Moore Matters Autumn 2025 by Moore Theological College

MOORE MATTERS

MOORE.EDU.AU

Hope for the Illawarra PAGE 6

Hope in Christ: the heart of parish ministry PAGE 10

Hope in the Psalms of Lament PAGE 14

A THAT ENDURES: GOD HIMSELF IS ITS GUARANTEE

Mark D. Thompson / Principal

THEREFORE, PREPARING YOUR MINDS FOR

AND BEING SOBER-MINDED,

The New Testament is full of the language of hope. Christian faith is unrelentingly forward-looking. We are waiting for the return of Jesus, the redemption of our bodies, the new heavens and new earth where righteousness dwells. The day is coming when all things will be brought under the feet of Jesus, when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that he is Lord. Of course, the great events of the past by which our salvation has been secured, the cross and resurrection of Jesus the incarnate Son, remain in focus. As one great theologian wrote, we spend our lives circling the cross and wondering at God’s love, mercy and grace. Yet the end to which all things are headed is even more glorious.

The hope that shines from the New Testament stands in stark contrast to the loss of hope in our community and the world more generally. Our newspapers or news feeds are full of dire predictions, not only about the economy but about Western society as a whole. Some have sought parallels between our current moment and the final years of the Roman Empire. The glory has gone and from any vantage point the future looks chaotic. Our political leaders are uninspiring, our churches are torn apart by scandal and tepid unbelief, families are crumbling, violence is on the increase, and compassion for those who are suffering seems to be diminishing. The social fabric itself appears to be unravelling and some commentators are even doubting we have a future.

In such a context, our hope, anchored as it is in the unchanging character of our

good and gracious heavenly Father, is even more precious. Precisely because God himself is its guarantee, Christian hope cannot be overwhelmed. In both Old Testament and New, the believer’s hope amid disappointment or even despair is tied to the person and purpose of the sovereign God who always wins. In the psalms, the sons of Korah cry out “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise him, my salvation” (Psalm 42:5, 11). Perhaps it was also David who prayed, “You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word” (Psalm 119:114).

What makes hope in God possible is his sure and certain word, his promises made to his people. He always keeps his word. His covenant is inviolable and irrevocable. The words of the Old Testament find their focus in the New Testament, in Jesus: “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him” (2 Cor. 1:20). Matthew

Image on front:

WeBelong Moore College Student Service team serve together with Newtown Erskineville Anglican Church volunteers

hope spoken of by Isaiah: “a bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; and in his name the Gentiles will hope” (Matt. 12:20–21). Just a chapter before he had recorded Jesus’ own words, “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28–30).

It was the Old Testament hope they had heard and embraced that drew Simeon and Anna and John the Baptist to Jesus. They had been waiting for “the consolation of Israel” (Luke 2:25), for “the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38), for “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). It was the great resurrection hope they had first heard from Jesus’ own lips that fired the first disciples’ mission of proclaiming him as Lord, first to the Jews but then to the Gentiles. Jesus had told them, “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:40). He later told Martha, the sister of Lazarus, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:25–26).

Both Peter, the apostle to the Jews, and Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, spoke about the waiting that is anchored in the character of the God who has given us his promises, and in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. “But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells”, Peter wrote (2 Pet. 3:13). Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised

from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come”, (1 Thess. 1:10).

You can’t get away from hope both in the Old Testament and in the New. So we need to take the hopeful, future-oriented character of Christian faith and living seriously. It exposes the hopeless of the world that desperately needs to know Jesus. It changes the way we look at the world now and live in the world now.

We at Moore College are looking for the return of Jesus with all the blessing that will bring. We are looking for that day when we hope he will find us faithfully engaged in the mission he has entrusted to us. And when the hopelessness of the present drives us to tears, we long for that day when God himself “will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Rev. 21:4). M M

Mark D. Thompson Principal

About Moore College

Moore College exists to train men and women to take the good news of Jesus Christ to the world. Since 1856, more than 5,000 students have graduated from the College and have been sent out by God. Moore College has equipped men and women to serve in over 50 countries across the World.

Moore Matters is the newsletter publication of Moore Theological College. Principal of Moore College » The Rev Dr Mark Thompson Editors » Jamie Telfer, Karen Beilharz and Heidi Combs Art and Design » Lankshear Design

▴ Moore College community gather for the Priscilla and Aquila Annual Conference in February

THE GIFT OF REBIRTH INTO A LIVING

Kanishka Raffel / Archbishop of Sydney

Kanishka Raffel, 1996 graduate

PRAISE BE TO THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST! IN HIS GREAT MERCY HE HAS GIVEN US NEW BIRTH INTO A LIVING HOPE THROUGH THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD, AND INTO AN INHERITANCE THAT CAN NEVER PERISH, SPOIL OR FADE. THIS INHERITANCE IS KEPT IN HEAVEN FOR YOU (1 PET 1:3-4 NIV)

The Buddhist faith in which I was raised teaches rebirth. The Christian faith into which, by God’s grace, I was rescued, teaches that you must be born again. It might sound like these two faiths have something in common, but in fact, this is not so.

by the mercy of God—not according to what we deserve, but according to his kindness and love—not according to justice, but according to mercy. Unlike the rebirth of eastern philosophy, our new birth does not depend on what we have sown in previous lives, but on what Jesus has “sown” in his death and resurrection. By his death, Jesus pays the due penalty for our sin, and his resurrection is a precursor to our own resurrection: “He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Pet 1:3). The new birth of the Christian is a birth into hope, because our evil has been atoned for in the death and resurrection of Jesus.

