Eternity - November 2019 - 107

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Number 107, November 2019 ISSN 1837-8447

Brought to you by the Bible Society

GovernorGeneral leads prayer

Anne Lim photo by Alex Bennett

I got over my fear and learnt to tell Bible stories In Syria’s war zone

Miroslav’s illegal New Testament

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NEWS

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NOVEMBER 2019

Obadiah Slope A BAPTIST PROPHET (MIKE FROST) WRITES: I love this story. This week, an elderly Salvation Army officer, who regularly collects donations at her local pub, the Park House in Mona Vale, was escorted off the premises by an over-zealous new manager. The young manager had read that the rule-book stated, “No hawkers allowed.” When he saw the woman shaking her donations box in the bar, he asked security to remove her, much to her horror.

What happened next was really cool. The patrons rose up as one to complain. There were jeers and boos. Drinkers walked out in solidarity. Owners of the pub have issued a full apology and donated $1000 to the Salvation Army. I don’t think Aussies hate the church as much as some people make out.

WE’RE TEN: Obadiah was still getting over eating too many cup cakes at the Bible Society staff day in February when we celebrated Eternity’s 100th edition. This was handy because we were able put the cup cakes on the cover on the actual 100th paper, which was March.

So we are not making too much of our tenth anniversary, which was October 18, just as Obadiah sits down to write. But it’s a good time to give a shout out to David Maegraith, who was Obadiah’s cofounder. And a massive thank you to everyone who has written for us, sold ads, organised distribution (we mean you, Joe) and made sure Eternity was put out in churches!

We could recycle this and take off a zero you know!

THOUGHT YOU MIGHT BE DEAD: Berthier Lainirina, a pastor from Madagascar, was telling the Sydney Anglican Synod (church parliament) how reading turned him on to ‘Bible-based’ Christianity.

“I read a very helpful book by a man called Mark Thompson. I’m not sure if he’s still alive.” Whereupon Thompson, the very much alive Moore College Principal, was summoned by Archbishop Glenn Davies to greet Lainirina, as the meeting fell about laughing.

News 2-3 In Depth 5-9 Bible Society 10 Opinion 11-16

Quotable

Rugby, sushi and Jesus ANNE LIM God used the Rugby World Cup to break down barriers to the gospel in sports-mad Japan in a way that left local pastors amazed.

So says Marty Woods who, with his wife Jenny, worked with 14 teams from Rugby World Cup nations to connect Japanese people with churches through community festivals and rugby clinics.

Australian couple Marty and Jenny Woods work with Fusion – an international youth and community organisation which was invited to Japan to help churches use this year’s World Cup and next year’s Summer Olympics to reach out into the community.

Two teams from Fiji had the most dramatic impact during the World Cup. They shared their faith in schools, universities and rugbyfan zones in ways that have proved irresistible to many Japanese people, particularly young men.

“At Uchinada in Ishikawa

prefecture, the team ran rugby clinics in the schools and then invited the students and their families to a Fiji culture evening in a local church,” says Marty.

“Well over 50 people from the community turned up. The pastor was amazed. They had dinner together, sang and danced.

“The mother of one boy asked the pastor if she could come to church with her son. The pastor told us: ‘These guys do things that no one can do in Japan. This is the breakthrough we are after – look at what God is opening for us.’”

Marty said that the Fijians were told they could not preach the gospel in schools. They were shocked when teachers asked them why they had come and prompted them to talk about their faith.

Takashi Funatogawa, a pastor in Sapporo, organised rugby coaching with two university teams. He was amazed that the Japanese coach allowed them to hand out Bibles and pray after the match,

recognising that this was part of the Fijian culture.

“Such openness from a coach like this is rare in Japan,” Funatogawa said. “Normally, a university would not work with a church.”

When the Fijians prayed at the end of training, the students bowed their heads. “There was nothing to hide. No one was embarrassed – unusual, yes, but it just felt right.”

This pastor had wondered how to reach the next generation with the gospel. He glimpsed a way – creating a shared experience through the inclusive power of sport.

Marty Woods is planning festivals during the Summer Olympics 2020. “On average, it takes a Japanese person three years to become a Christian from first hearing the gospel. It’s a longterm process ... The World Cup has given us a valuable ‘dry run’ as we prepare for the Olympics. Helping [to] inspire churches to participate are stories of the kingdom breaking out across Japan.”

Michael Jensen “To be a pastor in a local church is to be reminded of your inadequacy all the time. But here’s the secret: it’s not about you. In fact, the greater my humility, the more Jesus himself shines in his grace.”

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Governor-General leads prayers KARL FAASE

It was a pleasure to attend the National Prayer Breakfast last month in the Great Hall of Parliament House with 500 others, as well as key national leaders.

This was the 30th National Prayer Breakfast event and it celebrated the influence that people of Christian faith are making in our nation. It highlighted the best of Christian leadership and the ability of political leadership to put aside partisan politics for a morning.

The breakfast was co-hosted by

Senator Amanda Stoker (Liberal Qld) and Luke Gosling (ALP member for Solomon, NT). PM Scott Morrison and opposition leader Anthony Albanese both spoke. A wide range of dignitaries and MPs attended.

Key speaker was GovernorGeneral David Hurley. His address was marked by humour and wisdom, as well as a clear and unapologetic Christian message. As part of his address, he outlined a summary of world affairs - that he picked up on a visit to the United States - using the acronym VUCA:

Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity.

Hurley outlined the response that the Bible and Christian faith has to VUCA: stability, certainty, simplicity and clarity. Hurley called on the nation to reflect the scriptural values of justice, fairness, tolerance and helpfulness. For all levels of our community to deliver these values, we will need to live out the teaching of Jesus, he said.

PM Morrison followed Hurley and focused in part on the need for prayer. Morrison used his time to launch a new small book Amen – A

history of prayers in Parliament.

Prayer, said Morrison, was a reminder of the humanity and vulnerability of every politician.

Opposition leader Albanese reinforced the important place the National Prayer Breakfast had in the life of parliament. In a world where politics has become toxic and social commentary typified by obnoxious vitriol, this event was good for the soul.

Karl Faase is CEO of Olive Tree Media, Chair of BGEA and Samaritan’s Purse Boards Australia.

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NOVEMBER 2019

Let’s preserve creation

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Eternity for your ears KALEY PAYNE

“undeceive themselves” and “let the truth out.”

An atheist member of Parliament, Meanwhile, Eternity’s first podcast one of the world’s top theoretical With All Due Respect continues its physicists, a crusader to end modern great experiment: is it still possible to slavery and a US football superstar agree to disagree, respectfully?

Now in its second season with have all been guests on Eternity’s hosts Michael Jensen and Megan newest podcast, Undeceptions with Powell du Toit, With All Due Respect John Dickson. tackled one of the deepest divides The first season has ranked consistently in the top 10 podcasts on among evangelical Christians – and one of the biggest disagreements religion and spirituality in Australia between Megan and Michael – the since it launched in September. issue of gender in the church.

For 12 episodes, author and “It’s the topic everyone has been historian John Dickson explores wanting us to talk about since we some aspect of life, faith, history, started,” said Megan. culture or ethics that is either much You can subscribe to misunderstood or mostly forgotten.

With the help of people who know Undeceptions and With All Due Respect on your favourite what they’re talking about, Dickson podcast app. says he is trying to help listeners to

KYLIE BEACH facebook.com/XRVictoria

In the past few months, thousands of Australians have participated in nonviolent, disruptive actions across the country as part of the global “Extinction Rebellion” (XR) climate action movement.

They’ve flash-mob-danced across intersections and hung off bridges.

Scores of people have been arrested.

Shawn Whelan, a Melbournebased Christian, recently took part in an XR action.

What action were you part of?

I took part in a “Bicycle Brigade” action cycling around the inner northern suburbs of Melbourne. We rode slowly through the streets and occasionally stopped to block an intersection for a few minutes.

It was part of a week-long set of actions by XR in Melbourne, trying to draw attention to not just the reality of the climate crisis, but its urgency, by disrupting “business as usual.” It’s intended to be a wakeup call to how serious the disruption will be if the current state of affairs continues.

Are you hopeful that XR will achieve change?

I didn’t join it because I thought it was “the one thing” that was certain to work; I joined it because nothing else was working. The very fact that people are not giving up and are thinking creatively – that’s a hopeful sign.

Regardless of whether XR in its current form continues or grows or achieves anything directly, I do

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think this is a really important moment for the struggle for meaningful climate action.

How does this activism relate directly to your faith?

I do these things not in spite of being a Christian but because I am a Christian. There’s lots of layers to that.

Absolutely central to my faith is the ancient belief that God’s created goodness made a good world and made us to be key players in the ongoing co-creation.

I believe that God – the creative source in the universe – has given rise to all we have and see. That ... [means] being responsible and working with God in stewarding that creation ...

Climate change will disproportionately affect the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people, [so] that is absolutely a matter of justice.

Even if I had no interest in environmentalism, [I’d think] the absolute essence of our faith [is] that we have to stand for those who are suffering, as Christ does.

CPX’s Warts and all book Christianity, depending on who you ask, is either a scourge on our society, narrow, delusive, and inevitably producing hatred and violence; or the foundation of some of the best elements of our culture and a continued source of hope, comfort to those in need, and moral inspiration.

Are we talking about the same people here? Are we looking at the same history?

Crusades, witch hunts, slavery, colonialism, child abuse … the history of the church offers plenty of ammunition to its critics.

And on the other hand: charity, human rights, abolition, nonviolent resistance, literacy and education.

