The QB Magazine August 2019 by Queensland Baptists

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QB MAGAZINE THE VOICE OF QUEENSLAND BAPTISTS | AUG/SEP 19

Culture â&#x20AC;&#x201C; What is Upstream will come down

At the Margins of Society

Lessons from the Persecuted Church

Print post approved ISSN: 100003837 | The Queensland Baptist - first published in 1890. This series Vol 17 Issue 4. | qb.org.au

Conferences

Mt Isa Gold Coast Gladstone Mackay

May 24 – 25 June 7 – 8 June 21 – 22 Sept 13 – 14

Early Bird:$60 Standard: $70

Women of God, come join with other women across the state this year as we seek God and learn about His transforming power.

“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind” Romans 12:2 A ministry of

Retreats Atherton Mapleton

July 26 – 28 Aug 23 - 25

Early Bird:$160

Standard: $175

Speakers

Kimberly Smith Shauna Gallagher

W: www.anewconference.org.au P: 0402 257 990 E: admin@anewconference.org.au

SHERIDAN LINDÉE Photographer

QB MINISTRIES 20

QB Women Yahweh - He will cause to be

QCCC The Lethem Legacy

QB Youth and Young Adults Knight Illusions

QB Archives The Gardner and the Silver Salver

Mission to Queensland Three Great Days “Inspire 19”

Carinity From small origins, big things grow: Carinity celebrates 70 years

ARTICLES 36

In Christ you can... be Perceptive

How do our fathers affect our view of our heavenly father?

Gospel Faith or Garbage Faith

I Need a Friend

CONTENTS

18 REGULARS

4 From the Acting General Superintendent 7

Baptisms

Vision Series

Speaking out: Peter Francis

Around the regions

God Moments

18 Milestones Front Cover: Warm up this winter

Called Home

Persecution brief

Reviews

Fun zone

Classifieds

QB PARTNERS 34

Global Interaction The Bonus of “God-Surprises”

34 BWAA Your Love in Action

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FROM THE ACTING GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT

CULTURE – WHAT IS UPSTREAM WILL COME DOWN! Just after the results of the Federal election were announced, I read an online blog written by an interstate pastor who is a bit of a commentator on social matters. He, along with many others, celebrated the fact that contrary to the opinion polls, and the expectations of many, the conservative Liberal/National Coalition lead by an overt Christian had won the election with a convincing margin. While this might have been a welcome outcome for many conservative Christians, he was of the view that this election result did not signify a shift in the cultural landscape. In his opinion, it represented a brief reprieve from aspects of the ‘progressive’ social agenda that is being advocated by many politicians and championed by popular media. In saying this, he believed that the push to erode the important traditional values that many followers of Jesus cherish and uphold would continue. He made an observation that I think is noteworthy; that “Politics is downstream of culture.” That is, that the policies and values of many in political power are a reflection of the prevailing culture and values of the community they represent. His comments got me thinking about

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what culture actually is, and how we, as followers of Jesus, might relate to it and ultimately influence it for good. The Cambridge Dictionary defines culture, in this context as: “the way of life, especially the general customs and beliefs, of a particular group of people at a particular time.” It is self-evident that we live in a society in which the prevailing culture has become increasingly fluid and diverse. Throughout history, followers of Jesus have lived in specific cultural contexts, which they have, to varying degrees, either embraced, rejected or influenced. From a Christian perspective, there are good and bad aspects to be found in almost all cultures. Might I be so bold as to say that this is the case even in a western conservative Evangelical culture! However, as the bulk of our society has moved further way from the Judeo/Christian world view, cultural changes have become more pronounced, challenging and alarming to many of us. What then, might be an appropriate approach to a culture that has customs, beliefs and practices that we may consider incompatible, or in conflict with being a follower of Jesus? Author and founder of the

Barnabas fund, Patrick Sookhdeo obverses three main tendencies or postures that Christians and the church have historically had in responding to divergent surrounding cultures. In summary these are: •

•

Converting Culture This is an approach that is characterised in ‘Christendom’ where the church is a part of the State. It is certainly our aim to fulfil the great commission of Jesus to go into the all the world and make disciples, that is, see individuals converted to become followers of Jesus. However, in this type of response, the emphasis is not on seeing individuals come to faith in Jesus and influence culture from ‘within’, but that the church becomes overly involved in the affairs of government and politics to try and influence culture from ‘above.’ Condemning Culture In this approach, the church withdraws and separates itself from society. It becomes an enclave where it focuses purely on spiritual matters and the care of its members. While this strategy might minimise the prevailing culture’s influence on disciples of Jesus, it also prevents the church from fulfilling Jesus’ command to be salt and light in the world, and influence the culture for good. It is virtually impossible to make a difference from a distance! Consuming Culture In this approach, the church, perhaps with the best intentions to be relevant to the community, assimilates aspects of the surrounding culture, including cultural practices that might be considered incompatible with being a follower of Jesus. This methodology may lead to compromises, which left unchallenged can result in an individual or church ultimately losing both their distinctiveness, and their faithful representation of the gospel message. After

all, as followers of Jesus we are meant to be in the world but not of the world. (John 17:15-16) A fourth, and perhaps preferable response, is what Matt Chandler, president of the “Acts 29 Network”, calls: •

Courageous posture. Rather than retreat from, capitulate to or seek to control the prevailing culture, followers of Jesus, both individually and collectively, can take the courageous initiative to intentionally shape and influence the culture in their immediate spheres of influence.

I believe that as followers of Jesus we need to have a courageous response to culture. The reality is that each of us has the opportunity to influence others every day at a personal level. Ultimately, I think that it is at the personal level that the headwaters of culture is located. With our QB vision statement in mind; “To impact Queensland and beyond for Jesus through a movement of praying churches that disciple intentionally and mission effectively.” I am convinced that we are meant to be a community of people who are bearers of the culture of the kingdom of God, a culture that is positive and attractive, based on life changing Good News about the Lord Jesus and characterised by love, justice, righteousness and truth. When we are courageously and faithfully representing Jesus in this way, we have the opportunity to positively impact the cultural ‘upstream’ by influencing one person at a time. What is upstream will eventually come down!

Stewart Pieper Acting General Superintendent stewart.pieper@qb.org.au

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QB MAGAZINE

FROM THE EDITOR

THE VOICE OF QUEENSLAND BAPTISTS

The qb is a member of the Australasian Religious Press Association, published bi-monthly by Queensland Baptist Services Group in February, April, June, August, October and December. Editor: Linda Nevell Design: Shell Graphix Print: Printcraft This magazine is printed with soy based inks and paper from sustainable forest plantations. We welcome reader feedback and opinions about our articles. Remember to include your full name, email and postal addresses.

We live in a post-Christendom society, which is increasingly indifferent if not hostile to the Good News. Stewart Pieper (From the Acting General Superintendent) writes about culture being downstream of politics. That is, popular values flow down to those in power, and are reflected in the policy-making process. This in turn influences our society and culture. There is still an important place for Christian voices in the stream! Peter Francis – the Principal at Malyon Theological College (Speaking Out) reminds us to be the salt and light, despite our circumstances, even in an increasingly “alien” society. What a great reminder that in a world which pushes Christianity to the sidelines, we can learn powerful lessons from the persecuted church (Persecution Brief ). They experience extreme opposition and violence, yet still keep the lamp of Christ burning.

Our book competition giveaways have proved popular, and we are running another chance to win a great book this issue (Convergence, the Spirit-Led Journey), by Malyon alumnus John Moore. We also offer a chance to win a double pass to the movie “Little Women”. I hope you enjoy this edition of the QB magazine, and that you continue to send in stories, poems or comments. We really appreciate all our readers and contributors! God Bless,

Linda Nevell Editor, the qb qb@qb.org.au

Articles and advertising in The qb express the opinions of the authors, not necessarily the editor or publishers. Every effort is made to ensure the correctness of facts and information however we cannot accept responsibility for errors. The publishers reserve the right to accept or decline any advertising. Deadline for advertisement and copy: 10th of the month prior to the month of publication. PO Box 6166 Mitchelton Qld 4053 P 07 3354 5633 F 07 3354 5646 Advertising rates are listed in The qb Media Kit available at www.qb.org.au/newsmedia. Prices are also available on enquiry and advertising packages can be tailored to suit your budget. Reduced contract rates apply to three bookings within a 12 month period. Please contact us for details. A limited number of inserts are also accepted. Copyright © 2003 by Queensland Baptist Services Group. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means without written permission from the publisher. Unless otherwise noted, Scripture verses appearing in The qb are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Baptisms

PRAYER IS POWERFUL Please set aside some time to pray for the people recently baptised. They have taken a courageous and life changing step in their walk with Christ. Baptism is an important event in the believer’s walk with Jesus Christ. The Bible talks about water immersion baptism, in which a believer makes a public confession of their faith. Jesus led the way in example of water baptism! 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!

Birkdale & Cannon Hill Baptist Churches • Joshua Slade Bundaberg West Baptist Church • Jeremy Bodenham • Rachel Blackburn • Scott McCully • Sandie McCully • Casey McCully • Josh Rumballe City North Baptist Church • Anna Woning • Georgia Timms • Sarah Hunter City Tabernacle Baptist Church • Adam Elford Dalby Baptist Church • Sandy Biss • Robert Wills

New Covenant Hosanna International Church • Matisho Amsini • Ramazani Amsini • James Iranzi • Rihudi Niyonyishu • Simon Omasumbu • Edimond Rukundo • Omar Ally Simbarokoka Warwick Baptist Church • Adrian Nayler • Leteisha Kirkpatrick • Ewan MacKinnon • Robyn James • Lyndell Brown • Gabrielle Skinner • Micah Hamlet Photos: Baptisms at New Covenant Hosanna International Church – Forest Lake

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VISION SERIES

Let us begin where Jesus began. He stands in a small synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth. Luke tells the story like this: And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me; because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today, this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:17-21).

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We usually affirm the kingdom language and vision of this passage—and so we should. But consider with me, for a moment, the culture that underpins that vision. As I reflected on this, I saw six cultural elements that arose from the passage. Each of these have become, in my view, more and more important to the story of the church ever since. The first one is that the Jesus culture is aligned firstly to those who are at the periphery of human society. Rather than being birthed among those living and exploiting human power, this culture creates a transformational groundswell among those who have no voice, power, name or place. It is a culture that reaches deep into families, extended families, towns and eventually cities

and nations — but it starts with this simple alignment. An alignment that gives us the right horizon to see what our missionary God is really doing. Then, the passage shows us that the Jesus culture is a sent culture — we love gathering because it brings a truly diverse people into the presence of God, and there we worship and respond to Him. But this passage reminds us also that we are sent. When we are gathered, we find what is needed to enhance, motivate and inspire our call to be sent. I have found that these two polarities empower a movement and give it its true momentum. The Jesus culture is a culture that has an inbuilt integrity to the whole God-story because those motivated by it reach beyond what they see, and love the world like the missionary God has called them.

The passage also shows us that the Jesus culture has a language, a message of freedom if you will. This is the language that alerts those outside the Father’s favour about the reality of a genuine freedom that God has made available to every human being. This freedom is so good, it means they are not bound without choice to anything, not even to the Saviour who liberated them. Rather than being a culture which enforces certain behaviours by obligation, threats, a language of loyalty or duty, this culture depends on the love of Christ to constrain those who are free to lay down their lives and live surrendered for the sake of others. This is, from a human perspective, dangerous and even foolhardy and yet it is the Jesus culture. But then, I think, it reaches such a profound point. For the passage alerts us to the fact that the Jesus culture provides definite answers to human conditions, so that it is not content until people have what they need to be truly and fully human. The presence of the Jesus culture speaks to creativity so that the artistic community can find its place; it speaks to intelligence so that the scientific and mathematic community can find its place; it speaks to justice so that those who are in the advocate community can find their place; it speaks to governance, not just to politics, so that those whose passion is law and society may find their place; it speaks to relationships, so that those who are lonely and abandoned may finally rest in the security of genuine long lasting relationships. It’s a huge story!

by living a fully transformed life by grace. How amazing! For it is transformed human life right in front of friends, neighbours, fellowstudents and workmates. It appeals to people because it’s the story of Jesus, and it positions the church of Jesus as a faithful storyteller. It’s a human depiction of what can happen when Jesus has done His work in our lives.

