Issuu

The voice of Queensland Baptists October 2013

Kids are precious Synergy 40 hours Print post approved ISSN: 100003837 The Queensland Baptist - first published in 1890. This series Vol 11 Issue 5.

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What’s happening at BAPLink? Our current Term Investment Rate is:

6 months 4.30% p.a. Effective 1 September 2013 Please note: Investment rates are subject to change without notice with the exception of fixed term investments already lodged. Interest is calculated on daily balances and paid or accumulated half-yearly unless otherwise agreed.

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Regulatory Compliance: BAPLink is not subject to the following requirements • To have a ‘Disclosure Document’ or ‘Product Discourse Statement’ (PDS) • To be registered or have a Trust Deed under the Corporations Act 2001 • The scheme has not been examined or approved by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC). BAPLink will deliver audited financial statements to ASIC each year • Neither ‘The Baptist Union of Queensland’ (controlling entity) nor ‘BAPLink’ (the Fund) is prudentially supervised by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) • Contributions to the fund do not obtain the benefit of the depositer protection provisions of the Banking Act 1959. BAPLink investment schemes are designed for people who wish to promote the charitable purposes of The Baptist Union of Queensland and its constituted churches

for whom the consideration of profit is not of primary relevance. Such investments are not specifically secured but repayment is underwritten by the overall funds and assets of The Baptist Union of Qld. In line with changes to banking regulations, BAPLinK will be required to comply with tighter liquidity standards as administered by the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA ). As a result, BAPLinK is required to introduce the condition that an early withdrawal of a fixed term investment cannot be made until the expiry of 31 days after such a request has been made and is agreed by BAPLinK. This change is effective from 1 October 2013. From this date onwards, if the investment is requested to be repaid prior to the agreed maturity, a period of 31 days notice must be allowed before the investment can be returned. The 31 days notice will generally commence from the day that BAPLinK receives the request to break the investment. If any break cost is applicable, it will be determined and agreed on the day the investment is returned. BAPLinK may release funds in the case when an investor’s exceptional circumstances lead to hardship.

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In this issue

Comment: David Loder Speaking out: John Sweetman Around the regions Baptisms Dalby Baptist Church Milestones Extending God’s Kingdom series Persecution brief Reviews Fun zone Classifieds

QB ministries Kids are precious (QB kids & their families) The road to missional (QCCC) She is... Light (QB Women) That’ll do me! (Malyon College) Leaps and bounds (Carinity) QB Archives

18 22 24 26 28 32

QB partners New fashion report generates international discussion (BWAA) How do you really prepare? (Global Interaction)

34 36

Articles Synergy Authenticity in the ‘now’ Laying a biblical foundation for life 40 Hours

30 37 38

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36 Our cover: These two little girls, both named Sarah, demonstrate so beautifully the wonderful opportunity to welcome each other in Christian love and harmony that two very different cultural groups have discovered through establishing a partnership for worship and ministry. You’ll find their story, A tale of two Sarahs, in ‘Around the regions’.

News, views and issues 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: Robynne Milne Advertising: Emily Twible 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 and postal address. 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.

From the Editor Reading one of the articles in this issue made me want to pull on my running shoes and head way out west to see what’s happening! Adrian Pratap’s contribution (God is bringing the rain!) highlights the amazing movement of the Holy Spirit that is sweeping through parts of outback Queensland. As you read Adrian’s article, please take time to pray for him and the church in Mt Isa who are discipling some of the many new Christians.

Don’t miss Sheridan Voysey’s interview in the ‘Reviews’. I am confident that his latest book, Resurrection Year: Turning Broken Dreams into New Beginnings will strike a chord with many people who have known disappointment in their lives, and who, perhaps, have struggled to understand the purpose of those seasons of life.

John Sweetman’s comments (Is God homophobic?) help us to focus on this important issue that continues to be so prominent in our community. He urges us, as the body of Christ, to welcome all-comers, and provide refuge to broken and searching people so that we can truly be ‘a church that Jesus would be proud of ’.

Enjoy!

I trust that this issue of The qb will encourage and bless you.

Robynne Milne Editor qb@qb.com.au

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 at www.qb.com.au - follow the links to qb magazine. 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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Comment

Loving others ... WIDER— Extending God’s Kingdom ‘Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went’ (Acts 8:4). Some things don’t need to be taught. I don’t need to learn how to cheer on my favourite sporting team—I just do it. I don’t need to be taught how to share about an exciting event in my life—I just talk about it. That’s how it was with the Gospel and the early church. Jesus gave the command to make disciples and off they went. When persecution came to the church, they scattered. But as they spread out they couldn’t help themselves; they talked about Jesus. We have no awareness of any special witnessing classes, they just talked about Jesus. You and I can do the same. Here are some reminders: •

•

The best people to talk about the Gospel are those who have responded to it. A witness is someone who sees or experiences an event and gives an account of their experience. So ensure your experience is personal and current. Witnessing is talking the Gospel, not winning an argument. Winning an argument doesn’t mean you are right! There are many good

•

debaters who can win a false assertion. It is the role of the Holy Spirit to convict people. We share the Gospel, and then the Holy Spirit further advances the Kingdom input. He knows what is happening far more than we do. Everyone knows someone who needs Jesus. We are all called to be witnesses. Yes, there are things we can learn, but ultimately we can speak confidently about the Good News which brings hope to a desperate people.

Board Focus The QB Board Retreat was held in August. There will be more to say about this in the future. Our focus will be on knowing God. This is more than knowing about God, it is actually knowing him in a deeper, more intimate way. Who we are is more important to God than what we do. Our relationship with him is a higher priority than what we do for him. The Bible makes this abundantly clear. Too often we want to get out and be busy for God and neglect being busy with him. Flowing out of this relationship

will inevitably be things we do in his Name. This has not been overlooked by the Board, and we will continue to sharpen this focus as well. Thank you for your prayers for your Board. Ministry We continue to be excited about the things that are happening throughout Queensland Baptists. Some of these stories are written up in this edition (and others) of The qb magazine. I commend these articles to you, not just for information and inspiration, but also for prayer. I also encourage you to pray regularly for our churches. Finally… Do you realise how close the church is to extinction? If we stop reaching people for Jesus, the church will come to an end in this generation. The Head of the Church, the Lord Jesus, will not let that happen and neither should we! He will do his part, we need to do ours! David Loder General Superintendent gs@qb.com.au

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Speaking out

Is God

homophobic?

My prayer is that the church becomes known as a place where sin, in all its forms, is named and challenged ... and where the broken and searching find refuge, love and healing. That’s a church that Jesus would be proud of.

According to Social Researcher Mark McCrindle’s research*, the church’s stance on homosexuality is the number one problem for Australians who claim that they are not open to considering Christian faith. For them, this is a greater blocker to faith than any other issue. Many Aussies view the church as closed-minded and homophobic. This should be of great concern to the church. Certainly, the conservative church’s attitude towards homosexuality is very different from that presented in the media where TV shows such as Modern Family and Glee portray the gay lifestyle as normal and virtuous, and media personalities like Ellen are proudly gay or lesbian. Clearly, most postmoderns in our society see homosexuality as a personal choice and not a matter of ethics. So why are Christians opposed to homosexual practice? To start with there is the Old Testament law where homosexual activity is described as abhorrent to God (Leviticus 18:22) and requiring

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capital punishment (Leviticus 20:13). But then in the same section of the law, a man and woman who had sex during her period were banished (Leviticus 20:18). So it could be argued that these aspects of the law were health requirements for God’s community living in a particularly primitive context. However, the New Testament also condemns homosexuality. Twice it is included in a list of serious sins. These sins are both contrary to sound teaching (1 Timothy 1:8-10) and may exclude people from the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). It is important to note that Christian opposition to the practice of homosexuality was somewhat countercultural in a Greco-Roman world where homosexuality was prevalent and accepted, at least in the upper class. It wasn’t until the Roman Empire became Christian that homosexuality was universally condemned.

Speaking out

Why would God be opposed to homosexual behaviour? The clearest answer is in Romans 1:2627 where it is described as ‘unnatural’. In other words, homosexual behaviour was never intended by God when he created people to live and raise a family in committed, exclusive, heterosexual relationships. But the Fall changed all that. It brought brokenness, and we all carry the scars. Same-sex orientation was just one of the many ‘unnatural’ results that touch all our lives. This is not what God intended for his creation and never will be. He only wants his best for his people.

you]. Go and sin no more’ ( John 8:11 NLT). Jesus rejected her lifestyle choices, but loved the woman.

But how can God be critical of people who have not chosen their orientation, whether it be because of heredity or environment? Let me offer a less emotive parallel. Because of the Fall, some people are prone to addictions. There is something in their nature (whether genetic or learned) that makes them more vulnerable to becoming addicted. They have not chosen this and it does not make them inferior or bad people. But their condition means that in some areas they have to work harder to do right. Their innate vulnerability is the reason, but it is not an excuse. They are accountable to God to do right, no matter how strong the temptations.

Maybe our community can’t see the difference between our opposing homosexuality and our opposing homosexuals. But the church definitely needs to be clear about the difference. I know it sounds passé, but we must constantly ask ourselves, ‘What would Jesus do?’

Similarly, we need to recognise that it is a tough challenge for Christians with a same-sex orientation, but God calls them not to engage in homosexual relationships. He won’t compromise because of our brokenness. However, God is not in the least bit homophobic. He loves homosexuals. He has always had a deep heart for those who find it toughest to do what is right because of their circumstances. When Jesus was on earth, he spent considerable time with tax collectors and prostitutes (Luke 7:34). He hated their lifestyle, but he loved these broken people who were rejected and shunned by the rest of society. His response to the woman caught committing adultery (punishable by death in the Jewish law) is typical: ‘Neither do I [condemn

God has a great heart for people with a same-sex orientation. He knows their struggles, he feels their pain, and he loves them deeply. It grieves God that the church has often been more like the Pharisees (condemning sinners) than his Son (condemning sin but loving sinners). It is sad that the followers of the One who was labelled a friend of sinners have gained a reputation in society as being enemies of homosexuals.

Many years ago I was leading an Alpha group, through which interested people were exploring Christian faith. We had an openly gay guy in the group. When the question was asked, ‘What do you pray for?’ the man immediately responded, ‘I pray every morning for my partner’. There was a short silence as people considered how to respond. In that moment, I had a deep sense of Jesus’ love for this man who was in the right place – sitting among Christians and exploring faith and its implications. My prayer is that the church becomes known as a place where sin, in all its forms, is named and challenged (no matter how uncomfortable this is to us or to our society) and where the broken and searching find refuge, love and healing. That’s a church that Jesus would be proud of.

*http://mccrindle.com.au/resources/Australian-Communities-Report_McCrindle-Research.pdf

John Sweetman Principal, Malyon College john.sweetman@malyon.edu.au

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Around the Regions feel comfortable in attending church were drawn to the event, and the monies raised went to Coral Coast Community Care Inc of Bargara, a charitable organisation that benefits the community.

developed with many businesses. The whole essence of the fair would be to provide much-needed church generosity to the Bundaberg and coastal communities. The vision was to hold a fabulous event where families could spend as little, or as much, as they wanted and still be guaranteed an enjoyable day. Beth has always maintained that in these tough economic times, this is important.

The Bargara Strawberry Fair During 2011, the Coral Coast Christian Church started to think about how they could bless the Bundaberg community through a display of generosity. This led Beth Scott, a member of the congregation, to accept a role as Church Events Coordinator. Beth sees this as a personal calling to be involved in the implementation of God’s vision for the ministries of the church. After waiting on God for clear direction, the church felt led to hold a Strawberry Fair. The idea arose due to the close proximity of many strawberry farmers and the confidence that working relationships could be

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In August 2012, the first Strawberry Fair was held and there was such a positive response from the community—around 7000 people attended! It was a free event which blessed local business through direct income and sponsorship advertising. It soon became apparent that the event’s launch had built relationships within the wider community. It was also clear that the event had contributed to breaking down barriers between the church and the community. In essence, the church’s original goal of blessing the community had been achieved. This gave the church a great sense of joy and lifted spirits, and months later, people were still talking about how wonderful the event was. People who would not normally

The event requires a lot of hard work for Beth—she is responsible for its organisation as an ongoing annual event. She has many others who share her vision and has been able to delegate management of two key areas (Art/Literature exhibition and the Kids Kaleidoscope). Also, the men from the Men’s Shed, which is run by Coral Coast Community Inc., took a lead in developing the property to make it suitable for the event. After all the hard work, well over 9000 people attended the 2013 Strawberry Fair, which was an absolute success and a lot of fun! Some of the highlights of the day included continuous live entertainment, circus acts, lots of competitions, Art/Literature displays and workshops for adults and children, giveaways, an auction, pony rides, 100 boutique stalls, the ‘Kids Kaleidoscope’ and amusement rides. Beth said: ‘Most people love strawberries and to showcase them in such a fabulous way not only puts Bundaberg strawberries on the map, but also draws attention to all the other wonderful produce grown in our region.’ She said that community feedback was very positive and she believed that the event’s success was due to cooperation between the church and the community.

