Emag 3 2017 final

#3 2017

EMAG

quarterly publication for acc leaders

IT’S TIME TO

PRAY CHRISTIANITY IN AUSTRALIA

BLESS YOUR COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS PLANS:

CHURCHES RESPONSE

MADE TO

STAND OUT

TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

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‘DO YOU WANT TO STAND OUT? THEN STEP DOWN. BE A SERVANT.’ Matthew 23:11 [The Message]

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SIDE

IN

STAND OUT

This edition of ACC EMAG takes a look at those who are standing up and addressing some of the serious issues that face our society.

IT’S TIME TO PRAY. Wayne Alcorn shares the promises from the scriptures and encourages believers to pray.

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CHURCHES RESPOND TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. Donna Crouch provides some practical tips on how churches can start to address domestic family vilence.

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GOD SHOWED UP. George McArdle has brushed shoulders with rock n roll celebrities but his brush with death and an encounter with the Lord that has renewed his purpose.

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MADE TO STAND OUT. Lily Arasaratnam-Smith examines Paul’s writings that sets apart those who are followers of Christ.

WHEN THE IMPOSSIBLE HAPPENS. Against the odds, Hannah Yeoh was elected to parliament and became Malaysia’s first woman speaker in the state assembly.

9 THINGS ABOUT LEGALISING SAME SEX MARRIAGE AND WHAT IT COULD MEAN FOR CHRISTIANS IN AUSTRALIA. The ripple effect of legalising same sex marriage

CHRISTIANITY IN AUSTRALIA. Claire Madden examines the results of the question on religion in the 2016 Australian Census and assesses the value of tracking statistical data.

BLESS YOUR COMMUNITY. Paul Bartlett looks at pre-planning ahead for Christmas in your community. Now is the time to plan how you can meet, eat and celebrate something meaningful with your neighbours.

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NEWS NEW RELEASES

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2018 DIARY

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‘When God intends great mercy for His people, He first gets them praying.’ – Matthew Henry

LET’S PRAY 4

IT’S TIME TO PRAY

BY WAYNE ALCORN

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV)

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his scripture carries a great promise – that God can heal our land. Many of the issues that cause us to be deeply concerned about our nation, are symptomatic of the fact that we need a spiritual awakening.

Modern Christians have many resources available to them today.

There are conferences, books, magazines, resources online… the list goes on. We can learn so much about prayer. In fact, we preach about prayer. We sing about prayer. We present seminars about prayer – but all too often, we fail to pray.

The operative word in the text above is ‘IF’. We simply need to practice the discipline of prayer.

Pray. Pray alone. Pray in groups. Pray in the morning. Prayer at night. Pray!

Our God does not lie, and He made a promise – if we will pray, then He will answer.

The fact that you are even reading this right now means you have a heart to engage with your Heavenly Father. Be encouraged by the promise of scripture,: “...the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16NIV) It gets even more encouraging, when we continue reading that passage, “Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.” (James 5:17-18 NIV) There are three things we can learn from this passage: 1. Elijah was just like us. It’s a fallacy to think that only certain types of people can access that dimension of faith where most miracles happen.

2. He prayed earnestly. Could the major reason we fail to see the breakthrough we are seeking, simply be because we lack the passion to stay the course in prayer? Jesus said, ‘Ask. Seek. Knock...’ all of which carried the call to be persistent. Keep asking, knocking, seeking.

3. Things happened as a result of prayer. The atmosphere was changed. The heavens were opened and closed in response to one man’s prayers.

This all started with a decision – to pray!

WAYNE ALCORN is the National President of the Australian Christian Churches.

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Q& A

REFLECTIONS ON PANASIA

WITH

JOEL CHELLIAH

‘There’s nothing more faith injecting than hearing the testimonies of how God has come through miraculously time and time again.’

ACCI’s PanAsia Conference, held in Thailand each July/August, has long been a time for missionaries and Australian pastors to connect, reflect and share what God’s doing in their lives and ministries.

As Centrepoint’s Senior Pastor JOEL CHELLIAH explains, it’s also a great opportunity for Australian pastors to gain insight into what’s happening overseas and be inspired by global missions.

Q. Why do you make attending PanAsia a personal priority?

Joel: I’ve attended every year for the past five years and am just blown away by the missionaries in our movement. Hearing their stories and learning of their sacrifice breaks my heart again for the lost. This conference challenges me to keep the main thing, the main thing. The Gospel must be central to all we do.

It’s also a week full of inspiration. There’s nothing more faith injecting than hearing the testimonies of how God has come through miraculously time and time again.

I personally get so much out of the conference and I come home believing for miracles in my own life.

Q. How does the conference help your church maintain its missions focus?

Joel: PanAsia is a brilliant opportunity for us to look at all the different projects available in our movement and get a feel for what we’re supposed to do as a local church. We don’t have a missions pastor on staff at our church, so we let the conference do the heavy lifting for us. Each year, missionaries share their stories and if it’s in line with what we feel called to as a church, we adopt that project for the following year.

Q: How does the conference help make the world seem smaller and the things you’re partnering with more tangible?

Joel: PanAsia has this great way of packaging what people are doing in a very clear, easy-to-understand way so that you can get a snippet of all the ministries in a matter of days. It helps us to see where our money has >

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gone and what our partnership has achieved so that we can then go back to our church and let them know the results of their giving.

The great mandate is to go to Jerusalem, Judea and the outer parts of the world. For us, finding out the needs in Jerusalem and Judea is easy because we are heavily involved in our local community.

But finding out what’s going on around the world, and how we can further the Gospel overseas, is a lot more complex. PanAsia gives us the insight we need without having to undertake all the research personally.

Q. What does the week look like for you; how do you use your time?

Joel: Apart from attending all the inspiring sessions, my personal highlight is having a meal with some of our missionaries. These guys are absolute heroes in the faith and hearing their latest adventures always moves me.

Q. What was your biggest takeaway from PanAsia this year?

Joel: It was humbling to learn exactly how many of our missionaries are actually serving in countries that are completely closed to the Gospel. Many of these missionaries face deportation or worse if they are found sharing the Gospel. I was challenged by their passion to stand for Christ regardless of the dangers they face. As a Christian leader in a relatively open nation, I have a responsibility to pray and partner with them so that the Gospel can reach these nations.

Q. Why would you encourage other pastors and leaders to attend PanAsia?

Joel: I think it’s crucial for pastors to look beyond their local church and community and partner with what God is doing around the world. PanAsia will enlarge your worldview and give you a fresh passion for overseas missions.

The heart and burden of a leader is also often imparted into the church they lead. I find when I come home from PanAsia with a fresh heart for the lost, my church can’t help but catch the same passion.

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‘It was humbling to learn exactly how many of our missionaries are actually serving in countries that are completely closed to the Gospel.’

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CHURCHES RESPOND TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ACC National Executive member, DONNA CROUCH, attended a gathering of hundreds of church leaders in Sydney to discuss a united response to Domestic Family Violence.

The Time To Listen event was organised by Graeme Anderson of Northside Baptist Church following a media articles relating to domestic violence within the Church. Hosted by journalist Julia Baird, the event featured a panel of speakers including Michael Jensen (St Mark’s Anglican Church), Liz Mackinlay (Mary House women’s refuge) and Bruce Chan (BaptistCare).