“ UNLIKE THE REBIRTH OF EASTERN PHILOSOPHY, OUR NEW BIRTH DOES NOT DEPEND ON WHAT WE HAVE SOWN IN PREVIOUS LIVES, BUT ON WHAT JESUS HAS ‘SOWN’ IN HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION. ”

The Buddhist faith teaches “rebirth”—the idea that after death, you are born into another lifetime. It’s called “rebirth” because the life into which you are reborn depends on the life you have lived: what you sow in one life, you reap in your next life. I recall an elderly relative suffering in hospital after being hit by a motorcycle plaintively asking, “What did I do to deserve this?” He believed his suffering was his “karma”—something sown in a past life. But he didn’t know what had caused it, and he didn’t know why it happened. Tragically and poignantly, his was a “hopeless” rebirth.

In our culture, “hope” can be a very weak word. To say that we hope for something is the same as saying, “We wish”. But in the Bible, hope is a sure expectation—a confident anticipation. In the Bible, hope stands alongside faith and love as the indestructible and indispensable markers of the Christian person (1 Cor 13:13; Col 1:5; 1 Thess 1:3, 5:8).

▸ The Archbishop addressing Chapel at Moore College in August 2024

In contrast, the Apostle Peter writes to God’s elect strangers—chosen by God but rejected by the world—and encourages them with the fact that they have a “new birth into a living hope” (1 Pet 1:3). This birth is birth into a life now and into eternity. It’s a gift of God, not something we earn or deserve. As the gift of God, it is a “living hope”, because it’s founded on the mercy of God, guaranteed by the resurrection of Jesus, and focused on an imperishable inheritance kept safe for us in heaven.

Furthermore, this new birth is not one conditioned by the life we live. It is new birth

But these are not things we strive for; they are gifts that God gives us on the basis of the work Jesus completed. Just as an executed will gives rise to a sure expectation of an inheritance, so the resurrection of Jesus from the dead gives rise to our sure expectation of life with God, which begins now, but only comes into its fullness in the future—“an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade”, kept in heaven for us (1 Pet 1:4).

The elect people of God are marked in the world as strangers, because we are people who live for an imperishable inheritance in a culture that implicitly and explicitly treats what is passing, fading and perishing as most important. When there are so many goods and entertainments to be acquired and experienced, the dynamic that increasingly drives the world is being able to generate enough money in a sufficiently compressed amount of time to be able to squeeze into the remaining time the stuff money can buy. So we spend now and pay back three times as much later; we have little time for relationships with people that don’t involve some benefit for us; and relationships are commodified and made secondary to acquisition, consumption and the attainment of “life goals”. We’re pressed for time, we’re pressed for money, and we’re desperate to have as much of the best of everything as soon and as often as we can.

In many ways, Sydney is a place of transient trinkets, hollow promises and glittering voids. There is havoc, destroyed lives, despair, epidemics of gambling, loneliness, immorality and exploitation everywhere. But by the mercy of God, we can have new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead into an imperishable inheritance.

Here is the shape of the salvation in which Peter wants to encourage his readers to stand fast (1 Pet 5:12). Here is the gospel of hope that

we seek to make known to our friends, family and community in Sydney and beyond. Here is the hope for Sydney and the world. Here is the purpose on which Moore College exists: to serve by equipping men and women for ministries of the Word so that in a world of fading glory, they may be the Lord’s messengers of living hope. M M

• Praise God for his great mercy in choosing his people and calling them to an eternal hope that will never perish, spoil or fade.

• Pray that Moore College would continue to be faithfully equipping men and women for ministries of the word.

• Pray that many unbelievers would come to know the gospel of hope and call on Christ as their Lord and Saviour

• Pray that the College community would be intentionally looking for opportunities to share the gospel with unbelieving family and friends.

▴ College students excited as a new year of learning begins

FOR THE ILLAWARRA

Peter Hayward / Bishop of Wollongong and Chair of ‘Hope for the Illawarra’

Peter Hayward, 1991 graduate

IS THERE A PLACE FOR LARGE EVENTS AND MASS EVANGELISM IN TODAY’S CULTURE?

When ministers in the Illawarra Region were approached two years ago to ascertain whether they would be willing to invite Dr Michael Youssef to speak at an evangelistic rally in the Illawarra, the consensus was that the time for such initiatives had passed.

But today, approximately 90 local churches are partnering together in “Hope for the Illawarra”, a ministry initiative that will culminate in large-scale outreach events at the Wollongong Entertainment Centre on 28 and 29 March 2025.

So what changed?

A not insignificant factor was that people know Dr Michael Youssef. Michael is a graduate of Moore College and remains a supporter of the College. His ministry started in the Wollongong Region at Caringbah in the mid-1970s. He has pastored the Church of the Apostles in Atlanta, U.S.A. since its commencement in the late 1980s, and he is also known locally through his Leading the Way ministry. Leading the Way has already undertaken similar events mobilising churches in Cairo, Dublin, Belfast, Boston and Mexico City, so of course the next obvious location was the Illawarra!

However, a number of other factors led to the change. First, the most significant factor was that the gospel of Jesus Christ has not changed:

▾ A combined churches prayer meet up at Mt. Keira lookout.

Hope for the Illawarra launch event

Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb 13:8). Salvation is found in no other name (Act 4:12). Speaking and sharing the hope of Jesus is what Christians do. Succumbing to the temptation of cultural withdrawal is not an option. Indeed, Christians driving down to the Illawarra from the escarpment will see the vista of 400,000 people laid out before their eyes. With eyes shaped by the Bible’s testimony, this view is a constant reminder that thousands upon thousands of people, like the Ninevites, “cannot tell their right hand from their left” (Jonah 4:11).

Second, we considered our context for evangelism. The receptiveness of the Australian culture to proselytisation has not improved recently, and in addition, the reported number of converts has declined markedly over the last 20 years. Indeed, the Illawarra has seen a larger decline than many other regions.