In For the Love of God, Natasha Moore confronts the worst of what Christians have done, and also traces the origins of some of the things we like best about our culture back to the influence of Jesus.

Covering episodes from the Spanish Inquisition to Martin

Luther King Jr, Florence Nightingale to the “humility revolution,” this book offers an accessible but wide-ranging introduction to the good, the bad, the ugly – and the unexpected – when it comes to the impact Christianity has had on the world we live in.

Dr Natasha Moore is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Public Christianity. She has a PhD in English Literature from the University of Cambridge and is the author of Victorian Poetry and Modern Life: The Unpoetical Age, as well as editor of 10 Tips for Atheists and other conversations in faith and culture.

For more information, please contact: nmoore@publicchristianity.org

NOVEMBER 2019

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Rookwood General Cemetery takes action by creating affordability for families The rising cost of funerals is driving some families in to debt.

Also known as funeral poverty, it is a globally recognised societal issue, bringing the days of elaborate funerals to an end.

Cemetery capacity in metropolitan Sydney is anticipated to reach exhaustion by 2051. The scarcity of cemetery land will only increase the risk of funeral poverty for Sydney communities.

According to Rookwood General Cemetery CEO, George Simpson, “this is an issue affecting families worldwide, with many feeling social pressure to give a loved one a ‘good send-off’. For example, studies into funeral spending in the United Kingdom show that some of the poorest households spend above average amounts on coffins and headstones.”

“For many families the ritual of a funeral is recognised as a necessary part of the grieving process. Our responsibility, as a not-for-profit Crown cemetery manager, is to make the burial or cremation experience as easy as possible for families. This means providing them with easy access to information and affordable services.”

To this end, Rookwood General Cemetery have implemented a cost-effective cremation service, which takes place in the newly renovated All Souls ceremonial venue. This service is akin to a

Rookwood’s All Souls combines modern facilities with heritage charm, for a cremation service to remember. regular cremation, however, the casket is moved to an offsite cremation facility once the ceremony is finished. This process provides value for money for both Rookwood and the community, as a cremator does not need to be maintained. This new service offering is an affordable option for families where a grave plot is not a cultural requirement.

Lindsay Leung from Galaxy Funerals has already conducted several services at the venue and is suitably impressed. “The new

refurbishment of Rookwood’s All Souls Chapel, with the circles of light illuminating from above, sets a peaceful ambience to farewell and honour a loved one. The stained glass window feature, with the option to close, makes this chapel appropriate for both religious and non-religious services. It is also currently one of the most cost-effective facilities in the area making it an ideal chapel for a family seeking a cosy and intimate space to farewell a loved one.”

Rookwood is one of the oldest,

largest and most multicultural cemeteries in Australia. Its vast and historical landscape is one of Sydney’s most significant heritage sites, providing services for a range of culturally diverse communities.

One of the stand out structures at Rookwood is the art deco All Souls building. Built in the 1950s, this beautiful facility combines heritage charm with state-of-the art furnishings and facilities, including TV screens inside and out, video streaming capability and disability access. Able to accommodate up

to 170 people, the All Souls building offers families the ability to host an elaborate funeral service, at an affordable price.

To complement this new cremation service, Rookwood offers a range of unique memorial areas, from rose gardens and monumental gardens, through to niche walls. This range of options provides families with a way to create a fitting tribute that is as unique as the loved one they are commemorating, whilst ensuring family and friends have a peaceful place to visit and reflect, for years to come.

“Rookwood’s cremation service and its associated memorial areas are created with dignity and affordability in mind. This is because as an organisation, we believe that urgent action is required to ensure that all communities have access to affordable funeral and cremation services,” continues Simpson.

“Our cremation service is a small step towards minimising funeral debt and creating affordability for families; and we are committed to implementing further innovations to meet community needs”.

For more information, visit the Rookwood General Cemetery website, contact the Client Services team rookwoodcemetery.com.au/ cremation_services - or call 02 8575 8100.

In Loving Memory To make the process of losing a loved one as easy as possible, we have launched a cost-effective cremation service.

We also offer beautiful memorial areas that offer families a place for remembrance.

Weekday services are $950 and weekend services are $1330, including the use of the All Souls ceremonial venue.

For more information: 02 8575 8100 info@rookwoodcemetery.com.au www.rookwoodcemetery.com.au

NOVEMBER 2019

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Anne Lim on telling Bible stories page 6

Communism to chaplaincy Miroslav Velebir and his illegal New Testament Miroslav Velebir pictured in front of his New Testament (Matthew 15).

KYLIE BEACH Australian Navy chaplain Miroslav Velebir finds it hard to relate to Christians who can’t be bothered to read their Bible. It’s something he has never taken for granted.

Born and raised in communist Czechoslovakia, there wasn’t a solid translation of the full Bible available in his Slovakian mother tongue.

Slovakian Christians had had some translations done earlier, but most of them were significantly lacking, linguistically or theologically. But all Slovakian Christians knew a group of scholars were working on a new, full translation in their heart language, and eagerly awaited its arrival.

Until that day, Miroslav, then a teenager, simply had to make do with a small illegal copy of the New Testament that he read secretly under the desk at grammar school (high school, in Australia).

Under the communist regime, the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia was only officially permitted to publish two Christian publications per year. Even these two chosen texts were thoroughly checked for any subliminal messages and censored by the government’s Ministry of Culture and secret police.

Consequently, most of their Christian literature – like Miroslav’s small New Testament – was printed abroad and smuggled into the country.

They were printed without any acknowledgment of the printer and, usually, with only a title and author displayed - and nothing else. If the

author was Czechoslovakian, then there was no author printed either.

“It was safer that way,” Miroslav explains.

A few years later, he found his illegal New Testament fitted nicely into the pocket of his army uniform as he served his compulsory military service.

“I read it in all possible and impossible places, like standing daily in lines for lunches and dinners; on secret army exercises at the German border with Russian generals in sight; hiding behind the chimney in the roof of our army barracks as I sneaked out of my duties to spend ten minutes praying with my fellow Christian soldiers. Baptist, Pentecostal or anything – we didn’t believe in labels, we were one in Christ,” remembers Miroslav.

He found the Bible a perfect conversation starter with others who asked him what he was reading.

“I even read it to the officer who was second in command of the whole barracks, who called me in to help him type some secret documents ... After I did the work, he kept on asking many questions about my faith and for an hour-anda-half he listened intently.”

“He had never heard the gospel before. I used any opportunity to share its contents with wondering onlookers.

“That little New Testament has seen a lot in its years.”

Miroslav almost lost the treasured book when it was confiscated, after his books had been gone through by army officials. However, it was returned after Miroslav’s mother wrote to the authorities and

“

I read [the New Testament] in all possible and impossible places, like standing daily in lines for lunches and dinners, or on secret army excersises at the German border with Russian generals in sight.”

successfully persuaded them that it was controlling behaviour, on the part of the state, for it to be taken.

The communist regime was always wanting to avoid the accusation of being controlling, says Miroslav – “repressive but not controlling”, he clarifies.

Yet even with his trusty New Testament, Miroslav was always waiting for the day when he would receive a translation of the whole Bible in his mother tongue.

“It took a while to get to us,” he recalls. “It was printed by the Bible Society in South Korea and brought to our border, but the communist government was not so keen to let it into our country.

“Trucks with 30,000 Bibles from memory, that was the number printed at first - were held for a number of weeks at the German border to Czechoslovakia.

“Only after numerous interventions and pressure from our friends and Christians from abroad, the trucks were let in.

“I got my first Bible in 1979 when I was 17.”

Once it was within his possession, Miroslav embarked on a lifetime of voracious Bible study and reading his Bible from cover to cover.

After grammar school, Miroslav embarked on theological studies, although even that wasn’t simple.

His school principal, who would usually sign a student’s application for tertiary study, ripped up his application.

But Miroslav persevered, contacting the college and was granted an application as a private citizen, which did not require the

sign off of his school principal.

“Even before I had been accepted into the theological seminary where I would begin to learn the original biblical languages, I read my whole Bible three times, and my New Testament five times.”

Since then, Miroslav has had to change the cover of his beloved Bible a couple of times and have it rebound, because it started to fall apart. “It is still my most favourite Bible, since it reminds me of those wonderful times when we were under the communist propaganda and persecution. They were times of real growth, hardships and so much joy in being considered, at least mildly, to suffer a little for our Lord Jesus. We didn’t have it that bad and we were always mindful of millions of those who pay a price – even the ultimate sacrifice of death – in many places of the world.”

Miroslav’s father, Jan (John) Velebir is retired now and is 87 years old. He shares Miroslav’s passion for the Bible and has read his from cover to cover 53 times.

Jan was a Lutheran pastor under the communist regime. Like all pastors, he was an employee of the state under the Ministry of Culture so that the state could control - “repress” - his activities. As a deterrent, pastors were paid badly (about half the minimum wage).

Miroslav remembers one occasion when he hid illegal Bibles in a hidden compartment in a cupboard in his father’s own church. This gave his dad plausible deniability when the police questioned him over it – which they did. continued page 15

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I got over my fear and learnt to tell Bible stories ANNE LIM Can I tell you a story? Every week at my Bible and English class at St Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney, I have the chance to give a Bible message to a group of about 20 migrants, refugees and travellers.

I’m fine with the English part – there’s so many resources on the internet – but I’ve struggled to bring Bible stories to life.

