The QB Magazine June 2019

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QB MAGAZINE THE VOICE OF QUEENSLAND BAPTISTS | JUN/JUL 19

The Times are a Changing

It’s who I am

In Christ you can be calm

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16

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Print post approved ISSN: 100003837 | The Queensland Baptist - first published in 1890. This series Vol 17 Issue 3. | qb.org.au

Conferences

Mt Isa Gold Coast Gladstone Mackay

May 24 – 25 June 7 – 8 June 21 – 22 Sept 13 – 14

Early Bird:$60 Standard: $70

Women of God, come join with other women across the state this year as we seek God and learn about His transforming power.

“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind” Romans 12:2 A ministry of

Retreats Atherton Mapleton

July 26 – 28 Aug 23 - 25

Early Bird:$160

Register Now

Standard: $175

Speakers

Kimberly Smith Shauna Gallagher

W: www.anewconference.org.au P: 0402 257 990 E: admin@anewconference.org.au

SHERIDAN LINDÉE Photographer

QB MINISTRIES 16

QB Women It’s who I am

18

QB Archives HY Study Church History?

21

Mission to Queensland Boulia Outback Chapel Update

22

Carinity Help bring chaplaincy to people in need

29

Malyon Vocational Training The 2019 Baplink graduate of influence award

CONTENTS

ARTICLES 30

In Christ you can... be Calm

32

Making the impossible possible

34

God will provide you rneeds.

But, what are your needs?

36

The value of pets

38

Queensland Parliamentary Inquiry into Voluntary Assisted Dying

40

Kristallnacht and the Christian Connection

23 REGULARS 4 From the Acting General Superintendent

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Front Cover: Baptist World Aid Australia is running the annual Matching Grant Appeal, where your generous gift can have 6x the impact.

21

8

Vision Series

10

Speaking out: Peter Francis

12

Baptisms

13

Around the regions

41

Reviews

43

Persecution brief

44

Fun zone

46

God moments

46

Classifieds

QB PARTNERS 26

Global Interaction Around the Fences

28 BWAA

Your once a year opportunity

to have 6x the impact

QB.ORG.AU JUN/JUL 19 3

FROM THE ACTING GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT

THE TIMES ARE A CHANGING (A PERSONAL REFLECTION) There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. Ecclesiastes 3:1 During the preparation of this edition of the QB magazine, our Acting General Superintendent Stewart Pieper underwent significant surgery, followed by six weeks of leave to aid with recovery. I personally give thanks for the gift of Stewart Pieper as Acting General Superintendent during this time of significant change and new beginnings. We give thanks for his successful surgery and look forward to his return to the role of Acting General Superintendent by midJune.

This year’s Annual Convention was one of the biggest, and most anticipated times of gathering for many years. A highlight was the presentation of the QB review findings. The sense of God’s spirit was felt throughout the Convention, and the presence of over 100 children and young people reminded us that we were not only making decisions for the present, but for the next generation. This was powerfully portrayed by having the children come in and pray with us and for us, as part of the first session of business day. Sally Contessi, our QB Kids and their Families leader

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led them with great enthusiasm. The assembly provided overwhelming support for us to move forward and implement the recommendations of the review. There is recognition that we have come this far by God’s grace, and we need to continue to depend on Him to supply the leaders and resources for the future. One of the challenges to all our churches is, that if we endorse the direction, we all need to contribute financially, to allow the recommendations to be achieved and even exceeded.

My Journey as part of Queensland Baptists My personal involvement with Queensland Baptists goes back over 50 years, when my family joined a Baptist Church plant at Acacia Ridge in 1966. I value growing up in Baptist churches, and being given opportunities to minister and serve. It is over 35 years since I started studying at the then Baptist Theological College of Queensland.

My first official role associated with the wider Queensland Baptists was as a member of the Department of Theological Studies in 1994. For most of the last 25 years I have served for 11 years as a member of

the college faculty, and for the last 12 years as a Regional Consultant.

I reflect on the past with fondness and appreciation. I consider the present not only as a time of challenge, but of opportunity, and I look forward to the future with great expectation, as I see the next generation rising up and making an even greater impact for God’s kingdom.

The writer of Hebrews reminds us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.

(Hebrews 13:8). The truth of God’s word never changes, but with every generation there has been a need to meet and respond to the changing circumstances they live in.

for the privilege of being part of a loving community of people who lived out their faith, and cared enough for me to train, encourage and equip me to be a faithful follower of Jesus.

I think I thrived, not because I was interested in religion, but that I valued relationships where I was loved and could love others.

THE PRESENT

THE PAST Growing up for me included Christian Endeavour, Youth Exchanges, Camps at Currumbin, and Sunday School exams to name a few things.

Church was very formal; ladies still wore hats to church, and the pastor did nearly all the public speaking from the front of the church. Music, certainly on Sunday mornings, was only hymns—usually accompanied by an organ. You wore your Sunday best, which for men included ties and polished shoes. It was also a time when everyone seemed to have a Christian allegiance. At school, the discussion was not, “are you a Christian”? but “which church do you belong to”?

I give thanks for my Christian upbringing, not because of the form or style or programs or rituals, but

Today is very different from my growing up years.

Technology and the sheer pace of life are so different, yet I still love God and value being part of His family.

Church is different too. The music is different, and we use many different musical instruments. Many of our churches are larger, and we put a lot more emphasis on hospitality and fellowship than we used to.

Modern advancements have given us so many more tools and opportunities to share the gospel, yet we also live in a society which seems determined to bring the church into disrepute, and to work against the sharing of the good news of Jesus. We can no longer coast along as socially acceptable followers of Jesus—we now need to stand up against the tide of society and identify ourselves with the truth of God. Today is both a time of great challenge and great opportunity for the church. It is encouraging that when we read the New Testament, the context is more like today’s world than the Christendom of my youth.