Representatives from the six church denominations represented were asked to consider ways they could do in the area of domestic violence.

In light of her work with a team at Hillsong Church, Donna Crouch provided some practical tips for churches who were working out how to respond.

“I think to start with we have to change our language in church that domestic violence is ‘out there’,” said Donna. “It’s not ‘out there;’ it’s in here, it’s everywhere – we need to know how to own that without

being embarrassed. Of course it’s going to be in our churches because our churches are a reflection of the community we’re in – so let’s get on with it!”

She went on to state, “The breakup is most critical period for a woman to be killed.That means our response before, during or after is also critical.”

She noted that one of the most important factors was how to intervene during the critical period when a woman is about to leave an abusive husband.

“There have been cases in NSW where the first instance of physical violence is murder,” Donna said. “This only heightens our responsibility for all this intervention with all these other symptoms of family violence.”

Donna went on to say her team had been working on developing relationships with the local police domestic violence liaison officer, and finding out who the professionals and counsellors were in the community.

“We’re not going to do a Christian version of the professionals,” she said.

“We can use the trust that people put in us to refer them and do the journey with them. If that means sitting with them, calling the DV hotline, if it means going to the police, we do that.”

Other church denomination

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responses included the Anglican Church of Australia being committed to conduct professional research into the extent of domestic family violence among their members.

Michael Jensen believes it is important for church leaders to recognise the dynamics of domestic violence, as well as speaking more about masculinity.

BaptistCare’s Bruce Chan called on churches to unite together when it came to addressing domestic violence.

He described a pilot program called ‘More Than Skin Deep’ that was being developed for their churches in NSW and was being trialed, and then rolled out to 1,000 Baptist churches in 2018.

He encouraged leaders to be “active bystanders. If each of us did something in our own community we could make a big difference,” he said.

“We have great professionals with great experience across our networks, so we should share it,” he said.

Graeme Anderson articulated the consensus that by working together, the Church could make a difference in bringing long-lasting, genuine cultural change in the area of domestic violence. “This is an opportunity for us to step into the breach and be the local church,” he said.

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2.

WAYS YOU CAN START ADDRESSING DFV IN YOUR CHURCH BY DONNA CROUCH

‘Our response before, during and after is critical.’

Become educated and equipped on Domestic & Family Violence (DFV).

Raise awareness of DFV within your church and community... talk about DFV and safe and respectful relationships.

3.

Develop ‘first response’ and pastoral support procedures. Train and support your team to outwork these.

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Create a safe space where people feel and are safe to share their experiences.

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Listen to and believe people. Don’t minimise their experience and refer to the appropriate professionals.

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Engage with your local networks and build effective support pathways.

Donna Crouch is a member of the ACC National Executive

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GOD SHOWED UP He has brushed shoulders with celebrities and rock n roll legends, yet it was an encounter with the Lord and a recent brush with a death sentence that has given George McArdle a greater purpose and passion in life.

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vid Australian music fans will remember George McArdle as the original bass player of the Little River Band (LRB) from 1976 to 1979, the first Australian group to make the Top 10 charts in the USA. It was as the band headed for unprecedented international stardom, that George walked away from the fame and success to follow Jesus.

“During our time in Nashville l had an infilling of the Holy Spirit in Grace Church in Franklin,” recounts George. “The pastor just put his hand on my head and the rest is history: God showed up.”

George had been in a dark place when he received a fresh revelation while walking down a driveway in Franklin. He felt God challenge his fears, “Don’t I always do what I say?”

The night after being water baptised at a Melbourne church, he had a life-changing encounter with the Lord that left an indelible mark on his life.

“I knew He was with me and I knew I was safe,” says George, “although I thought I would be healed straight away but that was not to be.”

“God shook me awake that night while l was asleep and filled my bedroom with His presence, ” recalls George. “He spoke to me in a mystery that has continued to challenge me up to this present day. He gave me a vision of heaven that changed my life. In forty years of telling this story, it has never changed. I remember it like it was yesterday.”

Faith in the dark days It was a revelation of Jesus and eternal life that brought a new level of obedience to the call on his life, and despite the death sentence hanging over his head, spurred George to pen new songs about his journey.

A few months later, back in Australia, he admits he dreaded going for a third x-ray to assess his condition, yet while driving to the hospital, George experienced the indescribable joy of the Lord. When he received the results, it was definitive: his lungs were clear with no evidence of COPD.

George left the LRB in January 1979 and enrolled at the Commonwealth Bible College (today Alphacrucis College).

George has toured Australia, sharing his music and his faith, and held an SMC with the ACC since 1999. Together with his wife, Roxane, and their three daughters, the family fellowships at Hope Centre in Brisbane, and worship team is honoured to often play with one of Australia’s greatest bass players.

Today George is committed to bringing faith, hope and courage through his testimony and his songs to others who are walking in a dark place. “My vision is to share my testimony and music in a professional and powerful way,” he says.

The shadow of death Fast forward to September 2016, to a dark day when x-rays revealed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) in his lungs. The heavy weight of emphysema as an inevitable death sentence made George aware he was facing a desperate battle for his health.

George McArdle is available to minister in ACC churches and gatherings. For more information or to contact George, visit: www.georgemcardle.com

“I was up every night praying and feeling quite anxious,” he recalls. A few weeks later, while in the USA, he had a God encounter that was the game changer.

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‘I knew He was with me and I knew I was safe.’

– GEORGE McARDLE

Little River Band

George on bass

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MADE TO

STAND OUT

BY LILY ARASARATNAM-SMITH

There’s been a resurgence of superhero films and television shows of late. Amidst the inhuman powers and impressive gadgets, I think one the reasons why we are fascinated by superheros is because there is a sense of comfort in knowing that someone with extraordinary abilities is willing to stand between us and harm. A superhero stands out, not just because of his/her superpowers but because his/her willingness to use those powers for the good of others.

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n this article, I examine Paul’s writings in Philippians 2:1-16, reading the text for what it means to contemporary Christians rather than what it meant for its original audiences[1].

There are five components to Paul’s logical argument in this text: If, then, because, because, and therefore.

IF Paul lays out the ‘if’ in verse 1; quoting from the Message Bible: “If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care…” that’s the if. The premise of the rest of the passage is based on this ‘if.’ The rest of the passage only applies to us if the ‘if ’ applies to us.

THEN If we’ve gotten anything at all from following Christ, if his love has made a difference in our life, if being in community with the Holy Spirit means anything at all to us, “then do me a favour:” says Paul. “Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends.

Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage.

Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.” (v 1-4).

If all the ‘if ’s apply to the believers in Philippi, and consequently to us, the believers today, then Paul urges us to be united, to love each other, to help others with an attitude of humility thinking they’re better than us.

BECAUSE Because – here’s the first ‘because’, starting in verse 5: “Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!

Having become human, he stayed human.

It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.”

If we claim to be believers in Christ, then we should be united and we should

humbly help each other out, because we are imitating the one whom we profess to follow. Christ, who had every right to lord it over people, didn’t behave like he was better than the rest of us, but instead willingly and obediently followed the Father’s will all the way to the cross. If we’re Christians, then we should act like Christ because that’s whom we follow.

BECAUSE Paul’s second ‘because’ is laid out in verses 9-11: ‘Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father.’