THE JESUS CULTURE IS A CULTURE BASED ON THE KINDNESS, GENEROSITY, SERVANTHEARTEDNESS,

We must not miss this. This is His culture, now inaugurated and growing that it might fill the heavens and the earth! And, it all began so long ago in a small village in Galilee. So, what does all this mean for us? It means that developing our understanding and expression of the Jesus culture should take a place of primacy in all our thinking. We will need policies and protocols, and these will arise from our immersion in the Jesus culture. We will need some good strategies too, but the Jesus culture is what will guide us to the right conclusions. As Peter Drucker famously said, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast”. This is an uncomfortable challenge in this age that seeks to avoid risk and stay where we feel as though we are in charge. It is dangerous to live and talk the Jesus culture; but without it, my sense is that no expression of the church will resound with any meaning in the world again. BY COLIN STOODLEY

CREATIVITY AND AUTHORITY OF JESUS HIMSELF.

So that we keep the accountability to the God-mission, the Jesus culture is a culture that is tied permanently to the gospel. Rather than only being words spoken in a Sunday service, we demonstrate and announce the Jesus culture

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SPEAKING OUT

AT THE MARGINS OF SOCIETY Over the past few months there can be no doubt that few stories have captured public attention like the Israel Folau story. Public opinion has been strongly divided; even amongst those within the church. There has been strong disagreement about the appropriateness or otherwise of Israel’s social media post, which has seen a storm of controversy arise. Some within the church have argued that it is not the task of Christians to use Scripture passages (such as those posted by Israel) to condemn a non-believing world. Some, such as Pastor Brian Houston of the Hillsong Church, have said, “I would never compromise the integrity of the Biblical teaching, and I believe that the Bible is clear about the consequences of sin. However, as Christians we are first called to love God and love other people, including those who believe differently to us.”1

Some have argued that the issue at stake here is not the appropriateness of Israel’s public post, but the right to religious freedom. This has been a historic right within Australian society, since Federation came into effect on 1 January 1901. Many have seen Rugby Australia’s dismissal of Israel Folau, based upon his publicly posted religious views, as a direct threat to those religious freedoms. But, regardless of where you sit on this issue, there is one thing which many within our churches are becoming increasingly aware of, and that is this – while in the 2016

ABS Census2 52.1% of people still ticked the Religious Affiliation box as ‘Christian’ in one form or another, the reality is that Christian faith (and more particularly evangelical Christianity) is being more and more pressed to the margins of our society. The Bible that was once widely accepted in our society, and even read in our schools, has now become an irrelevant relic of the past to most Australians. All of this begs the question, how should we then live? The Apostle Peter wrote to first century believers who were beginning to feel the blowtorch of opposition and persecution. He reminded them that, as followers of Jesus, they were “aliens and strangers in this world” (1 Peter 2:11). Indeed, in chapter 1 verse 17 he instructs believers to “live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.” In his next letter, Peter reminds believers that we, as followers of Jesus, are a people who, in keeping with God’s promise “are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.”

But we are not there yet. So, how are we to live right now today, as we seek to live out our faith and gospel calling in this world? Curiously enough, a letter penned by the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah, some 600 years before the

The Sydney Moring Herald, April 15, 2019. https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/2071.0~2016~Main%20 Features~Religion%20Data%20Summary~70

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time of the New Testament believers sheds some helpful light on the matter for us. Jeremiah wrote to a group of God’s people who had been carted off into Babylonian exile around the year 597 BC. They were well and truly exiles, living in a strange land where everything was different—the language, the culture, the values, the beliefs…. everything. In Psalm 137:1-4 we get a picture of how they were naturally inclined to respond to their circumstances: “By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. There on the poplars we hung our harps, for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion!’ How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?” Yet, as Jeremiah writes to God’s people, he provides them with an entirely different strategy for living faithfully as the people of God in an alienating society. In Jeremiah 29:47 he says, This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” Basically, God has three pieces of advice for Jeremiah to pass on to His people about how to live faithfully as the people of God in an alienating world. The first is that they should simply get on and live their lives! Not spend their days mourning over what they think they’ve lost! As followers of

Jesus Christ, we should know how to do this better than anyone. Didn’t Jesus say in John 10:10, “I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full”? Yes, this world is a broken and sinful place, and there is much which should rightly disturb us. Yet, of all people on the face of this earth, we are the ones who know the answer to that which ails this sin-sick world of ours. It is Jesus Christ Himself. As a teenager I still remember singing, “Jesus is the answer for the world today…” And the fact is, He is still the answer. Our very lives should demonstrate that to a watching world. Peter says to believers in 1 Peter 2:12 that we should “live such good lives among the pagans (those who do not believe) that, though they accuse [us] of doing wrong, they may see [our] good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” Second, Jeremiah tells God’s people, to “seek the peace and prosperity of the city [the society] to which God [has] carried them” (v.7). The word that is used here in the Hebrew is the word shalom. It’s a beautiful word, which speaks not merely of the cessation of tensions and strife but speaks of an allencompassing sense of peace. It is a term which can be used to speak of ‘completeness’, ‘soundness’ and ‘well-being’—not merely physical but also spiritual. Put together it may be taken to refer to a genuine sense of peace with God, which produces a peace within, and results in a peace with others and even our circumstances. Jeremiah says to God’s people, make every effort to help those in the world around you to find this true peace and blessing. Then finally, Jeremiah says that God’s people should be committed to praying for the society in which they find themselves. Yes, the people may be living lives which defy God’s rightful authority. But our job is to pray for them. Surely this sentiment was captured in that wonderful prayer that Jesus taught His disciples to pray, Lord, “your kingdom come, your will be done

on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10). This prayer represents not just an eschatological hope for the future, the coming of the kingdom of God, but a sincere desire to see the rightful reign of Jesus growing and expanding in the here and now. Remember Jesus’s words in Luke 17 when He was questioned about when the kingdom of God would come. He said, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-21). Our prayer should be that people in all levels of our society may come to acknowledge the Lordship of King Jesus over their lives. If ever there was a time when the church in Australia needs to step up to the mark and be fiercely committed to staying true to our Lord Jesus Christ, it is today. But, amidst the growing pressures of a rapidly changing and at times antagonist social order, God calls us as His people to live good lives that are demonstrably faithful to Him. He calls us to be committed in seeking shalom, the true peace, in the society in which we live, knowing full-well that real peace starts by finding peace with God, which is available only through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1). And finally, we are called to be a people of unrelenting prayer for the society in which we find ourselves. If the people of God in Australia rise to this challenge, God alone knows the power and impact that such faithful Christian lives and witness may produce. May the light of Christ’s glory only shine more brightly through us, His people, as we live faithfully for Him.

Peter Francis Principal, Malyon peter.francis@malyon.edu.au

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Around the regions

Rural Contractors Drought Support Scheme Longreach Baptist Church The Longreach Baptist church family is based in the town of Longreach in western Queensland (the population is around 3,500-4,000 normally, but probably around 10-15,000 in the tourist season). Church elder and treasurer, Peter Whip says: “Our region, like most of western Queensland, has been in drought since 2013 with some patchy rainfall scattered throughout the region over the period since then. As you would expect, the impact on farm businesses has been significant, but it has been heartening to see that the wider community, and the government at all levels have made attempts to assist farmers through this period. However, town businesses have also felt the impact of the downturn in the rural economy. The impacts are slightly different to what you normally expect, with many town businesses reporting their biggest issue is sourcing good quality experienced staff to meet current demands of their businesses. This is reported to be due to a significant drop in population over the early years of the drought. While the current media focus is on raising funds to provide hay for stock, for us is western Qld, this is not “our first rodeo” and we know that hay is a short term solution to what can be a much longer term problem e.g. $1,000 donated towards hay would buy less than 2 tonnes of hay in Longreach, and feeding this to 100 cows say would last 2-3 days with no long term change/result achieved.” In 2015, Longreach Baptist Church started the Rural Contractors Scheme which has helped fund contracting work such as earthmoving, fencing, mustering, shearing, crutching and feeding stock. The Scheme offers a genuine incentive for graziers to employ contractors in spite of tough economic circumstances and enables contractors to “earn” their money in a way that maintains their sense of pride and preserves work contacts. There are strong dynamic businesses in western Queensland, both in the rural and town sectors, which under normal circumstances function well and contribute significantly to our nation’s economy – these businesses play an integral role in our community and are run by families who we are keen to support, in order to strengthen our community. Supporting our rural contractors and town businesses could have a major impact in our communities, which are doing it tough at the moment.

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Contractors Story: Virtually all average sized farm businesses in the region no longer employ permanent staff (its been that way for the last 20 years or more) with most properties run by husband, wife and family. They hire contractors for key periods throughout the year e.g. shearing, mustering, branding, weaning etc.These contractors are the backbone of the industry, and are involved at nearly every level of the production cycle. They are generally young to middle aged, highly mobile, and with only limited plant and equipment e.g. ute, motorbike, dogs etc. These guys are the ones to feel the impact of the drought very early and very significantly, as when farmers de-stock and send cattle and sheep away, either to sale or agistment, the contractors’ work goes with them. This sector of the business community has been particularly hard hit. Peter Whip says “I am an elder and treasurer at the Longreach Baptist Church. As a church family, we responded to this area of need early in the drought by setting up a subsidy scheme to offset the cost of employing contractors, and to maintain their workflow for longer than would have otherwise been possible. However, as the drought has gone on for several years now, many of the contractors that were previously based in the area have moved on, taking their families with them. This decrease in population has actually contributed to the smaller pool of available workers for town businesses, which is now being reported as one of the major issues.” Peter says “I run a couple of beef cattle properties and have experienced this myself, with the available labour pool having shrunk considerably over the past 4-5 years. As a church, we are keen to respond to the needs of our community, and we are looking at options to encourage businesses, and help our overall community to build resilience, or at least develop strategies to build resilience over the coming years, when seasons turn around in due course.” Please prayerfully consider supporting the work of the Rural Contractors Scheme. Please use the following details to make a direct deposit to support the scheme. All donations go directly to the scheme – all administration costs are covered by Longreach Baptist Church. Account name: Longreach Baptist Church BSB: 704913 Account Number: 400017505 Reference: Rural contractors

‘Becoming Festival’ 2019

Prayer Focus

Rivers Baptist Church – Lawnton

Dalby and Chinchilla Baptist Churches

Brisket burgers, bush dancing, and “Becoming a church for the world” was on the menu at Rivers Baptists “Becoming Festival” earlier this year.

Every year Dalby Baptist Church and Chinchilla Baptist Church get together in June as part of the QB ‘Prayer Focus’, and they usually have a very good turnout for this annual event.

Special guest Dave Benson (pictured), who is Director of Malyon Traverse, took the church on an interactive journey to examine how the relationship between the church and society has changed over the last 40 years. We discussed that largely, people are ‘pre-Christian’ in their understanding of faith, and yet ‘post-Christian’ in their attitude, dismissing Christianity as irrelevant without understanding it. More traditional methods of evangelism, like event-based outreach, no longer ‘gel’ with a society that no longer respects or trusts the church. Our challenge today is to get out into the ‘wilderness’. Effective evangelism exposes people to what genuine, transformational faith looks like by befriending them, and getting alongside people when they experience personal trauma. Dave challenged us to consider that our biggest problem as the church is that we look just like the rest of the world. By loving our community, we show them that we, and the God we serve, are trustworthy and authentic. Dave shared a quote from Philip Kenneson which highlights this point “… the most urgent apologetic task of the church today is to live in the world in such a way that the world is driven to ask us questions about the hope we have.”

