The Advocate August 2016

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In Conversation Indonesia’s first supermodel, Tracy Trinita speaks about her Christian faith. PAGE 12 >>

AUGUST 2016

“When someone we admire fails us, the painful emotions trigger questions. Should we stop looking up to the leaders around us?” JOHN C MAXWELL PAGE 13 >>

5 The Ingredients Project New program gives people with disability the chance to learn to cook >>

7 Empowering women Photo: Simone Jubb

Fresh Conference support has enabled work with women’s groups in Nepal >>

In 2016 Carey Baptist Church is vastly different from its humble beginnings and had good reason to celebrate its 20th anniversary recently.

Carey celebrates 20 years On Pentecost Sunday 26 May 1996 Carey Baptist Church held its first service in the home of two of its founding members, Peter and Dianne Smith.

This year marks the Church’s 20th anniversary – a cause for their recent celebrations.

A church plant from Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, with support from Riverton Baptist Church, Carey was established under the leadership of Pastor Steve Izett.

Steve had a vision of not only planting a church but starting a school, which would be a ministry of the church and act as a conduit into the community.

From the beginning Steve had a desire to establish community on the campus with a school, community centre, and church all in the same location.

Twenty years later, on the

original site in Harrisdale, Carey now has a school, child care operation, café, community centre and many other ministries, all with Carey Baptist Church at the centre. Also in this 20th year, Carey has planted a new campus at Forrestdale which will again grow to be a school, child care, and community centre with a church at the centre.

Carey Baptist Church Senior Pastor David Kilpatrick said The Experiencing God course by Henry Blackaby was very formative in Carey’s development.

“Blackaby noted that we experience God as He calls us to become involved in what He is doing and His call leads to a crisis of belief requiring faith and action,” David said.

“That has been very much the story of Carey, stepping out in faith and asking God to do what only He can do.”

The founding statement, “Attempt great things for God, Expect great things from God” was taken from a sermon William Carey preached before he left England to go to India and it has become the motto. The church was also named after the pioneering Baptist missionary.

“The story of Carey is not one of clever people or great plans.

Carey is a story of what God can do through a community of people who step out in faith believing that God can do anything,” David said.

Today the church has a new vision: Carey 2020 with two components: ‘Realising our potential’ and ‘Positioning for impact’. Carey has only just built the first part of its community centre and commenced its new campus. Both require a lot of work to fully develop and the plan is that this will be done in the years to come.

“We believe we are called to continue to grow and develop new campuses both in Australia and overseas,” David said.

“There is much work to be done to develop the leadership and organisational capacities to enable us to do so.”

“The key issue, however, is not what we can do, but what God is calling us to do and whether we will be courageous enough to follow Him. I certainly hope we will.”

8 Alpha for evangelism A focus on evangelism in the local church is a constant challenge >>

Building healthy churches.

BAPTIST CHURCHES WESTERN AUSTRALIA

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my view AUGUST 2016

The bystander’s problem The brutal slaying of Kitty Genovese shocked New York City in 1964.

Her assailant pursued and attacked her three times over the course of 30 minutes before finally stabbing her to death. But something more horrifying overshadowed this sickening violence.

Mark Wilson Mark Wilson is the Director of Ministries at Baptist Churches Western Australia.

Detectives later determined that 38 of Kitty’s neighbours had watched her ordeal from their windows and not a single person had shouted out or called for help.

Psychologists subsequently coined a phrase: ‘The bystander problem’. They concluded that when many people are present, we are less likely to respond. The smaller the group, the higher the likelihood that we’ll take action in a crisis or emergency.

This phenomenon has

repercussions for our Baptist churches and all of us who call ourselves Christ followers. We may feel overwhelmed by the avalanche of pain around us, or paralysed by the sheer magnitude of the brokenness in our world.

What could I possibly do to make a difference? Could my efforts possibly count? Isn’t there someone else more talented, more educated, more passionate, more connected, more affluent, or more able who will stand in the breach?

Our tendency to see the whole and not the parts stifles our response. The problems are so enormous, where should we start?

So we don’t. But if we could see one family and touch one life, we’d begin the process.

I was overwhelmed with emotion when I visited Mother House in Calcutta. Did Mother Teresa initially set out to found an order that would establish hundreds of centres in more than 90 countries with over 4,000 nuns

and many more thousands of lay workers? Or did she devote herself simply to touching the lives of the poor, sick and dying in the slums of Calcutta – the ones she met?

While most people squeezed their hands at the enormous oppression under the Romans, Jesus set about bringing liberty to the captives, one at a time. The movement took hold as individual people reached out to others.

What might the Lord do through our lives if we collectively decided to invest in a single other life?

Centuries ago, another bystander asked “Who is my neighbour?”

Perhaps we’ll be able to answer that question clearly and unequivocally, and make a difference.

Love thy neighbour One day I sat on my bed and prayed that God would help me to love whoever lived in the rental across the road. As I said, ‘amen’, the doorbell rang and my new neighbour wanted to borrow jumper leads.

Yvette Cherry Yvette Cherry is the Worship Ministry Coordinator at Riverton Baptist Community Church.

It seemed it was a prayer that God was excited to action! Over the next few years it was our pleasure to love and serve three beautiful families who were in a time of transition.

Then the house sat vacant and I prayed.

After a while a Sudanese Muslim family moved in. Three little children, a dad with a deep booming voice and flowing white robe, a mum in a hijab who never seemed to come outside.

I imagined that they had fled violence. I imagined they were uneducated and didn’t speak English. I imagined she was oppressed by … everything.

We started with a waving relationship, which progressed to chats on the driveway. I learned that my prejudice was so wrong, and I was embarrassed. He was a diesel mechanic, she was a doctor studying for her master’s degree, and their children had been born in Sydney.

Friendship grew as we spent time drinking tea and chatting together. Their little blokes kicked the footy with my kids, our husbands rebuilt a LandCruiser Prado. Casual chitchat soon gave way to deeper conversations about marriage, raising children and prayer. We grew in love for each other as we spent more time together and shared the things on our hearts.

Recently we talked about Jesus.

She told me that she couldn’t

understand that God would kill His own Son. God is too good for that, she said. She thinks it wasn’t really Jesus hanging on the cross – that His body was swapped for someone else. I told her God sacrificed His Son because He loves us. We didn’t agree.

But the point was not to ‘win’ the conversation. It was about wanting to understand each other more so we could love each other better, just as God commanded us to.

As I love my neighbour and open myself up to be loved in return, and as I continue to speak gently of God’s sacrificial love, God will do what only He can do.

On being a follower …

How many people do you follow on Twitter? Don’t feel bad if your answer is in single digit territory, or even zero.

Dr Brian Harris Dr Brian Harris is the Principal of Vose Seminary and Pastor at Large for the Carey Group.

Following doesn’t mean all that much. I recently discovered that I have four Twitter followers, and that is without ever having made a Tweet!

There are different kinds of following. Some are easier than others. Follow someone on Twitter, and you get access to each Tweet they make. Given that its maximum length is 140 characters, it’s not an onerous onslaught, and it has turned ‘dumbing down’ into an art form. Can anything worthwhile

be said in 140 characters?

Apparently yes, but you’ll understand why those of us with a preaching background haven’t been enthusiastic adopters.

We might be followers in other zones. It’s un-Australian not to follow a footy team – and in some seasons that’s tougher than others. I’d tell you who I follow, but then half of you would never read my column again. And to be honest, given their track record this season, I’d prefer not to tell you.

Sometimes it’s best not to own up to these things.

And then there is following Jesus. Do you remember His invite, ‘Come follow me’?

It might seem an innocent enough invitation, but it turns out that following Jesus is one of life’s tougher gigs. Of the first dozen who signed up for it, 11 died as a result, while the 12th spent his closing years imprisoned on the island of Patmos where he had been sentenced to forced labour.

To hammer the point home, German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer once wrote, ‘When Christ calls a man, he calls him “Come and die with me.”’

So who in their right mind responds to an invitation like that?

People who want to change the world – for that’s what those early disciples did.

If someone invites you to follow them on Twitter, don’t agonise too long. The cost is ridiculously small. But if you hear Jesus call, count the cost.

