News from Townsville So Much of the year has already come and gone, and yet there is still much to be done and much to be expected. Here are some of the happenings so far, as well as what to expect from me as we head into 2009. Check it out!
January DTS. Well my first attempt at leading a DTS, and wow I can say that I learnt a lot. I was so impressed and blessed by the 20 students that came to spend 6 months perusing God and looking to what his plans are for their lives...
November
Mission Adventures.
Cooking for Missions!!
Straight after the DTS we ran our first Mission adventures with a school from Melbourne. It was a blast seeing what God wanted to do with the students.
Yes thats right at the moment I am also one of the supervisors in our kitchen. We cook for around 60 -120 people lunches and dinners, as well as help organize events that we host as a base for the community .....
School Programs We have started a team of staff that are going into the local Townsville state schools for weekly programs alongside the school chaplains. I guess the school chaplains are all
January DTS 08 As Most of you already know one of the main things that continues to be the reason for me to remain in missions is my passion to train and equip young people. To Know God, deeply encounter who he is and then find in very real terms that we have a huge role to play in seeing transformation in every area of influence that we have in our lives. As well as seeing God give me hope, passion and purpose in life I want to see others experience God in the same way. So I have now been a part of Discipleship Training Schools (DTS) for the last 5 years, but this January saw me take on a whole new role in the DTS as January School Leader. Which I have committed to lead and develop for the next number of Years. Looking back I am so incredibly grateful for Gods grace and peoples prayers through out the entire school and looking back I can so clearly see Gods leading. I have experienced some challenges and learnt huge lessons that I have had to learn but over all I am really excited to see what God did through the school.
talking because suddenly we are getting invited into a number of more schools than we originally planned...
Other News Plus some other random things that this year has me a part of so far.
Next DTS
We already have 30 students accepted and many more applying. We are so excited about what is going to happen with this school
had never been baptized. Again it was such a privilege after talking with the students churches back home to be able to be a part of such a significant time in their lives.
This is a cool picture of the January DTS all pointing on the map where they're from.
So what are some of the STORIES... First of all our school was made up of 5 staff and 20 students from Canada, USA, Australia, England and Germany. We spent 12 weeks in lectures then also sent out two outreach teams; One to Vanuatu and the other to the Outback of northern Queensland mainly focused on reaching out to youth with the Message that Jesus Christ came that we May have Life and Life to the full. Camping We also spent two weeks camping in the Australian bush, It's a tradition with every school to take them out into the the wild for a few weeks, away from all the distractions of life to really set some time aside for God to speak to us. The first week I spoke for 2 of the days really calling the school to an exchanged life looking at Gods grace in leading us if we give ourselves to him fully. The second week of camping we looked at the subject of Lordship which was a special time ending with some baptisms of students who
Outreach Both Outreach teams did incredibly well, with the Vanuatu team helping to start a youth program which saw 80 local vanuatu kids come each week with dramatic change in their lives. This was also such a huge testimony to the team members that God really does want to and can us them to bring change. The outback team which I helped lead also had a real incredible time going after the outback youth. We saw numbers of youth make decisions to follow Jesus through school programs which is real exciting as well as numbers of others that said they would like to know more about a relationship the Jesus.
After DTS? The DTS ended well with One week all back together. We spent the time talking and again challenging the students that God’s calling on their lives is so that they don’t just go and live a life that serves them but that Christ died for them and his heart is braking for the Lost of this world. Who will do something? I am continually encouraged hearing more and more from them now and how Many are starting to walk into what God has for them.. 1
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God has chosen . .
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To make known among the gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery,
Which is
Christ in you the hope of glory Col 1:25-27
Mission Adventures
lives. I think we make things so much more complicated than they need to be, and seeing the mission adventure guys go after God with such passion just reminded me again that its not God that desires to be distant. Rather he wants intimacy with us and relationship, its up to us if we will receive it from him or not.
cooking for missions! Mission adventures has to be one of my highlights in terms of seeing God really move and people grab a hold of who He is. It was incredible to see what can happen in a 10 day program. This was the first time we have run Mission adventures after praying for it to happen for years. It started a week after the January DTS finished and I was asked to help lead the time. Being so close to the DTS, I prayed about it but really felt that it was right for me to do. I still cannot believe how awesome and blessed I was through it. Again there were about 20 of us involved, 3 on staff and the rest from a Christian school in Melbourne. Starting with 5 days of lectures, team building activities and games to equip the kids before 5 days of outreach on Palm Island. All of us were blown away with the way the students went after God and pressed in until they really did meet with him in a powerful way. During worship on the first day it was incredible as numbers of the students were weeping as they were encountering God, some for the very first time.
My favorite was Burrito Day!! We we hand made 70, 14 inch tortillas as well as authentic fillings to make American style burritos. It was a big hit and we even had prizes for the best dressed burrito where we saw some fun interpretations of a burrito. But again it was great to have fun and encourage the community that we live in here.
School Programs
After I returned from a quick trip to see family , friends and to take part in a friends wedding in Canada I returned to the base to continue serving as on the base from July to October as the base head cook. Preparing and cooking for our training school students and staff weekly normally cooking for between 60 to 120 people per meal. One of the things I love about serving in the time when I am not on school staff is how much of an influence I can have on the base. Just cooking good meals and wanting a high standard can effect how others live, work
Outreach was unreal as the students had their hearts set on seeing God move. They prayed, worked hard, and worshiped in everything they did and were used by God to show young Indigenous Kids on Palm Island who God really is. At the end of 10 days it was just awesome to see how much God had changed in their This is Oliver the Koala bear, that I made for a school graduation out of water mellon. 2
and enjoy life and the work they do here. We helped pull off a couple big meals and events; a big pirate night a Burrito day and a number of other special meals.