Senior Pastor Rod Rodgers says, “We take it in turns each year to host the joint prayer gathering—this year it was Chinchilla Baptist’s turn to host the Dalby Baptist crew.” On the combined prayer night, a convoy of cars arrived at Chinchilla where we enjoyed warm fellowship and hot soup (as it was cold that night)! We then gathered in groups to pray for the QB Movement, both of our churches, as well as our communities, State and Nation. Then we enjoyed a cuppa and some delicious desserts to finish off, before saying our farewells and departing. What a great night! Next year it will be Chinchilla’s turn to come to Dalby, and we look forward to the sweet fellowship and prayer (and ‘sweets’) that make up our time together.” It’s simply wonderful to be part of and belong to the broader Baptist Family.

During 2019, Rivers is focussing on becoming a church known for its love for each other, which we can then share with our broader community. According to Pastor Stewart Harris, “The ‘Becoming’ festival was an opportunity to bond together, examining what a missional community looks like. “With that in mind, we intentionally made time for our church to enjoy each other, savouring good food, and enjoying the fun of bushdancing together,” he said. 1 John 4:12 “No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.” (NLT)

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Missions Month Bribie Island Baptist Church Bribie Island Baptist participated in “Missions in May” with a desire to focus on the universality of Mission. Each Sunday a different aspect of mission activity, related to the Church, was presented to the congregation. On the first Sunday, various speakers presented snippets of outreach. A representative of the Gideons Ministry shared about taking the Gospel message to various places through the distribution of Bibles to year 7 students in high schools. Also, two of our members spoke of the opportunities provided by being part of Religious Instruction in our local schools. A film clip produced by Tim and Melanie serving in Malawi with Global Interaction, was presented on the next Sunday. This brought us in touch with them and their work in a personally refreshing way. Our Youth Leader then spoke on working with the children and youth attending activities in the Church. Most of these are not Church attenders, but their involvement in our youth activities brings opportunity to minister to them and gain contact with their parents. On the third Sunday we heard from a husband and wife team who minister overseas in a country closed to the gospel. They make opportunities to witness through behind the scenes conversations and the resultant friendships that arise. On the same day, our Women’s

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Craft Group leader shared the potential of this ministry to bring in people not yet attending Church. This group shares a weekly devotional, and relationships formed begin to open doors to friendships, through which the gospel may be shared. The fourth Sunday featured a video presentation from Shane & Jemima Paxa who have close family ties to our Church. They have been working in Ukraine for some years and are currently planning the building of a youth centre. Some of our members are hoping to visit with them later in the year to help with the building work. Their video brought the project to light for us. Our Men’s Ministry leader described the opportunities found in running a regular men’s breakfast. This ministry provides considerable contact with men who are not Church regulars. He also shared the news that men of the Church were planning to reach out to homeless men found frequenting areas near the church. They will be seeking to do this by providing a weekly BBQ breakfast for the homeless. To round off the Mission Month, the ladies held a “Free Not So Free Lunch.” Soups of various flavours were provided, along with hot “Toasties”. Over 80 people sat down to lunch and $440.00 was raised for Global Interaction. We believe the contrasting presentations spread over the month, helped our aim to remind the Church that support for Mission is required both at home, and in other places. The great commission is “Go into all the World”.

Ladies’ Appreciation Breakfast Stafford Heights Baptist Church In May, the men of the Stafford Heights Baptist Church hosted a hot breakfast for the ladies’ associated with the church. It had two aims – to recognize Mother’s Day - and show appreciation to the ladies (mothers or not) for their contribution to the life of the church.

Multicultural Service and Lunch Deception Bay Baptist Church Flags of many nations decorated Deception Bay Baptist, as the church family recently celebrated the cultural diversity within the congregation. “People born in eighteen different nations are on a journey and doing life together through a common bond with Jesus. They form a rich and diverse tapestry within the church.” Representatives from the different cultures greeted the church in their native tongue. Guest speaker, Reverend Emil Rahimov from Queensland Baptist Multicultural Ministries, presented a message of caring, love and acceptance. The Youth Band provided music, and the Bible passages were read in several languages. Phillip Hwang from South Korea amazed the church with his beautiful voice singing praises to our wonderful God in Korean.

This was financed entirely by the men, so that there was no drain to church finances. Noel McDonough provided background music on the saxophone, and the men served and gave assistance where necessary. The speaker for the occasion was Mrs Ruth Tuxworth. Ruth is the wife of the first school chaplain, as recognized by the Scripture Union, Mr Paul Tuxworth. Paul was chaplain at Craigslea High in Chermside West. The church, along with others, fully supported Paul both in prayer and financially. Ruth gave a challenging and extremely interesting message which all the ladies greatly appreciated. The ladies in attendance were very impressed with the men’s expertise and warmly expressed that to them. The overall life of the church was greatly enhanced.

Colourful national costumes were worn by many adults and children, and tables of artefacts including clogs and ice skates from Holland, musical instruments, baskets, headdresses, beads and other cultural relics from Europe, Africa, South East Asia, Australian Indigenous and Islander cultures were displayed. One of the highlights was the wonderful Korean feast which followed the service, prepared by several of our Korean families. “Our celebration and respect of each other’s cultural differences draws us closer, unifying our church family.”

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god moments

A Life Complete HARTLEY WINDOW What does a potter see in clay? It is the finished work, It starts off as a slab of mud, That’s what it is at first. He spins it on his potters wheel, And works and shapes and moulds, Until he sees his work take form, Of earthen pots and bowls. Then when he’s finished painting, And sees his work complete, He puts it in a kiln, for drying and to treat. His pots and bowls of earthenware, That started off as clay, Can now be used for many things, And used in many ways. What does a sculptor see in marble? It is the finished work, In front of him is hardened limestone, That’s what it is at first, So with this hardened limestone And his masterpiece in mind, He chips and carves and polishes To shape his grand design. With all the finished touches, He sees his work complete, He knows that all his time and effort Has made it so unique. This sculpted piece of marble That once was hardened limestone, Is now in place for all to see What the sculptor finely honed. What does a builder see in timber? It is the finished work, It grows to be a lofty tree, That’s what it is a first. So with this length of timber He measures, cuts and nails, To build a house that’s sure and true Through storms and winds and gales. Then when the paintings finished And sees his work complete, He knows that he is safe and sound In his haven of retreat. So this house that’s built of timber Was once a lofty tree Is now a place where he can rest And find security. What does GOD see when HE looks at man? HE sees HIS finished work, HE had a plan and purpose, HE formed man out of dirt. Just like the potter shapes his clay,

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Of what he has in mind, GOD formed man, in HIS own image, HE shaped HIS grand design. HE’ S now just like the sculptor, Who chips and carves and scrapes, As GOD is always moulding man And polishing him with HIS Grace. GODS then just like the builder WHO keeps us safe and sound In HIM, HE is our resting place, In HIM true Peace is found. So while I’m living in this world, Until my life’s complete, Just like the potter with his clay, I need the kilns heat. I need the heat to burn the dross Of sin that’s in my life, So GOD can chip and carve and shape me With HIS sculptors knife. HE’S built my life so CHRIST can live In me till life is done, Cause while I’m living in this world, In me HE sees HIS SON. HIS work in me is never through Until I’m at HIS feet, Then I’m bowed low and humbled ‘cause, HIS work in me’s complete. INSPIRED by THE HOLY SPIRIT

More Precious Than Gold MERVYN WHITNALL I wonder what life would be like down here, If we didn’t have what we’ve got; If each day, for our food, we must seek and hunt, And hunger was oft our lot; No store at the corner, no bank in the town, No pay at the end of the week; No movies or ‘tele’ to keep us amused, And bathing was done in the creek. Then I guess the thing we would treasure most Might be something to keep us warm. And the gold that now makes our eyes light up Would be tossed to one side with scorn.

Live for Today STEVE JACOBS Why live for tomorrow When today has just begun The kookaburra laughs with a cackling voice At the wonder of the rising sun Why live for tomorrow When you can walk with HIM today For Jesus is our Lord & Saviour He is the truth, the life and the way Why live for tomorrow When today the Good News should be heard For those people who are not yet saved By the redeeming power of God’s word

But as things are, with ambitions set On collecting the world’s vast store, We gather around us the things that please With a constant desire for more; And the gold that once was of no account Now glazes men’s eyes with greed. We seek that stuff to the ends of the earth Convinced that we only need A “little bit more” to sate our lust And then we can rest content; And the “little bit more” never seems enough For the greed never does relent.

Why live for tomorrow When there are people out there to befriend Lonely, lost, obnoxious people Our loving hospitality we can extend

When the books are opened on Judgement Day And one thing that he’s done so well, What profit is there if he owns the world? But his soul is consigned to Hell? Now Jesus said that a man must choose, Two masters he cannot serve; For one he will work with might and main The other with great reserve. Now God isn’t hostile to riches as such, But there’s few He can trust with great wealth. Our precious gold is a tool to use, And never an end in itself.

Why live for tomorrow For tomorrow may never arrive Don’t procrastinate, have apathy or disengage For God our creator, through his grace, is keeping us alive

St Peter would tell us of other things That are far more precious than gold :The blood of the spotless hand of God That was shed in the days of old; Our faith, which by fire is sorely tried To make it so pure and strong, Is to God, so more precious that gold, it seems, That it stands far above the throng Of things that we would esteem as great And worthy of human praise, Such as health, and wealth, and fame, and place, And power, and length of days.

But if you have to live for tomorrow Make sure you have lived for today For each day you receive, is a gift from God There’s no time to waste, don’t delay

So, to spend our effort in seeking for wealth And maintaining the status quo, Is to settle for less than best, and yet There are many that choose to go Down the path that leads to a ‘feathered nest’ And a life of comfort and ease, While the treasures that God said to lay up above are neglected for earth’s vanities. Now the riches we strive for will pass away No matter how tight we hold, But the treasures that last through eternity long Are far more precious than gold.

Why live for tomorrow When there are people whom we need to forgive Disagreements and quarrels, with family and friends Jesus forgave us on the cross, so we could live

Why live for tomorrow For today has not finished yet There’s still more of God’s creation to enjoy A babbling brook, a glacier lake or a glorious sunset

WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE YOUR OWN “GOD MOMENT”? It can be a poem, short story, testimony or quote. Please email your entries to marketing@qb.org.au or post to PO Box 6166 Mitchelton Q 4053. Every published entry will receive a $30 Koorong gift voucher.

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MILESTONES

Lead Pastor Peter Clarke and his wife Samantha.

BEACON COMMUNITY – A BAPTIST CHURCH CELEBRATING THEIR 160TH ANNIVERSARY! Beacon Community - A Baptist Church (originally the Ipswich Baptist Church) located at Brassall, celebrated the 160th Anniversary of the Church over the second last weekend of June. The program included a dinner, and a special Sunday morning service, followed by a morning tea to celebrate the milestone. A display of historical and special items were set up in the Church over the weekend for people to browse and reminisce. The guest speaker was Karl Faase, and he spoke at both the dinner, and Sunday morning service. Karl is a well-known Australian Christian communicator, media presenter, leader and social commentator. He is the CEO of Olive Tree Media, and the organisation produces programs of excellence for

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Christian media, for both local and international church use. Karl is in demand across Australia as a speaker, with a special interest in encouragement and motivation, leadership, ministry development and communicating to those exploring faith. There was an air of expectancy and excitement for the event, and also for the fact that the church has two new Ministers in place. The Lead Pastor is Reverend Peter Clarke, and the Generations Pastor is Pastor Adam Clayton. Peter comes from Dural Baptist Church in New South Wales, where he was the Senior Pastor. Before that, he was the Young Adults Pastor at Dural, and had Ministries at Palmerston North Central and Hillcrest Baptist Church in New Zealand. Peter’s professional objective is to relationally inspire, mentor, and equip people to find their identity in Christ, and to follow Jesus in all aspects of their life. Peter was born in Ipswich and attended Silkstone Baptist Church in his early years. Peter is married to Samantha and they have two sons, Leighton

and Ryan. Adam is from the rural town of Warwick, which was home for most of his young life, and God has shown him so much of His Wonder through the trials he has been through. A few years ago, he was working at a great job, and in it there was the peace and contentment he had always wanted. But there was still a sense of unfulfillment, until the Call came from God to pursue His ministry and spread the blessing of His Holy Gospel. Adam has completed a Bachelor of Ministry at Malyon College. In ministry Adam’s motto is “Principle in the Practice”; without the principle, the practice has no value, but without the practice, the principle isn’t reflected well. Thanks to all those people who helped make our anniversary event so special. We look forward to the future with a new team and a willingness to learn and serve our great God.