You and He could be about to change the world …

letters to the editor send us your letters The Advocate welcomes your letters to the editor on topics of concern to you and the community. Send your letters of no more than 100 words to editor@theadvocate.tv by the 10th of each month.

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AUGUST 2016

New churches for BCWA The new churches are Austin Cove Community Church, Eternity Christian Church, Hosanna Karen Baptist Church, the Midland Community Church and Perth Siyin Baptist Church.

Baptist Churches Western Australia Cross Cultural and Indigenous Ministries Consultant, Reverend Victor Owuor, has been working with three of these churches as they are cross-cultural ministries.

“I am excited to see them joining Baptist Churches Western Australia and I’m looking forward to them contributing to our family of churches,” Victor said.

Eternity Christian Church is comprised of Vietnamese families and conducts their services in Vietnamese. The church was planted in September 2015 with a view of reaching out to the Vietnamese community in Perth.

“There are about 20,000 Vietnamese people who do not know Christ and we are committed to evangelising these people,” Eternity Christian Church Pastor Dinh Nguyen said.

Eternity Christian Church currently meets at the Bedford Bowling Club every Sunday morning.

The Perth Siyin Baptist Church started meeting in a home in November 2006 and has grown to around 150 in attendance each week.

Members of the Perth Siyin Baptist Church were settled in

Australia through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees resettlement program as they were among the Chin people groups that were persecuted in Myanmar by the former military regime.

Their hope is to be resourced in developing leaders for the future of their church by joining Baptist Churches Western Australia (BCWA).

... this gospel partnership will help our church be effective in our ministries among our youth.

“We are very excited to be part of the family of Baptist churches in WA because this gospel partnership will help our church be effective in our ministries among our youth”, Perth Siyin Baptist Church Youth Leader Thomas Thawng said.

The Church regularly meets at the premises of North Balga Christian Centre in Balga.

Hosanna Karen Baptist Church is comprised of refugees from Myanmar and the majority speak the Karen language.

Most of the members of this church have a Baptist background from Myanmar.

BFS growth assists Baptist churches Baptist Financial Services client funds in Western Australia have grown significantly over the past financial year, exceeding $55 million.

Baptist Financial Services exists to provide financial solutions for the development of Christian ministry across Australia and has been operating for over 30 years.

Client funds in WA increased by 30 percent in the past year and over 70 percent of Western Australian Baptist churches have accounts with Baptist Financial Services (BFS). As a result of this increase, BFS was able to increase its financial support

to Baptist Churches Western Australia (BCWA) by providing a grant of $125,168 for the 2015/2016 financial year.

BFS Chief Executive Officer David Slinn noted his appreciation for the support of the BCWA staff, championed by the Director of Ministries Pastor Mark Wilson and the State BFS Relationship Manager Anina Findling.

“BFS continues to appreciate the opportunity of providing financial investment services and loans to resource and serve BCWA and their associated ministries,” David said.

For further information on the services BFS provides, please phone 08 9472 0078.

Photo: Matt Chapman

Five new churches have been welcomed into the Baptist family so far this year as new church plants.

“We wanted to join BCWA because we believe in the same purpose, values, vision and mission, having come from a Baptist background”, Hosanna Karen Baptist Church Secretary Wah Nay Moo said.

The church meets at Kelmscott Baptist Church on Sunday afternoons and is led

by Pastor Roman Sein who led a Karen Baptist church in Geelong before he arrived in Perth in 2012.

Many of the new churches that are becoming part of Baptist Churches Western Australia are struggling to find suitable venues to meet.

“As Baptists, our values state that we are a generous people who also value all people no matter their racial background. Imagine, what it would be like if the church where you worship lived these values, by inviting a crosscultural church to share the buildings that God has provided to established churches,” Reverend Owuor said.

Pastor Dinh Nguyen and Rev Victor Owuor at a recent meeting to discuss Eternity Christian Church.

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www.baptistcare.com.au Baptistcare is one of WA’s largest not-for-profit aged care and community services providers, supporting communities in metro and regional areas for more than 40 years.

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news AUGUST 2016

A new way to give

For more information, visit www.giveway.org.au

Photo: Baptist Financial Services

The GiveWay website will allow churches and organisations to set up dedicated pages to provide an online secure portal to receive payments for their ministries, events, offering or any other purpose. A direct link can also be included on a church’s own website for donors to make payments.

Baptist Financial Services Marketing and Communications Coordinator Daniela Vittor said GiveWay is in response to a growing need within the community for digital accessibility.

The existing iGive platform, an anonymous offering payment service, has seen a take-up of over 110 churches in the past two years and has been rolled onto the GiveWay platform. iGive church sign up has grown to the pace of one new church application per week.

Within the first two weeks of operation GiveWay received eight applications.

“The sole purpose of Baptist Financial Services is to resource, develop and enhance Christian ministry and we hope GiveWay will assist in this mission,” Daniela said.

“GiveWay provides a flexible, attractive and user-friendly website, backed by efficient and streamlined ‘behind the scenes’ processing.”

GiveWay also incorporates a merchant facility to accept credit and debit card payments on a cost effective basis, with no fees and

competitive merchant fees.

“GiveWay is simple to use and has numerous features and benefits, including promoting giving and creating an online presence,” Daniela said.

“Its flexibility allows one-off or recurring payments and for any period or frequency.”

Donors are provided with tax receipts for each financial year for tax deductible funds.

Baptist Financial Services (BFS) will continue to provide iGive services as part of the new GiveWay portal. BFS provides this facility for congregations of churches to make regular electronic contributions to support the ministry of the church and without cost.

GiveWay makes it simple for people to give to churches and ministry organisations.

Burmese leaders to gather in Australia Burmese, Karen and Chin pastors and leaders from eight Western Australian Baptist churches have gathered to discuss the possibility of hosting the inaugural Burmese Global Leadership Summit in November.

In an Australian first all sessions at the Summit will be translated into the Burmese language. There was great excitement when those gathered realised that this would be a groundbreaking event.

During their meeting, a DVD session from California’s Abundant Life Christian Fellowship Lead Pastor Brian Loritts was presented. The pastors heard the message in their own language through Burmese voice over.

Myanmar Baptist Church Senior Pastor Zaw Win said they

were really impressed with the translation.

“God used and will continue to use this event as a tool for injecting His power and plan regarding leadership into our minds,” he said.

Baptist Churches Western Australia Director of Ministries Pastor Mark Wilson said to be able to support pastors and leaders in Burmese churches in a way that strengthens and empowers them will be an incredible privilege.

“The goal of the Global Leadership Summit is to gather

Photo: Matt Chapman

A new online payment portal, GiveWay, has been developed by Baptist Financial Services to enable people to conveniently make financial contributions via credit card or direct debit to churches and ministry organisations.

Members of Myanmar Baptist Church in a breakout group discussing the possible Summit event.

churches together to go deeper in their relationships with one another and in their leadership development,” Mark said.

“As leaders get better, churches

get better. As churches get better, people’s lives are touched. As people’s lives are touched, communities are changed.”

digital church 08/07/16

10/07/16

11/07/16

davekraft.squarespace.com Who are you really working and living for? It’s so easy to become a man-pleaser [Galatians 1:10] and attempt to give people what they want instead of what they need.

twitter.com/CSLewisDaily All that is not eternal is eternally out of date.

lifeway.com God might take us through the ‘how long oh Lord’ times so we can embrace the ‘it is good to praise the Lord’ moments with renewed affections. You aren’t alone in your calling. Other brothers have been there. More importantly, Christ is with you.

Dave Kraft

09/07/16

Stephen McAlpine stephenmcalpine.com I believe we are in a time when the younger generation of leaders in the church can begin the process of building and strengthening God’s future people by acting like first generation migrants.

CS Lewis

10/07/16

Michael O’Neil theologyandchurch.com The life of the children of God transcends the bounds of this life. Its primary concern is not its own fullness in this world, but the hope of seeing God and being transformed into His likeness.

Michael Cooper

the strength to rise above the challenges of today.

12/07/16

Max Lucado twitter.com/MaxLucado Mercy prompted the Samaritan to bandage the wounds of the victim. Grace prompted him to leave payment for the victim’s care.