As demonstrated by our unified decisions at Convention, to focus and change in order to fulfil the great commission, is still the calling on each and every disciple of Christ.

THE FUTURE What does the future hold? Paul reminds us Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.

Ephesians 3:20.

At a personal level, my future is not focused on “what can I achieve for God?” It is not my achievements, but my relationship with God that has preserved me and motivated me. I think the future is about what legacy we will leave as part of a human chain of God followers. How are we investing in future generations? How are we facilitating and cheering on those who will continue the mission that God has entrusted to His people?

Now is the time for Christians, and in particular Queensland Baptists, to make a difference where God has planted us. We should honour the past, but not glorify it or try to resurrect it. In the present we should not flee from challenge or opposition but stand firm in following Jesus publicly and privately. We need to respond to the call of Jesus on His disciples to deny ourselves and take up the cross. As we move to the future, it should be with an expectation of not of what we can do, but what God can do through us.

We need to continue to invest and encourage the next generation, and leave a Godly legacy and example for all those who come behind us.

May God bless you all as you continue to love and serve Him.

Stephen Ball Acting General Superintendent Stephen.ball@qb.org.au

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QB MAGAZINE

FROM THE EDITOR

THE VOICE OF QUEENSLAND BAPTISTS

The qb is a member of the Australasian Religious Press Association, published bi-monthly by Queensland Baptist Services Group in February, April, June, August, October and December.

Editor: Linda Nevell Design: Shell Graphix Print: Printcraft This magazine is printed with soy based inks and paper from sustainable forest plantations.

We welcome reader feedback and opinions about our articles. Remember to include your full name, email and postal addresses.

Changes. At QB convention this year, the assembly voted to implement the structural changes to the QB Movement, which were suggested in the recent Review. So, we enter a new season. Stephen Ball writes about the changes he has witnessed across the churches, from his youth onwards. “As we move to the future, it should be with an expectation of not of what we can do, but what God can do through us” (From the Acting General Superintendent). What a great reminder that every decision we make should be for the glory of God’s kingdom, beyond this world.

He is the only one who is the same yesterday today and forever.

Please prayerfully consider the annual Baptist World Aid Matching Grants Appeal, (Your once a year opportunity to have 6x the impact!) where your generous gift will be matched with an Australian

Government Aid grant. These funds go towards urgently needed new livelihoods for families living in poverty.

I hope you enjoy the photos from QB convention. It was great to see pastors and their families enjoying the time together and with the Lord. We have many more photos on the QB magazine blog (www. qbmagazone.org.au) I hope you find encouragement in the pages of this QB magazine, and please keep the contributions coming!

God Bless, Linda Nevell Editor, the qb qb@qb.org.au

Articles and advertising in The qb express the opinions of the authors, not necessarily the editor or publishers. Every effort is made to ensure the correctness of facts and information however we cannot accept responsibility for errors. The publishers reserve the right to accept or decline any advertising.

Deadline for advertisement and copy: 10th of the month prior to the month of publication.

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Unless otherwise noted, Scripture verses appearing in The qb are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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VISION SERIES

STAYING THE COURSE THROUGH CHANGE (ACTS 16)

BY EMIL RAHIMOV REGIONAL CONSULTANT FOR ETHNIC AND MULTICULTURAL CHURCHES.

One of our ethnic churches, almost weekly, mobilizes its members, and they prayerfully go to the nearest train stations, where they witness, distribute Gospel flyers and pray for people. All of them are refugees. They escaped their home countries due to persecution.

They ended up in a third country for years, waiting for resettlement.

Finally, after many years, they call Australia—home. Many of them have experienced trauma and lost loved ones during war and conflict.

Their circumstances have changed dramatically through years of persecution, escape, survival in the camps and even in their new home.

Their English is very limited. But they are staying the course through all these changes—Evangelism.

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There was a dramatic change in the life of the early church in Acts 8 that triggered a scattering of believers.

Scriptures say: ‘And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.’ (Acts 8:1) Is persecution something desirable?

I would say no. But is it something unexpected? Not at all. Naturally, when there is a persecution, people escape, hide and scatter. Yet, those who scattered ‘went about preaching the word.’ (Acts 8:4) They continued to preach the same message that they were scattered for. That is staying the course through change!

https://thediplomat.com/2013/06/india-sends-its-last-telegram-stop/ https://www.socialmedianews.com.au/social-media-statistics-australia-january-2019/

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Just imagine how many changes have taken place during your own lifetime and years in ministry. On July 15, 2013 India sent its last telegram after using the once revolutionary technology for 163 years.1 Now India has 260 million active Facebook users. In Australia in 2019 there are 15 million active Facebook users, around 15 million YouTube users 2, 9 million Instagram users and close to 4.700 million Twitter users. If Facebook and Twitter were children, they would be 15 and 13 years old.

Imagine how much influence social media now has on the minds and lives of people, societies and even countries. Many of us have different opinions regarding the use of social media, but we cannot underestimate

its influence on modern people, and one thing is certain—this influence will continue to grow. That is the change. The challenge for us is how we stay the course through the change.

Let us settle on one thing. Change is inevitable. QB is going through changes, societies change, by the time this article is published we may have a change of government and everything else that will come with it. The Royal Commission brought changes. We just need to continue to faithfully stay the course.

In Acts 16, Paul and his companions had a divine change of their ministry plans. Plan A was to preach the Gospel in regions of Asia - Phrygia and Galatia. And the Holy Spirit forbid them. Okay, now comes Plan B. Plan B was to go and preach the Gospel in Bithynia. Well, the Spirit did not let them go there either. Isn’t it interesting?! To me it tells how well we need to plan our ministries.