Chris Kusay presents a farewell gift to Noel and Bev Wilcox.

BIG TURNOUT FAREWELLS BAPTIST MINISTER

Although vision impaired, she is in amazing health, and until twelve months ago, lived in her own home. God Bless you Nola.

Noel and Bev Wilcox were farewelled at the local Highfields Tavern, with more than 90 people in attendance. They served the Highfields Baptist Church for nine years and were well loved in the local community. Many organisations were represented at the farewell, including the Men’s Shed and Christmas Carols organizing committee.

“but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31

ON THE MOVE • • •

•

Pastor Jeff Ireland concludes at Wynnum (Jun 2019). Rev Graeme Jones concludes at Greenslopes (Dec 2019). Rev Ken Conwell has concluded with Qld Baptists (moving to retirement will continue 1 day p/w). Pastor David Luthy to commence as Lead Pastor at

NOLA HODGSON – HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY! On August 14, Nola Hodgson celebrates her 100th birthday – a milestone that Nola and her family is grateful for, and thankful to God. Nola will be celebrating the milestone at Sunnybank District Baptist Church. Nola is a returned Baptist Missionary, and the wife of a Baptist Minister (Rev R W Hodgson).

Bracken Ridge (Sep 2019). QB.ORG.AU AUG/SEP 19 19

QB WOMEN

Yahweh He will cause to be BY CHARISSA STEFFENS

A name is powerful. One of the biggest decisions we have as a new parent is to name a child. In that name is held all the hopes, dreams, and potential for our baby. It is their identity wrapped up in a word. For example, we named our daughter Elisha, which means “God is my salvation”. We chose that name for her because we wanted her to always know that truth. We named our son Lucas, which means “bringer of light”. He was called this as we believe this is his potential. That he will be one who brings God’s light to the world.

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Potential is potent. It can be a driving force in our lives. Lying dormant at first, it is only with the gift of time and opportunity that it emerges. We all carry potential, from a tiny baby to a grandmother who has lived for many decades. It is not limited by gender, age, culture or religion. It does not disappear once we become an adult. Yet, as we travel through the ups and downs of life, it can get lost along the way. Disappointments and distractions can cause us to forget its purpose in our lives.

No one person in the bible showcases this more than Moses. From this side of time, we gaze back through the telescope of biblical tradition and see a superhero. A man who rose to prominence as the rescuer of his people. In elevating our biblical heroes it is easy to believe that they were superior beings, leaving us to feel inferior and unable to achieve what they did. However, if we look a little closer at Moses’ story, we see that despite an advantageous start to life, he got a little side-tracked. Quickly losing

his cape and tights the moment he committed murder (Exodus 2:12) and hid out in the wilderness (Exodus 3:1). At this point one could imagine his prospects where limited, his potential a distant past, that he would never be heard from again. Thankfully, God did not give up on him. Nor does He on us. And that is important to remember. Literally in the middle of nowhere, God seeks out Moses and offers him a new commission. Tapping into his potential that was buried by shame and a shepherd’s coat. What I love about this passage of scripture is the dialogue during this moment (Exodus 3:10-14). The Hebrew authors never tried to hide frailty and failure, instead, they looked to show God’s grace and unending love to humanity. As God engages Moses we see how important potential is to God. Moses questions his ability for the mission in verse 10 saying “Who am I that I should go...” and God responds, “I will be with you” (v12). Moses counters by asking “What is the name he should call God, and it is right here that the wonder begins to unfold as God replies, “I AM WHO I AM (YAHWEH)…”(v14). This is where God revealed himself to a man for the first time as YAHWEH. Biblical scholar Gordon J.

Wenham say that this name means – “he will be” or “he will cause to be”. Sound familiar? Potential is where possibility exists. In this one conversation, God reveals himself as The One who causes possibility to exist. He is the self-subsistent one. The One who has the power to instil potential over and over again. Where we lack, where we are lost, He gives his personal guarantee that He has the ability to get the job done. (3:13-22) The story of Moses shows us the difference between self-driven potential, where failure is the end, and God-given potential, where failure is only the beginning. What God knows, and that we often don’t, is that when we walk in our potential, the result is a way out, an ‘exodus’, not just for us but for the many others we lead from slavery and hardship to freedom and life. When we take up our Godordained potential, there is a double unveiling – God is seen and so are we. Exodus 14:31 tell us that “the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.” As we trust in God to call out our potential, there is fruit for Him and us. In His great benevolence He allows His brilliance to become ours.

He is the author of our potential; His very name declares that “He will cause to be”. It was no mistake that the first person He used this name with, is the one whose story is an example of how God can take a sinner and make him significant. The words of Paul continue to affirm this truth in the New Testament through the work of Jesus on the Cross. He reminds us, in Philippians 1:6, that our potential is on God’s mind. What He has begun in us, the Holy Spirit will carry on until the end. So remember, when you doubt your potential—His very name means “He will cause to be”. Your potential is important to God. ”God began to do a good work in you. And I am sure that he will keep on doing it until he has finished it. He will keep on until the day Jesus Christ comes again.” Philippians 1:6 Charissa Steffens is a teacher with a background in business and publishing. She holds a Master of Arts (Biblical Studies) and is passionate about strengthening the Body of Christ through the spoken and written word. She serves as an Elder at her home church Nexus in Brisbane. She is married to David and has two beautiful children.

QCCC

THE LETHEM LEGACY An astute banker, Kenneth Lethem instigated Queensland Baptists’ Camping Ministry in the early 1930s, at the height of the Great Depression, with his generous contribution towards the discounted purchase and development of a property at Currumbin for the purposes of youth and camping ministry. As I’ve researched his legacy and background, I’ve grown to have an immense admiration for the man—his innovation and passion to establish a Queensland Baptists’ camping presence. He apparently commented that he was not pastor material but felt he could still make a Kingdom-building contribution through his vocation, expertise and entrepreneurship. Kenneth Lethem was particularly passionate about a vision for

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Christian Camping because he saw its potential to invest in young people, and help Queensland Baptist Churches, and their ministries, be increasingly effective in the community. Way back in the 1930s he established some guiding principles for QB camping, whilst leaving room for them to be constantly evolving to reflect new trends and societal expectation. The key principles of the vision for Queensland Baptist Camping, and how they’re being exercised in a modern camping context, include: The proper development of spiritual, mental, social and physical welfare of young people in accordance with the example of Christ and the teaching of Scripture;

It is here that Lethem’s holistic focus on human well-being, and his rejection of a dualistic approach to spirituality shines through. The benefits of Christian camping from a spiritual perspective are wellknown (the National Church Life Survey suggests nearly one half of Christians make a significant spiritual decision on camp). However, Lethem saw that the camp setting also had positive benefits for mental, social and physical well-being. An iPhone would be beyond his comprehension in the 1930s, but in today’s tech world the ability to disconnect, unwind and relax is needed more than ever. Groups invest significantly in camping because it builds relationship, cohesion and brings down barriers. QCCC’s staff culture and teaching platform retains its Scriptural

foundation (built off Romans 12 and the Beatitudes). The most common affirmation given about the QCCC staff team is “they always go the extra mile”. It’s a Christlike example which facilitates hundreds of groups each year to invest in the spiritual, mental, social and physical welfare of our next generation.

of experience cannot totally be predicted.

I suspect it was this principle which was particularly close to his heart.

Christian sector schools know school camps provide many unique opportunities for students to connect, reflect, and engage in activities away from the familiar structures of school life. Camping programs can catalyse transformative spiritual development and cultivate a passion for mission and discipleship. Given the high proportion of ‘non-Christian’ students even in Christian schools, some might see this approach as a reach; but the Bible is also littered with examples of God using people who have not ticked the traditional evangelical boxes we’ve created. We’re privileged to work with like-

Lethem wanted Christian young people to be effective, and effective in whatever vocation or workplace in which they found themselves. This principle is strongly held in QCCC’s CAMPIRE internship which allows interns to explore every aspect of campsite operation, whilst being discipled in a Christian workplace, by mature Christian leaders and mentors. One of the repeated mantras of CAMPFIRE is discipleship is caught, not taught, and this often happens in the rub of everyday work. Lethem’s contribution to Baptist Camping was acknowledged in 1983 when Mapleton’s dining and administration areas conferred his

The increase of interest in and the assistance of Home Mission work and other denominational activities;

minded schools to invite students into God’s story of mission to save the world and see if it becomes contagious.

Modern day camping ministries have become experts in experiential education. Experiential education is a philosophy that helps educators purposefully engage with learners in direct experience and focused reflection to increase knowledge, develop skills, clarify values, and develop people’s capacity to contribute to their communities. It occurs when carefully chosen experiences are supported by an established reflective process, critical analysis and synthesis. The educator and learner may experience success, failure, adventure, risk-taking and uncertainty, because the outcomes

The encouragement of young people to regard their lives as consecrated to Christ and His Service and to consider His claim as affecting their vocation.

name. However, though it was apt that the administration area referenced Lethem, it had fallen out of regular use, particularly for guests to the facility. In recent years a third accommodation precinct has emerged at Mapleton, finalised with the construction of a new 20-bed ensuited wing. This area has been named Lethem Lodge, bringing his name back into daily use, particularly for guests. It’s the least we could do for a pioneer and visionary.

The encouragement of the habit of regular Bible Study and prayer and the expression of Christian ideals in daily life and in the service of others; The modern camping ministry gets to host people at every stage of the spiritual spectrum, from senior Christian leaders on retreat, through to people overtly hostile to the things of God. It’s impossible to have a one-size-fits-all approach to sharing the good news of Christ in this context, and every method, word and deed holds significance. Careful reading of this principle shows the genius of Lethem’s approach, advocating profound and daily spiritual disciplines through to a reasonably generic “expression of Christian ideals in daily life and in the service of others”. It gives a lot of room to move, particularly in today’s post-Christendom culture, where to be missional takes imagination, verve and dexterity.

Once again, Lethem advocates a holistic approach to discipleship and Christian witness, more in keeping with the missional gurus of the early Twenty-First Century. From his own experience he knew not everyone was destined for pastoral or missionary service, but he still wanted all Christians to consider their lives as an act of living worship—embedding missionaries in every corner of Australian society.