The second ‘because’ is the reason why God has exalted Jesus – because of His obedience. If we are Christians, then we should act like it, because we follow Jesus who was exalted by God because he was obedient.

It is interesting that Paul specifically instructs people to consider others better than us. I think he understood that it doesn’t take much for us to start thinking of ourselves as better than some people. As social beings who live in communities, we get our sense of self from our interactions with other people[2]. Others provide a frame of reference for us.[3] Inevitably, we operate in systems that have various social currencies wherein those who are rich in that particular currency feel superior to those who are not. In the world of academia, the currency is qualifications and publications, for example. In the world of church leadership, the currency could be the size of the congregation.

The challenges is when we confuse social currency with inherent value of a person.

A qualified academic is informed in a particular discipline, but not inherently superior to another human being. Paul urges believers in Christ to be humble, considering others better than ourselves.

THEREFORE The ‘therefore’ in Paul’s logic is articulated in verses 12 – 16: ‘What I’m getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you’ve done from the beginning. When I was 15

‘We should be so willing to serve, so full of humility, so full of unity, and so uncorrupted that we stand out.’ living among you, you lived in responsive obedience. Now that I’m separated from you, keep it up. Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God’s energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.

14-16 Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I’ll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You’ll be living proof that I didn’t go to all this work for nothing.

If we’re Christian, then we should behave like Christ, because we follow Christ who was exalted by God because of his obedience; therefore we should be energetic in our salvation, doing everything cheerfully without quarrelling or grumbling, we should be in the world, but uncorrupted by the world, providing a glimpse of God. There are three aspects to this ‘therefore.’ First, Paul says our behaviour should be counter-cultural. We should be so willing to serve, so full of humility, so full of unity, and so uncorrupted that we stand out.

The second aspect of this part of Paul’s message is for us to be in the world, in dark places where light is most needed.

While he asks us not to be corrupted by darkness, he says, “Go out into the world, uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air.”

Thirdly, Paul gives us a clue as to how we can sustain this lifestyle of shining in dark places without being corrupted by those places – he says “as you hold firmly to the word of life.”

Holding firmly, daily, to the word of God in everyday relationship with Christ is the only way one can live up to Paul’s big ask in the ‘therefore’ of this passage. >

If, then, because, because, therefore If we consider ourselves to be Christian, then we should serve others humbly, thinking they’re better than us, because we follow Jesus who humbled himself for the sake of humanity, because of his obedience God exalted him, therefore, as his followers, we should go out into the world, uncorrupted, where we shine like stars as we hold firmly to the word of life.

We are made to stand out. But we are not made to stand out like superheros with dazzling powers and impressive toys. We are made to stand out in a very different way. We are made to stand out because we follow Christ who stood out in contrast to the expectations of his time. He communed with “sinners” with compassion instead of ostracising them with condemnation, instead of demanding ‘honour where honour is due[4],’ he honoured his disciples by washing their feet; he spoke truth without compromise while loving without prejudice. Humility, unity, integrity, love – these set apart a follower of Christ.

‘We are made to stand out, but we are not made to stand out like superheroes with dazzling powers and impressive toys.’

And so Paul exhorts the believers of Philippi to allow Christ to transform them from within so that their behaviour is a breath of fresh air to people who are used to hearing grumbling, used to disunity, used to being condemned. This exhortation likewise applies to us, the believers in today’s churches.

Notes: [1] For a Biblical reading method, see Grey, N. (2008). Them, us & me: How the Old Testament speaks to people today. APSS Press.

[2] Cooley, C. H. (1902). Human nature and social order. New York, NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons.

[3] Shaffer, L. S. (2005). From mirror selfrecognition to looking-glass self: Exploring the justification hypothesis. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 61(1), 47-65.

[4] Romans 13: 7

Read this and other articles on Crucis: http://crucis.ac.edu.au Associate Professor Lily Arasaratnam-Smith is the Director of Research at Alphacrucis College and a Fellow of the International Academy for Intercultural Research. Her area of expertise is intercultural communication.

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AUSTRALIAN CHRISTIAN HIGHER EDUCATION ALLIANCE (ACHEA) Inaugural Conference Hosted by Alphacrucis College Smith of Calvin College, USA. Delegates from Australian and New Zealand Christian higher education institutions enjoyed stimulating discussions and fellowship amidst academic presentations in the broad areas of Theology, Education, and Social Sciences. At the conclusion of the conference the ACHEA Board announced the appointment of Alphacrucis College’s President, Associate Professor Stephen Fogarty, as the new Chairman of ACHEA.

Alphacrucis College hosted the inaugural conference of the Australian Christian Higher Education Alliance (ACHEA) at the Parramatta campus on the 18th and 19th of August.

Organised by Alphacrucis College’s Director of Research, Associate Professor Lily Arasaratnam-Smith, the ACHEA 2017 conference featured keynote lectures by Professor Edwin Judge of Macquarie University, Professor Amos Yong of Fuller Theological Seminary, USA, and Professor David

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WHEN THE

IMPOSSIBLE HAPPENS

Hannah is a member of the ACC Kingdomcity Church in Malayasia, and was guest speaker of the 2017 She Stands For Justice conference hosted by Lyn Alcorn in Brisbane in August.

As a young law student in Tasmania, she reluctantly returned to her homeland, only to find herself in a position of influence.

Her autobiography ‘Becoming Hannah: A Personal Journey’ relates her revelation that obedience opens the door for the impossible to happen.

When HANNAH YEOH found herself standing as a candidate in the 2008 elections in Malaysia, she had to face the reality that her life was no longer her own – God had a bigger picture in mind. Not only was she elected (and subsequently re-elected for a second term), but against the odds, Hannah became Malaysia’s first woman speaker for the Selangor State Assembly. At the age of 34, she also became the youngest speaker of any Legislative Assembly in Malaysia.

The following extract reveals how Hannah wrestled with her destiny.

The 8th March 2008. Polling day had arrived. I felt relaxed and relieved. Two intense weeks of campaigning and sleep deprivation were over. And if I were to lose the election today, I would feel more than relieved. But the tension was still there, the same strained feeling I had last night after the final ceremah, of not wanting to win and yet wanting to win. It troubled me as I went through the day. Jochebed later called it my ‘Gethsemane moment’ after the garden where Jesus went to pray following the Last Supper and before his arrest on the night prior to his crucifixion.

It is where he uttered that famous prayer of ultimate obedience, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42) The cup Jesus spoke of, is taken to mean the suffering he was about to endure through crucifixion. I was of course, nowhere near the same state of suffering. But inside, I was wrestling with the possibility that God’s will for me was more than just contesting the election; I was to win it and become a politician. My own will, what I wanted, was simply to go back to being a nine-to-five employee and enjoying church activities on weekends. I could not utter the same kind of prayer Jesus did. How could I convincingly say, God’s will be done, when it was something I did not want? Jesus chose obedience but I would have to be forced into it by the will of the people.

‘

‘

Extract from Becoming Hannah: A Personal Journey is published with permission of the author.

Becoming Hannah: A Personal Journey is available from Amazon.com

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– HANNAH YEOH

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‘ I was in this race because there were reasons for it beyond my plain obedience, stakes that were far more important than my own inadequacies and immediate concerns...

I felt the presence of God right there at that moment, with those goosebumps, on that stage, in front of the Malaysian flag.