But more than that, how sensitive we need to be to the voice of the Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus as it says in Acts 16:7, in what to do. And being sensitive to the Spirit of Jesus means, when necessary, leaving

your Plans A and B aside, and to act and go and function how Jesus says. So often we function according to our so-called venerated ministry plans, leaving very little, if not any, yield to the Divine re-direction of the Holy Spirit. And it may be that we are going in the opposite direction, like Paul, who went to Macedonia (Acts 16:19-10), provided we stay the course. And who knew that there in the regions of Macedonia, a lady

named Lydia would come to know Christ—a businesswoman (16:14), faithful servant (16:15), home-group hostess/leader (16:40) originally from Thyatira, a city in Asia where the Spirit of Jesus did not let them go with their Plans A and B. When we allow God’s Spirit to change our plans, something extraordinary will come out of that, providing that we stay the course, namely, sharing the Word and making disciples. To stay the course through all these changes requires our faithfulness and commitment to the cause. Everything else is there, the harvest is plentiful, and there are enough needing a Saviour for every church. In fact there are not enough churches, but too many bound by sin. God bless!

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SPEAKING OUT

AN ETERNAL INVESTMENT So, whose life are you investing in at the moment?

At around the age of 18 I decided to move churches. The truth was I had grown up attending the Ashgrove Baptist Church where I had a fabulous time, enjoying the benefits of a fantastic youth group, lots of friends and endless opportunities (at least that’s how it seemed to me).

In fact, as I reflect on those days it’s astounding to see the number of people from that youth group who went on to become involved in

ministry of one kind or another. It’s still great to be associated with many of them now, although I note that most of us seem to have changed the colour of our hair since those days.

But at age 18 I felt a driving compulsion to move across to Rosalie Baptist. Curiously enough that was also the church to which a certain young lady from the Ashgrove Baptist Church had moved with her parents. Three years later I ended up marrying that young lady at the Rosalie Baptist Church and just this past weekend we celebrated 40 years of marriage together! What a blessing it has been.

This past weekend also got me thinking about some of the other blessings which God brought into my life around that time. As I moved to Rosalie, the church had just called an interim pastor who served for around 12 months. His name was Reg Wright. This old saint had the most remarkable grasp of the Scriptures and a compelling desire to share them. Week by week, he would open the Word and teach, and I found myself being transfixed. But, more than that, he seemed to take a personal interest in me, and so he spent what seemed like countless hours with me, one-on-one, helping me to read the Scriptures,

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and challenging me about their application to my life. I don’t think I knew what it was called then, but he was actively investing in me and discipling me.

Now, I know that many of us see this as a normal part of the job of being a pastor. Indeed, most pastors would probably say that every week they are investing in the lives of all of those in their church community.

Week by week they are leading teams, preparing sermons and Bible studies, and sharing with people in all kinds of contexts. Many would say that they are not only being “shepherds of God’s flock” as Peter says in 1 Peter 5:2, but they are also seeking to fulfil the Ephesians 4:12 task of “preparing God’s people for works of service.” This is the task to which they have been called.

Yet, as I read the Scriptures it seems to me that there is something more required of those who have been given the trust of being a pastor. It’s the intentional investment in the lives of those who may have the ability to teach and disciple others as well. I’m reminded of Paul’s words to Timothy where he encourages him to pass on his teaching to others who will then be able to teach others (2 Timothy 2:2). Basically, Paul is telling him to be in the discipleship business; to be investing intentionally in the lives of others. To be sure, sometimes in

the busyness of pastoral ministry, the time required for this intentional investment is not easy to come by, despite it being a significant part of our calling under God. So, how do we make that kind of investment? I know that in a number of our churches the leadership team has deliberately set up “internship” programs for the development of potential future leaders. These programs can be as short as an hour or two each week, or even a part-time paid role for a couple of days per week. At Malyon we have a number of students who are already involved in their own church’s internship program.

This approach has proven to be incredibly valuable to those who have a sense that God is leading them towards a church-based ministry. By mixing their studies at Malyon with their engagement with one or more members of the church leadership team, many students are virtually participating in a ministry apprenticeship. This provides them with biblical foundations for ministry, and the requisite skills for effective ministry into the lives of others.

There is another integral part of any ministry discipleship program, and that is an investment in the personal and spiritual formation of the potential ministry candidate. As we read Paul’s pastoral letters to his ministry protégés Timothy and Titus, we see his great concern to ensure that these men understood the imperative of continued personal growth and development in their own walk of faith with Jesus.

Paul understood that more important than our service is

our own personal growth and relationship with Christ. We see this in Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 4:7, “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”

As I have often said to our students, our most effective ministry will not come from our leadership skills, or even our knowledge of the Bible, but from the continued overflow of God’s work within our own lives.

Your church may not be in a position to support an internship program, but this doesn’t need to stop you, either as a pastor, as a member of the leadership team, or even as a regular member of the local church, from looking out for those into whose lives you can invest your life. Certainly, this is where we, at Malyon Theological College, would love to be able to partner with local churches – seeking to provide some of the basic biblical and theological foundations that people in your church may be looking for.

Maybe you’re not a pastor and are inclined to think that this kind instruction has little to do with you. However, as I read Paul’s instructions to Titus, I get the very real sense that Paul saw the matter of discipleship as being the allencompassing responsibility of every member of the body of Christ. In Titus 2 Paul provides quite specific instructions about the ways in which older men, for example, are to conduct themselves, clearly with a view to modelling to the younger men, what a life of sincere and enduring faith looks like. He gives some instructions for older women on how they

are to teach or show the younger women how to live out the reality of their faith in a way that honours God and his Word, and blesses others.

