ACC Mag #1 (2024)

#1 2024

EMAG

quarterly publication for acc leaders

The WORD edition

Why Can We Trust The Bible?

Lectio Divinia: Praying With The Word

Building a Disciplined Life

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Cover: Sixteen Miles Out

IN

THE WORD EDITION Start the new year with a commitment to delve deeper into the Word of God. Inspiration from ACC leaders on building a disciplined life through Bible study, prayer with the Word and dedicated time of devotion.

NEWS ACC Church Life

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40 Years of Ministry: Robbie Housen

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Making a mark: MArk & Gail Edwards

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ACSF: 30 Years of Influence Q& A with Jon Holloway

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Global: Committed to 1 MillionChurches by 2033

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ARTICLES REVITALISING THE GREAT COMMISSION

by John Hunt

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LECTIO DIVINA

by Ally Cawthorn 16 BUILDING A DISCIPLINED LIFE

by Sean Stanton 18 FAITH COMES BY HEARING

by Mark Varughese

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WHY CAN WE TRUST THE BIBLE?

by Jacqueline Grey 22 BIBLE STUDY NEEDS YOUR HEAD & HEART

by Adam Dodds 24 HOW IMPORTANT IS STUDY... REALLY?

by Andrew Groza 25 FAMILY DEVOTIONS

by Jemima Varughese 29 WALKING THE ROPE BRIDGE

by Ralph Estherby 30 DON'T RISK YOUR DESTINY

by Deborah Hilton

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PRIVACY LAW & YOUR CHURCH

by Tim Whincop, Jackson Litzow & Brett Randall

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SAFER CHURCH CHECKLIST

by Allyson Parker

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3 REASONS WHY PASTORS AVOID PROFESSIONAL SUPERVISION

by Kris Thornton 38 RESOURCES XLR8: FAST TRACK DISCIPLESHIP

by Michael Murphy 40 NEW RELEASES

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ACC celebrations

OCT – DEC 2023

Family

@royalschurchcns

Worship

@planetshakers

Awards

@encounterchurch

Prayer

@revivalcitychurch Baptisms

Communion

@nationschurch.myaree

Hospital visits

@kingdomcity

Community

Emeritus

@desertlife.church

@newhope_church

Brisbane North

FOLLOW ACC SNAPSHOT ON INSTAGRAM: @ACCSNAPSHOT #ACCSNAPSHOT 4

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40 YEARS OF MINISTRY

Robbie Housen Forty years ago, Robbie Houston heard the call of God to go to the mission field. Over this time, Robbie has made a profound contribution to church planting, pastoring and theological training across India, Australia, the USA and Mozambique.

The ACC honours Robbie for her commitment to missions and for choosing to sow her life into these nations, including the past 24 years in Mozambique.

A special donatation page has been set up for anyone who’d like to give towards Robbie’s resettlement in Australia and/or the continuing work of the Hope Ministry Centre in Mozambique, under the leadership of Pedro and Guida Caetano.

Raising leaders in Mozambique Pedro and Guida Caetano lead the Hope Ministry Training Program out of Beira, in Mozambique. Having graduated from the program themselves over 20 years ago, they well understand the benefits of proper ministry training.

'There is a real need for training in our country,' reflects Pedro.

'Mozambique didn’t have a lot of Bible colleges in the past. We had more than 15 years of war and we are still an emerging country.

'When missionaries used to come, they’d teach people but it would only be for three or four months. We have a whole generation of pastors who didn’t have an opportunity for Bible college.'

Hope Ministry Training Program used to offer live-in training, but has since transitioned to offering daytime and evening sessions only. This allows the program to run on a smaller budget and means students don’t have to live away from their families while studying.

The college now mostly attracts people who are already pastors, as well as emerging leaders. In 2022, a total of 32 students studied in the Hope Ministry Training Program, hailing from all over Beira – and surrounds – and representing 17 different denominations.

The Hope Ministry Training Program is only Bible college with bilingual capability in both English and Portuguese.'

Over the course of their training – which usually lasts two years – they learn about theology, leadership, conflict management and administration.

Once these leaders have completed their course, they’ll join the ranks of Hope alumni who are now teaching and reaching people throughout Mozambique and surrounding nations.

'A lot of our alumni are really high-profile pastors, or are planting churches,' says Pedro.

'Some are working outside of Mozambique and some are involved in missions organisations.

There’s a lot happening!'

'Whatever they learn, they’re going to be able to use it on Sunday,' Pedro reflects.

As well as providing sound theological training, the course enables people to gain a diploma – which is a government requirement for all pastors wanting to register their churches.

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MARK & GAIL EDWARDS

Making their mark The ACC celebrated the incredible commitment and service of Pastor Mark & Gail Edwards to City Hope Church and the Ipswich community in Queensland as they passed on the baton of leadership after 33 years.

A former lawyer and much-loved pastor, Mark is highly respected and well-known from the streets of Ipswich to the halls of Parliament. In 2014, Mark was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for service to the church and to the Ipswich community.

In November 2023, the leadership of City Hope church was passed to Ryan & Letisha Germain, to continue the legacy of the Mark & Gail Edwards in Ipswich.

National President Wayne Alcorn honoured Mark and Gail on "the completion of their assignment as Senior Pastors at Cityhope Church… we salute you both. Your Movement is grateful for your tireless service.”

Mark has been instrumental in working behind the scenes by engaging with National and State political leaders on behalf of the ACC, and will continue to serve the ACC in this capacity.

Marriage Witness changes CHANGES TO REMOTE WITNESSING OF NOIM The temporary measure introduced during COVID to allow remote witnessing of the Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) ended on 31 December 2023.

The legal requirements for all new NOIMs signed and witnessed from 1st January 2024 include: • all new NOIMs must only be signed and witnessed in the physical presence of an authorised witness, and • a new NOIM signed and witnessed remotely ie, via any facility that enables audio and visual communication between persons in different places, will not be valid.

Please note, there are no exceptions to the above.

It is important that all authorised witnesses, including authorised marriage celebrants, comply strictly with the changed legal requirements.

For any enquiries: Marriage Law and Celebrants Section Australian Government AttorneyGeneral’s Dept 3-5 National Circuit, Barton ACT 2600 T: 1800 550 343 (Tues - Thurs)

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ACSF: 30 YEARS OF INFLUENCE Interview with CEO Jon Holloway

ACS Financial (ACSF) CEO Jon Holloway shares on the powerful impact ACS financial has had on the ACC Movement.

Q: Jon, what sparked the beginning of ACS Financial 30 years ago?

