Moore Matters Winter 2018

moore matters Winter 2018 moore.edu.au

Raising up the next generation of gospel workers

M issions

pages 2-3

2018 wrap pages 8-9

Meet the students pages 20-21

Foundation News pages 4-5

We need more people, please get ready and come! page 15

Have we stopped being Matt 9:38 people? page 22

2 From The Principal Moore Matters winter 2018

The urgent need for gospel workers Dr Mark Thompson

IT WAS A DELIGHT IN MARCH THIS YEAR TO SEE 105Â STUDENTS GRADUATE FROM THE COLLEGE AND TO HEAR THEIR EXCITEMENT ABOUT SHARING THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION IN CHRIST WITH A LOST WORLD. WE HEARD OF PEOPLE SERVING IN SYDNEY, RURAL NEW SOUTH WALES, ACROSS AUSTRALIA, IN ASIA, EUROPE, AFRICA, LATIN AMERICA, AND OTHER PLACES BESIDES.

I

t is thrilling and humbling to think that this small theological college on the edge of the world, located in the middle of one of the most secular and God-denying cities on the planet, is being used by God on such a wide scale. For a long time we have been committed to a global vision and it is clear that God has been realizing it.

Not only are our graduates spread across the globe, the variety of ministries in which they serve is remarkable as well. Many serve in local churches, others serve in schools, others still on university campuses. Some of our graduates serve in hospitals and prisons and in more general chaplaincy work.

At last count, 50 of our graduates (I might have missed one or two) currently serve on the faculties of 18 theological colleges around the world (not including the 16 who serve on the faculty at Moore). 14 active Anglican bishops in Australia are graduates of Moore.

Seeing this impact of the work done at Moore College is one of the

best encouragements to keep at it.

It is why our graduations are such wonderful events of celebration and thanksgiving but also of a renewed determination to prepare people as well as we know how for this great work. We know it is all the Lord’s doing. It is only under his blessing that this spread of gospel passion and biblical theology has taken place. Yet we are determined to be found faithful in the part he has given us to play in his great plan.

Nevertheless, we know this is just the tip of the iceberg. The need in Sydney alone keeps growing with every year. Millions of men and women do not know the gospel in our city. They do not know they are lost and they do not know of the gift of life which Jesus came to bring.

An alarming number do not know who Jesus is and they do not know anyone else who does. The need in the rest of Australia keeps growing too, and every year I receive requests from all over the world to send our graduates so that they can share in the benefits the Lord has so richly given to us. We are just not keeping

pace with the need. We pray with great urgency that the Lord would raise up labourers for his harvest.

Would you pray that too?

The need is for men and women who are thoroughly prepared for ministry in a challenging environment. The challenges of this moment are tough enough, with new fronts of opposition to gospel ministry opening up all the time. We do not know what the challenges of tomorrow will be. So we need gospel workers who deeply understand the teaching of the Bible and the world with whom we share it. We need people who are able to

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One particular challenge of the moment is a general reluctance among many Christians to think of the world outside of Christ as lost.

Yet it was a term that Jesus used: “The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost” (Lk 19:10). Not just those a little less than they could be, not just slightly confused—lost.

In an effort to gain a hearing, some Christian writers, speakers and leaders affirm too much, or concede too much, to the world around us, and in doing so this fundamental biblical perspective on the world and its need is obscured. One practical consequence of this is that there is no call to repentance, the critical corollary of faith. But Luke reminds us that “repentance for the forgiveness of sins” is to be proclaimed in Jesus’ name to all nations (Lk 24:47). Another practical consequence is that a sense of gospel urgency is absent in our message, in our living, and in our churches.

We begin to pursue a comfortable détente with the world around us and forget that Jesus said “I chose you out of the world” (Jn 15:19).

The graduates I mentioned at the beginning of this piece stand in stark contrast to this trend. I know of a couple who sold everything they had and travelled half-way around the world because they knew that sharing the gospel and building people up in the gospel matters,

and so getting the best training they could find matters too. I know of those who faced the disappointment and even anger of parents whose ambitions they were thwarting, but bore it because of the urgent need for gospel ministry. I know

From the Principal Moore Matters winter 2018

think outwards from the gospel, with lives and ministries shaped by the word which God has spoken.

We need people who will speak the truth with clarity, conviction and compassion and who will have the courage to speak out against error. We need people whose love for people—the lost people in the world and the redeemed people in the churches—is demonstrated in sustained sacrificial service. We need people who will go anywhere and do anything just so that others can be introduced to Jesus.

It is the gospel and the need for the gospel which drives us to prepare people as thoroughly as we seek to do at Moore. We cannot afford to skimp on what we give to our students, and through them, the churches in which they will serve. Our academic earnestness does not exist for its own sake. We take our academic work so seriously because we take the gospel seriously. We want to prepare ministers of the gospel (whatever specific form that ministry will take) who will stay the course and weather whatever storms lie ahead.

They need a character shaped by the gospel, convictions anchored in the gospel, skill in communicating the gospel. That kind of training can’t be done around the edges of life or in your spare time. It takes deliberate, uninterrupted immersion in the word of God.

One particular challenge of the moment is a general reluctance among many Christians to think of the world outside of Christ as lost. of people who persevered, though they did not find study easy, because they knew they needed precisely these resources if they were going to go the distance in faithful gospel ministry. None of them would say it was easy, but they wouldn’t call it sacrifice, rather a privilege. They want to spend their lives finding the lost, nurturing them and building them up as those who have been found.

The next generation of such gospel-shaped and directed men and women is urgently needed. Are you one of them? Do you know those who might be? Will you pray?

Mark D Thompson Principal

4 Foundation News Moore Matters Winter 2018

A rich human tapestry serving God Trevor Cairney

ONE OF THE MARKS OF MOORE COLLEGE IS THE DIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT GOD BRINGS TO US. THEIR VARIED SKILLS, EXPERIENCE AND FAITH JOURNEYS GOD USES TO CREATE THE RICH HUMAN TAPESTRY THAT MAKES THIS SUCH A SPECIAL PLACE. I SHARE THE STORIES OF THREE QUITE DIFFERENT FAMILIES IN THIS ISSUE, THAT SPAN 50 YEARS IN THE HISTORY OF OUR GREAT COLLEGE.

James and Sarah Piggott

J

ames is in second year at Moore College. He grew up in a Christian home on the North Coast of NSW in Laurieton, a town of 2500 people near Port Macquarie. James attended Camden Haven High School before completing a Bachelor of Arts (Government and International Relations) at the University of Sydney. He lived with other Christian students at St. Barnabas’ Terraces, where he met Sarah.

While James grew up in a Christian home, he recalls a ‘big gear shift’ when he moved to Sydney to study and live at Barneys. He recalls that he “was really struck by the witness of fellow students. They actually seemed happy about being Christian; not just having faith as an insurance policy to get into heaven in case they died young. God was important to them, and He became important to me!”

James and Sarah became even more involved at St Barnabas’ Broadway, and in the activities of the Evangelical Union, before completing their degrees.

James then served as an MTS worker on campus in 2011-12. In parallel he commenced as a political adviser for a NSW politician in the Upper House. James and Sarah moved out of St Barnabas’ Terraces in 2010 after 5 years—3 as students and 2 years on staff. After marrying in 2012, they then moved to Flo Harris Lodge, an accommodation hostel for 50 young people at Petersham Baptist Church. James and Sarah served there as chaplains from 2013-17.

Daughter Betty was born in January, and the family are now at All Saints’ Anglican, Oatley West. James and Sarah are involved in a French-speaking Hospital Chaplaincy programme to New Caledonians who have been transported to Australia. They spend time at the hospital where they read the Bible and pray with the patients. They aren’t sure where they will serve God, but would be interested in parish work somewhere outside of metropolitan Sydney.

They are also interested in French-speaking Theological

Education, and are trying to follow up some opportunities to teach the Moore College PTC course in New Caledonia during College break.