Around the regions Image: Peter Jensen and John Sweetman, Principal of Malyon College

On the move Image: Sales of merchandise help support the ministry

Help for refugees Leana, who worships with one our Gold Coast churches, was so touched by the plight of refugees that she has established Migration Ministry. Changing Lives. Saving Lives, a Christ-centred legal ministry. It is non-discriminatory and non-denominational, helping anyone in need. Leana founded the ministry because she realised that filling in a form and filing it correctly could be the difference between life and death for some people. The vision is simple, that each person is given a chance to save or change their life legally. Of course, she cannot promise these outcomes because the Department of Immigration and Citizenship has the final say, but Leana strives to facilitate equal access to justice.

• •

Rev Ian Wright has accepted a call as Senior Pastor to City Tabernacle Pastor Richard Hadfield has retired

The profits from the sale of merchandise available online go back into the running of the ministry and subsidising the legal fees for humanitarian visa applicants. Currently, Leana’s part-time job also funds the ministry. She needs to promote the service, so full fee-paying clients will support the aims and vision and engage with the service. These fees will also assist in running the ministry.

Peter Jensen speaks at QB Centre

For more information, visit www.migrationministry.com.au or view https://vimeo.com/72080693

A morning tea was held at the QB Centre recently to thank Russell Matthews for his excellent work as Professional Standards Worker for Queensland Baptists. Ken Conwell has combined the role with his existing position and is now QB’s Professional Standards & Insurance Officer.

Outgoing NSW Anglican Archbishop, Peter Jensen, spoke with some Christian leaders at the QB Centre recently, and then at Malyon College.

Farewell Russell; welcome Ken

Leana has a passion for helping the persecuted, women and children at risk, refugees and asylum seekers. To give you an idea of God’s amazing power and vision for this ministry (which has been a drive and pull beyond Leana’s own!), recently an international organisation decided to refer persecuted Christians from potentially 60 countries to this ministry. Leana sees this as a chance for people to witness God’s love, grace and mercy to a lost and hurting world—a chance to convey that God never leaves us, nor forsakes us. Image: (L-R) Ken and Russell

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Around the regions A tale of two Sarahs Early in the year, with the assistance of Queensland Baptists, New Life Community Church and Forest Lake Baptist Church began discussions about possibilities for partnership. New Life Community Church, which mainly consists of Congolese background African Christians, was meeting in a Uniting Church building in Moorooka, even though most of the congregation are now settled in the Brisbane West and Ipswich areas. New Life Community Church was seeking to relocate closer to where their congregation lives and, at the same time, Forest Lake Baptist Church was looking for opportunities to better reflect the diversity of their suburb and have more opportunities to reach different groups in their immediate location. Importantly, Pastor Costa Mukendi was looking for a church where his congregation could integrate and work together. Pastor Mark Mackay, likewise, saw opportunities for one body, though diverse yet united, to be effective in evangelism and extending God’s Kingdom in Brisbane’s western suburbs. So negotiations, discussion, prayers and visits began. Prior to the relocation, again with QB assistance, pastors of the churches started to meet and pray, then leadership meetings followed. The pastors and leaders began attending each other’s churches to share the feeling and to help discern where the Lord might lead. Later, the congregations got involved in discussion, and finally a document was produced that outlined the possible partnership, where the partnership may be heading and what the features of future partnership of the two churches could be. On 7 July, New Life Church began meeting in the premises where Forest Lake Baptist meets. Pastors Mark and Costa share some thoughts: How do you think that God might extend his Kingdom through this unique ministry opportunity? Pastor Mark: ‘The area where our church is ministering is multicultural and is getting more diverse. The partnership provides a unique opportunity to reflect the community but also to be effective to extend God’s Kingdom through the manifestation of unity in Christ within the diversity.’ Pastor Costa: ‘New Life Community Church is a church formed by refugees from Africa who now call Australia home. Our community need to integrate into Australia; to get to know Australian people. This kind of partnership provides an opportunity for our youth and children to have Aussie friends and better integrate and not feel alienated. This will help our churches keep their

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respective culture and prepare our children for the next generation, and, at the same time, enjoy living the Christian life together.’ What was the most difficult challenge before this partnership began. Pastor Mark: ‘The most difficult part was how to do it well. For that we prayed and consulted different parties and churches, including churches who have good, and not so good, experience. We were particularly helped by Queensland Baptists, Emil Rahimov and also Stuart Bradley from our church.’ Pastor Costa: ‘Any major change is a significant decision, particularly a change where you are not sure how it will work. We spent a lot of time and took careful and prayerful steps as recommended by our Regional Consultant, Emil Rahimov. We certainly saw the Lord’s hand at work, and we realise that it is just a beginning and the future is full of challenges.’ What do you think the partnership will look like in the future? Pastor Mark: ‘I see ourselves being fully integrated and one church. I see whole new outreach opportunities to African immigrants in our area. I see us being more effective in reaching our local diverse community. I see our African brothers and sisters taking a significant part in our church life, and both congregations sharing the vision and working together, hand in hand, to extend the Kingdom of our God.’ Pastor Costa: ‘I see our church getting more multicultural, I see our African youth speaking better Aussie, having barbecues on Sunday “arvos”, and I see more close friendships developed across the cultures within our church. I see our church becoming a niche for relationships between Australians, Congolese or African Christian people, living in a mutual symbiosis where both benefit.’

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During your first service you had a unique sign from the Lord. What was it? Pastor Mark: ‘When some of the new Congolese families joined us at our 9:30 service, a seven-yearold Congolese girl (Sarah C) felt uncomfortable because she was the only Congolese child in her class at Kidzone. She was sad, so she got off her chair, sat on the ground and started to cry. An Australian six-yearold girl (Sarah M) saw her, so she left her friends, sat on the ground, put her arm around Sarah C and made her feel better. ‘Later, Sarah M went to the Congolese service with her dad. She was getting embarrassed by her dad’s attempt to dance like the Congolese people, so she started to shuffle down the aisle and found herself alone. This time, Sarah C saw that Sarah M was on her own, so she came over and invited her to stand with her as they worshipped Jesus together.

Mark preached at the African service on the first Sunday and used the two Sarahs as an example for the rest of us to follow.’

Serving and giving Chris Wren, Browns Plains Baptist Church, writes: How do you connect with a community that you suspect, in general, thinks that you are either after their money or want to get them saved? Our response: ‘Let’s do something where we do all the serving and giving, and ask for nothing in return. Let’s discover whether we can just love (agapé) people.’

‘We can learn from children and this amazing story that played out in front of us on Sunday morning—the lesson of the two Sarahs. It’s obvious that we can apply this to our church welcoming the Congolese congregation and the Congolese congregation welcoming us.’

So Browns Plains Baptist Church decided to hold a Car Boot Sale. On a large grassed area, and in a great position, the church held its first car boot sale in November last year. There was no charge for the sites, (which really baffled some people) and free morning tea of cakes and hot dogs for sellers and buyers alike. We were set for a great day, and in spite of the drizzly rain, it was a great day.

Pastor Costa: ‘The two Sarahs becoming close friends was really a sign from the Lord for us. I hope over the years there will be many more stories like that within our church. Pastor

We held our third sale on election day. The number of open car boots has increased and the number of buyers has increased (we’re working on ways to bring more people in).

Have our Car Boot Sales made any difference to anyone? Yes they have! Our fellowship with one another has increased as we have loved and worked together. It has broken down some of our barriers as we have discovered it is not too hard to love strangers, to talk and laugh with them, to share the presence of Jesus in our lives with them. It has shifted some of us out of our comfort zones, and we’ve actually been blessed by it. Have we made a difference in the lives of the people who have come to the Sales? Yes we have! We have shared the love of Jesus with them! ‘There is such a nice atmosphere here.’ ‘Really appreciate the morning tea.’ ‘We want to come to the next one.’ ‘How often do you hold these?’ Some faces are becoming familiar; seeds of relationships are being sown. We have also had the blessing of a family joining us at church each week. We are on the journey; making connection with those who are yet to become followers of Jesus.

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Baptisms

Baptisms After 3 ½ years of careful and patient teaching, 11 August was the very last Sunday that Pastor Steve Henley at Minden Baptist Church preached in the book of Matthew. The passage was Matthew 28:16-20, the Great Commission. Steve urged the church that he believed there were people present who needed to be obedient to this command in Scripture. During the sermon, a nine-year-old boy, Jordan Kinnear, had the courage to say that he was ready to be baptised. Steve said, ‘that’s great’, only half believing his sincerity. After the service, Jordan’s mum, Kellie, told Steve that he was serious. At the ‘Throne Room’ service that night, the youth had a share time when one of them, Lucas Sippel, mentioned that he had been really challenged by the morning sermon and felt that he should be baptised. Youth Pastor, Patrick Henley, challenged the rest of the group, saying that he thought there were others who also needed to be baptised. One after the other they joined Lucas in their desire to be baptised. It wasn’t that they copied each other but rather they were all on their own individual journeys with God and somehow the timing was right for each one. What an amazing God we have—he made that day a very special day at the end of 3 ½ years of teaching. Two weeks later, 13 young people (aged 9 to 18) were baptised at a local creek, in very cold water, near Wivenhoe Dam at Fernvale. ‘I am reminded that we need to receive the kingdom as a little child. It took a child to be obedient to this command and so the others followed by the power of the Spirit’, Pastor Steve said. Please pray for those baptised recently in all our churches around Queensland, including:

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Annerley Hasan E Susan E Meysam S Birkdale Mark Jolly Joel Redman Jaiden Robson Ethan Thomas

New Heart Imogen Davis Madison Davis Candice Ferris Neil Lomas Viv Nash Andrea Rugda-Casas Slavic Liudmila Nohova

Caboolture Larissa McBunker

Stafford Heights Colin Dean

Kruger Parade Nick Darby Chris Ibell Ben Kickbusch Jodie Paul David Wheele Hayley Whittaker-Trebble

Stanley River Sascha can Nunen

Minden Jesse Baker Kaleb Baker Jamie-Lee Boekel Reece Boekel Grace Kinnear Jordan Kinnear Riley Langlands Liam Oliver Anni Olyslager Charlotte Olyslager Isaac Sippel Lucas Sippel Thomas Smith

Sudanese of Logan City Joyce Abau Nonya Ater Marriam Bosco Lucy Okeny Richard Otema James Sarah Riak

Baptisms

Dalby Baptist Church Image: (Right) Dale Lewis (Below) Seth Dillon baptised by Pastor Frank Hall

A year of

change and challenge

So far, 2013 has been a year for saying ‘goodbye’ for Dalby Baptist Church.

be saying goodbye to our 26-year-old Youth Pastor of only seven months.

