moore matters Autumn 2018 moore.edu.au
The Donald Robinson Library’s Treasures page 11
50 Years On pages 4-5
From the Principal pages 2-3
8 ways to become more humble pages 14-15
The important task of raising up gospel workers page 23
2 From The Principal Moore Matters autumn 2018
Growing like Jesus Dr Mark Thompson
2017 WAS A YEAR FULL OF EXCITEMENT AT MOORE COLLEGE. WE OPENED A NEW BUILDING, BEGAN TEACHING A NEW STRAND WITHIN OUR ADVANCED DIPLOMA AIMED AT PROVIDING SPECIFIC HELP FOR THOSE INVOLVED IN MINISTRY BY WOMEN TO WOMEN, REDESIGNED OUR MINISTRY COURSES AND EXPANDED OUR COMMITMENT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF PREACHERS, AND SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF TIME CELEBRATING THE 500TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE REFORMATION.
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ou might have thought that after all that we might just want to catch our breath. Far from it! There are a lot of exciting things happening at Moore College in 2018. Let me share just three. Our new Learning and Teaching Centre at 1 King Street was a much needed piece of infrastructure, enabling us to appropriately house the Donald Robinson Library, expand our teaching space, locate our Faculty together in one space, provide proper facilities for our staff, and much more. The next great need of the College is the expansion and improvement of student accommodation. We do not have anywhere near enough accommodation to house all of our students and their families, and what we do have needs serious work. This is now a major priority for 2018 and beyond. The Governing Board is committed to major work on the But-Har-Gra site in Croydon Park to create a twenty-first century student village. Some property
realignment has already begun in order to make this possible. As the plans develop we will share them with you so that you can pray and participate in this exciting venture. Our dream is of a pleasant place for student and faculty families to live alongside each other, somewhere in which the Moore College signature commitment to learning in community can be lived out with enthusiasm. Please pray with us that from the start this might be a project which honours Christ and brings great benefit to his people. The second exciting thing this year is the implementation of our new plans for a fresh and intentional approach to the training of preachers. We work in partnership with Cornhill Sydney, where young men and women begin to learn how to expound the Scriptures publicly prior to coming to College, and our own Centre for Ministry Development which last year began holding the John Chapman Preaching Clinics and preaching conferences so that those in ministry can be refreshed and
strengthened in their preaching and teaching skills. In between is the new College preaching program, where students will preach and receive feedback in each of their four years and be involved each week in thinking about what makes a good sermon and what are the pitfalls to avoid. Preaching is not the only ministry of the word in a local congregation. Nevertheless, it is a central ministry of the word in the local congregation. Getting
gather men together to pray as well. We are planning to hold prayer breakfasts to bring together people from across the diocese to pray and to be informed on how they might continue to pray. In everything we do we are dependent upon God’s mercy and generosity. It is God himself who raises up the workers who are so desperately needed here and abroad. Prayer is not just an optional extra, it is the vital lifeblood of this ministry. We will be advertising the dates (Saturday mornings) for these prayer meetings shortly on our website, in Southern Cross, and through our social media channels. I am hoping we will be inundated with RSVPs— necessary just to make sure we have enough bacon, eggs and coffee! We will start by holding them at College and on the weekends, when there is a little more parking than there is during the week. The program will be simple and tight and the fellowship is bound to be a highlight. There are many other things happening, of course. We are developing our provision for students who struggle, whether because English is not their heart language or because of some kind of learning difficulty. We hope to appoint another faculty member to strengthen our roots in the
3 From the Principal Moore Matters autumn 2018
the content right, proclaiming with clarity the word that God has given us in the Bible, is critical. Too many preachers in the world preach their own ideas, or their theological framework, or anything but the text that is actually in front of them. We remain committed to biblical expository preaching. Yet understanding how to present that content in a digestible, engaging, persuasive and helpful way is just as important. Preaching is, after all, an exercise in communication. So at Moore College we want to work on both these elements and help shape preachers who will be a genuine blessing to the congregations they serve. We are involving some of the best preachers in Sydney in this new program in different ways. Watch this space. We think this is going to be very exciting. The third exciting development in 2018 is an attempt to galvanise many more of us in prayer for the College and its part in seeing the gospel of Christ advance in this city, across this nation, and around the world. For more than fifty years a group of faithful women has met five times a year to pray for the College, the students, the Faculty and the staff, for the raising up of labourers for the harvest, and for open doors for effective gospel ministry. This year we want to
Reformation in the wake of our wonderful year of Reformation celebrations. We are exploring ways of helping Christian teachers in our public and private schools. There is always more to do and the need is greater than ever. All of this is testimony to how your College continues to grow, to improve, and to sharpen its focus on the Saviour who died in our place and rose triumphant as the victor over our fiercest enemy. Moore College is, and always will be, an evangelical College, which means the gospel is central and evangelism (the proclamation of that gospel) is recognised as the most urgent need of every moment throughout the last days. Growing like Jesus must mean growing in your concern for the salvation of the lost, because that was most clearly a concern of his. So any attempt to push evangelism into the background or to dismiss it as the province of just a select few needs to be countered with the words and example of Jesus
For more than fifty years a group of faithful women has met five times a year to pray for the College… This year we want to gather men together to pray as well. and the teaching of the apostles. We pray that all that we do as a College will assist our students, and all who come into contact with us, to grow like Jesus in this critical way. We want to encourage you in this too. 2018 promises to be every bit as exciting as 2017. Our trust is firmly in our heavenly Father’s goodness, the powerful gospel concerning his Son, and the enabling of the Spirit. I hope that each of you will find a way to be part of this journey with us. Mark D Thompson Principal
4 News & Events Moore Matters autumn 2018
50 YEARS ON David Mulready
IN FEBRUARY 1968 THIRTY-THREE MEN AGED IN THEIR TWENTIES AND THIRTIES COMMENCED AT MOORE COLLEGE TO FURTHER PREPARE THEM FOR A LIFETIME OF SERVING THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, INCLUDING ONE STUDENT EACH FROM VIETNAM, TANZANIA, AND THE UK. FOUR MORE STUDENTS JOINED THE GROUP IN 1969. MOST WERE SINGLE. n February 6 2018, eighteen of that Class gathered to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of our commencement at College. Not yet with walking sticks but with less hair for some and a little more weight for others, we managed to recognise one another, now in our seventies and eighties. We missed our four brothers who’d gone to be with the Lord and others who couldn’t attend. We were thrilled that four of our surviving teaching staff joined us for the celebration: Bishops Paul Barnett and Tony Nichols and the Rev Drs Graeme Goldsworthy and John McIntosh. Our years at MTC were life-changing as we studied God’s Word and other associated subjects which helped prepare us to live under the Lordship of Christ as we served Him in a variety of ways and continue to do so. We are so thankful to the Lord for the privilege of sitting at the feet of these and other Godly lecturers whose lives reflect what they believe. During our Reunion we participated in a Service
of the Lord’s Supper in the Cash Chapel, conducted by Graeme Goldsworthy with Paul Barnett preaching on Romans 8. Paul stressed the reality of remaining sin and the importance of faith, love and Christian assurance for Pastors. He noted the invincible power of God and encouraged us all to take heart in God’s strength in our later years. We enjoyed a tour of the College with the Vice-Principal, and lunch with some of the current staff and students. We were overwhelmed by the welcome we received at the College and were treated like royalty! Much of our time was spent with former staff and students sharing the direction our lives had taken over the intervening years. It was fascinating to learn how our great God had used us with the active participation of our wives. Half of our year continued to serve in nonordained occupations. As one of those men commented: My calling/vocation has been as a Christian in the market place. Their ministry was different but no less important for the Kingdom than the other half of our year who were ordained: fifteen as Anglican Ministers, one as a Presbyterian and one as a Methodist. Those Ordained served in a variety of ministries, including Parish Ministry in eight Australian Dioceses, school chaplaincy, writing, and lecturing in Theological Colleges in Australia and overseas. Some have served with CMS, BCA, Crusaders, Anglicare, AFES, SU and other Christian organisations. Each of us, including our teaching staff, prepared brief written personal profiles which made fascinating reading.