12/07/16

13/07/16

ourdailyjourney.org Paul told Timothy to fix his eyes on Jesus, the ‘King of all kings and Lord of all lords’ [1 Timothy 6:15]. In Him we find

writesomething.org.au Justice – the kind that Jesus calls us to – is meant to make you feel uncomfortable. Not for the sake of it, but because

Tom Felten

Sera McCulloch

it’s so antithetical to the culture in which we swim that it feels awkward. We shouldn’t be afraid of feeling that.

14/07/16

Amy Boucher Pye odb.org When we think about God’s faithfulness over the years, we know that He’s willing and able to turn our grief to dancing once again – to give us sufficient grace in this life and full joy in heaven.

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AUGUST 2016

Celebrating food and community

Linda Lee

A new program that gives people with disability the opportunity to learn cooking skills was launched in late 2015. The Ingredients Project was the result of some creative thinking to come out of a new partnership between Baptistcare and ATCO Gas Australia. spaghetti, vegetable skewers, and homemade pizza and gourmet quiches from ‘scratch’ – pastry, dough and all.

Everyone’s efforts were showcased by hosting an impressive celebration dinner which was attended by their family, friends, support workers and service facilitators.

Enjoying cooking in this setting has sparked an appreciation for healthy eating among each participant and provided them with valuable skills for independent living.

While most participants had limited experience in the kitchen at the start of the program, each person has now gained the confidence to cook by themselves and for others.

“This project has made me excited about cooking,” said participant Romola.

“I made pizza for everyone I live with at home with capsicum, tomato, cheese and chicken – it was so yum!”

“I especially love doing this

because I love food and now I can cook all by myself.”

Another participant Sonya said she feels fully alive when she cooks and now creates a new dish at home every week. She loves trying new ingredients and experimenting with flavours to develop her own recipes.

This project has made me excited about cooking.

The participants learned about nutrition and cooking, how to use natural gas safely, and were able to gain important life skills and now have the potential to undertake professional catering training in the future.

For more information, visit www.baptistcare.com.au/ disability-services

Photo: Baptistcare

The Ingredients Project saw six Baptistcare Disability Services participants – Ashleigh, Corey, Lisa, Romola, Sonya and Steven – attend lessons over three a month period to learn how to cook healthy meals.

The participants learned about nutrition and cooking, how to use natural gas safely, and were able to gain important life skills and now have the potential to undertake professional catering work in the future.

ATCO Gas Australia hosted the lessons at the ATCO Gas Blue Flame Kitchen in Jandakot and chefs Kym Werner, Kirsty Langden and Robert Cumberworth from Aurum volunteered their time and expertise for the training component of the program.

Participants were challenged with new techniques and practical cooking skills each week, trying many things for the first time.

The group’s culinary adventures included making

The Ingredients Project participant Romola Groenewold (right) enjoys learning to cook with Service Facilitator Joanne Seymour.

Sun shines on Lakeside Jim Hair

When the annual electricity costs for Lakeside Baptist Church surpassed $50,000 in 2015, the management team knew they had to look at ways to reduce the expense.

As part of their ministry, Lakeside own and operate a commercial recreation centre in Bibra Lake, accounting for a large portion of the cost.

Senior Pastor Anthony Palmieri said there are many benefits in owning such a large complex.

“People visit this place of worship every day and while waiting for kids to finish their sport they are open to the message of hope,” he said.

“The down side is that everything is big … lawns, car parks, maintenance lists and power bills.”

The first step taken by a team of interested members was to investigate what used the power and when, so a monitoring system

was put in place.

As a result, heavy power consumers, such as court lighting was changed to more efficient units, and high usage fluorescent lights were upgraded.

The final step was to explore renewable energy systems.

Wind was considered but despite Lakeside being in a good position to collect sea breezes, this option was deemed too expensive.

The group’s research found that solar panels were the best option, with a three year payback period available.

Funds to finance the project came from members’ loans and donations.

“The interest in sustainable energy was amazing with several offers coming in soon after the invitation was published,” Anthony said.

Lakeside Baptist Church now has 153 solar panels on its roof that produce a significant proportion of the daytime power consumed.

A recent energy audit revealed that over 98 percent of the power generated is used on-site.

“With the panels almost invisible from the street, ‘Lakesiders’ are pleased that they

have been able to reduce their carbon footprint while saving valuable finances,” Anthony concluded.

Photo: Jim Hair

Lakeside’s solar panels being inspected by Project Manager Doug Raymond.

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news AUGUST 2016

Worship service first

Mandurah Baptist College Student Services Staff Member Katherine van Asselt said the staff aim to encourage students to develop a personal awareness of God and to assist them in applying biblical principles in their lives.

“An important example of this is to have student leaders do what they do best – lead,” Katherine said.

The worship assembly provided an opportunity for students of all ages to come together for a time of community and fellowship.

“The facilitation of community is an important aspect of what takes place at Mandurah Baptist College,” Katherine said.

“The College’s leadership team strives for cooperation between teachers and students.”

The idea of being in community with one another as a College played a significant role in the assembly. Unlike its regular assemblies where students are seated in year

groups, students sat wherever they chose and were encouraged to engage in activities with people they didn’t know in order to learn more about each other.

Year 11 and 12 music students lead the worship during the assembly and students and staff sang songs praising God together.

Anthony Harrison, a Youth Pastor in Mandurah shared a short devotion about having courage in times of struggle and reminded the students that there will always be times in life that are hard and to not lose hope. His overarching theme was to be reminded of God’s unending love for those present.

“The College’s first student led worship assembly was a great success and the College staff are very proud of the initiative and hard work all the student leaders put into making it a memorable experience for everyone involved,” Katherine said.

“We hope that this can be experienced again in the future.”

Photo: Katherine van Asselt

Students at Mandurah Baptist College are encouraged by staff to live out the College’s motto ‘be strong and courageous’ and this was demonstrated in the form of a student led worship assembly in June.

Tannah Pridmore, Isabelle Whittering, Talya Conradie, Ava Phelps, Zoe Hubbard, Eliza Clubley leading students and staff in worship.

Virtual reality church Ed Devine

Virtual reality has moved from the realm of science fiction into, well … reality.

One only need look at Sony’s PlayStation VR promotional trailer to understand that once this technology hits the market the social fabric of society will be changed.

Recent years have seen the meteoric rise of social media and the universal church has had to deal with questions of its adoption to keep in touch with a hyper-connected world.

Just think, there is a Pope who Tweets! But what if the social media leap was just a foretaste of the change that is coming?

Picture this scenario. It’s Sunday morning and time to get ready for church. No need

to wake the kids, no hurry to get dressed and have breakfast before hitting the road late and in a fluster. You amble over to the living room and plop down on the sofa, pulling the virtual reality goggles over your eyes.

Instantaneously your home is gone. You are sitting inside a wonderfully bright and beautiful building. Every which way around you people are chatting and finding their seats. The worship leader walks across the stage and encourages people with outstretched arms to tune into the presence of God. The drumbeat kicks in and people are up, clapping and singing praise to God. Your senses are engaged. You are fully immersed. You feel the presence of the Spirit rise within you as you join passionately in the worship.

However, you are still in your living room and have just woken up the household!

There is so much for the Church to consider about virtual reality. Would it fall into the Hebrews 10:25 category

There is so much for the Church to consider about virtual reality. of not meeting together? Is a virtual Baptism with a sincere testimony and witnessed by scores of people legitimate?

Is there need for a bricks and mortar building when you could have a virtual reality designer build you an online sanctuary where congregants from all over the world link up? Certainly, it is a frontier that will test our theology and our hearts desire to continue sharing the gospel.

Photo: www.polygon.com

Is the PlayStation VR headset something we will be wearing to ‘attend’ church?

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AUGUST 2016

Fresh empowers women globally A key part of what the conferences have achieved has been the funds raised, within excess of $673,000 having been donated by attendees since 2007.

The aim of Fresh Conference is to mobilise women to bring change to their local and global communities. Since the inaugural conference in 2007 where 100 women came together to explore what God-based generosity looks like, Fresh has grown in both number and impact.

Over the years, women from Western Australia have been able to assist in a wide variety of ways around the world as they partnered with Baptist World Aid Australia and the projects they are involved with.

These projects have included building birthing huts in Papua New Guinea to significantly reduce child and mother mortality; installation of a water pipeline for an entire village – Mamusi, Papua New Guinea; support for women coming out of the sex trade in

Kolkata; rebuilding a village destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines; provision for child support and women’s empowerment in Bangladesh; and extensive aid and recovery work after the recent earthquake in Nepal.

