SUMMER 2018
unveiled
IN THIS ISSUE
16 The Art of Crossing Over
Bridging the gap into adulthood.
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A Place to Call Home No longer a strange building on their daily commute, Riverlife is now a place Steve and Amy Watts can truly call home.
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Unearthing the Gold
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Fear-Proof Faith Pastor Ric reflects on his recent misson trip to Egypt and what it means to face fear head on.
Highlights of our youth and young adults ONE Conference.
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Hope Grow in Japan New opportunities emerge for ministry in Japan.
24 Buckets of Joy
Blessing families with bucketfuls of love.
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30 Building Firm Foundations Helping kids take hold of their faith journey.
26 Lighting up the Community
Showcasing the Light of God.
Financial Summary
32 In the Spotlight
Meet Emily Ellis, our new Children’s Pastor.
UNVEILED SUMMER 2018
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I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. JOHN 15:16 (NIV)
Welcome to the first edition of ‘Unveiled’. An important part of Riverlife’s culture is to celebrate the testimony of what God is doing amongst us, so we can give glory to God and inspire others. I believe that this quarterly publication will help to do that. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, and we desire to continue stirring faith in you through reading the accounts of what Jesus has been doing, so you too can rise in faith and see this fruit in your life also. Fruit is our only permanent deposit in heaven and the main earthly reason we were saved. Real fruit always lasts! Bearing fruit or reflecting God’s glory, is not some unique phenomenon
reserved for certain types of Christians. It is the destiny of every believer. If Jesus chose us for abundance, if He expected abundance and created us to desire it deeply, we will never find fulfilment in a half-empty basket. The good news is we don’t have to. As you read through the pages of this publication, you will be reading testimony of what the Holy Spirit has done amongst His people, and I trust you will be inspired to let Him tell a story through your life as well. God Bless, John Robertson Senior Pastor
O U R VA LU E S
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of Je declared, His lo The difference is no it’s not it just wha what we
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John Robertson
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on the rock solid esus. His words . ove ot in what we hear, at we know, it’s in .” e
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“We had discussed going to Riverlife, mostly out of curiosity, and one Sunday my wife asked me if we should go to the 5pm service. I said ‘ok, let’s go’. I had no idea those three words would change so much”.
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A Place to Call Home
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For many, joining a large church can be a daunting thought. It takes time to find your place, make friends and feel settled. Just six months ago, newcomers Steve and Amy Watts felt the same. Living locally in the area, they had often driven past the building during the construction phase and wondered what it was. With Amy growing up in a small-town church and Steve having only attended church previously for family weddings, funerals and the occasional Easter service, intentionally choosing to attend a service was something that took time and clearly, God’s intervention. “We had actually planned to move away, but to our disappointment, our plans fell through,” Steve said. “We had discussed going to Riverlife, mostly out of curiosity, and one Sunday my wife asked me if we should go to the 5pm service. I said ‘ok, let’s go’. I had no idea those three words would change so much”. With their first service a resounding success for them both, Steve and Amy quickly got involved in a range of Riverlife programs. From Starting Out, Life Groups, Alpha and conferences, to immersing themselves in weekly podcasts,
Worship Rooms and even prayer counselling, they were eager to jump-start their understanding of the Bible, Jesus and the Big Story. “Our hunger and thirst really ramped up, and we signed up for everything we could – drinking out of the firehose – as someone described it to us!” Amy said. “We feel extremely blessed to have access to such great resources and would like to honour and acknowledge all of the toiling and tending that has gone before to prepare these things for us – no wonder it feels like we have been given an inheritance – we have!” An avid photographer, Steve was quick to join the photography team and loves being able to use his gifts to serve in this area. He has also joined the youth team and is blown away each week by the time he spends with the kids. Even though they have been blessed by the quality of resources and teaching at Riverlife, it was the presence of the Holy Spirit that genuinely captured their hearts.
“No one needed to tell me that Riverlife embraces God’s presence; I could see it and feel it for myself,” ST E V E WAT T S
“If you’re new, make sure you talk to someone at the info desk and fill in a contact slip – you won’t get lost or bombarded, but if you trust the process, will find your place in amongst it all,” she said. “While we love the teaching and have been blessed to have
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“I began experiencing authentic, spirit-led discipleship organically right from week one and so much more that I didn’t even know could exist in a church,” Amy said.