Andrew Grant Director of Queensland Conference and Camping Centres andrew.grant@qccc.com.au

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QB YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS

KNIGHT ILLUSIONS Last year, QB Youth & Young Adults (QBY&YA) had Knight Illusions (Christian Illusionists) from the USA come and do a bunch of shows. Three local Baptist churches hosted this amazing duo. Each show honoured the context they performed in. Outlook Christian Church (Toowoomba) and Crosslife Upper Coomera offered an all ages event to their communities, and Church@the Gabba created a collective Youth event with Sunnybank Baptist and Beach Community. Each of these events were helpful to their individual communities by strengthening relationships with other churches and people in the surrounding areas. Pastor Stefan Maslen from Crosslife Upper Coomera said: “We were so pleased to have once again hosted Knight Illusions. David and Kylie delivered exactly what we asked for: a great community connection event. We had over 300

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community as Pastor Mick Spann said: “At the beginning of the year Aaron Fozzard (Head of QBY&YA) gave us the opportunity to host an event with American Illusionists David and Kylie Knight. The event itself fit well with our Church vision, and because these opportunities don’t come by every day, we booked the date then and there.”

people present, of whom all were entertained with a professional show and left with a great message of being created in the image of God. I would highly recommended David and Kylie to any church keen to engage with their local community.” The event was also well received by Church@the Gabba, and created connections with the local

I saw this as a brilliant opportunity to invite our community together for some light entertainment and provide a platform in which we could continue to break down any walls between the Church and the community we love. David and Kylie were an absolute pleasure to work with! They helped us produce advertising and gave very thorough information on what they would need, to get things prepared in advance. On the day of the event I was greatly encouraged

by their easy going and godly natures. They seemed to bring a sense of excitement to the building when they arrived. The event itself was a success with around 120 people rocking up for the show (one third from the church, one third from youth groups and the rest from the local community). The Knights had us in stiches for most of the evening, and their illusions were truly fascinating! I believe that even to this day, one of the teenagers present that night believes that he was turned invisible… (I haven’t seen him yet to check for sure!). David’s final illusion has stuck in my memory. He coupled it with a message for the audience which was simple yet profound—Our unique beauty and capacity as beings created in the image of God. Upon the conclusion of the event, I was given the opportunity to share the gospel and provide the opportunity for people to connect with us further.” A big Thank You to Aaron Fozzard and QBY&YA who were a huge support in organising the Knights tour and providing stage lighting for the show. Also massive thanks to the veritable army of church volunteers who got our building ready for the event and created a welcoming atmosphere for the local community to come along to. Ultimately, Praise be to God. We don’t always get to see what He is doing in people’s hearts. But the privilege of being a part of His work is gift enough. Be excited family of God! Good things are happening in the inner city. But remember, we are brighter together!”

WHO ARE KNIGHT ILLUSIONS? Christian magicians and illusionists David and Kylie Knight partner with the local church. They conclude their performance with a brief but powerful, non-denominational message, that speaks to our value and uniqueness as beings created in the image of God. This allows the opportunity for the local pastor to contextualize the message of Jesus as only they can, as members of the local community. David and Kylie also provide resources that help the entire church body own their role as ministers of the Gospel everywhere they go. Thus helping to fulfil and expand the Great Commission – “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20[a]) www.knightillusions.com

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a man of his background by English society at the time. By the time he left England for Moreton Bay in 1855 he was married and had several years’ experience in what was at the time “the important profession of gardening”. Here in Brisbane, Moore was initially a member of the Wharf Street Baptist Church. When the first pastor of that church, Rev Charles Smith, left them without a minister, Richard Ash Kingsford was appointed acting pastor, along with Moore and William Grimes as his assistants. This interim pastorate carried on for two years until the arrival of Rev B G Wilson in September 1858.

Petrie Terrace church building

THE GARDENER AND THE SILVER SALVER In August 2015 we published a biography of Pastor William Moore (1826-1906) who was the founding pastor of the Petrie Terrace Baptist Church. Now we are able to add an exciting new chapter to that project. The book was titled “The Gardener” and it was so named because, on his arrival in Brisbane in June 1855, Moore leased a piece of land in Milton and immediately set about establishing a market garden to produce fruit, vegetables and some dairy products for the people of Brisbane. His products were much needed in the town, and Moore was able to house, feed and clothe his family “by industry and perseverance” according to one of his contemporaries. Moore had an impoverished background. He was born in an isolated village named Berrow in

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the Sedgmore district of Somerset, about thirty miles from the city of Bristol. His parents were uneducated, and William was given only a basic education. But he had a burning ambition to better himself. He began work when he was twelve years old, and on reaching fifteen years of age, he moved to Bristol with the aim of bettering himself. He furthered his education through programs run by nonconformists of the Bristol Young Men’s Society. He also was baptised in the Counterslip Baptist Church and gained considerable encouragement and assistance from his pastor, Thomas Winter. For a number of years he served as a lay preacher of the Bristol Baptist Itinerant Society. His time in Bristol encouraged him to think for himself, to work hard at improving himself, and to refuse to accept the constraints imposed on

A split took place in the Wharf Street Church in 1864 and around half the members left. Some joined other churches, but the majority initially formed the Edward Street church, which only lasted three years. Eventually, as a result of this split, a number of small churches and preaching stations emerged. These included South Brisbane, Fairfield, Petrie Terrace, Oxford Estate (Rosalie) and Fortescue Street churches. Moore played a significant part in the formation and development of these churches. However, Moore’s first interest was in the Petrie Terrace area. He and William Grimes initially commenced a Sunday school there, and the Petrie Street church developed out of that initiative. Moore donated the land in Chapel Street (just across from the Suncorp Stadium) on which the church was built. The church’s foundation members were five in number, but soon grew, mainly through baptisms. Moore accepted the invitation to be the church’s founding pastor. For many years he refused to accept payment and said that people should not have to pay to hear the Good News. He worked

The sterling silver salver

assiduously on his small farm to maintain himself and his family and gave generously to the church as well. His first term as pastor at Petrie Terrace lasted sixteen years. He had always said to the church that he would retire when he reached 60 years of age. That occurred in 1886, and a grateful and loving church held a farewell function for him on 9 February 1886, at which he was presented with a solid silver salver containing the following inscription: Petrie Terrace Baptist Church To The Rev. Wm Moore A Memento of Love and Esteem On the close of his Sixteen Years Pastorate Brisbane February 1886 His replacement was Rev R H Roberts whose tenure of three years was relatively brief. A call for help went out to Moore, and he again took on the pastorate from March 1889 and remained in that position until the end of 1890. He continued his involvement in other churches in Brisbane for several years, and extended his work to the Darling Downs area as well. After an interesting history, Petrie Terrace church closed in 1991, and the building was subsequently adapted for residential purposes. William Moore was active far beyond his local churches, and was a staunch supporter of the Baptist cause, being involved in many ministries and outreaches. He was

Close up of inscription

the author of one of the earliest written accounts of the history of the denomination in this state. That was the story up until now, but there is now a new development! That salver (pictured) has been with the family ever since, but they have recently decided to pass it over to the Baptist Archives where it was received in June 2019. It is still in quite good condition and the inscription is easily readable. The Archives are grateful to the family for keeping this important part of our history, and now for generously passing it to us for safe keeping. It will be a precious part of our collection, marking the story of a notable founding father of Baptists in Queensland. William Moore’s full story is told in the book titled “The Gardener” Pastor William Moore 18261906. Some copies of the book are still available from Baptist Archives Queensland at a reduced price of $5.00 plus postage. It is also available as an e-book.

Keeping in Touch We value readers of our contribution in each issue of this magazine, and welcome feedback. You can join Baptist Heritage Queensland for $10 per annum (church membership is $20) and receive our newsletter, QB Forum published three times each year and also attend our regular planning and discussion meeting. Now you can also keep in touch with special events and developments by receiving our occasional emails – send your details to archives@ qb.org.au. You can also keep in touch by sending in details of anniversaries and special historical events at your church. We welcome invitations to attend these functions and provide a greeting – and also to assist with information about the story of your church. Contact us for more details.

Baptist Church Archives archives@qb.org.au Phone 07 3354 5642, 07 3878 3178 https://goo.gl/GRX4ET

For details, contact the Archives.

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MISSION TO QUEENSLAND

Three Great Days

“Inspire 19” I don’t think I am telling you anything you don’t know, but Australia is a true mission field. The days when we, as the people of God could presume that our fellow Australians basically understood the Good News about Jesus Christ are gone. People haven’t necessarily experienced Sunday School, Religious Education in Schools or praying parents and grandparents. Those days are over. And what do we have now? Well, it seems to me, we have a real mission field that requires us to act in ways more familiar to the crosscultural missionaries that have gone from our shores for many years. These are the people who had to learn new languages and culture; to experience different food and living conditions, and to introduce people to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when there are so many assumptions to avoid, in order to make the Good News clear. Australia is a true mission field now—just like anything missionaries have faced in their important work all around the world. The Lord of

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the Harvest is calling people to be missionaries right here—in Australia. A recent event, “Inspire 19” was a conversation starter about the way we might face our responsibility to Jesus for this country. To help us, I invited Hugh Halter who has been a pastor for many years, and is now based in Alton, Illinois. He is building a group of missionaries’ who will take responsibility for that small city and seek to connect to the lives of the people and bring the Good News to them. Hugh is the author of “The Tangible Kingdom” and also “AND: the gathered and scattered church”. If you are looking for help in understanding our work as missionaries, you would do well to start with these two books. By the way, if you do an online search for Hugh Halter, you will find recordings of him there that will also be helpful. The other speaker was Craig Ogden from Melbourne. He serves as an Anglican priest in a new development on the northern edge of the city called “Plentylife”. Over the last eight years, he too has been

trying to re-imagine the work of the church to be God’s missionary in that new development. If you are on Facebook, just look up Plentylife. He puts a real Australian feel to the conversation. The “Inspire 19” event began in Townsville at Northreach Baptist church, where a group of about 48 people gathered from Northern Queensland churches. It was so great to see two churches (Whitsunday and Fairfield) bring their leadership teams to this event. The speakers gave wonderful keynote speeches, and then time was allotted to talk to each other about what was heard. There were some great conversations, and two big storms outside! This was an event that I believe nurtured a deeper and more creative approach amongst our missionary friends in the north. The event continued in Brisbane at the QB Centre at Gaythorne, where just over 90 people gathered and we

repeated the process. Once again, each keynote presentation struck the right notes. People had great conversations about what Jesus was saying, and what we were going to do about it. These “notes” included thinking about the way we must connect ourselves to the lives of our fellow Australians; how we must love them enough to really hear them; how we can develop conversations with them that are truly able to express the Father’s deep affection for them as belonging to Him; how what we do has to change in order to reach deep into the mission field that is our country; and then, how, at the level of discipleship we can be really fresh, creative and insightful. And above all, to be people who will leave Australia a better place for having been in it! Finally, the “Inspire 19” journey went to Toowoomba. This event was sponsored by the Willowburn church (a new church to our movement). Their generosity and passion were so evident in the way this event was conducted. Hugh and Craig spoke a similar message about being God’s missionaries, and then we had an entertaining Question and Answer session which revealed that the attendees had been both challenged and inspired. Friends, our movement will truly be a movement when, at the level of disciple, we engage Australia as missionaries. “Inspire 19” started another conversation about this important task. One conversation; two important questions—remember, what is Jesus saying; and, what am I going to do about it? But many heart responses!! I am grateful to Aaron Fozzard, Andrew Grant, Steve Ballin, Will Crank and Adrian Park and the Willowburn team, for helping with the planning and delivery of these events. So grateful to Linda Nevell and Kirsten Bungey whose attention to detail and getting the marketing and planning in order contributed so much to the success of the event. Remember friends - we are all missionaries’ now! Let us prepare ourselves for action! Let us arise, discern Jesus’ will and do it with all our might! By Colin Stoodley MTQ Team Leader

kmsmith.com.au

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CARINITY

From small origins, big things grow: Carinity celebrates 70 years In 1948 a small group of Christians had a vision – to establish a home in Brisbane to offer care to the elderly.

Carinity, an outreach of Queensland Baptists, celebrates its 70th anniversary on August 15.

The call for help went out to Baptist churches throughout Queensland. To assist the formation of the Baptist Union of Queensland’s social service ministry, a public appeal was launched to raise funds to refurbish “Farrington House” at Alderley.

As the organisation evolved – from Queensland Baptist Care to Carinity – so too did the range of services we provide to Queenslanders.

Two-hundred money boxes were donated in anticipation of producing “a good sum” of donations. Benefit concerts and a refreshment stand at the Royal Queensland Exhibition also contributed to the fundraising. There was a growing realisation that far more could be achieved by a family of churches working together than working as individual churches. The home was renamed Clifford House and became Carinity’s first aged care site. It welcomed its first three residents in 1949 and would later accommodate 16 people. 30 AUG/SEP 19 QB.ORG.AU

What started as a small regional service for the elderly developed into a state-wide mission that last year helped more than 16,000 people in 15 communities across Queensland. Over 70 years Carinity has grown to include 11 residential aged care communities, five retirement villages, five schools and services catering to young people, families and those living with a disability. Carinity provides in-home care to seniors in eight cities and towns while our chaplains offer guidance, encouragement and spiritual care to people in hospitals, prisons and aged care communities from Townsville to the Gold Coast.