JON: Back then, through the foresight and wisdom of a few people, the ACC initiated the collective pooling of the insurance arrangements of its own churches and ensure that they were properly and more efficiently insured. In God’s hands and with incredible people, this developed over the years into something so much bigger than any of us envisioned.

Q: Can you tell me more about that?

JON: These arrangements, and the formation of ACSF, also enabled the capturing of the income from the insurance brokers back into ACSF and the Movement. Eventually ACSF commenced its own loan broking services to its clients and later launched its own investment and mortgage fund, now called ACCumulator, which provides a return to our investors but with the purpose of lending directly to churches. This enabled a way for churches to grow financially, dream big with property acquisitions and upgrades and know that if the going got tough, they were not at the

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mercy of banks who do not share kingdom values.

Q: Why do you think ACS has stood the test of time?

JON: One word. TRUST. We have spent decades building trust with our clients and external stakeholders, to a level that is unmatched in our space compared to the relatively low levels of trust the general community has in organisations such as banks, insurance companies, superannuation and financial advisory businesses and people.

The backbone of the trust people have in ACSF, is the trust clients have with our highly aligned, professional and experienced staff, and our Board, to look after their interests, and oversee and drive ACSF’s growth and maturity. Most of our team, and Board, are now long term employees, greater than 10 years, and in some cases 20+ years.

Q: What do you wish more church leaders knew?

JON: Two things: firstly, the financial services industry is becoming more sceptical of Christian ministries and education; they don’t understand church. We do! They are increasingly less likely to be there for them when they are most needed.

This industry is becoming more and more complex and is ever changing, and we really encourage more church leaders to come to us early so we can provide sound advice and find insurance and lending solutions together.

Q: What’s next for ACS Financial?

JON: There is still so much to do in terms of growing and strengthening our business over the coming years and sustainably increasing our support to the ACC Movement. We are so thankful for you, our clients and our Movement, and want to continue to partner with and support you in your mission. As you strengthen and grow, we want to continue to be right there with you on the journey.

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GLOBAL CHURCH

MM33: One million churches by 2033 Pastor Sean Stanton represented the ACC at the 2023 World Assemblies of God Congress (WAGF) held in Madrid, Spain, from 12-14 October 2023.

The Assemblies of God is the largest Pentecostal Fellowship in the world, with over 70 million believers and more than 365,000 churches globally.

The Congress is held every three years in different locations. The 2023 'Shine' Congress focused on the adoption phase of the MM33 Initiative - the collaboration of AOG fellowships to engage in the most significant work of evangelism, discipleship, and church planting over the next decade.

Our National President Wayne Alcorn signed the MM33 Initiative, committing the ACC to partner in the global goal of growing to one million churches by the 2000th anniversary of Jesus Christ’s resurrection and the Day of Pentecost in 2033.

New Chairman Rev Dominic Yeo was elected by the Congress as the new Chairman of the WAGF, subsequently relinquishing his role of ten years as Chairman of the Asia-Pacific AG Fellowship. Rev Ong Sek Leang has taken over as Chairman of APAGF. Oceania Region Additionally, the proposal for Oceania to be established as a new region has been accepted and approved by the WAGF Executive Council. The leadership of Oceania will convene a meeting in 2024 to form their constitution and Executive Council.

More information on MM33: mm33.global Services recorded at the World Congress can be viewed at shineworldcongress2023.com

Image: Pexels 12

2024 EVENTS

L E A D E R S H I P R O U N D T A B L E with Sam Chand BRISBANE Monday 29th April 2024 MELBOURNE Thursday 2nd May 2024 SYDNEY Friday 3rd May 2024

Book your spot CLIC K HERE

This up-close and personal event is the perfect opportunity for you and your team to glean wisdom from one of the world’s top leadership consultants.

Sam Chand is a former Pastor, college President, Chancellor and now serves as President Emeritus of Beulah Heights University. He regularly consults with churches and businesses on leadership and capacity enhancing issues.

His singular vision for his life is to Help Others Succeed.

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T IT OU T-

DARKN ES THE S, IN

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PHUKET THAILAND

acci.org.au/conference

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TUESDAY 6 – THURSDAY 8 AUGUST

THE LIGHT SH IN

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carry the light ACC INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2024

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RK E DA NESS HA TH S

PU ER EV N

Revitalising The Great Commission

By John Hunt In the realm of global missions, the heartbeat of purpose resonates in the Great Commission. Rooted in the teachings of Jesus, this mandate calls believers to go and make disciples of all nations. However, as we take a fresh look at missions, it becomes crucial to re-centre our focus on the essence of the Great Commission and, in particular, direct our attention to unreached people groups.

The Great Commission, found in Matthew 28:19-20, serves as a compass guiding the mission of the Church. Yet, the urgency of this commandment is magnified when we turn our gaze toward those who have not yet been reached by the transformative message of hope and redemption.

Unreached people groups, often residing in remote or isolated regions, remain untouched by the light of the Gospel. The clear clarion call is not just to preach within familiar territories but to venture into the unreached, breaking barriers and bringing the good news to those who have yet to hear it.

The words of missionary statesman William Carey echo: 'Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.' This sentiment challenges us to expand our vision beyond the comfortable and familiar, daring to reach the unreached with unwavering commitment.

The Apostle Paul, a missionary par excellence, set a precedent for cross-cultural engagement. His journeys to unreached territories underscore the dynamic nature of the Great Commission.

To make the Great Commission front and centre means embracing the challenge of cultural diversity, linguistic intricacies, and geographical hurdles. It means recognising that the mandate to make disciples is not fulfilled until it reaches every corner of the globe, every people group, and every individual longing for the redemptive touch of Christ.

The reality is, the fruit of such endeavour must be viewed generationally. It is seldom the content of a motivational PowerPoint slide on what has been achieved in the last 12 months. The investment is heavy, the fruit can be very slow in the reaping. However, If obedience is the guiding light, what other option do we have?

Jesus instructed us to pray to the Lord of the harvest to raise up harvesters to send to the fields.

As we embark on this renewed mission, please make sure that you receive our monthly Prayer update. Focus your prayer along with hundreds of others in our faith filled movement on his ultimate purpose for the church.

Recognise that God will raise up many from amongst us that will need our support, spiritually, relationally and financially. This will be, in reality, an answer to our prayer.

May the spirit of the Great Commission drive us to reach the unreached, ensuring that every tribe, tongue, and nation hears the life-transforming message of love and salvation.

John Hunt is the ACC Vice President and Director of ACCI.