We began the year by saying goodbye to our Associate Pastor and his young family when they answered God’s call to serve at Clontarf Baptist Church. Then, in April, we said goodbye to long-time members Ken and Roz Skerman when they answered the call to full time mission with Global Interaction. Our Senior Pastor and his family left us at the end of June when they answered God’s call to Airlie Beach, so it was another goodbye! But we certainly were not prepared to

Pastor Dale Lewis, with his wife, Sammie and baby, Hannah, arrived at the beginning of the year, full of enthusiasm and passionate intensity, to get alongside our Dalby Baptist youth and the youth of this town. Dale hit the ground running and was an inspiration and challenge to those he came alongside. He spoke at Youth Camp in July, passionately challenging our young people to be ‘full on for Christ’. Out of the 30 attending, 15 made first time commitments or

LET US HELP YOUR CHURCH PREPARE FOR THE DIGITAL SWITCH OVER. Many wireless microphones and receivers will need to be replaced due to the reallocation of the wireless spectrum* throughout 2014. Call us today and we will help you find the microphones that will suit your church’s needs and budget. *The new band for microphones will be between 520–694MHz. Check your receiver to see if it is compliant.

recommitments. This resulted in four baptisms on Sunday, 11 August. Three of these were young people deeply impacted by Dale’s life and ministry, and the fourth was a young wife and mother answering God’s call on her life. We heard some amazing testimonies from these four people. One young man, Kurt, who Dale led to the Lord earlier in the year, expressed his desire to become ‘a pastor just like Pastor Dale’; ten-year-old Seth declared his desire to become a missionary; Phoebe shared how fear had been holding her back from listening to what God was asking of her—but no more! Sadly, Dale was not there to hear their words or share their joy … he had been tragically killed in a car accident just over a week before, to the shock and disbelief of all who had come to know and love him. Dale had led the service the Sunday before he was killed, and we will forever have the memory of the challenge he gave to us all to be full on and passionate for the Lord. I believe many will carry the picture of him leading the singing triumphantly and defiantly as we closed that service, ‘So I’ll stand, with arms high and heart abandoned, in awe of

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Dalby Baptist Church Image: (Right) Phoebe Gaul receives a blessing from her Mum and Dad (Below) Kylie Etshu youth worker - baptises Phoebe Gaul

the one who gave it all. I’ll stand, my soul, Lord, to you surrendered. All I am is yours’. We take comfort in the words of John 12:24 (GNB), ‘I am telling you the truth: a grain of wheat remains no more than a single grain unless it is dropped into the ground and dies. If it does die, then it produces many grains’. At Dale’s service of Celebration and Thanksgiving on Tuesday, 13 August, seven young people and others made a stand to count for Jesus, and we anticipate and pray that Dale will leave an amazing legacy, having impacted so many lives. Our Interim Pastor, Frank Hall, and his wife, Pat, who have been such a blessing throughout these difficult times, continue to challenge and encourage us; and while we, as a church, at times have felt overwhelmed by our circumstances, we have a burgeoning sense of excitement. Having participated in the Baptist Union’s call for Revival Prayer in the first week of June, we believe God has big things planned for Dalby Baptist Church. We continue to earnestly pray for revival for the churches of Dalby so that, together, we will impact our community for the Lord Jesus Christ. So amongst all the sadness we have experienced, we rejoice in the hope we have in Christ and triumphantly say, ‘He is our reason to live’. Jesus said, ‘I am the one who raises the dead to life! Everyone who has faith in me will live, even if they die’ John 11:25 (CEV). Dawn Vickers for Dalby Baptist Church dalbybaptist.com

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Milestones

Lakeside community node launches On Sunday 21 July, CrossLife—a baptist church had the pleasure of launching its new Lakeside community node at the Highland Reserve residential community development in Upper Coomera, on the northern Gold Coast. Two thousand people from the surrounding community attended. CrossLife has been part of the early development of Highland Reserve and its presence is centred at the new community node, a brand new venture in church planting. CrossLife was formed through the coming together of Helensvale and Southport Baptist churches in March 2012, and one of the key goals for the new church was to plant a third campus (church) at Stockland’s Highland Reserve development in Upper Coomera. In January 2013, CrossLife’s second Young Discoverers child care centre was opened along with the commencement of Sunday services in the new Community node. Over the first six months, regular attendance on Sundays has grown to more than 60 adults and children, and the child care centre has occupancy levels close to 85%. With the recent opening of the Spar convenience store (the first of three neighbourhood shops in the community node), it was time to celebrate this great work that the Lord Jesus has led the church to initiate. Throughout the day of the launch, residents and supporters placed their handprints on the community mural on the car park wall at the Lakeside node, as an expression of the community heart and ownership of the node. There were rides,

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Milestones community stalls and live music from Emmanuel College’s Jazz Quintet. At the launch ceremony, four children from Young Discoverers and the Highland Reserve State School released four balloons and unveiled a plaque commemorating the day and the node. Those watching the ceremony joined in by releasing their own balloons and up to 500 balloons rose into the glorious blue sky. City of Gold Coast Deputy Mayor, Councillor Donna Gates, acknowledged the need, and shared the City of Gold Coast’s heart for community developments. She thanked CrossLife and all those involved in establishing such an important development for the Upper Coomera community, and the Highland Reserve community in particular. CrossLife Lead Pastor, Matt Hunt, shared the history and heart for the development from CrossLife’s perspective, underlining the desire of the church to serve the community in ways that reflect God’s love and serving others. He summed up the day with these words, ‘It’s exciting to see the church back in the centre of the community where our heart and desire to serve can be expressed. We thank the Highland Reserve community for embracing us, and we look forward to seeing CrossLife continue to play an integral part in its ongoing progress as God calls us to do’.

Baplink, the land was purchased in December 2011, and the development was completed by early December 2012. There has been a wonderful start to the work this year, not only of the node itself, but the new CrossLife Highland Reserve campus, as community members engage with the church. There are some new followers of Jesus already and the first baptism took place recently. CrossLife is thankful: to God for his ongoing leadership and direction, to more than 80 volunteers who took on a huge workload for the launch day, and to the volunteers who continue to minister in the new campus as Campus Pastor Stefan Maslen leads the team in its ongoing engagement with the community. They look forward to seeing more communities developed with the church planted firmly at their centre, both physically and relationally.

The Lakeside Community Node includes the 75-place Young Discoverers child Long Day Care centre, three neighbourhood shops, and a small community centre which already is beginning to be used by a variety of community groups. Helensvale Baptist had been in discussions with Stockland over a number of years for a second Young Discoverers centre with a new church plant, until the land at Highland Reserve was identified as a prime position for this new church development. With the assistance of Queensland Baptists’ Board and Image: Churchill Baptist Church centennial congregation

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Churchill Baptist Church celebrates 100th anniversary Churchill Baptist Church celebrated its centennial over the weekend of 9–10 August. The celebrations commenced on Saturday with a special lunch attended by many current and past members of the church family who reminisced about times gone by. Throughout the afternoon, photos were displayed, stories told and old friends were reacquainted. This was followed by a special Centennial Celebration service on Sunday. Again, this event was attended by many current and past members and attendees. It was a time of praise and thanksgiving to God for the ministry of the church over the past 100 years. The service was led by the Secretary, Mark Kleinhans, who outlined the history of the church and led a time of reflection. The special guest speaker, the Rev. Reg

Milestones Niebling, was the first minister of the church when the church became autonomous. At the conclusion of the service, everyone gathered outside for a commemorative photo of the congregation. The service was followed by a special morning tea, and a cake marking the church’s 100 years was cut by the Gordon and Audrey Kleinhans (longest serving current members) and David Treloar (newest current member). It was a great time of fellowship for everyone. Around 80 people attended the lunch and approximately 100 people attended the centennial service, including many former ministry leaders of the church and three past ministers. The church commenced in 1913 as a church plant by the Ipswich Baptist Church with Sunday School and evening services held at the home of Mr Charles Gee. On 9 August 1913, the first church building was erected in 4½ hours with a thanksgiving service held in the evening. The church became autonomous in 1973. Over the years, the church was moved to its present location in 1920, a hall was added in 1961 and the church building was renovated and extended in 1986. In 2000, the church adopted the Vision Statement, ‘Going, Growing, Building in Jesus Christ’ and this is still central to the work of the church.

The ministry of the church over the past 100 years has included Sunday School, Bible Studies, Youth Group, Ladies Fellowship, Bowls Club, Boys’ Brigade, Girls’ Brigade, Young Adults’ Group, District Tennis Club, Garden Parties, Men’s and Ladies’ Breakfasts, Choirs, Community Carols Singing, Missionary Support, Overseas Orphan Support, visitation and outreach. The work of the church over the past 100 years has been undertaken by many faithful men and women whose main focus was to share the word of God, and it is the prayer of the current membership that God’s work may continue and that all is done to the Glory of God. Congratulations! The Queensland Baptists’ Board has accepted Northside Evangelical Church as a Constituted Church with Queensland Baptists. We trust they will know the Lord’s blessing as they serve the Lord Jesus as a part of the QB family.

21 years at Kruger Parade Narelle Heit, Kruger Parade Baptist Church, writes: 2013 has been a great year for Kruger Parade Baptist Church, Redbank, Ipswich. At the beginning of January we welcomed our new pastor, Matt Anstey, his wife, Kirsten, and their children, Micaela, Leah and Simeon. The church has been blessed by their friendly and faithful ministry and looks forward to seeing what God has in store in the future as we work together for the Lord in the surrounding district to reach the unsaved.

Over the weekend of 10–11 August we celebrated the 21st anniversary of the construction of our church building. A dinner for past and present attendees was held on Saturday evening and 162 folk joined together in awesome praise and celebration of what God had done over those 21 years. Guest speaker for the weekend was Pastor Graeme Semple accompanied by his wife, Jo-anne. Graeme was the pastor during the amalgamation process of Redbank Plains Baptist Family Fellowship and Gailes Baptist church into Kruger Parade Baptist Church. Other past ministers also in attendance were Pastor Ken and Shirley O’Rourke and Pastor Peter and Suzie Richards. During the evening dinner, we looked back at the long road from amalgamation of the two churches; we remembered finance gathering through a sacrificial Adventure of Faith campaign, building committee planning, and construction of the building over an eight month period, mostly through volunteer labour. We shared many special memories through the weekend that brought smiles, tears and laughter to those present through words, photo memorabilia, video film handshakes and hugs. The celebrations continued on into the Sunday morning service where Pastor Graeme capped the weekend off with a real celebratory sermon on where God has gone before us and where he is leading us. We, as a church, join together in thankfulness to our Heavenly Father for his blessing over this past 21 years and look forward to his continued presence as we seek to be Christ in this community of Redbank and surrounding district.

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Kids are precious Hi, my name is Sally! I have recently been appointed as the team leader for QB kids. I am so excited about joining the team and working with people who are so clearly passionate about children and families following Jesus. Since the beginning of this year, I have also been working at my local church in children’s ministry, and I love the value that the church places on children and their families, and seeing God at work— changing lives. I have recently met many people in Queensland and other states who share this vision and value kids as an important part of the church family. But I know they didn’t start this idea— it was God! It was his intention, all along, that children be valued. In fact, when he calls us to himself and invites us to be his, he calls us his children. What an honour! An article I read recently, published by Compassion Australia said: ‘During His ministry here on Earth, Jesus performs a proportionally high number of his miracles for children, raising them from the dead, delivering them from demonisation and disease, laying his hands on and blessing them (Mark 5:22-24, 35-43; Mark

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7:25-30; Mark 9:17-29; 10:1316). Astoundingly, Jesus declares that little children and those who will become like them are the recipients of his kingdom (Mark 10:14), and holds them up as examples to others of how they must enter under the sphere of God’s reign. Perhaps most profound, however, is Jesus’ declaration that receiving a little child in his name is equivalent to receiving Jesus himself, and therefore welcoming and receiving God. This thought alone is worthy of more reflection than it usually receives in casual reading’*. It was always his intention that we value children and empower their families to equip them to follow him for all of their days. It is with this in mind that I take on this role at QB kids. I, like many other children’s ministry workers, desire to see children wholeheartedly serving Jesus as Lord and Saviour. I believe children’s ministry in Australia is growing to be a priority. I believe that children’s ministry is more than empowering and equipping children for some later date when they are ‘ready’

to be used by God. It is not just babysitting leaders of tomorrow and teaching them what they need to know for the future. It is equipping them as Christians for today and teaching them how to be leaders in their homes, schools and communities right now, so that more people will see the name of Jesus lifted high above all homes. In this new role, I hope to continue to be a part of what God is already doing in families across the state. I feel privileged and humbled to be asked to journey with the QB team as we build a network of passionate children’s ministry workers and empower and equip them to make a difference in children’s lives in their churches and communities. I hope to journey with you too, as parents and church families, that you also may be encouraged to invest in the lives of children around you for the sake of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Sally Foord Team Leader, QB kids & their families *Contact Sally for a copy of the full article, sally.foord@qb.com.au Welcome Sally!