“We continue to make significant strides in delivering our mission: to make a real difference to people in need and to create communities where people are loved, accepted and supported,” Carinity CEO Jon Campbell says. “We never lose sight of our guiding purpose to follow the example of Jesus Christ and reflect God’s love to people in need. “From a handful of dedicated people seven decades ago, we now employ more than 1,300 people who are supporting Queenslanders of all ages. We can all be proud of that.”

Carinity Aged Care Executive Manager Valmae Dunlea and Clifford House Residential Manager Afshan Alwani go back to where Carinity started 70 years ago.

CALLED HOME

Deaconess Dianne Joy Parker LTh 8 June 1949—29 May 2019

‘I do not regret a thing in my life of service for the Lord.’ Dianne was born in Arncliffe, Sydney, to Herb and Iris Yates on 8 June 1949, and was a younger sister to Graham. The family moved to Manly Queensland in 1954, where Dianne attended Wynnum State School, until the family moved again to Bundaberg a few years later. At the age of 15, Dianne attended a Presbyterian Fellowship of Australia (PFA) camp at Alexandra Headlands where she committed herself to serving the Lord in full time service. She became a communicant member of the Presbyterian church on 29 May 1966. Dianne enrolled for ministry training in the Melbourne Bible Institute (now Melbourne School of Theology where in three years of study, she gained the regular and advanced Diplomas, and the Licentiate of Theology (LTh). After parish work in Gladstone, she moved in 1976 to St Andrew’s Toowoomba, one of the largest congregations of the day. Here, she was given many opportunities and much support from minister, elders and people. Her ministry of pastoral care flourished, and after more study, she was commissioned as a Deaconess on 12 June 1981.

Celebrating the Life of Frederick Leonard Pemberton Hill Fred was born on 6th February 1925, he came to the Lord when he was nineteen, and felt the call to the Mission Field right away. After studying at the Sydney and Missionary College, in 1950, he went with WEC (Worldwide Evangelisation for Christ) to Kalimantan Barat (Indonesian Borneo). His fiancé Peggy followed a year later where they were married. Two years later he moved to Sumatra where they spent the next 21 years. After coming back to Australia, mainly because of ill health, he studied at the Queensland Baptist Theological College and was ordained. He ministered in the Clontarf Beach Baptist Church, and the Minden area Baptist Churches before leaving full-time ministry again because of ill health. For a number of years, he worked with Mission to Queensland, filling in spots, until a full-time worker could be found. He went to be with the Lord on 17th May 2019. “Well done good and faithful servant” Matthew 25:21

Thanks to visionary leadership, in 1986, an opportunity arose for her to share service as deaconess at St Paul’s, Spring Hill, and as chaplain at St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital. Dianne felt that pastoral care was her real calling, for which she was uniquely gifted, relating easily to people whether young or old. After concluding at the hospital She pioneered an Aged Care Chaplaincy for church members in nursing homes, a much-neglected field. Dianne finally took early retirement in 2009, after 35 years of ministry. Dianne was the last active PCQ Deaconess. Perhaps the biggest surprise of Dianne’s life was her marriage in 2002 to David. She said, ‘We have a God with a sense of humour as evidenced by my marriage in my mid-fifties’. A wonderful companion to him and warmly entering into his family circle, they joyfully complemented each other, and shared many interests including travel, photography, historical and archival work and above all, a sense of God’s calling on their lives, expressed for Dianne in the words of song, ‘The Summons’, ‘Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?’ sung at her funeral service, on June 7 attended by a large number of friends, with Queensland Baptists represented by Revs. Stephen Ball and Peter Sweetman.

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GLOBAL INTERACTION

“We are the fruit of what you have done.” These young adults not only participated in community and educational development, but also followed the lead of their parents who experienced new life in Jesus. They highlighted their experience of freedom from the fear of failing to appease evil spirits. Now, purpose, meaning and joy were obvious. As you read this, thank God that we are part of a movement of God that took the Good News of Jesus to those in areas such as Baiyer, Telefomin, Kompiam, Lumusa, Lapalama, Tekin and more. Pastor Kiap

The Bonus of “God-Surprises” I was winding my way along a circuitous line of over a thousand people, shaking hands... and then I saw him! That delightful smile I had seen so often illuminating his rounded face, enveloped in his white beard and white hair. Yet, the smile today had another expression... tears rolling down his face, and similarly, mine too. He communicated so much in that look!

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We were celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the coming of Australian Baptists to the Baiyer Valley in the Western Highlands of Papua New Guinea. A great number of people expressed deep appreciation that we were there celebrating with them—a crowd of over 2,000.

I, along with 22 other visitors from Australia (mostly those who served with Global Interaction or were relatives of earlier missionaries), were guests of honour. We felt somewhat uncomfortable with the provision of seating on a covered platform, while we witnessed many hundreds – pastors and their people – standing for hours in the heavy rain (it was too wet and muddy to sit on the ground). There was no building large enough to accommodate them, but they rejoiced to hear the Word of God. In a pre-meeting to the main fourhour event (there were five days of celebration at Baiyer and another at Telefomin), leaders explored with a few of us representing former missionaries, a confession of attitude toward each other that had not been pleasing to God, together with expressions of forgiveness and reconciliation. “We wish to enter the next 70 years without carrying any baggage.” In

Please pray... the forming of a very long meandering line for we ex-pats to move along shaking each person’s hand. All were joyful, some wailing, all expressing a mutual blessing of God. That was when I saw Kiap, the elderly pastor I mentioned at the start. He is a senior pastor from the home clan of David Maini, the Bible College Dean and Coordinator of Ministry Training ,with whom I have worked closely for some years.

the main meeting, Pastor Pita Yanda spoke for the Western Highlands Baptists—over 10,000 of them, and Rev Keith Jobberns, National Ministries Director of Australian Baptist Ministries, spoke too in a powerful and poignant segment. No more would either group flaunt or recount criticisms. In the presence of our gracious, forgiving Lord we had dealt with them all— truly a “God moment”.

•

I could expand on other wonderful “God-Surprises” in these celebrations – •

•

Conversations with all the wonderful men and women, young and older who were visiting from Australia (the youngest was 10 years and the oldest 90 years). The arrival of the updated Kyaka Enga Bible on a large transport truck on the afternoon of the day before the planned release!

•

My meeting at their request, with fourteen representatives of the Mano tribe in a one and a half hour pre-meeting on the last day’s massive communion service. At this meeting, leaders poured out to God confession of sin and failure, as well as gratitude to God. They demonstrated to God the seriousness of their renewed commitment by giving significant amounts of money to a selection of his servants for God to use. I was one of those recipients. A moving time. I sensed their heart for global mission and the imperative of sharing the Gospel. Experiencing a palpable expression of joy after the communion service as people sensed the Spirit of God was at work. Two spontaneous expressions occurred: joyous dancing, Nationals and Expatriates together and then

As we shook hands and embraced each other, Kiap spoke in Pidgin, “Next time in heaven”.

We all packed up, some walked, some drove to our homes – praising God and re-telling experiences. By Geoff Cramb Geoff Cramb recently retired Global Interaction Consultant with the Baptist Union of Papua New Guinea, during 24-30 June 2019 coordinated a group of 23 Australians visiting Baptists in Papua New Guinea. They joined in celebrating the arrival in 1949 of the first missionaries Albert Kroenert and Harry Orr from Sydney. Today, Baptists in PNG number about three times those in Queensland. Quite a story!

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Johnson knows your Child Sponsorship means real change for children like him and his brother.

“My brother suffers from epilepsy. I knew there was nothing to use for treating him, and I knew that he would die.” But then something incredible happened… a child sponsor from Australia steps in! A kind Christian family became Johnson’s child sponsors and things began to change. Johnson’s family received a goat, and they sold its offspring to pay for his little brother’s treatment. His mother also received farming training and began a small business selling vegetables. “It helps me because it gets some money that she pays for my school fees. One day, I would like to join a university. After I become a teacher, I will build my parents a good house.”

YOUR LOVE IN ACTION BY BAPTIST WORLD AID AUSTRALIA Meet Johnson*. A loving little boy who desperately wants to help his family. He’s 14 and lives in Uganda. He lives with his mother, two brothers, sister and grandmother. His father is forced to find work away from home. Johnson understands poverty – the struggle to get enough food – and he badly wants to help. He’s taking the burden on his own young shoulders.

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“Life was difficult because I did not have anything to eat. When there is no food, I have no energy. When I don’t have school fees, I try to go to school even though they send me away, I come back.” What a great heart Johnson has! He wants to finish his education, to help his family. But look at the pressures on him – no food, no energy, no money for school fees, and added to this was the constant worry over his little brother…

Now Johnson can attend school without being sent home. His brother receives the treatment he needs. And with more food to eat, Johnson has the energy he needs to study, and to pursue his dream of becoming a teacher… which means he can care for the family he loves just as God cares for him! And this all began with a kindhearted sponsor who became part of Johnson’s incredible story. You can do the same for others like Johnson! Be part of an incredible story. Sponsor a child today. Go to baptistworldaid.org.au/ sponsorship for more information. *Name changed for child protection reasons

PERSECUTION BRIEF

Lessons from the Persecuted Church Every Christian is trying to figure out how to follow Jesus in today’s world. Though we often feel a world away from our persecuted brothers and sisters, their faith and courageous Christianity should inspire and challenge our own. These are the faith-changing lessons to be learned from the persecuted. Lesson 1: Persecution is the enemy’s second-best tactic; His best is materialism “Imagine if the devil had the barrel of a gun pressed towards your temple and said, ‘Renounce Christ or I’ll pull the trigger,’” said Lee Chin, a Christian from China. “It’s likely you’d find the courage not to deny Christ and the trigger would be pulled. “But what if the enemy took you to a warehouse and said you can have it all - a big house, money, family, cars, food, riches. You can even have Jesus sitting on a throne. It wouldn’t be long until we were so focused on playing in the blessings of Christianity, we didn’t even realise Jesus Christ had left the room.” That is the problem with materialism… we’ve seen many Christians survive persecution but very few survive prosperity. Lesson 2: You’re more in love with life than you are Jesus. Which is of greater danger to your faith, ISIS or an iPhone? We see one of those driving people to God, and one of them drawing them away from Him. It’s the subtlety of distraction that is suffocating our faith whereas the pressure of persecution brings faith to life. A wealthy Christian man and his family lost everything when the Islamic State attacked Iraq. “Before ISIS, I had more money, a big house, was a rich man but had no love,” he said. “ISIS was a gift because I now know the love of God more than ever before.

“One of the greatest challenges you face as Christians in the West is that you’re more in love with life than you are Jesus, and it makes you unwilling to die for Him.” Lesson 3: It’s where Faith Becomes more about what Jesus should do for you We asked a pastor from Baghdad, “What does a lukewarm Christian look like?” He smiled to himself and said, “That’s easy, they’re selfish. It’s where faith becomes more about what Jesus should do for you, than what Jesus offers the world around you.” Faith in Jesus is simple, but we often make it complex so we don’t have to do it. What if we spent less time talking and debating the idiosyncrasies of the gospel, and truly lived it out? Lesson 4: Have you ever thought you might be the one? The scriptures talk about the 99 and the one. “Have you ever thought you might be the one?” asked Ozod, a believer from Central Asia. “I see people in the West who claim to know God but when He asks them to do something, they ignore Him.”