9 THINGS ABOUT

LEGALISING SAME SEX MARRIAGE & WHAT IT CAN MEAN FOR

CHRISTIANS IN AUSTRALIA

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SHOULD THE LAW BE CHANGED TO ALLOW SAME-SEX COUPLES TO MARRY? This is the question Australians are being asked to vote on in a postal survey from September to November 2017. The Australian Christian Churches believe there will be grave consequences if marriage is redefined. Here are nine reasons why we need to protect marriage in our nation.

In the UK this year, Equalities Minister Justine Greening, said churches should “keep up with modern attitudes” and marry homosexuals.

The Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, a Conservative, told gay activists this July: “I feel we’ll only have proper equal marriage when you can bloody well get married in a church if you want to do so, without having to fight the church for the equality that should be your right.”

1. UPHOLDING THE BIBLICAL DEFINITION OF MARRIAGE The Biblical view of marriage is a lifelong, exclusive union between a man and a woman. This definition is made crystal clear in Genesis 1 and 2 which lays out God’s blueprint for human sexuality. It is endorsed by Jesus in Matthew 19v5 and by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 5v21.

Redefining marriage to include homosexual couples is completely contrary to clear Biblical teaching. This is an important consideration for Bible believing Christians.

Some people agree SSM is contrary to Biblical teaching but say we shouldn’t legislate morality. This is to ignore the fact that all laws are based on someone’s view of morality.

Others argue the Church should not force its views on others, but to portray voting in a democratic system as “forcing your religion” on others, is simply ridiculous. And whilst our view of marriage is informed by our Christian faith, everyone’s view of marriage is informed by some set of values. Christians aren’t the only ones who bring a set of values to the ballot box.

Everyone does.

Yet other people say that whilst Christians don’t subscribe to SSM we should not stand in the way of other people being happy. The truth is that none of us want to stop other people from being happy. Many of us have gay family members. The last thing we want to do is stop their happiness, but SSM is not about making people happy, it’s about radically redefining marriage in such a way that it will profoundly change Australian society.

3. LEGALISING SAME SEX MARRIAGE MEANS CHRISTIAN PEOPLE WILL LOSE THEIR FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE Whilst politicians promise that ministers will not have to be involved in gay weddings (for now), they are offering no such protections for the overwhelming majority of Christians who are not credentialed ministers.

Liberal Senator Dean Smith, who drafted the bill to legalise SSM, said he did not apologize that his bill would not exempt Christian business people from participating in gay weddings.

Freedom of conscience means citizens should have the right not be compelled by the State to participate in things they believe are morally wrong.

Legalising gay marriage means Christian business people would be forced to participate in gay weddings, with threat of legal action, if they refused to do so.

There are dozens of examples – from countries where gay marriage has been legalised – of anti-discrimination laws being used to fine, fire or bankrupt Christian business people for doing no more than politely declining to participate in a homosexual wedding.

Same sex marriage, presented as a shield to protect homosexuals from discrimination, will be used as a spear to go after Christians in the marketplace who do not wish to participate.

2. LEGALISING SAME SEX MARRIAGE MEANS CHRISTIAN MINISTERS WILL LIKELY BE FORCED TO CONDUCT GAY WEDDINGS IN THE FUTURE Our politicians currently agree that pastors will not have to perform homosexual weddings, but gay activists are already insisting such exemptions should be dismissed.

Editor at Large for The Australian newspaper, Paul Kelly, wrote that even if exemptions for Christian ministers are made law, only “a fool” would believe such exemptions can last.

What is given as an exemption will come to be viewed as an anomaly and eventually a loophole that must be closed, he said.

This is already happening overseas. For instance, gay marriages were legalised in Sweden in 2009, with exemptions for ministers, but in June this year, Sweden’s Prime Minister, Stefan Löfven, said priests should be forced to perform gay weddings.

4. LEGALISING GAY MARRIAGE THREATENS OUR ABILITY TO TEACH THE BIBLE Teaching traditional marriage will become hate speech if gay marriage is legalised.

If this sounds far-fetched, consider the case of Hobart Archbishop Julian Porteous who, in 2015, was dragged before Tasmania’s Anti-Discrimination Commission for teaching the Christian view of marriage.

This is shocking when you consider that Archbishop Porteous was taken to court for upholding the legal view of marriage. >

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Legalising gay marriage is not about respecting two people’s right to love each other. It is about radically redefining marriage, gender and parenting.

If a Christian is marched before the courts for speaking against gay marriage when gay marriage is illegal, what happens to a Christian who dares to teach a Biblical view of marriage when gay marriage is the law of the land?

In February this year, UK evangelist Gordon Larmour was imprisoned overnight and charged with “abusive behaviour aggravated by prejudice relating to sexual orientation”. His crime was to have shared the story of Adam and Eve when asked his view of sexuality by a gay activist. Larmour was eventually cleared of any wrong-doing, but only after a sixmonth legal ordeal.

In 2015 Pastor Barry Trayhorn, an ordained Pentecostal Minister in the UK, was disciplined for hate speech whilst leading a chapel service for prisoners at the local jail. During the chapel service Pastor Trayhorn read from 1 Corinthians 6v9-11: “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” And then Pastor Trayhorn said: “You may want to complain about this, but this is the word of God. God loves you and wants to forgive you.”

A homosexual prisoner complained that Pastor Trayhorn’s Bible reading had violated the Prison’s Equality Policies. Pastor Trayhorn was found guilty of making “provocative statements that breached the prison’s code of conduct”. He has lost his job working in the prison.

all people but that none of this was an excuse for not teaching homosexuality. The school has received its third and final warning to comply before being deregistered.

Tasmanian Government minister Guy Barnett recently made the rather obvious point that if homosexual marriage is legalised, it follows that homosexuality will necessarily be taught in school sex education classes and parents will have no grounds to object.

6. LEGALISING GAY MARRIAGE MEANS GENDER WILL BE RADICALLY REDEFINED IN LAW The basis of the same sex marriage argument is that gender is inconsequential. If gay marriage is legalised, the biological truth of gender will be radically redefined in law.

Already Facebook asks users to select from 71 gender options. The so-called Safe Schools program teaches students that male and female are mere social constructs. The media champion parents who raise gender-neutral children.

Earlier this year, the conservative UK government proposed legislation that would make it possible for a person to change gender on their birth certificate by simply filling out a form.

There would be no requirement for a consultation with doctors, or even sex change surgery. A man who identified as a woman would be able to change his birth certificate and legally become a woman by simply filling out a form. If he decided he didn’t like being a woman and wanted to be a man again, he could simply fill out another form and switch back.

Equalities Minister Justine Greening, reflecting on the progress that had been made in gay rights (including gay marriage that was legalised in the UK in 2014) described the redefinition of gender as “the next step forward”.

People should be in no doubt that legalising gay marriage is not about respecting two people’s right to love each other. It is about radically redefining marriage, gender and parenting.

5. LEGALISING GAY MARRIAGE MEANS CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS WILL BE THREATENED WITH CLOSURE UNLESS THEY TEACH CHILDREN LGBT LIFESTYLES Australian parents have been horrified by the Safe Schools program which encourages primary school students to imagine they are homosexuals and provides links for students to instruction on anal sex and “penis tucking”.

If gay marriage is legalised, such lessons will be insisted upon for all schools and Christian schools that refuse to teach LGBT lifestyles will be threatened with closure.