Peter and Val Oram Peter and Val Oram both grew up in Abbotsford. Peter was from a non-Christian home, but Val had a Christian upbringing. Peter was 15 when he left school to be employed in Waterloo as a Lithographic artist and printer.

At night, he enrolled in an Intermediate Certificate at Leichhardt Technical College in Lithographic Printing.

He didn’t meet Val until he was 20. After a courtship of several years they were married.

In 1959, just 3 months before their marriage, some of Val’s friend asked them to go to the Billy Graham Crusade. In Peter’s words, he “thought Billy Graham was a bit of an imposter”, but he went anyway. He was to go three times! Each night he ended up closer to the front.

On the 3rd night, he was on the grass near the stage. In his words, “Billy Graham seemed to know me, I couldn’t understand how he had been reading my mail”! When Billy Graham issued the altar call, Peter said he “shot straight up and went forward”.

Three months later he married Val, who was by then a teacher. They spent several years in the Glebe area while Peter worked in the printing industry. They eventually moved to a new house at Elanora Heights.

However, his boss observed him and suggested he consider full-time ministry. He didn’t have a strong sense of call, so this was a time of struggle and indecision. Their second child was on the way, but people kept urging him to go. Eventually they sold the house to pay the fees, and headed for Moore.

In first year, he took part in a mission to Walgett and prepared artwork for the Parable of the Sower in cartoon form. After the mission, he was introduced to David Long who worked with Clifford Warne, who in turn, introduced him to Clifford. He asked if he had ever done drawings of African animals. He said no, but agreed to draw cartoon images of African animals for a series of short Christian film strips, the text of

5 ever tell you that the commissioned work you did was used to lead over 20,000 people to make commitments to Christ?”

Peter and Val’s story is an example of how at times it’s impossible to see God’s purpose in the events, twists and turns of our lives, until many years down the track.

Ed and Jocelyn Loane Ed grew up in Wollongong and met his wife Jocelyn while at university, marrying soon after leaving. They have five children and a puppy dog. He is on the faculty of Moore College and has now lived in Newtown more than any other place. He has a passion for church history and theology and a commitment to evangelical pastoral ministry like others in the family before him.

This is his third Moore College experience. He was a boarder living in ‘Chappo’ House in the late 90s. Prior to that he had been at boarding school. Because his parents lived outside Sydney, Moore served as a great home for him while doing his Science degree (Mathematics and Physics) at Sydney University. He then worked for several years for a multinational pharmaceutical company and spent time in Cambodia before coming back to Moore about 10 years ago to train for ministry.

This was followed by parish ministry in south-west Sydney, before completing his PhD at the University of Cambridge, on the doctrine of the church in the writing of William Temple, a twentieth century Archbishop of Canterbury.

Ed was blessed to grow up in a Christian family, but remembers clearly making a personal commitment to follow Christ when he was on a youth group camp in year 7. He recalls several other significant moments for him in his Christian life, including the decision to train for full time ministry.

He has had ministry experience either as a student minister or ordained minister at Naremburn, Moorebank/Hammondville, Little Shelford (Cambridgeshire) and St Peters. He has had the opportunity to visit different churches around Sydney to preach or speak at varied events, which he sees as a great privilege.

Some of the marks of Ed’s time at Moore have been his commitment to the pastoral work of the College as well as deep personal faith, a love of God, and a passion for teaching.

Please support Moore College to support Student Scholarships I share the above stories to give you a sense of the varied backgrounds of our students, and the varied ways they end up serving our God. At a time when it is harder than ever to find the funds to attend Moore College, we need your help. On the back page of this edition I share some news about the challenges that our students are having finding the funds to attend the College. Please read it and consider how you might support future students.

Foundation News Moore Matters Winter 2018

which Paul White was to write for the Jungle Books.

The filmstrip version was wound through a projector and accompanied by audio tapes. While he had no idea who Paul White was, nor had he drawn African animals before, he accepted the task. Eventually the first four films were turned into four books. He was to illustrate the complete series of eight Jungle Doctor books that were translated into 27 languages.

After two years at College the then Principal Dr Broughton Knox suggested to Peter that perhaps he wasn’t suited for church ministry. This was a confusing time for him and Val. They continued to live in the College till the end of their third year and then they left. Peter was to move into a lifelong career using his art professionally and for gospel work.

Peter and Val had three children, and stayed in the area of Glebe for five years, before settling in Camden on the fringe of Sydney. As well as raising her children in those early years, Val involved herself in parish life and continued to do casual teaching. Peter was to use his artistic, graphic design and printing skills for over 40 years, including more work for Paul White and Clifford Warne, the Bible Society, Anglican Diocese of Sydney, Gospel Recordings, and Bush Church Aid. The latter included radio work on 2CH once a week for almost five years.

Of the many projects he worked on, perhaps his most memorable assignment was to draw Christian artwork for the miracles of Jesus. These were printed on linen because paper broke down so quickly in tropical climates. These linen tracts eventually found their way into many communist prisons to be used as table cloths!

One piece of artwork for a gospel tract on the death and resurrection of Jesus was also used widely in gospel work to indigenous people around the world. Some six years after he completed the work, the Director of Gospel Recordings called him one day and said, “did we

6 College News & Events Moore Matters winter 2018

2018 Annual Moore College Lectures James Hely Hutchinson

‘W

hat’s new about the new covenant?’ is a familiar question to theological students, and it is on the agenda of the Moore College Lectures of 2018. But we will be asking this question in relation to the book of Psalms. This might seem strange and difficult to justify even at the level of method: how can one look to adjudicate, from a single book of the Old Testament, on a major and long-standing debate that concerns the new covenant and involves the whole of Scripture? Add to that the fact that I will be building on the seemingly shaky foundation of a recent consensus in the area of Psalms scholarship (relating to psalter shape), and you will recognise that I will have more than a little explaining to do in the first lecture!

I will (DV) be aiming to persuade you that, as psalter readers, we find that close to the heart of the agenda of this book is the question of how covenants relate. In particular, the question of the permanence of the Davidic covenant in the face of the exile is explored: Psalm 89 plays a pivotal role in the unfolding of the psalter with its anguished calling into question of the Lord’s covenant faithfulness. In line, then, with one of the psalter’s own concerns, our particular task will be to explore how the Davidic and new covenants fit together (although this will require us to interact with the biblical covenants more generally).

As we approach this question, we will have in mind five or six points of view that have currency in contemporary evangelicalism.

We will begin by setting out SPEAKER PROFILE

these models and conclude by commenting on how they match up against our findings from the psalter. A significant consideration that a comparison of these approaches raises is the question of how the new-covenant believer relates to the Mosaic law, and so we will devote some time to this.

Do please pray that our time together would be worthwhile and that the material would contribute to lending greater precision and accuracy to our grasp of God’s breath-taking salvation plan (cf. Luke 24:32), ability to handle Scripture aright (cf. 2 Tim 2:15) and worship of the Master (cf. Luke 1:68‑75; Rev 1:5b-6).

For more information, see www.institutbiblique.be, their YouTube channel and Facebook page.

James Hely Hutchinson of the Belgian Bible Institute

James is married to Myriam and they have a daughter Clara. He teaches at Institut Biblique Belge (Belgian Bible Institute), which is Europe’s oldest French-speaking evangelical training institution. Based in the centre of Brussels, it was established in 1919 by American missionaries, with Donald Grey Barnhouse serving as first Director. In any given year, there are between 20 and 30 full-time students and a similar number who are part time. There are four main lecturers and several visiting lecturers.

The institute’s vision is focussed on training for gospel ministry and, as such, they aim to ‘train faithful, competent, godly servants of the gospel for the harvest field of French-speaking Europe in order to promote God’s glory’.

We asked James how readers could pray for the Institute: The major, ongoing prayer request is that the vision would continue to be realised, and on a growing scale, for ‘the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few’ (Matt 9:37). It is always good to pray for recent graduates who typically serve in isolated settings, face considerable trials and lack ready sources of encouragement. It is possible to pray for the Institute using PrayerMate or via a prayer diary (in a more traditional format) on our website.