Now, having completed a “Story the Bible” workshop put on by Wycliffe Bible translators, I feel excited and equipped. I feel sure I can engage this diverse group of people from Europe, the Middle East and Asia with the riches of God’s word.

Along with eight others of all ages and backgrounds, over an intense 24 hours spread from Friday night to Monday afternoon, I learned how to craft a Bible story that is Simple, Accurate and Memorable – our key acronym, SAM! I also learned how to facilitate a discussion about it.

I had previously discovered the power of Bible storytelling when I told my ESL class the very simple story of the widow of Nain, whose only son is raised from the dead by Jesus (Luke 7:11-17).

They were completely captured and attentive, in contrast to times when we read a story and did a comprehension exercise. However, though their responses were relevant and good, I struggled to keep the discussion going.

Other workshop attendees were involved in mission to Muslims or Hindus and wanted to harness storytelling to break down barriers to the Bible in these oral cultures.

Our first lesson on the Friday night highlighted the power of repetition. Our leader, Rob, told us the story of the Good Samaritan twice, then taught it to us line by line twice, then action by action in larger chunks. Then we told the story to each other in groups and finally a couple of people told the story again to the whole class.

By the end of the evening, we had heard the story 12 times, which meant we were confident in practising it that night with someone at home before the next session.

Another key insight from our first lesson was the power of imagination. It’s important to visualise the scene and relate what we see rather than trying to memorise the words. I was delighted to discover that I have a rather good memory, but even those who struggled to remember the words eventually learned the story and told it with expression – to their surprise and delight!

The Saturday sessions were devoted to learning how to craft a Bible story in pairs, with the aim of presenting a “panorama” of seven Bible stories at the two Sunday services of the church where our workshop was held. My partner, Lisa, thanked God for his kindness in giving us the relatively straightforward story of Jesus feeding the 5000. I felt sympathy for the pair who were given the Woman at the Well – a fabulous story but so much dialogue!

Our first step was to read the two versions of the Feeding the 5000 story in Mark and John’s gospels in a modern language version – the New Living Version and the CEV. We decided to use the version in

Phil practises telling the story of the sinful woman who wept at Jesus’ feet.

Mark’s Gospel as it was simpler and more contained.

We took turns reading the passage to each other as the other partner closed her eyes and imagined the scenario. Then we wrote down the actions in the story step by step. The aim was to keep the story to less than three minutes, so we discussed how to simplify it. We considered if any historical details could be omitted and whether any Christian terminology needed to be changed, bearing in mind our SAM acronym.

In the end, we decided to keep the word “disciples” rather than changing it to Jesus’ close friends.

The heart of the crafting process was drawing a storyboard of our narrative, taking turns to read each sentence while the other drew stick figures of the action on a piece of paper – a highly entertaining exercise! My favourite picture was of people with full bellies and happy smiles after being fed! Then after telling each other the story using the sequence of drawings, we put the storyboard away and practised it with dramatic gestures and expressions.

To help us remember, we tried to section the action into groups of three. Then we polished the story by putting as much of the description as possible into direct speech. For example, instead of saying “Jesus wanted to take his disciples away to a quiet place where they could be alone and rest,” we said: “Jesus said: ‘I want to take you away to a quiet place where we

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NOVEMBER 2019

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The upshot of this is that I don’t have to be the expert.

Hooray!”

can be alone and you can rest.’” This makes the story more immediate.

You can even take out “Jesus said” by switching the way you are facing to indicate a change in speaker.

As we polished the story, we were powerfully struck by how compassionate Jesus was, first taking pity on his disciples and wanting to give them a rest, and then having pity on the crowd – caring for them as a shepherd cares for his sheep.

Then we saw how he delighted to involve his disciples in his miracle when he didn’t really need to.

Thus encouraged, we presented our story to the whole class, who gave feedback on what could be improved, such as using hand gestures to show “five loaves and two fish.” By the time it came to present my story at the 10am service on Sunday morning, I estimate that I had told it at least eight times and heard it from my partner another eight times. We

weren’t word perfect by any means, but neither did we dry up!

I ended up naturally breaking into laughter every time I said that “Jesus fed 5000 men that day – plus their families!” because the reality of it was so amazing!

The Holy Spirit must have gone before us as we presented in two teams, one at the 8.30am service and one at 10am, because everyone did their best rendition – and the people in the congregations loved the experience. Hearing seven stories in a chronological “panorama” really highlighted the extraordinary height and depth of Jesus’ power, compassion and sacrificial love for the lost. Many people commented afterwards that they would never be able to do what we did. But they really could – with the tools we were taught in this workshop.

By the end of the weekend I had learned three stories by heart, heard many more – including threeminute versions of the exodus and Ruth! – convincing me that this is a powerful way of telling the gospel that grips the heart and mind of any hearer, no matter where they stand in relation to Christ.

But possibly the most helpful part of the weekend for me was understanding how to facilitate a discussion after indulging my show-off side in telling the story.

As someone who feels inadequate in explaining the Bible, I really appreciated being given a set of five questions – “What do you learn about God or Jesus in this story?”; “What do you learn about people/certain individuals in this story?”; “What do you like about this story?”; “What are some things people might not like about this story?” and “If this story is true, how does it change your life?”

The best thing of all was the technique of not commenting on people’s answers but just reflecting back their comments and saying “thank you.” This takes a bit of discipline as our natural response is to say “Good point” or “That’s true” or “Yes, but …” It’s counter-intuitive just to paraphrase their answer and say “thank you,” then move on to the next person.

The upshot of this is that I don’t have to be the expert! Hooray!

Anyone can facilitate the discussion – even a non-believer! And you don’t even have to correct wrong answers. Since people are given space to share what they get out of the story, over time they will have their ideas shaped by other people’s answers and other stories they will hear. This way they will want to keep coming back for more!

For information about hosting a Story the Bible workshop for your church or ministry, contact Malcolm.Barker@ghd.com

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A poet expresses his faith ANNE LIM With his wild ginger dreadlocks cascading down his back, Joel McKerrow doesn’t look like a conservative evangelical Christian.

But this is the church tribe in which he grew up – what he now calls the “fishbowl” of a “white, middle-class” Christian culture.

As a teenager, he became disillusioned with this “narrow” kind of faith that, he says, doesn’t look far beyond an individual’s relationship with God. “It’s about me getting to heaven and then being a moral person and trying to convert other people,” he says.

A well-known performance poet, McKerrow began questioning and wrestling with his inherited faith when he saw that, as a white middle-class heterosexual male, he read the Scriptures with the bias of someone with power and privilege in the world, not like someone from an oppressed people group.

“For me, a big part of the disillusionment came when I began to see the world around me and wonder if this gospel that I’ve been following and believing, what does it have to say to the economic realities of our world, to those who were sitting behind fences on an island, put there as an asylum seeker? I had a whole bunch of experiences that shattered my world,” he says.

“I grew up swimming around a certain fishbowl and, just as a fish has no idea about something called

“

I need to learn and grow from those outside my fishbowl.”

Poet Joel McKerrow’s new book Woven chronicles his journey of unravelling and “reconstructing” his beliefs. dryness, I had no idea about the reality of the world around me.”

McKerrow was awakened to this fuller perspective after a friend invited him to visit a drop-in centre for street workers.

“I went along and I remember washing dishes with one of the girls afterwards and thinking to myself, ‘you know, this is the first time that I’ve spent any time with

the people that Jesus spent all of his time with – and I call myself a Christian, a Jesus follower.’”

McKerrow began to believe that if he were to count himself a true follower of Jesus, he would spend his life working on behalf of the kind of people Jesus spent his time with – “the marginalised and persecuted and those on the outside, the oppressed and facing

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inequality in our world.”

He has chronicled his journey through the great unravelling of his inherited faith to the weaving together of his “reconstructed” faith in a new book called Woven, published by Acorn Press, to be launched at the Justice Conference in Melbourne on November 15.

“We all do these things in good ways and bad ways and a lot of the

book is actually about how to do this journey healthily and well.

How do we not throw the baby of faith out with the bathwater of cultural Christianity?”

McKerrow has seen many of his friends become stuck in the “unravelled” phase of their faith journey.

“They end up critical, cynical or they just throw it all out. Part of my re-weaving or re-framing or reconstructing of my faith was actually a willingness to take a step back in humility and say, ‘I need to learn and grow from those who are outside of my fishbowl.’

“If I’m not doing that, I will stay in the echo chamber of my own bias and I will be all the worse for it and God will be shrunk down; Jesus will be shrunk down to being a white middle-class Jesus.”

McKerrow worried that he was becoming a heretic until he read a book by Celtic writer John O’Donohue, which articulated the beliefs he had been struggling to find language for.

“I found a tradition that I could belong to. I found all these things that discounted me from my little cultural thing were part of a different stream of Christianity ... so it was like my Christianity is just getting larger. It doesn’t have to be so narrow.”

As artist-ambassador for TEAR Australia, McKerrow is using his writing to try to move the church past just giving to charity and on to having social justice at its heart.

For more information and applications contact: peterbrain@pbc.wa.edu.au Applications close: Friday 29th November 2019

NOVEMBER 2019

E ANGLICAN AID SPONSORED PAGE 8

Safe and sound in Bangalore Most of the women who arrive at the Bangalore Safe House have attempted suicide at least once.

They’ve all lived through repeated abuse, usually inflicted by their husband but sometimes by other family members.

The Safe House is one of more than 100 development projects supported by Christians via Anglican Aid1, caring for vulnerable people through women’s and children’s empowerment, income generation, education, water and hygiene promotion, health, disability inclusion, community leadership and Bible training.