HELP BUILD GOD’S KINGDOM

The Open Door Queensland Baptists’ Retreat Lodge

through your local church and other Baptist ministries

The Open Door is situated 30km north of Gympie

on Mt Kanigan in a rural setting with spectacular 360 degree views. The complex sleeps 27-30 people in seven bedrooms and one dormitory and there are two kitchens, two lounge rooms, four bathrooms, a dining room and fireplace. Other amenities include a children’s play area and games room (pool and ping-pong tables) and a small meeting room/chapel.

The Open Door is a relaxed, refreshing environment that provides a unique uninterrupted setting for leadership seminars, prayer retreats, team weekends and missionary holidays.

Retreat Relax Refresh For further information contact: Queensland Baptists Phone: (07) 3354 5600 Email: enquiries@qb.com.au

www.qb.com.au

Explore giving options at

www.qb.com.au/giftfoundation or phone 0400 795 302 We encourage you to consider a gift in addition to your tithes and offerings, after you have made provision for family and friends.

PARTNER WITH CHRIST

DISCOVER A DYNAMIC PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN YOUR PROFESSION & FAITH Choosing to study at CHC has given me the opportunity to grow my understanding and knowledge, strengthen my beliefs and reflect on what Godly leadership is all about. Perhaps there will never be a perfect time to start – but the journey is definitely worth the effort.” – Felicity

Extending God’s Kingdom series God is bringing the rain! Adrian Pratap, Associate Pastor at Mount Isa Baptist Church, shares what the Holy Spirit is doing, right now, in remote Australia. We long for a movement of God’s Spirit that could be described as a revival.

Extending God’s Kingdom

The vast open expanse of Australia’s back country stretches out beyond where the eye can see. On roads like these you need to bring fuel, water, food, recovery gear, reliable communications, a trusty and tough vehicle, and time and patience ... and all that just to visit the next town. Out here we are remote! As a part of our community of believers here in Mount Isa, I’ve had the privilege of coming to know people from the Alpurrurulam (Lake Nash) and Ampilatwja communities. These two isolated and extremely remote Aboriginal communities are situated at opposite ends of the Sandover Highway, a 560 kilometre unsealed track that passes through semi-arid spinifex deserts and black-soil grass plains, in the middle of the Northern Territory. Knowing these folks has proven two things to me: we live in a vast, dry and thirsty land and God is bringing the rain. After a long, dry, dusty and often bonejarring drive from Mount Isa to Lake Nash, the weary traveller will encounter a typical remote outback Aboriginal community. It’s the people, however, who are not typical. It’s hard to describe what a whole town full of Christians looks and feels like. In fact, at last count, the entire townships of Lake Nash and Ampilatwja (about 400 people in each) are Christians. That’s right, the whole towns! It’s incredible to think that out here in the bush, despite little contact with the outside world, God’s Spirit can take hold. The story goes that, for many years, a very small group of women in Lake

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Nash began praying that God would save their town in a miraculous way. Those women prayed for over 10 years, until finally, about two years ago, God answered their prayers. Perhaps our western cynicism could cause us to question if these people have really been saved, or even if they understand what their commitment means. The glorious truth is that the Aboriginal church in the bush is on the rise. Church services are conducted on most nights of the week, for often three or more hours at a time, where people get up and share the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, who died for them and paid the heavy price for their sin. Testimonies abound around the camp fire where Dreamtime tales were once told. However, even more telling is the almost overnight disappearance of alcoholism, drug abuse, domestic violence and gambling, all of which has resulted in more people being employed, greater physical and emotional wellbeing, and greater financial stability. Faith is flourishing out here in the bush and it can only be the result of God’s redeeming love. In the midst of this wonderful work of the Holy Spirit, we must not forget our responsibility. As Christians we are called to follow Jesus and glorify him. Ultimately, however, I think that we are simply called to disciple. Our church here in Mount Isa has the privilege of being involved in the discipling of these wonderful new Christians, and we value your prayers as we take part in this Kingdom work. God’s Spirit is moving in the red dust plains of outback Australia and people are being saved. More and more communities are beginning to know the touch of their Saviour. As Christians, it is our responsibility to share the Good News of Jesus Christ, and to spread the news of his work. God’s Spirit has indeed brought a reviving rain to the spiritually parched and thirsty people of this land. Adrian Pratap, Associate Pastor, Mount Isa Baptist Church www.mountisabaptist.com.au

Image: (L-R )Lesley Peterson & Adrian Pratap

Extending God’s Kingdom series

God’s brilliant light John Tanner shares his thoughts about the impact of revival on the church and the community in the Solomon Islands I first experienced God moving in revival when I was the speaker at an Easter Convention in the Solomons in 1977. I had spoken three times to the crowd of about 1500 people on Friday and God seemed to be blessing. Then early Saturday morning, the President told me that all the Saturday meetings had been cancelled! When I asked why, he explained that God was not free to work in revival power, so the leaders had decided to pray until God dealt with the hindrances. I spent the whole day waiting to hear what would happen next. It was a long day! Just after nightfall the President told me to get ready to preach that night. I felt the weight of the world fall on my shoulders. Following the message, my interpreter announced that we had heard God’s Word and now it was time to pray. Almost immediately the orderly murmuring of many people praying turned into a sound like a giant waterfall. I quickly realised that I was contributing to the volume because I was shouting too! I was standing in the pulpit confessing my sins aloud before 1500 people who thankfully could not hear me. God had come and he is holy! Never before had I been confronted with such a strong and real sense of the Presence of God. I felt God’s

brilliant light shining right inside me, illuminating all my sins. I could not wait to get them out! Apparently there were 1500 others who felt the same way.

• •

After about 30 minutes, a great calm descended on all of us. An old man began to sing and everyone joined in. The last line of the song said: ‘With great suffering and loss Jesus went to the cross and he carried my sins with him there!’ The sense of cleansing and joy that we all experienced was amazing! God’s tangible Presence remained with us for the rest of that Easter. In subsequent years I encountered the Lord in our Bible College, in churches and conventions in the Solomons—not always in the same way, but always with the same results. The revival continued for almost twenty years. Not all churches experienced the revival. Most denominations remained aloof. Even some churches within the Evangelical Church did not accept the revival as a genuine move of God’s Spirit and remained outside of God’s blessings for some years. I have often been asked, ‘What are the results of such a strong revival?’ I have observed: • •

Whole generations of people associated with the church coming to Christ Individual Christians and whole congregations being ‘filled with the Spirit’. The changes were evident

•

in great prayer, God-focused worship, transformed families and happy, peaceful villages Incredible answers to prayer and many miracles, signs and wonders Many Christians ‘called’ into evangelistic and missionary service A passionate desire to bring the Gospel and revival to the churches in the place of their spiritual birth (Queensland).

This was the second of two revivals that the Lord had sent to the church in the Solomons. It may be that revival is in the DNA of the South Seas Evangelical Church. J. Edwin Orr records the details of a wonderful season in the lives of the newly converted South Sea Islanders based near Bundaberg a century ago. One evening, the Holy Spirit so fell upon the people that the meetings came alive. The Islanders asked God to wake them early for the 5 a.m. prayer meetings. This happened on plantation after plantation. Soon it was ‘Revival in Queensland, 1906’. From Christmas 1905 until Easter, revival was felt at the Fairymead Plantation (Bundaberg). Meetings were held in a big tent, and a watchnight service continued in confession, prayer and praise from 7 p.m. until 1.30 a.m. Then followed a wonderful meeting in which it seemed that the Heavens were opened. We long for another movement of God’s Spirit among us today! John Tanner worships with KawanaLife Baptists www.kawanalife.com

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QCCC

The road to

missional

This year I started a Master degree in Christian Leadership and my most recent assignment was to review Michael Frost’s ‘Road to Missional’ (RTM), a book about the growing missional discussion in the decade since Frost and co-conspirator Alan Hirsch released The Shaping of Things to Come1. I’ve found RTM a very good starting point to assess ministry in modern camping, so I thought I’d share a few excerpts from the assignment. Why outdoor education is important: Given the primacy outdoor education holds in the overall camping industry, it is surprising it doesn’t feature prominently when Christian campsites get together for conferences. When it

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does, outdoor education is presented primarily as a platform (a necessary evil even) to get to a debrief where the gospel must be shared. RTM flips this thinking on its head. Frost suggests God’s reign is full and complete and not enlarged or diminished by the number of people who believe in it or yield to it.2 He quotes Thomas Torrance who suggests Jesus ushered in the Kingdom of God’s love with a view to redeeming and liberating it from the forces of disorder and darkness, renewing the whole created order.3 Quality outdoor education can be a program of advocacy—inviting all into God’s redemptive purpose for the world. This understanding of mission is large, expansive and has global and history-shaping ramifications. Outdoor education programs can

directly announce God’s reign and his redemptive purposes for the entirety of his Creation (Romans 8:19-22). Mark Sayers writes ‘the radical future God has planned for us is not just about heaven; it is also about the renewing of the earth’.4 Frost outlines David Bosch’s work on the historical positions the church has adopted to understand the tension between mission as social action and evangelism5. If outdoor education is substituted for the words ‘social action’ the same argument takes shape. Many Christian campsites appear to take a position that ‘while outdoor education is an expression of the love of God, its chief purpose is for creating a platform for evangelism to occur’6. The position I advocate for QCCC (and which is being adopted by a growing number of campsites in

QCCC

weekend events. At QCCC more than 75% of our events are school camps held in the school week. We’ve started to suggest it is not good spiritual stewardship to see more than 75% of one’s annual interaction with guests as little more than a means to a school holiday end. Every event held at our sites is a part of our ministry, including hundreds of outdoor education camps delivered to ‘secular’ schools.

Queensland) is closer to Bosch’s more encompassing position where ‘evangelism and outdoor education are so entwined that it is folly to try to unravel them’7. ‘Slow evangelism’: Campsites in Australia and Canada often describe the school holiday camps they run (generally with an evangelistic flavour) as ‘ministry camps’ while the remainder of events is ‘rentals’, primarily because they don’t have a direct influence on the program. Often they will speak of the rentals as the method of paying for ‘their ministry’ in the school holidays. In Australia, an excellent campsite should see its school holidays as ‘off-peak’, a reversal of the industry 30 years ago where most campsites existed primarily for school holiday and

Frost highlights three things that we should aim for the unbeliever to experience if we are to be missional8. First, they should see our demonstrations of the reign of God. We contend they observe this through the invitation to join us as a community of believers striving for excellence. Our outdoor education programs are also an overt demonstration of God’s reign and awesome goodness and provision. Second, they should test our values. QCCC’s major teaching tool and visual vision statement, the R1202 Hand which is constructed from the Beatitudes, is a statement of our values which has been taken back and adopted by multiple schools in both the Christian and government sector. Finally they should enjoy our hospitality. Inspired by Frost’s Exiles9, QCCC’s catering ministry features prominently in QCCC’s vision statement to ‘create life-changing experiences through excellence in hospitality’. We strive for excellence with our food and openly advocate longer meal sessions where relationships can grow and conversations flourish.