Third, as local ministers came to understand the heart of Dr Youssef and his Leading the Way Global Outreach team, they came to appreciate the enormous generosity of the offer. Leading the Way’s magnanimity and resources allowed us to work together in a way that would otherwise be unlikely. What was intended was not an overseas speaker flying in for a large-scale event and then flying out again; instead, this was personal, invitational evangelism focused on local churches. “Hope for the Illawarra” would commit to strengthening local churches so that existing Christians would be revitalised and new converts would be discipled into churches. Leading the Way is committed to staying in the Illawarra until 90 per cent of those who decide to follow Jesus are discipled into the life of a local church.

Fourth, the local churches were encouraged to take ownership of the outreach and shape it according to their local circumstances. There are many examples, but two are indicative. Firstly, the initial proposal was to hold one outreach event with Dr Youssef on 29 March. But the local churches thought a more comprehensive and effective outreach across the Illawarra would be achieved by adding a children’s event with Adam Jolliffe and Colin Buchanan on the morning of Saturday 29 March and a youth event with Dave Jensen the same evening. Secondly, we realised that the proposed training material, which had been developed in the USA and designed to strengthen Christian walk and witness, was not

“ WHAT WAS INTENDED WAS NOT AN OVERSEAS SPEAKER FLYING IN FOR A LARGE-SCALE EVENT AND THEN FLYING OUT AGAIN; INSTEAD, THIS WAS PERSONAL, INVITATIONAL EVANGELISM FOCUSED ON LOCAL CHURCHES.

the best fit for our local context. Leading the Way agreed to a local training course, Sharing Hope: Equipping you to share the hope of Jesus in an uncertain world, being developed. During February, this course will be presented at 12 regional training events. A version has also been produced for use in small groups. Most “Hope for the Illawarra” efforts focus on the preparation before the events: with approximately 90 churches involved, the aim is to strengthen Christians, encourage prayerful invitations and partner across churches.

Lastly, the focus on personal invitations reminded us that 68 per cent of Australians indicated that they were likely attend a Christian event if personally invited. Of course, such statistics are played out in the complexity of life and in the world’s lack of social cohesion. But it was an encouragement to us that such events could still work.

As a result, “Hope for the Illawarra” is now gearing up. It has been a joy to see what has been happening in preparation for the outreach events on 28 and 29 March. The churches across the Illawarra expect God to be at work. Prayerfully, we ask him to call many to eternal life through the efforts of all the churches. M M

To find out more about Hope for the Illawarra, visit www.hopefortheillawarra.com.au.

• Thank God for his life-changing gospel and for the partnership that the Illawarra churches have been able to forge with Leading the Way.

• Ask God to bless Christians in the Illawarra with opportunities and the boldness to invite friends and family to the 28 and 29 March outreach events.

• Ask God to equip Dr Michael Youssef, Adam Jolliffe, Colin Buchanan and Dave Jensen to speak his word clearly and faithfully. Ask him to have mercy on the lost so that many will come to know Jesus.

• Ask God to use “Hope for the Illawarra” for his glory.

▴ Hope for the Illawarra launch event.

“ IN TOLIARA, THE GOSPEL IS GIVING AND RESTORING HOPE. IT’S GOING OUT—BY MOTORBIKE, BY OX AND CART, AND ON FOOT—AND PEOPLE ARE RESPONDING. ”

FOR TOLIARA

Adam Friend / CMS Missionary in Toliara, Madagascar

LIFE DOES NOT GET MUCH TOUGHER THAN IN TOLIARA, MADAGASCAR.

The local people, the Malagasy, call this place “the poorest part of the poorest country in the world”. The levels of poverty here are staggering, and over the last five years, the region has endured famine and a food crisis at a catastrophic scale. “It’s just always pressing down on me … I can’t get away,” says our Malagasy friend.

Turning to Christ

But in Toliara, the gospel is giving and restoring hope. It’s going out—by motorbike, by ox and cart, and on foot—and people are responding. Over the last ten years, thousands of people have joined Anglican churches in the region as they hear and respond to the hope of the Lord Jesus. Most new believers are converting from traditional animism, a worldview where “God” is real and even powerful but absent. The Malagasy god is uninterested and uninvolved in the lives of humanity. In fact, the Malagasy avoid and fear this distant god. In his place, they turn to beings they believe will help them: their ancestors. For the Malagasy, in life and in death, it’s kin who care. So blood bridges the divide between an uncaring God and an unpowerful people.

However, faith in ancestors equates to following a path of fear—fear of the consequences

of not maintaining a good relationship with your ancestors and fear of the power ancestors can wield if they’re angry. Because the Malagasy’s ancestors are human, they are subject to changing temperaments: they are happy one day and angry the next. In the end, the Malagasy following traditional religion relate to their ancestors with as much fear of misfortune as faith in their power to help.

In such a place, the gospel gives and restores hope. Psalm 33:18-19 says,

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. (ESV)

There is a world of difference between the god of traditional Malagasy belief and the God of this Psalm—our God. Our God is not distant, but keeps his eyes on his people who fear him. Our God is not disinterested, but cares for his people with a steadfast love. Our God promises deliverance from death and even life in the midst of famine. Our God is our Father, and so he is a God we can hope in and have confidence in. This is wonderful news for the people of Madagascar, and it’s why so many from Toliara are turning to Christ.

Facing the challenge

But hope can fade—especially for those suffering in the midst of continuing famine and poverty. Without firm foundations in the Bible—without knowing deeply how God has proved throughout his word that he is the God of Psalm 33, who sees all and cares for his people with an unfailing love, even in the midst of suffering and hardship —hope fades.

In Toliara, the average trained minister looks after 15 churches filled with new Christians. He can only visit his congregations once every few months, often relying on bicycle or motorbike to get there. Many in poverty facing difficulties

▸ Family photo from the Friend’s verandah overlooking St Patrick’s Theological College, on Adam’s first day of teaching

and temptations end up returning to traditional religion. Of the thousands of people who have joined churches and been baptised, it has been estimated that only 70 per cent of them are still attending church. In some areas, that percentage is as low as 30 per cent.