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Image: Unsplash

THE WORD

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LECTIO DIVINA Praying With The Word

By Ally Cawthorn The practice of lectio (pronounced lexio) divina or sacred reading engages scripture for the purpose of developing a dynamic relationship with the living Word - through the written word. Whilst this practice was common among Christian monastic communities through centuries past, including that of our desert mothers and fathers, it has extended beyond those monasteries and found its way into the spiritual practices of Christians for many years since.

Praying with scripture in this way is a practice which is not undertaken for the purpose of increasing knowledge of, or with the intention of cognitive engagement with scripture, rather it is a form of prayer that draws us into a deeper experience with the loving presence of God. The desire of the prayer is to develop a dialogue with God that is dynamic, alive, and didactic, through the written scripture which is fixed and somewhat familiar. It is beautiful to experience how the written word, which never changes, becomes as though it is being spoken afresh by God in that moment.

The practice itself has defined steps, however they should not be considered as static or linear, rather they are more akin to that of a dance. They are there to guide the reader to flow backward and forward throughout the practice while engaging with the words of scripture. It is fair to say that when first attempting this practice particular attention is paid to the specific steps, lest the dancer trips or stumbles. As familiarity with the steps grow, they fade into the background and there is an ease of movement that becomes familiar and alluring.

At the centre of this practice is listening for God at ever deepening levels of attention or awareness. The natural outcome or response to these deepening encounters is spontaneous prayer which erupts out of the prescribed steps and ushers you into the gift of contemplation which is the word given to describe the corresponding response given by God. To begin, locate a passage of

scripture you feel drawn to explore. This need not be a long passage, just a paragraph or even three or four lines will be enough. It is important to read through that passage slowly and engage with the steps or movements of the practice.

The Four Steps The four movements of the steps traditionally prescribed include Lectio, Meditatio, Oratio and Contemplatio.

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2.

3.

4.

Lectio: listen for the word or phrase that stands out to you. It could even unnerve or disturb you; stir you, or just seem to have some deeper meaning relevant to you right now.

Meditatio: spend some time reflecting on or thinking about that word or phrase. Then, read the whole text again, and take some time to focus on that word or phrase and begin to notice what is happening in your soul or heart.

Oratio: verbal prayer. Allow Prayer to arise spontaneously as you allow your heart to be touched by how God is encountering you through this passage.

Contemplatio: allow yourself to rest in the presence of God. The idea here is to simply ‘be’, rather than trying to ‘do’ anything.

This practice is the realisation of the biblical testimony that 'the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart' (Hebrews 4:12). Why not consider making it part of your spiritual journey and formation as you reflect on the year that has been and anticipate all that is ahead in the year to come?

Dr Ally Cawthorn is a member of the ACC National Executive and on the Neuma Global Executive TeamTeaching portfolio.

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THE WORD

Building a Disciplined Life The Value of Studying God's Word

By Sean Stanton

The benefits of physical exercise are many, yet it requires a disciplined approach to achieve them. The same goes for spiritual disciplines – the things we do to train in godliness. A spiritual discipline is something you do that positions you in a place where God’s grace can work in you.

The Apostle Paul’s encouragement to Timothy was this: ‘Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please!’ 1 Tim 4:7 (MSG)

THE VALUE OF STUDY Of all the spiritual disciplines, none may be more important than studying God’s Word. We believe the Bible is God’s self-revelation of Himself and His redemptive purposes for creation. Only through the Bible’s instruction can we understand His nature, character, ways and will.

‘All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.’ 2 Tim 3:16–17 (NIV) Our God is a God who speaks, and this leaves us with the question, ‘Are we listening?’

A FEAST, NOT FAST FOOD When responding to difficult life questions, Jesus often asked questions about people’s understanding of the Scriptures.

“Haven’t you read..?,” He asked in Matthew 19:4. He assumed that those claiming to be the people of God would have read and engaged with the Word of God.

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Image: Unsplash

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:4 (NIV) In a day and age where words are quickly consumed, reading the Bible can become rushed or without feeling or effort. We are easily tempted to rush our Bible reading as if it were fast food.

Drawing from the principle taught to John by an angel, we are called to eat the Word, not just snack on it. I like how Eugene Peterson translated these verses in The Message: “Eat this book. Don’t just take notes on the sermon.

Eat the book. John put away his notebook and pencil.

He picked up his knife and fork. He ate the book.” Rev 10:8–9 (MSG) John’s response should remind us of our responsibility to assimilate the Word of God and make it a part of the inner man. It is when we engage with God’s Word, it lays open our hearts and discerns our spiritual health.

Blessed is the one… whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on His law day and night.

Psalm 1:1–2 (NIV)

The Hebrew word hagah means ‘to meditate, moan, growl, utter, speak.’ Biblical meditation takes the Word from your mind into your spirit.

There is simply no substitute for finding a regular time and place, blocking out distractions, reading and reflecting on God’s Word and letting God speak to you.

This is a good opportunity to consider your spiritual discipline and re-affirm your commitment to dedicate time to studying the Word daily.

RECOMMENDED READING How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth: by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart Eat This Book: A Conversation on the Art of Spiritual Reading: by Eugene H. Peterson

Sean Stanton is the ACC National Secretary and Senior Pastor of Life UC in Canberra, ACT.

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THE WORD

Faith Comes By Hearing

By Mark Varughese

Part of my life is speaking to many people, and as a result, many people feel like they know me. However, the people I know are not those who have heard my voice, but those whose voices I’ve heard. Hearing someone gives you access to their thoughts and their heart, both of which constitute the building blocks of a relationship.

When God hears my voice, it’s a given that He knows me; but when I hear God’s voice, that’s when I begin to know Him. ‘My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me’ (John 10:27 NKJV) is the declaration of God’s intention to be relational with us. It is also His promise that He does actually speak to us.

The reason this is so important is that, while faith is expressed through declaration, it’s received through hearing. A lot of people read the Word of God to understand God. Try reading the Word of God to hear God. His voice comes through His Word. He also speaks through impression—this is a subjective area because it is personal and relational.

When Peter got out of the boat to walk on the water to Jesus, he asked one qualifying question, because the wind and the waves obscured his vision as to who this ghost walking on water really was. His question? ‘Lord if it’s you... tell me to come’ (Matthew 14:28). He wasn’t looking for a word, he was listening for a voice. Peter didn’t find reassurance in the word, ‘Come’. If I said, ‘Come’, Peter would have drowned. If Jesus said, ‘Lemon tree’, Peter would have still walked on water.