State Leader for Baptist Women in Western Australia Karen Wilson said she has been astounded by the generosity of the women who attend Fresh Conferences.

“Each one of us wants to live in a way that makes a difference in the lives of those around us. Together, women at Fresh Conferences have grasped the idea of making a difference in their world,” she said.

“The past nine years have seen incredible financial giving and collectively have had an incredible impact – it is something to truly celebrate.”

Baptist World Aid Australia CEO John Hickey is very appreciative of the partnership with Fresh Conference.

Photo: Baptist World Aid Australia

As Fresh Conference 2016 approaches organisers have reflected on the events’ humble beginnings and achievements ahead of the tenth year of the popular women’s conference.

Generous Fresh Conference support has enabled Baptist World Aid Australia to work with women’s groups in Nepal.

“This community of women from Western Australia have made, and continue to make, a tangible, long-term and sustainable difference in families and communities around the globe,” John said.

“Thank you for your partnership, generosity and support of our vision to see a

world where poverty has ended and all people enjoy the fullness of life God intends.”

In just a few weeks’ time, women on all over WA will gather on 26 and 27 August to be inspired, hear the needs of women and children from around the world, and respond with hearts more focused on reaching out.

Noongar Sunday celebration

What matters is not how we look on the outside...

Photo: Cassy Beeck

In celebration of Reconciliation Week, ‘Noongar Sunday’ was held by Gnowangerup Community Church in late May to thank God for the local Indigenous people.

Robbie Miniter and Tim Beeck enjoy eating some yabbies during Noongar Sunday.

“God no longer counts our sins against us because of the work of Jesus, therefore we can forgive and be reconciled to each other,” Martin explained.

“Our reconciliation to God also makes each of us a new creation.”

“What matters is not how we look on the outside but that we have all been changed from within by God.” The morning service was

followed by a luncheon that featured traditional Noongar food of yabbies, damper, lamb and kangaroo tail, all cooked on coals at the rear of the church.

“The church was thankful to God for such a successful event and look forward to celebrating with their local Indigenous brothers and sisters again soon,” Gnowangerup Community Church Pastor Gerard Field said.

For more information, visit www.freshconference.net

local briefs Pastoral changes

The service was attended by Noongars from Gnowangerup, Tambellup, Katanning and Albany.

Tambellup local Martin Smith, who now pastors at the Aboriginal Evangelical Church in Balga spoke from 2 Corinthians 5 about the importance of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people being reconciled to one other. He said this is only made possible by God having reconciled us to Himself through Christ.

“We were made to live life large and impact the world around us and the women at Fresh do just this,” Karen said.

Pastor Phil Beeck has concluded his role at East Fremantle Baptist Church and will be commencing as the new Senior Pastor at Albany Baptist Church.

Pastor Ben Fisher was inducted by the Baptist Churches Western Australia Director of Ministries Pastor Mark Wilson as the new Pastor of Hedland Baptist Church in July. Ben grew up in the Hedland church and has been the Student Pastor under the guidance of Pastor Bill Joukhadar.

Rev. Dr Peter Christofides has concluded as the Dean of Students and Lecturer in New Testament at Vose Seminary and will commence full-time ministry at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church with a focus on the Coolbellup Campus.

AFFA Film Festival Mandurah Baptist College hosted a college tour, Memory Forever film viewing and a press conference for the Asia Film Faculty Association and Filming Studio group from China.

The group of CEOs, actors and directors visited the school as a follow-on from its 2015 Memory Forever documentary and spent the day with students, taking part in College activities and

a viewing of the documentary in the auditorium. The group also supported the College by hosting a drama workshop and the AFFA Film Festival at the Lakes Theatre on Saturday 18 June.

Tom Fisher House The Western Australia Heads of Churches (WAHOC) reported it is pleased that the Tom Fisher House is due to be opened in August. WAHOC have been championing this homeless shelter since 2010 in its annual meetings with the Premier.

Tom Fisher House will be run in a partnership between the Government and St Vincent de Paul Society, providing nightly safe accommodation for up to ten men. Former Child Protection Minister Robyn McSweeney said Tom Fisher House would provide secure crisis accommodation to people who would otherwise be sleeping on the streets.

“This facility will provide a safe place to sleep for some of the city’s most vulnerable men,” Mrs McSweeney said.

feature AUGUST 2016

CHURCHES USE ENGAGE Keeping a focus on evangelism in the local church is a constant challenge.

Resources Alpha is a series of interactive sessions that engage people in conversations about life, faith and God. There is a range of resources for churches to use, depending on their situation and needs. Each resource is based around food, teaching and conversation, upheld by concerted prayer.

A congregation needs a variety of evangelism tools to support followers of Jesus as they reach out to family and friends. No single tool will meet all the needs. Recognising this, Alpha has developed a stable of resources to help the local church keep evangelism ‘on the boil’.

The classic sessions developed in the 1980s with Nicky Gumbel speaking directly to camera for about 45 minutes was the first resource that went global in the late 1980s. The course ran for ten sessions and helped thousands of people engage with their spiritual questions and presuppositions in a non-confrontational, engaging environment. Pastor John Harris and his wife Rosemary used this resource many times at Claremont Baptist Church and saw the church grow from 35 people to about 350.

Alpha fine-tuned the sessions in the early 2000s. Jamie Haith presented the teaching elements and Alpha used a more contemporary form of filming, picking up on more recent forms of television and film presentation for documentaries. The truths addressed remain the same but the method of delivery is more in tune with modern day needs and styles.

The Alpha Youth material has a slightly different format and allows more flexibility with groups able to pick and choose the elements of topics they want to use.

Eliot and Sandy Vlatko with Helen and Paul Kenny led the recent Alpha Marriage Course in Kalgoorlie.

Photo: Alpha Australia

Pastor Bill Hybels from Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago said at its Leadership Summit in 1995 that evangelism is one of the easiest things for a church to lose through no funding in the budget, no training, no prayer and no catalytic voice from the leadership of the church.

A tool like Alpha can assist a church to keep an outward focus and engage followers of Jesus to be on the front foot in conversations and activities where they may discover people who are interested in spiritual life.

To date 30 million people around the world have completed an Alpha course. Hundreds of thousands of people have met God as they explored their queries about life, faith and God. More than 20 Baptist churches in Western Australia are currently using resources available from Alpha.

Photo: Helen Kenny

Jill Birt

The talks at Alpha gatherings explore the big ideas about faith and are designed to inspire and engage conversation.

Photo: Alpha Australia

8

Alpha works with small groups of people who gather to share in conversation and often a meal.

feature AUGUST 2016

ALPHA TO COMMUNITIES Pastor Brad Lewis and his team at Bentley Baptist Church use elements of the Youth course in their regular Friday evening youth program as a discipleship tool.

A need for input to support married couples was the catalyst for developing the Marriage Course. Helen Kenny and her husband Paul have recently finished running the Marriage Course with Pastor Eliot and Sandy Vlatko at Kalgoorlie Baptist Church for the first time.

“The course was great. We saw marriages enriched, people reaching out to others struggling in marriage and potential break-ups averted,” Helen said.

“With our great support team preparing amazing food and a unique venue in the Hope Café which is part of the church property, we’ll definitely be running this course again.”

The unique Alpha Prison Ministries resources were developed to help those visiting prisons on a regular basis. Other groups including Indigenous Australians have content and structure suitable for their culture. Alpha for Our Mob is currently being used with Indigenous Australians in country New South Wales.

Support Based on research, structuring the gathering around some form of food and drinks seems to be the best format. This can be anything from a catered three course meal to a cup of soup and a bread roll, or a fine coffee and handcrafted chocolates. Churches, including Kalgoorlie Baptist, Lakeside Baptist, Mount Pleasant Baptist and Scarborough Baptist, have developed longstanding teams that look after catering, setup, prayer and in some cases, child care. Alpha gives opportunities for a wide range of spiritual gifts and passion to be used.

Training Western Australia Alpha representative Kim Stanfield believes the training Alpha provides is crucial to running the course well. The investment in preparing the team that runs the course reaps rewards for participants.

Pastor Eliot Vlatko has conducted the course numerous times in a number of Baptist churches.