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Erin Mollenhauer, Archivist and Special Collections Librarian “… I don’t think I will be able to stand up to much more hard campaigning like the last 5 days and nights, going all the time, etc, etc; may have to try for something easier. The crowds of men wounded & otherwise who greet me would surprise you. My old crowd went over the top; I promised to go with them but was not handy at the time. As bad luck would have it, they lost all their officers before charging; so I would have been a real help to them. Still they did grandly! Australia may well be proud of her sons for there can be nothing finer or braver. All we want here is more of them; plenty of guns. Any quantity of the latter. Each gun means a day nearer the end; I really know that as soon as we can swamp their infernal fire we must win.

God bless you and all at the Brightest Spot. Always remember me in all prayers for such is my security both spiritual and bodily. Then I’ll be certain to come back; pass a more cheery word; a more Christian example on to the ‘other fellow’…”

This letter from an army chaplain, named George and convalescing in a hospital ‘somewhere in France’, was sent to Rev. R.B.S. Hammond on 29th July 1916.

The hard campaigning he refers to was most likely the battle of Fromelles which took place on 19th-20th July in northern France. George’s letter mentions the 5th Division AIF, which took part in this battle which claimed 5,533 casualties and is now remembered as the deadliest in Australian military history.1 R.B.S. Hammond (1870-1946) was an Anglican clergyman and social reformer who served as Rector of St Barnabas’ Broadway and Canon of St Andrew’s Cathedral.

He was actively involved in the temperance movement, established hostels for destitute men, and set up the Hammondville housing scheme near Liverpool. One of his converts was Arthur “Mr Eternity” Stace, who attended a meeting at St Barnabas in August 1930.2 The Samuel Marsden Archives holds a small number of items relating to World War One. Everard Digges Latouche (1883‑1915) was an Irishman who lectured in Dogmatic Theology at Moore College from 1912-1914.

1 Australian War Memorial. (n.d.) Battle of Fromelles. Retrieved from: www.awm.gov.au/military-event/E159/ 2 Lake, Meredith. (2012). Hammond, Robert Brodribb Stewart. Retrieved from: http://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/hammond_robert_brodribb_stewart

He resigned after a disagreement with the Principal D.J. Davies, and when war was declared he applied to become an army chaplain. His application was denied so he enlisted as a private, rising to the rank of Second Lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion AIF. They landed at Gallipoli on August 6th 1915 and Latouche was killed in action later that day. He is buried at Lone Pine Cemetery.3 Earlier in 1915, the New Zealand Expeditionary Force was stationed in Cairo for training. David Barrons Ferguson was a gasfitter from Wellington who enlisted as a Sapper (combat engineer) in the Mounted Signal Troops. While in Cairo he purchased a volume of the gospels in Arabic and sent it to his brother John, with a letter inside: “…I guess it is a bit of a novelty. It is not a very valuable book, but it will add something to your list of books. It will at any rate act in the capacity of a keepsake. I am enjoying the best of health, and am anxiously awaiting my chance to get to the front. I am fair sick of inactivity. I wish we could get a shot at those Turks, or better still at those Germans…”

Despite his declaration of good health, Ferguson was discharged from the army due to illness, according to his service record. The Arabic gospels are held in the Australiana Rare collection.

Another intriguing collection from World War 1 is a set of two photograph albums compiled by an unidentified soldier in the 8th Training Battalion. This battalion undertook training on Salisbury Plain, and the soldier took photographs of exercises performed by the troops, as well as local people and scenery. A number of photos show zeppelin bombing damage in London, while others feature German POWs. Although the items in the Archives which relate to the War are disparate and unconnected, they provide glimpses of insight into the ways in which the conflict changed the lives of clergy and laypeople alike.

3 Hubbard, Nigel. (2004).

Latouche, Everard Digges. Retrieved from: http://webjournals. ac.edu.au/ojs/index. php/ADEB/article/ view/1029/1026

College Features Moore Matters Winter 2018

World War One in the archives

8 Moore Missions Moore Matters Winter 2018

M issions 2018 wrap TEAM

Shire

TEAM

Apart from being involved in door knocking, ESL class, playgroup and High School scripture, we also had the opportunity to participate in different kinds of events. St Phil’s Caringbah hosted a mobile food pantry—a fortnightly event run

by Anglicare that provides those on welfare assistance groceries at reduced prices. Cronulla hosted Colin Buchanan, which saw families from the community come for a sing. The big-ticket Friday night event was ‘Free to Be’ at the WIN Entertainment Centre. This was an amazing opportunity to partner with churches in Wollongong. We were able to help by working in logistics and chatting to youth who were interested in Christianity.

Thank God for the four churches— Caringbah, Miranda, Cronulla and Kurnell—that have welcomed our team to partner with them.

Wollongong

One thing that astounded our team this week was seeing and hearing about the many different gatherings that are happening all around the Wollongong region. So great is God’s work, that even when our entire college comes to support the work that is already going on in this region, we still don’t have enough people to cover all the churches or events. It helped remind me just how big our world is, how small I am, but also how big our God is.

For right across the region, God is gathering his people, introducing them to Jesus, and transforming them by His Spirit. We thank God for the opportunities received by the team to glorify Him, and pray for fruit to come from the conversations and events held.

TEAM

Macarthur

Our team had the privilege of observing the gospel partnership between St Peter’s Anglican Church Campbelltown and Macarthur Indigenous Church, which began in 2011. Together these churches share land, some support structures, and a love for the Lord Jesus.

At different points in the week each pastor shared with our team about the joys and the struggles of working together. These pastors, these Church congregations, share more than just property. They share a deep love for the Lord Jesus and a desire to do his work. Without humility, respect, and a love for the lost, this partnership would never have started, nor will it persevere.

Praise God for the amazing work He is doing in Campbelltown.

450 350

2,100

10,200

2,450

MADE DECISION TO FOLLOW JESUS

NEW CONTACTS FROM JESUS IS_ EVENTS

ATTENDED A ONE-OFF JESUS IS EVENT

TOTAL NEW

(new commitment or recommitment)

NEW CONTACTS IN REGULAR CHURCH MEETINGS/ ACTIVITIES

(excluding school ministry and regular church meetings/ activities)

CONTACTS

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TEAM

Highlands

TEAM

At Robertson, our team spent the first part of mission week immersed in the world of kids. We were involved in a Scripture Assembly at the local public school, the Kids Club, and the weekly playgroup at church. Give thanks to God that we worked really well together as a team. Praise God for the staff team and church members at Robertson who have put such wonderful effort into teaching kids about Jesus, and that they’ve built good relationships with the local school to make Scripture classes happen. Pray that this would continue to happen so that kids can explore more of what it means to be friends with God.

Lake Illawarra

On our final day of official mission partnership with the churches in the Illawarra, we again went along to our host churches for the day, with a brief meeting together with the team at Kiama Anglican. This was a wonderful time to give thanks to God for His work throughout the week. We thank God for the conversations, great and small, where people were challenged to consider how they would fill in the blank, Jesus is ____. We also thank God that our work throughout the week was finite and limited, yet we know that God will continue this through others. That our part in Moore Illawarra Mission has been accomplished, but the mission of proclaiming Jesus as Lord will continue throughout our lives, and throughout the Illawarra.

TEAM

Shoalhaven

Throughout the week our team had the privilege to participate in different kinds of ministries and events—from preaching, teaching Scripture and helping at a local Opshop run by the church to sharing testimonies at a retirement village and helping out at the Free To Be youth event. We have been welcomed so graciously into the Culburra, Callala and Currarong communities and we all felt at home. We all left feeling blessed by the week that we shared alongside fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. We pray that God will continue to bless these communities, that many more people will commit their life to Christ.