It was hearing this, as well as our desire to see the Malagasy know and hold onto the hope of Jesus, that motivated us to move our family to Madagascar as missionaries with CMS. We arrived in the Diocese of Toliara in November 2024 after spending about a year learning Malagasy in Madagascar’s capital.

Now we are involved in the training of new ministers to lead and care for the growing church. I teach New Testament and Biblical Theology at St Patrick’s Theological College in Toliara (a partner of Moore’s Centre for Global Mission), using Moore’s Preliminary Theological Certificate as the basis for much of the curriculum.

Can you imagine teaching Jesus’ Calming of the Storm from Mark 4 just as a cyclone hits your classroom? That was my experience in my first week of teaching. The threat and shadow of death is anything but theoretical in Madagascar—as is the need to know the God who cares that we are perishing. What a privilege it is to teach others about the hope we have in the midst of fear and suffering, knowing that the God who sees, cares and gave his Son for us will one day deliver us from such suffering entirely! M M

Adam Friend and his wife Avril graduated from Moore College in 2022.

▴ Top two images

• Praise God for the many in Madagascar who have come to know the hope of the gospel.

• Ask God to continue to restore and sustain that hope, keeping the church in Madagascar firm and flourishing.

• Ask God to bless the ministry of St Patrick’s Theological College and enable it to equip many new leaders of the church in Madagascar to know the Bible and teach it faithfully.

A new Church of new believers in the Ambovombe District of the Diocese of Toliara.

▴ Bottom image

Adam’s first week of teaching at St Patrick’s Theological College (cyclone not pictured!)

IN CHRIST: THE HEART OF PARISH MINISTRY

Mal York / Lecturer in Ministry and Dean of Students

I HAD THE PLEASURE OF SEEING COLDPLAY PERFORM AT ACCOR STADIUM IN NOVEMBER 2024. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED: THEIR MUSIC AND INTERACTIONS WITH THE CROWD WERE EXCEPTIONAL, AND THE CONCERT WAS NOTHING SHORT OF SPECTACULAR, EMPHASISING THE THEMES OF LOVE AND UNITY.

Lead singer Chris Martin encouraged the audience to embody these themes, providing hope that humanity can achieve these ideals. In The Sydney Morning Herald the following day, Shamim Razavi wrote, “Coldplay’s message of love and unity is delivered with a sincerity that gives hope that light will prevail in the end.”1

However, this hope proved to be fleeting: mere moments after the concert concluded, as I was waiting in the crowd to catch the train home from Sydney Olympic Park, I witnessed impatience and fatigue leading to the verbal abuse of Transport for NSW staff and the crushing of people waiting to get to the station. All too soon, the audience seemed to have forgotten Martin’s call for hope.

This illustrates a significant issue: any hope that does not address the human condition of sin is ultimately empty. Without repentance and forgiveness, even our most righteous acts are likened to “filthy rags” (Isa 64:6 NIV). This is the profound difference that hope in Christ provides, and it underscores why the hope of the gospel must be central to pastoral ministry.

Trusting in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, and responding in obedience through repentance and faith is the only path to forgiveness of sin.

1 Shamim Razavi, “This could be the sincere message of love and unity we badly need right now”, The Sydney Morning Herald (7 November 2024), https://www.smh.com.au/culture/ music/this-could-be-the-sincere-message-of-love-andunity-we-badly-need-right-now-20241107-p5kon3.html.

York, 2005 and 2013 graduate

“ ANY HOPE THAT DOES NOT ADDRESS THE HUMAN CONDITION OF SIN IS ULTIMATELY EMPTY. ”

This faith results in the hope of an eternal life with God.

When I was an assistant minister at Shellharbour City Centre Anglican Church, I met a 49-year-old man facing terminal cancer. He was the first individual I ministered to who was facing imminent death. I opened the Book of Revelation, read from chapters 21:1-7 and 22:1-6, and told him, “This is where you are going. This is the incredible hope we possess.” As we both shed tears, I thought to myself, “This is where the rubber meets the road.”

It is precisely for this reason that the gospel message of hope must remain at the forefront of pastoral ministry. If it can sustain us during life’s darkest moments, it can surely guide us through every aspect of our lives—even times of impatience and fatigue, such as waiting in line for a train after a Coldplay concert.

This year, as I have the privilege and honour of joining the Moore College faculty as a

▸

Mal

Mal with Andrew Shead at Moore’s Community Chapel in February

Lecturer in Ministry and Dean of Students, I look forward to training the next generation of gospel ministers and drawing upon my experiences to ensure that their education goes beyond merely being an academic exercise. It is essential for our current students to understand and model Christian hope during their time at Moore College. Many arrive filled with aspirations and hopes to engage in gospel ministry, start a family and serve as instruments of change through Jesus. However, these hopes may not always materialise within the College community or their future ministry.

That is why my goal is, first and foremost, to help students to ground their hope in the gospel. As they come to recognise this truth in their own lives, they will be better equipped to guide those they minister to in understanding it as well.

Additionally, I hope that my pastoral background serving in various parish settings in Saskatchewan in Canada, Shellharbour and Sydney; my experience serving as a chaplain in schools and the NSW Ambulance; and my background in training ministers both in Sydney and overseas will assist students in navigating the highs and lows of College life, preparing them for a lifetime of serving the Lord Jesus, wherever their paths may lead.

I invite you to pray for the faculty, staff and students at Moore College—that the God of hope will fill us with all joy and peace as we trust in him so that we may “overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom 15:13). M M

Mal York graduated from Moore College in 2005 (BD) and 2013 MA (Theol). He is married to Heather, and together they have four adult children: Tom, Sam (married to Sarah), Emma and Katelyn. In his leisure time, he enjoys good coffee and most sports—particularly running and following Liverpool FC. He also has a passion for music: playing it, writing it and listening to it at concerts.