You don’t have to be a pastor or even on the leadership team to be deliberately investing in the lives of others. The commission of Matthew 28:19 is all about disciples, and who will be committed to making disciples. So, how can you get involved in this task? Over the years I have always sought to have at least a handful of people into whose lives I am deliberately investing. I would meet regularly with them, every month or two. As we met, I would take the time to read the Scriptures with them, encouraging them to think carefully and prayerfully about what God’s Word was saying to them, and how it might be applied to their lives.

Then we would talk through a range of things together – questions like: How is your devotional life going?

Apart from the Bible, what else are you reading? Is there something that you feel God has been challenging you about lately? Tell me about your prayer journey at the moment. What is bringing you the greatest delight in life?

Of course, deep and honest sharing on this level doesn’t come cheaply.

This kind of sharing demands a relationship of trust. And so, I usually want to make myself vulnerable and equally accountable to those I am disciplining to share my answers to the same questions.

Yes, it demands time and personal commitment. But, at the end of the day, this is an investment which may well produce eternal dividends, not only in the lives of those whom you and I disciple, but in the lives of many others who will be impacted by a committed life of discipleship to Jesus.

Peter Francis Principal, Malyon peter.francis@malyon.edu.au

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Baptisms PRAYER IS POWERFUL Please set aside some time to pray for the people recently baptised. They have taken a courageous and life changing step in their walk with Christ. Baptism is an important event in the believer’s walk with Jesus Christ. The Bible talks about water immersion baptism, in which a believer makes a public confession of their faith. Jesus led the way in example of water baptism!

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!

City Tabernacle Baptist Church • Angelina Javan • Paul Kopp • Sue Cox Clontarf Beach Baptist Church • Lorraine Davis • Joan Maycock • Nola Mcleod • Ian Mcleod • Faye Wright Gateway Baptist Church (Mackenzie) • Doreen Awabdy • Luke Burns • Moira Coates • Nita De Jager • Daniel Flatman • Anthony Fuller • Natasha Gibson • Samuel Hamlet • Jane Muir • Laura Radford • Jared Sexton • Rachael Tonsbeek • Anton Vlahos

Lifepointe Baptist Church (North Buderim) • Raymond (Ray) Harper • Millie Teeter • Preston Teeter • Tanay Smith • Tamara Edwards • Mel Allan • Kalei Rattenbury • Georgia Walker • Kyra Harrick • Bryce Pritchard • Fraser Pritchard • Winnie Brakels • Gracie Ruutz • Jasmine Ruutz Sunnybank District Baptist Church • Yan Wei • Sarah Haitao Li • Jenny Tsz Yau Lin • Boi Lung Ling Chung • Ines Chong • Jenny Wu Sugar Reef Baptist Church (Ingham) • Marianne Bara • Alexander (Scott) Graham • Luke Holmes

Never too Old! In an inspiring service recently at Clontarf Beach Baptist, five of the more senior members of our congregation gave public witness to their faith in baptism - Lorraine Davis, Joan Maycock, Faye Wright, Nola and Ian Mcleod. For most this decision had been decades in the making. Joan Maycock and Faye Wright, were originally from an Anglican upbringing as Joan explained: The reason I came today to be baptised is certainly not to trivialise my earlier baptism. My faith was as strong then as it is today. I now have a greater understanding of the importance of total immersion baptism as directed in the Bible.

Faye added: I wanted to show you all what Jesus has done in my life by being baptised today.

Nola and Ian have largely attributed their decision to God’s leading in their new spiritual home. Ian states: I am now ready in this church to be baptised as the Lord commanded, signifying passing from darkness into light and to affirm my faith before witnesses.

The Senior Pastor, Andrew Otte, was excited by these baptisms which was enhanced by the fact that they were all over sixty. He encourages us that: God wants to work in each of our lives, every day, irrespective of age. . . . These folks read their Bibles and it became an act of obedience for them.

Sunnybank District Baptist Church

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Pictured: Clontarf Beach Baptism, Joan Maycock

Around the regions

Destiny Rescue – Jewellery Night Northern Beaches Connections - Deeragun The women’s ministry (Salt Sisters) led by Sharyn Pratap and the youth ministry girls (Aftershock) got together to organise a jewellery and dessert night fundraiser for Mother’s Day in support of Destiny Rescue. Greg and Elly from Milly J’s (a café in North Shore, Townsville) generously donated a space to host the event.

There were many beautiful items of hand-made jewellery to purchase made by girls who had been rescued by the organisation. “Learning the jewellery-making trade teaches new skills to girls who have been rescued and provides them with a way to support themselves and their families financially,” Sharyn said. “The event was also a great way to make connections with the local community and raise awareness of the work Destiny Rescue does.”

Please pray for the special work of Destiny rescue.

Destiny Rescue is an internationally recognized Christian non-profit organisation dedicated to rescuing children trapped in the sex trade. Since 2011, they have rescued over 3500 trafficked or sexually exploited individuals around the world. For more information – including how to hold your own fundraising event visit www.destinyrescue.org.au.

Normanton Mission Trip Reedy Creek Baptist Church Reedy Creek Baptist Church prayed for and commissioned a team of 18 people of all ages who left for a mission trip to Normanton in Far North Queensland. Normanton is a small cattle town in the gulf of Carpentaria, and over half the population are indigenous Australians. The team will be away for over two weeks, building a fence for the Normanton Church’s house for victims of domestic violence. Some of the team will also be serving at the local school.

The team loaded a truck packed with 120 bags of concrete, 130 metres of colorbond fencing, tools, a ride on lawn mower, toiletry items, food, and other household donated items. The church was grateful to Samaritan’s Purse for the loan of their truck, and Fine-Form Transport for their trailer.

Team member Jim Winter drove the truck to Normanton (which is a full two-day trip).

A season of fund-raising preceded the trip, including a high tea attended by over 80 women enjoying delicious food made by ladies of the church, which raised over $1,800.