Schools Ministry

5,5006,000 JESUS IS _ CONVERSATIONS

6,500 COMMUTER HANDOUTS (Macarthur, Shire, Wollongong)

90,000100,000 LETTER BOX DROPS/ FLYERS HANDED OUT

4,500 5,000 ANGLICAN SCHOOL STUDENTS

PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS

Moore Missions Moore Matters Winter 2018

THE FOLLOWING POSTS ARE FROM OUR MOORE MISSIONS BLOG WRITTEN BY OUR STUDENTS DURING MISSION. TO READ MORE POSTS VISIT MISSION.MOORE.EDU.AU

10 Moore Missions Moore Matters winter 2018

M issions

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BISHOP: REGIONAL MISSION IMPACT ‘EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS’

ach year during Moore Missions week, Moore College sends teams of students and faculty out to partner with churches to run missions that proclaim Jesus and help further train and equip our students to do this in the field. In previous years our mission locations ranged from local areas to remote Australian towns, and further around the globe. However, this year was a bit different, as our students and faculty were sent to different churches in Wollongong to join in the culminating week of a region-wide, month-long mission. The theme of the month was, “Jesus Is _”.

Peter Hayward, Bishop of Wollongong Region, thought the overall impact of the mission exceeded expectations. “The most significant aspect of the mission was to give members of our churches encouragement to take one step further in evangelism. The best estimate is that there were over 6,000 Jesus Is_ conversations across the Region. Evangelism is still hard work, but there was a greater willingness to talk about Jesus than was expected. Of course, the most significant impact was in the 100s who made commitments to follow Jesus.” Peter also shared how our students’ and faculty’s

The number of positive responses to the gospel received is quite extraordinary. involvement made a difference. “The involvement of the Moore College teams expanded and enhanced what the week achieved. The clearest example was the willing, committed service of the 80 students who helped with the large youth event at the WIN Entertainment Centre.

Without their involvement, the logistics of organising the night would have been difficult. The churches across the Region have commented on both the quality and servant-heartedness of the students.

It was a complex mission to organise but the cooperation of students and faculty allowed the week to run relatively smoothly. Where things did not work as well as hoped, the students responded with grace and a desire to continue to help.”

Our students, who had the privilege to join in this concentrated evangelistic mission, reported that the opportunity to be exposed to different models of ministry and contexts for ministry was one of the best things about the mission. More than 85% of students reported that they had an opportunity to do some

kind of ministry on mission that they had not done before. Simon Gillham, Head of the Department of Mission, commented, “The really unique thing about this mission compared to previous years was the coordinated, single themed approach. For most of the clergy, let alone the students, it was the first time that they had been part of an evangelistic enterprise that was quite so big. The scale of the numbers of people contacted, and the number of positive responses to the gospel received, is quite extraordinary.”

The planning for next year’s Moore Missions is underway.

“We will be working with mission partners of the College, within the Sydney Diocese, throughout Australia and around the world.

Students will have the opportunity to ‘opt in’ to one of several specialist mission teams focussed around different ministry and mission possibilities for graduates. Beyond all else, buoyed by the enthusiasm reported in student feedback, we will strive to make next year’s College Missions even greater opportunities for evangelism,” shared Simon.

Please continue to pray for the follow up work of the Regional Mission. Pray for the churches and school Chaplains in Wollongong who are involved in the follow up of the new contacts made. Pray that the momentum of encouraging people in churches to be having conversations about Jesus with their friends and neighbours would be maintained. Please also pray for the College, that we would continue to reflect on what we’ve learnt and be better equipped, that we would be bold in evangelism and not cower in silence before the people of our needy city and world.

Phillip Jensen ONE OF THE MORE EXTRAORDINARY THINGS ABOUT THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS THAT GOD HAS ENTRUSTED US WITH HIS MESSAGE OF SALVATION.

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e, who were by nature opposed to God and can only be saved by his lavish and expensive grace, would seem to be the least likely instruments of salvation. Yet, instead of leaving the message to an angel flying mid heaven or to the multitude of the heavenly host, God has entrusted the message to us. It is our task to expand the praises of Jesus and thanksgiving to God, by proclaiming salvation to the nations.

We will one day all appear before the judgement seat of Christ to receive what is due for what we have done in the body. We who have received the grace of God must not receive it in vain or for nothing. We have been saved to serve our Saviour by bringing salvation to others. As Paul Barnett commented on appearing before Christ: “The teaching about the judgement seat before which all believers must come reminds us that we have been saved, not for a life of aimlessness or indifference, but to live as to the Lord.”

We, who have been reconciled

by God through Christ becoming sin for us, have been given the message of reconciliation for others.

God makes his appeal through us, and we implore on Christ’s behalf “be reconciled to God”. As the apostle appealed to the Corinthian Christians, we must “not receive the grace in vain”.

Two Ways Ministries has been established to encourage another

generation of Christians to live boldly and singlemindedly for Christ.

While this may or may not lead people to enter full time paid ministry, it will lead people to lay down their lives for Christ and his gospel. Jesus’ challenge does not mean that all Christians must leave their nets and fish for men. But Jesus’ challenge does mean that some Christians will leave their nets and fish for men and that all other Christians will be just as committed to fishing for men as those who have left their nets to do so.

The gospel of our salvation commits us to the salvation of others by the gospel. We cannot be like Jesus, and remain disinterested and inactive about the salvation of sinners. So, we are to lose our lives not only for Jesus but also for the gospel. This is the motivational shift in our lives that leads to a life-time of evangelism. In conjunction with churches, para-church ministries and Moore College, Two Ways Ministries is raising up a network of young adults who are committed to evangelistic leadership now and for the future.

As the message of salvation is most accurately articulated in the words of Scripture, it is important to teach the Bible faithfully. To do so will be to evangelise—for the message of the Bible will make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Either teaching the Bible without evangelising or evangelising without teaching the Bible fails the test of authenticity.

So, raising up a generation of Christians who will lay down their lives for others’ salvation requires

College Features Moore Matters winter 2018

Saved to serve our Saviour

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We who have received the grace of God must not receive it in vain or for nothing. We have been saved to serve our Saviour by bringing salvation to others. not only motivating them by the gospel, but also training them in teaching the Bible.

Sydney is today a great place of evangelistic opportunity and desperate need. The need is all around us as Anglos desert their Christian heritage and multicultural migration brings so many people ready to embrace a new life within our city. The opportunity lies in the Moore College heritage of training Bible teachers. Our college has trained our present ministers, is training our future ministers, and runs the far-reaching Distance Education courses for all Christians.

We must address the needs of Sydney with the opportunities that God has provided for us.

12 College Features Moore Matters Winter 2018

How the BD prepared me for overseas ministry Mark Rainbow ‘SO ERR… WHY DID YOU GO ALL THE WAY TO AUSTRALIA TO STUDY? AREN’T THERE ANY THEOLOGICAL COLLEGES IN THE UK?’

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’ve rightly been asked this many times since returning home after four years at Moore College. The UK does indeed have many theological colleges, some of which do a fine job of teaching and training men and women for Christian ministry and mission.

So why undergo the upheaval and difficulty of travelling over 10,000 miles when I could be trained in the UK? My usual response: ‘the weather!’

But much as we enjoyed the sunshine (when not getting burned by it), the real reason was the high regard we had for Moore College and the particular opportunities for training we felt it afforded. We were both already acquainted with many of the faculty having been helped by their books, and we’d also had very positive experiences of the Moore College graduates we’d met—their biblical wisdom and godly character were a great commendation of the Lord’s work at Moore.

I’ve now been back in the UK for 3 ½ years, serving in student ministry and latterly in a church plant, seeking to proclaim Christ to our suburb of Durham. It’s probably only in the

last 18 months that I’ve really started to appreciate the true value of the training I’ve received. The ministry I’m involved in is in many ways very ordinary—teaching and training men and women the word of God that they might be equipped to serve him now as they wait patiently for Christ’s return. Yet this ordinary ministry requires dealing with an array of complex challenges: false teaching that needs to be understood and corrected; pastoral situations that require hard biblical reflection and thoughtful, careful responses; and the perennial challenge of proclaiming God’s truth within a context in which it is increasingly alien.

