AC Tell by Alphacrucis College

in this issue:

The Heart of Worship pg. 4 AC alumni in Englandâ&#x20AC;Ś and Thailand pg. 10 Stories that change the world pg. 22

S p r i n g T W O T H O U S A N D & T W E LV E

‘I believe you can tell as you look through these pages that Alphacrucis College is one of our country’s leading centres of education and training for Christian pastors, missionaries, teachers and other leaders.’ Stephen Fogarty, Principal

Sydney PO Box 337 Parramatta, NSW 2124 Australia P +61 2 8893 9000 F +61 2 8893 9099 ac.edu.au info@ac.edu.au ABN: 13 072 747 187 Brisbane PO Box 1147 Oxley QLD 4075 Australia P +61 7 3375 6655 | 1300 775 502 F +61 7 3056 3229 Auckland PO Box 12747 Penrose Auckland 1642 New Zealand P +64 9 580 1500 F +64 9 579 5150 acnz.ac.nz info@acnz.ac.nz

Inside AC Tell A mission to tell 2 The heart of worship 4 Investing in the leaders of tomorrow 6 Passing the baton to a new generation 8 AC alumni around the world 10

Leading for the good of others: following Jesus’ example 12 You can tell, with AC’s help 14 AC’s transforming technology 16 AC graduates ready to change the world 18 Leave a transforming legacy 19 You can tell they’re AC students 20 Stories that change the world 22

Mark your calendar 24

A word to you from Stephen Fogarty, AC Australia Principal Thank you for taking a few moments to read our new AC Tell magazine. I believe you can tell as you look through these pages that Alphacrucis College is one of our country’s leading centres of education and training for Christian pastors, missionaries, teachers and other leaders. But of course, we’re not resting on our 65 years of history. We’re passionately committed to a continual development of new and innovative programs, methods and technologies that will enable our students to engage people effectively for Christ’s Kingdom. I hope you’ll read on page 10 about how two of our alumni are impacting lost people overseas – in England and in Thailand. You might also consider taking courses at AC yourself, or at least reading some of our recent faculty books, highlighted on pages 14-15. I also think you’ll be amazed at what we can offer to anyone around the globe through new, state-of-the-art technology. All this is available from our impressive new campus in Parramatta, Sydney. So please continue to read… and please know that your financial partnership with us is truly helping to change the world. Sincerely, Stephen Fogarty Principal, Australia

To the ends of the earth… from Jack Zoutenbier, AC New Zealand Principal Since Christ has given us the privilege of telling His Gospel to people across the globe, it’s exciting to consider how He’s using and enabling us at AC to do just this. First, our growing reputation as a leading Christian academic institution is attracting a diverse group of high-quality students eager to change our world for Christ. And now, thanks to some amazing technology we are integrating, we can better resource existing students while at the same time making an Alphacrucis education available to anyone, anywhere – around the world. I hope you’ll be sure to examine pg. 16 to find out about how we’ll be equipping students across the globe to change the world in the coming years. You can tell that AC New Zealand is committed to taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Thank you for joining with us to make it possible! Sincerely, Jack Zoutenbier Principal, New Zealand

A mission to tell 2

When you spend a few hours on the AC campus, you can tell there is a profound desire among the students and staff to impact our hurting world for Jesus Christ. Indeed, since its inception in 1948 as Commonwealth Bible College, the focus of Alphacrucis College has been on changing the world through the telling of the Gospel, through both word and deed. AC carries out this vision each day by consistently delivering excellent teaching and training on campus and through its global online program. Every year, we send forth Christian leaders prepared to engage in relevant, cutting-edge ministry, in Australia and New Zealand, and across the globe. As a leading Christian vocational and higher-education institution, AC understands that today’s generation of Christian believers are passionate about impacting the world they live in, in powerful and profound ways. That is why AC has a strong global vision to see our graduates equipped and empowered to transform their culture and societies for Jesus Christ… a vision that has come to life over the last 65 years through our thousands of alumni who have been trained as church and community leaders. This vision inspires us to continue to develop our staff and facilities so that our students experience excellence in our training, teaching and research. That’s why it was so exciting when we welcomed more than 600 community leaders, alumni, staff and students to the opening of our new, state-of-the art Parramatta campus on the 14th of March. This grand opening ceremony officially unveiled our new and visually stunning modern campus, featuring groundbreaking new education technology, inspiring design and colour schemes… a place to develop the next generation of Christian leaders. This new setting provides even more resources that will enable us to tell ever more fruitfully of the power of our great God and the importance of teaching a diverse range of subjects from within a Christian worldview perspective. The Minister for Education, the Hon. Adrian Piccoli MP, who officially opened AC Central in Parramatta, emphasised the importance of this as he shared a surprisingly personal account of his own faith and Catholic upbringing. AC Principal, Stephen Fogarty, and Australian Christian Churches President, Ps. Wayne Alcorn, echoed this priority. As we begin a new chapter in the rich history of AC, we continue to believe passionately in the mission God has given to us of serving as a leading centre of Christian thought and action, providing an excellent education to equip Christian leaders to change the world by telling the Gospel with relevance and expertise.

The grand opening ceremony on the 14th of March, 2012, officially unveiled ACâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new and visually stunning modern campus. This new setting provides even more resources that will enable AC to tell ever more fruitfully of the power of our great God and the importance of teaching a diverse range of subjects from within a Christian worldview perspective.