Why? Because the voice revealed that it was Jesus.

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The enemy can say the right word, but a response to that word will be presumptuous. When God’s voice is heard, faith rises, no matter how daunting the task.

Peter just wanted to know whose voice was calling him, because faith comes by hearing, and he had a history with Jesus. This episode from Matthew illustrates that what was a risk to the other disciples was Peter’s adventure.

The voice makes all the difference.

That’s what I had to determine when Jemima asked me how I knew that I was hearing from God. It’s the same question we will face more than once in this life. It’s a great question, and one we must ask ourselves if we feel a gentle nudge, a prompting, or a thought that seemingly comes out of nowhere.

Mark Varughese is the senior pastor of Kingdomcity and a member of the ACC National Executive.

Extract from Ready Fire! Aim published with permission © Mark Varughese Order your copy of Ready Fire! Aim here

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THE WORD

Why Can We Trust The Bible?

Image: Unsplash

By Jacqueline Grey

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Psalm 119:160 says, 'All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.' But do we accept the Bible is true just because it tells us so? Isn’t this circular reasoning?

There are four main reasons why we can affirm that the Bible is reliable and trustworthy.

First, the Bible can stand alone as a coherent text. It provides a comprehensible and consistent worldview. Particularly, the Bible makes accurate sense of our world. It diagnoses the problem of our brokenness and provides the solution for our restoration, found in the saving work of Jesus Christ.

The idea of objective truth has been under assault in our postmodern world. Many young people are troubled by this undermining of Scripture as true. However, this misconception has begun to be debunked. Truth can be objective. Instead, for contemporary thinkers, it is our human ability to fully know truth that is in doubt. Humans are limited in our capacity to know truth because we are so bound to our context (including our historical location and culture). This should cause us to be humble because we are fallible (that is, our knowledge is limited).

Secondly, the Bible is trustworthy because God is trustworthy. This reminds us that Scripture itself is not divine but it is “God-breathed” (2 Tim 3:16). The origins of Scripture in the Triune God give us confidence that the words of the Bible are true. The reliability of the Bible is grounded in God’s eternal, unfailing and self-less love. This includes our infallible God’s ability to reveal truth, and by His Spirit to lead us (who are fallible) into all truth (John 16:13).

Thirdly, there is external data that validates the historical reliability of the Bible. This includes archaeological evidence that verifies many of the events and people to which the Bible refers. There is especially an overwhelming amount of evidence for the historical person of Jesus Christ, his life, death and resurrection. The authenticity of the gospel records of Jesus are well attested, affirming the integrity of the texts handed down to us.

Fourthly, experience is another way by which we can affirm the Bible as trustworthy.

Pentecostals often emphasise that Scripture is experientially true. This is a valid approach. We can testify that the Word of God brings transformation and speaks truth.

Our testimony to the truth of the Bible as experienced in our own lives reinforces the Bible’s claims.

God’s Word is living and powerful. The Bible is informative, applicable, and true in all it affirms. To this we say “Amen!” (which means: “it is true”).

Rev Professor Jacqueline Grey is ... at Alphacrucis University College.

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THE WORD

Bible Study needs your Head & Heart

By Adam Dodds As a Pentecostal, I know God is a God of breakthrough, and we have a Holy Spirit theology of breakthrough. Later in my Christian life I came across the language of formation – spiritual formation. This seems very different to breakthrough-language, and it is. Do these two relate to each other? If yes, how?

The Word makes it clear. Jesus teaches that the kingdom of God can be experienced suddenly, through a healing, deliverance, or miracle. Jesus also taught that the kingdom is like the growing of yeast or a mustard seed. It is slow, methodical, undramatic, and imperceptible. Yet over time, the change is powerful, undeniable, and lasting.

From studying the Word, and studying theology, I found language for this. One Pentecostal scholar spoke of the growing of God’s kingdom and the inbreaking of God’s kingdom. One speaks to breakthrough, the other to formation. Both are potent.

Both are transformational. And both are complementary.

Studying the Bible, and theology, clarifies in my head how things relate to each other in the Christian life.

Studying the Bible, and studying theology, is like marinating your mind in truth. It expands the pool that you heart then learns to swim in.

Biblical truth, by itself, won’t transform a person. Biblical truth needs to be embraced to do its powerful work. That is why we need to read the Bible with the Holy Spirit, so we can live it out. We need the original Inspirer of the Word to reveal truth to our hearts so we can keep in step with Him. A significant breakthrough happened in my life recently.

For years I’ve thought of what I do as a Pastor as working for God. Sometimes I thought I had to perform for God. I had the mindset of an employee. If I’m honest with myself, I sometimes felt resentful toward the God I worked for. It was foolish because it was untrue.

I knew that Jesus said no longer do I call you slaves, but I call you friends (John 15:15).

Paul says we are God’s fellow-workers or co-labourers (2 Cor. 6:1). I knew that truth in my mind. But a couple of months ago it dropped to my heart; it became heart knowledge. Since then, I’ve started to retrain how I think. My head knowledge of biblical truth is increasingly becoming heart knowledge that sets me free.

Adam Dodds is Lecturer in Theology at Alphacrucis University College, and the Teaching and Discipleship Pastor at Nexus Church, Brisbane.

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Image: Unsplash

The breakthrough – the initial revelation – has triggered a formation process – transforming my mind. Together, they are setting me free.

How Important Is Study…

Really?

By Andrew Groza Australians have not historically placed much value on study.

Pentecostals even less. We tend to be highly pragmatic. We hear about a new idea that works and we just do it. This has often been a strength, and why Aussies tend to make an impact wherever they go in the world.

Furthermore, Australian Pentecostals have rightly emphasised the empowerment of the Spirit and recognized that the Spirit will use whoever is available regardless of their educational background. Again, this has been a great strength as we have typically not allowed a lack of formal qualifications to hold us back from “having a go.”

An unfortunate consequence of valuing pragmatism and Spirit-empowered ministry however, is that we have tended to devalue formal education. Yet, acknowledging that God uses people even without formal education, is not the same thing as saying there is little value in study.

Perhaps we should revisit our assumptions about how welltrained some of our heroes actually were. Let’s take Paul as just one example. We celebrate Paul’s emphasis in his letters on the Spirit’s work (e.g. 1 Cor 12 & 14; Gal 3:2-3, 5:16-25) and power (e.g. 1 Cor 2:4-5; Eph 5:18), and love to read about his power encounters (Acts 16:16-26; 19). All too often however, we forget that Paul was among the most theologically

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educated Jews of his day. Paul’s training was likely even more rigorous than a university degree today. As you read through Paul’s letters, you see the marks of his education as he unpacks the Hebrew scriptures in light of Christ’s coming. Paul’s capacity to clearly and contextually articulate and apply the gospel and to develop deep foundations in the churches he planted was informed by his formal study of the Scriptures through the Jewish training system and at the feet of Rabbi Gamaliel.