While grateful for so many things about my time at Moore, I feel there are two particular strengths of the college course. The first is the strong gospel roots in the BD course.

Moore is relatively unusual in how it prescribes much of the content for the first three years of study.

Students are not allowed to specialise too quickly, and as such are exposed to a wide breadth of teaching across a range of important subject matters.

Such breadth is necessary for pastoral ministry with all its opportunities and challenges. It also provides a strong foundation for then pursuing greater depth in the final year through selected modules and an extended project. What particularly impressed me was that this

academic rigour was housed within a robust and Christ-centred gospel framework, with strong evangelical convictions running throughout every part of the course.

The second particular strength we found at Moore was the chance to learn in community. Faculty are easily accessible, with most living in and around the various residential campuses. This gives a chance to learn further from them and also to see how the gospel impacts their lives. Some of the most memorable lessons I took away from Moore came from informal chats with lecturers over morning tea. Living alongside fellow students allows for the chance to share life together, greatly aiding one of the most important emphases of the college—to see students grow in godliness.

Often people ask us ‘would you like to go back to Australia?’

Yes, we would. We loved our time in Sydney, and still feel we have much to learn. But we came praying the Lord would use our time to better equip us to serve him in our part of the world.

And we’re so thankful that he answered that prayer.

Mark is married to Sarah and they have two daughters. Mark oversees the student work at Christchurch Durham and is the minister of Grace Church Newton Hall.

Paul Grimmond

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was sitting in college chapel recently, and a graduate of the college got up to preach. He was from Darwin and he desperately wanted to encourage college students to think about ministry in the Northern Territory. What was his text? “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few!” Here we go, I thought—the stereotypical response to our ongoing and greatest problem. But I was wrong.

As I listened again to the words of our Lord, I was reminded of God’s solution to the need of the world to hear the gospel. And it’s not the solution that we tend towards.

My expectation as the sermon began was that the preacher would press upon me the urgent need to preach the gospel to the world, and not least to the part of the world that the preacher was from. Of course, this would be followed by an impassioned plea to give up our lives sacrificially for Jesus. After all, he was speaking to a room full of theological students, training for evangelistic, pastoral ministry.

If ever there was an answer to his problem, it was sitting right in front of him. It doesn’t take a genius to write that sermon!

But that’s not what this particular preacher did. He read

the passage in front of him and invited me to do the same. What is God’s answer to the harvest fields being ripe and in need of workers to gather in the crop? Let’s turn to the text.

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

(Matt 9:37–38) Our first step in responding to the world’s need for gospel workers should be to ask. That’s what Jesus told us to do. It’s interesting isn’t it? Not pack your bags, or start a ministry apprenticeship or go scouting at a Bible college. When we look out at the world and see people in desperate need of relationship with Jesus, our first response ought to be to cry out to God—to ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers.

It only takes a moment’s thought to realise why this is true. This world already belongs to him. He has displayed his love through the death of Jesus on the cross. He has declared his purposes in Christ to bring all things under him. And finally, the problem is bigger than any of us can fix.

In our folly, we so often turn

to finding a solution rather than realising that we are in relationship with the one who can solve the problem. Of course we should train people for ministry and invite people to do apprenticeships. Those are not wrong things in and of themselves. But Jesus tells us, when we see the fields ripe for harvest, our first port of call must be to cry out

When we look out at the world and see people in desperate need of relationship with Jesus, our first response ought to be to cry out to God. to the Lord of the harvest.

So will you please spend a moment or two, right now, crying out to the Lord of the harvest?

Praying for him to work in the hearts and minds of many to call them into the world with the gospel? And will you commit yourself again to praying for God’s work in raising up another generation of gospel workers so that a dying world might hear the truth that God has loved them in Christ and that forgiveness and hope are possible for all?

We need more people, please get ready and come!

Gary Nelson: “‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.’

This is very clear in the North West of Australia. Join with me in praying for more people to be trained for gospel ministry to serve in difficult locations. Moore College provides sound, biblical, gospel-centred training for a life long service of our Lord. Please step forward so the lost may be found in Jesus.”

Gary Nelson, a Moore graduate, is the current bishop of the Anglican Diocese of North West Australia. Previously he was External Studies Director at Moore College, was an assistant minister in Dapto and later rector of Panania.

Find out more, see page 15…

College Features Moore Matters winter 2018

Cry out to the Lord of the harvest

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14 College Community Moore Matters Winter 2018

Why we travelled half-way around the world Peter Orr

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y first encounter with Moore College came in a pastor’s study in a small town in South Eastern Romania named Cernavodã where I was working as a missionary. There was only one English title on his shelf—Graeme Goldsworthy’s Gospel and Kingdom. As I stood at the bookshelf I began to read the introduction, and Graeme’s description of an imaginary sermon on David and Goliath gripped me. As I read, it slowly dawned on me that my default mode of reading Scripture had been to think about what it said about me. But Graeme showed me that the David and Goliath story does not find its fulfilment in me fighting my giants, but in Jesus (God’s anointed king) defeating the ultimate giants of sin, death and the devil. I am ‘in’ the story, not as the hero defeating the giant but as a cowering Israelite who needs rescuing! I later bought my own copy of Graeme’s book, and it had a profound impact on my understanding of the Bible.

A few years later I found myself living in London and attending St Helen’s Bishopsgate. The ministry there was (and still is) resolutely centred on faithfully and comprehensively teaching the Bible. As the Bible was explained from the pulpit and in small groups, we were continually pointed to Jesus. In sermons, Bible study notes and on the bookstall, the books and emphases of Moore College (particularly that of Biblical theology) were stressed and I grew in my appreciation of the college. I was exposed to a completely new (for me) way of understanding the

Bible as God’s plan of salvation opened up before me.

As well as a period of encountering God’s word in a fresh way, my time at St Helen’s was when I met my wife Emma—a native of Sydney working and living in London. In time we both ended up on the staff of St Helen’s. After a few years, the next step seemed to be to study at theological college. With Emma’s family in Sydney and my growing appreciation of the college, Moore seemed to be the logical place. So, in 2004 I started in first year at Moore, and what followed were four of the richest and most stimulating years of my life. I am very thankful to the Lord for the privilege to have studied at Moore under such a godly faculty and with so many encouraging classmates. There were many highlights but chapel, with John Woodhouse as he took us through 1 Samuel (including chapter 17 on David and Goliath) pointing us to the person and work of Jesus, particularly stood out.

Following college, I completed a PhD in Durham before returning to Australia to teach at Melbourne School of Theology under Mike Raiter, a former lecturer at Moore. We spent two very happy years in Melbourne and were encouraged to see the great work the Lord is doing there. As such, when the possibility came to return to teach at Moore, although we saw this as a wonderful opportunity, the pull of dear friends and the great need for gospel work in Melbourne made the decision to come back a difficult one.

In the end, though, we did return to Sydney and I began teaching at Moore in 2014 as a member of the NT department. It has been and remains a real joy to work with such a wonderful faculty and to teach students who are so hungry to learn and grow.

One of the subjects I have the privilege of teaching is Biblical Theology, and I smile to myself every time we come to 1 Samuel 17 and think about how to correctly interpret and apply the account of David and Goliath!

Richard Chin: “God is leading his people to the New Creation, where all things in heaven and on earth will be united in Jesus (Eph 1:10).

One new body, one new humanity, one new family—Jew and Gentile—speaking the truth of the gospel in love (Eph 2-4). And one snapshot of this body can be seen on Australian university campuses, where God is joining hundreds of international students into his family by his gospel. The world is coming to our shores.

Australia’s onshore international education sector alone is forecast to grow from 650,000 students today to 940,000 by 2025. And they are often hungry for the gospel. But the workers are few.

Moore College is strategically placed to train such workers for the harvest in AFES. Will you join us?”

Richard Chin is married to Jeanette and the father of 4 young adult children. His late wife (Bronwyn) went to be with the Lord at Easter in 2013. He trained at Moore College and now serves as the National Director of the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students (AFES).