Don’t get me wrong, we thoroughly enjoy and value our own school holiday programs and are proud when we host overtly evangelistic events. They’re a vital part of a Christian camping ministry. However, an approach where we see every event we hold as having ministry potential is more empowering and fulfilling for our staff and allows them to exercise their gifts in multiple ways, not just as ‘evangelists’. Brian Swimme compares the role we can play to that of the early Christians. ‘They did nothing—nothing but wander about telling a new story’10. Andrew Grant Director of Queensland Conference and Camping Centres andrew.grant@ qccc.com.au www.qccc.com.au Michael Frost, Road to Missional: Journey to the Center of the Church (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 2011): Kindle Loc 2811 2 Ibid, Kindle Location 292 3 Thomas Torrance, The Christian Frame of Mind: Reason, Order and Openness in Theology and Natural Science (Colorado Springs: Helmers & Howard, 1989) Pg21 4 Mark Sayers, The Trouble with Paris: Following Jesus in a World of Plastic Promises (Nashville, Thomas Nelson, 2008) Pg 142 5 Frost, Road to Missional: Kindle Location 328 6 Ibid, Kindle Location 354 7 Ibid, Kindle Location 354 8 Ibid, Kindle Location 649 9 Frost, Exiles Pg 158-176 10 Margaret Wheatley, Finding Our Way: Leadership for an Uncertain Time (San Francisco, BerrettKoehler Publishers Inc, 2005) Kindle Location 289 1

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QB women

She is... LIGHT

From May to September, Queensland Baptist Women gathered all over the state for the annual She is... conferences and camps. With a focus on God’s LIGHT, women celebrated his Light in their lives and his Light into the world. Innisfail, Biloela, Townsville, QCCC Mapleton, Bridgeman and Mudgeeraba hosted the conferences with generosity and excellence. There was a great sense of expectation at the start of each conference as women came eager to hear from God, to learn more of his love and plans for each of them and to worship him with openness. Each of the

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conferences was full of great teaching, stories of his love, beautiful worship and usually an abundance of glitter! The NEON Girls program for high school-aged girls was launched, in partnership with Bella magazine, during the conferences. This elective was a powerful statement to our future generation of world-changers that women across Queensland believe in them, and are praying for them. The SOUL SISTERS’ NETWORK Leadership Elective was a great time for women in leadership to come

together to network, pray for one another and discover more of their God-given design. This network continues to expand with a new blog and facebook page for regular networking. Email ssn@sheis.net.au for more information. Already the She is... Team has begun praying and preparing for She is...2014 and we look forward to another amazing time learning from our generous God.

QB women

Images: Tahnee Webb

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Malyon

Malyon College Reformation Tour 2013 In the mid-year break, Kerry Connell and I led a party including 27 Malyon College students to some of the major Reformation sites in Germany, France and Switzerland. Students learn about the Reformation movements of Luther, Zwingli and Calvin in the classroom, but this was their opportunity to experience the lands of the Reformation at first hand. I have taught semester-length Reformation Church History units more than twenty times over the years. But apart from Zürich, Switzerland (where I spent a couple of days in 2008), I had not previously visited any of the places on our itinerary.

That’ll do me! 26

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First stop was Lutherstadt Wittenberg, the town where Luther, in protest against the Roman Catholic practice of selling indulgences, nailed his ‘95 Theses’ to the door of the Castle Church (the door served as the university noticeboard, since classes met in the church). The original doors were destroyed by fire; bronze doors embossed with the 95 Theses have taken their place for the benefit of tourists like us. Unbeknown to Luther, he struck a spark which set the fires of Reformation burning all over Europe. I listened to the bell in St Mary’s Church, Wittenberg, striking each quarter-hour, a sound Luther himself must have heard so often half a millennium before me! Luther’s presence is everywhere in Wittenberg: in the museum which was, in turn, Luther’s monastery and then his house; in the name of the Luther Hotel Wittenberg where we were staying; and in the huge bronze bust of Luther in the reception area.

Image: Reformation Wall Geneva

Malyon

His presence is also felt in the other Luther sites: • •

•

At Eisleben, his birthplace At Erfurt, where he attended university and first entered the Augustinian Monastery (where we stayed for a night—the stone slab where Luther lay prostate to make his vows to God is still there in the monastery church) At Worms, where before the German Parliament and the Emperor himself, Luther made his famous declaration, ‘Here I stand. I can do no other. So help me God’ In the tiny room at the dramatic Wartburg Castle where, in hiding, he completed his German translation of the New Testament and established the foundations of the modern German language; all in just ten weeks!

Image: (T-B ) Hussenstein / Luther Room

At the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz, where we observed how Luther’s German Bible rolled off the newly-invented movable-type presses of Johannes Gutenberg.

Wall’ where the massive sculpted figures of Farel, Calvin, Beza and Knox glowered down upon us, and spent time in Calvin’s ‘Auditory’ where a holographic Calvin preached to us.

After all-too-brief visits to the striking Strasbourg (home of the reformer Martin Bucer) and Constance (where the pre-reformer Jan Hus was burned at the stake), we made our way to Zürich, heartland of the Swiss-German Reformation led by Huldreich Zwingli. Visits to Zwingli’s birth house at Wildhaus (still preserved as it was in Zwingli’s time), two of his early pastorates, and the site of his battlefield death to the south-east of Zürich also gave some glimpses of magnificent Swiss scenery. Then it was off to Geneva, the centre of the Reformation led by John Calvin. We stood before the famous ‘Reformation

How do you measure the value of a trip like this? Of course, I have my own memories, which I’m sure will become part of my teaching in the future. But reading the tour journals produced by the students convinced me. One student wrote: ‘To touch and feel what I have only read in books and heard about increased my understanding a hundredfold. I am so grateful to God for bringing me here now.’

•

That’ll do me! D Morcom Vice Principal, Malyon College d.morcom@malyon.edu.au

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Carinity

Image: Illustration of Carinity’s proposed residential aged care building in Townsville

Leaps and bounds Carinity has taken big steps toward bringing its long-term plans to expand its mission across the state into reality, having recently secured important approvals for two aged care projects, expanded its in-home care services and strengthened its chaplaincy outreach. The organisation provides services at 34 locations across Queensland, which are mainly concentrated in the central and south-east regions, and intends to expand into other regions to reflect the reach of Queensland Baptists. According to CEO Jon Campbell, Carinity’s desire to broaden its outreach is inspired by scripture. ‘Genesis tells us people are made in God’s image and, therefore, are worthy of dignity and respect. Jesus said the most important commandment is to love God and love others (Matthew 22:36-40) thus demonstrating how valuable people are to God. The injunction to love people is a theme that runs throughout the Bible, and it’s a key way we demonstrate our love for God,’ he said. ‘Jesus made it clear that his disciples were to “go into all the world” (Mark 16:15). Love has to be action-oriented. We have to go to people who need help,’ Jon said, ‘hence the need to expand our outreach to provide quality care and support to more people’. Earlier in the year, Carinity acquired

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aged care centres at Bundaberg and Mount Morgan. The organisation’s future plans involve creating integrated communities for over 70s at Toowoomba, Townsville and the Gold Coast. ‘Each site will include retirement lifestyle units and aged care services,’ Jon said. ‘We’re about creating communities where residents from retirement living can receive care, when they need it, without having to leave loved ones or friends.’ Two new projects have recently received a boost. Carinity received conditional approval from the Townsville City Council for its proposed development in Queensland’s third largest city. The first of four construction phases will begin in the first half of 2014. The Federal Government has also approved 96 places for Carinity’s proposed aged care centre at its retirement lifestyle site in Highfields. Construction is expected to commence early next year. ‘We identified a high need for aged care services in those areas,’ Jon said. ‘It will be the first time we have delivered services to Townsville, while the expansion at Highfields will be the first aged care centre for the rapidly growing town.’ Carinity is also helping ageing Logan River Valley residents maintain their

Image: Jon Campbell

independence by delivering in-home care. The service specialises in assisting people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities living in Logan and the surrounds, including Beaudesert and Beenleigh. The packages are designed to enable people who need in-home assistance, and provide them with as much choice as they wish to have over the services and support they receive. ‘We work with clients to identify what they wish to achieve with their package and then help them achieve it. This flexible approach recognises that our clients have been making decisions for themselves all their lives and deserve to have that dignity as they age,’ Jon said. Finally, the appointment of a third, paid chaplain to support patients, their families and staff at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s and the Royal Children’s Hospitals has considerably strengthened Carinity’s chaplaincy outreach.

Carinity

According to Jon, building Carinity’s chaplaincy mission is a long-term goal of the organisation. ‘Chaplaincy gives us the opportunity to offer spiritual help and comfort to people who feel they need it. Our team has provided support to more than 10,000 people in hospitals and our aged care centres in the past financial year. Broadening this service expansion of its services and recent means we can help more people to approvals give extra momentum to experience the Lord’s love, often at the organisation’s long-term plans to the most crucial points in their lives,’ compassion and high quality he said.Aged Care • Educationprovide • Lifestyle • Communities • Youth care to even more people across After making the decision to move into www.carinity.org.au Queensland. residential aged care at Carinity, Harry Carinity currently assists more than and Margery West felt that staying 13,700 people every year. The Chris Logan together was essential to their quality An outreach of Queensland Baptists We’re here for you... of life.

Harry and Margery feel like family

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The caring staff at Carinity Aged Care—Brookfield were able to secure two adjoining rooms for the couple, and they moved in within a week. Since then, Harry and Margery have thrived at the aged care centre. Knowing his ‘eyes’ are there for him, Harry, a former Baptist minister, has been able to focus on his passions: co-ordinating the on-site chapel, leading devotions, and producing his weekly newsletter. Meanwhile, Margery has been enjoying a stress-free life and can often be found socialising with friends, participating in diversional therapy activities, or admiring the aged care centre’s beautiful grounds. Both Harry and Margery attribute their wellbeing to the social opportunities and the way that staff members make them feel like family.

www.qb.com.au 10/13

Working together

Synergy Churches and pastors working together ‘Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honour one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord’ (Romans 12:10-11). In my 45 years of active involvement in Queensland Baptist churches, it seems to me that the spirit of cooperation between pastors and between churches has never been stronger. Most pastors are involved in mentoring and being mentored by other Baptist pastors as part of their Personal Ministry Development Plan. Around the state pastors are coming together regularly in area gatherings. At the beginning of each year the General Superintendent David Loder meets with the majority of pastors by visiting area gatherings around Queensland. Our partnership in the gospel and extending God’s kingdom is working itself out in many and diverse ways. Vision 100 is a gathering organised by our churches to encourage each other and hear how God is leading us as a movement to plant more churches and congregations as we seek to share the good news of Jesus. There is a growing spirit of care and creativity amongst churches for the benefit of God’s kingdom, rather than the benefit of a particular congregation. We have seen churches helping to bring new life to struggling churches, churches coming together to strengthen witness in particular geographic areas, as well

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as new congregations being established to reach out to particular groups of people. Many of our established churches have hosted and encouraged the new migrant and refugee churches that are springing up around Queensland. Queensland Baptists’ cooperative ministries are growing and flourishing. In the last few years, there has been much blessing in our camping ministries, care (Carinity) and our colleges. Alongside the blessing, God has provided financially so that each ministry is now being proactive in its role of extending God’s Kingdom. Also, through ministries such as Global Interaction and Australian Baptist World Aid, we are touching the wider world for Jesus. In June, the combined prayer meetings also highlighted the growing sense of joy and anticipation amongst our people as they came together to pray for revival in Queensland. There has also been growing connectedness between pastors of churches through pastoral renewal

groups, and leadership networks such as those organised through the Malyon Leadership Centre. In July this year, the Regional Consultancy team organised a networking day between some of our senior church leaders and the next generation of senior leaders. One of the newer pastors commented: ‘I really enjoyed the gathering and learnt a lot from the experienced pastors. It was obvious that they do the basic things very well, not only as individuals but with their people, to have that many people following their leaderships’. As we look forward to the future I thank God for what he is doing in us, and through us, here and now. There is a growing confidence that the good work that God has commenced in us will carry through to completion as long as we continue to depend on him and remain faithful to his call for us to share the Good News of Jesus in Queensland. Stephen Ball QB Regional Consultant stephen.ball@qb.com.au

Image (L to R): Adventurous ministry—Vision 100 / QB networking day

Persecution brief

Please pray! SYRIA – CHRISTIANS KILLED IN SHOOTING IN SAFE AREA As Islamist groups grow in power and take over new territory, the plight of Christians in Syria is worsening. Around 15 Christians were killed in an attack on a predominantly Christian area that had previously been a safe haven for the displaced. Two young Christian workers were amongst those killed when opposition fighters attacked Ein al-Ajouz in Wadi al Nasara (‘Valley of the Christians’) on 17 August. The volunteers were shot dead in cold blood as they tried to assist a family who had also been targeted. This is the first anti-Christian attack the Wadi has seen. The community has been plunged into shock and grief by the atrocity, in which armed militants first killed soldiers at a checkpoint and then went on a shooting spree that targeted Christian civilians holding a celebration at a hotel. Elsewhere, the Christian community in the city of al-Thawrah has been driven out since the al-Nusra Front,

an Islamist brigade, seized the city in February. The rebels confiscated the Christians’ property, threatened them with death if they did not comply with Islamic laws and destroyed one of the city’s two churches. Recognition is growing of the dangers posed by Islamist rebel groups, with some of the revolution’s original activists saying that they feel their campaign has been hijacked. Christian leaders continue to be particular targets for Islamic groups. Paolo Dall’Oglio, a prominent Italian church leader, went missing in Raqqa on 29 July. It is feared that he was taken captive by al-Qaeda-linked militants, who control the area.