There should be no dichotomy between Spirit-empowered ministry and thorough training and systematic study. In fact, formal study can add a depth and richness that God can use to impact the world for generations to come. If I could paraphrase the writer of Hebrews: time does not permit to talk about Daniel; Ezra; Apollos; Augustine; Martin Luther; John Wesley; Charles Spurgeon; Martin Luther King Jnr; Tim Keller; Nicky Gumble; N.T. Wright; and many others whose ministries were far-reaching and spanned generations. These heroes all had periods of formal education and were committed to their own intellectual and theological development, without denying the Spirit.

Will formal education guarantee effective Ministry? No. But can it add a depth and richness to our ministry that could potentially change the world? I think Paul would argue “yes.”

Check out Crucis for the full article.

Image: Unsplash

Andrew Groza is a lecturer and the Victoria & Tasmania State Director for Alphacrucis University College.

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Family Devotions

Building a Bible-based lifestyle in your kids

By Jemima Varughese In a world where the enemy lies to children about their identity, it is more crucial than ever that our children grow up knowing the truth about who God made them to be.

Jemima Varughese is passionate about raising the younger generaions to be fearless and filled with purpose. She has written, produced, and directed in-depth curriculams for both youth and kids that are being taught worldwide. Now after four long years in the making, she has released the Born To Be Amazing Family Devotional.

Inspired by an encounter with the Holy spirit, Jemima's devotionals will guide the whole family through foundational truths to establish godly belief systems. "It’s time to build a generation that knows they were born with the identity of Christ," she says.

The family-friendly devotional has truths from the Word of God, family devotions, a journal you can record your testimonies and conversations in and is great to do around the dinner table.

As she moves between the platform and director’s chair, Jemima ministers with authority, leads with anointing and is mom to two energetic and creative sons, Zeke and Caleb.

Jemima's simple hope is: "I pray it will bless you and your family."

Sample Devotion

Order your copy of the Born To Be Amazing Family Devotional here.

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Image: Pexels

Walking the Rope Bridge The importance of remaining connected whilst reaching a world without foundation

By Ralph Estherby As I engage with Pastors, Leaders and Chaplains around the country, I come across more and more who are bravely stepping out into increasingly uncomfortable and challenging spaces in order to reach people with the love of Christ and the life changing impact of the Gospel.

In many ways, this task is like crossing a ‘rope bridge’.

The thing about rope bridges (made famous by Indiana Jones, Kevin Costner and Dwayne Johnson) is that they are an effective way of getting from A to B, but they are often impacted by the elements, they need to be regularly maintained, and they are only secure whilst both ends of the bridge are firmly attached. If one end is compromised, then chaos ensues, and the outcome is a nasty fall into the perils below.

There are two anchor points when reaching a world which is far from Christ. The first is a passion to serve them in love, meeting them where they are at. The second is an unshakeable personal connection to Christ and to His Word.

'This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast...' Hebrews 6:19

wind, it changes as you take each step, and you have to make regular small and careful adjustments. A lot of the comfort of the familiar is gone and your own sense of balance and equilibrium can be deeply challenged.

This is why we need the anchor points. If we lose our passion for the lost, we will not even be willing to step out into the difficult and dark places they are inhabiting.

If we lose our connection to the Word, we will lose our way, forget our purpose and start operating out of our own resources – I know that whenever I have made this mistake in the past it has ended badly.

I bring this simple challenge to you as you step onto your rope bridge today (cue ‘Indiana Jones’ music), check your anchor points... are you operating out of love and passion for your world and are you rooted and grounded in your relationship with Christ and His Word?

'Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.'

Psalm 119:105

Ralph Estherby is the national director of Chaplaincy Australia.

Progressively, as I have found more and more of my personal ministry to be outside of the walls of the Church, I have needed to ensure that both of my anchor points are well-maintained and constantly secure. The challenge of walking a rope bridge is that it moves in the

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21 DAYS OF DEVOTION

Don't Risk Your Destiny

By Deborah Hilton

No amount of difficulty — whether persecution, affliction or any resistance you’re experiencing — will stop you from fulfilling God’s purpose for your life, if you’re fully committed to Him and to following His leading.

Sometimes when we step out, those difficulties and challenges seem to intensify. Does that mean we’re going in the wrong direction?

Absolutely not. In fact, it’s quite possible those very things are indicators we are indeed going in the right direction.

When my husband, Paul and I stepped out in preparation to serve God overseas, we began to experience a lot of opposition. It would’ve been easy to question what we were doing. Choosing to stay tuned into God’s voice in the midst of those difficulties, made room for us to hear Him speak. He said, ‘Those giants that you are yet to slay will not stop you from fulfilling your purpose, as long as you stay focused and committed to the journey that I am taking you on. Don’t miss my signposts, my everyday confirmations. Keep watch for them so you don’t miss one of them.’

There would be nothing worse than missing the signposts God was pointing out to us and finding ourselves going around in circles.

This would be a total waste of time and energy! When deciding to stand up and move into the call of God, it’s easy to look at the challenges or obstacles that stand in our way and say; ‘This is not right’. Or worse still, ‘This is too difficult.’ We need to keep our eye on the guide — who is God — and listen to His voice. He will point out each landmark, helping us navigate the twists and turns on the journey to the destination He has prepared for us.

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What does the Word of God say?

This God is our God forever and ever; He will lead us for all time to come.

Psalm 48:14 (GNT)

I will instruct you (says the Lord) and guide you along the best pathway for your life; I will advise you and watch your progress.

Don’t be like a senseless horse or mule that has to have a bit in its mouth to keep it in line!

Psalm 32:8-9 (TLB)

Your word is a lamp to guide me and a light for my path.

Psalm 119:105 (GNT)

A man’s mind plans his way [as he journeys through life], But the Lord directs his steps and establishes them.

Proverbs 16:9 (AMP)

Questions Can I suggest, that besides answering the questions I have for you each day, you also journal your own thoughts, and what God speaks to you about through the Holy Spirit?

Even if journaling is not usually your thing, I strongly encourage you to at least write down a few dot points. I cannot emphasise enough how much you’ll discover — and how much God will reveal to you — by putting pen to paper, or making notes on your computer.