The shelter, which celebrates its 10th birthday in 2020, can accommodate up to 80 women/ children. There is a need for more staff and volunteers, particularly those with training in psychiatric and trauma counselling.

As well as a place to heal, the Safe House provides accommodation, pre-school and home-schooling, skills training and health care (physical and mental).

Crisis care is a big part of the work as women arrive fleeing the horror of the marriage they believed would protect them.

Sometimes their own families have disowned them; a broken marriage is a source of great shame.

The Safe House offers lifechanging services for women in desperate situations: transportation to legal proceedings, emergency health care, help with the children, a change of clothes, a bath.

The Safe House is enterprising

and would like to generate income through its own bakery, supplying local businesses.

“In June, one of our volunteers organised a bake sale during a cricket match at a local residential gated community. The sale was well-received by the community and we’re glad for the connections made there,” said Antonia, the head of Bangalore Safe House.

Antonia, like all the Safe House staff and volunteers, is a survivor of domestic abuse. They are all Jesus women and He is the ultimate survivor.

“We are here to help women and children live self-sustaining, healthy lifestyles,” said Antonia.

“We want to develop a transitional housing project that would further this mission.”

“Some of the women speak no English when they arrive.

Our residents may come from completely different areas and English is a coveted skill for job opportunities, so it is our policy to use English on a day-to-day basis.”

In India, women’s refuges are not the friendly places we might imagine.

According to opendemocracy. net, “[Indian] Shelters were first established to ‘protect’ vulnerable women from prostitution and trafficking rackets under the Immoral Traffic and Prevention Act 1956.

“The Nari Gruhs [women’s homes] staff don’t exactly welcome the women with open arms. The moral framework of society penetrates that

1 https://anglicanaid.org.au/projects/bangalore-womens-safe-house

of shelters, where such women are seen as ‘immoral’ or ‘deviants’ who transgressed social and community boundaries ...”2 In contrast, the Bangalore Safe House offers respect, a clean environment and the love of women who understand.

Veena* is from the Indian state of Kerala. Before entering an arranged marriage, she was a wellrespected engineer working for the local government and was able to support herself.

A couple of years into the marriage her husband Prem* started to control her - he would not allow her to go to work and she lost her job.

2 https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/jail-not-shelter-women-s-refuges-in-india/

When she became pregnant, he didn’t allow her to go to medical checkups without him. After the birth of their son, Veena needed blood. Prem would not donate his blood even though they had the same blood type. He was not joyful about the baby.

He consistently put her down, telling her she was worth nothing.

Eventually this psychological abuse became physical as well.

In 2015 Veena ran away with her son. She came to the Safe House where she encountered Jesus and found a home.

Antonia recalls, “She intellectually wrestled with the gospel but eventually she became

convinced. Veena is a real leader in the shelter, being a role model for mothers and discipling other women.”

“The women who come here have a real heart for each other.

For some, it is the first loving home they have ever known.”

You can be part of caring for the vulnerable. Contact Anglican Aid on 02 9284 1406 or donate** online at anglicanaid.org.au/eternity. * Not their real names ** Donations to the Bangalore Safe House are tax deductible.

CHRISTIAN AID FOR VULNERABLE

COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD Anglican Aid has long-standing partnerships with local churches and organisations who provide face-to-face support for people in need.

With your help, Anglican Aid is able to provide assistance to grassroots projects that are directly impacting and changing lives.

Bangalore Women’s Safe House, India

Give today

Emergency response

www.anglicanaid.org.au/eternity or call 02 9284 1406 ABN 28 525 237 517

Education

Disability inclusion

Women’s empowerment

Children’s rights

Bible training

CHARITY SPECIAL

NOVEMBER 2019

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The passion behind Compassion ANNE LIM The love of Christians for children in other countries might be a sufficient explanation for why the Compassion charity is doing well in Australia. But its successful strategy of forming strong partnerships with local churches has also been key – and makes it a good case study.

Getting pastors involved, and keen supporters is the “secret sauce” in the Compassion recipe.

Spiro Cassis, a Sydneybased relationship manager at Compassion Australia, regularly takes pastors on trips to view Compassion projects in the field, to encourage them to partner at a church level. “In Sydney, in the past eight years we’ve taken four groups of pastors to the field, and my colleague Paul Beaston took a group of pastors to Africa, and to a Christian enclave in Sulawesi in Indonesia. Paul and I took Colin Buchanan and a whole lot of other people to the Philippines.”

Cassis recently took Dominic Steele, senior minister of Village Church in Annandale, Sydney, along with 15 other pastors on a trip to a Compassion child sponsorship program in Jakarta.

In the Indonesian capital, Steele interviewed graduates Krisna Prasetyo – who came to Jesus through the program and is now an entrepreneur – and Liberty Astuti – a lecturer, school teacher and now working for Compassion in Indonesia.

“They spoke about growing up in extreme poverty, finding a safe community with Compassion and meeting Jesus,” says Steele.

“These children are from families who are not able to provide three meals each day. Through Compassion, they have been able to attend university. It was particularly exciting speaking with these young adults while meeting hundreds of children who are currently part of Compassion.”

Also on that trip were Sydney pastors Roger Fitzhardinge, from Fairy Meadow Anglican, and James Harricks, from Centennial Park, who spoke on Steele’s podcast The Pastor’s Heart about the impact the visit made on them.

“On the way over, part of my heart was cynical about how much difference programs like this could really make,” admits Fitzhardinge.

“I’ve been just astonished at the way that Compassion is, in Jesus’ name, bringing real change, to individuals, to families, to communities and the trajectory of

“

I’ve been just astonished at the way that Compassion is, in Jesus’ name, bringing real change, to individuals, to families, to communities...”

Praise (left) and Sienna, aged 10, meet in Olontoto, Kenya, in 2017 (Photo: Compassion Australia) people’s lives.”

According to Cassis, Compassion seeks only Christian sponsors because they will pray for a child by name and their family. “That’s why outcomes are great for Compassion kids because they’re actually being prayed for.”

Fitzhardinge also noted about Compassion that it does not “want corporate sponsors who just give stacks of money – although money is useful.” Instead, the Sydney pastor came to realise that this children’s charity grounds itself in “relationship and prayer”.

“What the goal of this program is, is to have kids who grow up, prayed for and relationally connected and written to, in ways that transform them,” Fitzhardinge explains.

As well as gaining an education, Liberty told Steele in Jakarta that she had also gained love and selfbelief through the program: “As I grew in the project and the church, my mentors and pastors helped me to understand more about who Jesus is and why he loves me.

“Before that, I thought I was not worthy and felt rejected. After receiving Jesus, I felt that my point of view is changing so my selfimage is restored.”

As a longtime child sponsor, Steele said he felt “soundly rebuked” that he had not been a good letter writer, after he saw the

difference that kind of love made in the lives of the children he met.

“One of [my] resolutions … is to be a better letter writer, a better investor in their lives,” Steele says.

According to independent research of Compassion’s work in six countries, published in the Journal of Political Economy, sponsorship makes children 27 to 40 per cent more likely to complete secondary school, and 50 to 80 per cent more likely to complete a university education.

“We even find some evidence for spillover effects on the unsponsored younger siblings of sponsored children,” one of the researchers, Bruce Wydick, wrote in Christianity Today in 2013.

“Compassion’s results extend beyond school attendance. We found that child sponsorship means that when the child grows up, he is 14-18 per cent more likely to obtain a salaried job, and 35 per cent more likely to obtain a white-collar job.

Many of the Compassion-sponsored children become teachers as adults instead of remaining jobless or working in menial agricultural labour. We found some evidence that they are more likely to grow up to be both community leaders and church leaders.”

A follow-up study with 1320 children in Bolivia, Kenya and Indonesia indicated that sponsored

Deliver your leadership passion and expand your community

children had significantly higher expectations for their schooling than unsponsored children and generally had higher expectations for adult employment.

Such sociological results – and Compassion’s rigorous financial accountability – have impressed longtime child sponsor Justin Fitzgerald. His wife Fiona likes its commitment to empowering Biblebased, Jesus-focused local churches to deliver programs.

When Fiona married Justin, she told her new husband that one day she would like them to sponsor a child of the same age as each of the children they hoped to have.

Her impulse was that, through developing relationships with a child who lived in a different part of the world, her children would come to understand that God loves everybody, no matter where they live. She also hoped they learned that a child living in Australia has certain responsibilities, as well as a lot to learn from people born in different circumstances.

“That’s how the dream started,” says Fiona, who is the greatgranddaughter of Stuart and Elise Bryson, early 20th-century Australian missionaries to Kenya, who translated the Bible into the Nandi language of East Africa.

“Then the dream grew a little bit more and I said, ‘it would be

really cool to take them to visit their sponsored kids.’”

As we sit around the bench in their new kitchen – long delayed by the cost of making trips to Kenya – Fiona explains how, over the years, “God has woven the tapestry” that may eventually allow them to sponsor a child in Kapsabet, the community where her greatgrandfather built a church.

“We’re inquiring about whether there’s a need for a Compassion project in Kapsabet … One day we’d like to close the loop.”

Since 2010, Fiona and Justin have sponsored six children in Kenya through Compassion Australia. Justin has made four trips to Kenya, taking their eldest child, Ethan, to visit his sponsored brother, Kennedy, twice. Justin then took Riley to visit his brother Linus in 2015; and Sienna to visit her sister Praise in 2017. (That joyful meeting in a community called Olontoto – made after the pair exchanged countless letters – was filmed by Compassion.)