By Nicole Todd – Open Doors – www.opendoors.org.au

How often do we ignore God unless what He’s asking is safe, comfortable and guaranteed to work? How often do we sell Jesus out for the hope of hearing a ‘yes’, or to protect against the fear and embarrassment of receiving a ‘no’? If we take Jesus out of our language, all we’re doing is paving the wide road to hell with generosity and good deeds. These lessons from the persecuted church cut at the very heart of our own faith, showing us what it means to follow Jesus no matter the cost. We’re all trying to figure out how to follow Jesus in today’s world. When we connect with our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world, in learning about their faith, we learn about our own, too. After all, “there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith… one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” – Ephesians 4:4-6 There are always things that will try to stop us from following Jesus. We can’t avoid that, but we can overcome it, together.

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IN CHRIST YOU CAN … ALLAN QUAK

Do you have good eyesight? Many people do. Do you always see? Not see with your eyes, but see perceptively? We see God’s creation. We see the impact of transformation from an old way of life to a new way of living. We see the Scripture and the call it places upon us. We see our lives, our responses, our reactions and our emotions. We see all of this; but are we really seeing? Are we being perceptive? In this article, as we continue this series looking at Philippians 4:4-9, there is the reminder that, “You Can Be Perceptive.” The reminder is in Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is

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Perceptive BE

admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy— think about such things. - Philippians 4:8 As we discern how this passage works in our lives, the structure of the article is simple. We will look at each word, then compare Scripture with Scripture, which will demonstrate how we can be people who are perceptive. Finally Paul uses this word to bring to a close his teaching on an important aspect of Christian living – with the

encouragement to put that living into action. You see it happen in Ephesians 6:10, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power”. In Ephesians the focus is on how families and social structures should function (cf. Ephesians 5:21-6:9). They function when there is strength which comes from God’s mighty power. Finally … It is a call not to stagnate but instead to keep growing and maturing. Whatever is TRUE In John 8 Jesus is challenged about being his own witness. In response: Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. - Acts 12:18-19 To validate a statement is to express truth. To show what is real, and what is a cover-up and discern that which is genuine. Such thinking is perceptive.

Whatever is NOBLE Paul uses the word in Titus:Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. - Titus 2:2 The call here is to age with dignity and be respected. A distant Greek word is connected to the issue of alcohol consumption, where the effects of alcohol causes intemperance. Nobility happens when our thinking stops us from losing control and dignity. Such thinking is perceptive. Whatever is RIGHT Being “right” is not the same as being correct. Matthew uses the word to describe Joseph’s treatment of the prematurely pregnant Mary. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. - Matthew 1:19 Being “right” means acting gracefully, with unexpected generosity, in a way that recognises that our spiritual relationship to God impacts our relationship to others. Such thinking is perceptive. Whatever is PURE The concept of purity goes back to the Old Testament sacrificial system where impurity meant an item couldn’t be used in worship at the temple, but that which is pure was suitable and presentable. However purity is not just a ceremonial act, it is a heart condition. “The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure,” says James 3:17. Our purity in Christ gives us a citizenship in heaven. The call here is to think

about the things which will help us focus on the heavenly and holy. Such thinking is perceptive. Whatever is LOVELY This word only appears once in the New Testament. The Greek (προσφιλής [prosphilees]) literally translates as “extending love towards another”. The “love word” used here is the sincere-and-deepfriendship-love. Paul is calling us to think about the ways that we can extend friendship love towards another. In doing so we remember that Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends (John 15:13-14).” Such thinking is perceptive. Whatever is ADMIRABLE This is another word that appears only once in the New Testament. Looking at the Greek (εὔφημος [euphemos]) we find that a literal translation would be “good report”. When Jesus’ ministry first started, the news of the ministry spread. All accounts would have given a good report. Admirable reports cause the hearts of others to say, “I’m glad I knew that”. Such thinking is perceptive. If Anything is EXCELLENT Peter shows us how this word works:His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness (excellence). For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge. - 2 Peter 1:3,5 What are the excellent good things that God has done? What gives God renown and a high estimation?

What are God-following virtues that are seen to be important, even by those who don’t follow God? Think about the things that makes such an impression, that others cannot help but honour excellence. Such thinking is perceptive. If Anything is PRAISEWORTHY Not boastful praise, but God driven praise. Paul says:A person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God. - Romans 2:29 Paul is talking here about living such a life that only God sees and He starts praising. It relates to the question of who you are when no one is looking. What is the unknown life actions and thoughts that would cause God to say, “I praise that”? Such thinking is perceptive.

TRUE NOBLE RIGHT PURE LOVELY ADMIRABLE EXCELLENT PRAISEWORTHY Think, ponder, consider, weigh, build up a memory of—and keep on thinking, pondering, considering, weighing, and building up memories of—these things. Then, in Christ, you can be perspective. This article series is based on a series of sermons preached by Allan Quak. You can listen to the full sermons here: www.nec.org.au/listen-to-asermon-series/in-christ-you-can

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HOW DO OUR FATHERS AFFECT OUR VIEW OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER? BY MIRANDA MENELAWS | BASIL SELLERS PRESS SERVICE INTERNATIONAL

Without a doubt, no matter your religious upbringing, you’ve heard God be referred to as our Father at some point or another. He’s both our Father in heaven, and the Father within the Trinity, working in harmony with Spirit and Son. But, my question as of late has been how does our perceptions of our earthly fathers skew our view of God as our Father? Our broken world Since the fall of man, we live in a Godless world. Not to say that His presence can’t dwell here, or that He’s unreachable, but rather that on this earth, there is a level of separation which will only end when we are reunited with Him in heaven someday. Because of this fact, you could also say we live in a fatherless world. Both figuratively, but sadly literally for many families.

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There’s over a million single-parent families within Australia alone, never mind the world, and the numbers seem to be climbing as the years pass. Many in my age range and younger are referred to as, “The Fatherless Generation” as their absence is greatly affecting our society. Plenty of us have lived with the pain of our fathers falling us short, fading out of our lives, or never even knowing them in the first place. With facts like that staring at us in the face, how are any of us capable of grasping the concept of God as a loving father if we’ve never experienced such a thing on earth? Childlike faith Have you ever noticed when reading scripture, especially the New Testament, the term, “Abba Father,” and wondered what exactly it meant or translated to?

To put it simply, Abba in Aramaic translates to Daddy. Something children typically call their fathers, with an element of tenderness and innocence, is also something we can speak and refer to God with. When I’m in a church and I see people raising their hands above their heads in a state of surrender and awe during worship, I can’t help but think of another picture it mirrors. The image of babies and toddlers raising their hands up when they want to be held, often still too young to communicate with words, yet still able to make a request to their fathers. What a beautiful metaphor the Lord has painted for us to better understand how He loves us, and how we are able to trust Him... I can’t help but be reminded of the passage in Romans chapter 8, verse 15 that says, “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’”

The fatherless have been adopted by the Heavenly Father, in whom we can have a childlike faith, and cry out to as our Daddy. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a privilege and a gift we hold as born-again Christians to be adopted by the Father, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one we often forget we have. Healing the hurt As beautiful as this gift is, it may not automatically diminish the pain and realities that come with a fatherless home, or an earthly father who fails us time and time again. However, this does offer a promise and a sense of hope. We have the promise that our Abba Father will heal those wounds, slowly but surely. Even if you have a wonderful earthly father like I do, there are still roles that only my Father in Heaven can fulfil. No matter how great any of your relationships with anyone on earth is, none of them can replace or come above your relationship with the Lord. I encourage anyone and everyone, no matter what wounds have been afflicted on you here on earth by fathers or father figures, to remember your Abba Father. Only He who sits on the throne can dry every tear and heal each hurt.

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GOSPEL FAITH OR GARBAGE FAITH BY JON POLK | PARK FORUM WWW.PARKFORUM.ORG

Scripture: Philippians 3:8-9 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. Before the Damascus road, Paul had all that we expect would make a person successful: respect, reputation, power, influence. He had the pedigree of his nationality and family. He had the résumé of an impeccable Pharisee, a leader in the community. And yet, even with all that he had achieved, once he met Christ, Paul realized everything prior was waste, rubbish, by comparison. The word that Paul uses in Philippians 3:8, often translated as “garbage,” is Greek for dung or excrement. Paul makes an extreme point by stating that all that he has built up in his life—all that we consider to be of value—is completely worthless when compared to faith in Christ. By using this particular word, he is saying that it is all, quite frankly, disgusting and repulsive. So what does Paul consider worthwhile? What should we strive for? For faith. For knowing Christ. To have a righteousness not found in accomplishments, or in keeping the law or rules, or in being a “good person.” The only worthy thing is knowing Christ in the power of His resurrection and in participation in His suffering. This kind of faith is our foundation. 40 AUG/SEP 19 QB.ORG.AU

A story is told of a wealthy man on his deathbed visited by an angel. Upon hearing the angel remind him that “you can’t take it with you,” the man pleads, “Please, I have so much that I have worked hard all my life to acquire. May I bring just one suitcase?” The man begs until the angel grants his request. Thinking he was clever; the wealthy man converted his riches and filled the suitcase with gold bars. When death came for the man and he arrived at the Pearly Gates, St. Peter insisted on inspecting his luggage. Opening the heavy suitcase to examine its contents, Peter looked at the man, puzzled, and asked, “Why did you bring a suitcase full of pavement?” The “streets of gold” metaphor in Revelation reminds us that the very things we find valuable in this life, will be most ordinary in our eternal life. The stuff we value here will be under our feet in eternity. Faith in Christ, the foundation of our righteousness, is the only thing that lasts. In the end, it won’t matter how much money we made, what country we were born in, what our family pedigree is, or how successful, powerful or prestigious we became. Only faith sustains and only faith remains. Jesus taught us, saying: “How blessed are the poor in spirit: the kingdom of heaven is theirs.” — Matthew 5:3

I NEED A FRIEND BY MELINDA MCCREDIE Becoming a Christian later in life can be challenging. It is hard not to compare yourself to everyone you meet in church, and at times it can feel like a long, lonely journey. For me coming from a non-Christian background, two of the most difficult challenges were finding a church where I fitted in and finding somebody I could talk to. I didn’t know anything about churches or denominations. I naively thought that if we all believed in the same God, how different could we be? Very different apparently! I soon discovered how scathing a pastor or a minister could be of other denominations and their beliefs. For a while I drifted between churches, searching for something I never seemed to be able to find. I was drawn to the idea of knowing more about God, but most of the people I met were already established in their own group of friends and I felt like an outsider. I had so many questions, but I was afraid to ask them. The most surprising thing to me was how difficult it was to make friends. I was always worried that I would say or do the wrong thing, so I mostly kept quiet and listened. Some of the teaching I heard impacted me greatly, but I still hadn’t found a place to call home. It was on my eldest daughter’s third birthday that I went to yet another church, but this time the

pastor invited everyone to pray the sinner’s prayer. I didn’t have to go up the front or call any attention to myself. The entire congregation was asked to close their eyes and let this moment be between them and Jesus. And somehow, it felt like my whole life had been leading up to that moment. I continued at that church for several years after that day. I won’t say it was easy, but over time I learned how to be myself. The message of salvation overwhelmed me at first, and I kept thinking it was too good to be true. But God kept teaching and guiding me, and eventually I realised that all I had to do was come as I am, and He would accept me. For the first time, I also heard about the difference between religion and relationship. I discovered that one imposes rules as interpreted by man, while the other promotes a real relationship with God. I also learned that it was ok to ask questions, and to measure what I was hearing against scripture. Finding freedom in God to be myself finally allowed me to make some friends. It was difficult putting myself out there, and there were definitely times of pain and rejection in the

process. It might sound naive to admit this, but I had to accept that not everyone was going to like me! But that was also what helped me find real relationships. I first had to learn to be ok with being me. And then I had to have to confidence to let others see that. I learned that the best way to make friends was to ask God to bring the right people into my life at the right time. Part of that experience is accepting that some friendships might only be for a season, while some are for life. Being lonely is hard! But God might use our season of loneliness to grow us in compassion and understanding for others. He might want us to minister to someone else, which is very difficult to do if you can’t empathise with what they are going through. God says He will never leave us or forsake us. No matter how lonely or desperate we feel, we will always have Him. It took me a long time to believe this truth! No matter what people do to me, I can trust God with my heart. I pray that you will too. Melinda is a writer who primarily writes devotions based on her own life experiences with God. She also has a blog titled www. thedevotedlife.com and a selfpublished book. Melinda attends Gateway Baptist Church with her husband Drewe and two daughters.

