Applied
Issue 1
Editorial Welcome to the first edition of Applied – a magazine for Carey Baptist College Alumni and friends. We are very aware of our outstanding graduates and many supportive friends and are keen to maintain a strong relationship and keep you informed about College life. We hope you enjoy our first issue and we look forward to continuing this link with you. As a College we are proud of the people that make up our Alumni. As I run my eyes down the list of graduates from the last 85 years there are so many “heroes”. Some are faithfully serving God within the local church – preaching week-in-week-out, discipling youth, or nurturing children and families. Many are serving God strategically within the market-place. I see the names of people working hard within their local communities, making a difference to those for whom life is not easy. I see the names of students who have ended up serving communities overseas, many of them amongst those who are the most poor. Our Chinese graduates, who have a tremendously wide influence, are listed. Mothers, politicians, school teachers, company directors and nurses: they are all there on the list. At Carey we want to continue producing “heroes” – graduates who are God-dependent, with the ability to understand the Word and apply it to the world that they live in – self-aware people who are outward looking, globally aware, and prepared to take risks. We ask for your continued support and prayers as we endeavour to provide excellence in theological education and training. We love the Bible. We love the gospel. We love the church. We desire nothing more than to produce leaders for mission and the marketplace who will join with Jesus in the work of bringing Kingdom transformation to this world. Please continue to work with us in this! As Principal of Carey I am always keen to hear from our graduates and friends. Please feel free to communicate your thoughts and ideas to me at anytime.My email is charles.hewlett@carey.ac.nz Regards
(Colossians 1:28-29)
Contents Credits
2 Editorial
Alumni Magazine ISSUE ONE
Charles Hewlett
Editor: Charles Hewlett Design: Roseanne Lee Sub-editing: Anna Robertson Contributors: Nicola Burrows, Andrew Sangster, Mike Warring, Lauryn Velvin, Dr. George Wieland, Dr. Myk Habets, Shireen Chua, Maryanne Wardlaw, Mike Crudge.
4 Graduate Profiles Nicola Burrows & Andrew Sangster
5 Engaging Mike Warring
6 Carey News
Photos: From contributors
8 The Price of Peace
Printing: Red_i
Lauryn Velvin
For enquiries, please email shireen.chua@carey.ac.nz
10 The Church and the Environment Mike Warring
Carey Baptist College 473 Great South Road, Penrose, Auckland
11 Books
PO Box 12149, Auckland, 1642
Maryanne Wardlaw
09 525 4017
13 Is there a Doctor in the House?
www.carey.ac.nz
12 Introducing Shireen
Dr. Myk Habets
15 Canterbury Earthquake Mike Crudge
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Graduate Profiles Nicola Burrows On 15 January I celebrated my three year anniversary working at Laingholm Baptist Church as the Associate Pastor. Most of my time is spent with my favourite people in the church: the youth. I run the main youth night on Sunday and fortnightly socials with a fantastic team. I’m lucky to have great leaders who I’ve watched developed and grow. I also run Friday Club (a fortnightly, afternoon programme for children from the local primary school) and an intermediate programme, which has been a way to get to know kids in the community who don’t come to church. Last year we saw a number of those community kids come to follow Jesus. As a young pastor and mentor of leaders, my desire has been to love people firstly, which gives permission and opportunity to feed people, and then to lead people. I count it a privilege to be that person. I also preach regularly in the morning service, and even after three years, I still refer to the Paul’s first fifteen and my Introduction to Preaching course book. Nicola Burrows graduated in 2008.
Andrew Sangster CAREY is a very special place to me. A number of “Carey Catch Cries” have stayed with me and continue to shape how I understand God, myself, and pastoral leadership at Glen Eden Baptist Church.
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Love, Feed, Lead. As a young pastor and mentor of leaders, my desire has been to love people firstly, which gives permission and opportunity to feed people, and then to Lead people.