Both Steve and Amy are excited to see what God is going to do, both in their own lives and the life of the church in the community. From just one brave step of ‘ok, let’s go’ to now, God has not only transformed their lives dramatically but enriched and blessed us as a church family with their presence. No longer a strange building on their daily commute, Riverlife is now a place they can truly call home.
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“Riverlife feels like home to me. It is a safe place where I can be myself and learn more about who God is. I cannot put into words the impact that the people at Riverlife have had on my life; God truly has done amazing things for me in this place”.
one-on-one catch ups with the pastors, some of the most fulfilling conversations we have are with other churchgoers in the café after a service or an event!”
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FearProofed Faith Pastor Ric reflects on his recent misson trip to Egypt and what it means to face fear head on. In September, more than 850 pastors and leaders from all 27 provinces across Egypt travelled to Agape for a combined Christian conference. For the past ten years Pastor Ric Benson has been part of a team of international pastors to lead this conference. Designed to provide strategic training and support to pastoral leaders and their families, the conference also offers a safe place for attendees to share their faith collectively. Many experience limiting constraints in their hometowns, which are mainly controlled by Muslims and are therefore opposed to Christianity. Topics covered included leadership, spiritual formation, prayer, revival, and marriage counselling. In a culture where gender equality continues to be a contested issue,
marriage counselling is proving an incredible starting place to demonstrate Christian values actively and, in turn, lead people to Jesus. While the hunger to encounter and experience God was palpable, the reality of their daily situation was never far from those attending. Armed security police checked each vehicle and individual as they arrived, part of an official government measure to protect Christians from extremist attacks. In spite of this, there is growing fear that these checks are aiding the monitoring of Christian movement in the country. The daily persecution of our fellow Christians in Egypt is forging a brand of Christianity that is ‘fear-proofed,’ with a fire in their spirit to see the Kingdom of God come in power. It is both an honour and privilege to serve Christians in Egypt as they seek to live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ in such circumstances. Christ is building His church in Egypt, and we have the
opportunity to play a small part. Egypt is a significant international centre for Islam and is home to 48 per cent of all Christians in the Middle East. While the constitution allows freedom of religious expression, there is much radical opposition to Christianity, especially at the provincial and local community level. Let us continue to pray for those who pay the price each day to follow Jesus, but who at the same time know the victory of God’s deliverance from evil as they faithfully walk in His footsteps each day. Click here to listen to a podcast with Pastor Ric Benson
Unearthing the Gold
We are so thankful for the servant-hearted teams of people who made this event possible. Together, our hearts’ desire is that we would continue to see our younger generation radically transformed by God’s love in their own lives, so they can, in turn, transform the lives of those around them. We can’t wait to see how the story unfolds. Thank you for investing in these powerful legacy-builders! See the wrap-up video here
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Our guest speaker, Josh McGready, stirred up more than 200 students and Young Adults to hunger and thirst for a daily relationship with their Heavenly Father, knowing that when our faith walk gets personal, it gets powerful. On Saturday afternoon we put legs to that power by training and sending the youth out to share the love of God with people in the local community. Students participated in ten different Street Teams projects, meeting practical needs, equipped with encouraging cards, flowers, and free drinks to love on people. They also practised words of knowledge, listening to the voice of God and going out to meet specific people the Lord had revealed, to encourage them through prayer.
Our weekend together was bookended by powerful times of encountering God’s presence in worship, and in the corporate ministry time, we prayed for a baptism of the Holy Spirit. God moved mightily, and we saw many stand up and declare freedom from anxiety, depression and fear. Praise God! 15
At ONE Conference 2018, God met us as we declared that lives could change in just ONE moment of encountering Him. As a team, we prayed that God would ‘unearth the gold’ in the Youth and Young Adults by revealing their worth that is only correctly represented by the immeasurable price paid for each one: the precious blood of Jesus.
The Art of Cross UNVEILED SUMMER 2018
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Helping youth navigate the transition into adulthood.
It’s no secret that there is a gap between adolescence and adulthood in the world. Most people stumble unthinkingly across this gap when they graduate from high school into a brand-new world of unchartered territory. Unfortunately, this gap has left many Christian or church-attending youth unsure about what they believe. As a result, many have slipped away from their commitment to God. I have seen this first hand. In 2017, Riverlife Youth developed a course called Crossover to assist Year Twelve students as they cross over from youth to young adulthood at Riverlife. In this course, we show the students the ways of the cross over the counterfeit alternatives that the world offers them, helping them become an influence in the world that they find themselves in as young adults.