When Ethan went on his first trip to Kenya aged only 11½, the effect on him was profound.

“One of the things that he observed straight away was the deep faith that the people in Kenya have and the joy that they had despite their physical circumstances. And also that they leant on God in a way that we don’t here,” says Fiona.

After his second trip at age 15, Ethan experienced reverse culture shock; he grieved for the spiritual poverty of his school friends.

On a more positive personal note, Fiona is inspired by the family connection she has with Compassion’s work.

“The Kenya thing was exciting because of the link with Stuart and Elise Bryson,” says Fiona.

“I feel like the dream has grown; it has come to me from [God] over the years and he’s just grown it. Every part of it is a stretch, but our confidence also in the work of Compassion has grown over time.”

The Fitzgeralds chose to sponsor through Compassion because their church, St Paul’s Anglican in Castle Hill, set up a partnership with Compassion Australia and Nairobi Chapel nearly ten years ago.

Today, this church is Compassion Australia’s largest supporter.

Members have sponsored 1500 children over the years with a 94 per cent retention rate. Currently, because some children have graduated, the total number of sponsored children is about 1000.

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CHARITY SPECIAL

NOVEMBER 2019

Rethinking retirement

REBECCA ABBOTT When asked about the prospect of “putting his feet up” in retirement, 75-year-old Anglican minister Bob Peattie chuckles incredulously.

“There’s no ‘R word’ in the Scriptures. We’re called to serve,” he tells Eternity.

Peattie is still involved in preaching and ministry at Charlestown Anglican, which operates two churches in Newcastle, NSW. He also plays a key role in a weekly support group for the Samaritans Kinship Care program that runs in one of their churches, St Martin’s, Kahibah.

The group supports grandparents who are principal carers of their grandchildren, as well as other people caring for relatives.

Peattie signed up as the group’s chaplain 12 years ago after coming to the realisation that “there are so many people who desperately need support”.

“Coming from a middle-class background, we are often not even aware of these people,” he says.

“In our group we have great grandparents who are caring for great-grandchildren, all the way through to a 23-year-old lady caring for her 10-year-old brother.”

Having experienced sexual abuse, Peattie felt he could personally connect with children and carers often working through similar issues, including the effects of abuse, domestic violence, drugs and custody battles.

He also puts his training as a church minister to good use in the group by talking with and providing help, encouragement and spiritual guidance.

“It’s part of our requirement in ministry to care for the widows, orphans and so on, and that’s something that in lots of ways, the church doesn’t do very well on a personal level … I see it as a great privilege to have been involved in the group for so long,” he says.

Peattie’s passion for his retirement work was fuelled by attending an inaugural gathering of “Q4 – Rethinking Retirement” – an initiative by Christian Ministry Advancement (CMA). It is designed to inspire Australian Baby Boomers to use the “fourth quarter” of their lives for intentional ministry.

The timing of Q4’s launch almost three years ago was perfect for Peattie, as he was in the process of selling his successful insurance business.

“It was a real help in terms of motivation and reigniting my sense of call,” he says, adding, “I would encourage anyone who is in retirement to reassess what God wants them to do ... I’m surprised at how full of energy and purpose I am at 75. I don’t even feel old, there’s too much to do. It’s been a real blessing.”

Peattie is just one of almost 100 Christians who have shared their stories about retirement ministry with Q4.

“We discovered [these retirees] are engaged in a wide range

of activities, from Kids Hope mentoring of primary students to involvement in their local church,” says executive director of Q4, Paul Arnott who, at 68, is still engaged in ministry work.

“Our hope is that their stories will encourage others to make good use of their retirement for the kingdom of God and that they will be inspired by the wide range of opportunities that exist, both paid and unpaid, full-time and parttime, inside and outside Australia.”

In addition to these stories, the Q4 website offers other resources to its retiree members, including information guides, mentors to help with the transition away from paid work and networking opportunities. Q4 is also soon to trial a seven-week “Engaging Q4” course, which it hopes to run across Australia in the future.

With many Australians now spending up to one-third of their life in retirement, as people live longer, Arnott points to the enormous impact that Christian retirees could have on the world.

“We estimate that more than 22,000 Christian Baby Boomers retire each year, which translates into 400 retiring every week,” he says.

However, two problems currently stand in the way of this Christian “retiree revolution”. The first is the allure of the idea that retirement is a time to simply sit back and enjoy the rewards of earlier years in paid work. While Arnott clarifies that God does want us to enjoy our later

years, he cautions that this doesn’t mean giving up kingdom work or ignoring the needs around us.

“I’d love to be able to report that we’ve been over-run by thousands of Australian Christians in their fourth quarter wanting to avail themselves of the resources Q4

“

I find myself wondering how many ... are being seduced by ... ‘It’s all about you.

Put yourself first.’”

offers, but we haven’t … So, I find myself wondering how many Australian Christian Baby Boomers are being seduced by the message of the Retirement Industry: ‘It’s all about you. Put yourself first.’”

The second problem is that many churches are not fully utilising the gifts and life experience that retirees bring. Arnott acknowledges that many Christian retirees are in fact “quietly getting on with contributing to the kingdom of God” without Q4’s assistance, however he says others are simply not being engaged by churches.

“Many churches are not making the best use of the wealth of the work and life experience their older members possess. A number of those we’ve interviewed have told us that they’ve been invited to join

the flower or morning tea rosters, despite having far more to offer,” says Arnott.

“Our research indicates that there are many older Australian Christians in the pews waiting to be empowered to contribute their gifts and talents.”

Arnott’s advice to Christians is to start thinking about and planning for retirement activities well before retirement – in your fifties.

For churches, he gives the following suggestions as a starting point for better utilising retirees: “Surveying older church members to find out what work experiences they have had and asking them how they could see these being used in the local church would be a step in the right direction.”

“We’ve also learned that Baby Boomers are more inclined to get on board with projects and programs which have a beginning and an end, rather than being willing to sign up ad infinitum.”

Arnott concludes: “While the concept of using our retirement not only for ourselves but also for the sake of others is counter-cultural, we believe there are significant numbers of Australian Christians who are willing to do kingdom work in retirement. If they have taken up their cross and followed Christ during their working lives, why would they stop doing so in their fourth quarter?”

For more information, visit the Q4 website at cma.net.au/q4/index. php or email paul@cma.net.au

It costs just $15 to buy shoes this Christmas for someone affected by leprosy.

Without protective shoes her feet will become more damaged. Shoes help protect nerve-damaged feet from cuts, sores and horrific ulcers.

• Help prevent permanent disabilities or amputation • Help a person affected by leprosy maintain a livelihood, support their children and keep their independence!

Donate Now: leprosymission.org.au 1800 LEPROSY (1800 537 767)

NOVEMBER 2019

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FEBC SPONSORED PAGE

“God had a plan for me in prison” As Christmas swiftly approaches, our thoughts often turn to making lists of all the gifts we need to buy for our loved ones. Most of us have more than enough “stuff” that clutters our lives, yet each Christmas, we find ourselves buying more well-intentioned gifts than our loved ones actually need.

Before you begin your Christmas shopping, we’d like to share a story about a man named Kim1 - an electrician, married with four children residing in a restricted country in South East Asia. In 1998 a pastor shared his testimony with him and gave him an FEBC radio. He said “Listen to grow in your faith.” Kim listened to the radio every day and grew a deep understanding for Jesus.

That same year he was baptized and made a clear decision to follow Jesus.

In 2015, Kim was imprisoned on false accusations for stealing land.

“It was a very difficult time for me.

I lost all hope. So I began to pray.”

Throughout his prayers, Kim heard the Lord’s voice;

“

I have sent you here to bring the Good News to all prisoners.”

Help FEBC reach the hardest-to-reach, through radio, this Christmas.

With permission from the prison Warden, Kim asked his wife to send him some Bibles. He began to share The Word with a few people each day. None of the prisoners had ever heard of Jesus before. Eventually, there was a large group worshiping and praying daily. The prison warden did not like this and Kim was forced to crawl five laps around the prison in front of everyone.

“It was a very painful punishment, but I looked up at the Cross. I am happy to have suffered for my faith. Jesus had called me to serve and I forgave the warden who forced me to crawl. God had a plan for me in prison.”

Without drawing attention to the warden, Kim wanted to begin training the prisoners to serve the Lord more deeply, so he asked his

Gifts for a

Brighter Future

$30 can give a solar or wind up radio to remote villages $62 can reach the unreached with God’s Word in their heart language $144 will provide discipleship training for believers in China, Thailand and Japan

Find more gifts online FEBC Australia (Far East Broadcasting Co.) Call us on 13000 720 017 Visit our website www.febc.org.au FEBC Australia, ABN: 68 000 509 517 FEBC Relief, ABN: 87 617 872 287

wife to bring him a radio. The group began listening to FEBC daily and worshipped Jesus through FEBC radio broadcasts.

When Kim was released, he left the radio with another prisoner, so he and the others could continue to listen and share the message of Jesus with new prisoners.

Kim recalls with a smile, “while they listen to the radio in prison, I listen at home. So in a way we are

still all listening together.”

Through a single radio, one man was able to share Jesus with over 100 prisoners.

FEBC is serving people through broadcasts and programs that reach all places and all people, even in the darkest depths of prisons. What if this Christmas you could give and receive gifts that gave hope and love to thousands of people globally?

Gifts that meant something special to family and friends, but also could save a woman from a life of slavery, introduce Jesus through a simple radio to the lost and helpless in prison, or bring hope and practical aid to refugees.