NIGERIA – CHRISTIANS FORCED TO FLEE FROM DEADLY VIOLENCE Christians in Northern and Middle Belt states in Nigeria continue to be extremely vulnerable to violent attack. Thousands of believers were forced to flee their villages in the central state of Plateau after violence broke out on 27 June. Ten days of raids by

suspected Islamist gunmen left more than 30 Christians dead in the villages of Magama, Bolgong and Karkashi, and other villages were also targeted. A Christian source in the country said that the total death toll may be as high as 70. More than 100 houses were burned down, and 6,000 people were displaced by the violence and have taken refuge in camps in nearby towns. Although the authorities initially said that the attackers were nomadic Fulani herdsmen, a spokesperson later said that it was not an ethnic conflict and that most of the attackers were foreign. Then, in the Northern state of Kano, at least 45 people lost their lives in coordinated bomb attacks on two churches in Sabon Gari, a predominantly Christian area. Four bombs exploded within minutes of each other as Bible studies were being held on the evening of 29 July. Source: Barnabus Fund www.barnabusfund.org

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QB archives

Image: Rockville Toowoomba Northside

Image: Carnival of Flowers 1981

Baptists in the golden west

When the Baptist church began in Toowoomba in 1875, the town was more than 20 years old, the population was around 3600, and the other main denominations were already active. There was no Baptist Union in Queensland, but there were eight other churches in the colony. The Toowoomba church made progress, although there were setbacks. It even opened outstations in the country areas nearby—at Highfields, Murphy’s Creek, and later at Gowrie Creek. In the town, services were held for a few years in the 1880s in the expanding west at Newtown. However, it took another 50 years before there was sufficient growth to warrant another expansion. This time it took the form of a Sunday school which began meeting in North Street on 4 Feb 1941, under the leadership of Rev F Varnes (minister 1936-43) and other helpers. The initiative was taken by ‘the Fisherman’s Club’, a group of young men from the Christian Endeavour Society. Soon, Miss Thorne, a local resident, gave a block of land opposite the Rockville State School and Mr G Dunster, of the central church, paid for a church hall which was opened a year later. Many others donated furnishings and fittings. Services were held most Sundays, conducted by the minister and laymen from the central church.

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Image: Rockville Hall

In 1945, the building was extended to provide more room for the kindergarten. Other activities were commenced including children’s clubs and a Band of Hope. A vigorous group for ladies began in 1949 and operated for nearly 60 years, supporting by prayer and in practical ways a wide range of interests. Several missionaries were also supported. The hall was refurbished as a church in 1947. Then under the leadership of Rev Max Howard (1949-57), plans were developed for an additional church hall, opened on 10 Dec 1949, on land in Holberton Street made available by Mr E Pfeffer. A year later, the church was moved to the current location at 11 Holberton Street. With Pastor A P Brady of the central church responsible for pastoral work, the church was soon strong enough to become independent. The official constitution took place on 9 Dec 1955 with 22 foundation members. A Home Missioner, T M Graham, was appointed as first pastor. In 1957, a manse was opened next door to the church, and a former army hut was converted for use as an education wing in 1965.

Twenty years later, with the church at its peak membership of just over 70, a new building project again took place, with the education building moving to the back of the property and a new church erected in its place in 1986. There was space for a third building project if required later. In the last 25 years the church has fluctuated in strength, and in 2007 it changed its name to ‘Toowoomba Northside’. At least 14 ministers have served the church. In recent years, there have been part-time pastors, and at other times, the leadership team has taken responsibility for oversight, with the assistance of visiting and lay preachers for the services. Northside (Rockville) is one example of Baptists in south-west Queensland who have risen to the challenge of serving and

witnessing in their own context with faithfulness and vision. Toowoomba Baptists also expanded to the south later in the 1940s and the central church relocated out of the CBD to the west in 1995. Baptist Heritage Queensland is currently working to document the other churches on the Darling Downs. We express thanks to the members of Toowoomba Northside for information contained in this short article, which will be expanded for the final publication. We invite support and assistance for the others to be covered.

First Home Mission Superintendent The Queensland Baptist Home Mission was established 130 years ago (in 1883) to provide evangelists and establish new churches, especially in country areas, to assist weak churches and to educate young men for the ministry. But it was not until 1910 that a full-time organiser was appointed. He was Rev Thomas Uren Symonds who, as Secretary (later Superintendent), supervised the agents in the field, coordinated the work, kept the needs of the Home Mission before the churches and identified opportunities for advancement.

Image: T U Symonds

Symonds was born in Cornwall, England, in 1863. Converted at the age of 14 and baptised at 17, he immediately became a local preacher. On arriving in Queensland in 1885, he was a foundation member of Nundah Baptist Church. Initially he worked in the Baptist firm, S & G Grimes, while continuing his studies for the ministry under the guidance of Rev W Whale and Rev J Kingsford. After his ordination in 1888, he served in the Baptist churches at Nanango, Lanefield, Marburg, Beaudesert and Petrie Terrace before commencing his Home Mission work. Symonds served as Home Mission Superintendent until 1924. He was President of the Queensland Baptist Association in 1924–25 and died on 12 July 1937. Please contact the QB Archives for more information or to offer your assistance with their important research.

The Baptist Church Archives, archives@qb.com.au Ph 07 3878 3178 07 3354 5642 07 3256 8897 The Baptist Archives, QB Centre, PO Box 6166 Mitchelton Q 4053

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BWAA

positive response from the mainstream media. As a church, we should give thanks to God for the chance this presents to lead the public debate on the issue of ethical consumption. Many will remember when news broke in May of the collapse of the multi-storey clothing factory in Bangladesh which resulted in the deaths of more than 1100 low paid workers. We were all forced to ask ourselves the question, ‘Fashion, yes. But at what cost?’ The new ‘Ethical Fashion Guide’ is a step towards addressing this important social issue. It is the culmination of almost two years of intensive research and investigation, and it looks into the supply chains of the biggest apparel companies operating in the Australian market place. The report is designed to help everyday consumers make informed decisions about clothes they buy and is presented in an easy to read format. ‘We look into 41 companies and 128 clothing brands and assess the systems they have in place to reduce the risk of child labour, forced labour and exploitation,’ Gershon Nimbalker, Advocacy Manager at Baptist World Aid says. ‘The guide also examines whether or not these companies pay a living wage to their employees and finds out whether they have taken substantial measures to ensure that they are not using Uzbekistani cotton, which is harvested using forced child labour.

New fashion report generates international discussion QLD readers would perhaps have seen the full, double page spread in the paper or heard on ABC radio news about release of the new ‘Ethical Fashion Guide’ from Baptist World Aid. Excitement about the report was such that news coverage extended as far as America, Japan and even Singapore. It’s not often that Australian Baptists receive such overwhelmingly

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‘Possibly the best thing about this new “Ethical Fashion Guide”, though, is that it presents its findings in a user friendly table that gives each brand a rating to empower consumers to start purchasing “ethically” when it comes to labour rights. It’s so easy to be left feeling powerless in the face of exploitation, but this handbag-sized report helps return the power to the hands of individuals. Every time you shop you can see at a glance which companies are doing their bit—and which ones aren’t! Some of the results in this report will, I think, surprise you. ‘At Baptist World Aid we give thanks to God for the impact this report is already having in the wider community. Australians are downloading this report in huge numbers and are starting to think seriously about the effects that their purchasing decisions make in the lives of some of the world’s poorest people. Companies that rated poorly are also getting in contact with us to discuss ways they can improve their supply chains. The report has been a wonderful opportunity for the Baptist church in Australia to be heard on issues of biblical justice. ‘You can download a free copy of the guide from www. behindthebarcode.org.au or give us a call at Baptist World Aid on 1300 789 991 and we can get one out to you. I would ask you to consider getting a copy of this guide. Pray about it. Keep it in your wallet. And next time you go shopping, use your purchasing decisions to make a difference,’ Gershon concludes. Image: Gershon Nimbalker with the new Ethical Fashion Guides

BWAA For more information on the Ethical Fashion Guide and other ways that you can be involved in advocacy work please visit www.baptistworldaid.org.au.

Gifts that Count Stuff. We’re surrounded by it. We buy it, give it, stress about finding places to store it and then eventually, we either bin it, recycle it or give it away. There are only so many handkerchiefs, socks and photo frames that any human being needs, so as we start to think about Christmas, let’s challenge each other as Christians to think more ethically about our gift giving. ‘The first Christmas was a very humble affair,’ John Hickey, from Baptist World Aid Australia, says. ‘There were some fantastically valuable gifts presented, however, the gifts that Mary “treasured in her heart” were the gifts of worship that the shepherds gave to the Christchild. Later, in Mark 4:26-27, Jesus tells us, “This is what the kingdom of

God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.” As Christians, we have a wonderful opportunity to use our Christmas gift giving, both to worship God and grow the Kingdom.’ Baptist World Aid has just put out this year’s edition of The Little Book of Big Gift Ideas. It is packed with gifts that you can give that not only empower communities to lift themselves out of poverty but also, through our Christian partners, give witness to the love of God among us. ‘Instead of the predictable box of chocolates, why not consider buying your neighbour a $10 “Stop Malaria in its Track” card?’ John Hickey continues. ‘Mosquito-borne malaria infects over 200 million people each year and causes thousands of deaths every day. Your gift works to not only educate about, and prevent, Malaria on the ground in Cambodia and Zambia, it also opens up conversation opportunities for you about the true meaning of Christmas and the values that the Christ-child came to teach us.

‘For families and close friends, why not bring a slightly “different flavoured” Christmas ham to the table? A $60 “Make a Pig Difference” allows families in Nepal and Cambodia to achieve crucial food security and income generation by raising and selling pigs. Bake a plate of cookies or make some home-made fudge to give along with your “Pig Card” and you have a Christmas gift that not only limits the amount of “stuff ” we each face at Christmas, it will also work hard, long after the “silly season” has passed. ‘When you give a sustainable gift from the Little Book of Big Gift Ideas you do more than meet real and immediate needs of health, clean water and food. You plant seeds that ripple out and bring many-fold returns over the long term and you share the love and blessings of God with some of the world’s poorest communities. This Christmas, as a church let’s say “no” to too much stuff and get ethical when it comes to gift giving!’ If you would like a copy of the gift guide or would like to run an ethical gift stall in your church, please contact Baptist World Aid on 1300 789 991 or go to www.biggifts.org.au.

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Global Interaction

How do you really prepare? I am in Australia at the moment on Home Assignment, preparing myself to head back to Thailand very soon. Recently a pastor asked me: ‘How do you prepare to go?’ Our conversation led to an interesting revelation for both of us. When I first left to go on cross-cultural mission over 21 years ago, the things I was preparing for and how I was preparing for them, were very different to what I am facing now. Heading off as a 27 year-old single, excited about the new language, culture, living conditions and ministry I was about to be confronted with, kept me buoyed with adrenalin and anticipation. I’d done as much preparation as I could before I left, but nothing prepares you 100% for what you are about to face. Through the prayer support of people back in Australia, the support of those I was working with in my new country, and the endless Grace of God, I managed to not just survive, but thrive, in my new situation.