This course looks at what it means to have a personal faith and how that interacts within the broader communal faithfamily of Riverlife. After this, we look at what it means to have a missional faith, as well as various practical tips for life as a young adult such as time management, independence, and financial stewardship. The initial week looks directly at the gospel message and what it looks like to be called children of God. The temptation may be for these young people just to believe everything that has been spoken to them over the many years of attending youth and church, but not have a personal faith of their own. As such, at the start of the course we strip that facade away and lead the students to the point of personal choice: will I truly trust the story of the cross?
ing Over
Scott McKinnon Pastoral Assistant (Youth and Spiritual Formation)
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In just two years of running this course, I have witnessed not only the retention of youth in the Riverlife community but also the spiritual maturity and commitment of these same people. Some of the fruit has been seen immediately. However, I am trusting that God will produce much more fruit as the student’s faiths are firmly rooted and grounded in the love of Christ displayed on the cross.
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For the second week, we examine the church as the body and bride of Christ. Time is spent discussing the difference between consuming the church and contributing to the cultivation of the church community. Following this, week three looks at how the students can best declare and demonstrate the good news to those around them. Rather than seeing mission as a burden to carry, we discuss how it’s an overflow of a great gift that God has given us. These three weeks form the main content of the course: personal faith, communal faith and missional faith. If each student rightly grasps these concepts, I am confident that they will have the wisdom to effectively crossover into young adulthood.
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Hope Grows in Japan Over the September school holidays a team headed off on their annual mission trip to Japan.
The team has a dual focus of sharing the gospel with nonbelievers and encouraging the churches and ministries that we serve. Some of our partner churches are growing significantly, seeing new salvations, and even outgrowing their current worship spaces. Another team member commented: “I had so many comments from
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The Hope Collective have been performing and ministering in Japan since 2012 and have cultivated deep friendships in that time. As we regularly return to Japan, we have started to see a discernible change in the openness of the Japanese people to the gospel. This shift was most apparent this year as many new opportunities emerged to partner with new churches and perform in new public venues, including at Kyōto Station, Japan’s second largest train station. One team member shared her experience of performing at a shopping mall:
“We did a couple of sets of secular songs with a few worship songs included to help a local church in Kyoto to promote their upcoming move to a new facility. There was a man who stayed for the majority of the two sets and at the end came to speak to us. He wanted us to write down the names of the songs we sang, including the worship ones. We were able to share with him that we’d come all the way from Australia to sing and share about Jesus. He seemed to be interested by that.”
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Over the September school holidays, the Hope Collective mission team returned to Japan. This year’s theme was “The Way”. The production focused on the message that Jesus is the way for life, hope, and meaning in the midst of our very busy and distracted lives. His way is the way that leads to abundant life.
people involved with our church partners about how moving the production was, and how it was so helpful to have a team from Australia to help them with outreach and their own church community.” The Hope Collective works on a mission model that depends on strong relationships with local churches and partners within Japan. Many times, we walked away from a church feeling so blessed to be a part of God’s work in Japan as it is such an honour to bring some energy and encouragement into the churches. In the words of another team member:
“Every place we ministered we were met with hungry and earnest people who were generously serving Jesus and Japan. It moved me deeply. While I know the team richly blessed everyone we visited, I am certain I received far more than I gave.” Not only do we go to Japan, but we also work with Japanese students and families that are living in Australia. Many of our team members regularly lead and serve in the Japanese Christian fellowship at Riverlife and participate in outreach events at the universities here in Brisbane. We desire to nurture and disciple new Japanese Christians to take their faith back
to Japan. Through our church partners, these new Christians find a place to continue to grow in their faith and serve in the local church. It is often difficult for students to return to Japan and maintain their faith, and so these connection points are essential to help them grow in their relationship with God. It also benefits the churches in Japan as they welcome mature believers into their community, and in this way, the mission has not ended because we have returned home. The ministry continues to grow as more and more Japanese people encounter God’s love. We will continue to serve them with the hope of the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Pastor Eric Whitley and Rodger van Raalte Click here to listen to a podcast with Pastor Eric Whitley
A new initiative is gaining momentum and having a big impact on the community.