There was an overall goal to raise $15,000 for the trip but over $20,000 was raised. Praise God! Other people have made bags, and donated food and furniture.

Senior Pastor David Moyes said, “It has been great that the church got behind it (the mission trip) practically and prayerfully”.

Please pray for the team, and the ongoing work of the Normanton Church’s house for families effected by domestic violence.

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Easter Cantata at the City Tabernacle Daniel Davison

Fassifern Youth Initiative Pastor Colin Christian Chairman - Fassifern Youth Initiative The Fassifern Youth Initiative is a co-operative group of six churches, Boonah and Kalbar Baptist Churches.

Along with Boonah, Mt Walker, Rosevale, and Silverdale Churches of Christ. Working together, to reach the local youth of the Fassifern.

Earnestly desiring that youth would encounter Christ, the initiative employs a Youth Worker through a memorandum of understanding between the churches with Churches of Christ.

It’s been so encouraging seeing so many work together, including Churches of Christ Care and Carinity Fassifern – it’s been awesome to use their busses to help with transport, to “Youth Alive” concerts and the combined Youth Collective.

Over the last three and a half years of working together, we have seen much fruit. Now on a Friday night we have up to 60 young people from primary school through to high school, coming along to enjoy some fun together and hear the life changing message of Jesus.

It’s been an encouragement to see many young people make a commitment to Christ—to follow Him through the waters of Baptism and grow deeper in their relationship with Jesus.

It’s great to see regular ongoing discipleship and mentoring happening. It was so awesome recently to have Aaron Fozzard (pictured), from QB Youth came down to Camp Moogerah, for a leader’s training weekend. It’s been encouraging seeing the spark that has been ignited in the hearts of our leaders, as they have been encouraged and strengthened in their journey with Jesus.

It is our ongoing prayer, as we work together, that the name of Jesus is lifted on high in all that we do, and that many more young people may come to know Jesus.

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On Palm Sunday, the City Tabernacle choir presented Easter music based on John W. Petersen’s much-loved cantata “No Greater Love”. Emphasising the greatest single event in human history, the Easter Story, it was presented by the thirty-voice choir under the direction of Fiona Gough and combined with a profound narrative delivered by Jesse Churchill. The poignant and inspirational presentation surveyed Christ’s triumphal entry, Passion, trials, crucifixion and resurrection. The presentation concluded after a shattering chorus “Let Him Be Crucified!” with a powerful “Hallelujah! Christ is Risen”. With numerous visitors from the surrounding community and wider Brisbane present, the Rev Richard Kingham delivered an inspiring message which challenged the congregation as to the true meaning of Easter.

One reviewer summarised the presentation: “I have passed by this building for about 30yrs - yesterday I went inside and was amazed, surprised, encouraged and then thrilled and transported by the building interior, the people therein, the wonderful choir and a sensitive conductor and all in all a holy worshiping community that was at one with the Holy Spirit that came amongst us all throughout the service. Wonderful choral work from a modest choir. Enthusiastic participation by young and old and a vibrance that had to be experienced to be believed. Well done City Tabernacle. May the Easter miracle continue to infuse you and your congregation with the good news that Christ is with us all, and this time of penance is blessed with the sure - certain - knowledge that He IS king!”

It was also a joy to involve some of the children in this outreach presentation and in celebration of Palm Sunday to signify Christ’s triumphal entry at the beginning of the Passion Week. It is our prayer that His Word, brought into song through the Tabernacle Choir’s ministry, would cause souls to be drawn to the Risen Saviour.

God’s Squad Visit Bribie Island Baptist Church The Bribie Island Baptist Men’s Fella-ship group hosted a visit from four Members of the God’s Squad at a Men’s Breakfast. The group of Christian motorcycle riders have a ministry with outlaw biker groups and spoke about their experiences of witnessing to prisoners and outlaw members.

John Doak, the convenor of Fella-ship said “There were 51 attendees at the breakfast – including men from our own congregation, visitors from other local churches who were interested in the work and witness of the God’s Squad, and some men who do not generally attend any church but have an interest in motor bike riding. We are always thankful for the opportunity to welcome the latter group, as this provides a link to our church family which may not normally occur.”

A small busload of visitors came from the Salvation Army Moonya Drug and Alcohol centre in Brisbane.

Some of these lads shared personally with the fellas over breakfast their struggles and hopes for the future.

“We were blessed to hear about some of the dark areas experienced by the Squad, and the testimony of Christ at work. At the conclusion of the Question and Answer segment we gathered around the Squad, laid hands on them and prayed for God’s protection as they minister to those outside of Christ’s care”.

The Men’s Fella-Ship continually endeavour to provide guest speakers who can speak about matters of general interest to the wider community, and to give them a small steppingstone into a church community.

WHO ARE GOD’S SQUAD? God’s Squad was established in the late 1960’s in Sydney and founded on a broader basis, under the leadership of John Smith, in Melbourne 1972, where the Club Colours have flown ever since. The Club primarily exists to minister among the ‘outlaw biker fraternity’ and associated groups, where it is an accepted and relevant expression of the Christian Church.

It has continued, for over three decades, to devote its efforts amongst those on the fringes of society. Visit www.gscmc.com

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QB WOMEN

It’s who I am

BY YVETTE CHERRY

Have you ever had to make a tough decision that you knew was going to be difficult to deliver? Perhaps you’ve had to terminate someone’s employment, or step someone down from a ministry role. Sometimes these things go much better than we expect. All the prayer pays off, and the person receives the news with grace and peace. In other cases, you may walk away thinking, “that went well,” only to have it blow up in a way you did not predict it would. West Australian Pastor, Yvette Cherry, shares how she has learned to deal with the pain of such experiences…

The woman had told several lies about me. Rumours circulated and the hurt grew. I was not who she claimed I was, but she was angry and hurting, and it was easier to blame me.