THE MOORE THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE CLASS OF 1968 Back row: L to R: Lionel Bravery, Greg Olliffe, Arthur Hunt, Bill France, Ian Meares, Chris Balzer, David Longe, John Nolland
THE MOORE THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE CLASS OF 1969 Additions to 1968 cohort: Les Spratt (B2L), Allan Chapple (B3L), Nguyen Van Hai (M1L), Graham Simpson (F1L)
Middle row: L to R: Jerryl Lowe, Robert Farrell, David Mulready, Brian Findlayson, John Swan, Don Dalby, Peter Grundy, Ken Allen, Ken Foster
(Absent: George Atkinson, Ross Bensley, John Nolland)
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Front row: L to R: Geoff Lynn, Terry Barnett, David Eastway, Peter Oram, Robert Jones, Paul Meeth, Luxford Matumbo, Boak Jobbins, George Atkinson, Kevin Johnson (Absent: Graeme Butler, Brian Quinsey, John Scott)
MOORE ALUMNI
The College is interested to hear from Alumni who would like the College to host a reunion function on campus alumni@moore.edu.au
5 News & Events Moore Matters autumn 2018
Here are a few brief reflections from different people: The highlights of my life tend to be the low lights in which God has proved Himself faithful. We are awestruck by the breadth and nature of God’s many blessings to us. Overall, I have much to regret but also much still to do and much to be thankful for. I love teaching people the Word of God and I enjoy seeing people grow in faith. It becomes obvious with every passing year that there is nothing as good as being loved by our great God and Saviour. It’s been a wonderful journey, stuff-ups and all, thankfully grace is all.
Parish ministry was at times stressful and I came undone more than once. It was recalled that the then Principal, Dr. Broughton Knox, observed: your year is the happiest year to go through the College in my time. While all of those present had been strengthened by the Lord to persevere in the faith as we served Him, most had experienced times of illness or stress, bereavement or other loss. The sovereign purposes and faithfulness of God were clearly evident in our stories. Fifty years on, we are still eager to live for Christ and make Him known, and thankful to God for the privilege of spending more than a thousand years in ministry over the last fifty years!
6 Moore Foundation Moore Matters autumn 2018
Multiple pathways, varied backgrounds, one goal Trevor Cairney
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ne of many things that impresses me about Moore College students is that as well as their diversity, there is a common commitment to gospelfocussed ministry. It is hard to offer a full picture of the tapestry of students at Moore. But hopefully, these three vignettes provide some sense of their shared commitment amidst the diversity. It might also show why I’m keen to grow our scholarship program to support many more men and women like them. Jesse Morrison entered the Bachelor of Divinity this semester. He grew up in Western Sydney. After high school, he spent a year living and working at an international missionary school in India (Hebron). Here God challenged him to consider, “…how to use my life for him”. He returned to Australia and completed a Bachelor of Arts Education at UNSW. He lived and served at New College and New College Village and participated in CBS activities on campus. In his words, “this time
was an invaluable opportunity to mature, grow and serve as a Christian”. For the last three years he has been living in the UK with his wife Amy (who he met at Hebron). Amy is from Kent and they have two young boys, Solomon and Elijah. In Kent they were attending All Saints, Loose—“a faithful fellowship of believers who were (and still are) a great support”. A constant for Jesse has been many faithful Christians consistently reminding him of the gospel message. One was at a Crusader camp in Year 6, where the preacher articulated the gospel message at his level. He responded to Jesus’ call upon his life. Since then, his commitment to Christ has been fostered through youth leaders, Christian groups at University and faithful friends and family consistently pointing him to God’s Word.
Jesse and Amy Morrison
It’s early days at Moore, but a highlight for him has been chapel. “It’s great for faculty and students alike, to sit under God’s word together, singing and praying”. He is also “currently being stretched by Greek and Hebrew”, but “older peers keep telling him that the reward for studying it is well worth it”. Jesse and Amy hope to serve God using the gifts he has given them. As they come from different ends of the world, they believe they “… have a great excuse to do this just about anywhere”. They are currently serving at St George North, where Jesse coordinates a mid-week Gospel team, preaches and leads on Sundays. Daniel McKinlay grew up in Scotland. From a young age his future was mapped out—“the only thing I wanted to be was successful”. He sums up his childhood and teenage years in one word “competitive”. He began building a business career until he first heard the gospel and realized that “… life wasn’t about winning”. He learnt that he couldn’t do anything to earn favour with God. In his words, “I had a long way to go to
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realise that the Christian life is one of humility, service and dying to self”. He announced to his parents, that he was going to leave his job and train for gospel ministry; which “was not what they wanted to hear”, but they let him move back in during some initial training in Scotland. In 2015 he married Kirsten, and shortly thereafter they were on a plane to Sydney to study at Moore. Back at university again, rather than “… building a career, a family and a retirement fund”. He reflects on the contrast: “This (is) the often confusing, unexpectedly humorous and beautiful way that our God works? Moore College could not be further from my university experience in Scotland. There it was competition; here there is fellowship. Where there had been stepping on one another to get ahead; here there is service and humility. No community is perfect, not even a Christian one. But the education we’ve had at Moore has been far more than we expected— character formation, learning to bear with one another, seeing God’s work in others as they give up comfort and security to serve him.” Some of their friends were concerned that College would take their training out of the local church, but they found that this has been “… very different to those fears. Faculty are all experienced in pastoral ministry, and we are attached to local congregations.” They have also
Edwina Whiteside
noticed the diverse pathways after College, including overseas mission, “… farewelling someone in their first year who headed to Vanuatu; and this year people going to New Caledonia, Europe, and South East Asia”. Daniel and Kirsten are considering “… heading towards local parish ministry, initially within the Sydney Diocese” with Kirsten continuing work she commenced at Matthias Media after her graduation in 2015. They want to see Christians grow in their support of gospel ministry with “… their time, abilities and finances”. They are grateful to a generous patron who enabled them to study abroad at Moore. Edwina Whiteside was born in Abu Dhabi (UAE) and moved to Sydney just in time to begin high school at Pymble Ladies’ College. She attended St Martin’s Anglican Church, Killara, and became a Christian in year 10. “I finally understood that I wasn’t as good as I thought… I was one of those sinners that the Bible talks about! Jesus died for me! I was elated!” She became part of youth group—often just her and “the assistant minister’s children, and a handful of his son’s friends”—and had the chance to teach in Sunday School. Following school, she went to UNSW to study Environmental Engineering, and later Geology. This was a transformative time for her. She lived at New College, found many other Christians and joined a reading group that kept each other
accountable. She also joined Campus Bible Study (CBS), where evangelism was brought onto her “radar” through programs like ‘2Ways2 live’. She attended St John’s Maroubra and taught children’s church for 3 years, where she saw the importance of teaching kids the bible, and doing it well. After four years of university, Edwina started work as a geologist, and stayed near university for two years, went back to St Martin’s and began to consider College. Encouraged by her church, she decided to go. This was to be a “wonderful experience … living in Carillon House helped me to forge even closer relationships with other women… supporting, praying and having a lot of fun together too!” Studying the Bible helped her to see “... the simplicity (and yet depth) of the gospel, as well as its richness and beauty”. She became a student minister in 3rd year at Christ Church Gladesville, to see a well-established kids’ church in action. This taught her how a programme can be run well, and how to raise up and train leaders. “Seeing so many people giving their time at Gladesville, and loving the kids and families, has been a great joy.” Where will Edwina go from here? “To serve the Lord! I hope to find a church, that needs help with kid’s ministry, and to find a paid role to support myself... Now that I’m better equipped, I hope to continue in children’s ministry, and take on greater responsibilities.” I hope these short stories demonstrate that Moore continues to attract gifted and committed men and women for ministry. Would you partner with us as we teach and prepare even more of them? Please pray and consider how you might support our scholarship program. We seek men and women with the same desire to be equipped and then go, in order to teach and share the Word of God to the very ends of the earth. I would love to talk to you if you have any questions (02 9577 9900).