Every good and perfect gift is from above. JAMES 1:17 (NIV)
Plans are underway for the project to continue next year on a bigger scale, including a Buckets for Bubs initiative: a boutique baby market supporting teen and refugee mums, which is to be held at Riverlife mid-2019. Together, it is our hearts’ desire that we would look for tangible ways to generously love those around us and ultimately point them to the One who loved them first.
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Through the generous support of the Riverlife family and our Life Groups, ten families from Oxley, Darra and Corinda State Schools
The response to the project’s trial has been overwhelming. The Chaplains felt empowered to better love and support families in their school communities. In turn, Buckets of Joy also provided a meaningful learning experience for our own Riverlife families, who were able to outwork their faith in a practical way: from purchasing individual gifts to praying for others and wrapping the hampers for delivery.
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As Christ’s followers, we are called to declare and demonstrate His love to those around us. This prompted Riverlife Women to launch Buckets of Joy this Christmas, partnering with school Chaplains to bless families in the local community who needed extra encouragement this year. The reality of walking with Jesus means we stand in a life-giving river that never runs dry of blessing and provision. It is out of this overflow that we can generously pass bucketfuls of love to those around us.
received Christmas hampers this year. These hampers included a gift for each family member, Christmas goodies, and practical resources to use towards celebrating together during the festive season.
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Lighting up the Community
In the past few years, celebrating Halloween has become increasingly popular in Australian culture. From garish shopping centre decorations to children roaming the streets in often grotesque and macabre costumes, Halloween has become a yearly tradition for the old and young alike.
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With more than 1400 children, adults and volunteers in attendance, the 2018 Light Party was a raging success! Glow sticks, jumping castles, climbing towers, carnival games and disco moves were in abundance
Being in the world yet not of it provides us with such a unique opportunity to showcase something real and of great value to those around us. The truth and freedom that Jesus offers are unlike anything the world can deliver, and it’s such a delight to see people’s response when they encounter it. We are forever thankful that where there is light, darkness cannot be.
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God tells us in His Word that we are to think about whatever is pure and lovely while being the salt and light in the world. Hosting the Riverlife Light Party provides a positive, safe alternative that allows members of the community to enjoy dressing up, eating lollies a nd playing games as a deliberate attempt to shine light in the darkness.
as families made the most of the festival atmosphere. Guests were greeted on arrival by superheroes and princesses, and every inch of the facility was a bustling haze of laughter-filled entertainment. An incredible 207 enthusiastic volunteers donned costumes and served as a team to ensure a seamless night and positive experience was had by all.
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L I G H T PA RT Y T E ST I M O N A LS
“I just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who planned and volunteered their time and services for last night’s Light Party. We had such a great time! It was great watching everyone’s eyes light up when they walked into the internal foyer and saw the decorations and multiple options to choose from! I got to greet several families who had not been before and were very impressed! We brought a friend with us who couldn’t believe that it was a church.”
“Thanks to everyone involved for your tremendous efforts in organising such a fantastic night for families. We had a wonderful time, as did the four families who took up our invitation to come. We can only imagine that many others have been reached and welcomed by our church tonight and we are so grateful to you and are in awe of what God is doing at Riverlife!”
“We have just come home from such a wonderful night at the light party. The whole event was so well run, but what overwhelmed me with gratitude, was the number of amazing volunteers who planned for, ran events, organised, set up and packed up, and all the behind the scenes people who were instrumental in this evening being as successful as it was!”
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“The Light Party was flawless! Thank you Riverlife volunteers for being a shining light. My little six-year-old was actively inviting her school friends to this event (a few actually made it!) to share in shining light. Thank you for empowering our generations to make a difference!”
“My kiddies were so incredibly excited to meet Cinderella, Wonder Woman, Batman and Captain America! Thank you to those awesome people who chose to stay in character and create the most amazing dreamlike experience for my kids.”
“Our girls had an absolute feast with all the activities in a fun, loving, caring environment that was focused on hope and love displaying Christian principles everywhere.”