I wanted to fight back and defend myself. But I knew it wasn’t the way.

In John 13, Jesus gives a beautiful example of how to respond when people reject and criticise us.

John 13:1-5 says this: It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

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The disciples were about to share a meal together. By this stage, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, was embroiled in a plan to betray Jesus.

Jesus, being both fully man and fully God, knew what Judas was up to; moments later Judas would slip out of the room and go meet the men who were plotting to kill him.

How do you think Jesus would have felt at that time? He was a man, susceptible to the same emotion that we all feel. My sense is that when He looked at Judas, knowing what he was about to do, He would have felt a great deal of sadness, rejection and loss.

Jesus’ attitude shows me a better way.

But despite what He knew, Jesus got up from the meal, wrapped a towel around his waist, poured water into a basin and began to wash and dry his disciples’ feet.

He didn’t yell or point a finger at Judas. He washed his feet. The hairy, dirty feet of a traitor.

When I was hurt and betrayed by the woman in my story, the last thing I wanted to do was serve her. I wanted to get on the phone and call everyone she’d spoken to in order to set the record straight. I wanted to defend myself and to show that she was the one in the wrong.

But Jesus’s attitude shows me a better way.

The key to Jesus’ humility and kindness is in his sense of identity; in being so completely sure of who He is that the lies of His enemies could not penetrate His soul and would not tempt Him to react in anger and pride.

John 13:3 says, Jesus knew that the father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God. He had come from God. He was returning to God. Jesus had a deep, clear sense of who He belonged to, and to whom and where He was returning. He said a similar thing earlier in his ministry in John 8: “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going.”

Do you know where you come from, and where you are going?

Do you know that you were formed in your mother’s womb by a loving God? It was difficult to be the subject of really unfair, untrue gossip and rumour. I cried about it every day for over a week.

During this time Chris Tomlin put out a beautiful new song called ‘Good Good Father’. Every morning during those difficult days, I took a pause from making breakfast for my kids, I leaned my head on the fridge door and let the words remind me of who I was: Oh, I’ve heard a thousand stories Of what they think You’re like But I’ve heard the tender whisper Of love in the dead of night And You tell me that You’re pleased And that I’m never alone You’re a good good Father It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are And I’m loved by You It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am -Housefires I am a child of a good, good father.

It’s who I am!

Sometimes my sense of identity can get a little lost when I believe that I am who others say I am. Instead, I must cling to who God says I am; His dearly beloved child. The precious daughter of the most loving father you can possibly imagine.

This knowledge helps me hold my head high, no matter what arrows are being slung at me.

This knowledge gives me the freedom to love those who persecute me and serve those who despise me.

Yvette Cherry is the Women’s Leadership Pastor at Baptist Churches Western Australia where she has the enormous privilege of supporting and equipping women for ministry and leadership roles in Baptist Churches in WA.

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In this edition, we present some interesting historical images from our digital photo collection. Expressions of interest are invited from people with aptitude, skills (or willing to be trained) and commitment to become volunteer curators at the Baptist Church Archives Qld in the general and/ or the digital area.

The biscuit factory on Boggo Road of leading devoted Baptist, David Webster, 1901 (Courtesy John Oxley Library)

WHY STUDY CHURCH HISTORY? I always begin church history classes with a lecture called “Why Study Church History?” We live in an age in which what C.S. Lewis called “chronological snobbery” — the prioritizing of all things new and the despising of all things old — is almost palpable. Students often need a little convincing that history is important. Here are eight reasons why.

We need to see church history as a discussion of the Bible.

Church history in general, and Baptist history in particular, is most fundamentally a discussion about the Bible. Debates such as Arius vs.

Athanasius, Pelagius vs. Augustine, Erasmus vs. Luther, General Baptists vs. Particular Baptists, the

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Cooperative Baptist Fellowship vs. the Southern Baptist Convention are at their root battles for the Bible.

That’s why Baptist history is so vital.

We must become convictional Baptists.

“I was Baptist born and Baptist bred, and when I die, I’ll be Baptist dead.” I heard this pithy dictum many times growing up in a small Southern Baptist church in answer to the question “Why are you a Baptist?”

But being Baptist because it is part of our family lineage is not a valid reason to be a Baptist. Studying Baptist history enables us to become Baptists by theological conviction. It teaches us that there are many good biblical and theological reasons to hold a firm grip upon

Baptist ecclesiology as a necessary biblical complement to a robust confessional, evangelical orthodoxy.

We need to see that Baptists have a rich theological and ecclesiological heritage.

Some think that the Presbyterians or Anglicans or Methodists or other denominations have all the good history. But Baptists own a tradition filled with great men and great moments — Charles Spurgeon, Andrew Fuller, William Carey, Benjamin Keach, John Bunyan (assuming we accept he was a Baptist), the founding of the modern mission movement, the First and Second London Confessions. Our Baptist heritage is deep and wide.

We must accurately assess claims as to where Baptists came from and what they have believed.

Are Baptists first cousins to the Anabaptists, the so-called “radical reformers” in Europe, during the Protestant Reformation? Or, did Baptists arise out of Puritan separatism in Europe? Were they mainly Arminian in their doctrinal commitments or were the majority of Baptists Calvinistic, and which theological stream was healthier?

These are much-debated questions and only a close, careful study of

Jean McKay, John McKay (pilot) and Pastor Rod Bullpitt with plane at Moranbah, August 1971

theology, but we must know that we arrived in this state upon the scars and bloodshed of our Baptist fathers. For these men, believer’s baptism by immersion, a regenerate church, and liberty of conscience were not merely peripheral doctrines on which “good men disagree.”