Based at Wollongong University, he also serves with Jeanette on the AFES staff team that proclaims Christ to both local and international students.

Greg Anderson: “Churches in the Northern Territory need pastors and teachers who are welltrained, resilient and have a sense of adventure.

Moore College graduates have come in recent years, but there is room for more. Aboriginal church leaders in particular are requesting people who will stand alongside them and help them as they study the Bible and bring its liberating truths to their communities.”

Richard Condie: “Our Vision for the Diocese of Tasmania is to be a church for Tasmania, making disciples of Jesus. We are praying that the Lord will raise up able, bible-centred gospel workers from within Tasmania and beyond who will join us in equipping disciples to make disciples. The needs are great, and the opportunities are many.”

Greg Anderson, a Moore College graduate, is currently the Anglican bishop of the Northern Territory (since November 2014). He was formerly Head of the Department of Mission on the Moore College faculty from 2007.

Richard Condie, previously vicar of St. Jude’s, Carlton, and an Archdeacon in the Diocese of Melbourne, is currently Anglican Bishop of Tasmania. He is the leader of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans in Australia.

College Features Moore Matters winter 2018

We need more people, please get ready and come!

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16 College Features Moore Matters Winter 2018

Postgraduate study at Moore is no academic exercise

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ostgraduate study at Moore College offers graduate students the opportunity to build their knowledge and skills for ministry.

Moore offers three distinct programs, each produced to fit different goals, interests and outcomes. All three are taught or supervised by our world class faculty— scholars and researchers in their fields—and founded on Moore’s renowned Biblical Theology.

» PhD – Equips you for teaching, research and the scholarly enhancement of Christian ministry.

» Master of Theology MTh – A postgraduate research award designed for your future teaching ministries.

» Master of Arts Theology MA(Th) – Provides

continuing education in theology to enhance your full-time ministry.

Keen to find out more about our graduate students, we interviewed one of our PhD students to find out his experience of postgraduate study.

PhD student Andrew Spalding is married to Tammie and they have two small children. After a six-year stint in youth ministry at Narellan Anglican Church, they moved to complete a PhD at Moore College.

Andrew says that researching his thesis has already astonished him. “The working title for my research is ‘Reading Ecclesiastes as Parental Discourse’, which is a way of saying I’m thinking about the significance of the address to ‘my son’ in the epilogue of Ecclesiastes (12:12). One of the unique and interesting features of wisdom literature is the way that it addresses young people, yet this is something that has received little attention in Ecclesiastes. Chiefly, I’m looking at how this ought to affect the way we read Ecclesiastes, but I am also hopeful there will be further payoff for how we think about the instruction of children and young people.”

“It is astonishing how much has been written about even the most obscure parts of the Old Testament, but yet somehow, there are so many questions that haven’t been asked yet, let alone answered. The riches of God’s word are truly inexhaustible!”, he continued.

Reflecting on this topic Andrew observed, “More negatively, I have been surprised to discover just how

Mark Fairfull

much biblical scholarship relies upon unfounded assumptions. Earlier in the 20th century convoluted historical reconstructions of the origins of the Bible were in vogue. In recent decades this has given way to reader-response approaches that rest on postmodern ideology. There is a great need for evangelical scholarship that wrestles with what the text actually says, rather than finding ‘clever’ ways to avoid it.”

Andrew’s research has influenced his faith profoundly. “Some people think that academic study of the Bible is a spiritually barren exercise. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. It is a great privilege to devote so much time and energy to the Word of God, to benefit from the labours of others who have gone before, and to do this in the Moore College community.”

He continued, “Many people comment upon the irony of choosing to do a PhD on a book that warns against the weariness of study (Eccl 12:12). But this is actually one reason why studying Ecclesiastes has been so enriching. Biblical wisdom literature puts the pursuit of knowledge into its proper context, and even relativizes it. It affirms that the fear of the Lord is the beginning (Prov 1:7) and the end (Eccl 12:13) of wisdom.

It is a means of living well in God’s good-yet-fallen world, but never an end in itself.”

Thinking about why he chose Moore to do his PhD, Andrew said, “Moore College has a strong reputation for reformed theology, intellectual integrity, and a track record of preparing men and women for gospel ministry in the real world. The launch of the Moore College PhD and a growing post-graduate community seemed like an offer too good to refuse. And in terms of job prospects, a Moore College degree is recognised everywhere the Bible is taught faithfully.”

When looking to future ministry, Andrew hopes his research can have wide benefits. “I’m hoping that there will be insights I can draw from my study into how we teach young people, and what we can learn more generally from the pedagogy of the Old Testament wisdom literature. More specifically, my purpose in signing up for a PhD was for the skills I would develop along the way—to develop my critical thinking, reading, and writing—in order to prepare for a ministry in theological education.”

If you would like more information about the different programs, which one would suit you best or the admission requirements, we would be very happy to chat with you. Phone +61 (0) 2 9577 9999 or email RegistrarDept@moore.edu.au.

Peter Tasker

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was around 17 years old when our youth fellowship group became aware of the five young men who had lost their lives seeking under God to reach the Auca Indians of Ecuador with the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We were being well taught in the scriptures through our Moore College Student Ministers and our eyes were being lifted to see the world through God’s eyes by our CMS link missionaries. The words of Jim Elliot, one of those five young men, impacted many of us, “he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose”.

Words based on Matthew 16:23-27, where Jesus said to his disciples, “for whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it”.

At this same time the Lord was raising up Billy Graham, and it was through the Counsellor Training Courses in preparation for the 1959 Crusade that many of us were learning how to share the gospel one to one. Jesus’ words again to his disciples in Matthew 9:37-38 had an impact on many—“the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” As I prayed this prayer one day it struck me, why not me!

It is now 59 years later!! Has the work been completed? No!! Each

generation is called to reach out with the gospel to their generation.

We must continue to pray for long term committed labourers.

Over these last few years the Lord has brought our Diocese into contact with many in the Anglican Communion who have said that they believe the Bible but are still looking for adequate training to understand it and be able to effectively preach and teach. They have heard that Moore College trains trainers, has biblical resources to share, and that CMS still sends long term cross-culturally trained workers.

As an example let me share a conversation I had in Madagascar a couple of weeks ago. Alan Lukabyo has been going to Madagascar at least once a year for at least six years, taking a group of twelve through a French translation of the first six PTC subjects. The aim has been to train two from each diocese who will return to their diocese and take others through the course.

One of the young men who has completed this course explained that he has a Masters in Theology from the local University but had never done anything like the PTC. Biblical Theology. Studying a whole book of the Bible. Because of infrastructural and financial problems, most of these dioceses are looking to start small Bible Colleges to give basic foundational biblical training. There are six of the PTC subjects in French, with many now asking, when will the remaining twelve be available? Madagascar was formerly a French Colony, and thus the need for French language material. However, the greater need is for the PTC to be translated into Malagasy. Madagascar has roughly the same population as Australia and it is believed that originally many years ago the first inhabitants came from Indonesia!

The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.

The Anglican Church in Tanzania has mature godly leadership in Christ. However, the younger generation is heavily influenced through what they see and hear on the internet. A new generation to be reached with the

The words of Jim Elliot… impacted many of us, “he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose”. gospel, a new generation of pastors and teachers needed. Support and encouragement for the Bible College teachers remains a vital need.

Part of the PTC is in Swahili. I am being asked, “When will we see the remaining subjects and the diploma course in Swahili?” One of the needs here, as elsewhere, is to train and support trainers who can reach out to others.

The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.

There are many false teachers seeking to draw our brothers and sisters in Christ away from believing that Jesus Christ is the ONLY Lord and Saviour. The only way to recognise counterfeit, is by clearly seeing the truth. The need is as great today as in the first century church, for the truth of the gospel to be clearly proclaimed and taught.

The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.

Peter is the Archbishop of Sydney’s Bishop for International Relations, Anglican Church, Diocese of Sydney.