Moore Foundation Moore Matters autumn 2018
Daniel and Kirsten McKinlay
8 News & Events Moore Matters autumn 2018
One year on: the building. Thank you! Mark Fairfull
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fter years in the making and the generosity of donors who gave to it, Moore College’s new Learning and Teaching building at 1 King Street opened at the beginning of 2017. One year on from the building being fully operational—what exceptional facilities and amenities it has provided as important means to a gospel training end.
Teaching Spaces Among its many facilities are 100 collaborative study areas, the Marcus Loane Hall which has the capacity to bring together the entire undergraduate student body in one space, and the expanded College library—the largest theological library in the Southern Hemisphere. Principal, Mark Thompson, says, “The new building has already made a significant difference to our community life. It is a pleasant place to meet, study, learn and work. It brings people from all over our campus together and generates new possibilities in collaborative work. The new library facilities have taken us into a new era with plenty of comfortable reading spaces allowing many more books, journals and rare items on site. The Marcus Loane Hall, our new assembly hall, is a wonderful space to hold chapel and public lectures. We are very thankful to God for this marvellous provision and to God’s people whose generosity made it possible.”
Library Vice Principal and Academic Dean, Colin Bale, commented, “The new Library is a wonderful space for reading, studying, research and writing. It is fitting that the biggest theological library in the Southern Hemisphere is now housed in an appropriate spacious facility. Representatives from the TEQSA, the Commonwealth Higher
Education Regulator, toured the Library and were very impressed that a college of our size should have such an impressive, modern facility. It is a welcome addition for students, faculty and the wider community.”
Students benefit What have students most liked about the new building? Dan McKinlay, a fourth-year Bachelor of Divinity student from Edinburgh, Scotland, who also runs student orientation groups on campus, said that he and his peers appreciate being able to do their group study in one space, close to the library, rather than being scattered all over the local area. “In Newtown, space is very much at a premium, and not only is the building really big—one of the main focuses is an increase in collaborative workspaces and because of the nature of the learning here, that’s been a really positive change,” he says. “Whereas in the past we’ve had to go into many coffee shops in Newtown to study together, we’re now all able to be in the one place with the library to hand. So, if we suddenly run into something during a discussion, one of us can now just go downstairs and pop into the library to follow it up—we don’t have to wait until later to arrange it.” Dean of Students and lecturer, Paul Grimmond, says, “The new building has brought new kinds of teaching spaces that allow us to get students working together in class and out of class in new ways. It’s such an incredible gift of God through His people to have the flexibility of these spaces and the collaboration that they bring right in the centre of Newtown.” The College would like to thank its generous donors who made this development possible and have blessed the gospel training work that takes place inside the new building. We say: Thank You!
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he 2018 Priscilla and Aquila Centre conference was held on Monday 5 February at the College. The annual conference has a two-fold aim: firstly, to encourage the ministries of women, and secondly, to think more seriously and creatively about how men and women can better serve together in gospel ministry. Although they are aimed primarily at men and women in vocational ministry, these conferences are also open to lay men and women, and many lay people attend each year. This year, just over 230 men and women registered to hear talks, encourage one another and enjoy Christian fellowship. The main talks in the morning were given by Moore College faculty member Peter Tong. Peter’s two talks were from Luke, and were entitled “Servants of God: The role of women in Luke’s story of Jesus”. He asked key questions, such as “Does Luke present the role of women in his story of Jesus positively or negatively?” and “Luke records more episodes featuring women than any other Gospel writer, but does he portray their role in a positive light? For example, beyond Luke 2, women hardly speak, and those who do are corrected by Jesus. Although women are privileged to be the first resurrection witnesses, their testimony is dismissed as uncredible.” Peter conducted a study of the roles women play at some of the key points in Luke’s story—including the birth narrative, and Jesus’ passion and resurrection. In his talks, Peter showed how Luke weaves his presentation of women among other major themes in the Gospel, such as discipleship and Jesus’ treatment of the lowly. Conference attendees were able to weigh the evidence and decide how Luke portrays women, and through this, gain a deeper grasp of God’s purposes for men and women in his kingdom. Apart from the main talks, in the afternoon, there
were seven practical electives for delegates to choose from, which were well attended and much appreciated, judging from the feedback received by conference organisers. These electives were: “Encouraging women in a variety of ministries” (Cathey Clarke, Ben Gray, Nathan Walter and Emma Thornett); “Falling in love with this world” (Peter Jensen); “Divorce and remarriage” (Mark Thompson); “Co-leading mixed Bible study groups” (Phil and Jill Wheeler and Libby
Conference attendees were able to weigh the evidence and decide how Luke portrays women, and through this, gain a deeper grasp of God’s purposes for men and women in his kingdom. Janssen); “Men and women in the image of God” (Andrew Leslie); “Resilience: The new buzzword or a critical issue in our ministry’s age?” (Kara Hartley and Kirsty Bucknell); and “Singleness in life and ministry: A personal testimony” (Jane Tooher). Audio and video from the conference will be progressively added to the P&A Centre Resources page and the 2018 conference page over the next couple of months. Why not bookmark paa.moore.edu.au/ resource-center/ and paa.moore.edu.au/conference/ past-conferences/? The 2019 P&A annual conference has been scheduled for Monday February 4, 2019. The main speaker will be Graham Beynon, Senior Pastor at Grace Church Cambridge (member of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches UK [FIEC] and the Acts 29 church planting network) and Oak Hill College faculty member. Mark this date in your diary now.
news & events Moore Matters autumn 2018
A wonderful start to the ministry year at the Priscilla & Aquila conference
10 News & Events Moore Matters autumn 2018
College’s latest Graduates sent out at Graduation 2018
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ne of the most exciting activities of the year took place on March 12, in the City Recital Hall in Angel Place. The Moore College Graduation is a wonderful evening that celebrates the successful completion of studies and the commencement of ministries right around the world. Graduates and their families came together, along with current students of the College, staff, Faculty and members of the Governing Board, to rejoice in the chief work of the College, which is the preparation of men and women for gospel ministry in a diverse range of contexts. There was, as always, a festive atmosphere, filled with rich thanksgiving to God. Around 600 people gathered, as 106 graduates received their awards. Through interviews and videos, and the announcement of ministry destinations for each graduate, the depth and breadth of the work of the College was made clear to all. This year graduates left us to serve the gospel of Christ in England, New Zealand, Taiwan and New Caledonia, as well as rural Australia and across the city of Sydney. One of the highlights of the evening was the Graduation Address by former Principal and former Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Peter Jensen. In his address, Dr Jensen
reminded all present that “the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only hope for this world and the next, and the privilege of sharing this message is to be our life-time passion”. Another highlight was a series of short videos gathered around the theme of ‘Jesus, the main thing’ with a selection from past Graduations. You can watch these videos at vimeo.com/moorecollege. Dr Mark Thompson, the College Principal, spoke of why Graduation is such a special occasion in the College year. “We not only get to congratulate those who have studied with us, but we get to delight at what the Lord is doing with them now that they’ve left us’, he said. ‘It is thrilling to see our graduates going out into all the world with the life-giving message of the gospel. I can’t wait till next year.” We welcome your prayers for our latest graduating students as they venture out into all the world with the saving word of the gospel. Please join us in praying that their training at Moore College will have equipped these men and women to serve our Lord faithfully and proclaim His name fearlessly all their days. A full list of all graduating students can be found in the Graduation Program, which you can download at moore.edu.au/grad18.