The heart of worship By Daniel Thornton

What does “worship” mean to you? If you’re like many Christians, here are some of the thoughts that come immediately to mind in answer to this question: “Darlene is going to lead us in ‘Praise and Worship.’” Or: “Wasn’t that worship awesome this morning?” Or: “I really couldn’t get into the worship this morning – it was too loud”. I’m a passionate “worship leader”. I’m also a pastor, trainer and musician. And so, I confess that I, too, struggle not to use the word “worship” to refer only to the corporate singing that we as the church engage in. But is singing “praise and worship” songs really all there is to worshiping God? Not at all! Indeed, it is truly wonderful that our corporate musical expressions of worship have arisen to such prominence in the contemporary Christian church. Moreover, we do have at least one biblical example where the “glory of the Lord filled the house of God”

(2 Chr 5:14) in a corporate worship setting, when the priests of Israel brought the Ark of the Covenant into the temple in Jerusalem. So, I am by no means suggesting there is not value in our corporate singing. But many Christians’ overall understanding of worship has been skewed by our contemporary usage of the term to refer only to corporate singing. And that is ultimately unhelpful to our future. Now the question arises: with worship being so widely defined as corporate singing in people’s perception, how do non-musically-gifted Christians worship fruitfully? If worship is limited to our time of corporate singing, how can the rest of one’s life outside that time be lived in a worshipful manner? If the manifest presence of God is found in “corporate worship”, is it not to be found in a forest, in an office block, in a moment of silence, or around a dinner table? After all, because of the breadth of life that worship encompasses, we can engage in it anywhere, with music or without. Indeed, you can tell from the Bible that worship is a response to God: “We love God because He first loved us” (1 Jn 4:19). Worship is also an acknowledgement of God’s holiness: “Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His footstool – He is holy” (Ps 29:2; cf Ps 45:11, 95:6, 99:5). It is

Thus, if we are going to help future generations of Christians understand the true and profound nature and practice of worship, there are two solutions. One is to use the word “worship” to refer to all of what we think and do “unto the Lord”.

our complete submission to the Lordship of Christ and an expression of our ongoing relationship as we “present [our] bodies a living sacrifice” (Rom 12:1). Of course, worship should be able to describe everything we do alone or gathered together as the body of Christ, since “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (Jn 4:21-24). Not only that, the Bible assures us that “your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor 6:19). Our Sunday corporate expressions of worship with music are therefore an overflow of our entire, wide-ranging life of worship, which can very well involve music, but certainly is carried out in many other ways as well. Thus, if we are going to help future generations of Christians understand the true and profound nature and practice of worship, there are two solutions. One is to use the word “worship” to refer to all of what we think and do “unto the Lord”. This means that we can worship through our engagement in family relationships, through eating, through serving our community and church, as well as when we gather together as the body of Christ. The focus of our corporate musical expressions of worship is then set in a broader context, thus helping bring balance to our theological message. Of course, the problem with this solution is that some of the poignancy of the term in relation

to an awareness of God’s manifest presence is lost. If everything we do is worship, does that make the nature and practice of worship uneventful, bland and pedestrian? The other solution is to stop using “worship” as the term for that initial twenty-or-so minutes of our services that involve music. The fact is, Scripture uses terms like “Praise”, “Rejoice” and “Thanksgiving” many more times than the word “worship” (and the terms “Bless” and “Glorify” aren’t far behind). So, employing these additional words to describe our corporate singing could be helpful in giving people a more accurate theology of what we do. It does get complicated, though, to name the musical section of the service “worship” one week, “blessing” the next and “thanksgiving” the one after that! Moreover, if we call it something wordy, like “corporate musical expressions of our relationship with God” it’s simply not as understandable as plain old “worship”. So, as misleading as our current usage of the term “worship” is, replacing it with something truly helpful is not easy. But, whatever solution you embrace, my prayer is that you come to know and understand that all of life for a child of God is the constant expression of the profound and powerful relationship we have with our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ!

Investing in the leaders of tomorrow The vital role of Alphacrucis Scholarships 6

Tim Holah comes across as calm, peaceful and with a deep, underlying joy. But if you spend a few moments with him, he’ll tell you about how Christ has given him a completely new life. “I grew up in a violent and dangerous world, often on the wrong side of the law,” Tim says, reflecting on his troubled upbringing in Great Britain. “Once someone tried to kill me with a knife and I received several stab wounds. I’ve also been arrested several times and dragged through court appearances more often than I care to remember. I was fined, given a community service order and was very lost. But Jesus found me!” Thanks to the support of AC friends, Tim has a new future to live out. As an international student, he’s not eligible for Australian Government FEE-Help. And with no means of funding his study, AC provided a partial scholarship to assist him. “The community at AC has helped change my life for the better,” Tim says gratefully. “The support I receive is more than financial, with a constant challenge to stretch me academically. My mind has been renewed. The spiritual support from staff, students and the wider AC community is what makes all the difference.” Now married, expecting a baby and completing the final subjects of his degree, Tim now knows his purpose. The pain he experienced growing up in a violent context has given him a profound understanding, along with a pastor’s heart, for those who are hurting deeply. So, he is ready to finish his studies, graduate and make a life-changing impact on the world around him. He’s been offered a role at a church in Melbourne and is looking forward to the move at the end of this year. Tim’s story isn’t unique. In fact, it’s one of hundreds we hear each year. Worthy students who just can’t afford full tuition and need our help. That’s where our Alphacrucis Scholarship Fund goes to work. Each year, AC provides over $60,000 of tuition assistance to over 200 students, just like Tim, who would be unable to attend without our help. However, that cost continues to rise as more students are attracted to study at Alphacrucis College. “The Alphacrucis Scholarship Fund would not exist if it weren’t for the generosity of our supporters,” says Stephen Fogarty, Principal of Alphacrucis College. “But the need to increase our scholarship fund is crucial for a number of reasons. Firstly, there are just more worthy students who need financial assistance. Secondly, we know we must increase the number of merit scholarships to attract more of the top students from Australian and New Zealand schools. Finally, there is a growing number of international students, especially from Korea and Brazil, who want to study at AC but who either need financial assistance or warrant a merit scholarship because of their academic standing. “We see AC scholarships as a keen investment in the future and a vital part of attracting and retaining students who are indeed the future Christian leaders of tomorrow,” Principal Fogarty continued. “These are students like Simon who recently graduated from AC and is now working fulltime in ministry. He expressed his appreciation for the help we provided, realising that this support was made possible because of the generosity of donors.”