This is not conjecture. It is already happening in Western countries that have legalised gay marriage.

In June of this year, a private Jewish girls school in North London was one of seven faith-based schools threatened with closure for refusing to teach gay and transgendered lifestyles to students.

The Education Department said Vishnitz Orthodox girls’ school had failed its duty to give students “a full understanding of fundamental British values” because they had not taught children LGBT lifestyles.

The Department acknowledged that the school’s academic results were outstanding and that the school taught respect for

7. LEGALISING GAY MARRIAGE MEANS MOTHERS AND FATHERS WILL BE RADICALLY REDEFINED IN LAW In August this year, CNN reported that Trystan Reese, a transgender man living in Portland, Oregon, had given birth to a boy with his male partner, Biff Chaplow.

The news item described Reese as “a man who has a uterus and has the capacity and capability of carrying a baby”.

People who insisted that Reese was not a man with a uterus but rather a woman (since only women have uteruses and only women have the capacity and capability of carrying a baby) were called bigots.

This is a direct consequence of same sex marriage (legalised in Canada in 2005) which insists that gender is irrelevant to marriage and therefore to parenting.

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The postal vote on same sex marriage is not a vote about ending discrimination; it is a vote about changing the definition of marriage, and with it the norms and freedoms we currently take for granted.

8. LEGALISING GAY MARRIAGE WILL REMOVE ANY PRINCIPLED ARGUMENT AGAINST FURTHER REDEFINITIONS OF MARRIAGE If marriage can be redefined to suit a particular group, such as LGBT, why can it not be redefined further to suit other groups, such as Muslims who want polygamy?

When the US Supreme Court legalised gay marriage in 2015, one of the dissenting judges, Chief Justice John Roberts, contended that “much of the majority’s reasoning” in support of same-sex marriage “would apply with equal force to the claim of a fundamental right to plural marriage”.

Chief Justice Roberts told the court: “There is no reason at all why the two-person element of the core definition of marriage may be preserved while the man-woman element may not. Indeed, from the standpoint of history and tradition, a leap from opposite-sex marriage to same-sex marriage is much greater than one from a two-person union to plural unions, which have deep roots in some cultures around the world.”

CONCLUSION The one thing that supporters of gay marriage and opponents of gay marriage agree upon is this: legalising gay marriage will dramatically change Australia.

The Rudd Government changed more than 80 pieces of legislation to remove discrimination under law against gay people. The Rudd Government was right to do this. We do not support discrimination against people based on their sexuality.

But the postal vote on same sex marriage is not a vote about ending discrimination; it is a vote about changing the definition of marriage, and with it, the norms and freedoms we currently take for granted.

We urge you – if you value freedom of conscience, freedom of speech, freedom of association and the freedom to educate children according to Christian values – to vote no.

©September 2017 Compiled by ACC National Executive member, James Macpherson. Permission required to reproduce this article in any way.

9. LEGALISING GAY MARRIAGE MEANS CHRISTIANS FOUND TO BE MEMBERS OF CHURCHES THAT TEACH A BIBLICAL VIEW OF MARRIAGE RISK LOSING THEIR JOBS In 2012 Victoria’s Deputy Chief Psychiatrist, Kuruvilla George, was hounded out of his position when it became known he believed children needed a mother and a father. Prominent politicians, including members of the Greens, argued that such views precluded him from being able to care for gay people in the community.

Earlier this year LGBT activists campaigned on social media for IBM to sack their Sydney-based managing partner, Mark Allaby. Allaby’s crime was to perform volunteer work for a Christian organisation that holds a Biblical view of marriage.

Activists argued that since IBM was a supporter of gay marriage, they should not employ someone who wasn’t.

Bear in mind that Dr George lost his job and Mark Allaby was threatened with losing his whilst gay marriage is illegal in Australia! If gay marriage is made the law of the land we can expect Christian people to be pressured to disassociate themselves with churches or face losing their jobs.

It is already happening in Western countries where gay marriage has been legalised.

In 2016 there was a social media campaign to have Chip and Joanna Gaines, the stars of the HGTV home renovation show Fixer Upper, dropped from the network when it became known they attended a church that taught a Biblical view of marriage.

Two years earlier, the same television network cancelled a show when they learned the brothers who fronted the program, Jason and David Benham, attended a church that taught a Biblical view of marriage.

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CHRISTIANITY IN AUSTRALIA: A DEMOGRAPHIC SNAPSHOT

CLAIRE MADDEN examines the results of the question on relgion in the 2016 Australian Census and assesses the value of tracking statistical data.

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Changing Face of the Nation Australians engagement with Christianity is an ever changing story. Whilst many in the Builders and Baby Boomer generations grew up putting on their ‘Sunday best’ and attending weekly church services, the landscape of spirituality, church attendance and engagement with religion looks significantly different for emerging generations.

In the mid-1950s, 89.4% of Australians identified as Christian, and 44% regularly attended church. Today, 52.1% of our national population identify as Christian, and 15% regularly attend church. . Although engagement has been declining, it is worth recognising that over half of Australians continue to identify as Christian. Whilst 74% of those aged 7584 identify as Christian, just 38% of those aged 25-34 do the same.

Source: ABS Census Data 2016

‘It is worth recognising that over half of Australians continue to identify as Christians.’

The Not-Religious Whilst engagement with Christianity has been declining over time, there has been notable growth among people identifying as ‘not religious’. Whilst just 0.3% of Australians identified as ‘not religious’ in the 1950s, it increased to approximately 1 in 5 (19%) by 2006, and to 3 in 10 Australians (30.1%) today. Further to this, as this question is optional in the Census, 9.6% of people chose not to answer this question, suggesting a lack of engagement with religion in any capacity for 1 in 10 Australians.

The shift towards an increasingly secular society can be seen in other areas. While in 1998, there were more weddings conducted by ministers of religion than by civil celebrants, today 74% of weddings and 58% of funerals are conducted by civil celebrants.

The Ageing Church Population When analysing the age demographic of the church population across Australia, it is evident that there is a significant underrepresentation of younger generations in the church. For example, when analysing the population aged over 15 across the country, 13% are aged 70 years and older. However NCLS data shows that this age cohort comprise

Source: ABS Census Data 2016

Source: ABS Census Data 2016

>

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THE ACC STORY ‘15–29 year olds make up a quarter of our population, yet represent just 13% of the church population.’ almost 3 in 10 church attenders (29%).

A similar pattern emerges for the 50-69s, making up 28% of the national population and 34% of the church population. At the other end of the spectrum, whilst the 15-29 year olds make up a quarter of our population (25%), they represent just 13% of the church population. Whilst we have an ageing population in Australia, the Church is ageing at an even faster rate.

Faith Formative Years The importance of engaging younger generations in the faith cannot be understated. Not only are these generations significantly underrepresented in the current Church population, NCLS data from a report by Christian Venues Association shows that 4 in 5 first time faith decisions happen before the age of 20, showing that the developmental period up until the age of 20 are key faith formative years.

Whilst this data paints a picture of the overall state of play in Australia, each year the ACC conducts a census of their churches. The insight and visibility this significant research gives into the ACC movement is extremely valuable, as it provides national statistics that help us present the collective health and strength of our movement when it comes to representation with government, community agencies and the marketplace in general.

