theadvocate.tv
DECEMBER 2016
“When we run to God with our complaints, He always listens, but He doesn’t always respond at the same deafening volume as the one we’re using.” SIMON ELLIOTT PAGE 12 >>
“Satan is always trying to mess with my identity in Christ by telling me lies.” DAVE KRAFT PAGE 13>>
4 Leaders get better Bill Hybels challenged 2016 Global Leadership Summit delegates. >>
8 Living on soup
Photo: Celine Grobler
A new group in the community is facing homelessness. >>
Allan Meyer challenges leaders at Lesmurdie Baptist Church regarding moral and spiritual integrity.
From good to valiant The male congregation of Lesmurdie Baptist Church are on a path towards becoming valiant men in their relationships. The Church recently hosted a series of events with Dr Allan Meyer from Careforce Lifekeys. Allan and his wife Helen established the Careforce programs to equip the local church to become a restoring community while they were pastors in rural Victoria. The premise behind the programs is to recognise that people who come to Jesus Christ need healing from the wounds they bring with them. Secondly,
helping the wider community find Christ is most likely to happen when the church meets people in their situation and helps them through their brokenness. It was the desire to address the brokenness around issues of sexual intimacy that led Lesmurdie to the Careforce Lifekeys Valiant Man program. At the end of the first season of the program, the men who had participated stood before the gathered church to invite other men to join them in the commitment to be valiant men. “It’s difficult to find the words to describe the impact of that moment for our church,” Pastor Karen Siggins said. “Suffice to say that when part of the church family stands up like that the whole church becomes a better, safer and more loving community.”
Simon Warwick and Gary Fitzgerald were participants in the first season and from there became champions of the program and instrumental in inviting Allan to Perth. During his time in Perth Allan spoke at a variety of events, including one on the topic of sexual intimacy at a young adult evening and at a forum for women on the fine art of understanding men. Other events included a men’s breakfast, a steak night for men who had completed the Valiant Man program and an evening with leaders from the church. Lesmurdie Baptist Church also partnered with 98five Sonshine FM to host a breakfast meeting with Allan for pastors and leaders from across Perth. What began as an opportunity to encourage the
men of Lesmurdie Baptist Church with a visit from Allan Meyer turned into something with a far broader reach. “At the end of the message Allan preached on the Sunday, I invited people to respond. Some acknowledged their own need for recovery from brokenness and others committed to taking their place of service so that our church can show the love of God in the broken places experienced by our wider community.” “In my time at Lesmurdie I have rarely seen so many people come forward. As a church, we have said we want to be valiant, we want to show great courage and determination in all aspects of our lives for the sake of the world Jesus loves so dearly,” Karen said.
11 Protection from porn The devastating impact on how young people view sexual relationships. >>
Generous hearts committed to building the Kingdom of God. BAPTIST CHURCHES WESTERN AUSTRALIA