College Global Moore Matters winter 2018

The International Gospel need

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18 College Community: Alumni Testimonies Moore Matters winter 2018

How I was recruited for ministry…

Tom Habib Tom studied at Moore Theological College and is currently serving as an assistant minister at Yagoona and Condell Park Anglican church. Tom is married to Jess and they have two young children.

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hen I finished High School my senior minister, Steve Young, asked me if I would consider full-time paid ministry in the future. I said, “No—I’m going to be a High School teacher.” That was that. But as I got more involved in the ministry at church, I grew in my conviction of the need for gospel ministry, and became aware of how God had gifted me with abilities and opportunities to share the gospel. By the end of uni, Steve and one of our assistants, Ed Loane, asked me to do MTS. I had such a great time over the next two years sharing the gospel that by the end of it I knew that this is what I should be doing. And so, Steve told me to go and get trained at Moore College—the best advice I’ve ever taken. My own experience has taught me to look out for people at a young age, encourage them to get involved in ministry at church first, and build their convictions about the need for gospel workers. I’m now excited to think about who I can tap on the shoulder and send.

Simon Flinders Simon is currently serving as Rector at St Mark’s Northbridge.

Simon is married to Tamara and they have three children.

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received good encouragement to consider vocational ministry even while I was a young man from leaders in my church, from leaders within Scripture Union ministries, and even from my peers. Then I was offered an opportunity to do a ministry apprenticeship at UNSW, which provided me with my first taste of full-time service.

Now I serve as a pastor of the Anglican church in Northbridge and I relish the opportunity to train student ministers, to encourage people in our church to consider how they can serve Christ, and to pray for Christ to send out many people I know into the work of the Lord. I also maintain an active commitment to the ministries of Scripture Union NSW, as I think they are very strategic for the raising up of new gospel servants.

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Michael is about to start serving as an assistant minister at St Thomas’ North Sydney.

Until last year, he and his wife Caroline with their four children served with CMS at Martin Bucer Seminary in Munich.

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y awareness of the need to raise up and train workers for God’s harvest field grew gradually as I heard Christ clearly and faithfully proclaimed from the Scriptures each week over four years during my time at university (UNSW). Though it made a complete mess of my hopes to get rich or be a rock star, I was increasingly convinced by the richness of the spiritual blessings I had received and of the need to share them with others. For the past 6 years it’s been my absolute privilege to work towards this goal among Germans and Afghan refugees with CMS in Munich.

Joshua Kuswadi Joshua is currently serving as Rector at St Peter’s Anglican Church Nightcliff in Darwin. Joshua is married to Joanna and they have three children.

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was first asked, “Have you ever considered full-time ministry?”

by Phil Wheeler during a university Mid Year Conference. Jo and I have always been passionate about moving our home for the sake of the gospel. The strongest conviction we’ve ever had, was to move across Sydney, to go to a different church with a new minister. Moving to Egypt, to Moore College, and to Darwin was a domino effect of that first decision.

At St Peter’s Nightcliff, one of our key strategies is to ‘send everyone to serve in word and action’. So we’re praying that at least two people be sent to theological education for ministry.

College Community: Alumni Testimonies Moore Matters winter 2018

Mike Clark

20 Meet the students Moore Matters Winter 2018

Will He Third Year

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rior to coming to college, I had been at Macquarie University for five years.

University was an incredibly formative time for me, as I came to grips with my struggles in academia, and my passion for genuine discipleship and mentoring. I did an AFES Apprenticeship in those last two years at Macquarie and found it thoroughly joyful and challenging.

Among the highs and lows, I definitely saw the bigger picture of God’s Word at work on campus and in the lives of the students. It kept me humble and kept me keen to continue being a part of God’s work.

Coming to college felt like the logical step after finishing my AFES Apprenticeship. But why should that be the case, and why Moore? I had no immediate answers before coming to college. Answering the second question was much easier; Moore had a reputation of being a thorough and challenging theological college, and I knew I needed to be challenged and pushed

in the way that I think and in the way that I work.

The first question was harder to address. Although I started my apprenticeship with the expectation and hope to go on to do further biblical study, I wondered why I should stop what I was already doing, and also address my anxieties about returning to study. But in order to be better equipped for the sake of future gospel work and for those I will serve in the future, I applied to Moore towards the end of my apprenticeship.

My college experience has been holistically challenging; in thinking, in reading, in detail, in articulation, in consequence, and all in regard to handling God’s Word faithfully and carefully. But that was expected. Overcoming my anxieties about studying was the harder task and was not going to be easy and definitely not going to be accomplished alone. I’ve found that one of the most impelling elements has been the community at college.

Through the college community, I have seen Christian love for each other poured out in droves, as we support one another in our study and in our ministry, studying and serving together—where one succeeds, we’ve all succeeded, and where one fails, we’ve all failed.

… challenging in thinking, in reading, in detail, in articulation, in consequence, and all in regard to handling God’s Word faithfully and carefully.

Although I try to remain open to the possibilities of serving the Lord wherever, my current passions are university students, and also third-culture individuals, especially Australian-born Chinese.

The tentative plan is to return to the university context, to preach and teach the Word faithfully and clearly, so that we might present everyone as mature in Christ.

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Third Year

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efore coming to Moore College, I was living just down the coast in Wollongong. I went to university to study history with the original intention of becoming a teacher. But after a couple of years I realised that I was passionate about teaching the Bible.

I then enrolled at Youthworks College to study a Diploma of Theology / Children’s Ministry. During my two years there I worked as a kids’ ministry trainee at my home church where I was able to be trained on the ground while applying what I was learning at Youthworks.

Part of the reason I chose to come to Moore was the great opportunity to come straight into second year at Moore through their partnership with Youthworks. This meant that I could take what I had already been learning and experiencing, and transition into life at Moore, cutting a year off my degree here. I also knew that Moore had a great reputation for faithfully teaching the Bible.

Lots changed very quickly in the year I moved to College. I left my home town, my home church and my family. Though all those things are only an hour

Paul Berzekian Second Year

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efore I had considered going into full time ministry, I was a graphic designer working in a branding agency.

A vast number of those who have had an influence on my Christian growth studied at Moore. When looking at options and thinking through strengths of different colleges, I was able to discern that Moore would be the best place to be trained for long term ministry of teaching the word of God. I was in the singles accommodation last year and really loved the fellowship. It is good to meet so many different people who come from different intensities of training before college. So much is learnt from relating to each other.

My plans are flexible and changing. I would love to be in parish ministry with a team. But as a more specific plan, I would love to use the things I’m learning to teach the Bible to Armenian people in a context that I’m unsure about yet.

away, it was a scary time. But moving into the singles’ quarters at College made the transition far easier than I had anticipated. Even though I was crashing into second year, they welcomed me and made Newtown feel like home very quickly. Moore has also built on the things I learnt at Youthworks College and has continued to challenge me in the way that I read and teach the Bible.

I’m currently looking to pursue children’s ministry after college. Kids are such an important part of God’s family, and I love getting alongside them and our families to help them grow in love and knowledge of God. At the moment I’m exploring options of heading overseas to places where people doing kids ministry haven’t had access to the great training that those in Sydney have access to.

Karen Lawson-Smith Fourth Year

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was studying Social Work at university (which I loved!) when I first began to think seriously about training for full-time ministry. Whilst on a hospital placement, I was really saddened that I couldn’t share the hope of Jesus with my clients.

I wanted to be better equipped to do this! With the encouragement of my ministers, women who I read the Bible with one-to-one, and the staff workers at my uni Christian group, I decided to embark on a ministry apprenticeship.

As I served uni students, I noticed that there were (many!) gaps in my understanding, and so I was encouraged to come to college to be further equipped to serve people.

Meet the students Moore Matters Winter 2018

Stuart Jansen

22 Editorial Moore Matters winter 2018

Have we stopped being Matt 9:38 people?

