pastors at Imagine Nations Church.

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Pastors, let’s transform our leadership so we can transform our world.

N EW C O H O R T S S TAR T J U LY & F E B RUA RY

What people are saying: “This course is timely.”

“This program stimulates and helps all of us to process new ideas.”

“It gave me a language and framework for what I was doing.”

“Having not been involved with formal studies for nearly 50 years, I started my MLead with trepidation. I was surprised how quickly my language and thinking processes changed. It became obvious in my preaching and other areas of life.”

“Leaders survived significant challenges

The Master of Leadership is a trusted

recently. Now is the time to transform

space for you to learn and collaborate

your leadership, increase your team’s focus, and play a pivotal role in transforming your neighbourhood and our nation.”

Stephen Fogarty

President

with other senior Christian leaders.

You will grow in personal discipline and faith, team dynamics and performance, and organisational innovation and impact.

EM A IL T L P @AC . E DU. AU O R C LI C K H E R E TO R E G IS T E R YO U R I N T E RE S T 38

RESEARCH

The aim of the project is to preserve these powerful testimonies for posterity and future research. Each interview is being filmed and fully transcribed.

Jon Newton interviewed Ps George Forbes

Pentecostal Reflections Project Associate Professor Jon Newton (Alphacrucis University College) and Gary ‘Tex’ Houston (Yi Long Productions) have been travelling around the country since October 2019 interviewing many “older” Pentecostal ministers about their lives and experience of Australian Pentecostalism.

Burnout Research The perceptions of pastors concerning leadership in ministry, and can connections be drawn with their experience of burnout?

Research project by Mark Webb.

Contact: markw@insideoutpsychology.net

So far, Jon and Tex have conducted nearly 170 interviews, about 100 of which are ACC ministers: Andrew Evans, Marie Cartledge, Philip and Barbara Hills, George Forbes, John and Val Lewis, Reg and Beth Klimionok to name a few. Most of the interviews have occurred in people’s homes, with just a few, by necessity online.

Jon testifies, “God has opened amazing doors for us, enabling interstate trips that dodged Covid lockdowns by hours, and by generous financial support from ACC.” As the interviewing process is drawing to a close, any enquiries, or suggested interviewees, please contact Jon at jon.newton@ac.edu.au.

Jon and Tex aim to release a book and documentary at next year’s National Conference, 2023.

We would love to hear your views. Here’s a chance to have your say in a survey. All Pastors working in ACC churches are invited to participate in the following research projects endorsed by the ACC. You are invited to participate in an anonymous short online survey to examine the factors you have experienced in ministry.

This research will form part of a project to assist pastors in burnout prevention and promote longevity and sustainability in ministry.

Additionally, the results will add to the body of academic research in understanding burnout.

All participants will be provided with a short report with a summary of the results."

CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE SURVEY

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40

Post Pandemic Substance Abuse

by RUTH LIMKIN “The widespread exhaustion we see around is partly due to us trying to return to our pre-pandemic lives without our pre-pandemic emotional reserves.” I don’t know who penned these words I read recently, but I agreed with them wholeheartedly.

As we emerge from the pandemic, the effects on our mental health have been receiving attention. In some instances, this has meant people are reaching out for help earlier which is a positive change.

However, for every person who reaches out for help for stress, we also know that there’s others who silently reach for the bottle.

The often-unspoken effect arising from the lockdowns and life complexities of the last two years is the rise in misuse of substances. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, researching the impact of the COVID pandemic on alcohol use, found that 13.9% Australians reported drinking more than pre-pandemic.

We are often reticent to discuss substance misuse in our churches. Yet in the same way that our congregation members, and staff teams, experience physical health conditions, they may also experience stress and emotional distress. The presence of alcohol in people’s lives can slowly shift from occasional to habitual.

Research conducted by The Banyans Healthcare Group, reveals that more than one in six Australians also admitted to that their relationship with alcohol was unhealthy. It’s the ‘pandemic hangover’ and it’s making a lot of people feel worse for wear – and this includes our congregations and staff teams.

Rather than pretend that this isn’t happening, we can confidently and compassionately raise the issue of people self-medicating stress with substances. Normalising conversations about substance misuse being a health issue – and not a moral failing – is vital to creating a culture of help-seeking. To do so is to love our neighbour, for the earlier that someone reaches out for treatment, the less intensive the intervention needs to be and the less collateral damage has likely occurred.