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Erin Mollenhauer, Archivist and Special Collections Librarian he beginnings of the Donald Robinson Library at Moore College are interwoven with the beginnings of the colony of New South Wales. Reverend Samuel Marsden (the second colonial chaplain, after Richard Johnson) was eager to enrich the education of every inhabitant of the fledgling colony. While in England in 1809 he advertised for donations to help found a ‘Lending Library for the general benefit of the inhabitants of New South Wales’. He returned to Australia with a number of donations to the ‘Port Jackson Lending Library’, the very first public library in the colony. Thirty years later, the first and only Bishop of Australia, William Grant Broughton (1788‑1853), was keen to improve the colonial clergy’s access to the printed word, and solicited even more donations from students and lecturers at Oxford University, including John Henry Newman. Many of the works donated to that library are now held in the Donald Robinson Library. Our rare book collection has expanded widely over the years, and we now hold over 7,000 items, including a discrete rare Australiana collection. They are housed in a climate-controlled room in the College’s new building, alongside the Samuel Marsden Archives, which contains College and collected archives relating to Australian evangelical church history. Themed exhibitions of rare books and archival material are displayed in the library’s display cases. Highlights of the special collections include: • Exposition of the Creed by John Pearson, Bishop of Chester (1676), which was donated to the Port Jackson Lending Library. • Bibliotheca Sancta, by Sixtus of Siena: a quarto from the 16th century which has, as part of its binding, one page from a 14th century manuscript of Gregory the Great’s Epistles. • Some papers of Thomas Moore, the benefactor of Moore College who was a pastoralist and magistrate, a collection of whose business documents illustrates life in early colonial Sydney. • The Last Will and Testament of Henry Waterhouse, colonial landowner, brother-in-law of George Bass
PORT JACKSON B O O K P L AT E
EXPOSITION OF THE CREED
and friend of Matthew Flinders. • Letters from Bishop W AT E R H O U S E LETTER Broughton to the Rev. Edward Coleridge (nephew of the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge), a master at Eton College in England, who was a friend and firm supporter of Bishop Broughton in Australia. • An early Maori New Testament, printed in 1837. • The Croft Collection of Books of Common Prayer, containing one prayer book published during the reign of each English monarch since Edward VI. There are also two ‘finger’ prayer books, which are the smallest books in the whole library! • The manuscript of William Macquarie Cowper’s address to the first three students to commence their studies at Moore College in 1856. • Recent acquisitions include the papers of Lance Shilton (former Dean of Sydney), Archbishop Donald Robinson and Canon Stuart Barton Babbage. We are blessed to have such a wonderful new building to house our treasures, but many items still require specialist conservation treatment. In particular, the archives contain audio-visual material in obsolete formats, in urgent need of digitization. To donate and for more information, go to treasures.moore.edu.au
News & Events Moore Matters autumn 2018
1549 BOOK OF COMMON P R AY E R
12 News & Events Moore Matters autumn 2018
Os Guinness to speak at the Centre for Christian Living
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rom hell to the Holy Spirit, from guilt and shame to Christian freedom. That’s the range of topics we’re covering this year at our Centre for Christian Living (CCL) public lectures. At each event, the goal is the same: to show how God’s truth revealed in Scripture provides a framework to guide us in every aspect of our daily Christian lives. Or in the words of our tagline: to bring biblical ethics to everyday issues. At our first event for the year (on March 7), Dan Wu from the Moore College Old Testament department spoke on ‘Dealing with Guilt and Shame’. Dan drew on his extensive research into the concepts of ‘guilt’ and ‘shame’ in the disciplines of psychology and anthropology, before showing how the Bible’s teaching on the subject helps us rightly understand and deal with these very common human emotions—in fact, even to see ‘guilt’ and ‘shame’ as positive experiences, in the right context. It was a masterful presentation. If you missed it, head over to the CCL website and download audio, video and text versions of Dan’s talk— that’s ccl.moore.edu.au. At our next CCL event, on
May 30, we’re privileged to have international speaker and author Os Guinness as our guest. I remember reading Os Guinness’s very helpful book on Doubt back in the 1980s. Since then he has written more than 30 books, including The Global Public Square: Religious Freedom and the Making of a World Safe for Diversity, and most recently, Fool’s Talk: The Recovery of Christian Persuasion. His speaking and writing has revealed Os to be a very astute observer of the current state of Western culture, and of the challenges and opportunities that Christians face as we seek to live faithfully for Christ in our complex and often hostile world. His topic at our May 30 event is freedom—in particular how competing visions of ‘freedom’ are at play in our society, and how important it is for Christians to understand, live out and share the freedom we have in Christ. His talk is entitled: The greatest enemy of freedom is freedom: Christian freedom and the illusions of contemporary freedom. For more information and tickets for the May 30 event with Os Guinness, go to ccl.moore.edu.au. While you’re there, you can
CHRISTIAN FREEDOM AND THE ILLUSIONS OF CONTEMPORARY FREEDOM
SPEAKER OS GUINNESS
also find details of our other two events later in the year: with Phillip Jensen speaking on Spiritinspired Christian living, and Paul Williamson addressing the topic of A Hell of a Difference: Christians and the afterlife.
You’ll also find information on the website about our regular podcast, imaginatively called ‘The Centre for Christian Living Podcast’. Each episode features an interview with a Christian leader (nearly all of them Moore College Faculty or graduates!), and focuses on some particular aspect of living as a Christian. The episodes aren’t too long (25-30 minutes) and are an excellent way to keep thinking about the Christian life while you’re on the go.
THE GREATEST ENEMY OF FREEDOM IS FREEDOM
30 MAY 7.30PM
MOORE COLLEGE 1 KING ST, NEWTOWN
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ach year, Moore College sends teams of students and faculty out from College to partner with local churches to run missions that proclaim Jesus and help further train and equip our students to do this in the field with our partner churches. College Mission is an integrative learning experience at the heart of our students’ preparation for ministry at Moore. “We are committed to seeing theory and practice—theology and ministry—going hand in hand,” said Moore College’s Head of Mission Simon Gillham. “Normally our mission locations range from local areas to remote Australian towns, and further around the globe, our teams always work hard with their local partners at spreading the word of God to all corners of the world,” he concluded. This year, our students and faculty joined in the culminating week of a Region-wide, month-long mission in Wollongong. The theme of the month was, “Jesus Is _”. They were engaged in walk up, doorknocking, as well as evangelism in schools, nursing homes, church members’ homes and in churches. All of this was to generate as many conversations as we could about the person and work of the Lord Jesus, and to call for repentance and faith in response. This was a different kind of mission experience to anything the College has done in our recent past, and intentionally very different from last year or next year. There are certain dynamics at work in a concentrated and cooperative evangelistic mission like this, and we were excited to see God at work amongst and through our mission teams at Moore Missions 2018, as we
partnered with the Diocese’s Wollongong Region and its local churches. Bishop Peter Hayward pictured during Bishop of his visit to College to speak to the whole student body about the Diocesan Wollongong regional mission. Region, Peter Hayward, welcomed this development. “The churches, with Anglican schools and agencies, of the Wollongong Region were all looking forward to partnering with Moore College during the 2018 mission week. Over the last 18 months there has been planning, prayer and training in anticipation of the gospel opportunities that occurred during the month of March.” “We had organised a Wollongong Region Mission and we were excited that we could partner with Moore College during the week of 18-25 March. The Moore College teams enabled and enhanced aspects of the overall gospel activities that occurred during that week. The churches of the Region have been praying that many will be converted and brought into ongoing discipleship in our churches and that there would be thousands of new connections to our churches.” Please be praying for the people who have heard the gospel during the Wollongong Region Mission that they will put their trust in Jesus. Find out more about what happened during the Region Mission at regionalmission2018.com.au. And read the mission blog posts written by our students: mission.moore.edu.au.
moore missions Moore Matters Autumn 2018
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14 Faculty thinking Moore Matters Autumn 2018
8 ways to become more humble Jane Tooher
AT EVERY STAGE OF OUR CHRISTIAN DEVELOPMENT, AND IN EVERY SPHERE OF OUR CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP, PRIDE IS OUR GREATEST ENEMY AND HUMILITY OUR GREATEST FRIEND.1
1. Thank God often and always Thankfulness stops pride growing. We can thank people for things they do and who they are, and that’s important and encouraging for them. But we should also be thanking God for that person, for the way he has worked in them. Thankfulness is a sign of a believer. “Ingratitude…[is] one of the distinguishing marks of non-believers.”2 If you’re struggling with feeling thankful to God at this time, try to think of just one thing each day to be thankful for. It might be that you have enough food, or the weather, or something that happened at Bible study. Thank God for one thing after someone has visited you, or you have visited them. Thank God for one thing in your friend or your child, or in your spouse, your church or your local community. In the constant act of thanksgiving, our relationship with God is nurtured. Through thanksgiving, gracious acts are remembered and the life of a person is thereby changed.3 God-centred thankfulness helps us grow in humility, as it stops pride growing.