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Wind the clock forward 21 years, and a lot has happened. The Life Impact Foundation, Thailand, was birthed, set up, and is now running well, because of the dedication and commitment of the Thai staff who see their role as not just a job, but a ministry, reaching out to those affected by HIV/AIDS. I have worked myself out of a job on numerous occasions, and rejoiced with them when they learn from me, and take over from me. I no longer have to struggle with the Thai language, but feel confident in living, working and connecting with the Thai people. I feel at home in Thailand. The issues I faced when I first arrived are not the issues that cause me anxiety now. I adopted a Thai daughter, who spent her whole life in country with me, growing up alongside the people I worked with. She did her primary schooling in the Thai language and education system, and then did Distance Education in English from Australia for her high schooling. This year she started her university degree in Queensland and has had to adjust to

moving countries and living in another culture. She has done, in reverse, what I did many years ago, and so far, has thrived. So, when this pastor asked me about preparing to return to Thailand this time, the things I am finding difficult were probably a shock to both of us. It’s no longer the practical things of day-to-day life, or the uncertainty of how ministry will unfold, it’s now becoming more of a personal and emotional struggle as I am torn between two places. In the past, each new term when Lukgade and I waved goodbye and boarded the plane to return to Thailand, it was never a struggle. We were heading back to a place we felt was home, and we were together. Now, things are very different, and a whole new phase of life in my ministry and our family life has begun. Going back to Thailand by myself is proving to be an emotional hurdle that I feel I’m inadequately equipped to face. We’ve both just celebrated our

Holy Bogan birthdays and realized, with a twinge of sadness, that it may be many years before we’re both together, in the same country, and able to celebrate our birthdays again. There seems to be many ‘last times’ occurring, and more questions about the future than there are answers. So, how do I prepare myself to return alone, while my daughter stays in Australia and finds her way on her own as an adult? I’m not totally sure. I feel a bit lost, actually. I suppose I am learning, all over again, what it means to be vulnerable, and to need the unconditional love and support of the people around me, as well as the many people who we haven’t met, but who pray faithfully for us. I am reminded once again, that I need to trust: that my financial support will be met; that God will use me in my place of ministry; that my daughter will be protected and guided by God and others in my absence; and that, although I will be torn apart inside when I say goodbye to her and leave, no matter how much it hurts, God will get me through it. So, how do I prepare to go back to cross-cultural mission this time? I am really not too sure. What I do know is that I must, and it won’t be easy. But with supporters and a team of prayer warriors surrounding me, I can trust that God will choose to use me again, for another term, in a place that I love; ministering to a people who are dear to my heart. Lyndal B is a Queensland Global Interaction cross-cultural worker in Thailand. If you would like to enquire about joining Lyndal’s partnership team, contact Lynda at the Global Interaction Queensland office, ph: 3354 5603, email qld@ globalinteraction.org.au To enquire about becoming a crosscultural worker in one of the nine people groups among whom Global Interaction has staff, contact State Director Geoff Cramb, mob: 0438 879 838, email gcramb@globalinteraction.org.au

Authenticity in the ‘now’ If I’m honest, the last thing I want to do on a Sunday morning is attempt to sing a new release from Hillsong. I don’t want to have a shower, shave, and put on the clothes my wife approves of for public appearances. I like the cakes that the old ladies bring, seeing kids muck up and mess with their parents’ reputations, seeing some friends—dodging the rest. I am open to God, the Bible, and stuff, but church seems pretty lame most of the time to me. I don’t want to be a whinger; I’m for church proper and its continuing need to be there somehow. I really am happy for people to be different to me and do things at church in ways that work for them. What I’ve had to own, I think, is that I don’t know where I fit into the picture. It’s about God, but he somehow has to meet me; and I have to somehow authentically meet with others. I relate to ideas and am pleased with well-developed ones, even orthodox ones. I can agree with strategies, and work towards goals for the greater good; but I don’t feel personally excited about much that goes on at church. When duty and habit fade I’m forced to face the fact that I need to remember what I actually enjoy—without the tyranny of ‘could’ and ‘should’. The disconnect between sanctioned spiritual stuff and what I normally do at work, home, at football, or at a clubhouse in an industrial estate, is definitely alive and annoying. I like to read and I like playing guitar, but I don’t get how they are more spiritual than Snap-on sockets, PlayStation, and fish hooks. There is no chance I’ll be getting up before the sun to go over my allotted ‘daily bread’. I’ll be getting up to chase the kids, if anything—though Scripture Union will send a daily verse to my inbox most days.

Someone once said that a great preacher will have the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. If that were me, it would be the Manga Bible and the sports section, or ‘Prince of Egypt’ on in the rumpus room while we estimate tomorrow’s tides. So, for me, the continual task to know myself [again] and to know God [anew] remains. This is not unique, as disparity and confusion have come and gone before. What’s forever new is the chase for authenticity and alignment in the ‘now’. As for knowing myself, as I go over the things already mentioned, they confirm I am a bogan. The Oxford English Dictionary, which calls itself the definitive record of the English language, defines a bogan as an Australian and New Zealand colloquial ‘depreciative term for unfashionable, uncouth, or unsophisticated person, especially of low social status’. That’s about right. As for knowing God, from where I stand, initially it could be easy to see him as someone like me. In reality, though, God is holy. He is completely different and set apart and above anything we know as perfect and truly good. But Jesus, being God’s son and a carpenter, gives me hope these things can come together: following Jesus and being honest with myself is possible. Jesus was a Jew, killed by Romans, in order to redeem and renew creation— even half-caste Samaritans, barbarian Gentiles and people like me. Slowly I am seeing that, regardless of whoever and whatever labels I happen to identify with, God is someone holy who will move towards me and change only what is necessary to make me a better person, not to make me a better, middle-class, culturally acceptable churchgoer. So for the moment, I am a Holy Bogan. Daniel Memmott Worships with the church family at Rockhampton Baptist Tabernacle daniel.memmott@yahoo.com

www.qb.com.au 10/13

Launch

Laying a biblical foundation for life Gap years are becoming increasingly popular among young Australians. With the pressures of high school behind them, up to 25% of school-leavers are taking the opportunity to relax, travel and learn more about themselves. Some young people are even embarking on a gap year experience after spending time working or studying, so they can clarify their life’s direction.

unique opportunity to learn about the Bible, but also to develop a student’s personal character and apply Biblical principles to their lives. This equips them well to continue on to theological study, move into a secular job with a thoroughly Christian outlook, take on a ministry role in their church, or go onto secular tertiary study. In the Launch program young people will:

Launch is an initiative of Malyon Leadership. It is a gap year program designed for people aged 17–25 who want to lay a solid biblical foundation for their lives. Launch is a

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•

Gain a solid understanding of the Bible (complete a biblical survey of all New and Old Testament subjects)

Launch • • • • • •

Gain a qualification in ministry at either Malyon College or Callum Training Be mentored one-on-one by an experienced Christian leader Gain a deeper understanding of Christian leadership and mission Build a network of peers to grow and minister with Gain experience in a range of ministries Develop tertiary level study skills.

It is certainly not an experience that can be seen as a ‘year off ’! The Launch program has been extremely well received by students: ‘The friendships that I made through Launch were founded on a desire to know God more, and have really strengthened, nurtured and encouraged my faith’ (Aidan Thompson, Launch graduate 2012). ‘It is so much fun! It is challenging and immensely rewarding! I feel like I’ve been changed. It is a wonderful opportunity to meet people who are serious about getting to know God better, and be encouraged and equipped to bear the name of Jesus in this crazy world’ (Trish Striker, Launch graduate 2012). ‘After high school I enrolled in Malyon’s gap year Launch program. I felt a strong calling towards Bible college and both my pastor and my mentor recommended Malyon. It’s truly moving watching the lecturers live out their passion for the gospel in the lectures. It’s great! I loved learning the background and history of the early church. Studying at Malyon has further solidified my faith. The campus had everything I needed as a student, the worship room is fantastic, and the whole place has a welcoming vibe to it. My experience during the Launch program was so positive I decided to continue studying at Malyon and am now working towards a Bachelor of Ministry’ (Sam Hendle, Launch graduate 2012). Launch students may be eligible for Fee Help and the course is Austudy approved. There are many options out there for young people who are considering a gap year, but Malyon can be instrumental in assisting young people to spend their gap year laying a strong foundation for a life of Christian influence. For more information, including how to apply, contact info@malyon.edu.au, phone 3354 5656 or visit www.malyon.edu.au.

www.qb.com.au 10/13

The Good Life

‘All the days ordained for me were written in God’s book before one of them came to be’ (Psalm 139:16). Life can throw unexpected circumstances our way and suddenly we realise the fragility of the life that we treasure. We will all experience adversity in our journey at some point that will change our worlds forever. This was the case for Sharlene Hunter, a Sunshine Coast resident, when her diagnosis of cancer turned her world upside down. Sharlene shares her story with Lindsay Smith and hopes that her journey may encourage others in theirs. Where were you when you received the news something was wrong? I was having a break in Victoria on my own, browsing through all the beautiful art at the Melbourne Museum having a lovely time when my husband, Geoff, called me with the news. Although you’ve said nothing was confirmed yet, how did you feel? I was shocked and my first reaction was to think, ‘This can’t be happening to me.’ Then I felt frightened.

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40 Hours You’ve told me your Christian faith is important to you. How did that help you during this time? What do toddlers do when they’re hurt or feeling frightened? They run to their Mum or Dad and want to be picked up and cuddled and reassured. That was my reaction. After I hung up from Geoff, all I wanted to do was to get back to my hotel room to be alone with God. As I said, I was feeling frightened and I desperately needed to be reassured. When I got back to my room, I randomly opened my Bible, the first words I read were, ‘Fear not!’ It was like God was saying to me, ‘Don’t be afraid, don’t be frightened. I’m with you’. It really helped to calm my fears. A few days later, a friend said

something that was reassuring. ‘Remember Sharlene, your cancer diagnosis didn’t catch God by surprise!’ I found her words so comforting that I now use them to comfort others. What happened in the few days after your return from Melbourne? The next few days were a whirlwind and a blur because everything happened so fast. The gynaecologist confirmed I had endometrial cancer and gave me instructions to have a CT scan and a chest x-ray. She also gave me a referral to a specialist cancer surgeon. When I phoned the receptionist, she was able to give me an appointment at the end of that day. We rushed down to Brisbane for the tests and the specialist said I needed surgery. He had a cancellation on the

Image: Sharlene runs a Cancer Support Group that meets every second Tuesday of the month in the Goodlife Cafe.

The Good Life issues. I’ve experienced just how much even a simple thing like receiving a card, an email or a text message can mean. I now try to do that for others. It’s also made me realise that we’re not here forever, so I appreciate every day is a gift. I’ve also learnt, and am learning, that I need to manage my stress levels. I’m a ‘doing’ type of person and I’m learning how to slow down and smell the roses. And whilst I’ve been a health conscious person my whole life, having cancer has pushed me to look into diet, nutrition and exercise to see where I can improve in an effort to stay healthy. How has surviving cancer made you more understanding of what other women walk through? Having heard many stories from other survivors, I know my cancer journey has been relatively easy in comparison. I have such admiration for the courage they’ve shown as they faced the debilitating side effects of chemo and radiation and the prospect of an uncertain future.

following day. If I could be back at the hospital early the next morning, he would operate on me then. I had a radical hysterectomy and some lymph nodes removed. When the specialist came to see me on his rounds the day after the surgery it was good news. ‘Your prognosis is fantastic. The cancer was confined to the uterus and the lymph nodes are all clear!’ I didn’t even need to have any chemotherapy or radium. Within 40 hours of finding out I had cancer, it had all been removed. On an emotional level do you still have concerns over what the future may hold? The more time goes by, the less I think about it. Although, for a cancer survivor I think there’s always that

niggle in the back of your mind that it could come back. When that happens, I remind myself of a verse in the Bible that says, ‘All the days ordained for me were written in God’s book before one of them came to be.’ It gives me a sense of peace to know that my life is in God’s hands. So whether I live to 60 or 90, I need to trust Him for whatever the future holds. How has your life changed in the two years since you got the ‘all clear’? I think I’m more understanding and sympathetic when I hear of someone who’s sick. I don’t have a very good imagination; I have to experience something to really understand it. Now that I’ve faced a major health crisis, I’m aware that I need to do something for others who are facing their own health

What advice would you give to the community as a result of your journey? At first, I was reluctant to make an appointment with the doctor because my symptoms were so minimal. I thought she might think I was a hypochondriac. However, I’m so glad that at the urging of Geoff and my close friend, I made that initial appointment. Life can change in a heartbeat. The message I’d like to leave with readers is this: If anything doesn’t seem quite normal, do not hesitate to get it checked out by your doctor. Please listen to your family and friends. They could be right. Lindsay Smith Reprinted (in part) with kind permission: This article first appeared in The Good Life, a quarterly magazine produced by the Goodlife Community at Buderim, www.goodlife.org.au

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Reviews Books DVDs Music BOOK: Switch on your brain (Caroline Leaf )

Sheridan shares some thoughts about his new book:

Price: $14.99 BOOK: (at WORD) Resurrection Year: Turning Broken Dreams What we think about affects us physically and emotionally. into New Beginnings (Sheridan Voysey) Supported by current scientific and medical research, Dr. Leaf gives readers a prescription for better health through correct thinking patterns. She shares the ‘switch’ in our brains that enables us to live happier, healthier, more enjoyable lives where we achieve our goals, maintain our weight, and become more intelligent. She shows how to choose life, get our minds under control, and reap the benefits of a detoxed thought life.