• Thank God for the hope of the gospel and the gift of eternal life in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.

• Ask God to enable Mal and the faculty, staff and students of Moore College to overflow with the hope of the gospel.

• Ask God to give Mal wisdom as he serves the Moore College community and trains the next generation of gospel workers.

▴ Mal welcoming new students for 2025 at Orientation last month.

WHAT IT MEANS TO

Tony

Payne / Director of the Centre for Christian Living and Lecturer in Christian Thought (Ethics)

“SO THESE BIG THREE REMAIN,” SAYS PAUL IN THE WEDDING SERMON HE WAS APPARENTLY DELIVERING IN 1 CORINTHIANS 13: “FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE. AND THE GREATEST OF THESE,” HE SAYS, LOOKING DOWN AT THE HAPPY COUPLE, “IS LOVE.”

Would you share that evaluation? (If you were at a wedding service, you would, of course—if you had half a heart!)

But if I asked you which of Paul’s Big Three was the most important for your Christian life, would you say, perhaps, “faith”? Faith, after all, is the empty hand that grasps hold of Christ, and receives him and all his gifts. The Christian life is faith, from beginning to end.

Then again, love is the kind of life that faith sets us free to live. As Paul says in Galatians 5, forget all this circumcision and religious stuff; what really matters is faith expressing itself through love (Gal 5:1-6). Love is the form that the faith-filled Christian life takes.

So which is really greater: faith or love?

We could argue about this, but I think we would all agree that hope comes a slightly disappointing third. The Christian life, for most of us, is faith and love—and, oh yes, hope. Mustn’t forget hope.

But for the apostles, hope is not an also-ran; it’s a vital member of the Big Three. It’s never far from their thoughts about what it means to live as a Christian. Paul says:

For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor

Tony Payne, 1994 and 2020 graduate

“ HOPE IS THAT EAGER, EXPECTANT, FORWARD LEAN OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. ”

uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. (Gal 5:5-6 ESV; emphasis mine)

By the work of God’s Spirit, as we trust in Christ, we wait eagerly for something that is already guaranteed, but which is still to come: the hope of standing before God and living with God in righteousness.

Hope is the eager expectation of our promised, guaranteed future in Christ.

Hope is integral to the Christian life, because the gospel is historical. The gospel announces something that God has definitively done at a particular time and place when Christ shed his blood on the cross, providing justification for his people. It also proclaims the bodily resurrection in history of the crucified Christ, who now lives and reigns at the right hand of God. And it declares the historically future reality of his rule when he comes again to save and to judge.

In one sense, you could say that the Christian life looks up to the crucified risen Christ and trusts completely in him, and thereby receives all his benefits now by faith; looks around to the people God has given us to love; and looks forward to a glorious future that is certain to come, but is as yet unseen.

Hope is that eager, expectant, forward lean of the Christian life. In the New Testament, it has three important effects on our daily lives.

First, it fills us with joy. When you know— when you absolutely, completely know—that a great good thing is coming your way, you can hardly contain the bubbling excitement of your anticipation. This is why joy is deeper and more

satisfying than happiness. Happiness responds to the pleasure of the immediate, but joy can just as well celebrate what is to come. Joy is a rich gladness in what is true, real and good—whether that reality is present now or is still to come.

This leads us to the second crucial effect of hope: it revolutionises our perspective on suffering. The eternal weight of glory that lies in our future profoundly changes our view of the “light and momentary trials” we endure now (2 Cor 4:17). In this present life, we experience, as Hamlet says, “the heartache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to”.1 But because of our future hope, the consummation we devoutly wish for is not (like Hamlet) the sleep of death, but the hope of glory. And so we endure trials with patience, endurance and joy, knowing that in so doing, we are building the muscles of hope.

Hope shapes the Christian life in a third way: it pulls us forward to be the kind of people who are fit for our future. “What sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,” says Peter, “if you are waiting for a new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells?” (cf. 2 Pet 3:11–13). Paul says much the same in Colossians 3:1–14: since you have been raised with Christ, and your true life belongs with him and with his future appearing and kingdom, how can you continue to live the degrading sinful earthly life of your former existence? Toss out those disgusting, filthy old clothes and put on the new garments that you will wear in that

1 William Shakespeare, Hamlet (1599-601) Act III.1.62-63.

future kingdom. The garment that caps off the whole outfit and brings it together is love.

Perhaps that’s why love gets the top place on the podium of the Christian life: it springs from faith and is only possible because of faith. Our faith-filled love is worked out in joy, day by day, in the midst of trails and sufferings, as we wait for our blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our great and God and Saviour, Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). M M

Tony Payne is married to Ali and together they are rejoicing in the birth of their tenth grandchild. Tony is looking forward to investing in the next generation of gospel ministers by teaching moral theology (or “ethics”) - that is, how our knowledge of God in Christ directs us to live a new and righteous life - and directing the Centre for Christian Living, which seeks to bring much the same kind of teaching to the broader Christian community in Sydney and beyond.

• Thank God for the certainty that we have in knowing our relationship with God is secure in Jesus

• Thank God for Tony’s passion to invest in the next generation of gospel ministers

• Pray for the Centre for Christian Living—that it will help Christians from around Sydney, Australia and the world think deeply about the impact of Christian truths on their everyday lives

IN THE PSALMS OF LAMENT

Veronica Hoyt / Director of the Priscilla & Aquila Centre and Lecturer in Ministry

I AM FREQUENTLY DRAWN TO THE PSALMS OF LAMENT. THESE PSALMS ARE HIGHLY PERSONAL. THEY REFLECT DEEP PAIN BUT ALSO HOPE AND TRUST IN OUR LOVING GOD.

The psalms of lament resonate with the brokenness I see and experience. Their first lines are poignant, moving: “O LORD, how many are my foes!” (Ps 3); “Save, O LORD, for the godly one is gone; for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man (Ps 12); “How long, O LORD, Will you forget me forever?” (Ps 13).