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reviews

BOOK (PAPERBACK) RICHARD DAWKINS , C.S. LEWIS AND THE MEANING OF LIFE ALISTER E MCGRATH $14.99 AT KOORONG Alister McGrath has written to great acclaim on both Richard Dawkins and C. S. Lewis. Here he brings these two intriguing and well-known writers into a conversation. They could hardly have more different perspectives! Engaging with their views is a brilliant way of sharpening up our own thinking on the meaning of life. Richard Dawkins’ utopian vision of a world without religion is here deftly punctured by McGrath’s informed discourse. His fellow Oxonian clearly demonstrates the gaps, inconsistencies and surprising lack of depth in Dawkins’ arguments. Owen Gingerich, Professor Emeritus of Astronomy and History of Science, Harvard University. - Publisher

BOOK (HARDCOVER) - STORMING THE GATES OF HEAVEN: PRAYER THAT PROCLAIMS THE PROMISES OF GOD ANNE GRAHAM LOTZ $14.99 AT KOORONG

www.koorong.com

DVD - BREAKTHROUGH CHRISSY METZ, JOSH LUCAS, TOPHER GRACE, MIKE COLTER $24.99 AT KOORONG

What is the secret to praying prayers that really “work”? In Storming the Gates of Heaven, a plan for praying effective prayers that God answers is presented through unpacking the ancient prayer of the prophet Daniel, a prayer that moved heaven and changed a nation and one that even today can deliver on God ‘s promises. It’s a prayer birthed under pressure. Heartache. Grief. Desperation. It can be triggered by a sudden revelation of hope. Here is the secret to answered prayer, a promise freshly received, a miracle that lies just over the horizon.

From the producer of Miracles From Heaven, BREAKTHROUGH is based on the inspirational true story of one mother’s unfaltering love in the face of impossible odds. When Joyce Smith’s adopted son John falls through an icy Missouri lake, all hope seems lost. But as John lies lifeless, Joyce refuses to give up. Her steadfast belief inspires those around her to continue to pray for John’s recovery, even in the face of every case history and scientific prediction. Starring Chrissy Metz (This Is Us), Topher Grace (SpiderMan 3, That 70’s Show), Josh Lucas (Sweet Home Alabama), Dennis Haysbert (24) and adapted for the screen by Grant Nieporte (Seven Pounds) from Joyce Smith’s own book, BREAKTHROUGH is an enthralling reminder that faith and love can create a mountain of hope, and sometimes even a miracle.

- Publisher

- Koorong

In this adaptation of her bestselling book, The Daniel Prayer, Anne Graham Lotz unlocks a powerful pattern of prayer for claiming the promises of God.

CD - I EXALT THEE: 50 YEARS OF SCRIPTURE IN SONG $19.99 AT KOORONG The story of Scripture in Song is a NZ story, uniquely NZ. A tiny country produced a little idea that took the world by storm. It’s a story that changed the way people do church right around the globe. It started a revolution in Praise and worship. David and Dale Garratt and friends wrote easy to sing tunes and words right out of the Bible... Scripture in Song was born. What if the songs were catchy easy to sing? Guitars and drums were brought into the church? A new time and season began. On the 29th and 30th of March, Christians from around the world gathered at Life Central in Auckland to celebrate 50 years of Scripture in Song. - Koorong 42 AUG/SEP 19 QB.ORG.AU

BOOK CONVERGENCE THE SPIRIT-LED JOURNEY JOHN PHILLIP MOORE Do you have desires for your life-things you want to happen? If you do, and most people do, are they realistic, or do they seem just way too out there to ever materialize? But who’s to say what’s real or too farfetched to come true? You might be surprised by what God has in store for you. Author John Phillip Moore knows about dreams, desires, and working through ideas. And he knows about God’s extraordinary role in their realization.

MOVIE REVIEW LITTLE WOMEN HERITAGE FILMS WWW.MOVIESCHANGEPEOPLE.COM Sisters—and dreams—are unique in their ability to inspire, encourage and change the world. For 150 years, Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women has motivated women of all ages to dream together and celebrate family. Coming to cinemas for the first time, a modern retelling of LITTLE WOMEN brings a new generation together with their mothers, sisters and friends. From girls playing in the attic to women living with purpose, the March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy—are committed to always supporting each other. Yet, growing up sometimes means growing apart. An aspiring writer, Jo leaves for New York determined to publish a novel. In the wake of rejected draft upon draft, her editor challenges Jo to write about something more interesting—her family. When tragedy brings the sisters back home, sticking together takes on new meaning. As Jo comforts her sick sister, Beth asks for one thing: a story. Jo knows the perfect one … by heart. Starring Lea Thompson as Marmee and featuring a talented cast, including Lucas Grabeel and Ian Bohen, LITTLE WOMEN tells the story of the same beloved sisters to a new generation. Celebrating dreams, family and unconditional love, LITTLE WOMEN opens in cinemas this September. ---

SPECIAL OFFER

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4 cinema tickets for $40. Plan a girls night out with your sisters - valid any session September 5–8. Download voucher and find participating cinema locations at littlewomenthemovie.com.au ---

DOUBLE PASS GIVEAWAY

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We are offering two double movie passes to watch LITTLE WOMEN this September! For your chance to win, just email your name and postal address to marketing@qb.org.au or enter online at www.qbmagazine.org.au by August 26th 2019. The first two entries drawn will win.

In his book, Convergence: The Spirit-led Journey, he uses his experiences alongside those of others to show how God provides us all with glimpses into what lies ahead for us. Each chapter takes readers on an adventure into different aspects of people’s Christian experiences. You will work through twelve spiritual considerations of your life and in that process interpret much more of God’s desire for your life. Readers will also discover the importance of visions, dreams, ideas, and patterns, which form various aspects of God’s unveiling will in your life. This guidebook deals with seeds planted in the heart, unearths nurturing principles, and then promotes action for the sojourner. The book is available to purchase via Koorong Online and in-store. ---

WIN A BOOK

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To win a copy of the book (Convergencethe Spirit-Led Journey” by John Phillip Moore, visit the QB magazine website www. qbmagazine.org.au and enter your details, or email your full name and address to maketing@qb.org.au, or post your full name and address to “QB Magazine – Convergence Book Draw”, PO BOX 6166, Mitchelton QLD 4053. Two (2) winners will be randomly chosen, and the draw closes at midnight on 23 September 2019.

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FUN ZONE WHERE IS THAT LITTLE PIGGY? Sir-Save-a-Lot the Baplink piggy bank is hiding somewhere in the magazine. Can you find him? Congratulations! Congratulations! To all those who found Sir-Save-a-Lot hiding on page 4 (June/July Issue of The QB Magazine).

CROSSWORD

WORD SEARCH Can you find the hidden words? They may be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, forwards or backwards.

Alyssum Azalea Begonia Camellia Carnation Crocus Dahlia Daisy Dandelion Foxglove Freesia For solutions, visit Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GaythorneOffice/

44 AUG/SEP 19 QB.ORG.AU

Fuchsia Gerbera Iris Jasmine Lavender Lilac Lily Lotus Marigold Musk Myrtle

Nigella Oleander Orchid Pansy Peony Poinsettia Rose Tulip Violet Wattle Wisteria

Puzzle Choice www.puzzlechoice.com is the source of this Crossword. www.puzzles.ca is the source of this word search.

SUDOKU CHALLENGE Sudoku rules: Each row, column and block must contain one of the numbers from 1 to 9. No number may appear more than once in any row, column or block. When youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve filled the entire grid, the puzzle is solved.

WORD UNJUMBLE Seasons Unjumble the words relating to Spring. Then unjumble the red letters to answer the clue. RNWBOAI RWMA OSSOBLM FERLOW UBD REKSILPNR Clue: Flowers do this in spring Word Unjumble Answer

Sudoku puzzle provided by www.sudokuoftheday.com visit them and get a new Sudoku every day!

CALM SPOT - COLOUR

REBUS PUZZLE Can you find the hidden word or common phrase in the picture puzzles?

Puzzles to Print is the source of the puzzles https://www.puzzles-to-print.com

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FOR SALE

FOR SALE CHILDREN’S BOOKS Beautifully illustrated self-published children’s picture books with warm and gentle stories. $40 per set of 9 or $5 per book. Author and illustrator, Dorothy Wheatley, a former Ethiopian missionary, wrote to both entertain and to teach valuable lessons to 3 to 5-year olds. To order email cbourne@aapt.net.au or phone 07 3870 8838 or 0421 317 702.

POSITIONS VACANT CAIRNS BAPTIST CHURCH – CHINESE MISSION Cairns Baptist is seeking a Pastor to oversee our existing Chinese Mission within the Cairns Baptist church family. Applicants will need to be able to speak Mandarin and Cantonese and have a solid knowledge of Chinese culture. Applications should be in writing to Rev. Joshua McGinty, josh@cairnsbaptist.org.au by August 9th 2019.

QB MAGAZINE

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THE VOICE OF QUEENSLAND BAPTISTS

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Email details to qb@qb.org.au Or post to PO Box 6166 Mitchelton Q 4051

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POSITIONS VACANT

ACCOMMODATION BRISBANE: House available as a ministry for

CHILDREN’S AND YOUTH PASTOR/WORKER – PART-TIME A vacancy exists for a part-time (2-3 days) Children’s and Youth Pastor/Worker at Tenthill Baptist Church. THBC is a small country church 10 mins from Gatton in the beautiful Lockyer Valley, SE Queensland. We have a vibrant Youth Group, Sunday morning children’s program, and monthly evening Sunday services alongside our morning service. There is ample opportunity for ministry, particularly with our young people. Interested applicants who would like a copy of the position description are encouraged to contact Jayson Windolf (jayson@windolffarms.com.au) or 0427 578 226.

missionaries and church workers on the move. Three bedrooms, fully furnished, everything provided. Bus stop at the door. Minimal rent. Email: gtho4536@bigpond.net.au

CALOUNDRA - GOLDEN BEACH: Highset three bedroom holiday home. Weekends or weekly. Pets OK. Close to beach. Phone 0402 077 822 or lizottaway15@gmail.com. CALOUNDRA: Sunshine Coast, Qld, beachside units from $400/wk, ph 0427 990 161. CORAL COVE: BNB accommodation on coast

east of Bundaberg. Nightly costs $30 plus $12 each additional person plus one-off cleaning fee $12. Weekly bookings discounted. Details can be seen at: https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/33140733. Discounts available for Baptist members. You may phone Ken or Margaret direct on 07 4155 6605 or email: kandmbnb@outlook.com

SHARE ACCOMMODATION: Fairfield Christian Family (www.fcfchurch.org.au) is located in a vibrant inner city suburb close to universities. There is currently one vacancy for a male (student or worker) in a share accommodation house adjacent to the church. Please contact Pastor Neil Pattemore, ph 0435 065 035 or tarragindipats@yahoo.com.au. FOR HIRE LARGE AUDITORIUM: Seats 290. Queensland Baptists’ Centre at Gaythorne. Phone Sharon, 07 3354 5600 for more information or visit www.qb.com.au – venue hire.

LONGREACH BAPTIST CHURCH SENIOR PASTOR POSITION Longreach Baptist Church is located in Central Western Queensland and is seeking a Senior Pastor (full-time) to join us in loving God, following Christ, reaching the lost and building believers. For more information, please go to our website: www.longreachbaptist.com and email the Pastoral Calling Committee at longreachbaptist@gmail.com

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At Carinity we believe in building communities where you feel at home, a place where you are included, heard and valued.

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For 70 years we have been making a real difference to the lives of people in need. We’re here for you.