We still have a long way to go to normalise conversations in the community, the workplace and the church about dependency and addiction – but we are on the journey together. And that is a very good thing.

RESEARCH At The Banyans Healthcare Group, enquiries for chronic stress and burnout increased by 450% in 2021 compared to 2019.

Research conducted by The Banyans Healthcare Group, reveals that one in two (48%) Australians are struggling with managing their stress levels, and one in five (21%) are drinking alcohol to manage their stress.

More than one in six Australians also admitted to that their relationship with alcohol was unhealthy.

RUTH LIMKIN is an ACC Pastor and CEO The Banyans Healthcare Group 41

Can Women be Senior Pastors?

Rev Prof JACQUELINE GREY, Dean of Theology at Alphacrucis, interviewed Dr DAVID PARKER Most pastors and leaders would endorse and encourage women leaders in their churches. However, there is perhaps sometimes reluctance or resistance regarding women senior pastors – especially if the woman is a solo senior pastor (either single or her husband is not in ministry).

This resistance is sometimes called “soft complementarianism.” This views that women can be leaders but not the senior pastor. That is, the husband is the head of the home and church, and the wife helps him in this task. But is this biblical? To help unpack this, I asked David Parker.

Dr David Parker is one of the most well-known scholars and well-loved teachers in the ACC. He is now retired from over thirty years teaching the New Testament at Alphacrucis University College. Before that, David pastored in Queensland and Victoria.

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JACQUELINE: Dave, some people think that women should not be senior pastors because God created the man to lead. Is this the way God designed things to be?

DAVID: No. Let me give you three biblical reasons.

1. Genesis 1:26 begins: “God created āḏām in his image, in the image of God he created THEM, male and female he created THEM.” This word āḏām is a collective singular word. It provides the identification of genus (or origins). It is better translated as humankind or anthropos.

2. It continues: “God blessed THEM and said to THEM be fruitful, increase, fill, subdue and rule” (Gen 1:28).

That is, the creation mandates are given to the collective singular, genus ‘humankind.’ The woman and man share a common purpose and function as stewards and leaders of creation.

3. The only ‘very good’ in the creation account is when Female and Male are created as the image of God (Gen 1:31). The only ‘not good’ in the creation account is when the āḏām is alone. That is, that is there is only one of the THEM. In Genesis 2:18 the male is minus the female which does not = image of God. JACQUELINE: Why then do some believe men were created to rule and woman created to be helpers?

DAVID: Some argue that because man was created before woman (Gen 2:7), but if chronology = priority, then humans are most inferior in creation since they were created last. Others see in the KJV ‘help meet’ (ē'zěr 2:18) as an indication of inferiority, but this word is used of: 1. God x 10 (for e.g. Psalm 33:20); 2. A stronger (military) force x 2;

3. An expected stronger (military) force x 2;

1. Junia is a female apostle (Rom 16:6);

4. But never of an inferior (unless Gen 2:18 is the singular exception).

2. What some English translations call ‘women’ or ‘wives’ are arguably female deacons in 1 Tim 3:11 (cf., Rom 16:1).

A deacon generally refers to someone who serves, but in this context it refers to the leader of the house church-so there are women and men leaders of the house churches in Paul’s day;

This term is then balanced by the word kenegdo, which means someone to come along side. So, a ‘help meet’ is not an assistant or a lesser role, rather it refers to a partnership. The man and woman share the same tasks and purpose.

JACQUELINE: When do you believe status difference between men and women entered then?

DAVID: ‘Your desire (cf., Gen 4:7) will be for your husband but he will rule (kyrios) over you’ (Gen 3:16).

JACQUELINE: So, what the Fall into sin (Gen. 3) introduced is the way things are to continue? That is, after the Fall men are to rule?

DAVID: The life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ commences the changes in everything. The process of restoration is begun towards what God originally intended us to be at creation. This is further sealed and modelled by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost by which all believers are empowered and gifted for service regardless of former barriers, such as gender and social class.

JACQUELINE: So, women can be senior pastors? Do we find any examples of women senior pastors in the New Testament?