As I reflect on the past 12 years of local church ministry, primarily but not only among women, I am reminded of how often I went to the psalms of lament. Not only did they speak wisdom to me personally, but they also fuelled many pastoral conversations.

It’s true that ministry has many joyful moments. We get to see and share in a great

deal that brings delight: unbelievers coming to faith; children flourishing in the kids’ programs; special occasions such as graduations, marriages, the birth of children; church events that are well attended; gospel growth. These are just a few examples, and it is important that we develop eyes that can spot these joyful moments and hearts that praise God for them.

However, it’s also true that much of our time in ministry, especially that spent with individuals, deals with the pain of living in a sinful and broken world.

On any given day in ministry I could come across a combination of any (and more) of the following scenarios in my conversations with women: personal sin and shame; family issues; being overwhelmed with responsibilities; mental illness; gynaecological issues; death; the uncertainties and issues around being single; tension within the church; care of

▸ Morning Tea break at the Priscilla and Aquila Annual Conference in February

elderly parents; ministries that fail to flourish; relationships that hurt; past trauma; abuse.

How do we respond to this string of pain and deep need?

There is a long answer to this question, but one imperative is that the person who is sharing their hurt feels heard by us. This is not a moment to be uncaring and harsh, but instead to practise fruit of the Spirit such as gentleness, patience, and kindness. Proverbs 16:24 is a helpful reminder: “Kind words are like honey, sweet to the soul and healthy to the body.”

It is also a moment to remind them that they can turn to the Lord in their pain and hurt. Through the work of the Lord Jeus, we have access to the throne of God’s grace (Heb 4:16). Many have done so in the past and the psalms of lament are wonderful examples to us of how to do that.

Put simply, a psalm of lament is “a prayer of pain that leads to trust.”1 They tend to have a simple structure:

1. We direct our attention away from ourselves and to God by telling him the problem.

2. We remind ourselves of who God is: He is almighty and sovereign, our Creator and Redeemer.

3. We trust that God is for us, not against us (through Christ nothing can separate us from his love).

4. We look forward to a day of deliverance (often expressed in praise).

For me this has been one of the joys of ministry: to point my hurting sister to the hope we have in the Lord Jesus as the conversation moves through these four steps.

The psalms of lament can form a conversation pattern that is powerful because it is rooted in

the rubric of God’s word. My sister needs to be heard by me, but more importantly she also needs the comfort and hope (and solutions) that only God can ultimately provide.

Moving through these four steps can be done in various ways depending on the situation. It can be as simple as forming the structure of a ministry conversation. It can also structure the prayer as the conversation is committed to the Lord.

It is also helpful to know of a particular psalm of lament that is pertinent to the conversation. For example, Psalm 32 can be read in the context of sin and shame; Psalm 12 for those struggling from the sins of others; and Psalm 13 when the struggles of life are overwhelming.

The church has sung and been comforted by the psalms of lament for thousands of years. They remain a rich and abiding source of hope for God’s people today. Let’s not neglect to use them in our ministry conversations. M M

Veronica Hoyt, a West Australian by birth, has spent a good deal of her married life living in New Zealand. With husband Berwyn and adult son Emlyn, Veronica has settled in Sydney after years of local church ministry, both in New Zealand and Australia. As the new Director of the Priscilla and Aquila Centre at College Veronica is delighted to be able to walk alongside women as they consider how they might serve in the church in partnership with men. Veronica is excited by her role in the Ministry Department at College: “I love to walk alongside women in their growing understanding of the Scriptures and its life-changing application for them in each season of life, in all its joys and its sorrows. It’s a privilege to continue to do this pastoral work within the Moore College community, and to play a part in men and women being equipped to go out to love and serve the Lord and his church wherever he will send them.”

“

DURING MY TIME IN CHURCH MINISTRY, “I OFTEN WENT TO THE PSALMS OF LAMENT. NOT ONLY DID THEY SPEAK WISDOM TO ME PERSONALLY, BUT THEY ALSO FUELLED MANY

PASTORAL CONVERSATIONS.” ”

Vroegop, Mark. Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the grace of lament. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Books, 2019: p23.

COMFORT AND

David Mears / Senior Minister, Christ Church Gladesville

Finding space for lament in modern church services can be challenging. As an Anglican, I’ve noticed that the movement away from conducting full prayer book church services has meant the removal of elements that have given room for lament in the past.

The regular public reading of the Psalms, in addition to Old and New Testament readings, which regularly involve lament, acknowledgement of suffering and pain, do not feature in our corporate diet as much as they once did. A similar thing could be said of the reading of the Ten Commandments, which acknowledge that the failure to love God and our neighbours is evil in the eyes of the Lord. The repeated congregational response, “Lord, have mercy on us” laments our own complicity in humanity’s ills and places us in a position of humble dependence on the compassions of God.

Of course, there have been good reasons for this shift. These are often missional ones, as we seek to ensure that our services are accessible in our post-Christendom and increasingly unchurched society. But we have to acknowledge that one of the costs has been the decreasing space for lament in our public gatherings.

However, this should not mean that space to acknowledge and express the reality of suffering cannot feature in other ways. Indeed, lest we communicate an eschatologically over-realised and triumphalist form of Christianity, it is important to provide other ways for God’s people to acknowledge and express our pains before him and one another. Let me suggest four ways we might do this:

• Making space to hear the unvarnished faith stories of the saints at our gatherings. One of our goals at Christ Church Gladesville this year is to get to the point where we share at least one such story at every service every Sunday. These stories should not merely be told to promote ministries or events, but be the authentic sharing of Christian life. This should mean that some, at least, will be stories of following Christ through life’s darker valleys.