Each year, the AC Scholarship Fund provides over $60,000 of tuition assistance to over 200 students, just like Tim, (pictured) who would be unable to attend without our help. However, that cost continues to rise as more students are attracted to study at Alphacrucis College.

Simon wrote: “I hope those who have donated to AC understand that their financial contribution is making a spiritual investment… and they may never see the extent of that. You can’t put a value or weight on that investment because it’s going to go beyond generations, beyond the four walls of the classroom, and beyond this country. To weigh that or measure that is quite difficult. It’s bigger than they could imagine.”

To donate to the Alphacrucis Scholarship Fund please go to ac.edu.au/donate/ or you may contact us at +61 2 8893 9000.

You can tell that we need you! Did you know that the tuition fees that Alphacrucis College students pay only cover two-thirds of our operating costs? That means that the other one-third of our funding needs rely on God’s faithfulness… partly through good friends like you! You can tell that it’s only through the partnership and generosity of our good friends that we can continue to provide the cutting-edge education necessary to change the world.

Passing the baton to a new generation 8

Alphacrucis College was initially founded to train missionaries as a priority, and pastors as a secondary goal. But, by 1960, the college focused primarily on producing pastors. Over the last 10 years, however, AC has branched out to broaden its educational offerings by diversifying the types of courses offered, as well as adding graduate courses. The College has played a major role in the academic and spiritual development of thousands of Christian leaders who have shaped – and are shaping – the Church in Australia and throughout the world. AC’s vision for the future is to build toward a multi-facility Christian university to prepare Christians to serve God anywhere and everywhere, not only in and through the

Church but in every sector of society. New programs continue to be developed as the College seeks to serve Christians in their everyday vocations in every part of society. And new technology is helping us bring this training to students where they are – anytime and any place around the globe. A new generation is less focused on absolute truth and increasingly eager for experiences. Greater mistrust of the Church and religious institutions requires new innovations to equip believers to reach those who are lost. AC is embracing these challenges and equipping Christian pastors, missionaries and laypeople to tell the Gospel in new ways, while holding strongly to biblical truth and Pentecostal distinctives.

1961 1949

CBC moved to New Farm, Brisbane: Principal Leonard Palmer.

CBC moved to Graceville, on banks of Brisbane River: Principal Harold Bartholomew.

1987

1974

Principal Aeron Morgan; Brisbane floods destroy the Graceville campus; interim year at Glad Tidings Tabernacle.

1937

First conference of Assemblies of God in Australia (AGA) decided unanimously that a national Bible school was needed.

1934

AOG (NZ) begin a sequence of bible colleges, starting in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch, NZ.

Assemblies of God Bible College (Auckland, NZ) was established.

1950

1975

1951

1982

Principal Philip Duncan.

CBC moves to Katoomba, NSW.

Principal James Wallace.

Principal David Brydges.

1986

Principal Aeron Morgan.

1948

Commonwealth Bible College (CBC) established in Melbourne: Principal Frank Sturgeon.

1969

Principal Chris Harrison.

1971

Principal Ralph Read.

2011

AC moves to Parramatta, Sydney

1996

Southern Cross College moves to Chester Hill, Sydney

1993

Renamed Southern Cross College; Principal Jeremy Griffiths; President David Cartledge Assemblies of God Bible College (NZ) changed its name to Advance Ministry Training Centre (AMTC) and was approved as a tertiary training institution by NZ Qualifications Authority.

2007

Established campus in Auckland, New Zealand

2006

1995

Established Korean Campus.

Established professional leadership program

2010

Established Teacher Education Program

AMTC entered a formal partnership with SCC.

2005

Established Baulkham Hills campus

2004

Established Local Church Certificate Program

1994

2008

Established Perth and Melbourne Campuses

Established Business Program

2009

Named changed to Alphacrucis; became an independent Higher Education Provider (HEP)

1997

AMTC became the national training centre for AOG (NZ).

Established the Brisbane Campus

2012

ACNZâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first intake of BCM students.

1998

Principal: Stephen Fogarty

Doug and his wife, Fiona, see their studies at Alphacrucis as a watershed moment in their lives. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It significantly helped to shape who we are and what we do,â&#x20AC;? Doug says.