Andrew Sangster
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Humility, Integrity, Passion. One of the key things I’m learning is how godly character is most important in life and leadership. My being flows into all I do, so who I’m becoming is of utmost importance. I’ll always remember Nancy Squire leading a discussion about how the key role of a pastor is to…
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Point People to Christ. As I lead a pastoral care team, we seek to help people see God’s activity in their lives and consider how God wants them to respond to life situations; particularly in decision making, in tough family situations, and in health challenges. Modelling mission and self care, by having…
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One Foot in God’s World, One Foot in God’s Word This is an ongoing challenge for me! In any given week I attempt for this to include Bible Study, Reading, Tennis, and Running. Andrew Sangster graduated in 2007.
Mike Warring is the Senior Pastor at Northpoint Baptist Church. www.northpoint.org.nz
Engaging Mike Warring
At Northpoint we have a strong on-going connection with Carey Baptist College, after three years of full-time training on site as a Pastoral Leadership Student, I gained a great appreciation of what Carey offers. When I accepted a call to Northpoint (New Plymouth) at the end of my training it wasn't until I was on the ground that I felt isolated and lacking in terms of high calibre people I could call on in my local church context and we are geographically isolated as it takes three hours to drive to a decent size city. So we decided to bring the Carey Staff to us and have initiated a programe called 'Engage' – exploring contemporary spirituality here in “Taradise” where we are able to address topics from scripture
or theology in a deeper level than during a Sunday service. We have had several of the teaching staff from Carey down for the weekend to run a seminar on the Saturday and preach on the Sunday (Myk Habets, George Wieland,Charles Hewlett, Michael Duncan in 2010). We have also had Brian Krum down to train people in New Plymouth for marriage and premarriage support using the Prepare/Enrich program which has been great. I believe it has it has given Carey College a greater presence and profile not only in our local church, but also in our city. It has also given the opportunity to expose people to quality theological education who wouldn't normally have the chance. People of all ages and backgrounds come to Engage and have enjoyed the chance to unpack questions of faith in an informed and balanced way. Ultimately, I believe it will also lead to some of these people doing more study in the future, as they begin to appreciate the value of engaging critically with issues of faith as a follower of Jesus.
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Carey News We have some new faces at Carey, if you see them around say “Hi!”. Shireen Chua joined Carey in November as the Executive Assistant to Charles, Sam Kilpatrick is overseeing the Intermission Programme, while Andrew Picard takes over the Co-ordination of Field Education and Internships and Peter Hart joins Carey as the new Dean of Studies.
Shirren, Sam, Andrew and Peter
Staff retreat
Greg Liston
Staff Retreat The Staff Retreat this year had an element of depth, spirituality as well as competition, speed and great times together. Over the course of two days, we spent time with Dr Lynne Baab, exploring personal and corporate spirituality in a Theological College. The following day was a day of coffee, go-karting, and being at Shakespear Bay. It was a great way to start to the year and prepare for the challenges of 2011! Doctoral Student Wins Scholarship On Tuesday 14 December 2010, Greg Liston (a member of the Carey Board and our Alumni) was awarded the prestigious Vice Chancellor’s Doctoral Scholarship. This is a major accomplishment and Carey celebrates with Greg, Di and their family. Greg starts a three year PhD with AUT supervised by Myk Habets and Martin Sutherland on examining the Church through the lens of the Holy Spirit. This is an exciting project and we wish Greg every success.
Masters Degree Coming to Carey Baptist College Throughout 2011 Carey Baptist College is working through the process of awarding its own post-graduate degrees: a PostGraduate Diploma in Applied Theology and a Master of Applied Theology. These advanced courses are primarily for part-time students who are involved in ministries and want to extend their knowledge and further equip themselves. While still offering the MTh through Laidlaw-Carey Graduate School, we believe the MAppTheol provides a specific course of study aimed at those who want a fully integrated post-graduate study experience. We are excited about the range of courses on offer and the impact such study will have on people, churches, and ministries. Thanksgiving On 20 November 2010, the Carey Chinese Programme held a special ‘Thanksgiving Evening’, as a way to express our appreciation to our God, sponsors and friends. More than 80 people gathered at the Chapel for an evening of celebration. We are enormously grateful to our Lord for the vibrant atmosphere throughout the whole evening. Thanks also to those who generously helped us to make this happen. Among them was Charles, whose presence and message is a great encouragement for all the attendants. The highlight of the evening was two students who shared their spiritual journeys that perfectly epitomise the vision and challenge we have.