Gifts purchased through FEBC’s 2019 Gift Catalogue, make a direct impact and difference to the lives of men, women and children just like Kim. They have been specifically chosen to support areas where the need is greatest.

Imagine giving gifts this year that will share the Good News via radios and Christ-centred programs.

Can you picture each of your loved ones receiving gifts that keep on giving?

For hassle-free Christmas shopping this year, perhaps consider partnering with FEBC and give a gift that enables a brighter future.

Contact FEBC 1300 720 017 to receive your copy of the Gifts for a Brighter Future catalogue, or visit febc.org.au to purchase through the website.

1 name changed for protection

HELP FEBC CHANGE LIVES

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NOVEMBER 2019

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BIBLE @ WORK

Syria’s bitter fruit BEN MCEACHEN “I’m dreaming of a country where there won’t be any soldiers, any checkpoints, any war.”

Syria has been a war zone for almost a decade. Everyone is affected, from ethnic populations, to the home of a Christian family in the northern city of Qamishli that was recently hit by Turkish shelling. The mother’s condition was critical and, if she survives, she will be paralysed for life. Last year, her family had fled from their rural home in Hama to find safety.

Bible Society in Syria is dreaming of an end to war, with the global thrust of folk singer Ed McCurdy’s lyrics: “Last night I had the strangest dream I ever dreamed before. I dreamed the world had all agreed to put an end to war.” But just as McCurdy’s song “Last night I Had The Strangest Dream” sadly indicates, Bible Society in Syria knows the harsh reality it faithfully operates within.

“We communicate with many church leaders who tell us that the situation is desperate and yet another huge Christian displacement is happening now Chaldean church, Assyrian, Syriac Catholic and Orthodox churches are trying to help civilians and they are requesting prayers,” says the Christian organisation, about the surge in conflict in Syria’s northern region.

Since 2015, Bible Society in Syria has been developing a Bible-based Trauma Healing Training Program.

“This is a very needed program in all communities of our country,” understates those who run it.

With the simple yet profound goal of training people to help others who are suffering from the personal horrors of war, the practical program operates classes across the unstable country.

“Together with the Church in Syria, we will stand up for human beings and their dignity – not in words only, but in action.”

“We have continued sharing the Bread of Life during this long war.

We will continue to do so … [God] is the only one who doesn’t betray and doesn’t give up on you, even if you fight against him.”

There is likely to be increased need for the Trauma Healing classes, following the recent attacks.

“Many civilians have already died and thousands of them have been fleeing from their houses through the shelling and violent attacks,” reports Bible Society in Syria.

“The churches have sent us the news that there are many injured, including Christians. Yes, we have become so saddened because of the massive displacement in a number of cities and towns, as a result of the shelling of some residential neighbourhoods in Qamishli, Ras Al-Ain, Tal Tamer, Tal Abyad and others.

“This is just a continuation of the disasters inflicted on the Syrian population. It’s too high a price to pay for all of us in Syria.”

Bible Society in Syria does not exactly know how the good news of Jesus will cut through in a war zone. But it’s confident it can – and that the love of God is the best antidote to Syria’s ongoing conflicts.

Bible Society in Syria invites all followers of Jesus to get behind its efforts, asking God to save Syria and strengthen his people there.

“You can pray. Pray, pray, pray.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are told to love our neighbour, even our enemies.”

“You can also help us continue the work that we believe is the work our Father, with the active help of the Holy Spirit, has asked us to do in this land of suffering.

“And, please, stand by his church in this country. Make the church feel that we are really part of the same body of Christ.”

Can you support the Trauma Healing Program in Syria?

Please give today biblesociety.org.au/resolve-ep

A Prayer for Syria

by John Sandeman Dear Father, Syria is indeed a Bible land.

Through Syria, Abraham and Sarah journeyed.

Through Syria, came Rebekah, Rachel and Leah.

Elijah anointed Hazael a king in Syria.

From Syria, Naaman came to be healed by Elisha.

From Syria many more came to be healed by Jesus.

On the way to Damascus, Saul became Paul, then met Ananias on the street called ‘straight’.

In Antioch, gentile followers of Jesus grew in number and there they were first called Christian.

Dear Father, we pray for this Bible land today.

We pray for all those caught up in the chaos and destruction of war.

We pray for those in peril of losing their lives.

We pray for those fleeing on the roads.

Dear Father, we pray for your people, Those in need and those bringing aid.

We pray for the Bible Society workers who bring both your word and practical help in the form of trauma healing.

We know that you can bring peace and healing in the middle of strife.

Dear Father, stir us up to do what we can to help.

Provoke us to pray.

Lead us to give to the work of those who are your hands in Syria.

Just as you brought Paul into your service on the Damascus road, Bring Syria into our hearts.

Amen

OPINION

NOVEMBER 2019

The pastor drought Michael Jensen on why you would still want to serve in a local church Recently I was travelling interstate to speak at a conference for people considering Christian ministry as a full-time calling. I was picked up at the airport by an old friend and fellow pastor, a man about my age.

He had recently been through an absolutely horrendous period of conflict in his church, and was about to go on a period of stress leave.

It wasn’t that his story was unusual. It was that it was all too common.

As we were talking it struck me: why are we trying to convince young people to pursue the noble calling of Christian ministry when it is all so hard? Why would anyone be a pastor today?

It seems the job of leading the local church – “parish ministry,” as it is called in my denomination – has never been under as much fire as it is at the moment.

Stories of clergy burnout seem to be everywhere. Or worse: of clergy sin, or of clergy marriages falling apart. Good people seem to be leaving the trenches of parish ministry and finding work in a variety of parachurch jobs. As Eternity has reported recently, there seem to be fewer and fewer students at our theological colleges.

And fewer of those students seem to study theology with a view to being senior minister in a church.

How come?

I think there are a number of reasons.

First, we live in a much more secular age than even a decade ago.

The ground that we ministers till is that much harder. The generation that walked away from church are now parents, and their children are reaching adulthood – people who’ve never even thought of going near a church. The church seems constantly under attack in the media and in the wider culture, sometimes deservedly. Like many institutions, it faces a widespread loss of trust. To be a minister means to be treated not so much with respect as with suspicion.

And that means, secondly, that we live in age of greater compliance and more complex administration. Teachers often complain that the administrative burden put upon them has drained the joy out of the work of teaching.

To run a local church community you face something similar: rafts of form-filling and box-ticking, made necessary by the slackness of the past. And those of us who feel called into the ministry tend not to place “administration” at the top of the list of gifts we possess.

Which would be OK if there were people to help, but (and this is the third thing) lay people these days have a very high expectation of what a church community will give without having the time to volunteer in support of it. So the minister either has to employ professional staff to do the work that would have been done by volunteers in years gone by or do it on their own. People in church have many valid calls on their time beyond the church – travel, family and friends.

And fourth, I would say that even for regular churchgoers, what used to be the unspoken givens of Christian discipleship are no longer. Active and committed Christians don’t see regular church attendance or daily prayer or giving generously to church or saving sex for marriage as nonnegotiables anymore. Which means that pastors are having to have more awkward conversations than they perhaps once did.

And, fifth, there’s a consumerism about churches which is new. Once,

if you were a Baptist or an Anglican – well that was that.

You were denominationally loyal, and it would take a lot for you to shift. But now – if a church doesn’t work for you, you move to one that is better. And pastors know this. They cannot simply count on people rocking up each Sunday.

Now, it was already a stressful job anyway. A pastor has to be emotionally capable of sitting with people in the deepest tragedies imaginable, capable of running a good meeting, have an aesthete’s eye for graphic design and websites and architecture and music, and to be compelling in the pulpit.

He or she has to be a good people-manager and team-leader, with a good knowledge of HR practices. It would be good to know how to read a spreadsheet, too! You have to be patient to a fault. Know how to cope with conflict. And also cast a vision that is compelling.

Who could ever live up to this calling? Why would this be something still worth giving your all to? The first reason is: because of the gospel itself.

A friend of mine, the Dean of Sydney, Kanishka Raffel, said this, and I can’t say it better: It’s still worth it because Jesus is still King and is still building his church. It’s still worth it because Jesus died to reconcile the world to God, and people to one another. It’s still worth it because God’s word does not return to him empty but achieves what he purposes for it. It’s still worth it because Jesus is still giving hope to the hopeless, help to the helpless, strength to the weary, healing to the broken, life to the dead in sin.

And it’s still worth it because all our duties are privileges, and all our troubles and trials (and there are plenty of those!) will seem light and momentary compared to the eternal weight of glory being stored up for those whose hope is in the Lord. It’s worth it because though I am unworthy, Jesus is SO worth it!”

To be a pastor in a local church is to be reminded of your inadequacy all the time. But here’s the secret: it’s not about you. In fact, the greater my humility, the more Jesus himself shines in his grace.

In other words: ministry is worth it because of the power and the goodness of the gospel.

Christ Jesus is the centre of all things, the goal of history and the

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world’s only hope. In Christ we see the deepest need that people have and the greatest hope to which they can cling. To put it in crassly commercial terms: I may not be a great salesman, but boy – I have a great product!

Secondly: local church ministry is worth it because God has chosen the local church as his instrument for saving the world.

What? The feeble local church?

Yes. In his first letter, Peter writes to the scattered and browbeaten believers, and reassures them that they are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a people belonging to God – that you may declare the praises of him who brought you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

Like Israel, the church has not been chosen because it is powerful and impressive. Far from it. God choose the weak things of the world to shame the strong and the foolish to shame the wise. If we are weaker than we once were, then maybe God will do all the more powerful things in and through us.