• We can take care to ensure that our songs and hymns do not just have good theology, but a diversity of subject matter, including songs that don’t hide from, but give voice to our trials and hardships as people of faith. Thankfully, there are many such songs, both modern and ancient.

• We preachers need to make sure we address the reality of life’s trials and sufferings in a way that is careful and sympathetic. If you preach through the Scriptures, God’s word will raise the issues of pain, suffering and evil for you. If we avoid such matters for the sake of keeping an upbeat tone, we betray our people and dishonour our God.

• The way we train those who lead in public prayer should include providing guidance on what to pray for those enduring hardship and how to pray it in a way that enables the congregation to mourn with those who mourn and takes care to avoid shallow or trite petitions.

Having said this, we have found that there is value in marking out time where lament is not done in passing, but is the focus of the gathering. When people are going through tough times, the general cheer of a regular Sunday gathering can contribute to that brother or sister’s feeling of isolation. That’s why we have started what we call our services of comfort and hope. We have two through the year and a third as one of our Christmas services. In time, we hope to add a fourth.

“ SCAN THE QR CODE TO WATCH OR LISTEN TO THE 100 MINISTRY STORIES OF GRADUATES FROM ACROSS GENERATIONS.

We call them services of “comfort and hope” because that is what a suffering Christian can find in the gospel, even in the midst of their pain. These services are an opportunity for members to gather together with others in their church family, who are also going through challenging times, and with those who want to be there to support them. All aspects of the services—the leading, the tone of the music and instrumentation, song choices, liturgy, readings, testimonies, preaching and so on—are put together in a way that aims to help those in pain to express that pain together and look to Christ in hope and even joy. M M

David Mears, 2003 and 2013 graduate

Mandy Curley 2006 and 2016 Graduate Christ Church Gladesville

Mandy’s journey to calling Christ her Lord and Saviour started when she was a young girl on family holidays where she would hear the gospel each year from a beach mission team. After putting her trust in the Lord, Mandy continued to grow in her faith and love for the Lord through the faithfulness of the teaching at her uni Christian group. Coming to College to be trained and equipped to share the gospel was the natural next step. Since graduation Mandy has spent time in various ministries, most recently landing at Christ Church Gladesville as Minister for Membership. Mandy has the joy of walking alongside the members of Christ Church through all seasons of life, including the hard ones, which led her and the team there to start services of Comfort and Hope. Please pray for Mandy as she continues to faithfully serve the Lord with all that she does in her ministry at Gladesville and beyond. M M

Richard Condie / Bishop of Tasmania and Chair of Mission and Ministry Commission and Hope25

IMAGINE FOR A MOMENT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF, AT THE SAME TIME, EVERY PARISH CHURCH IN EVERY SUBURB, TOWN AND CITY IN EVERY DIOCESE IN AUSTRALIA WAS INVITING THE UNCHURCHED, THE DE-CHURCHED AND THE NEVER-THOUGHT-ABOUT-IT-BEFORE TO COME AND JOIN THEM AT AN EVENT.

Imagine if these people came along to a dinner, a service, a playgroup, a fair, a BBQ or a wine and cheese party where they would hear about Jesus and then be invited to explore the Christian faith. Imagine if all of this took place supported by the prayers of every Anglican.

Then imagine the people who might come to a short course about Christianity, an enquirers’ Bible study or a new Christian’s discussion group. Imagine what impact we could have. Imagine what an encouragement this would be to parishes. Imagine the joy in heaven when people come to faith.

In 2025, the Anglican Church of Australia is embarking on a season of parish-based evangelism across all Australian Anglican churches. Our vision for this year is to see every church in every diocese in the country make a particular effort to proclaim the hope we have in Jesus between Easter Day (20 April) and Pentecost Sunday (8 June).

Representatives from all 23 dioceses gathered in Melbourne in February 2024 to begin planning for this event. Since then, a small group has been working hard to provide evangelistic training and resources to equip ordinary Anglicans to make this special effort.

Find these resources on our website www.hope25.com.au

Each diocese has reported that plans are being put in place at both regional and local levels to hold evangelistic events in parishes—in some places, for the very first time. So far, 1,400 have subscribed to the Hope25 newsletter; over 40,000 have viewed the Hope25 website; 50,000 copies of the Hope25 editions of the Gospel of Luke have been distributed to parishes for outreach; people have shared over 60,000 Hope25 prayer postcards; and churches have purchased more than 5,000 copies of the Hope25 Lenten Study booklet.

But most excitingly, people are praying. There is now a monthly national Zoom prayer meeting on the first Thursday of each month when people from all over the country pray for the gospel to be proclaimed to our nation. If you’d like to join us, you can find details on the Hope25 website.

Our world needs hope. Jesus is our hope in an uncertain world. Let’s join together to proclaim the gospel so that every person in Australia will know the hope we have in him. M M

• Ask God to move in our nation and raise people to pray for the people of Australia during Hope25.

• Ask God to give churches the boldness and wisdom to proclaim the hope we have in Jesus.

• Ask God to enable the special Hope25 Gospel of Luke to be distributed widely. Ask him to use it to draw people to himself.

AT WEBELONG

/ Communications Manager

APPEAL

“

WILL HAS

FRIENDS THERE

AND A SENSE OF BELONGING, WHICH GOES WAY BEYOND A MERE POLICY OF INCLUSION.

”

THIS IS A STORY OF EXTRAORDINARY FRIENDSHIP. IT’S A STORY OF GIVING AND TRANSFORMATION. IT’S A STORY OF HOPE.

LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO THE MANY CHARACTERS WHO SHARE A HOPE IN THE WONDERFUL PROMISES OF RESTORED LIFE AND RELATIONSHIP THROUGH JESUS.

Bill is in his final year at Moore College. For the past three years, he’s been a part of the WeBelong Student Service Team, working alongside the volunteers of Newtown

Erskineville Anglican Church (NEAC) at Jesus Club (also known as WeBelong) gatherings, a space that welcomes adults with and without intellectual disabilities.