Mark Powell Congratulations to Mark Powell, a Carey Graduate on his recent appointment as the new CEO of The Warehouse.
Mark Powell
Carey Chinese Programme Thanksgiving evening
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The Price of Peace Lauryn Velvin
Living in Papua New Guinea (PNG), I see the effects of conflict daily. There are many cultural challenges but this cultural norm, rooted in strong revenge-based thinking and solutions, confronts me most deeply. Years ago we ministered in some villages near a successful coffee plantation. When coffee prices dropped, the plantation needed to revert back to the owners. Two tribes claimed full ownership, and conflict escalated until one day men came with guns and killed the pastor plus eight others from one tribe, destroying all their gardens, houses and livestock. Killing escalated on both sides, with everyone seeing such a response as culturally appropriate. Eight years later, the people whose pastor was shot are still displaced, because insufficient money and pigs have changed hands to compensate both sides for their losses and therefore bring peace. Until the number of killings has evened out, peace is not about to happen. Christians are caught in this situation, finding it difficult to influence their communities into practising reconciliation. We listen to their stories
with growing unrest and distress in our spirits, as they seek political and traditional solutions to problems of the human heart. Of course this story is not unique to PNG—look at the unrest and killings in Egypt, look at Africa and human trafficking in Asia. The revenge, greed, evil practices and disposing of enemies is more common than we are comfortable with. In cross-cultural living we seek understanding of culture and of theology. I’m so glad I had Carey to show me how to explore Scripture. Ephesians and Colossians both develop the subject of peace and reconciliation, giving Christians a lens through which to examine culture and find hope for peace (Eph 2:14, Col 1:2023). Paul speaks clearly: Jesus is the source of peace between enemies, and only he can bring two warring sides together in unity. The blood of Jesus is the only means by which peace is possible. I know that the King of Peace can only do what he is invited to do, and the tragedy surrounding us is that peace is a lesser goal than revenge and greed. Romans 5:1-11 also speaks deeply to the peace process, firstly peace with God through the miracle of Jesus’ death, and secondly as it affects relationships. Jesus demonstrated reconciliation through laying down his rights, even for his enemies. It is powerful love. It is glaringly obvious that Satan, the ruler of the kingdom of the air, is at work causing death, stealing and destruction just as Jesus said in John 10:10. In this context, evidence of the works of the Satan is overwhelming, marked by escalating pride and revenge followed by violence. Naturally, not to seek revenge is seen as weak and shameful. Perhaps Satan is more keenly aware, than people, just how dangerous the gospel message is to
The old deception that evil is good and right is a burdensome and life-sapping reality for so many people. his designs of death and destruction, as he holds people captive to his deceiving ways. The old deception that evil is good and right is a burdensome and life-sapping reality for so many people. Watching Christians lay aside the gospel message of grace, forgiveness and abundant life, as they again pick up traditions surrounding revenge and destruction is heartbreaking. Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:44 to love your enemies are radical and excruciatingly difficult to practice. Peace and reconciliation is possible only when the right price has been paid. Nothing less than the agreed-on price, through the exchange of goods, can bring peace. The right price is very specific, once set it is not negotiable, and inevitably violence against the enemy will continue as long as it takes for the right price to be agreed on and paid. Sometimes getting the right price is virtually impossible when your assets have been destroyed, and it takes enormous sacrifice, work and debt to accumulate it amongst the whole clan. What an amazing picture of spiritual truth—people try through religious or cultural means to achieve an unachievable goal of paying the right price for reconciliation with God. The culture provides an image of the impact of Jesus’ death for us—peace and reconciliation are only possible because the right price has been paid in full. Not in pigs or in cash, but in the pouring out of precious, holy blood. This truth is transforming at a personal level, but it needs to spread into a community, or evil will maintain its
power. The work of Christ must permeate relationships within community for peace and holiness to take hold, making forgiveness and oneness possible. There is no other powerful, effective means of permanent peace among people. Prayer warriors and holy, humble leaders are required to demonstrate that peace, reconciliation and justice are possible through repentance, grace and forgiveness, to bring a halt to the human drive for revenge, pride, domination and violence. Tony Campolo’s book, Choose Love Not Power, examines many areas of community where power is deemed to be the successful solution, but in fact domination, fear, destruction and despair are operating instead. “Jesus chose the way of the cross. He would not save the world through power, but through sacrificial love.” Jesus has already paid the right price, and offers it to all. This truth has the power to transform PNG villages. Could such sacrificial love impact the villagers in our story? I believe that there is no other means possible for lasting peace. As Tony Campolo says (p122) “The greatest changes in history have come about not through power, but through those who have gained authority through sacrificial love and become agents for God through whom all principalities, powers, dominions and thrones will be brought into subjection to God’s will” (Eph 1:19-23). Lauryn Velvin studied Pastoral Leadership at Carey and graduated in 2004. She now lives in Mt Hagen, Papua New Guinea working with Mission Aviation Fellowship – Flying for Life.