DAVID: Yes, there is a biblical basis for women to function as senior pastors.

3. Paul entrusts what is arguably his most important letter, Romans, to Phoebe to read to the church (Rom 16:1-2). Since a reader was with the author contributing to the writing and receiving instruction in how to read, the reader would be asked questions after the reading and hence Phoebe was effectively the first commentator on the book of Romans.

JACQUELINE: What would you say to a church that is considering appointing a woman as a senior pastor?

DAVID: Choice of leadership positions in the church should be made on the basis of gifting, ability, and calling, not on DNA.

MASTERCLASS

HEADSHIP & THE BIBLE: CAN WOMEN LEAD TODAY?

Wednesday, 14th September 2022 at 12pm (AEST Hosted by Jacqui Grey with guests, David Parker & Ally Cawthorn For more information click here >

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Transitioning to Retirement

by LAINE WILLIS The topic of “ministry retirement” has been the subject of many conversations with Emeritus members around the country. In light of this, here are some insights into this new phase of life, so we can comprehend more fully how to continue our journey with the best possible outcomes maintaining a level of fruitfulness and intentionality in lives.

Let’s look at how terminology can be misunderstood giving rise to anxiety and restlessness of spirit.

1. RETIREMENT The concept of “retirement” in ministry sends shock-waves through the minds of many of our ministry colleagues. It is often met with “there is no retirement in ministry”. This is stating the obvious, but in the minds of some, it gives the impression that we can continue doing ministry in the same way we have done in the past. This brings added pressure when, for one, the body can’t match those expectations, not to mention the mind. Those who attempt to keep up with their “younger self” can find themselves living with the guilt of under-achievement.

On the other hand, I have noted that some ministers look forward to the retirement that raises dreams of travel, ease and financial freedom to live one long “holiday”. (OK, so only a small number!)

2. REFIREMENT The idea of “refirement” isn’t a bad option when anticipating any new phase in our life. Ending or at best, adjusting ministry responsibilities in our latter years does give us the opportunity to get a fresh wind of the Holy Spirit for new opportunities. We have more time to study, reflect and grow in God rather than rusting up spiritually.

Lying down in green pastures is meant to be a spiritually refreshing posture not a physical one.

3. REFINEMENT The third option which I personally prefer, is to anticipate retirement as a time where we enjoy the privilege of re-defining our ministry, taking into account our ministry strengths and natural giftings. Once released from the routine of pastoral ministry, we can now “choose” wisely the things that give us ministry fulfilment and at the same time a more relaxed lifestyle without the pressures and demands of regular pastoral life.

My observation is that those who enjoy “retirement” are those who have managed to balance all of the above recognising that life after “full-time ministry” can be rewarding and uplifting without the pace of continual occupation and busy-ness. Let’s face it, over-reaching our capabilities with bodies and minds that are no longer at their peak, can lead to detrimental consequences both mentally, emotionally and physically.

LAINE WILLIS and his wife Roslyn

are the ACC National Emeritus Pastors Coordinators.

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ACC EMAG #3 2022 Published by Australian Christian Churches.

Editor: Daryl-Anne Le Roux editor@acc.org.au Graphic Design & Editorial Assistant: Amelia Dales Photography by: p. 1 Planetshakers p. 5 Glow Church / Hope Centre / Neuma Church / Calvary CC p. 8 Alphacrucis p. 10-11 Vlada Karpovich (Pexels) / Horizon p. 12 ACCI p. 14 Paul Bartlett p. 16 Hope Centre p. 18 Mart Production (Pexels) p. 20-21 Kingdomcity Church p. 22-23 iSee Church / Calvary CC / Allyson Parker / Eastcoast Church / Hope Centre p. 24 PlanetUNI p. 26 Dave Edgar Youth Alive VIC p. 28 Cameron & Renee Bennett p. 31 Ketut Subiyanto (Pexels) p. 33 Fauxels (Pexels) p. 35 Alphacrucis p. 42-43 Hope Centre p. 44 Cottonbro (Pexels) ACC EMAG is published four times a year.

Visit www.acc.org.au/emag to read more editions.

ACC National PO Box 8093 Norwest NSW 2153 No part of this magazine may be reproduced with the written permission of the publisher.

All rights reserved. ©2022 Australian Christian Churches.

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