Group of people at the Russian Baptist Church, Crown Street in September 1948. Church was opened in 1942

Baptist history uncovers the correct answers.

Both theology and ecclesiology matter.

I hold a growing concern that ecclesiology is becoming less and less of a conviction among my fellow Baptists. But even a 32,000-foot flyover of the Baptist heritage shows that the doctrine of the church and theology proper are inextricably linked. If God has an elect people, if Christ has shed his blood as the substitute for this people, if Christ has promised to build his church, then there must be a theology of the church. Historically, confessional Baptists, at their best have seen this connection and have sought to build local churches accordingly.

Ecclesiology has deep implications for our practice of the ordinances, for church membership, for church discipline, for pastoral ministry, and for many other matters pertaining to the day in, day out life of the church. A strong ecclesiology tied to a robust theology tends toward a healthy church. Baptist history bears this out through both positive and negative examples.

We need to be careful to keep the Ninth Commandment.

It is a sin to caricature and misrepresent those with whom we disagree. We must study their doctrines, hear their arguments, and be able to articulate their case, even as we develop our own convictions.

We must avoid populating our

theological gardens with straw men or polluting our polemical streams with red herring. We must treat our theological opponents the way we desire to be treated.

Polemical theology has a long and established place in the history of ideas, but it should be executed in a way that honours the dignity of our opponents. By this, I do not intend to say we should seek to be politically correct in our debates, but we must be Christ-like and that means taking the beliefs of the other side seriously and treating them fairly.

We need to see that Baptists have been, on the whole, a people committed to the formal principle of the Reformation, sola Scriptura.

Baptists are a people of the book.

Baptists have sought to build their churches upon the Bible, connecting theology and ecclesiology together as a seamless robe. The fundamental question Baptists, at their best, have asked is this: “Is it biblical?” Though there have disagreements as to the specific answers, the Bible is our sole authority and a walk through the pages of Baptist history reveals, from solid General Baptists such as Thomas Grantham to Particular Baptist giants like Spurgeon, demonstrates this as an axiomatic truth.

No doubt, there are many more reasons why we ought to engage our heritage but let us never be guilty of failing to know precisely why we call ourselves Baptists and at least fundamentally what that meant in the past and continues to mean today.

We need to understand our forefathers paid a steep price to hold Baptist convictions.

Bunyan famously spent 12 years in a filthy Bedford jail. Spurgeon was strafed by liberalism to the point of death.

And time would fail me to tell of Thomas Hardcastle, Abraham Cheare, Obadiah Holmes, and dozens of others who paid a high price for their Baptist City Tabernacle Ladies Fellowships in the centenary year of beliefs, some dying the opening of the City Tabernacle, August 1990. in prison, some being locked in stocks and subjected to public mockery, others Baptist Church Archives being tied to a post and whipped, archives@qb.org.au and many being persecuted to the Phone 07 3354 5642, point of death. Today we sit in our 07 3878 3178 Baptist churches without a threat https://goo.gl/GRX4ET of even being scratched for our

Note: This article (slightly edited for this publication) is written Jeff Robinson of Southern Seminary, USA, originally appearing at http://equip.sbts.edu/article/eights-reasons-baptisthistory-matter/? and is used with permission.

QB.ORG.AU JUN/JUL 19 19

kmsmith.com.au

Phone 3252 2031

MISSION TO QUEENSLAND

Boulia Outback Chapel Update Last year we reported on the work of Christine and Peter Coates who work as a team providing school chaplaincy in the far outback Queensland towns of Bedourie, Boulia, Dajarra and Urandangi. They travel a three week circuit spending a week in each of the schools of Boulia, Bedourie, and Dajarra and visit Urandangi school for a day during their Dajarra week. They return to Boulia for the weekend.

During the latter part of 2018, Christine and Peter took a step of faith and bought the former Anglican church in Boulia to serve as a chapel to the town, and to provide a base for them to work from (they stay in their caravan behind the Chapel while they are in Boulia as the Chapel is too small to live in and run as a chapel) Since purchasing the church a lot has happened! Christine and Peter have overseen a remarkable change to an otherwise disused church building, now known as Boulia Outback Chapel.

Christine and Peter reported the following: Many QB magazine readers may be aware of some of our miracles!

On “Phone Church” or “Church of the Outback” last year, we asked for prayer for a builder. The same

afternoon (as we were polishing the altar rails) a builder from Mt Isa knocked on our door. He has since returned to do extensive work for us.

Another miracle was having four tradesmen in the yard at the same time (two painters, an electrician, and a plumber) You wouldn’t get that anywhere in Australia!

It has been good to have done our chaplaincy work over the last four years and become known, making it easier to move into the Chapel phase of our ministry with the outback people.

We have been averaging about ten attendees over the four weekly services held so far. Peter says, “Not that we are counting numbers, but it is encouraging to see regular faces emerging. Thank you for your prayers for us (for ongoing health and energy) , and for the locals attending, and that there will be spiritual growth and encouragement and that a core group will emerge to share the load.”

About Boulia: Boulia, famous for being the home of the mysterious Min Min Light, is a remote outback town in centralwest Queensland 360 km west of Winton. Boulia, on the Burke River, is roughly between Mt Isa (300 km to the north) and Birdsville (400 km south). It is only 249 km from the Northern Territory border, Boulia Shire has a population of approximately 480 people with about 300 actually in the township itself.

Extensive grazing of beef cattle is the predominant industry. Boulia is at the heart of the Channel Country of western Queensland where, during rain events, channels running between the rivers and creeks of the region and spread water over expansive areas.

Please continue to pray for Christine and Peter in both their work within the four isolated schools, and also as they seek to tell others in Boulia about Jesus, as they meet in the Boulia Outback Chapel.