Ask God to prepare your heart as you ‘Step Out’, beginning with these 21 days. Don’t rush the process. It’s your life we’re talking about here. Take one step at a time.

When we say YES to God’s plans, our eyes must stay fixed on the ‘plan maker’.

Q: What’s one step you are willing to take today to move towards your God-given purpose? …………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………

Q: What do you need to do to put that one step into action? …………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………

Q: Who can you confide in to keep you accountable on your journey?

That person needs to be an encourager; one who will spur you on to be all you’re called to be. That person must be someone who won’t judge you but will remind you of why you’re doing this.

…………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………

Image: Unsplash

Extract from Step Out published with permission ©2023 Deborah Hilton.

Deborah HIlton and her husband Paul have been field workers for 25 years in Asia, predominantly in Vietnam. Deb is the author of three books.

Order your copy of the Step Out here 33

Privacy Law & Your Church

Safeguarding your congregation’s personal information

By Tim Whincop, Jackson Litzow & Brett Randall

Optus... Medibank… Canva… Latitude… What do these companies all have in common? Over the last three or four years, each of these companies have seen their customers’ private information become compromised after monumental data security breaches. While some of these breaches have been more high-profile or have received more media attention than others, what remains indisputable is the loss of trust from each of their respective consumer bases following their private information falling into the hands of unknown hackers with indiscernible (and potentially malicious) intentions.

HOW DOES THIS AFFECT MY CHURCH?

congregants by protecting their private information.

These data breaches now spark the questions for church leaders:

PROPOSED REFORMS

• What does this mean for a church?

• What about small churches?

The members of your church congregation may want to ensure that their private and sensitive information is safe in the hands of these aforementioned companies, but they will also want to ensure that these details are also safe in the hands of their own church! This is particularly the case when being on a church database has implications for the categorisation of religious affiliation.

The Federal Government’s responses to the Attorney General’s Privacy Act Review Report have reinforced the need for churches to reevaluate their current systems and policies regarding the safeguarding of personal and sensitive information they hold, and to take steps to maintain the confidence of their 34

Potential reforms: In 2019, the Department of Attorney General commenced a review into the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) to ensure the Act’s provisions and protections remained fit for purpose. The review resulted in a number of recommendations that were put forth to amend the Privacy Act. There is an aim to increase regulatory effectiveness and bring the Act into line with expectations of the community.

PRIVACY BY DESIGN The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner provides useful guidance on Privacy by Design. Considering that personal information includes anything that identifies a person – including sounds, images, data and fingerprints (to name but a few) – there are numerous ways in an ever-increasing technological age in which privacy expectations might

be abused and in which people might feel violated by how their personal information is treated. The importance of Privacy by Design is highlighted by The Australian Privacy Foundation, who reiterates a concept which may be self-obvious based upon the widespread responses to the recent corporate data breaches: “Australians value privacy. They expect that their rights to privacy be recognised and protected.”

ARE SMALL CHURCHES EXEMPT? Currently, and as a general rule, small churches (i.e. churches with annual turnovers less than $3 million) are often exempt from obligations under the Privacy Act by virtue of the 'Small Business Exemption.'

However, the Government has recently 'agree[d] in-principle' with the Privacy Report’s recommendation to remove the Small Business Exemption. If this proposal is actioned, it would likely mean that small churches would have duties under the Privacy Act which would govern how they use,

A Cyber Expert's Opinion Q&A WITH BRETT RANDALL

protect and secure personal and sensitive information with which they come into contact.

Whilst there is no legislation currently being considered by Parliament to effect this reform, right now is a valuable opportunity for small churches to start considering whether their privacy policies and data protection mechanisms are up to standard.

BUILDING TRUST Privacy is about building trust with your congregants - it is not just a legal obligation...

Be proactive with private information and its protection, only collecting what you need to, and you will build that trust!

ENGAGE PROFESSIONALS Never be afraid to ask for help.

There are also great free resources available from places like the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner! > To read the full article tap here

Article compiled by Tim Whincop, Jackson Litzow and Brett Randall.

This Article is not legal advice. If you are seeking to understand privacy requirements, or looking to review your current privacy policies and systems, let the experienced team at Corney & Lind Lawyers assist.

Call (07) 3252 0011 or visit www. corneyandlind.com.au

Brett Randall, founder of technology consultancy group Fractl, has over 20 years’ experience in technology management. We asked him for his insights into some common questions small businesses and churches might have.

Q: What is a Privacy Impact Assessment, and how can it assist small churches in upholding privacy obligations?

A: Generally, before a new information-related project starts, a privacy impact assessment should be conducted. These assessments identify how the new system impacts upon the privacy of affected individuals, determine if any gaps exist between the deliverables of the system and the law’s requirements, and can give churches assurance they are meeting their privacy obligations. Churches can use the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner’s ten-step PIA guide as a useful resource in guiding these assessments.i Q: What is the first thing you would suggest to a church that has already collected personal information?

A: Start by writing down what systems in which you might have people’s data, what types of information you are storing, and who has access to each system. Now, work to minimise any unnecessary data you are storing and who can access your systems.

Q: Should churches prepare and maintain a publicly accessible Privacy Policy? If so, why?

A: Absolutely! Even for organisations exempt from the Privacy Act, their members and stakeholders engaging with them will want to

know what information is kept, how/ where/why it is kept, and what their avenues are if they require assistance. The best privacy policy is one tailored to the church’s actual processes, policies and systems, and is an easy step for churches that helps provide confidence to others.

Q: What does “best practice” privacy look like for churches and similar religious institutions?

A: For churches, non-profits and other religious institutions, a commonality within their missions is to help people live their lives to the full – safely, effectively, and with opportunities to grow. Best practice privacy looks like a church leadership who takes privacy seriously, educates themselves on it, and interweaves good privacy practices throughout its organisation.

Q: What should an organisation do if they find out that the security or privacy of sensitive or personal information in their possession has been compromised?

A: Most churches don’t have the capacity to keep technology and legal people on-staff for these possible events. Start looking for people you trust who can help you make positive adjustments to your church’s privacy and security systems and who you can turn to if a compromise occurs. In most breaches, technology experts are required to ascertain the extent of the breach, and legal and risk experts determine how to report it, and to whom, to minimise harm both to the individuals affected as well as to your church.

i The ten steps can be found here.