The latest ACC Census (from 2016) shows that the ACC experienced growth off 11.5%, with over 350,000 Australians now attending an ACC church.

It revealed that across the 1,040 ACC churches, there has been 47,320 first time salvation decisions over the past year, along with 9,170 water baptisms and 3,920 baby dedications. 82% have active kids programs, 64% are currently running youth ministries and 30% are involved in teaching Scripture in schools.

On average, ACC churches run 1.7 weekly services, and the movement has planted an additional 25 churches in the past year. The research highlighted that the ACC is active in missions, with 5,400 people participating in an overseas mission in the last year.

These results are particularly significant in light of the national trend lines - whilst overall across Australia, engagement with Christianity and church attendance has been on the decline, the ACC Census shows that as a movement it is challenging these trend lines and experiencing growth.

The Research Process The annual and longitudinal nature of any data set adds immense value to tracking and measuring trends and health over time. The 2017 ACC Census will be taking place in November this year and will provide an opportunity to gain insights into the life, strength and health of the movement as a whole. The value of the ACC Census is enhanced when all ACC churches take part.

References: Australian Bureau of Statistics (2017), 2071.0 - Census of Population and Housing: Reflecting Australia - Stories from the Census, 2016, also 3310.0 - Marriages and Divorces, Australia, 2015 Christian Venues Association (2014), Social Shifts, Spiritual Trends, 4 Decades of Change, Christianity in Australia Today, available at http://www. christianvenues.org.au/impact/ National Church Life Survey, 2016 ACC Census (2016) Powell, R., Sterland, S., Hancock, N., & Pepper, M., (2017), 2016 ACC Census Headline Report v1. NCLS Commissioned Report. Sydney: NCLS Research Source: ACC Census 2016

Claire Madden M.A. (Lead.), B.A. (Comms.) is a social researcher, media commentator and keynote presenter. She is the founder of the research based strategy and communications agency, Hello Clarity. She completed her Master of Arts through Alphacrucis College and is on the board for ACS Financial and on the Advisory Board for UTS Business School. More info, visit: www. helloclarity.com.au

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KIDSHAPER CONFERENCE PAST | PRESENT | FUTURE

Kidshaper celebrates 20 years GOLD COAST – This year’s Kidshaper Conference was the 20th Anniversary of the conference started in 1997 in Brisbane by Andrew Shepherd.

It was so good to have the founder back speaking at the conference along with many of the early pioneers of Children’s Ministry in the ACC. James Macpherson, Wayne Alcorn and Saddleback Church’s Children’s Pastor Steve Adams, joined us as Keynote speakers and were all brilliant speaking into the future of ACCkids.

HIghlights included the past, present and future leaders of Kids ministry in Australia having a conversation around where Children’s Ministry has come from and where it is going.

The Connect groups were again another great highlight as relationships between kids ministry leaders all around the country continued to grow.

2018 marks the start of a new era and the theme of ‘Innovate’ will have us take a whole new approach into conference and children’s ministry. – Andy Kirk

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UNITED WE STAND UWS 2017

United We Stand is a national gathering, activating young Australians to unite on one night, in many locations, represented by every Christian denomination, to make a stand for Jesus Christ. It’s about everyone working together at a local church level, for this outcome.

On Friday 18 August 2017, we saw • 72 events nationwide • 235 schools • 590 churches • 1000’s youth pastors and leaders With over • 24,371 in attendance • 2,869 responses to Christ Together, we made a bold declaration that Jesus is having an undeniable, positive influence in our generation.

YOUTH RESOURCES Have you checked out Ythmin. com? The resource initiative of Youth Alive, you’ll find posts on leadership, games, safety, admin, pastoral care, loads of interviews with experienced, global leaders and much more.

More than 12,000 youth pastors and leaders visited the website over 100,000 times in the first 12 months of it’s launch. It is an incredibly valuable tool, so make sure your team knows about it. www.ythmin.com

SAVE THE DATE :

UNITED WE STAND 2018 FRIDAY 17 AUGUST

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YOUTH ALIVE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY Youth Alive exists to build and strengthen the local church. As part of our vision to resource and raise leaders, the Youth Alive Academy is experiencing explosive growth. Now being offered in four states, the Academy is offers education and training to a very high standard, with a focus on youth work.

Students intern around Youth Alive events, bringing back their knowledge and skills to their local church where they intern weekly.

For more information, visit your state Youth Alive website.

YOUTH ALIVE CONFERENCE

Youth Alive Conference is yet another opportunity for our young people to encounter Jesus in a powerful way.

In 2018, conference is happening in nearly every state, so check your state Youth Alive website for details.

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CHAPLAINCY AUSTRALIA

WOLLONGONG– Chaplains from all over NSW and ACT gathered together in September for the annual ACC Chaplaincy Australia Conference at The Woolshed, Wollongong.

Continuing personal and professional development is essential for pastors and chaplains, and this year there was a focus on relationship, relatedness and connection. The keynote speaker Dr Marie-Therese Proctor, spoke on ‘Exploring Human & Spiritual Attachment’. ACC Chaplaincy Australia’s National Director Ralph Estherby shared a national update as well as an inspiring message.

A highlight of the conference was awarding ten year pins to those who had been part of Chaplaincy Australia Network for at least ten years. Ken Fischer was also honoured for his time in the role of NSW/ACT State Director for ACC Chaplaincy Australia. Paul Bartlett gave an award to Phil Brown for outstanding service in his local community.

With over 26 different chaplaincy sectors identified, churches are now realising that chaplains who are well trained, accredited and then sent out from the heart of the church are connecting with people in areas such as schools, hospitals, emergency services, aged care facilities, prisons, etc. and are providing a vital bridge into the local community.

Being part of a national network, receiving support, inspiration and job opportunities are only some of the many benefits of being an accredited ACC Chaplain through ACC Chaplaincy Australia.

For online accreditation and early bird registration for the 2018 ACC Chaplaincy Australia Conference, visit: www.chaplaincyaustralia.com – Susan Marcuccio (NSW/ACT State Director)

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‘FAVOUR’ IN VICTORIA CREATING DEEP RELATIONSHIPS WITH ACC CHURCHES ACROSS AUSTRALIA

MELBOURNE– National leaders of the ACC Indigenous Forum, Will & Sandra Dumas were excited to hold the 2017 National Indigenous Conference in Victoria, hosted at Keilor City Church by Duane & Cathie Dixon.

Sandra Dumas said, “We are so excited to be holding this conference here in Victoria.

This is such a wonderful opportunity to help forge new friendships and deeper connections with ACC members, both indigenous and non-indigenous.”

Pastor Alun Davies, ACC Vice President and Director of ACC International, addressed the opening night of conference.

Alun and his team, have worked at a strategic and operational level with this ministry over recent years.

“Since the ACC National Conference, the introduction from Alun and the creation of our video with the help of ACCI staff, things have been ‘deadly’ for us,” said Will Dumas.

“It is like a big door has opened and we are now having so many more conversations with members of the movement.”

Connecting people The question of how non-indigenous ACC members can create conversations with indigenous church members around their ancestry to help create a sense of connectedness is fairly simple according to

Will. “For us, we identify with our family and culture, as opposed to where we live or what we do for work.