The local church is where the action is. As the Holy Spirit draws people to Christ, he draws them together. And in their love for each other, he shows his love for the world. Tiny – perhaps. Tired – maybe. Feeling insignificant – possibly. Not cool – almost certainly. But never mind all that – the local church is on the right side of history.

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And so that means that serving in the local church, in whatever capacity, is profoundly meaningful and powerful.

When I go about my pastoral work, I remind myself often that I have the power of prayer on my side. I can go into the darkest places with people and shine the light of Christ into it – even in the valley of the shadow of death.

I also remind myself that dealing with conflict and difficulty in the local church isn’t a sideline from the work of the gospel – it is the work of applying the gospel truth.

As the local church seeks to be reconciled to one another and to live out godly lives, it becomes more and more a beacon of Jesus Christ to the world.

So, if you are looking to use your time and your gifts for the sake of Jesus Christ, then you can’t do better than work in the shepherding of God’s people in the local church. It’s not a personal power-trip, or about gaining some sense of self-fulfilment. It’s going to be really tough at times, and it will take every ounce of strength you have. But there’s no greater privilege, and no deeper joy, than to see the word of God at work in people’s lives by the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit day by day.

Who wouldn’t want to do that?

Michael Jensen is the rector of St Mark’s Anglican Church in Darling Point, Sydney, and the author of several books.

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OPINION

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NOVEMBER 2019

CPX: making the world better not worse anxious about, are heartbroken by, are most fearful of. After all, we believe the Christian story speaks to every one of those motivations and is good news for everyone, no matter where they are at.

Sensitivity to an audience

Simon Smart on who CPX are and what they do for the faith There’s an ad running on TV at the moment where parents turn up to their kids’ school and explain their jobs to a classroom full of primaryaged students who are enthralled by descriptions of roles like pilot, police officer or nurse. But when it comes to one hapless dad, he has terrible trouble getting much cut-through describing what it is to be a “project manager.” That title does no justice to his actual life that turns out to be exhilarating, varied and fun.

I think I know how he feels. My own kids have occasionally asked me, “What is it exactly that you do?”

There’s no short answer.

When it comes to the perception of the Centre for Public Christianity, especially among Christians, I sometimes sense the need for a fuller explanation of what we do and why we do it.

So here goes.

Who we are

The Centre for Public Christianity (CPX) is a media company with a mission to promote the truth, beauty and goodness of the Christian story to a secular public that has largely forgotten that grand narrative, and what it means. We seek to promote the public understanding of the Christian faith, with a deep sense that, properly understood, the person of Jesus, and all that he entails, is immensely attractive, and clearly life-giving.

That’s not the public perception of course. We have been doing this work since 2007, and it’s fair to say, in the 12 intervening years, the task has not become easier. The

“No Religion” category has risen to an all-time high of 30 per cent.

Those ticking “Christian” on census night has dropped to 52 per cent.

And two-thirds of Australians say they don’t have a close relationship with a Christian.

In that time, there was also the brief but surprisingly influential burst of New Atheism via Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and friends. The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse understandably left the bitterest of tastes in the public mouth—the conviction of Cardinal George Pell the latest exclamation mark in that sorry tale. And the divisive debates and fallout around the same-sex marriage postal survey left all parties bloodied and bruised.

To a culture that had already shifted rapidly away from the institutional church in the last 30 years, resentment and suspicion is now layered over a sea of apathy – Australians being experts in distracting ourselves from the deepest questions of life.

Today, the sheer foreignness of religious belief and practice is evident to anyone who attempts to speak a Christian voice into the public. It’s in that environment that CPX sets out to faithfully represent historic Christianity, offering up

a picture of what is at the heart of the Christian faith and how it speaks to contemporary life.

CPX aims to be apolitical and is not a lobby group. There are people doing important work in that space, but this is not our task. The degree to which we get involved in controversial political debates is always passed through a grid that asks, “Can we, in engaging in whatever the issue is, promote the truth, beauty and goodness of the Christian faith to the secular public?” If the answer is ‘no’ (or ‘probably not’), then we will tend to leave it alone, or at least not give it high priority.

In our CPX work we never engage in internal theological debates. We assume our audience is not interested in those. Instead, we seek to promote “mere Christianity” with a spirit of generous orthodoxy.

What we do

CPX staff and Fellows write for and appear in mainstream media. This is a major focus and something our team is well known for. Secondly, our public library at www.publicchristianity.org offers hundreds of videos, articles and our Life & Faith podcast, all available for free and easy to share.

Thirdly, our public events, such

as the annual Richard Johnson Lecture, form part of our attempts to be engaged in the “life of the city,” bringing a faith angle to contemporary questions pertinent to the broader public.

Lastly, we produce books and documentaries. For the Love of God: How the church is better and worse than you ever imagined - in both documentary and (as of this month!) book form - is a good example of us tackling a complex public Christianity issue.

We aim to surprise people, to break down caricatures and enlarge imaginations. We seek to be a bridge between the best Christian thinkers and the widest possible audience.

Tone

In an environment that is increasingly fragmented and divided, CPX aims to speak with empathy, respect and understanding. We assume a low base in terms of familiarity with, and warmth towards, the faith.

We sometimes liken good public Christianity to being a welcome guest in someone else’s house. This involves good listening and being willing to understand the stories and influences of the culture. To recognise and take into account the things that people long for, are

One of the best compliments of CPX’s work that I sometimes hear, is, “You are the guys I know I can share on Facebook.” They tell me that they are confident that the content from the CPX “stable” will be thoughtful, considered, generous, and – this is the distinctive thing about CPX – actually produced for those who don’t believe. It is truly for your sceptical husband, or uncle or sister or workmate.

We trust that we are also giving Christians confidence and competence as they go about their own version of publicly representing their faith to whatever “public” they find themselves engaging with. And CPX relies on Christians sharing the content with their friends and getting it out to as wide an audience as possible.

CPX presses on nerves, asking the questions everyone asks themselves sooner or later: “Is this all there is?” “What does my life mean?” “What do I make of the inadequate comforts of materialism?” We refuse a culturewar mentality, but we do battle against apathy and unexamined assumptions, lazy thinking and the false belief that faith has nothing good to offer our common life. Our team aims to clear away bad arguments against faith and invites people to consider a vision of the world with a God of love at its centre.

At CPX we believe that Christianity is the surest foundation for human flourishing and that something important is missing from the public conversation if Christians aren’t in it. It’s a complex business that involves nuance, restraint, patience and probably the wisdom of angels!

But it’s a task that everyone at CPX is up for – confident there is much to offer our culture that is floundering when it comes to answering life’s deepest questions.

We hope more and more people will catch the vision with us, benefit from all the offerings, and join us in the task of positive public Christian engagement.

Simon Smart is Executive Director of the Centre for Public Christianity

OPINION

NOVEMBER 2019

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Two Pentecostal Prime Ministers STEPHEN FOGARTY Abiy Ahmed, the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, was last month awarded the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize. Since taking office in April 2018, Ahmed has been instrumental in ending the 20-year territorial dispute with neighbouring Eritrea, reconciled internal religious tensions, released thousands of political prisoners, liberalised several key economic sectors, discontinued media censorship, dismissed leaders suspected of corruption, and raised the influence of women by nominating females for key cabinet positions as well as on the Supreme Court. These reforms put him narrowly ahead of New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, and teenage Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.

The cornerstone event of Ahmed’s rise was in 2006 when a mob of 300 extremist Muslims attacked a group of Christians, killing six and wounding 15, in the small town of Beshasha. This town happened to be the birthplace of Ahmed, who was an officer in the Defence Force at the time. He was posted back there and successfully defused communal tensions in the aftermath.

It was not long after that Ahmed entered politics and rose quickly, founding the “Religious Forum for Peace,” as well as completing his PhD on “Social Capital and its Role in Traditional Conflict Resolution in Ethiopia.”

His leadership embodies the role of a “peacemaker.”

Although some may baulk at the suggestion, there is a direct and unique link between Ahmed and our own Prime Minister, Scott Morrison. They are both “P’ent’ay.”

This Ethiopian term was originally used in the 1960s as a pejorative to describe Christians belonging to the Pentecostal denomination.

You can count on one hand the number of leaders of nation states who are Pentecostal. Morrison is in fact the first of this ilk in the Western world, and so it is worth considering the significance and what impact such a background might have on leadership styles.

Faith is evidently a key driver for the young Ethiopian Prime Minister (he is only 43). In discussing Ahmed’s leadership approach, a BBC reporter noted that “there is something of the revivalist preacher in the way he evangelises for his vision. He has the energy, the passion and the certainty.”

This description brings to mind similar descriptors used for Morrison in the election campaign, though perhaps in less positive terms. His speeches, for example, often took on the energy of a charismatic pastor pitching a message of faith to a lukewarm nation.

Ever since his rise to power, Morrison’s faith has been treated as a target for suspicion. A number of journalists, politicians and even academics have insinuated that a leader of the Pentecostal faith is somehow tainted by association.

They accused him of holding an “us” and “them” mentality that was supposedly grounded in Pentecostalism, with even his worship style being compared to a Nazi salute.

What Ahmed has demonstrated is that faith in leadership can actually be a powerful vessel for peace. Pentecostalism in particular has a number of features which

illustrate why leaders arising from these communities may be unifiers rather than dividers.