AC alumni around the world Glyn and Sophia Barrett, Class of 1993 From one visit to Audacious City Church, you can tell it’s a young, thriving and influential gathering of dynamic believers. It’s located in Manchester, England. And it exists because two AC graduates, Glyn and Sophia Barrett, planted it. 1995 was a busy year for Glyn and Sophia. They met, married and graduated from AC, all before leaving for England with a big vision. They aimed to start a thriving congregation of young people looking for connections and spiritual guidance. Because of the education they received at AC, Glyn and Sophia understand their generation and its lifestyle. They know this generation does not hold to absolute truth, but embraces current reality with passion. And they’re aware that young people long to be entertained, but also value honesty and real relationships. Most of all, they learned how to tell the good news effectively during their studies at Alphacrucis College. So, Glyn and Sophia started Audacious City Church to draw unreached young people into a vibrant new community. Their outreach conveys practical Christian wisdom for daily life. Plus it offers great coffee and new friendships. As a result, the church is thriving and gathering a young generation of people looking for connections and genuine spiritual guidance. Glyn is also director of Audacious, a youth conference holding meetings around the world, and Youth Alive UK, a movement of young people celebrating Jesus in a contemporary and relevant way, with explosive worship and dynamic preaching that proclaims the power of Jesus to change lives. Glyn has become a popular communicator whose messages touch the lives of thousands of people globally. Sophia is also a gifted communicator, a sharp thinker, an amazing mum and an award-winning radio presenter.

From their success in proclaiming a life-changing Gospel to a distracted generation, you can tell that Glyn and Sophia are graduates of AC.

Doug and Fiona Higgins, Class of 1996 “If I can, anyone can!” says Doug Higgins, an AC graduate. “I was a high-school dropout and had not been within five metres of a computer. But now I am an ordained minister, a church-planter, a member of several boards and am considering graduate level studies.” Doug and his wife, Fiona, see their studies at AC as a watershed moment in their lives. “It significantly helped to shape who we are and what we do,” Doug says. “After graduating, we raised our budget and came to Thailand as career field missionaries with Australian Christian Churches. We’ve been here now for over ten years. “In that time we’ve seen thousands of people make decisions for Christ. We’ve seen more than 200 churches planted. And we’ve assisted more than 1,000 children through full sponsorship programs, education scholarships and one-off assistance packages.” Doug and Fiona have also reached out to the poor through micro-enterprise and development projects, including providing clean water to villages, vegetable crop development and animal husbandry. They’ve helped build houses and multipurpose facilities, assisted in setting up children’s homes and contributed to the development of a local school. Plus, they serve on the board for Every Home for Christ, a literature distribution, leadership training and church-planting program. You can tell they’ve become effective witnesses of Christ to hurting people in a needy land – because of the foundational training they received at AC.

Let us hear from you! If you’re an AC graduate, you can tell us how you’re impacting the world for Christ. We’d love to hear from you and know how your training is helping you bring Christ to a new generation. Please e-mail us at alumni@ac.edu.au, call us on +61 2 8893 9000 or write to us at: Alumni Office, PO Box 337, Parramatta NSW 2124.

Leading for the good of others: following Jesus’ example By Stephen Fogarty, AC Principal

One of the most powerful passages in Scripture that teaches us what leading really looks like is found in Philippians 2:5-11 where the Apostle Paul uses the Christological Hymn to encourage his Philippian readers to maintain unity within the church. Preceding this passage, in 2:1-4, Paul appeals to them to avoid division and divisiveness within the community. It seems that in the face of external persecution (1:27-30) dissension was occurring within the church. The apostle recognises that the church can only survive external pressure when its members are “standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the Gospel” (1:27). He therefore urges them to “be of the same mind, having the same love, being in one accord and of one mind” (2:2). Practically, this means that each member should “look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others” (2:3). Unity is produced through practicing mutuality. Paul refers to such behaviour as “humility” which regards “others as better than yourselves” (2:3). The supreme example of such behaviour is Jesus Christ who is the subject of Philippians 2:5-11.

Paul’s argument has a three-part structure. In verses 1-4, he appeals for attitudes and behaviour, which produce harmony and unity. Verse 5 is a link between this exhortation and the example that follows in verses 6-11. This example in verses 6-11 is the third part of the structure, providing the most compelling argument for the desired attitudes and behaviour. Christ’s behaviour is described in three stages: (1) though He was in the form of God, He did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited; (2) He emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness; and (3) being found in human form, He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross. This description of Christ’s descent contains five important words:

The first of these is morphē (form or essence), which means “that which truly characterises a given reality”. It indicates that the apostle Paul is maintaining the essential and continuing divinity of Jesus.

The second word is harpagmos (exploited), which only occurs here in the Bible and which means “robbery” or “the act of snatching”. It indicates that Jesus did not take advantage of or exploit the position that was His.

The third word is ekenōsen (emptied), which is used to indicate the choice of Jesus to function within human limitations. The comparison being made is that of the highest form of being (God) to the lowest form of being (slave). It is a shocking contrast.

The fourth word is homoiōma (likeness or appearance). Paul’s use of homoiōma indicates that the human appearance might not be all that there is to Jesus.