So the two best questions you could ask someone is where were you born and where does your Mob come from”, he said, explaining that Australia, the island, is made up of ‘many different indigenous’ countries.’

The National Indigenous Committee’s purpose is around recognition and acknowledgement of history so that it can help break the cycle of poverty, bring more Indigenous and Torres Strait Islanders closer to Jesus and demonstrate that each one of us, no matter where we were born, all make up the Body of Christ.

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Next year’s conference ‘Juriga’ will is focused on the National Indigenous Emerging Leaders.

More info: www.acc.org.au/ indigenous/

BLESS

YOUR COMMUNITY

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PLANNING AHEAD FOR CHRISTMAS Too early for Christmas? Now is the time to plan how you can meet, eat and celebrate something meaningful with your neighbours. ACC Community Engagement’s Paul Bartlett provides some interesting ideas for blessing your community this Christmas season.

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C

hristmas is one of the most festive times of the year – a time where family and friends gather to eat loads of food and Uncle John falls asleep on the lounge in a food coma by 3pm. Of course, we know it means more than that for those who also gather to celebrate the reason for the season – the birth of our Saviour, Jesus. But, statistics tell us the real story of what the Australian community are all thinking, feeling and doing when it comes to the Christmas season.

McCrindle Research surveyed a number of Australians regarding their views towards Christmas. When asked what you look forward to most about Christmas, the number one response was to spend time with family and friends (not a surprise).

So, if we have gathered some of the statistical thoughts, feelings and actions of the community when it comes to all things Christmas, how can best add value and effectively and authentically engage our communities?

It may be worthwhile to note that hearing carols and the Christmas message is not in the top three things people are looking forward to experiencing at Christmas.

ACC Community Engagement likes to think differently and build meaningful relationships by giving people what they actually want, rather than offer them what we think they may want or what we already have.

So here’s the question: How can we authentically engage our communities this Christmas season outside of simply inviting them to a Christmas church service?

A STREET CHRISTMAS PARTY How about the idea of throwing a Street Christmas party! Now, don’t feel overwhelmed by the thought of some huge planned event, full of glitter lined streets, piñatas, portaloos and $10,000 worth of food. How about this: We now know statistically that when it comes to Christmas, people are after quality relationship time and interaction with friends, food and drinks, fun celebratory feel and meaning, and they are staying local. Let’s meet them there and become the connector.

What if you just focus on your street and do the following simple steps:

The second thing most desired is food and celebration (afterall, what’s Christmas without food and fun). What was surprising to the ACC Community Engagement team was a stat that almost half of the community surveyed ‘felt unhappy that Christmas had lost its meaning’.

The survey revealed some other interesting Christmas community statistics that affirm the above results. In the lead up to Christmas 2016, 1,012 Australians were surveyed to discover their sentiment for the Christmas season: • Family and Friends are our favorite part of Christmas.

• Australians also planned on staying home in the Christmas season. In fact, more than half stayed local.

• Technology and clothing were high on the wish list but people are looking for more than a physical gift. (note that 10 people do want a musical instrument!)

• Of those who indicated that they did not want a particular material gift, but expressed a desire for something, 51% stated it was time with family, 31% were hoping for health / happiness, and 18% peace.”

1. Slip a short-handwritten note into each letterbox in your street. It’s a simple friendly invitation that offers to meet the neighbours and have some Christmas fun.

2. Host it either in your home or physically in the street on the front lawn.

3. Make it a communal feed so everyone is equally involved. Ask everyone to bring a share plate and their own drink in hand 4. Meet every single person who comes. Remember their first name and naturally introduce people to each other (not awkwardly). Be the connector of people.

5. Get to know each other. Have normal conversations ranging from the weather to deeper conversations if they organically travel there.

6. Be normal. Have no agenda other than to love people, connect people to one another and create an engaged community starting in your own street.

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This creates the opportunity to develop authentic relationships with those in closest physical proximity to us and we get to show Jesus to those who may not know him in action. Who knows what God will do with those relationships further down the track, but we can only assume, life transformational things.

Rosalie Baptist Church in Queensland host a Christmas street party every year throughout their suburb. Senior Pastors Joe and Becky Khan, said that, “If Christmas tells us anything it tells us of the open and generous heart that God has towards all people from all backgrounds and all places. So to celebrate Christmas we put on a street party for anyone who is keen to share Christmas with us.”

Here are a few more ideas to bless your community over Christmas: 1. Stuffed Stockings Partner with other local churches and organisations to distribute overflowing stockings to low-income families in your area.

2. Christmas Tree Giveaways Work with a local Christmas tree provider to buy and deliver free Christmas trees. Ask a local school and your church to recommend families to receive the trees and include a decoration box, lights, ornaments and a tree topper.

3. Christmas on a Budget Host a communitywide event called “Christmas on a Budget.” Feature money-saving tips, creative do-it-yourself gift solutions and a financial expert who can answer questions about credit card debt. Ask a family who stopped exorbitant Christmas spending to talk about their experience, how they approached it and what they learned.

4. Airport Shuttle Offer holiday travellers free shuttle service to and from the airport. Ask families to sign up in advance and enlist a coordinator to track reservations and pickups.

Celebrate Christ this year by celebrating his most loved creation – people.

THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT COMMUNITY I’m very excited that ACC Community Engagement is partnering with Alphacrucis College (AC) to provide a CHC52015 Diploma of Community Services. This is the first time ACC has this diploma available. It launched in August with a Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) intensive, and in the coming months will again be offered with the full course rolling out early 2018.

The Diploma of Community Services is a unique program designed to equip churches to think and act differently regarding community transformation.

If you have 5+ years of community experience, AC offers you the opportunity to obtain a nationally recognised qualification through RPL, and receive five days of specialised teaching and training from recognised lecturers and speakers.

Through this course you will: • Get professional recognition for your experience • Build critical skills for your calling in ministry • Learn and engage with ACC pastors and leaders • Earn a pathway to further bachelors/masters level studies.

Paul Bartlett is the National Director of ACC Community Engagement.

Visit: www.acccommunityengagement.org.au Infographics published with permission from McCrindle Research. www.mccrindle.com.au

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a government accredited assessment process through which the skills, knowledge and experience that you already have may count towards the achievement of a nationally recognised qualification. Prior to the five-day training, participants are required to complete an RPL assessment.

You and your church can have a huge influence in your community, across our town or city, and throughout the nation - and it starts on Mondays!

If you want to be a part of the next cohort, kicking off on Monday 30th October at the AC campus at 30 Cowper St in Parramatta, please contact Alphacrucis College or Emily Messieh. Email: community.engagement@acc.org.au.

P.S.: In case you were wondering:

Paul Bartlett ACC Community Engagement Alphacrucis College – . ABN: 13072747187. RTO (National Code): 90525

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NEW RELEASES WATCH THE STAR The Story Of The First Christmas

READ ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING Finding Calm In A Chaotic World

By Max Lucado

READ BECOMING HANNAH A Personal Journey

By Hannah Yeoh

EXCLUSIVE EXTRACT PAGE 18

In Sony Pictures Animation’s The Star, a small but brave donkey named Bo yearns for a life beyond his daily grind at the village mill. One day he finds the courage to break free, and finally goes on the adventure of his dreams. On his journey, he teams up with Ruth, a loveable sheep who has lost her flock and Dave, a dove with lofty aspirations. Along with three wisecracking camels and some eccentric stable animals, Bo and his new friends follow the Star and become unlikely heroes in the greatest story ever told – the first Christmas.