Firstly, Pentecostal churches in Australia reflect a strong diversity, representing the greatest mix of ethnicities in their congregations with more than 50% from non-Anglo heritage. Secondly, Pentecostals emphasise the more experiential and relational aspects of faith, which tend to encourage more pragmatic approaches to conflict. Lastly, the Pentecostal movement has historically led by innovation, with 20 of the first 37 Pentecostal churches established in Australia led by women.

Although the political, cultural and social cohesion in Australia is significantly more stable than that of Ethiopia, perhaps we need an Ahmed to help reconcile the fractures evident in our national and international landscape. At the policy level, debates around the definition of marriage, freedom of religion, the treatment of refugees, abortion and climate change have all divided deeply.

Over the last decade all the major political parties have experienced ideological and leadership schisms which have left gaping wounds.

Even on the international stage the tensions between the US and

China have been palpable, with Australia caught in the middle of a relational rift.

At the bipartisan National Prayer Breakfast at Parliament House last month, Morrison talked about how the act of prayer reminds us of our vulnerability and the need for humility, that there is something far bigger than each of us, and that the principles around prayer can bring us towards unity and cooperation.

It is still too early to judge how effective Morrison’s leadership style will be, and if his Pentecostal background will help him be a genuine peacemaker. Whatever reforms he makes however, he would be wise to take heed of the words from his Nobel Peace Prizewinning brother’s inaugural speech: “For peace, the foundation is justice. Peace is not the absence of conflict. Peace is an inviolable unity built on our common understandings. Peace is our confidence in each other. Peace is our common journey that continued to this day through our coming together in unity. Peace is our path and our goal that allows us to solve disagreements and conflicts in a civilised manner.”

Professor Stephen Fogarty is the President of Alphacrucis College.

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Communism to chaplaincy for Miroslav from page 5 Another memory is of a time when the church had a group of 27 young people coming for an event, but were forced to cancel. It turned out to be all under God’s control when police came looking for the young people, only to find them not there.

Miroslav became a pastor in 1986 and worked in his home country until 1991, when his first wife passed away and he then moved to Melbourne. In 2006, he moved to Perth in Western Australia, where he started speaking English, and spent 11 years pastoring a church there. He remarried and between him and his wife, they now have seven kids and eight grandchildren.

Living in Australia after his communist childhood has only strengthened Miroslav’s passion for the Bible.

“After migrating to Australia I realised that the slavery of consumerism and prosperity offered by the Western lifestyle, mean that many people can never truly understand the true price of being a disciple of Jesus,” Miroslav says.

“It is so much harder to be a Christian when life is so easy and comfortable.

“How can people here understand, ‘Whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel…’?

“My Bible reminds me of that all the time.”

In 2017, Miroslav joined the Australian defence forces as a Navy chaplain because, in his own words, “he was nearly ready for retirement”.

But talking to the 58-year-old makes it clear that chaplaincy has not at all slowed him down from doing what he loves most – sharing the Bible with others.

“I spend 95 per cent of my time dealing with non-Christians,” he tells me. “I have given away 40 to 50 Bibles.”

“I recently met with a nonChristian whose grandfather was sick and we had a conversation about life and death. Forty minutes later, he gave his life to the Lord,” he says and shrugs, raising his palms upward.

His message is clear as a bell.

Miroslav obviously thinks he has the best job in the world.

“Who wouldn’t want this job?” he asks with the gesture.

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OPINION

16

NOVEMBER 2019

Meet the friendly Sky Pilots Tim Costello on a day of hope I recently had the privilege of speaking at a conference in Melbourne of airport chaplains from around the world.

These dedicated men and women engage in the special mission of providing a spiritual presence to people of all faith traditions and cultural backgrounds.

Their “congregations,” in their workplaces of constant movement, are both transient and diverse.

I was deeply impressed with the airport chaplains’ determination to turn cultural and religious differences into rich opportunities for relationship. They understand, appreciate and celebrate differences. They seek places of unity amid human diversity.

We live in a strained period in our global history. The bonds of

empathetic world citizenship – the openness to see value in others different from ourselves – are deeply frayed. Extremism is rife in politics, religion and nationalism, fueled by anxiety, uncertainty and fear in a rapidly changing world.

Different religions and worldviews interact and collide.

This has created new challenges as we struggle to recognise and respect the inevitable presence of “the other” in our societies.

One of our biggest challenges of being human is accepting difference. We might claim to acknowledge multi-culturalism, religious freedom, gender equality

and alternative lifestyles but it’s usually more rhetoric than practice.

Despite anti-discrimination laws, there is a distinct lack of respect, a lack of tolerance for our diversity of race, creed, cultural values, political persuasions or ideology.

Understanding the mindset and the passions of someone else in the

world is vital because everything is connected.

Words common to Judaism, Islam and Christianity state that God calls us by name. “You are mine,’’ God tells the prophet Isaiah.

If we look at each other with God’s eyes, we will realise we are all precious, unique and gifted. We are brothers and sisters on a journey.

We should not “water down” our own beliefs but live into them while affording others respect to do the same. We must be bridge builders.

As Nelson Mandela said: “We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.”

From a faith viewpoint, God loves cultural diversity.

Multicultural and multi-faith environments present us with religious and cultural gifts. They also present us with challenges. We cannot afford to ignore the diversity in our midst. Nor the fact that the things we share are more valuable than those which divide us.

If God is Creator and Christ is Lord of the cosmos, then expect to see God’s face manifest everywhere.

Tim Costello is a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Public Christianity and Executive Director of Micah Australia.

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IN DEPTH

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Communism to chaplaincy

Anne Lim on telling Bible stories page 6

Miroslav Velebir and his illegal New Testament

Miroslav Velebir pictured in front of his New Testament (Matthew 15).

KYLIE BEACH Australian Navy chaplain Miroslav Velebir finds it hard to relate to Christians who can’t be bothered to read their Bible. It’s something he has never taken for granted.

Born and raised in communist Czechoslovakia, there wasn’t a solid translation of the full Bible available in his Slovakian mother tongue.

Slovakian Christians had had some translations done earlier, but most of them were significantly lacking, linguistically or theologically. But all Slovakian Christians knew a group of scholars were working on a new, full translation in their heart language, and eagerly awaited its arrival.

Until that day, Miroslav, then a teenager, simply had to make do with a small illegal copy of the New Testament that he read secretly under the desk at grammar school (high school, in Australia).

Under the communist regime, the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia was only officially permitted to publish

two Christian publications per year. Even these two chosen texts were thoroughly checked for any subliminal messages and censored by the government’s Ministry of Culture and secret police.

Consequently, most of their Christian literature was printed abroad and smuggled in. They were printed without acknowledgment of the printer and, usually, with only a title and author displayed. If the author was Czechoslovakian, there was no author printed either. “It was safer that way,” says Miroslav.

A few years later, he found his illegal New Testament fit into the pocket of his army uniform as he served compulsory military service.

“I read it in all possible and impossible places, like standing daily in lines for lunches and dinners; on secret army exercises at the German border with Russian generals in sight; hiding behind the chimney in the roof of our army barracks as I sneaked out of my duties to spend ten minutes praying with my fellow Christian soldiers. Baptist, Pentecostal or anything – we didn’t

believe in labels, we were one in Christ,” remembers Miroslav.

He found the Bible a perfect conversation starter with others who asked him what he was reading.

“I even read it to the officer who was second in command of the whole barracks ... He kept on asking many questions about my faith. For an hour-and-a-half he listened intently. He had never heard the gospel before. I used any opportunity to share its contents with wondering onlookers. That little New Testament has seen a lot.”

Miroslav almost lost the treasured book when it was confiscated.

However, it was returned after his mother wrote to the authorities and successfully persuaded them it was controlling behaviour, on the part of the state, for it to be taken.

The communist regime wanted to avoid being accused of controlling, says Miroslav – “repressive but not controlling”, he clarifies.

Yet even with his trusty New Testament, Miroslav always looked forward to a translation of the whole Bible in his mother tongue.

“It was printed by the Bible Society in South Korea and brought to our border, but the communist government was not so keen to let it in. Trucks with 30,000 Bibles from memory, that was the number printed - were held for a number of weeks at the German border.”

“Only after numerous interventions and pressure from our friends and Christians abroad, the trucks were let in. I got my first Bible in 1979, when I was 17.”

Once it was within his possession, Miroslav embarked on a lifetime of voracious Bible reading and study.

After grammar school, Miroslav embarked on theological studies.

“Even before I had been accepted into the theological seminary where I would begin to learn the original biblical languages, I read my whole Bible three times, and my New Testament five times.”

Since then, Miroslav has had to change the cover of his beloved Bible a couple of times and have it rebound, because it started to fall apart. “It is still my most favourite Bible, since it reminds me of those

wonderful times when we were under the communist propaganda and persecution. They were times of real growth, hardships and so much joy in being considered, at least mildly, to suffer a little for our Lord Jesus. We didn’t have it that bad and we were always mindful of millions of those who pay a price – even the ultimate sacrifice of death – in many places of the world.”

Miroslav’s father, Jan (John) Velebir is retired now and is 87 years old. He shares Miroslav’s passion for the Bible and has read his from cover to cover 53 times.

Jan was a Lutheran pastor under the communist regime. Like all pastors, he was an employee of the state under the Ministry of Culture so it could control - “repress” - his activities. As a deterrent, pastors were paid badly.

Miroslav remembers when he hid illegal Bibles in a cupboard in his father’s own church. This gave his dad plausible deniability when the police questioned him over them – which they did. continued page 15