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as a recipient of God’s saving care but also an active participant in its functioning among themselves and its extension to all. Within that community there are special dangers for those who “in the present age are rich” and Paul found it necessary to recall them to genuine trust, true values and real life. In the challenges we face in our day and in our region, Paul’s words “to those who in the present age are rich” need to be heard with particular urgency."
The Church and the Environment George Wieland
Charles Hewlett and I had the opportunity to travel to Korea in January to participate in a colloquium of staff from Baptist Theological Colleges of the Asia-Pacific region hosted by the Korean Baptist Theological Seminary in Daejeon. The region has suffered severely from environmental disasters of various kinds in recent years and the gathering addressed the challenges of equipping Christian communities to respond to these circumstances. The discussions covered eschatology, creation care and related aspects of the theological challenge. I had the chance to present the concluding paper looking at the particular responsibilities of wealthier parts of the region and I concluded by saying: "With its world-affirming depiction of God our Saviour who is the creator, lifegiver and benefactor of all, 1 Timothy calls the Christian community to appreciate the gifts of creation and look to God for the needs of this life. The community of believers lives in the present age not only
Finally I asked four questions:
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How may we hold together a faith that views the world positively as God's good creation in which life in the present age may be enjoyed with gratitude, and ascribes ultimate value to life beyond the present age?
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What are some practical implications of a concept of God as Saviour that includes his care and provision for all as well as the saving into eternal life of believers in Christ?
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What aspects of the life of the church are suggested by the metaphors of household, wilderness assembly, and pillar [1 Tim 3:16]? How might some of those aspects be more fully achieved among Christian communities (including our Baptist churches and associations) in the Asia-Pacific region?
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In what ways might the word to the "rich" in 6:17-19 challenge and encourage the churches in the AsiaPacific region? How are the arrogance and misplaced trust that Paul warns about seen in practice? What steps could be taken in our region towards the kind of generous sharing that Paul encourages?
Books Our staff have been busy writing! Look out for these two books that are due to be published early in 2011. Laurie Guy’s new book on Shaping Godzone: Public Issues and Church Voices in New Zealand 1840-2000 is due May 2011. Charles and Joanne Hewlett have also written a book entitled Hurting Hope – what parents feel when their children suffer is due to be released in April. Take a look at what we have been reading: Myk Precious in His Sight: Childhood & Children in the Bible by Roy Zuck Re-Imaging Election by Suzanne McDonald Calvin’s Ladder by Julie Canlis Forgotten God by Francis Chan George Ecological Hermeneutics: Biblical by David G. Horell Letters from the Edge: 12 Women of the World Write Home edited by Chris Brazier Bloody Foreigners: The Story of Immigration to Britain by Robert Winder Reimagining God and Mission edited by Ross Langmead Shireen The Mission of God’s People by Chris Wright Sticky Teams by Larry Osborne Applied / 11
Carey equipped me for work in the marketplace, and now the tools I learned in the marketplace I am using at Carey.