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Image: Unsplash

Safer Church Checklist God honouring, life giving and harm free ministry

By Allyson Parker

The beginning of any new year is the season for vision, excitement and renewal of all God is calling us to do. It is also, often, the time for new team recruitment. Therefore, it is also the perfect opportunity to review recruitment practice, induction systems- including training, and safer churches policy and guideline implementation across all ministry areas.

Start the year strong: •

Have there been changes or updates to child protection legislation in your State or Territory and are you, your board and your teams aware of how child protection legislation needs to be upheld in your church?

•

Are your Safer Churches documents up to date?

•

Is it time to update risk assessments for your ministries?

•

Do you have team induction manuals for your teams to assist them to implement ACC Safer Churches guidelines?

•

Are all your teams compliant with working with children checks and are your records up to date?

•

Are all your teams up to date with their Safer Churches training and do you have Codes of Conduct for your staff and volunteers?

•

We have a comprehensive range of supporting documents and templates available to assist you to implement your Safer Churches strategy in the ACC Safer Churches Implementation kit. These are available to download through the Safer Churches page on the ACC National website.

Additionally, the ACC Safer Churches helpline – 1800 070 511 – is staffed by experienced team with pastoral ministry backgrounds, who can help you with reporting and responding to any child related concern.

ACC Safer Churches training for credential holders and volunteers is available on demand through the training links on ACC National and State or Territory websites. Your ACC State or Territory website will also have information about state-based working with children checks and legislation.

ACC is committed to ensuring our churches and ministries are safe for all people, and we thank you for your ongoing commitment to protect children, young people and all vulnerable people from harm through your diligence in implementing the ACC Child Protection Policy and Safer Churches guidelines.

Allyson Parker is the ACC Safer Churches national coordinator.

How well have you communicated your commitment to Safer Churches to your congregation?

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3 Reasons Why Pastors Avoid Professional Supervision

By Kris Thornton Pastors don't trust people to keep confidentiality.

Reality - Many pastors live with trust deficits. As pastors, we are privy to what is happening in people's lives in our churches and beyond. It's natural to wonder if anyone can be trusted with our stories. The next challenge is finding the right person (outside our church context) who we can trust.

Question – 'Where can I be honest about my work without worrying about confidentiality, judgment, disloyalty or jeopardising my role?'

Truth - Professional Supervision is a safe and boundaried space for you to speak openly and truthfully. Supervisors are bound by professional confidentiality. What you say in the room stays in the room! Before you begin your first supervision session, your Supervisor should make you aware of the exceptions to confidentiality (e.g., mandatory reporting).

Pastors can feel guilty and disloyal when discussing the realities of ministry work.

Reality - What do we do when the people we need to discuss are our pastors, leaders, congregation, friends, or family members? Talking about other pastors and leaders (especially our church pastors) can feel disloyal. Being open about the impact of our work on ourselves and our families can leave us feeling guilty, exposed, or worried about the security of our church employment or volunteer ministry role.

The Bible says that we need to practice discretion in what we say and where we say it. The Bible also tells us to carry each other's burdens. We are not supposed to carry our burdens alone. There are safe people and spaces to help you reflect on what is happening within your unique ministry context.

Reality - Pastors' salaries have long been associated with 'living by faith.' Many pastors have decided they can't afford Supervision, and some may not be completely wrong.

However, statistics around burnout and pastors leaving the ministry tell us what we already know – pastors must proactively invest in their mental and emotional fitness if they want longevity in ministry.

Question – How am I prioritising my mental and emotional fitness for myself and the people I strengthen and serve through my work?

Truth - We prioritise what we value.

Making Professional Supervision a priority models care for our well-being and care for those we strengthen and serve through our work.

Question – If I knew that there was no risk to me or anyone I care about, what would I say about the impact my work has on me, my family, and my church?

Truth – We should not allow feelings of guilt and disloyalty to deceive us into carrying our burdens alone.

Supervision is a safe space to reflect and receive support.

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Pastors believe that Professional Supervision is too expensive.

Kris Thornton is an ACC pastor, professional supervisor, executive coach and author. www.kristhornton.com

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Image: Pexels

NEW RELEASE

Fast Track Discipleship Michael Murphy's new book XLR8, will help accelerate church growth

Jesus didn’t say, 'Go and have great church services, thrilling events, or endless community outreaches (though all of these have their place)'. He actually said, 'Go and make disciples'.

Post pandemic, every second pastor with whom I speak is aspiring to be a greater disciple-maker, and yet, much more is being said than effectively practiced.

No one would argue that our broken world needs an awakening, a revival of the Church to do what she was always designed to do.

Let’s not abdicate our primary responsibility, making Jesus’ last command our first priority.

As lead pastors, we understand the ‘why’ of His mission, and even the ‘what’ of disciple making. But what about the ‘how’?

I routinely ask lead pastors this question: Where is discipleship happening in your church that is intentional and scalable?

Though the answers vary, I often hear about one of their church members (let's call him Reg) who 'has a bunch of guys over to their home on a regular basis to study the Word. That Reg, you know, is a great discipler.' When I hear a pastor say this, I too want to give Reg a huge shoutout. This is so admirable, but hardly intentional and definitely not scaleable.

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With all the daily and weekly demands of ministry (Sunday comes around so quickly!) I do understand the challenge of ‘getting out of the drain and into the drone’ and building a seamless disciple making process - from captivating guests, from planting people into groups and then thoroughly training your group leaders as discipleship weapons.

One of the underlying challenges, I believe, is the dangerous dichotomy that has developed in some quarters between the spiritual and the strategic.

Obviously, our majestic God is sovereign, but the philosophy of 'it’s all God' is heresy.

The whole purpose of Jesus announcing the Holy Spirit is that he would partner with us to be a witness and to make disciples.

God is eminently a God of patterns and processes. He gave Moses the intricate patterns for the tabernacle, whilst Moses was engulfed on Mt Sinai in the presence of God and He gave David plans for the temple by the Spirit of God. His whole plan from creation to salvation is intricately ordered and patterned. He is the great designer! So, if God can give the ‘how’ to Moses and the same to David, then how much more can God give the intentional plans and strategies for new covenant church leaders about how to build His Kingdom and His Church today?

Photo by Jesper Giortz-Behrens on Unsplash

When I say to the amazing pastors with whom we have the privilege of partnering that it is God’s will for them to see intentional growth in their church, I’m often confronted with varying degrees of disbelief.

Not only do I believe it is possible to be intentional about growth I’m convicted that it is God’s specific plan for you.