The fifth word is schēma (appearance) which is the opposite of morphē. It means something like demeanour, or what can be outwardly known, and implies what is changeable and external. Schēma always suggests the way in which a thing or person appears to our senses. Taken together, these five words allow us to understand the true extent of the descent of Jesus while not suggesting that he gave up his divinity. While verses 6-8 emphasise the great depths to which Jesus willingly descended, verses 9-11 indicate the elevation given to Him by God the Father. In these verses, God the Father is the subject and Jesus is the object. The word “therefore” at the beginning of verse 9 indicates that God’s action is the result of Jesus’ obedience. God highly exalted Jesus and placed His name above all others. The verb huperupsōsen (highly exalted) means “to raise exceedingly high” and was used metaphorically of assigning a person to a high status so that that person received honour, obedience, praise and submission from other people of lower status. The name of Jesus commands obeisance. The overall image is that of an enthronement; Jesus is exalted, and his “subjects” kneel before Him. What is important to understand is that the readers of Philippians belonged to first-century Mediterranean culture, which included both Jewish and Greco-Roman culture. It is likely that the apostle Paul issues an ideological challenge to the Greco-Roman understanding of humility in his portrayal of Jesus. Humility would have been a startling word in the ears

Jesus epitomises the servant leader and Paul presents Him as an example for the Philippians. Jesus set aside his own rights for the sake of others to the point of laying down His life.

of the original audience because it was a slave virtue, not a quality touted for proud citizens of a Roman city. Humility was the subservient attitude of a lower-class person and involved distasteful self-abasement. The apostle Paul provides a new and positive meaning to the word as it describes the chosen behaviour of those seeking to exemplify Jesus Christ. Humility becomes the virtue describing lowly service chosen and executed by a noble person. The nature of such humility is exemplified in the life of Jesus Christ. In the form of God, Jesus emptied Himself and as a human He humbled Himself. In His human existence He chose to take the lowest place. By adopting the slave virtue of humility Jesus emptied himself of all privilege and position. The verb in the Greek aorist tense implies one definite action in the past. The definite action that Paul is alluding to is Jesus’ choice of the cross. Crucifixion was the punishment reserved for heinous criminals and only non-Roman citizens could be put to death in this way. It emphasises the depths of the humiliation that Jesus endured and challenges Greco-Roman notions of status. Paul uses the life of Jesus Christ as the model for Christian behaviour and community. It is only through chosen acts of self-emptying, only through looking to others’ welfare as well as our own (2:4) that we are brought into the sphere of Jesus, His life and His power. Christ becomes the ultimate example of one who did not pursue His own interests or selfishly take advantage of rights, privileges or status’ that were properly His, but rather “emptied Himself”. To live as a follower of Jesus is to act in status-rejecting ways and to be prepared to suffer for others. Paul’s advice to the Philippians has social implications because it cuts across the distinction usually made between those of greater and lesser status. Such social hierarchies are undermined by everyone serving and considering the interests of others. All human thoughts of the exaltation of self are critiqued by Jesus Christ. Leaders become at most exemplary or head servants. When one has as a model a servant leader, one willingly takes on a much lower status and undertakes servile roles.

Christ’s actions reveal the character of God: Here is the epitome of God-likeness: the pre-existent Christ was not a “grasping, selfish” being, but one whose love for others found its consummate expression in “pouring Himself out,” in taking the role of a slave, in humbling himself to the point of death on behalf of those so loved. God is not an acquisitive being, but self-giving for the sake of others. To follow Christ is therefore to engage in servanthood and self-sacrifice for the sake of others. Servant leadership posits that service to followers is the primary responsibility of leaders and the essence of ethical leadership. Service includes nurturing, defending and empowering followers. A servant leader is concerned for the needs of his followers and seeks their wellbeing along with the wellbeing of the organisation. A servant leader empowers followers rather than dominates them. Many believe that followers of servant leaders are inspired to become servant leaders themselves. The results of servant leadership include higher ethical standards within organisations and greater value placed on human worth. Servant leadership promotes the development of people through: (1) the sharing of power; (2) community building; (3) the practice of authenticity in leadership; and (4) the provision of leadership for the good of followers. Jesus epitomises the servant leader and Paul presents Him as an example for the Philippians. Jesus set aside his own rights for the sake of others to the point of laying down His life (c.f. John 15:13). Peter, reflecting later on the example of Jesus, writes “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21). Paul uses the example of Jesus in the same way as Peter in an effort to inspire his readers to become servant leaders themselves. Christian leaders should integrate the insights into leadership that are provided in Scripture into their leadership. The most fundamental of these scriptural insights is the example of Jesus Christ. As portrayed in the Christological Hymn in Philippians 2:5-11, Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of a leader who uses His status and power solely for the good of others. He does not pursue His own interests or take advantage of His rights and privileges. He “empties” Himself for the benefit of others. To lead in imitation of the example of Jesus Christ is to act in status-rejecting ways and to be prepared to suffer for others.

You can tell, with AC’s help AC has so much more to offer each year to those eager to enrich their faith, enhance their skills or find new direction in their Christian walk. While those eager to become pastors or missionaries will find all the rigorous education they need, AC has also developed innovative courses in leadership, business and teaching; enabling Christians of all vocations to live out the Gospel effectively in their spheres of life and influence. Many courses are available via Global Online, so you can study whenever and wherever you are. AC has campuses in Sydney, Brisbane, and Auckland, with many learning centres around Australia and New Zealand.

day intensives in Business or Ministry presents a unique opportunity to gain a nationally recognised diploma along with five days of specialised training with fellow Christian pastors and business people. Another new offering is the Certificate IV in Music, which addresses all the key facets involved in creating effective, anointed and excellent worship in today’s local churches. AC New Zealand offers an exciting range of courses that are all taught with a Christian worldview perspective. AC NZ’s new program is the Bachelor of Contemporary Ministry. Our trans-Tasman partnership ensures a high quality common faculty, and the possibility of further study with, or transferring easily between, AC NZ and AC Australia.