2. Confess your sins regularly Confession is a reality check, as it reminds us who we are. Christian confession need not be overwhelming because the cross was sufficient for all our sins and we have been completely forgiven. It is at the cross that we understand most clearly that we are sinners, but it is also at the cross that we understand most clearly that we are deeply loved. When we confess, we gain a deeper appreciation of grace and what we have been saved from. God’s forgiveness gives us peace and security, and therefore the freedom to grow in humility.
humble.”4 Humiliations can help us become more like Jesus, who was terribly humiliated. I’m not talking here of accepting domestic abuse. Not at all. I mean when we fail at something, or when we get demoted at work. Be ready to accept humiliations, as we can learn a lot when we’re at the bottom of the pecking order—which takes many of us out of our comfort zones.
4. Don’t worry about status Don’t try to connect with people to elevate yourself. Is knowing that person or having that job going to make me look good? Having that house? That spouse? Don’t try to elevate yourself; rather, try to elevate others. Serve others. When people are speaking at our funeral, what do we want them to say about us? About our values? Will they testify that humility characterized our life? Will they say, “She had humility, she had what mattered”?5 People who are humble inspire trust and confidence from those around them and therefore humility is key for leadership.6 Pride is anti-social behaviour, whereas humility is best for others and best for us— it’s who we were created and redeemed to be.
5. Have a sense of humour I think this one is really key, and not often talked about. Laugh at yourself and others. You have to be serious about some things, but don’t take yourself too seriously. When we’re able to laugh at ourselves, we more quickly swallow our pride. It defuses situations. It means we’re not trying to keep up a façade that we’re this person who has it all together. It means we can more quickly admit we’re wrong. It means we’re more real. It means we’re more in tune with grace. It means we’re more aware that other people will have similar struggles to us in the Christian walk. Being able to laugh at ourselves is really important. It can help prevent burnout. It helps us keep going in life and ministry.
6. Listen to others
“They can hurt terribly, but they help you to be
Listening to others shows we’re willing to learn from them, that we want to learn from them—whether they’re adults or children, whatever the person’s
1 John Stott, ‘Pride, Humility, and God’ in Alive to God, eds. J.I. Packer & Loren Wilkinson, InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, 1992, p. 119. 2 David Pao, Thanksgiving, Apollos, Leicester, 2002, p. 21. 3 Ibid., p. 37.
4 Michael Ramsey, The Christian Priest Today, Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, London, 1972, p. 80. 5 C.J. Mahaney, Humility, Multnomah, Colorado Springs, 2005, p. 24. 6 Ibid., pp. 17-19.
3. Be ready to accept humiliations
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7. Ask questions This is closely related to the point above about listening to others. When we ask questions with a right attitude and manner, it shows we recognize that we don’t have all the answers, that maybe our preconceived ideas about something were in fact wrong. It can also show that we recognize the person’s authority over us (if that is the case) and we are submitting to them. It can show that we assume trust in them. There are many varied and different situations in life when it would be good for us to ask questions, aren’t there? If you’re not in the habit of asking questions, it might be embarrassing at first, but it becomes easier. For example, when you’re chatting with someone and they use a word you don’t know, ask them the definition. If you don’t understand other things they’re saying, ask them to clarify. It’s often our pride that stops us asking questions of clarification. Ask questions of someone also because you assume they’re interesting to get to know. They have something worthwhile to say, whatever their age or background. They have something you can learn from, whether they are Christian or not. Ask questions of someone because they are created by God and you recognise their worth in God’s eyes, and love them accordingly.
There are many situations where we can ask questions of others that help us grow in humility, but one of the greatest ways is to ask God questions in prayer and when we read his word the Bible.
8. Consider others before yourself “Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.”1 Humility is not thinking that others are more godly or kind than you, more intelligent or nicer, better at cooking or cricket than you. They may be, they may not be. Humility is when you consider other people’s interests before your own, thinking about what is best for the other person and acting on that. We’re being humble when we think of others before ourselves. You may have a greater status than someone. You may have authority over someone. You shouldn’t pretend you don’t have authority over them, but should think of what will benefit the people under you. What do they need? What is best for them? It doesn’t mean you don’t look after yourself. When we don’t look after ourselves we soon can’t help anyone else. John Stott was by many accounts a humble man, and so it’s no surprise this was said of him after he passed away: “When I was nineteen I attended a day conference in Newcastle at which John Stott was the speaker. When we arrived, the friend with whom I’d come went off to the toilet and I was left alone, feeling out of place. An older man came over and began talking to me, asking me about myself. After a few moments my friend returned and the man introduced himself, “Hello, I’m John Stott.” My jaw nearly hit the floor. I’d been speaking to the great John Stott without realizing it. That moment made a big impression on me. John—who was the only speaker that day—had seen an awkward looking teenager on his own and taken it upon himself to make him feel welcome. I met him a few times subsequently and he always remembered my name. The private John Stott was just as impressive as the public persona: gracious, humble, without affectation. I’m sure it was this humility that meant God could entrust him with the influence and success he received. It is hard to underestimate the impact he has had across the world.”2 Note: This was originally published in 2013 on Moore’s ThinkTank Faculty Blog, the official Blog of Moore College’s Faculty. It has been edited and republished here for your encouragement. It is the most read post on our blog so we wanted to make it available to a wider readership.
his? t e k i l u o y Did t check out st
Faculty thinking Moore Matters Autumn 2018
background, Christian or not. The people who made the biggest impact on me when I was a child, outside my immediate family, were an uncle and aunt. Each school holidays we used to go visit them on their farm. There were six kids in my family and ten in theirs, so there was potential for much chaos! I was a very shy child but I always loved going to their home as I felt loved and welcomed. The reason they made me feel like that was they made a point of asking me questions and they listened to me, and that made a lasting impression on me. When we feel listened to, we feel loved. And when we listen to others, it’s a sign of us loving them and an acknowledgement that we can learn from them. And it’s also recognition that God in his sovereignty and goodness has put this person in my life. It’s fascinating observing different talk show hosts. Some ask a question and just let the person talk. Others cut them off quickly, and kind of turn the question to being all about them. Despite having people on their show to interview, some don’t really listen. They seem to think they already have the answers. They don’t really seem to want to learn from the people they are interviewing. The best people at interviewing are those who listen. They let the person keep talking. When I was chatting to my sister about this she said, “Yes, and the ones who listen are actually the ones you want to talk to. They are the more interesting people!” Which is largely due to the fact that they are not so self-absorbed. When we listen to people it’s a sign of love, and of wisdom, and shows that we’re teachable. It’s a way we can become more humble.
Why knToank where at lyea Thin hly, new ministr mont mission thinking our and les appear from artic lty members. facu u.au/thinktank/ moore.ed
1 Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 2012, p. 190. 2 Tim Chester, ‘The first time I met John Stott’, 28 July 2011 https://timchester.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/the-first-time-i-metjohn-stott/ (accessed 16/11/2017)
16 College Features Moore Matters autumn 2018
No place like the university: the Inter-Varsity Fellowship in Australia Erin Mollenhauer, Archivist and Special Collections Librarian “THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE THE UNIVERSITY FOR THE SHARPENING AND EXPANSION OF CHRISTIAN FAITH” – CHARLES TROUTMAN, IVF GENERAL SECRETARY.