“It’s challenging for many church people who want to help seekers ‘race to the finish line’, so the training helps people to stand back and let people interact and wrestle with the truths of biblical faith,” Eliot said.

According to Eliot, one issue for groups who do not grasp the model of letting people ask whatever they want is that small group leaders invariably talk too much.

Challenges Discovering guests who want to explore spiritual issues is a real challenge. Craigie Baptist Church delivered 5,000 promotional leaflets to local residents with no response but personal invitations saw about 20 people join the course. More than a decade ago Claremont Baptist Church hung a large banner on their building fronting Stirling Highway advertising the group. Many people responded to the advertising.

For some conservative churches Alpha’s inclusion of teaching on the availability of the Holy Spirit to empower followers of Jesus for ministry and worship is challenging. Others embrace the entire teaching of the course, and have been surprised by the results.

Rob Stevens from Lakeside Baptist Church said they made the decision to do the entire course as it is presented.

“We have always insisted that if we run the course, we will run the whole course as it is, and won’t water down the ‘Holy Spirit stuff’. That’s both challenging and exciting, but if you don’t get out of the boat, you are never going to ‘walk on water’!” Rob said.

Pastor Mike Miles from Mount Pleasant Baptist Church noted that some churches present this section of teaching a little differently.

“There is no reason why one of the teaching ministers of the church can’t take the teaching for that day [with the focus on the Holy Spirit] more in line with their own church’s position. I have heard of this done very successfully and ought not to be a deterrent to doing the Alpha course,” Mike said.

What’s coming?

Bear Grylls, who strengthened his relationship wth Jesus through doing the Alpha course, is the face of a national focus on Alpha during 2017. Bear has gifted his support to Alpha Australia to engage Australians to consider exploring their questions about life, faith and God through the Alpha course.

Churches across Australia are invited to host an Alpha course during the year and start the journey of helping people meet Jesus. South Perth Baptist Church is already planning training events for their team of volunteers.

“We think Alpha can help us engage with our local community so we’re getting on board and started early to be ready,” South Perth Baptist Church Pastor Steve Izett said.

For more information and to register, visit alpha.org.au

9

10 news AUGUST 2016

War catalyses change

With their village totally destroyed and desperate to escape the continued US bombing in their region, Mr Nhernh and others fled into Vietnam. They were traumatised but also deeply worried that in their haste to leave they hadn’t had time to make offerings to appease the spirits.

Mr Nhernh is a member of the Bunong tribe, which, like all the hill tribes in Cambodia, is traditionally animist, regularly sacrificing livestock to the spirits. Although they were relieved to have escaped the bombs, and were trying to rebuild their lives in Vietnam, they felt overwhelmed with grief and fear.

Some Vietnamese people began to visit the refugees. They offered them help and friendship, and also shared some good news: God loved them and

had released them from all bondage through His son, Jesus.

Mr Nhernh recalls how he felt all his fear falling away, replaced by a peace and freedom he had never experienced. He was among several Bunong refugees to become Christians, learning much about their new faith during their time in exile.

When the war ended, he could not wait to return home and share the gospel. He and the other new Bunong Christians planted small churches in Bunong villages, and also evangelised other hill tribes, including the Krung and Tampuan.

Although work to translate the Scriptures into Bunong had begun in Vietnam in the 1960s, the work had been disrupted by the war and the manuscripts lost. Some small portions of Scripture in Bunong were

Photo: Cambodia Bible Society

Tot Nhernh, 93, vividly remembers the panic he and his family felt as the bombs started falling on their village in north-east Cambodia. It was the 1970s and the Vietnam War was spilling into the region as members of the Viet Cong crossed the border to hide.

published before the war, but these were only available in Roman script – understandable to the Bunong in Vietnam but not to those in Cambodia, who use Khmer script.

So Mr Nhernh and other Bunong evangelists in Cambodia were sharing the gospel by simply telling people the story of Jesus.

The two decades of communist rule that followed the war were very difficult for the church in Cambodia, particularly for ethnic minorities like the Bunong. But Christianity grew steadily, and today, around 10 percent of Cambodia’s Bunong people are Christians.

In May 2016 around 50 years after the first attempt to translate the Scriptures into Bunong, the Bunong people of Cambodia and Vietnam received the New Testament in their language.

Undertaken by Vietnam Partnership, the Bible Society in Cambodia and Summer Institute of Linguistics, printed in both Khmer and Roman scripts.

After years of living as a refugee, Tot Nhernh returned to his homeland Cambodia planting simple churches throughout the Bunong villages.

Bibles needed for Wales

Jill Birt

Carl Brettles from Sporting Marvels needs Bibles for the people of the Rhondda Valley communities in Wales.

In July 2002, the region was known for drugs, unemployment and a reputation for abuse in homes. No-one seemed to have any solutions.

During a prayer meeting in early July, the idea of Sporting Marvels formed.

The plan was to use sports coaching in schools as a way of

having a Christian role model in front of every school child.

Today, Carl Brettles reports the Rhondda Valley has changed.

“Crime is down, unemployment is down and physically, the whole place looks brighter,” Carl said.

“I wonder if that spark of faith and much prayer 14 years ago has had this tremendous effect on the 34 villages that make up the two Rhondda valleys?”

Sporting Marvels now have ten full-time workers in schools across the Rhondda Valley, providing sports coaching support to the religious education team. As fully committed Christians, the team also provide

personal and social education lessons to the students. These lessons have customised workbooks which give life lessons drawn from biblical characters.

In 2014 the Sporting Marvels started presenting a Bible at the end of the school year as a gift to the students. This effectively put God’s Word back into the centre of the home. To date they do not have sufficient Bibles to meet their needs this year.

As the community is steadily transforming, Sporting Marvels recently planted a church in the Rhondda Valley to support a growing generation finding life and hope in Jesus Christ.

A full time position is available for an enthusiastic and experienced person to oversee Lakeside's Youth Ministry.

To fulfil this position, you will require creativity, excellent leadership, and communication skills.

The youth pastor is responsible for the direction, vision, long-term planning and development of the Lakeside Youth Ministry.

For more information or a copy of the selection criteria, contact Anthony Palmieri via anthony@lakeside.asn.au

international briefs Buddhists change Charisma News reports revival is exploding across Tibet following a Tibetan monk’s conversion to Christianity in 2015. Several sources are reporting more than 200,000 Tibetans have accepted Jesus. Asian Access’ Joel Handley said he believes much of the faith sweeping the region stems from Christian response to the devastating Nepalese earthquake more than a year ago. “They haven’t seen Buddhists, Hindus or other religious groups helping in the midst of the rubble. Rather, week after week, it is the followers of Jesus who have proved the test of

time, sacrificed their own lives to serve, and been the hands and feet of Jesus,” Joel said.

Pakistanis suffering Pakistani Christians continue to suffer following the Easter 2016 bombings that claimed 70 lives and maimed and injured about 300 people. At a recent London conference on persecution, a Pakistani pastor broke down as he described the devastation in the Christian community after the attack. The bomber had packed ball bearings around the explosives to maximise injuries to families celebrating Easter near a play

area. People still have ball bearings imbedded in their bodies and the resulting infections are causing the death toll to rise. Release International is sending trauma counsellors to help traumatised victims of the bombing.

Russian laws In early July the Federation Council, the upper house of Russia’s parliament, approved new anti-terror bills that could make sharing the gospel in Russia illegal activity. “If the bill is signed and it stands as is without change, it looks like missionary activity would be off limits to anybody but

representatives of the registered organisations or groups, or individuals who have entered into formal agreements with such bodies,” Slavic Gospel Association’s Joel Griffith said. The new antiterror legislation cracks down on anything that is interpreted as a violation of public security and order – extremist actions, coercion into ruining families, and encroachments on the freedom of the person and the rights and freedoms of citizens.

Sudan trouble South Sudan became the world’s newest country in 2011

after seceding from the North.

Following a lengthy dispute over where a border should be, it was decided that Sudan’s predominantly Christian South Kordofan and Blue Nile states would remain in the mainly Sunni Muslim North. The Sudanese government has waged a bombing campaign against the southern region. Sudan’s Christians, who are concentrated in the southern regions of the country, are among the hundreds of thousands of people who have been displaced by the violence, and whose homes, crops, churches, schools and hospitals have been destroyed.

news 11 AUGUST 2016

Trainer opportunity in PNG

There are between 60,000 and 80,000 church members across Papua New Guinea.