AC Parramatta has new programs in business and ministry. Through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), AC’s new five

Levels

AC Australia

AC Global Online

Postgraduate

Ministry Teaching (Primary) * Leadership

Ministry Leadership

Bachelor

Ministry α

Ministry

Diploma

Ministry α ∞ Business * Leadership Ω Music (2013)

Ministry ∞ Music (2013)

Ministry ∞ Business English Language

Certificate

Ministry α ∞ Business * Music Chaplaincy * Leadership Ω

Ministry ∞ Music

Ministry ∞ Business English Language Chaplaincy

* Only available at AC Parramatta α Also available in Korean language stream Ω Available at AC partner colleges – including iSee College (QLD) and Planetshakers College (VIC) ∞ Available through Local Church Certificate (LCC), delivered on-site at Aus & NZ churches.

AC New Zealand

We’re now featuring new programs, such as a Diploma of Business Intensive, designed for experienced business people and managers seeking to upgrade their formal business education from within a Christian worldview perspective.

P.S. I’m Single: Reflections on Singleness Edited by Lily A. Arasaratnam, Director, AC Master of Arts (Christian Studies) Proverbs tells us that “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed”. In P.S. I’m Single: Reflections on Singleness, five single people ranging in age from late 20s to mid 50s, share their counsel from both personal and professional perspectives on the subject of singleness. “Wow! Where was this book when I was living single?!” asks Professor Dina Gavrilos of the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. “It’s engaging, comprehensive, thoughtprovoking and erudite, with tones of sympathy and empathy for all involved.” Edited by AC’s Master of Arts (Christian Studies) director, Lily A. Arasaratnam, the book offers a welcome message to anyone who is looking for something different from the generic brand of books on singleness. With incisive wit and realism, and tackling biblical, theological, pastoral and sociocultural perspectives, the writers explore the hard questions about being a single person in today’s society, offering a refreshing new view on the singles’ experience. Visit http://psimsingle.com to find out more about this groundbreaking book.

Three’s a Crowd By Jacqueline Grey, AC Academic Dean Three’s a Crowd… only if the three parties don’t know how to talk with one another however Jacqueline Grey, AC’s Academic Dean, brings together three unique dialogue partners for a compelling conversation: Pentecostalism, the Old Testament, and hermeneutics, which is the study of how to interpret the Bible. Pentecostal teachers in the past have focused on the New Testament when discussing biblical interpretation. But Three’s a Crowd invites the voice of the Old Testament into the dialogue to provide both validation and criticism of the ideological bases and visions that characterise Pentecostalism. ‘Three’s a Crowd’ is winning rave reviews. Andrew Davies of the University of Birmingham says, “Jacqui Grey has provided for us here an important and insightful analysis of Pentecostal engagement with mainstream biblical scholarship, offering as she does an astute, vivid analysis of the nature of ordinary Pentecostal biblical interpretation, which contributes to a fresh, integrated practical model for critical reading of the Bible in this developing tradition. This is a significant contribution to our awareness of everyday and scholarly Pentecostal/Charismatic hermeneutics.” Be sure to pull up a chair and join the dialogue by getting your own copy of Three’s a Crowd. Call AC on +61 2 8893 9000 for more information.

AC’s transforming technology You can tell effective training is a priority at Alphacrucis College. That’s because we’ve just unveiled the biggest leap forward for student learning in our history. After nearly two years of research and development, AC is integrating what may be the most advanced classroom video capture and delivery system in the world, Echo 360. Built on state-of-the-art technology and featured at the most cutting-edge educational centres in the world − such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Princeton University and the London School of Economics − Echo360 offers AC students the best of both face-to-face and distance education. What this means for on-campus students is that, for the first time ever, they will be able to: • Access online recordings of their classes including video, audio and slide content. This does not mean a version of their class from a previous semester – they’ll be able to access material from the exact class they are in. • Subscribe to video podcasts of their classes, making staying up-to-date easy. • Fast forward, pause and repeat sections of their lectures they had difficulty understanding in class. English as a Second Language students love this feature, as it enables them to study at their own pace. • Study at a time that suits them. Echo360 allows students to download or stream lectures to their computer, iPhone, iPad or Android devices. They can review their lectures wherever they are, even during a train trip home.

Distance students now have new opportunities never before available. Students anywhere in the world will be able to: • Study at any time of day. Everyone from busy professionals to parents with young children will appreciate the unprecedented flexibility of learning. • Study anywhere in the world. With the ability to experience lecture content on mobile devices − such as iPhones, iPads or Android devices − students can stay up-to-date wherever their day takes them. Of course, this kind of excellence doesn’t come easy. To ensure AC students have the best user experience possible, our development team have invested two years of effort in this project, and nearly $200,000. Echo360 has been designed from the ground up to be extremely efficient in its use of staff time, but there will be operating costs over and above our current expenses. You can tell that quality education changes lives. We’re excited to have you join us in helping us get to the next level, to impact more students more deeply, to change more of the world for Christ.

Echo360 means students can study anywhere in the world, at a time that suits them. Echo360 allows students to download or stream lectures to their computer, iPhone, iPad or Android devices.

You can tell an AC graduate â&#x20AC;&#x201C; students like Anthony Chapman (right), pictured with AC Chariman John Iuliano - have many lasting memories and a network of lifelong friends from AC, but they are also uniquely prepared to face the challenges and opportunities of transforming a hurting world with the Gospel.

