Tim Purser THIRD YEAR
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN CANBERRA. AFTER FINISHING SCHOOL I SPENT A YEAR COACHING CRICKET IN ENGLAND. ON RETURNING TO AUSTRALIA I MOVED TO ARMIDALE, NSW, TO STUDY COMMERCE/LAW. I had grown up in a Christian family but wasn’t living as a Christian. Grog, girls and godlessness was my mantra for the first two years of university… but God had other plans. In my third year I got chatting to a guy called Lloyd in a local pub. This chance meeting drastically changed the direction of my life. Lloyd was a Christian. After enduring all my curly questions he offered to meet up and read the bible with me. We started in Romans. God’s word smashed me. For the first time in my life, the word of God leapt off the page, convicting me of sin - while filling me with great joy, because the cross revealed how much I was loved. Life did a massive U-turn and, though it’s been a bumpy ride, God keeps drawing me to himself. I worked as a solicitor in Armidale, before studying at Moore. I chose to study at Moore because all the ministers that had been influential in my Christian life had studied here. I wanted to be as best equipped as I could be for a life time of ministry... and it was in Newtown. I’m enrolled in the four-year Bachelor of Divinity. Outside studying and assignments, I’ve had many opportunities to share the gospel — in walk-up, door knocking, Scripture in Schools, and mercy ministries. Additionally, simply being a theological student opens up opportunities to talk about Jesus. Strangers at social events, sporting team mates, old uni friends, hair dressers and cab drivers all get to hear the gospel. Before coming to College, I was keen to stay in Australia. Work in a parish or do university ministry. However, God has a way of changing your plans. A recent trip to India and Malaysia has opened my eyes to the need for the gospel in other parts of the world. These experiences have led me to be more open to God’s leading in the future. Studying with people from other countries also has been fantastic for me. They’ve helped deepen my understanding of the gospel, by exposing my idols while revealing gospel insights and nuances that I’ve culturally missed. I’ve also seen the need to contextualise the gospel to these different cultures, rather than exporting a certain style of gospel. However, most significantly, it has opened my eyes to see how blessed we are in Sydney to have such great bible teaching and training. This has really challenged me to think and pray about going overseas to train locals to share the gospel in their own context.
Please pray that I would continue to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus and live a life that brings Him glory.
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into all the world