Mark Fairfull 4.8 billion people worldwide1 11.5 million people in Australia2

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sk the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

The number of people needing the lifegiving message of the gospel in Australia and the world is massive. Are we praying? Are we sending ourselves and others to be workers? Are we training them?

The gospel is so important and the need for it so urgent and the challenge of sharing it so great, that we need to train and equip workers to go out into the harvest field. One of the important missions left for us to meet the great commission is to raise up the next generation of gospel workers.

This edition of Moore Matters is dedicated to hearing different voices from a variety of contexts communicating this need, which is seemingly more urgent than ever. We must respond urgently—in prayer and finances and in other types of support.

Here at Moore we are preparing men and women to work in God’s harvest. As you will see from numerous testimonials, the full time face-to-face learning provided in our bachelor courses is crucial for preparing mature gospel workers. Moore Missions provide vital practical training and meet gospel needs in churches on our doorstep. Further afield, we hear from our Alumni who are church leaders around Australia and internationally and are crying out for more well-trained gospel workers to help teach and train others.

With millions in this country and billions globally who do not know Jesus as Lord and Saviour, and more still who need discipling, there is an urgent gospel ministry and mission need in Sydney and beyond. The scope of the need is clear, but how will we respond?

1 Operation World 2 Australian Bureau of Stats 2016 Census: Religion (52% Australian population reports Christianity as their religion) Bermuda

To use an inelegant phrase, it is a global business, and this means the needs are great and the number of workers needed to do the work is also large. But to be faithful and effective, they must be seriously prepared, in depth, for the task ahead. That is why our core business will always be to provide rigorous theological education and training that prepares men and women to meet the challenges of life-time gospel ministry.

Each year we hear about hundreds of ministry jobs and opportunities, both within Australia and globally. I recently received a letter from a reader of Moore Matters making me aware of the context and need in Italy. As we noted last year in Moore Matters, when celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, there is a real need for re-evangelisation across the whole continent of Europe.

Our graduates serve in gospel ministry all over the globe, but we need more people to be graduates to help meet the need. We cannot do this without your help.

Will you work with us to help meet these needs?

Will you pray for our College and our graduates in ministry all over the world? Will you partner with us financially to provide quality theological education and training? Will you share the urgency of the need with others? Will you invite people to consider training at Moore—to be part of God’s answer to our greatest need? Will you commit to praying for and financially supporting them when they come to Moore to train for gospel ministry?

I will leave the last exhortation to a gospel worker of four decades: The gospel of our salvation commits us to the salvation of others by the gospel. We cannot be like Jesus, and remain disinterested and inactive about the salvation of sinners. So, we are to lose our lives not only for Jesus but also for the gospel. This is the motivational shift in our lives that leads to a life-time of evangelism.

(Phillip Jensen)

British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Trinidad & Tobago

Moore College graduates’ locations Distance graduates’ locations or areas using CGM resources

Seychelles

Mauritius

T

his has been my first opportunity as the Head of the Moore College Foundation to launch the Winter Appeal. In my short time in the role, I’ve been encouraged by the responsiveness of friends of Moore College to the varied requests we make for funds and support.

We don’t make such requests lightly. Like you, I support varied causes, organisations, people and of course my church. Having just completed a successful campaign to fund the new building, we are now turning our attention to other things, even though there is still need for further building.

We are all living at a time when our mailboxes, or perhaps our ‘inboxes’, are flooded with emails and ‘virtual’ campaigns. Carmen and I consider carefully the worth of each request. A major factor in our minds is what will be the impact of our gift for the work of God in the world, and in particular, seeking the lost.

Here at Moore, we have urgent needs for your support in three broad areas: scholarships, general support, and buildings.

Gifts in each of the above categories are investments in the work of God. Would you join us in prayer for the people God is preparing for lives of Christ-centred ministry? May they see the need to devote themselves to serious full-time study, and seek his guidance concerning where they might serve. As my three stories showed earlier in this edition, graduates serve in varied ways. Some wish to serve youth and children’s ministry, others in teaching, university ministry, administration, and Christian leadership. What do we need to further this work?

Our BIG priority right now, is scholarships!

Like you, I know young (and not so young) men and women being encouraged to leave what they are doing to train for full-time ministry. While we have some scholarship support due to generous bequests and donations in the past, we have far less than we need. This has been drawn into sharp focus by recent proposals from the Federal

government for changes to HECS and FEE-HELP loan limits, that would make it very difficult for many to study—in particular, those who have used HECS funded loans for previous degrees at universities (most of our applicants).

If these changes are approved, many will not be able to afford to study at Moore. Vital full-time study at Moore College has always required the majority of students to save for a number of years, and sell worldly possessions to pay for fees and other expenses. Without FEE-HELP, many won’t be able to come.

Our response? A focus on developing a major endowed scholarship fund that will grow over the years, with scholarships funded from growth in the fund, not the gifts. It would have simple and transparent rules, high visibility, and increasingly, enough funds to provide a significant number of new scholarships each year. There would be a single point of entry for applications. This will require strong advocacy and involvement of you our supporters—‘champions’ for this critical need!

Would you consider a gift to this new fund?

We hope it will be in place for the 2019 academic year. If it is to be in place, it will require a number of generous gifts and a commitment from many to see this as an important ongoing area of support.

My wife Carmen and I intend to become ongoing supporters of such a fund. I hope that many of you will join us as well. If you would like more information about the need for the fund, or if you’d like to discuss a major gift, please call me on my direct line at College, 02 9577 9900, or send an email to Trevor.Cairney@moore.edu.au.

I look forward to partnering with you in this new program.

Trevor Cairney Head, Moore College Foundation

Kiribati Nauru Solomon Islands Vanuatu New Caledonia

Fiji

INTO

ALL THE

Tonga

WORLD

Winter Appeal Moore Matters Winter 2018

A focus on Scholarships

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

Given Name

Family Name Address City State

Postcode

Phone Email

I would like to make a tax deductible gift of: $1000

$500

$250

$100

$50

Other $ Once

Monthly

Quarterly

Directed towards: Scholarships Fund

Building Development Fund

General Fund

Payment method: Cheque (payable to Moore Theological College) Direct Deposit (see bank details below) My credit card Visa

M/card

American Express

CARD NUMBER

Expiry Date

/

Name on card Signature

It’s Easy to Donate

1 Return this form to Moore College by mail (1 King Street, Newtown NSW 2042)

2 Visit our website www.moore.edu.au/donate 3 Direct Deposit (Please include your name in the description box) Bank Westpac

Name Moore Theological College

BSB 032 016 Account 293828

4

Call Leanne Veitch on 02 9577 9865

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: One of the next generation of gospel workers: Moore College third year student Stuart Jansen.

moore matters Winter 2018 moore.edu.au

Raising up the next generation of gospel workers

M issions

pages 2-3

2018 wrap pages 8-9

Meet the students pages 20-21

Foundation News pages 4-5

We need more people, please get ready and come! page 15

Have we stopped being Matt 9:38 people? page 22

THE

ANSWERING PSALMIST’S PERPLEXITY NEW-COVENANT NEWNESS IN THE BOOK OF PSALMS

SPEAKER DR JAMES HELY HUTCHINSON OF THE BELGIAN BIBLE INSTITUTE

OPEN NIGHT SEPT 3

FREE EVENT FIND OUT MORE 9577 9999 moore.edu.au/amcl

OPEN EVENTS

OPEN WEEK SEPT 3 – SEPT 7

2018

RSVP NOW! moore.edu.au/open

BUY TICKETS AT

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SEX AT UNI TO UNISEX SPEAKER

PHILLIP JENSEN

Spiritinspired C H R I S T I A N L I V I N G

REGISTER ONLINE: PAA.MOORE.EDU.AU/SEMINARS/

MONDAY 10 SEPTEMBER 2018

6:30PM COFFEE 7:00PM START FINISH 9:00PM

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SPEAKER PHILLIP JENSEN

20 AUGUST 7.30PM MOORE COLLEGE 1 KING STREET, NEWTOWN