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he Inter Varsity Fellowship in Australia, now known as the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students (AFES), has its roots in Cambridge. The story of evangelical activism amongst university students can even be traced back to the influential preacher Charles Simeon.1 The Cambridge InterCollegiate Christian Union was formed in 1877, and in 1911-12 its president was Howard Mowll, later to become Archbishop of Sydney and a great supporter of student evangelism.2 Mowll was also the first president of IVF in Australia. The CICCU and several other groups banded together to form the British Inter Varsity Fellowship of Evangelical Unions in 1928. Two years later, the vicechairman Howard Guinness (of the famous brewing family) arrived in Australia and visited both
Melbourne and Sydney Universities. This visit was the catalyst for the formation of the Sydney University Evangelical Union, and in 1936 several similar unions formed the Australian Inter Varsity Fellowship. Guinness also helped to establish the Crusader Union in Australia. His address to the first public meeting of the SUEU was called ‘Men, women and God’. The EU Graduates fund set up a program in his honour: a two-year intensive evangelism apprenticeship. He returned to Australia in 1949 and served as Rector of St Barnabas Broadway. Missionary doctor and author of the Jungle Doctor books, Dr Paul White, was also very much involved in the early years of IVF, serving as General Secretary from 1943, after having returned from Tanzania due to his wife’s ill health. The IVF was involved in the 1946 tour of Australia by Lt-Gen Sir William Dobbie and his wife Sybil. Dobbie served in the Boer War and both world wars, being most renowned for his role as Governor of Malta during WW2. In 1958, John Stott, then Rector of All Souls Langham Place, came to
Australia and conducted missions at the Universities of Sydney and Melbourne. At this time, the IVF was also gearing up for one of the largest evangelistic events ever held in Australia—the 1959 Billy Graham crusade. ‘In this effort,’ says an internal IVF memo, the gospel will be proclaimed with the authority of the Scriptures by a man who holds a theological position in keeping with our own.’
In 1973 the IVF decided to update its name to the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students. They currently have over 50 member groups on campuses around the country. The most significant contribution that the IVF made to the crusades was recruiting volunteer counsellors. They followed up people who had made commitments or reaffirmations of faith during the crusades.
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1 Lake, Meredith. Proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord: a history of the Sydney University Evangelical Union. Sydney: EU Graduates’ Fund, 2005. p. 10. 2 Ibid. p. 13. 3 Reid, Andrew. Maintaining the faith of the gospel, part I. The Briefing, July 1988.
Developing Faithful Preachers Chase Kuhn
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t the core of what Moore College believes about the work of ministry is the conviction that God works by his Word. While preaching is not the sum total of Word ministry in the local church, it is a crucial ministry that can and does shape other ministries. Over the past 18 months we have been working hard as a faculty to articulate what we believe about preaching and how we are going to teach across the curriculum to develop faithful communicators of God’s Word. Through this process of consultation with global experts in preaching training, and in our deliberation as a faculty, we have seen some very exciting developments in our college program to serve both students and alumni, which we pray will ultimately serve churches. First, we have forged a good partnership with Cornhill Sydney to foster training of men and women before they come to College. Many in the program are serving as trainees in local churches, and Cornhill is equipping them with useful skills based on clear convictions. Students coming into College from this training have proved to be well equipped as communicators, and the skills they have acquired are complementary to the necessary learning and skills we hope they will continue to grow in at College. It has been a privilege to have Cornhill operating on the campus of the College in Newtown for the last year. Second, we have made significant changes to our ministry curriculum at College. All students will now begin College with a semester of training in expository preaching. This teaching helps
students to recognize the value of context, and the crucial questions of what texts say and why they say what they say, as well as how this information relates to what and how to communicate to our audience. This classroom teaching is coupled with workshop experience, training students to develop clear, coherent, and persuasive messages for proclamation. As students progress through College beyond the first year, every student will preach in feedback groups every year. These groups will systematically work through material previously addressed in classroom lectures. So, there will be a layering of learning, exploring how exegetical work serves the proclamation task. Finally, in 2017 we launched the John Chapman Preaching Conferences and Clinics for ongoing training beyond College. The conferences draw public audiences to learn from world experts on the work of expository preaching. In 2017, we welcomed William Taylor (Rector, St Helen’s (continued page 18)
John Chapman Preaching programme
College Features Moore Matters autumn 2018
In 1973 the IVF decided to update its name to the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students. They currently have over 50 member groups on campuses around the country. The IVF’s relationship with its rival body, the Australian Student Christian Movement, is documented to some extent in a small series of correspondence from the late 1940s and 1950s. The CICCU and the Sydney University EU had both disaffiliated themselves from the SCM due to doctrinal disagreements. The SCM was considered too theologically liberal and ‘stressed the right aim but forgot its basis’.3 The IVF archives collection, previously in the custody of the Centre for the Study of Australian Christianity, consists primarily of the papers of successive General Secretaries who were based at the head office in Sydney. Most of the collection is correspondence with member groups, conference committees and travelling staff workers. Since the Samuel Marsden Archives also contains the AFES papers from 1973 until the late 1980s, the addition of the IVF papers means that we now have a significant primary resource covering half a century of student evangelism in Australia.
18 Alumni: Where are they now? Moore Matters autumn 2018
Michael Charles 2002 Alumnus
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’m married to Joanne and we have 4 children: Sam, Caleb, Emma and Lola. We both grew up overseas, in PNG and Indonesia. I entered Moore to do the Bible and Missions course in 1999, with a vague idea of using it for mission in a distant future. At the time my main concern was getting equipped with some solid Bible knowledge to serve in lay ministry. I ended up leaving architecture, studying for 4 years and completing a BD, before heading to Chile with the Church Missionary Society, joining the team at a newly founded seminary in Santiago, the Centre for Pastoral Studies (CEP in Spanish), established by the Anglican Diocese of Chile. We’ve spent 14 years there, the last 8 of which I was the Principal of the Bible college. We are thrilled that I have just been replaced as Principal by the Rev. Cristóbal Cerón, a lovely, capable and godly Chilean man who was trained at George Whitefield College in South Africa. We’re currently on Home Assignment and study leave during which I hope to finish my MA at Moore. At CEP I teach mainly Bible subjects: Introduction to Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, Former Prophets, Job, John, Romans and Second Year Greek. Having been freed from the Principal’s duties, I’m hoping to be able to teach all those things better. Joanne has
been teaching Biblical Counselling amongst many other things! Under God, Moore College equipped me stupendously for what I have ended up doing! It gave me a solid foundation of Biblical knowledge, an experience of close Christian community and the tools for understanding, interpreting and applying God’s Word to myself and others. More than that, it opened my eyes to the extraordinary depth and beauty of the Bible—narrative, poetry, prophecy, etc.—all woven together in a complex and interrelated whole that teaches in diverse ways the one message of God’s glory through Jesus the King. Biblical Theology in particular was a life-changing tool for understanding God and his Word and a vital tool to combat many errors. In our context, Biblical Theology and Biblical Counselling are the two things that everyone wants more of: understanding God’s Word and applying it to the messiness of life, especially Christian life!
God has been gracious in enabling me to share some of these things with my students. It has been a great encouragement to us to see how our students have gone on to do the same in their various ministries. Our current pastor— one of our graduates—recently commented, “It’s lovely to see the dynamic of the gospel, where you gave us good biblical tools, so now I can serve you as your pastor. It’s a crazy thing that only God can do through people who choose to put their understanding, in the service of the Gospel, to humbly serve others.” So as we received grace and teaching and godly examples in our time in the Moore community, by the power of the Spirit working in us (and despite us!) we have had the privilege to do the same in Chile, and our students are now passing these very things on not only in Chile but also Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay, Peru and even Northern Ireland!
necessary skills for training and access to a good training cohort (e.g. student ministers, apprentices, associate ministers). The coaches meet several times a year for intensive seminars to address training skills, as well as to receive feedback on their own preaching development. Moore College has a long history of training ministers based on a
deep conviction that God works by His Word. As we continue to train people for word ministry, our prayer is that these developments in our program will equip men and women before, during, and after their time at College. May the Lord continue to help us prepare the next generation of faithful preachers of God’s Word.