Price: $15.99 (at WORD) For sample chapters of the book visit www.sheridanvoysey.com Readers may recognise the name, Sheridan Voysey—writer, speaker and broadcaster on faith and spirituality. His study of society, culture, Scripture and religious movements, plus the insights gained from his 2000-plus radio interviews, have led Sheridan to two core convictions: that human beings innately long for God and that God walks beside us incognito. He is the author of five popular books: the award-winning Unseen Footprints: Encountering the Divine Along the Journey of Life, Open House Volume 1: Sheridan Voysey in Conversation, Open House Volume 2, Open House Volume 3 and recently released, the memoir Resurrection Year: Turning Broken Dreams into New Beginnings.

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Sheridan, your new book is entitled Resurrection Year: Turning Broken Dreams into New Beginnings. What is a Resurrection Year? I’d describe a Resurrection Year as a year of new life following the death of a dream. I’d love to take credit for the phrase but it was the British author Adrian Plass who suggested it to me. We’d gotten to know each other a little over the years and so I told him about the difficult journey my wife Merryn and I had been on, and how we were thinking of starting the new year afresh. He listened intently and then said, ‘In the Christian scheme of things, new beginnings come after the death of something, just as Jesus’ resurrection followed his crucifixion. After what you’ve just told me, I think a Resurrection Year is just what you need.’ For your Resurrection Year, you and your wife Merryn left Australia, travelled in Europe, and resettled in Oxford, England. What broken dream were you moving on from? Our broken dream was not being able to start a family. We had pursued that dream for ten years—through special diets, healing prayer, numerous rounds of IVF and a two-year wait on the local adoption list. By the end of that ten years, Merryn was in a mess. She needed a new beginning. Apart from longing to become a mum, Merryn’s

Sheridan will be signing his book at Koorong Springwood on Thursday 24 October 2013 at 6pm.

only other dream was to live and work overseas. When she was offered a job at Oxford University, we saw it as God’s way for that secondary dream to become a reality. How did you finally decide to stop trying to have a child? In short, we stopped because we simply couldn’t continue on anymore. Proverbs 13:12 says that hope deferred makes the heart sick. Well, Merryn’s heart was sick. The constant waiting picks away at the fabric of your being—waiting each month when you’re first trying for a child; waiting for blood test results when you’re doing IVF; waiting for the phone call when you’re waiting to adopt. Your emotions get a battering during this wait, as your hopes are constantly raised then dashed. As we approached our tenth year of waiting, we decided to try one last round of IVF before bringing the journey to an end. As readers of Resurrection Year will discover, that final round was eventful for all the wrong reasons. It is very moving in the book when you make the commitment to Merryn to leave Australia and follow her dream of living abroad. You had a significant platform here – a national radio show, best-selling books, and a speaking engagement schedule. How often did you second guess that decision? Having watched Merryn miss out on one dream, I couldn’t watch her miss out on another. So, I’ve never really second-guessed our decision to come to the UK. But I won’t lie—leaving my life and ministry in Australia was hard. I didn’t leave it with the joy of a saint who delights in sacrifice. In the book I describe our experience of infertility as a ‘wilderness’ journey. To some degree, leaving Australia and coming

to the UK plunged me into a second wilderness experience—not knowing who I was or what my purpose was to be. But God has been up to something all along, and this unexpected book is part of it. A whole new season of ministry is beginning—a very surprising one. Did you or Merryn have any reservations about sharing your personal story in Resurrection Year? Oh yes. Writing this book was not my idea at all (again, Adrian Plass played a part here). Professionally speaking, I didn’t want to become known as the ‘infertility’ guy. And from a personal perspective, this was an immensely private event for Merryn and me and by sharing it we would be vulnerable to the judgements of others. As readers will discover, some very raw emotions are shared in Resurrection Year, and some deep questions about God’s goodness and providence. But it’s that rawness that people are thanking us most for as it has given voice to their own feelings and questions, yet shown a pathway through them to a place of hope, faith and new life. How do you hope your story will help people? Resurrection Year is not a book about infertility—it’s a book about recovering from broken dreams. It’s a book for the girl who longs to be married but is single, the guy whose career dreams haven’t worked out, the friend who has lost a loved one—for anyone who has experienced a broken dream or for anyone who knows someone who has. I hope Resurrection Year will breathe new life and hope into these and other readers, helping them to see, through our story, that a broken dream doesn’t have to define one’s life, and that while God is sometimes silent, He is never absent.

Reviews

you really trust God for when you ask with all your heart and you’re ignored?’ How could your book help people deal with unanswered prayer? As the CS Lewis character says at the end of Shadowlands, ‘We read to know we’re not alone.’ So, firstly, I hope people who read Resurrection Year will feel they’re not alone in the experience of having God say ‘no’ to, or simply remain silent about, some things in their lives. Secondly, I hope that by the end of the book they’re able to see that while not every Christian story ends with a miracle, quite a few end with a surprise. God has a way of redeeming our suffering in ways we wouldn’t imagine. You’re now settled and established in Oxford. What’s happened with your unfulfilled dreams? Faded or displaced? Have they changed? There’s a time for finding a dream— most books, songs and sermons on dreams focus on this aspect. But Merryn and I have come to learn that there is also a time for letting a dream die—so you can grieve, adjust, and move on to the next thing God has for you. Some new dreams are in incubation for Merryn and I. Watch this space. Reprinted with permission: The Advocate, Baptist Churches WA ‘I love Sheridan Voysey’s honesty as he addresses the hard questions of faith. He lets us in on his pain to see how God works to stretch and grow him and his wife—and us. Sheridan offers no pat answers in Resurrection Year. His life illustrates the way God strengthens us in the struggle as we hold on to God even with our questions unanswered’ (Ruth Graham, author of In Every Pew Sits a Broken Heart).

In your book Merryn says, ‘What can

www.qb.com.au 10/13

Reviews Books DVDs Music DVD: Finances & Related Life Issues Foundations for Life (Crown Financial Ministries Australia) Price: $10.00* There are seven topics of seven minutes each on this DVD and a ‘Why Budget?’ segment of 20 minutes. With centrepieces of the teaching being the truth of God’s Word, the power of prayer and the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, the scene is set for people to experience a more intimate relationship with Jesus. More information can be found at www.crown.org.au *CORRECTION: DVD price was published incorrectly last issue.

DVD: The Bible

Book: Jesus Calling (Sarah Young)

Price: $37.95 THE BIBLE features powerful performances, exotic locales and dazzling visual effects that breathe spectacular life into the dramatic tales of faith and courage from Genesis through Revelation. This four-disc DVD set dives deeper into the making of the series and features a behind-the-scenes look at how the ground-breaking docudrama came together. Interviews with producers, directors, and cast illustrate creative collaboration on-set and off and show how the remarkable Moroccan scenery was transformed into the world of the Bible.

As seen on national TV. Buy online at http://store. movieschangepeople.com/collections/ frontpage/products/pre-order-the-bibleseries-dvd

Price: $14.99 (at WORD) After many years of writing her own words in her prayer journal, missionary Sarah Young decided to be more attentive to the Saviour’s voice and begin listening for what he was saying. With pen in hand, she embarked on a journey that forever changed her—and many others around the world. In these powerful pages are the words and Scriptures Jesus lovingly laid on her heart: words of reassurance, comfort, and hope; words that have made her increasingly aware of his presence and allowed her to enjoy his peace. Here is a year’s worth of daily readings to bring you closer to Christ and move your time with Him from monologue to dialogue. Each day is written as if Jesus Himself were speaking to you—because He is.

Book: In God They Trust? (Roy Williams) Price: $19.99 (at WORD) Most of Australia’s leaders since Federation believed in God. Some were serious Christians and very few were indifferent towards religion. In this timely and original book, Roy Williams examines the spiritual life of each of our Prime Ministers from Edmund Barton to Julia Gillard. He explores the ways in which—for good and ill— their beliefs (or agnosticism) shaped the history and development of the nation. Featuring extensive interviews with John Howard and Kevin Rudd, and pulling no punches, In God they trust? will appeal to voters across party lines and excite plenty of debate among believers and non-believers alike.

10/13 www.qb.com.au

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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 you’ve filled the entire grid, the puzzle is solved. Sukodu solutions to: QB Magazine, PO Box 6166 Mitchelton Qld 4053

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Two correct entries will be chosen to receive a $30 Word bookstore voucher. Don’t forget to include your full name and contact details.

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Last issue: “...ahh...I should have put my right foot first.” Congratulations to Andrew Roy.

Hey Kids, Look for Lucy! Congratulations! To all those who found Little Lucy hiding on page 33 (August issue). Hey kids! Look for Lucy in this issue! Little Lucy is hiding somewhere. Tell us where she is hiding and snail mail your answer, or email qb@qb.com.au

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BRISBANE: Willara House offers permanent or casual accommodation to students and young working women in a safe, secure, Christian environment. Residents have a private room, meals provided and free internet access. The facility is managed by an onsite Supervisor appointed by the City Tabernacle Baptist Church. For further information visit our website: www.willarahouse.com.au.

LARGE AUDITORIUM: Seats 290. Qld Baptists’ Centre at Gaythorne. Phone Claire on 3354 5600 for more information or visit www.qb.com.au – venue hire.

CALOUNDRA: Seafarer Chase luxury 2 b/r holiday apartments on the Sunshine Coast. Ocean views, heated pool, BBQ, security parking, close to beaches, shops, cinema and bowling club. Contact Marianne/Martin Burton, phone/fax 5491 7155.

SUNDAY SCHOOL RESOURCES WANTED Do you have old Sunday School resources you no longer need? Particularly needed are Felt Boards and associated teaching resources. HOWEVER ... Any Sunday School resources for village churches in the Solomon Islands would be greatly appreciated. Contact Robin and Aileen BEIERS Phone: 07 33596010 Mob.: 045 144 8662 Email: robinandaileen@yahoo.com.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 $300/wk, phone 0427 990 161. COOLUM: 3brm beach unit, new facilities, ocean views $270 w/e, $490 week *excludes holiday periods. Phone 0411 222 787, email rickn@activeforkliftservice.com.au. FAIRFIELD CHRISTIAN FAMILY: Fairfield Christian Family (www.fcfchurch.org.au) is located in a vibrant inner city suburb close to universities. From 2014, there will be vacancies for up to four students in two share accommodation houses adjacent to the church. Please contact Pastor Neil Pattemore (tarragindipats@yahoo.com.au) if you are interested.

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OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE: Taringa Baptist Church has a 70 sqm two-room office suitable for a mission or community organisation available for immediate use—only 6km from Brisbane CBD, with car parking and public transport at the door. Rates are well below commercial rentals and negotiable. If interested, phone 07 3870 1406 or email taringa.baptist@gmail.com.

POSITION VACANT WONDAI BAPTIST CHURCH A country church in the South Burnett district of Queensland is seeking to appoint a pastor. This is a part-time position. Is God calling you to come and to serve him in this capacity? If so contact Ivan Sinclair 07 4169 0020.

INTEGRITY TRAVEL Book all of your holidays and travel with Integrity Travel and help missions. Tours & specials at www.integritytravel.com.au Ph: 07 38631007 for more information and bookings.

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RELAX

knowing your investment is safe and working hard for you, and at the same time, helping to support much needed local projects.

Partner with BAPLink to support ministry initiatives through Queensland Baptists. BAPLink, a ministry of the Baptist Union of Queensland, supports churches who serve their local communities. BAPLink provides: • • •

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For more information or an application form contact BAPLink: Building 1, Level 2, 53 Prospect Road, Gaythorne PO Box 6166, Mitchelton 4053 Phone: 3354 5611 or 1800 650 062 (outside Brisbane) Fax: 3354 5605 baplink@qb.com.au www.qb.com.au/baplink