AC graduates ready to change the world On Monday, 21st May, spectators witnessed a triumphant procession of academic staff and graduates, in full regalia, through the twilight glow from AC’s new Parramatta campus to the historic Parramatta Town Hall. The walk was a short one but its effects will be felt thousands of kilometres away and around the world, as this year’s 360 Alphacrucis College graduates take their newly acquired education, skills and training to impact a hurting world for Christ. The Parramatta Town Hall was a fitting stage on which to officially honour our inaugural Parramatta campus graduates and congratulate them on their crowning academic achievements, as each received their certificate and testamur before a packed house of family and friends. Luke Taylor, one of the graduates, is eager to help change the world. “I’ve loved this journey of study and have witnessed a real maturing in my relationship with God as the Bible has been explained and taught in such a nurturing environment,” he says. “I’m keen to continue on in the future with my studies and eventually begin the Masters program. Also I have enjoyed using the tools given me through Bible College to preach and lead in my local church, I look forward to continuing that in whatever capacity God has for me.”

Luke was one of Alphacrucis College’s graduates in 2012. Across all our programs, ranging from vocational certificates and diplomas to higher education bachelors and masters degrees, and with many hailing from far and wide across Australia and abroad, we were pleased to have many of this year’s graduates personally honoured at the graduation ceremony. Ken Harrison, Senior Pastor of Harvest Christian Church in Auckland and General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God in New Zealand from 2003 to 2011 delivered the keynote address. AC Principal, Stephen Fogarty concluded the ceremony by charging the graduates to take the cutting-edge education they had received and go out to change the world for Jesus Christ. Indeed, you can tell an AC graduate – they have many lasting memories and a network of lifelong friends from AC but they are also uniquely prepared to face the challenges and opportunities of transforming a hurting world with the Gospel.

19 Leave a transforming legacy Your ongoing support of AC helps create uniquely prepared witnesses of Jesus Christ who are eager to transform the world. Think of the legacy you could leave behind by including AC in your estate planning. Most people are eager to bless those they care about most by including them in their will. So why not include those causes you value most highly as well? You can show your commitment to the advancement of the Gospel by making a bequest to AC – which will help educate a new generation of Christian pastors, teachers scholars and missionaries. Please contact us on +61 2 8893 9000 for more information.

You can tell they’re AC students 20

linda lee

“Will AC be too academic and not practical enough?” wondered Linda Lee. She was concerned because she already had many years of preaching and ministry experience in a local church before feeling called to study.

Yet, she hungered to learn more about God and how her faith could be integrated into all areas of life and ministry. To her great joy, she found that “Every lecture is like ‘God-time’. The lecturers model new ways of doing ministry,” she says. “It has completely changed me. Before, I didn’t like to study but now I enjoy studying.”

walk and provides her with stimulating friends. The classes help her keep her passion and focus. She’s found encouragement to pursue a practical dream: establishing an intercessory ministry to support missions and local churches. The Ebenezer House of Prayer holds meetings each morning and night, where 40 to 50 people gather to pray for missions and the spread of the Gospel to unreached people groups. Linda leads this vibrant ministry while her studies continue to deepen her relationship with Christ and expand her vision. You’ll find that AC encourages students to engage in handson ministry, telling people of Christ’s good news, while providing a rigorous background of academic study.

While earning her Bachelor of Applied Theology (Korean), Linda finds AC a dynamic place that strengthens her spiritual

Grace Stebbings has a whole new view of education because of her experience at AC. “The focus here isn’t on trying to get a higher grade than the person next to you, as it was in high school. Instead, I’ve learned to think deeply through things and make the most out of the opportunities we’ve been given to learn.”

grace stebbings

Grace started at Alphacrucis in 2010 by earning a Certificate IV in Ministry. “It was such an enjoyable year that I wanted to stay around for longer,” she says “So, in 2011, I enrolled in the Bachelor of Contemporary Ministry.”

luke taylor

Luke is eager to tell others about the fruit of his studies. “I’ve witnessed a real maturing in my relationship with God as the Bible has been taught in such a nurturing environment. I’m keen to continue with my studies and eventually begin the Masters program. But I have also enjoyed using the tools given me through AC to preach and lead in my local church; I look forward to continuing that in whatever capacity God has for me.”

“I’m passionate about people hearing the word of God and having a revelation of His plan, purpose and calling on their lives,” says Luke Taylor, a Bachelor of Contemporary Ministry student at AC.

Luke serves as a worship leader and youth pastor in his local church while pursuing his studies. “I believe that God has called me to preach and lead worship in a way that connects people to Him, revealing His love and plan for their lives,” Luke says. As such, he sees himself in full-time ministry, hoping one day to pastor a church.

The diverse and stimulating AC community is a big plus for Grace. “Getting to know people from near and far has been a delight and an encouragement to me,” she says. “And yes, the new campus is looking very nice! I’m confident these next couple of years will be good. I’m glad I chose AC!”

“Every lecture is like ‘God-time’. The lecturers model new ways of doing ministry,” says Linda Lee.

“I’ve learned to think deeply through things and make the most out of the opportunities we’ve been given to learn,” says Grace Stebbings.

“I believe that God has called me to preach and lead worship in a way that connects people to Him, revealing His love and plan for their lives,” Luke says.

‘The genius of Jesus is that, by giving us these two simple objects to illustrate His story (the bread and the cup), it is almost impossible to celebrate the Lord’s Supper without preaching the Gospel.’

Stories that change the world The Power of Story

By Pastor Steve Allen, Dean of Christian Studies, Alphacrucis College, Auckland Campus

As a pastor, one of my duties is to be a “community narrator”. I am the bard, the balladeer whose grave duty it is to recall the great story of our community – the seeming defeat that became an astonishing victory. And I must tell it in such a way that each generation can grasp its significance. I need to continually redeem it from the apathy that often greets tales that have become so familiar.