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Building Firm Foundations This term, 32 Year Six students undertook the Riverlife Foundations course as part of their transition towards high school. At this pivotal time in their lives, it is a perfect opportunity to spend time thinking about what they believe, laying firm foundations for the years ahead. The fruit of this course over the past three years has been abundant, as students undertake a specialised, purpose-written program each Sunday to give them the opportunity to be extended and challenged, as they grow and take hold of their faith journey with God. The planning and facilitation of the program involves the generous support from a dedicated group of leaders, teachers and mentors. The team’s desire for the group is to grow in their faith and experience God in close
community with peers and mentors through a series of engaging spiritual, fun and practical serving opportunities. Challenges such as mountain climbing, rock climbing and bridge building served as practical opportunities to speak into the faith required to overcome challenges in our own lives. The course culminated in a graduation ceremony that included nine students being baptised in front of their family and friends! Many commented that while they had known of God and various Bible stories before starting, Foundations enabled them to know Him personally. Their personal revelations of who He was in their own lives meant they felt more confident to communicate with God and rely on Him on a daily basis.
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Our prayer is that as this group of students begin to navigate the challenges that come with high school, they will start to develop their relationship with God and learn to trust His voice above all others. Building firm foundations with God is something that takes each of us time and commitment, but hopefully, the benefit of starting early will pave the way for a legacy unlike no other!
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
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Emily Ellis We’re so thrilled to have our new Children’s Pastor on team. We asked her a few questions...
What were you doing before coming to Riverlife? I was the Next Gen Pastor at Wodonga and District Baptist Church on the border of Victoria and New South Wales. My job was to oversee the ministries from newborn to Young Adults. It was hectic but super fun!
What do you love about Kids Church?
I can’t wait to be a part of this incredible church that everyone keeps telling me I’m so blessed
When everyone volunteering in Kids Church not only shows up, but they show up prepared and pumped to lead their kids well. Great leaders make great ministries! So, if we have great leaders serving in the gifts God’s given them, we are going to have a fantastic Kids Church.
What’s your favourite memory of Kids Church as a child? My family moved around a bit growing up, but what I remember most is when leaders didn’t just tell me what to do but took the time to get to know me. That made a huge difference for me. I also loved getting to be Mary in our Kids Church Christmas play, and I totally nailed it!
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What are you most looking forward to about being at Riverlife?
What does the perfect Sunday look like in Kids Church?
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I love that kids are fresh and enthusiastic and want to have fun! There’s a reason Jesus told us to be more like kids in the way we approach Him. I love when kids love Church and enjoy being part of a big family that loves them! I love when the Church embraces kids as an essential part of the church today, not just the future church. Most of all, I love when kids encounter Jesus in a genuine way that challenges the adults to approach Him similarly.
to be a part of! Moving to Brisbane and Riverlife is a massive change for me, but God made it super clear that it’s my new home, so I’m excited about what He has in store.
Actual Income
% of Budget
Budget Variation
October 103.7 $11,300
Pastor al
28%
35%
Mis
18%
try
19%
s ini
e r ty op Pr
Co sts
nd
Administratio n
Expenditure by Expense Category
-$21,700
so n a
Familie Comm s and uni ty
9%
Childrt ens
8%
7% 11%
12%
Spirituaatl Form ion
9%
d an m n elis g
W o rsh ip
ral t sto h Pa ersig Ov
and
Administratio
n
16%
28%
M Ev isso an
Staffing by Ministry Area
th YouA. Y.
Financial Summary
99.3
M
YTD (10 months)
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also M AT T H E W 6 : 2 1 ( N I V )
Per annum
Per week
$11M
Per auditorium seat
$2,427
$47
$7,333
Per regular attendee (18+)
$1,560
$30
$4,715
16
20
2018
2015
0 .75
0.8
2017
0.7
Income vs Budget
0.85
0.9
0.95
1
1.05
1.1
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Income Budget Debt
35
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
MORE TESTIMONY Have more testimony on what God has done at Riverlife and the surrounding community? We’d love to hear about it! Please email your testimony along with your name and contact details to church@riverlifechurch.org.au
By submitting testimony you are giving Riverlife Baptist Church your permission to share this testimony verbally in messages or sermons and in written form in reports and email newsletters.
Unveiled is a publication of Riverlife Baptist Church If you have any further questions about anything you have read, please visit the information desk in the foyer on Sundays, call the church office during business hours or visit our website. Our regular service times are 9am and 5pm every Sunday.
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E P
church@riverlifechurch.org.au 3378 3595 W riverlifechurch.org.au
Jennifer Street, 17 Mile Rocks Qld 4073