Albert Kroenert, the first Baptist missionary in PNG recorded in his diary on 24 June 1949 after trekking for several days in the Western Highlands, “This is the place where I believe God wants us to begin.”

The first followers of Jesus were baptised in 1956. The church is alive with 123 being baptised at one service recently.

Global Interaction Consultant with the Baptist Union of Papua New Guinea, Geoff Cramb said equipping pastors in a way that is a good fit with the context, has been a constant challenge.

Fewer than 20 people have degree level training in Bible and theology. The Baptist Theological College in the Baiyer Valley, Western Highlands, attracts students

from many parts of Papua New Guinea and they are equipped in a certificate level course in Tok Pisin. From there, typically, they start village pastoring. But the College is not enough.

Baptist leaders and local associations’ church leaders recognise a need for English language training of pastors at diploma level. The training would be in a blended learning style.

The trainer would work under the leadership of the Director of the Division of Ministry within the Baptist Union of Papua New Guinea.

“They need to apply to become an accepted candidate with Global Interaction, have pastoral experience, especially in equipping others, hold a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (or higher) with experience in blended

Photo: Geoff Cramb

The Baptist Union of Papua New Guinea has invited Global Interaction to send a person to assist in establishing training in English and Tok Pisin (Melanesian Pidgin) at diploma level for national church workers.

A recent baptism service of more than 100 believers demonstrates the vitality of the churches of the Baptist Union of Papua New Guinea.

learning and competency-based training and an appropriate tertiary qualification,” Geoff said.

The appointee would live in Mount Hagen, Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea in a provided unit. The position would involve travel to various locations, especially the Baptist

Theological College located in the Baiyer Valley, just one hour’s drive away.

“Whoever the Lord calls to this role will find enthusiastic learners and a fulfilling function in equipping others in a context where followers of Jesus are exhibiting a revitalisation in

their faith expression in their community,” Geoff said.

“The appointee will need to learn Tok Pisin, build relationships and assimilate with local culture.”

For more information, visit globalinteraction.org.au

Crafty cap project helps Ethiopian nurses Western Australian based nurse Ann Mitchell, from York Hospital, returned to Ethiopia in early July with some special gifts.

Parky Craft group, a ministry of Parkerville Baptist Church where Ann is a member, sewed more than 100 operating theatre caps and masks for staff at Hawassa University Referral Hospital and

Bahir Dar Hospital.

Until now staff have been re-using disposable face masks day after day and using gauze for their caps. The new caps and masks can be washed regularly,

helping maintain high standards of hygiene.

Parky Craft Coordinator Joy Gregson said the ladies from the craft group were pleased to be able to help meet a specific need in Ethiopia.

Women at the group donated fabric and their time to create the brightly coloured cotton caps and masks for the Ethiopian doctors and nurses. The women

met for a Saturday workshop, first drafting patterns then completing the items.

Ann returned to Ethiopia with a team from Australian Doctors for Africa after a similar visit earlier in February 2016, to teach theatre skills and wound care to Ethiopian nurses at Hawassa University Referral Hospital, a teaching hospital connected with Awassa

University on the shores of Lake Awassa in the Great Rift Valley in Southern Ethiopia.

... helping maintain high standards of hygiene.

Exciting position available at Carey Baptist Church | Harrisdale

Full time Associate Pastor

Photo: Garry McGrechan

The Associate Pastor should be a spiritually mature, enthusiastic Christian leader who is experienced in developing pastoral care and discipleship systems and leading in spiritual formation.

Bethany McGrechan models a theatre cap as Parky Craft Coordinator Joy Gregson (middle) hands over the pile of new theatre caps and masks to Ann Mitchell who delivered them to Ethiopia.

For further information and key selection criteria please contact Church Administrator, Mel Gillis on 93949155 or email applications to mgillis@carey.asn.au

Applications close 5:00pm, Friday 26 August 2016

12 in conversation AUGUST 2016

As Indonesia’s first supermodel, surrounded by fame and glamour, Tracy Trinita found herself with an emptiness that could not be filled until she realised that Christianity had the answer to her deepest questions about life. The Advocate had the privilege of catching up with her before she shares her journey at a Perth City Bible Forum event, ‘When the fashion model met the Designer’, on 1 September.

How did you come to be a supermodel?

It was a unique journey from being nobody to being somebody.

I’m half Brazilian and half Indonesian. My mother had me when she was very young. So I was raised by my grandparents until I was seven. My grandmother was a professing Christian and my grandfather, Muslim. Then I moved back with my parents, and grew up in Bali, Indonesia.

I remember as a kid, I started to feel weird about the way I looked and my ethnicity, and I was especially annoyed by my name. I had a foreign name, so kids at school called me ‘Trasi’ (read: Trah-see,) which means smelly fish. I didn’t look like most of the other kids. I was neither fully Asian nor fully Western.

I struggled with these identity issues from such an early age.

When I was 14, my life took a 180 degree turn. My mother sent my photo to the top teen magazines in Indonesia, which hosted annual modelling competitions. One chose me as one of their finalists, and I became the winner. At first, I didn’t realise the impact of winning that competition – I instantly became famous.

People started calling me by my name, and asking me for photos and autographs.

The same year, my mother entered me into an international modelling competition in Jakarta, which I won. I then flew to Seoul, Korea, to represent Indonesia. I competed against 77 contestants from 65 countries and won US$50,000 and a two year contract with Elite Model Management in New York City.

Before that year, I had never felt so much acceptance and love. I had never felt happier.

There and then I committed myself to pursue this fame and fortune for I reasoned that’s where happiness would be found.

The label ‘Indonesian supermodel’ was given to me because never before had there been an Indonesian model who walked in Paris and New York Fashion Weeks, and worked for mega designers and big worldwide campaigns. It took a lot of sacrifice and hard work to get to that point.

How did you become a Christian and develop a faith in Christ?

I worked in various cities: Paris, New York, Milan, Sydney, etc. After working as a model for some time, I started to gain what I was looking for: fame and fortune, and I was hoping, as a result, happiness. But there was a strange feeling that started to steal the joy in my heart that I couldn’t explain at the time.

I expected that fortune and fame would bring the ultimate happiness, but I found myself discontented and lonely. Nothing in the glamour and name recognition and adoring fans could fill that void. I wondered if what was missing in my life was God. Growing up I was never taught anything about any faith in my family. I heard about it in school, or from my grandma, but I never personally believed in it.

So one night in my room in New York City, I cried out to any god who might be listening, to please reveal himself to me.

Not long after, I moved to Paris, where I met a fellow Indonesian friend. After a while, she invited me to come to church with her. I knew that my friend would never give up until I agreed, so I gave in.

As I entered the church, I realised that there was something different: the people were so simple, but glowing. No one wore glamourous clothes, no one wore much makeup, yet everyone’s face seemed to be glowing with happiness. I was intrigued.

That was the beginning of my curiosity about faith. I didn’t want to easily believe in the Christian faith. I needed to do my homework. I studied a few religions, and decided the one with the best answers would be the right one for me. I found that only Jesus offered words that touched both my mind and heart.

After considering many things about faith, I turned to Jesus as my Lord and Saviour.

Life has never been the same.

The Lord Jesus filled my heart and my mind, and finally my life was meaningful because of what the Lord did. I started to have fresh, new perspectives about life.

As a supermodel, how did your Christian faith impact your career?

When I became a believer, I was so excited about life like

never before. It was like God gave me a new vision and mission, and there was meaning and purpose in my existence. I wanted my life to be even more meaningful. I joined many organisations. I was the ambassador for the World Health Organisation in Indonesia for the anti-tobacco campaign; I joined an orphanage ministry, Yayasan Cinta Anak Bangsa (YCAB) [translates to ‘Loving the nation’s children foundation’] and church missions; and I shared about Jesus to my friends.

Then I returned to the modelling world in New York, but with a totally different mindset. I no longer felt I had to impress the world or gain fame and wealth. I just wanted to use my potential, and at the same time to make my Saviour known. Being a Christian gave me such a freedom to say ‘no’ to ungodly things, because the most important opinion about you is what God sees in you. Ultimately I wanted to please God through using everything He had given me.