(continued from page 17) Bishopsgate, London UK) to address “Style or Substance” and Bryan Chapell (Senior Minister, Grace Presbyterian Church, IL USA) to address “Application for Expository Preaching”. In addition to the conferences, the John Chapman Clinics seek to develop a cohort of preaching coaches. These coaches have been selected as those with
Second Year
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ey, I’m Meagan and I’m from NareIlan. I have attended Narellan Anglican church for all of my life and have had the blessing of being involved in ministries there, which has been an absolute joy. Before coming to Moore I worked for Anglican Youthworks as an Outdoor Ministry Guide, which means I hung out with school kids and told them about Jesus whilst enjoying his awesome creation through sailing, hiking, rock climbing and many other fun activities. I chose to come to Moore because I believed it was important to have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the scriptures, especially if I am going to be spending my life telling people about the amazing gift of God’s grace through Jesus. I thought college would be an awesome opportunity to grow in godliness and most importantly in my love of my Saviour before entering full-time ministry. I have absolutely loved being at College. I have had the privilege of living at Carillon, which is the women’s accommodation. God has been very kind in surrounding me with such godly women to learn alongside, to be challenged and encouraged by.
I particularly love the opportunity to praise God together as a whole College community at chapel, as well as the chance to play touch football and soccer as a nice study break. At the moment I don’t have any clear plans for postcollege. I definitely want to be involved in sharing Christ with youth and kids but am trusting in God who has everything else worked out.
Meet the students Moore Matters autumn 2018
Meagan McGilvray
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20 Meet the students Moore Matters autumn 2018
Nick Woodward Fourth Year
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hen I moved to Sydney from Hobart for university in 2007, I would have laughed if someone had said that ten years later I would be training to be a minister. I was not a Christian, though I had had some experience of church in Hobart; my best friend Ollie was the son of an Anglican minister, and I had gone with him on a few week-long church camps. I had really enjoyed the community around the church, but I believed that the Bible was just a book made up by men. It was only through the ministry of Unichurch UNSW and Campus Bible Study that I came to know Christ, when I was challenged by some friends to look into the historicity of the Bible. As I considered the evidence, I found it surprisingly compelling, and found that I was no longer convinced that people had simply made it up; and this meant that I had to actually have a look at what it said about the person and work of Jesus Christ, and work out where I stood with him. I am so thankful for the prayers of Ollie and his family who had prayed
for me since I was five years old; their joy at the news of my coming to Christ was incredibly humbling to me. Naturally such a big change in life outlook led to a change in priorities during my degree. I went from aiming for a solid career in Surveying, to spending most of my time helping out with Campus Bible Study events. I was convinced of the need for people to hear about the gospel, which led to me doing a ministry traineeship after a year of engineering work. The decision about whether to go to theological college was a difficult one. The majority of people who did CBS traineeships while I was a student had gone on to study at Moore College, and while I had only been to one Open Day, many ministers who I deeply trusted had given Moore their strongest recommendation. And so, I enrolled. College has been a wonderfully encouraging time. In second year I got married to Danae, who is also studying in my year group, and while being newly married has been a challenge, it has been fantastic for
us to do so while being sharpened by so many other godly people in our year group. We are so thankful for these relationships that have grown us and demonstrated how to live out Christ’s love in their lives. So what’s next? Post-college our plan is to move either to my hometown of Hobart or Danae’s home region of South-East Queensland. Danae is planning to work for AFES in university
I had only been to one Open Day, many ministers who I deeply trusted had given Moore their strongest recommendation. And so, I enrolled. ministry, while I’ll be aiming to find some work in a church. We would love prayer for the decision about which state we end up in, as well as for job hunting and support raising next year—there is a lot of unknown for us, but we know that God is good and will use us for his purposes in whichever state we go to.
Melody Young
EVERYONE IN MOORE COLLEGE WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE OF ‘COMMUNITY’ DEPENDING ON VARIOUS FACTORS. THESE INCLUDE WHETHER YOU’RE SINGLE, MARRIED, HAVE CHILDREN, WHERE YOU LIVE AND HOW INVOLVED YOU ARE ABLE TO BE IN THE VARIOUS COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES.
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can only share my family’s experience of being part of the College community. We are a family of 3. My husband Rob is studying in 4th year, and we have a little 2 year old boy and a baby on the way. We live in Newtown in one of the College-owned houses. Being a full time mother, I have the privilege of having time to be involved in many Moorewomen activities. Every Tuesday we go to Junior Jivers at College, on Thursday nights I attend the Moorewomen talks, I’m part of a Friday morning bible study, and every month I visit new mums at RPA with the Mothers’ Union. Being involved in these activities has allowed me to build relationships with many different women and families in the College community, and it’s these relationships that have made me feel very much a part of College. Living in close proximity
with other College families has also built on the sense of community. It’s been wonderful being able to pop by friends’ homes at short notice, and to have so many little friends for our son to play with in the College playground. Moorewomen is a ministry within Moore College for the women in the College community— both female students and wives of students. It aims to provide a range of opportunities for women at College to be growing and serving together under Christ. Activities include: » Weekly bible study groups at Newtown, Croydon Park and Parramatta sites » Weekly ‘Moorewomen Talks’ on Thursday nights » ‘Junior Jivers’—a music and movement playgroup for children which currently runs at both Newtown and Croydon Park » A twice yearly magazine called ‘Magnolia’ » ‘Moorewomen books’—a book club that meets once a term » Visiting new mums at RPA to make contact and to share the love of Jesus with mothers in the local community » Prayer support group where women from across Sydney pray for the College » ‘Year Suppers’ held every semester for each cohort of female students and student wives to get to know each other better » End of the year ‘Night on the Green’ social event to celebrate the year that’s passed and farewell the women who are leaving
Ministry to and for children: ‘Junior Jivers’ is a music and movement playgroup for the children of College families who are not yet at school. In Newtown, it runs every Tuesday morning at College during term time. At Croydon Park, it runs on Mondays from 10am11am. The program covers themes such as ‘animals’, ‘transport’, ‘the Bible’ and ‘things that God gives us’. The children and parents spend the time singing, dancing and listening to a story. ‘Junior Jivers’ also aims to train and equip women in the College community with the skills needed to run the program at their various churches. This is done by encouraging the women who participate to take turns in leading a session and (in Newtown) having a training night once a term where different aspects of the program are discussed. The crèche associated with the bible study groups is another ministry to and for children. It runs concurrently with the day time bible study groups. Women from the groups take turns looking after the children. At Newtown, the children are given a short lesson each week from Matthias Media’s ‘Teaching Little Ones’ program, which gives them an opportunity to learn from God’s word, just as their mothers are in the bible study groups. It’s an invaluable ministry which allows the mothers to study God’s word without the worries and distractions of having their children with them.
College Community Moore Matters autumn 2018
Community life at Moore
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22 College Global Moore Matters autumn 2018
Theology Ireland Peter C. Orr THEOLOGY IRELAND WAS A SERIES OF EVENTS HELD IN NORTHERN IRELAND AND THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND WHICH I SPOKE AT IN JANUARY 2018. AS AN INITIATIVE OF GAFCON IRELAND – PART OF THE WIDER FELLOWSHIP OF CONSERVATIVE ANGLICAN CHURCHES ACROSS THE WORLD – THIS SERIES OF EVENTS WAS PRIMARILY AIMED AT ENCOURAGING AND EQUIPPING CHRISTIANS IN CHURCH OF IRELAND (ANGLICAN) CHURCHES.