Shireen Chua Maryanne Wardlaw
Until recently, Shireen Chua was a project manager for Auckland Uniservices Ltd and part-time student at Carey Baptist College. But the new Executive Assistant to the Principal has switched gears, applying project management skills and a Master of Science to the world of theological training. It’s a smaller leap than it sounds. “Her heart for intercultural issues will be a real asset to us as we endeavour to develop in the area of contemporary mission,” Principal Charles Hewlett said when he announced the selection of his new assistant. Shireen was born in Malaysia, moved to NZ at the age of 12, and speaks three Asian languages.
“You could say I’m a ‘third culture kid’ in reverse,” she said. Carey equipped me for work in the marketplace, and now the tools I learned in the marketplace I am using at Carey. This, and her passion for God’s Mission at home and abroad, is reflected in her commitments. Shireen has attended the Auckland Baptist Tabernacle for 16 years, and has sat on OMF’s NZ Home Council for the past 10. Her new role adds an important dimension to her goals of service and growth, she said, and there’s a synergy between her areas of involvement. The key elements is about serving others and learning from others. “I’m looking forward to the community aspect of Carey,” Shireen said – “the lunches, the hanging out, the interaction. [Already] there’s the immense welcome I’ve been getting from people, and the warmth of the Carey community.” Shireen lives in Hillsborough with her dog, Max. She includes books on all manner of subjects in her down-time reading, but also enjoys “real” hobbies such as cooking, listening to jazz, running and watching movies that give insight into various parts of the world. She is taking this semester off, but will return to her one-paper-a-semester Post-Graduate Diploma in Applied Theology soon – “slowly chugging along.”
Is there a doctor in the house? Dr. Myk Habets
WE ALL HAVE strong opinions when it comes to the church; and that is fair enough. Baptists have adopted and continue to practice a congregational form of church government – one in which the power rightly resides in the people, normally the baptised members of the local church. We have also always had a healthy respect for church offices – that is, specially commissioned believers set-aside by Christ (‘the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls,’ 1 Pet 2.25) and the congregation for specific ministry. We normally identify these offices as pastor, elder, and deacon (Acts 20.17, 28; Phil 1.1). Traditionally the pastor’s office is primarily to preach the Word, administer the sacraments, and shepherd the congregation through pastoral care, prayer, and the witness of an exemplary life (Acts 6.4; Heb 13.17; 1 Tim 3.1-7; 5.17,18; Gal 6.6,7; 2 Tim 2.4, Titus 1.5-9). They are not the only ones to do so, of course, but they take a primus inter pares (‘first amongst equals’) position within the congregation
(Acts 11.19, 21; 1 Pet 4.10, 11). Elders (of which the pastor is one) are also called to teach the Word, administer the sacraments, shepherd the congregation, and administer church discipline (1 Thes 5.14; 2 Thes 3.6, 14, 15). Deacons, on the other hand, have no such authority (or necessary gifting) to teach the Word but live exemplary lives and have gifts of administration, compassion, and mercy, for starters (Acts 6.2; 1 Tim 3.8-13). But why limit ourselves to these three offices only? I note that our Presbyterian cousins have four offices to our three! In addition to pastor, elder, and deacon, they add a fourth office – church doctor. The office of doctor is the least defined in Presbyterianism. The actual term ‘Doctor of the Church’ comes out of the medieval university system but the job description comes out of Scripture (Eph 4.11). The responsibility of church doctors is to instruct the faithful in true doctrine. Given that pastors and elders teach the Word of God, what then can this role entail? Essentially church doctors teach in educational contexts – universities, seminaries, Bible colleges, local church Bible schools, and through the local church outside of the sermons. Doctors of the church are set apart to study the Scriptures in depth and then to teach and guide the faithful. Their job is not primarily evangelistic, nor is it to shepherd the flock, nor to administer church discipline or govern the church. Doctors teach Bible and theology and in that capacity they are set apart to study and teach, they are formally trained in theology and typically (but not always) are literally doctors—that is, they have a PhD. I want to suggest the office of doctor is Applied / 13