Our story, for which I am eternally grateful, starts with two broken people in Michael and Valery Murphy who had encounters with Jesus. For each of us, possibly like your own story, that changed everything. He led us down a path where not only His prophetic presence became so tangible in our lives and in our church but also the plans and processes to get intentional about engaging guests, multiplying small groups, and making genuine disciples became part of the fabric of our church.

Our interactions with lead pastors over the last couple of decades have taught us that in our disciple making quest, we are not alone. When we spend our best efforts and resources on our Sunday expression, we almost by definition expend less energy and resources on our disciple making pathways.

It’s out of this burden that I wrote 'XLR8, a Prophetic and Practical Guide to Double Your Church'. It argues for a shift in excellence. We will help take you from production to process, from moments to movement and from oneoff encounters to ongoing discipleship engagement. As

an example of sheer precision and momentum, I have used a Formula 1 racing theme throughout. Far from a dry instructional manual, it is a fun, self-deprecating and sometimes raw journey, depicting many of my crazy car adventures. From near misses to near deaths and everything in between…just like church leadership.

The engine room of momentum is the XLR8 Track. This gives pastors a Momentum Map that puts handles on the ‘how to’ of consistent and predictable discipleship. It puts your hands, along with those of the Holy Spirit, firmly on the wheel and gives clear ‘how to’ instructions to pastors to radically engage every guest and explode the Growth Track (in a good way) in the process. Imagine at least forty to fifty percent of your congregation actively inviting and bringing guests and sharing their own “God story” on a regular basis. Yes, this is more than a pipe dream, this can be your reality.

Extract from XLR8 published with permission © 2023 Michael R Murphy Michael Murphy is the founder of Leaderscape and the Chairperson of Alphacrucis University Council. www.theleaderscape.com

Order your copy of XLR8 here 41

New Releases

YOU'RE NOT FINISHED YET

100 Devotions For Building Strength & Faith For Your Journey

by Christine Caine

Don’t stop now – there’s so much more ahead! Do you have what it takes to go the distance?

The middle of any endeavor— career, relationships, ministry, health—is often when our resilience and perseverance waivers. This 100-day devotional will encourage and strengthen you in the messy middle when peace seems out of reach, the future feels uncertain, and life really gets hard.

Join author, human rights activist, and international speaker Christine Caine as she shares stories from her ministry experience and personal walk with Jesus, along with Bible passages and spiritual reflections, taking you on a devotional journey to dream again, pray again, and believe again so you can keep going through all of life’s messy middles.

XLR8

A Prophetic & Practical Blueprint To Double Your Church

STEP OUT

21 Day Devotional

by Deborah Hilton

by Michael Murphy XLR8 is designed to help church leaders 'accelerate' growth in their churches.

• Demolish any frustration at being stuck as a leader and a church • Fulfill your call by reaching far more people with the saving gospel of Christ and seeing your church grow radically • Mobilise 40 percent of God’s people to be active 'bringers' every week • Engage every guest through a practical, effective pathway to become fully devoted followers of Christ and vital church contributors • Activate authentic discipleship for the majority of people in your church • Double your small groups and equip your group leaders to be the backbone of discipleship at your church and more.

This 21-day devotional is called Step Out because that's what it takes to see the unfolding of your dreams, call, and purpose.

If you were asked what your purpose in this life is, would you be able to articulate it?

ACC Pastor Deb Hilton asks four questions to prompt your journey in this 21-day devotional: • What do you instinctively gravitate to?

• What are you naturally good at?

• What grabs our attention? What are you dreaming about?

• What have family, friends or those in minstry spoken over your calling?

EXTRACT on page 32

EXTRACT on page 40

Click here to order

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Click here to order

Click here to order

Family Devotional

BORN TO BE AMAZING

MY FATHER'S SON WORKBOOK

by Jemima Varughese

by Wayne Alcorn

Launching in Cinemas from February 1, 2024

It’s time to build a generation that knows they were born with the identity of Christ. The Born To Be Amazing Family Devotional is designed for discussions around the dinner table with the family.

The Workbook companion to Wayne Alcorn's 2023 release of My Father's Son, is a resource designed for men who want a better life, better family and better future.

Clashing kingdoms. Rival rulers.

The enemies of Jesus close in while His followers struggle to keep up, leaving Him to carry the burden alone. Season 4 of The Chosen promises to deliver where last season’s emotional walking on water finale left off.

Inspired by an encounter with the Holy spirit, Jemima Varughese’s devotional will guide the whole family through foundational truths to establish godly belief systems.

It comprises of an introductory session, with seven studies that address many of the deeper issues raised in the book. The Workbook includes discussions about value, identity, confidence, personal views of God, and more.

It has truths from the Word of God, family devotions, a journal to record your testimonies and conversations.

My Father's Son Workbook is a practical journey that includes Discussion questions, Suggested Reading, Personal Reflections, and Action points.

In a world where the enemy lies to children about their identity, it is more crucial than ever that our children grow up knowing the truth about who God made them to be.

THE CHOSEN

Season 4

The rollout of Season 4 in cinemas across the country will begin with premiere episodes on 1st February 2024.

A great resource for an eightweek men's group study in your church.

The Chosen is one of the mostwatched shows in the world, consistently a top performer across streaming platforms.

What started as a crowd-funded project has now garnered over 600 million episode views and more than 10 million social media followers.

AVAILABLE from 1st February 2024

Screenings of Season 4 will be an exclusive two-episode release in cinemas in Australia and New Zealand.

SAMPLE on page 29

Click here to order

Click here to order

Click here for information

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ACC EMAG #1 2024 Published by Australian Christian Churches.

Editor: Daryl-Anne Le Roux editor@acc.org.au Graphics & Media Assistant: Kieran Carlos Proofreader: Elba Broadhead Photography by: p. 1 Unsplash Sixteen Miles Out p. 4 Instagram @accsnapshot p. 9 ACS Financial p. 10 ACS Financial p. 12 Pexels p. 16 Unsplash Sixteen Miles Out p. 18 Unsplash Victor Freitas p. 21 Kingdomcity p. 22 Unsplash Jessica Mangano p. 24 Unsplash Sixteen Miles Out p. 25 Unsplash Sixteen Miles Out p. 28 Kingcomcity p. 30 Pexels Alexey Komissarov p.3 2 Unsplash Ali Kazal p. 36 Unsplash Olena Bohovyk p. 39 Pexels cottonbro studio p. 40 Unsplash Jesper Giortz-Behrens ACC EMAG is published four times a year.

Visit www.acc.org.au/emag to read more editions.

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All rights reserved. ©2024 Australian Christian Churches.

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