What opportunities did you have to share your faith with people you met in the modelling industry?

First of all, the joy in my heart was just overflowing.

I think people could totally see that. Second, I invited my friends to come to church with me. Third, I just wanted to live

by God’s standard even though people might think of me as old-fashioned.

In the modelling world, people prefer action more than merely words. I hope I did show them what life in Christ really looks like.

Even now, I still want to reach out to the modelling and entertainment world. I want people to know the Lord Jesus: the mega designer of the universe who transforms lives and brings meaning to our existence. Praise be to God for the many open doors. I trust it is God who has given us the opportunities and we should all be faithful in following His guidance and direction.

You’ve had a career change since your modelling days, how did this come about and what are you working on now?

Ever since I became a believer, I have been excited about life. I want to try and enlarge my potential. I became a writer for a magazine, a music promotor inviting famous singers to perform, I acted in movies and soap operas, I opened a fashion boutique, and finally one thing changed my life: going back to school under a scholarship. I studied Theology and Apologetics at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics (OCCA) in the UK.

Photo: Elle Magazine

Fashion model meets Designer

Indonesia’s first supermodel, Tracy Trinita will be in Perth 1 September to speak about her life and Christian faith.

In my second year of theological school, I prayed to God about the direction of my life: “Lord, if you want me to be a full-timer, please send a pastor that would offer me a job to be a pastor in his or her church.” For me, that would be the final confirmation. God answered my prayer by sending an American pastor who lived in Jakarta to Oxford, he offered me a job, and so I accepted.

I worked as a pastor from 2009 to 2013 at the International English Service Church in Jakarta, Indonesia, and then in 2013 I joined Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) as an itinerant speaker.

I love my calling, sharing the good news of the gospel everywhere God sends me.

Was it more difficult being a supermodel or a Christian in Indonesia, given the country is a largely Muslim nation?

It is always difficult being a true Christian in the marketplace in any country, because your conviction and lifestyle will be against the flow.

I learned about religious tolerance at a young age, celebrating Muslim and Christian holidays with my grandparents, and still now respecting other beliefs and carefully expressing my thoughts with kindness.

I believe it is harder for those who convert to Christianity than those born into nominal Christian homes.

In ministry, I have to carefully speak from my heart, expressing myself in the truest and kindest way possible.

I’m glad I’m not the one who converts people – Jesus is. So my part is just to share the good news and Jesus is the one who calls His people back to Himself.

Salvation comes from Jesus Christ.

What is the biggest challenge in your Christian walk and what

have you learnt during your modelling career?

I’ve learnt to explain how and why I have made the choices in my life, especially to those in the entertainment industry. They sometimes look at me like I’m from another planet!

Also how to “love your neighbours as yourself.” In an industry that is so highly competitive, it is refreshing to be a friend and always to be kind and forgiving.

What is your definition of success?

I look at success as being faithful to the purpose of why you were created. It cannot be measured by money, power, or achievements, because those things are temporary. In short, success is to know God and to live to the fullest of our potential for His glory.

What else is in the wings for you this year and what are your aspirations for the future?

I’m looking forward to visiting various cities in Australia and sharing what the Lord Jesus has done in my life, and I trust He has an amazing future for everyone who puts their trust in Him. I’m extremely excited for missions in Java, Indonesia. God has put this in my heart for two years and I’m trying to open the door to reach out and prepare church leaders across the island of Java, but somehow the door has been constantly closed, for various reasons. I don’t give up easily, especially since I know God is with me and by His grace everything is possible.

I want to be part of God’s work in preparing generations to go deeper into Scripture and to bring transformation.

To book a ticket or more information, visit citybibleforum.org/city/perth

growth 13 AUGUST 2016

Role models on the run

John C Maxwell

Disappointed. Confused.

Hurt. That’s how we feel when a role model turns out to be unreliable.

When someone we admire fails us, the painful emotions trigger questions. Should we stop looking up to the leaders around us? After all, they routinely seem to let us down. Also, should we run away from being role models ourselves?

Should we warn others not to look up to us in case we mess up?

In 2007, American sprint star Marion Jones confessed to using performance-enhancing drugs while winning five medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

Perhaps no one took the news harder than current Olympian Allyson Felix, whose own passion for track and field had been inspired by Jones’ feats. She was devastated by Jones’ admission of guilt.

Having won a silver medal in 2004 along with a silver and gold in 2008, Allyson Felix ranks among the most celebrated

members of the USA’s 2012 Olympic team. Rather than shy away from the platform that comes with fame, Felix stepped confidently onto it.

She feels her position comes with the responsibility to be a positive example – a role she has embraced. As part of Project Believe, a program of the US Anti-Doping Agency, Felix submits to randomised blood and urine tests to prove that she is competing drug-free. Through her participation, Felix hopes to send a message to up-andcoming athletes that they don’t have to inject anything into their bodies to be able to perform at an elite level.

Felix also travels internationally as an Athlete Ambassador for Right to Play, a non-profit organisation seeking to empower disadvantaged children through the power of athletics. In that capacity, she has travelled to Lebanon and Palestine to inspire children to develop life skills and selfconfidence by playing sports.

Furthermore, Felix advises the government on opportunities to promote active, healthy lifestyles as a volunteer member of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition.

As much as she once looked up to Marion Jones, Allyson Felix’s Mum and Dad have always been her foremost role models.

“I admire them so much because they are real people yet they live such godly lives. They have countless responsibilities and hectic schedules, but they know what their life is all about, and they have a passion for sharing their faith and making a difference in our community.”

She credits the love and support of her parents as a major reason for her successes in life. She also caught an important lesson from them: leaders have awesome opportunities that come with tremendous responsibilities. In the words of her Dad, speaking of his leadership role in the Felix family, “It is a great calling to be fathers our children can pattern themselves after.”

Leadership is inseparable from influence. We cannot live in this world without touching the lives around us – and being affected by them in return.

We’re always going to influence and to be influenced. We always are role models, and we always have them. The biggest choices we will ever make, then, are how we will influence others through our roles in life and who will be the role models we allow to influence us.

Reprinted with permission from The John Maxwell Company. ©2016 www.johnmaxwell.com

Mapping out a life trajectory Lately I’ve been pondering the concept of ‘trajectory’ as a way of making sense of the shape that our lives take, especially the faith dimension.

You see no one just wakes up one day and discovers that they are fat. Obesity is a result of a series of many interconnected life choices that have leant in the direction of over-consuming. Neither does anyone wake up fit and in great shape. Again a series of many, many choices over many years will have contributed to this outcome.

So the idea of spiritual maturity takes form in a similar way. No one wakes up one day as a ‘spiritual giant’, nor do they suddenly find themselves spiritually empty. From the time we surrender our life to Christ we make choices that either move us in the direction of more substantial faith or we can head the other way and make choices that run at odds with our stated intention of becoming Christlike.

Most of us lumber around and have fits of passion followed by periods of indifference, or maybe even despair.

But our choices matter.

Small choices here and there that conflict with where we hope to head are like a donut in the middle of a strict diet. Not ideal, but not likely to make a significant difference to the final destination.

But if a person were ‘on a diet’ and eating a donut a day – while stating their intention was to get slim, then we’d view them with a bit of scepticism. It’s a repeated pattern of choices and it will have an outcome in due course.

I’m certain that where we are in faith today is the result of a series of choices we have made over a long period of time, and equally where we will be in 15 to 20 years’ time will be a result of the choices we are making now.

So perhaps the question we need to grapple with is ‘who do I want to be in 20 years’ time?’

Because if we don’t have any sense of our ‘life trajectory’ then chances

are we will unknowingly take the path of least resistance and finish up in a place we never intended to be.

Now that I’m nearly 52 I’ve seen this so often – some gradually move into spiritual maturity and health while others slowly drift into a life where faith has diminished to a vague memory.

So who do you want to be?

And what choices do you need to make to ensure you remain on a trajectory that allows you to become that person? It isn’t just going to happen.

Photo: Shutterstock.com

Andrew Hamilton

Photos: Jill Birt

Andrew Hamilton is the Pastor at Quinns Baptist Church.