Baptists can learn a lot from other Christian traditions, including the office of doctor… one that Baptist churches could look at seriously adopting into their church governance models, or at least into their way of doing church. A church doctor – let’s just call them ‘teachers’ or ‘theologians’ – fulfil a role similar (but not identical) to that of the Old Testament prophet. The pastor, conversely, is part prophet–part priest, in her official duties. Theologians are thus church members who come under the spiritual authority and leadership of the local church pastor's and the eldership, and are at the same time set apart to teach and train the church. So while church theologians may be employed by an educational institution – Carey Baptist College for instance – they are spiritually accountable to the local church. This is not an academic office as much as it is an ecclesiastical (churchly) one. Much is to be gained in this model for if this office were recognised then church theologians would have a commitment to the church in a more direct way. The pastors and elders could shepherd such people more effectively given they know more about what they do, and could keep them more accountable. There have been many cases where a theologian has moved away from being an active member of a local congregation and has slipped ever deeper into some or another form of wrong belief and thus polluted and harmed the body of Christ. Much is also to be gained for the church in this model. Theologians can be called upon to consult, equip, teach, and guide leadership teams through a range of church
issues from the nature of biblical worship to diverse understandings of evangelism, and everything in-between. I can see theologians being asked to provide ongoing teaching to elderships and leadership teams at retreats and other more regular meetings. These meetings may be formal or informal, but either way they would be intentional. Theologians could be asked to provide curriculum development for the various teaching ministries of the church. Constitutional issues to do with theology could be chaired by church theologians as could other disputed matters. Much like the Old Testament prophet, church theologians could also be invited by pastors to act as something like a theological conscience, to note biblical slippage or theological discrepancies if and when they appear, and to critique working papers and other such documents. Church theologians would also be those primarily responsible to offer rigorous biblical and theological training in local church contexts, which means, amongst other things, teaching and learning together as a local congregation and thus increasing the potential for edification and fellowship. Whether in a formal capacity or not, the regular practice of thinking biblically and theologically through all the ministries of the church in a focussed way, with those who have trained specifically in these areas, can only be to the mutual edification of the church as a whole. I can see small groups from within a single church or a number of churches coming together in this capacity to talk and pray and discuss, all within the strong bonds of Christian love and grace appropriate to the mutual commitment to the health of God’s church of which we are members. So, is there a doctor in the house?
Canterbury Earthquake Mike Crudge
It was the most exciting pastoral staff meeting I hope I ever experience. The shaking was violent, the office was falling apart around us, windows smashing, ceiling tiles dropping, the loud noise of destruction as the 130 year-old church auditorium 10 meters away from us collapsed into a pile of rubble. The thing I remember the most is the dust cloud that we walked out into once the ground stopped moving – it impaired both vision and breathing. That was the start of an intense two weeks before I was able to get out of town for some respite. Three of our four pastoral staff lost their homes and our student flat is gone. Most people know someone who died, many in our church family have lost their homes or have severally damaged property, some people have witnessed
people being crushed by falling masonry. For me personally this all provided a fairly surreal context to attempt pastoral work from: no church buildings, no home, no possessions, camping in a empty flat out of my known surroundings with eight others, no water or power or internet. My own response was initially one of thinking small and looking after a few. I had little capacity for anything more. Sending the students to their homes around the country, looking after one of my invalid neighbours who evacuated with us, organinsing unaffected others to manage the pastoral and practical needs response for our church community, figuring out some short-term plans, listening to people's stories and in some cases absorbing their fear, anger or frustration, and setting up a more sustainable place to live. Some of our people did some amazing work during this time – caring for others, being hospitable and generous. We did what we could with the resources we had. Our response was small, some people were cared for. I hope they saw Jesus. And now to start figuring out the future: so people see Jesus. Below photos: Oxford Terrace Baptist Church in Christchurch before and after the February 22 earthquake.
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New courses for Semester 2 Family & NZ Society (29 August – 2 September 2011)
Theology & Practice of Relief and Development (Tuesday afternoons and Distance)