Tales of heroes and villains, of great victories and tragic defeats have served to bind communities together over millennia of human history. The story of the Allied landing on the beaches of the Gallipoli peninsula in modern-day Turkey is such a story for our countries. The sound of the bugle before daylight each ANZAC Day precedes words of remembrance about a historic defeat that became one of the defining moments of our nationhood.

The Lord’s Supper is a dramatic occasion and the props are simple: the bread and the cup. They have no mystical significance, no magic powers yet they help us to remember. The genius of Jesus is that, by giving us these two simple objects to illustrate His story, it is almost impossible to celebrate the Lord’s Supper without preaching the Gospel. The bread speaks of the giving of His body and the cup tells of His blood poured out.

Of course, the church also has its remembrance service, its defining moment and its community narrative: the Lord’s Supper. This God-ordained meal is an opportunity to tell afresh the story that gives meaning and significance to our lives. We join with the disciples in the upper room. We sense the camaraderie and gravity of those moments before Jesus went to the cross. We marvel at the grace and humility of the Lord as he washes his disciples’ feet. We receive, as if from the Lord himself, the bread and the cup – powerful reminders of His sacrificial death.

To a postmodern generation in search of experiences, the Lord’s Supper offers so much more than a religious tradition. Through creative re-telling of our Lord’s sacrifice, we can offer a dynamic experience, an opportunity to freshly appropriate the benefits of Christ’s completed work on the cross. And that’s a story you can tell to this generation or any other.

Changing the World

By Dr. David M. Parker, Head of NT Studies, Alphacrucis College, Parramatta Campus Have you ever read an incomplete book – one that ended with the last sentence trailing off with three dots, to be continued…? Believe it or not, this describes the book of Acts, written by the Gospel-writer Luke. Acts is, of course, full of accounts of what Christ’s followers did to change the world. Acts 28:31, the book’s very last verse, is an incomplete sentence in the Greek manuscripts recovered so far. Contrary to earlier theories that this indicated damage to the original, many scholars now suggest that Luke is using dramatic inconclusion. In contemporary terms, Luke finishes with “to be concluded…” To be concluded by whom? Luke suggests that what Jesus did to change the world when He was alive in bodily form on earth, His disciples should emulate in the power of His Spirit. Since this was to continue to preach the Gospel “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8), the baton of worldtransformation gets passed on from one set of disciples to another many times in Acts.

And the story never ends. When it looks like Acts 1:8 is accomplished geographically, the story continues. Romans considered Ethiopia to be “the ends of the earth”, but the story continues past Acts 8. Jews, on the other hand, believed Gentiles were “the ends of the earth” sociologically, but the story continues after Acts 10 and 11. Jews also believed Rome to be “the ends of the earth” geographically, but the story still doesn’t stop. At every definition of “the ends of the earth” the story of how the Gospel is changing the world continues. And thus, leaving off with Luke’s “dramatic inconclusion”, the story of Acts continues until whatever Jesus meant by “the ends of the earth” is completed. And so to return to our question of who is to conclude the story of Acts, we at Alphacrucis College believe we must pick up the baton and continue to change the world as those in Acts did so decisively. We take this seriously, insisting that only Spirit-empowered believers can truly bring the Gospel to all genders, ethnicities, cultures and social standings, including all educational classifications. We seek to encourage Pentecostal empowerment and cultural/ sociological awareness. Our task includes development of classic Pentecostal values, together with the best intellectual preparation we can provide. In a complex world we offer a complexity of training to modern-day world changers.

Mark your calendar Don’t miss out on the exciting upcoming events at AC! Be sure to mark your calendar and join us for the following. 24 2012

September 22

AC Open Day - AC Central, Parramatta

24-26

ACC VIC State Conference

AC Supper - Geelong, VIC

Master of Teaching (Primary) PD Day - AC Central, Parramatta

October 1-3

ACC TAS State Conference

AC Lunch - Bellerive, TAS

8-11

ACC QLD State Conference

AC Afternoon Tea - Mooloolaba, QLD

8-11

ACC NSW State Conference

AC Lunch - Port Macquarie, NSW

15-19

AOG NZ National Conference

23-25

ACC WA State Conference

AC Afternoon Tea - Mandurah, WA

AC Brisbane Info Night

November 5

Fundrasing Dinner (Guest Speaker: Pat Farmer) - Sydney, NSW

5-9

ACC Diploma of Ministry RPL Intensive - AC Central, Parramatta

5-9

Diploma of Business RPL Intensive - AC Central, Parramatta

End of Year Dinner - Sydney, NSW

Executive Leadership Day / Online Campus Launch - AC Central, Parramatta

AC and Metro Leadership College Graduation / Celebration - AC Brisbane

December 7

2013

Principal’s Day - AC Central, Parramatta

January 19

AC Open Day - AC Central, Parramatta

Diploma of Ministry (Leadership) - Experience 10036NAT

Diploma of Business - Experience BSB50207

5th-9th November 2012 AC Central 30 Cowper St, Parramatta NSW

Sydney Brisbane Auckland Global Online

ac.edu.au

Use your ministry or business experience to attain a nationally recognised diploma. Obtain a qualification in either ministry or business with recognition of prior learning (RPL) of your 5+ years experience, and receive five days of specialised training from some of the finest ACC lecturers and speakers. Accommodation, meals and airport transfers provided. For more information, visit the website ac.edu.au