14 news AUGUST 2016

Needtobreathe’s hard love

98five Music Director Chela Williams

Comprised of brothers Bear and Bo Rinehart, Seth Bolt and Josh Lovelace, the band then returned home to begin writing and recording the follow up to Rivers in the Wasteland with Hard Love to be released this year. Vocalist and keyboardist Josh said Brother is the band’s most personal song to date.

“The song is special because it’s about us and our relationships with each other,” Josh said.

“Being in a band with brothers has taught us that even when it’s hard, family is more important than any success or accolade that we could ever achieve.”

The song was also released as a remix featuring US pop artist Gavin DeGraw.

“It was fun to collaborate with a friend on something that means so much to us,” Josh explained.

Since touring Australia in 2015, the South Carolina rock group have been on the road throughout the US in between recording Hard Love.

“What we do on stage every night is probably the most important thing we do as a band,” Josh confesses.

“The fact that people come out to our shows to hear their favourite song or one of their favourite bands is super humbling to us.”

Touring also inspires the band to keep writing and creating music.

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“Without the live side of what we do, we wouldn’t be where we are today.”

“Touring dominated the inspiration for Hard Love and challenged the group to create in a new and fresh headspace.”

“We have always been a band that creates sounds in an organic way, breaking rules to get the sound we are chasing,” Josh said.

“On this record, we dove into new sonic territory and tried to push ourselves outside of what we would normally do when writing or recording music.”

“This is the most fun we’ve ever had making a record and I think you can hear that through all the tracks.”

Photo: Ryan Anderson

When Needtobreathe landed in Australia for their first ever national tour with Third Day in 2015, the band’s gold-certified single Brother was gaining phenomenal success all over the world. Riding the wave of the song’s success destined a stop in every Australian capital city, including Perth, performing to thousand strong crowds and winning new fans.

After extensive touring, Josh Lovelace, Bear Rinehart, Bo Rinehart and Seth Bolt of Needtobreathe are looking forward to releasing another album later this year.

For more information, visit www.98five.com/latest-music

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PUBLISHERS GENERAL DISCLAIMER All the articles, comments, advice and other material contained in this publication are by way of general comment or advice only and are not intended, nor do they purport to be the correct advice on any particular matter of subject referred to. No reader or any other person who obtains this publication should act on the basis of any matter, comment or advice contained in this publication without first considering and if necessary taking appropriate professional advice upon the applicability of any matter, advice or comment herein to their own particular circumstances. Accordingly, no responsibility is accepted or taken by the authors, editors or publishers of this publication for any loss or damage suffered by any party acting in reliance on any matter, comment or advice contained herein.

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intermission 15 AUGUST 2016

watch

A minute with ...

Risen Risen follows the story of a centurion in charge of keeping the peace in Jerusalem at the time of the death of Jesus. Worn out from the tiring role of keeping the Jewish rabble in line, he is then charged with the investigation of the disappearance of the dead Jesus. Already questioning his lifestyle and ambitiously looking to progress in the ranks to return to Rome and leave the current difficuties behind, he is now confronted with logic versus his instinct as an investigator while being pressured to close the case.

His enquiries uncover the unexplainable, unexpected and supernatural and leaves him with a bigger question – Is Jesus of Nazareth really the Jewish Messiah – the Son of their God – and what does this mean for him and his spiritual beliefs?

Photo: Jeff Jackson

Miracles from Heaven Get the tissue box out ready to see the true story of a brave young girl and her family in Miracles from Heaven. Anna is an energetic young girl who becomes ill but is misdiagnosed and her mother – knowing there is more – pursues doctors for an explanation. When finally the true cause comes to light there is still more bad news with a lengthy wait for the only doctor who is able to help. Along this journey Anna shares her faith with other children and families as they too deal with illness and the prospect of death. Through a bizzare accident Anna is miraculously cured and as they share their miracle they are met with disbelief by others in their church. This leads to the discovery of the many miracles that God was able to bring about as a result of Anna’s illness and her faith in Him during her long journey to health. Viewers can be inspired by the revelation of how God can use any and all circumstances to bring about good things in the lives of those we touch.

Cranbrook/Frankland River Baptist Church Pastor Jeff Jackson What led you to this role?

I had a desire to ensure people knew about God’s love through Jesus and the cross. As I pursued that aim through ‘uni’ ministry in Darwin and theological college in Perth, I concluded that pastoral ministry in a local church was the best means for me to achieve this aim. This eventually landed me in Cranbrook.

What is a feature of your church or ministry you’d like to share?

Their love and care for myself and my family. We experience the love of God through their love for us.

Did anyone put you through an intentional plan for leadership development?

What was the plan?

Two Uniting Church ministers did! The first began by telling me it was my turn to preach! The second had me watch what he did, discuss why he did it and what else he could have done. He then had me try it myself and gave me feedback, for almost three years.

What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time?

Find a mentor with a very different personality and style to yours. It is a gold mine.

This voucher entitles you to 15% off your next purchase in store at Mount Lawley The Advocate – August 2016

Reviews by Koorong Mount Lawley Assistant Manager Dorothy Waddingham

Website: www.koorong.com Address: 434 Lord Street, Mount Lawley Phone: 08 9427 9777

read Inspire: The Bible for creative journaling The Inspire Bible is a brand new style of Bible and one of the first of its kind in Australia.

Inspire is available in the popular New Living Translation in single-column format. With 5cm wide margins lined for note taking and 400 beautiful line-art illustrated Bible verses designed to be coloured as you sit, meditate and memorise the words of God, it is created for those who love both adult colouring and creative journaling. This imitation leather edition features a silky floral printed cover, with quality cream pages as well as blue patterned edges and a matching ribbon page marker. It is designed to inspire the God given creativity within a person as they flick through the pages.

However, there are other formats to choose from including a teal hardback that has an elastic to keep it closed when not in use.

16 news AUGUST 2016

Bright start to the 2016 season

Hundreds of excited junior players and around 500 parents and supporters gathered at Ashfield Reserve to kick-off the new season with a match and the traditional club march past. Western Australian Christian Football Association (WACFA) President Roger Edland welcomed everyone to the 2016 season and Football West Chairman Liam Twigger attended to bring greetings from the broader football family in WA and Australia, along with the Member for Southern River Peter Abetz.

WACFA Chaplain Philip Watson opened the season in prayer and all the players, parents, coaches and supporters were encouraged to play and participate in a manner that glorifies God. Eight year old Jacob Chapman from the Riverside Christian Football Club looked forward to the new season.

“I’m excited to start the new season playing with friends from school and getting out onto the field today,” he said.

The Western Australian Christian Football Association currently has 12 clubs who are part of the league with teams ranging from Lake Joondalup Baptist Church in the north to Armadale Christian Football Club in the south, with around 1,600 players in total involved in the 2016 season.

Originally the Evangelical Soccer Association of Western Australia, WACFA began in 2000 with a number of families wanting a soccer competition for their children that did not

conflict with their commitment to attend church.

They found that the vast majority of organised junior competitions in Perth were run on Sunday mornings.

Consequently, they saw a need to provide competitive soccer played on Saturdays and the organisation was born. From small beginnings, the competition grew to involve more than ten clubs and around a 1,000 players in its first decade. In 2010 the name changed to the Western Australian Christian Football Association.

Photo: Matt Chapman

Brilliant sunshine, clear skies and an enthusiastic crowd were all on hand for the start of the 2016 Western Australian Christian Football Association season.

2015 that “Never before have we had so many people engaged in our sport, whether through playing, watching or talking about the world game.”

“Football remains the most popular sport in Western Australia with more than 200,000 participants involved in one form or another. This is due in no small part to the incredible work our clubs and their respective committees and volunteers put in every week.”

Armadale Christian Football Club President and Gosnells Baptist Church Senior Pastor Tony Spencer commented that Gosnells Baptist Church and the Football Club see this sport as a wonderful way of reaching people in their community with the love of Christ.

For more information, visit www.wacfa.com.au

... all the players, parents, coaches and supporters were encouraged to play and participate in a manner that glorifies God.

Caleb Douglas takes a corner kick in a Western Australian Christian Football Association Under 10s game.

The vision of WACFA is to provide access to high quality organised football to every West Australian family in a manner that supports and encourages active participation in all aspects of Christian life and community.

Football West Chairman Liam Twigger commented in the Football West Annual Report

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