“Before College, I encountered people with disabilities and I didn’t know how to minister well to them,” says Bill. “My hope at College was that I would receive training so that I could relate to this group of people better, and be able to share the gospel with them.”

Will is a 23-year-old with intellectual disabilities, including Level 3 autism. He is a non-verbal communicator, and he also has epilepsy and anxiety—all which make group participation difficult. Will loves the WeBelong group: he looks forward to going, he is cared for and valued, and he is missed when he’s not there.

WeBelong is one of a number of College Service Teams which exist in part as an outworking of College’s aim to grow a student’s Christian character and service in the context of community life. Student participation in Service Teams such as Scripture in Schools, Prayer and Mission teams, for example, provide opportunities for students to use their gifts to serve one another and others for the common good of the College, the community and to the glory of God. Students are part of one team for the duration of their full-time course allowing opportunities for growth in understanding and skills as they serve others.

A friendship has grown between Bill and Will that has impacted not just the two of them, but Will’s family and the whole WeBelong community.

Kate, Will’s mother, has been active in NEAC’s WeBelong group since its inception in 2016. Her deep hope is for Will to belong to God’s family and to know his value in God’s eyes: “When Will was diagnosed at a young age, my biggest fear was that our family would not be able to cope with caring for Will, and that he would have to go to a group home where there would be no opportunity for him to go to church,” she says. “The WeBelong group gives hope and regular encouragement. Will has friends there and a sense of belonging, which goes way beyond a mere policy of inclusion. His friends at WeBelong welcome him and offer him the opportunity for deeper relationships.”

Heidi Combs

▴ Will with his sister Emily holding baby Jesus in the 2024 Christmas celebration at WeBelong.

Three years ago, Carolyn joined WeBelong as a volunteer. “The Moore College students are brilliant,” she says. “It’s hard to imagine running the program without them. The heart of the students is for the Gospel, and this is such an encouragement to the other leaders and carers, as well as the members. Together, we are helping to build God’s church, which is really important. And it’s fun!”

Josh, Operations Manager for Jesus Club (WeBelong), agrees. He’s passionate about his ministry calling: “The purpose of Jesus Club is to teach the gospel so that everyone can know King Jesus and be friends with him forever,” he says. “For up-and-coming ministers of the gospel like those training at Moore, it’s my hope that, as they leave College, they will develop the skills to connect with and minister to people with intellectual disabilities, creating a sense of belonging in a loving, supportive Christian community of adults with and without intellectual disabilities where all can fellowship with God together.”

Paul, Head of Ministry at Moore College, is excited by the growth that the WeBelong Student Service Team are experiencing as they are challenged in new and practical situations, and are offered regular opportunities to reflect in their learning. “The College has been intentional in developing a curriculum that integrates theory and practice,” he says. “We understand that concrete experience helps connect the ideas, skills and insights gained in the classroom, putting faith into practice as we seek to train people to honour Jesus and speak the gospel.”

FOR a lOng time, Will remained apart from the WeBelong group. His anxiety meant that he wouldn’t go inside the NEAC building to join the Friday night activities, but instead would spend the whole time standing outside. Bill and other Moore College students would hang out with him outside, bringing a guitar with them and singing Christian songs. A tap on the shoulder would signal Will’s acknowledgement and approval of whatever song they played. But Will stayed outside the building for a whole year.

Then God answered the prayers of those ministering to Will: one day last June, Will felt comfortable enough to come into the hall and participate in the activities of the WeBelong group. Kate’s deep hope for Will to grow in his understanding that he is a loved child of God was strengthened: he was able to hear about King Jesus and

access more materials to help his faith grow.

Regular connection and spending time getting to know each individual is essential in this ministry. Bill was there for each time of fellowship: “Every couple of weeks, I get to share Jesus with people in a way that is clear, understandable and really enjoyable,” he shares. “It’s great to watch the progression of participants as they increase in how comfortable they are to hear the gospel. I arrive tired after a big week, but leave feeling uplifted, excited and energised.”

Bill started College not only with a love of Jesus and experience as a ministry apprentice, but also a desire to grow his understanding of God and his promises, and to be trained so that he can minister to all of God’s precious people practically.

The intentional connection points of College learning with community ministry (such as the WeBelong Student Service Team, student ministry placements in a local church, and ministry practicums) open new experiences that challenge the students and engage them more deeply. Furthermore, these experiences are crucial in the development of student pastoral skills, and they prepare students for ministry roles. As Paul explains, “College wants students to engage in concrete ministry outside the classroom. In doing so, the things they’re learning will be connected with their experiences, which will then allow them to speak about God’s goodness and grace all the more richly, and preach the gospel in a way that connects with the reality of people’s experiences.”

At WeBelong, the development of trust and friendship with Bill and the rest of the team made it possible for Will to enter the group and take part in its activities. The gift of time, the development of compassion, a willingness to meet Will where he was at and an extraordinary friendship has resulted in Will being able to meet Jesus and realise his mother’s great hope. M M

In order to continue training and preparing students for ministry, the College relies on the generosity of friends and supporters, who partner with us for God’s glory.

Will you help support our students as they extend their learning and experiences across a range of ministry fields, such as WeBelong/Jesus Club?

Will you help students like Bill to be a mentor and a gospel light to adults who need encouragement and the opportunity to be welcomed into our church communities?

By giving to Moore College, you can help to train men and women for gospel ministry in Sydney, Australia and the world.

Give today. give.moore.edu.au

MY MOORE GIFT

MooreID

Title Given Name

Family Name Address

City

Phone Email

Yes, I want to prepare gospel workers by giving:

$1200 $600 $120 $60

Other $

Once Monthly

to prepare men and women to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in Sydney, Australia and across the world.

I would like to make my gift by:

Cheque (payable to Moore Theological College)

Direct Deposit (contact us*)