The Star comes from the studios who brought you The Smurfs, Cloudy WIth A Chance Of Meatballs, Miracles From Heaven and Soul Surfer.

More info: www. thestarmovie.com.au In cinemas NOVEMBER 30

Anxiety is at an all time high. Does the uncertainty and chaos of life keep you up at night? Is irrational worry your constant companion? Could you use some calm?

If the answer is yes, you are not alone.

According to one research program, anxiety-related issues are the number one mental health problem among women and are second only to alcohol and drug abuse among men. Chances are, you or someone you know seriously struggles with anxiety.

Anxious for Nothing, the recent release from New York Times bestselling author, Max Lucado, provides a roadmap for battling with and healing from anxiety.

Anxious for Nothing invites readers to delve into Philippians 4:6-7 (the most highlighted passage of any book on the planet, according to Amazon): In the characteristic tone of his previous books like You’ll Get Through This and Fearless, Max guides readers through this scripture passage and explains the key concepts of celebration, asking for help, leaving our concerns, and meditating. Anxiety comes with life, but it doesn’t have to dominate your life. www.koorong.com.au

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Becoming Hannah traces the journey of Malaysian Hannah Yeoh Tseow Suan, from finding God to rediscovering her confidence, to the miracle of her marriage proposal and her amazing journey into politics.

Hannah is the Speaker of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly and State Assemblyman for Subang Jaya, Selangor.

Hannah won the N31 state seat in the General Elections 2008 as a DAP candidate at the age of 29. She was elected as the Speaker at the age of 34, making her the first woman and youngest Speaker in Malaysia. She obtained her Bachelor of Laws from University of Tasmania.

She is married to Ramachandran, an IT entrepreneur. They are now proud parents of two baby girls Shay Adora Ram and Kayleigh Imani Ram. The couple is passionate about nationbuilding and seeks to inspire Malaysians to play their respective parts in establishing a righteous nation free from corruption and racial discrimination. www.amazon.com

20% DISCOUNT OFF ALL OF THE FOLLOWING: https://hillsongstore.com.au/curriculum

Use coupon code ACC17 at hillsongstore.com

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Hillsong Kids BiG Season 2 is for children 1 to 12 years of age, consisting of 45 attentiongrabbing, multimedia-based lessons.

We want children to lead big expansive lives, grow up to be big people that lead and influence in every area of their big lives. Believing in a big God and making a big difference!

YOU ARE THE ONE

NEW STUDY GUIDE SERIES FROM BRIAN HOUSTON Includes Digital Teaching A PLATFORM CALLED CREDIBILITY

SHINE STARTER PACKS Shine is a collection of personal development mentoring tools for girls and women, designed to develop an understanding of personal worth, strength and purpose and to help girls realize their full potential.

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Gathering all artisans to EXPLORE our calling, RESPOND in worship & CREATE with beauty, to fulfil Jesus’ great commission.

RELEVANT FOR ALL DISCIPLINES OF CREATIVITY FROM PRODUCTION TO STAGE DESIGN, ARTISTS AND DANCERS, ACTORS, FILM MAKERS, STORY

New wAlbum Recording 50+ Hands on Training Sessions Art Installations

TELLERS, SONGWRITERS, WORSHIP LEADERS, VOCALISTS, CAMERA

Workshops

OPERATORS, SOUND ENGINEERS, COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

Studio Sessions

TEAMS, MUSIC MANAGERS AND ALL DREAMERS AND DOERS.

Creative Markets God Encounters

TO REGISTER VISIT HILLSONG.COM/WCC 38

NEW RELEASES WATCH/LISTEN

WATCH

ACC17 NATIONAL CONFERENCE

THE CASE FOR CHRIST DVD

WATCH THE SHACK DVD

Audio+Video

‘Take Another Look’ was the theme of the 2017 ACC National Conference on the Gold Coast in May 2017.

The complete set of conference keynote messages of the eight main sessions are available to download as audio and video files. Speakers and messages include: Session 1: Brian Houston - Take Another Look at Leadership Session 2: Alun Davies - Take Another Look at Missions Session 3: Wayne Alcorn - Take Another Look at the Nation Session 4: Steve Kelly - Take Another Look at the Holy Spirit Session 5: James Macpherson - Take Another Look at Society Session 6: Joel A’Bell with panel on Take Another Look at the Church with Darlene Zschech, Robert Fergusson and Joel Cave) Session 7: Sean Stanton and panel on women in ministry Session 8: Wayne Alcorn - Take Another Look at the Future Note: Purchase is for the entire collection of messages. Individual recordings not available. http://hillsongstore.com.au/acc-nationalconference-2017-digital-download/

Based on a true story of hard-driving journalist, Lee Strobel who was exactly where he expected to be at work: on top. His award-winning investigative reporting recently earned him a promotion to legal editor at the Chicago Tribune. But things weren’t going nearly as well at home where his wife Leslie’s newfound faith in Christ went against everything Lee believed-or didn’t believe-as an avowed atheist.

Utilising his journalistic and legal training, Lee begins a quest to debunk the claims of Christianity in order to save his crumbling marriage. Chasing down the biggest story of his career, Lee comes face-to-face with unexpected results that could change everything he knows to be true.

Starring Mike Vogel (The Help, Cloverfield), Erika Christensen (Parenthood, Flightplan), Faye Dunaway (The Thomas Crown Affair, Chinatown), and Robert Forster (The Descendents, Jackie Brown).

Running time: Approx. 113 minutes. www.koorong.com.au

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The movie based on the best-selling novel by William P Young, The Shack takes us on a father’s uplifting spiritual journey. After suffering a family tragedy, Mack Phillips (Sam Worthington) spirals into a deep depression causing him to question his innermost beliefs. Facing a crisis of faith, he receives a mysterious letter urging him to an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness.

Despite his doubts, Mack journeys to the shack and encounters an enigmatic trio of strangers led by a woman named Papa (Octavia Spencer).

Through this meeting, Mack finds important truths that will transform his understanding of his tragedy and change his life forever.

A trio of strangers gradually reveal their identities with the purpose to help him to better understand his life as seen from a much broader context or higher perspective.

From the producer of Life of Pi and The Blind Side, The Shack was released in cinemas in April 2017. Now available on Blu-Ray and DVD. Running time: Approx. 132 minutes. www.koorong.com.au

2018 DIARY MARCH COLOUR WOMENS CONFERENCE 1: 15–17 March 2: 19–21 March The Theatre at ICC, Darling Harbour, Sydney www.colourconference.com/sydney

JULY PANASIA MISSIONS CONFERENCE 30 July - 2 August 2018 Novotel Phuket Resort, Thailand www.accimissions.org.au/panasia2018

www.accimissions.org.au/panasia2018

AUGUST KIDSHAPER CONFERENCE 14 – 16 August 2018 Gold Coast www.acckids.org.au/kidshaper18

www.acckids.org.au/kidshaper17

UNITED WE STAND 18 August 2018 Australiawide www.youthalive.com.au

SEPTEMBER INDIGENOUS EMERGING LEADERS CONFERENCE 7 – 9 September 2018 Tweed Heads NSW www.ganggalah.com

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