We also started up a program into our local high-schools. Going in on various days to do free events or discipleship groups for Christians in the different schools. As well we are preparing for a 6 week discipleship program into our local youth detention centre. There are some great things happening in that area as well, as we continue to look at our local community and to see how we can reach the almost 10,000 youth that are in local schools with the Gospel. It is also great to work more alongside numbers of other local churches and school chaplains. We still have such a large opportunity to share who God is to a hugely un-reached demographic here which is our Aussie Youth.
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Burning Hearts...
Did not our HEARTS BURN within us as he spoke with us and opened the scriptures to us. — Luke 24:36
Next January DTS
Its really incredible when you think of how much is actually involved in a DTS. Not just from our end, but the families and churches represented by each of the students from all around the world. Lots of money being saved up, or prayed and believed for. It really is an incredible time like no other.
Alright so this coming January DTS I really want to share what God has been putting on my heart for the school. I feel like its not fair and not right to simply go into these times expecting God to move and radically change lives because he has done it before. As I have seen it, IT doesn’t just happen. So I want to contend for, I want to fight for what this is. I believe an opportunity is here for a generation that is very good at doing something, being something, succeeding in something, but missing the ONE THING. I love the fact that God isn’t only using DTS’s and there are many other churches and organizations that are discipling and training this generation. I believe and I know that most of you do as well, that there is so much
more of God than the body of Christ is experiencing or reflecting, and this is particularly seen in youth around the world. Each of us have a part to play in this in whatever area of influence God has given us. DTS’s that we run can so easily
on seeing supernatural breakthrough in my life, and I want IN on an inheritance that is worthy of Christ dying on the Cross and being raised again into glory for.
“Did not our hearts burn within us?”
Indigenous Australia, the Outback and the Islands Three of our main focuses on our DTS outreaches. fall into patterns and traditions that aren't bad but maybe not ALL that God has, or desires for them to be. So this isn’t at all a criticism but more an invitation for breakthrough that each generation must accept and fight to receive. I am not willing to accept as well that this is for someone else and not for me or this January DTS or this generation. I want IN!! I want IN on the intimacy of God, I want IN on knowing my identity as God sees it, I want IN
So What does this all look like? Part of it is very much a God thing, you cannot force something on anyone, especially God or a desire for God. So its not just because we are trying harder or want it more for this school. But in light of what God is speaking to us as a ministry and what I feel God is saying, something is changing and we are starting to see more young people that are passionate for the things of God and God himself.
All night Prayer times, Worship Prayer for the nations and injustice. “Unless its born in prayer it will not last” We want to train them in what it means to hear Gods voice, to walk in obedience with his will, again to Know God and Make Him Known! Once you know God then you feel released and anointed to express yourself to him by having a heart for the nations and people of the earth. So our outreach locations for the DTS are still being finalized but we are looking at remote and isolated people in Papua New Guinea, and other Pacific Islands, as well as the outback country towns of North Queensland. Our outreaches will be in two parts this year as we continue to look at how to best train and equip the students. There is still a lot to work through practically but again I would love your prayers as we walk this through and as we continue to believe for more students to be released 3
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Reef to Outback update. Well again as a base things are continually changing! It seems that if you disappear for too long when you get back its a shock seeing how much can change. We have, so far renovated numbers of our accommodations, we are leasing more land and property surrounding the base. In a few weeks the flat I am currently living in will be getting attacked in a pretty serious way. It currently houses 6 but we will be turning it into dorm style housing with a capacity of up to 20. We are now very deliberately looking at starting an expression of Island Breeze which is a ministry in YWAM particularly focused at redeeming cultures through Island and Indigenous dance and culture. As well as looking at how we can continue to look after and help provide for more Islanders to come and serve on our base. We love having more and more cultures represented here, especially in our cooperate times of worship, as each culture brings so much more of who God is and its a great blessing.
Current Training Schools Right now we have a new quarter underway with 35 students in both the DTS and a Introduction of Primary Health Care school. They will be going on outreach to Darwin and East Timor, Thailand, Papua New Guinea. Also the July DTS is returning from their outreach phase, with just one week left in their school, They went to the Outback and Darwin/Jakarta. We are so excited to have them back to hear about all that God has done through them in the last 8 weeks. January Training Schools In January we will be pioneering a new training school as a base which is a Biblical Core Course, 3 months of intensive bible training and study. As well as the BCC the January DTS and the School of Music in Missions will also be running which accounts at the moment for close to 50 students from all around the world; Scotland, Ireland, England, Switzerland, USA, Canada, the Netherlands, Australia and possibly a few more countries. Just incredible and we are so excited about the nations coming together to be trained, equipped and used by God to go into the nations. Some Random Photos
Current Prayer Requests Please continue to pray for the students that are coming for training with us that they would see the breakthrough in finances and other situations that would see them released to follow God. Also that God will speak to us as we set up the schools, there are still many things that need to be decided and we need His wisdom to know what to do.
Thank You!!!!
There is so much more to share and so much more that is impossible to explain about what it is
that I do over here. But I am so grateful for all of your support and prayers. Over the past few years it has been even harder to catch up with each of you as much as I would like too. In as much as I love to share what I am a part of and what God is teaching me I would also love to hear what God has been doing in your life as well. Regards and Best Wishes.
Nathaniel Baldock Reef to Outback Youth With A Mission Australia
You can contact me by email; nathanielb@reeftooutback.com Or by post; Po Box 6221, Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia Or my web page www.reeftooutback.com/profile/BuddyBaldock 4