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he core part of Theology Ireland was a short course in Biblical Theology that ran for two sessions a week across three weeks in Belfast. I took the participants through a simplified version of the first year Moore College Biblical Theology subject. We looked at a basic overview of the Bible and saw how it hangs together as God’s unfolding plan of salvation to bring all things together under Christ. Many participants told me that they were struck by the coherence and unity of the Bible and were
challenged that their Bible reading was often too piecemeal (reading random passages every day rather than hearing God speak through the Bible as a whole). We also thought about how Biblical Theology makes a difference for how we think about different ethical issues e.g. the Sabbath; slavery (both ancient and modern); and homosexuality. On three successive Fridays, I was able to deliver a series of lectures to those in Christian leadership. We looked at a range of topics including the move ‘beyond’ the New Perspective in Pauline studies and how John’s use of Scripture can help us grasp the overall structure and message of his Gospel. Training for ministers in the Church of Ireland is minimal compared to what is offered through Moore College. For example, there are no language requirements and minimal engagement with the text of the Bible (to qualify, ministerial trainees complete the equivalent of half of our NT1 and half of our OT 1). A number of the leaders (and ministerial candidates) expressed a desire for a similar level of training in Ireland to what we offer at Moore.
Sydney Anglican churches have benefited from their connections with Ireland (e.g. the significant ministry of T.C. Hammond). It is hoped that through initiatives like Theology Ireland and students coming from Ireland to study at Moore, the benefits can also flow the other way.
This year’s Annual Moore College Lectures (AMCL) will be delivered by James Hely Hutchinson. James is a native of Ireland and is married to Myriam, a Frenchwoman; they have a young daughter, Clara. Converted at university in England, he worked in finance for seven years before training at Moore College (1996-1999). Since 2000 James has been serving in French-speaking Europe, and he is currently the Director of the Belgian Bible Institute in Brussels (Institut Biblique Belge – IBB). Under God, IBB’s aim is to train faithful, competent, godly servants of the gospel (in line with 2 Tim 2:2) for the harvest field of French-speaking Europe in order to promote God’s glory. IBB operates with five core values that flow from that vision: ① faithfulness to God’s word; ② the centrality of the gospel; ③ rigour in the study of Scripture; ④ an emphasis on students’ growth in godliness; ⑤ a close link between classroom studies and the hands-on practice of ministry in the church world. James’s doctorate was on new-covenant newness in the book of Psalms, and it is to that subject that he returns for this year’s AMCL.
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o you think of Moore College as a resource for ministry? That is, in fact, precisely what we are, as I’ve come to realise in my time on the staff of this great community. When I first came to Moore, then Principal John Woodhouse was passionate in expounding this view of the College to me. His successor Mark Thompson has been no less passionate in seeking to expand the reach of the College as a resource for the churches we serve. ‘Moore College is Your College’ as Mark often says—and we exist to serve as a resource for ministry. It has been a great joy to me to see the work God is doing with this resource, as he builds and grows his kingdom. Our God uses everything that happens—in and out of College—for his purposes and our good! Therefore prayer is our number one priority and need. Here at Moore we are incredibly thankful for the amazing network of people who support us as vital partners in this work. At the start of a new year, all of us here at Moore College would like to thank you for partnering with us in the important task of raising up gospel workers for God’s harvest! Under God, we pray that in 2018, we will be able to equip men and women for lives of faithful and godly service in the church both here in Sydney and around the globe. Your prayers are a crucial part of that mission. We hope this Moore Matters will inform your prayers and encourage you in your own ministry, wherever that may be. There are myriad ways in which Moore is a resource for ministry. Let me highlight just a few. First, the thought leadership of our Faculty, helping us think theologically about all kinds of topics. There are many wonderful resources available on our website to help and inform Christian thinking. For example, we re-publish in this Moore Matters an amazing resource by Jane Tooher outlining ‘8 ways to become more humble’. Another way in which Moore seeks to serve churches is by hosting various events. In this
edition you can read about one such event— an Alumni Reunion held on February 6th. We hope you will be as inspired as we were by the story of these saints who have done, seen and experienced so much over the past 50 years of ministry! A very special resource available to all is the Donald Robinson Library—and particularly the treasures held in the special collections and archives. Read about some of these treasures in Erin Mollenhauer’s articles in this edition. The work of our Centre for Ministry Development, and our co-location with Youthworks College, Cornhill Sydney, Two Ways Ministries, and Evangelism and New Churches are two further ways that Moore is a resource for ministry. Through CMD and these ministry organisations, the College is able to contribute to developing and training students and graduates for a lifetime of preaching ministry and gospel work. Our graduates, in both face-to-face courses and Distance Learning programs, serve in ministries all over the globe. We were recently approached about a position for a gospel worker in Austria! Moore is privileged to provide resources to likeminded evangelical networks overseas, such as Peter Orr’s recent work with Theology Ireland. Our Faculty also serve local churches and community outreach by giving evangelistic talks and speaking at house parties. Under God, you are part of a great resource for ministry! I want to thank you for your support in upholding our College in prayer this year, and ask that you continue to do so daily.
Mark Fairfull Manager, Marketing and Communications
Editorial:Prayer Appeal Moore Matters autumn 2018
The important task of raising up gospel workers
23
My Moore Gift We ask YOU to please actively support Moore to ensure that together we can continue this vital gospel work under God, for His eternal glory. Your gift will be a personal investment in future generations of gospel workers. N.B. All donations to Moore College are fully tax deductible. Title
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Moore Matters is the newsletter publication of Moore Theological College Principal of Moore College » Rev Dr Mark Thompson Editor » Mark Fairfull Proof Reader » Alison Woof Art and Design » Lankshear Design Moore Matters Copyright © Moore Theological College 2018 1 King Street, Newtown NSW 2042 AUSTRALIA moore.edu.au » info@moore.edu.au » +61 2 9577 9999 CRICOS #00682B » ABN 47 46 452183 About Moore College Moore College prepares men and women for a lifetime of ministry and mission through in-depth theological training. Today 600 students are enrolled in courses at Moore. Currently around 5,000 people in over 50 countries are studying by distance education. The College has trained thousands of men and women for a great variety of Christian ministries locally, nationally and around the globe. Moore is world renowned for its faithfulness to the word of God, the excellence of the education it provides and the effectiveness of its graduates.
Cover: Moore College Alumni: Paul Meeth and Paul Barnett, at the 50th Alumni Reunion event held at the College in February.
moore matters Autumn 2018 moore.edu.au
The Donald Robinson Library’s Treasures page 11
50 Years On pages 4-5
From the Principal pages 2-3
8 ways to become more humble pages 14-15
The important task of raising up gospel workers page 23
THE
ANSWERING PSALMIST’S PERPLEXITY
FREE EVENT
NEW-COVENANT NEWNESS IN THE BOOK OF PSALMS
SPEAKER DR JAMES HELY HUTCHINSON OF THE BELGIAN BIBLE INSTITUTE
OPEN NIGHT MAY 21
FIND OUT MORE 9577 9999 moore.edu.au/amcl
OPEN EVENTS
OPEN WEEK MAY 21 – MAY 25
2018
RSVP NOW! moore.edu.au/open
Public Events for 2018
D I S TA N C E C O U R S E S
MAY 2018 21 Moore College Open Night 21-25 Moore College Open Week 30 Centre for Christian Living event The greatest enemy of freedom is freedom: Christian freedom and the illusions of contemporary freedom
JULY 2018 23-27
Moore Distance Try a sample lecture today. You can enrol now!
Mission Awareness Week
AUGUST 2018
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9, 13-17 Annual Moore College Lectures 20 Centre for Christian Living event Spirit-Inspired Christian Living
SEPTEMBER 2018 3 Moore College Open Night 3-7 Moore College Open Week 10 Priscilla & Aquila Evening Seminar From Sex at Uni to Unisex
OCTOBER 2018 13 24
Moore College Open Day Centre for Christian Living event A Hell of a Difference: Christians and the Afterlife
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