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CARINITY

Help bring chaplaincy to people in need John was in hospital and feeling desperate. He was longing to move into better housing but, lying in bed in a hospital ward, was helpless to shift his belongings to his new dwelling.

The 80-year-old was anxious to move out of the unsuitable government housing complex in a difficult neighbourhood littered with drug users.

Daunting news was delivered to him in hospital mid-morning on Friday: “You’re being discharged – but you can’t go back to your unit. Because of your declining health you need to go to a more closely-supported living arrangement.”

It was Friday afternoon when John was told that Carinity Home Care had found a suitable independent living unit he could move into. But the unit would likely be taken by someone else if not occupied by Monday. Time wasn’t on John’s side – and he was confined to a hospital bed.

chaplain instantly jumped into action to find a solution. He contacted several local Baptist Churches until he found a pastor who immediately mobilised a team of volunteers to move John’s belongings over the weekend.

“Carinity’s chaplains actively listen to and provide support to patients, residents and people in prison. Our chaplains provide hope, comfort and holistic spiritual care to people experiencing difficulty, loneliness, fear or joy,” Don says.

“I was so happy that Carinity was able to find a new home for me.

Where I was living before, it wasn’t a nice neighbourhood and I felt a bit vulnerable,” John says.

“Our Chaplains help to alleviate social isolation for Queenslanders.

They are a friendly face, someone to talk to, share with and confide in.

“The church members and the Carinity chaplain were a godsend, moving my possessions into my new unit when I couldn’t. I would not be enjoying life in my new home in a safer neighbourhood without them.

“I am grateful to the chaplain who was able to help me, and they still help me. I live alone so if I ever feel lonely or I need some support I can phone, and someone can come around for a chat.”

Within hours, Carinity staff had cleaned John’s house and packed his belongings including furniture and clothing.

Rev Don McPherson, Manager of Carinity’s Chaplaincy and Mission Services, says Carinity has around 60 chaplains who support people in hospital or prison or living in aged care communities across Queensland.

Given John’s very meagre income and with no removalist available or willing to transport his housing items at such short notice, a Carinity

Now Carinity is expanding its chaplaincy service to assist seniors who live at home – often on their own.

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Carinity is expanding its chaplaincy service to assist more Queensland seniors with spiritual care and to help alleviate social isolation.

“Home Care chaplaincy will provide a listening ear and assist seniors with spiritual and social support for daily living and those facing challenging times, in particular those who may live alone or don’t live close to family or enjoy a church or social connection.

“As we extend chaplaincy to more older residents, Carinity works with Baptist churches in communities in Queensland – to create a collaboration of care.”

By donating to the 2019 Chaplains Appeal, you can help Carinity to support more Queenslanders by expanding our chaplaincy service to seniors in their home. Your gift can be made online at carinity.org. au/donations, via mail at Reply Paid 85096, Mitchelton QLD 4053, or by phoning 3550 3737.

Feel confident in everyday living Her nickname is “Bush Girl”, a rodeo fan who grew up on a dairy farm, and she is a regular at country music festivals at Tamworth, Gympie and “all over the place”.

Rye McGinn loves the tranquillity of living in rural Walloon, west of Brisbane, yet a serious accident shattered her life.

Two years ago, Rye broke her back in three places after falling from her motorhome. Two months later another fall landed her in hospital where an infection affected her fingers, toes and limbs.

On returning home, after another stay in hospital for a few months, Rye decided she needed assistance to continue living in her home of 40 years.

“After I broke my back I was having difficulty getting around. It wasn’t very long until I had another fall and I got septicaemia and ended up in hospital, and that’s where Carinity came in to help,” Rye says.

“Carinity help me with preparing meals and my hygiene and make sure the house is reasonable for me to get around in.

“They do my washing once a week and do the shopping. They notice if something’s out of place and if something needs doing – they do it.”

After breaking her back, Rye McGinn can continue to live in her rural home of 40 years with help from Carinity.

Receiving support from Carinity Home Care allows Rye to continue living independently.

Carinity Lifestyle Carers visit her twice daily and they understand her circumstances and particular needs.

“Someone that comes to see you regularly, they get know you and understand you a bit better and they get a lot more done than someone that’s not here as often,” Rye says.

“It’s nice to see their smiling faces and see them happy and telling me little stories about their husbands.

I find them very helpful and very polite. They’re nice people.”

Rye feels more confident in everyday living and attends hydro-therapy classes at a pool in Ipswich twice a week with assistance from Carinity.

Leah Rose from Carinity Home Care Ipswich-West Moreton says receiving help at home has enabled Rye to regain her confidence.

“It’s been a pleasure to see how far she’s come in the last 12 months and the fact that she’s been able to remain at home,” Leah says.

“Buzzing around using her walker enables her to be a little bit more independent in getting around her home.”

Carinity Home Care offers a full range of services to support seniors remain living independently at home including household support, nursing care, personal grooming, and getting out and about to the shops with friends in the local community.

For more on Carinity Home Care visit CarinityHomeCare.org.au or phone 1300 109 109.

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QB Convention 2019 was one of the biggest conventions on record, with over 300 attending the Pastors’ and Spouses’ event, and around 500 coming to the Leadership Day on Friday. Around 100 of the participants were under 18, which gave the event a lovely family feel. The Triballink Appreciation Dinner was a great highlight! Daniel Bullock, Director of Ministries for The Baptist Union of Victoria was the main speaker, and opened convention with an inspiring message about “hope”, which focused on the initial message of Jesus in Mark 1:24-25; “the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” An important focus of the week was the consideration of the long-awaited QB Review. There were opportunities to discuss various aspects of the Review during the week, culminating in a positive vote on the recommendations on Friday.

9-12 APRIL

GLOBAL INTERACTION

result of many years of ministry

by Global Interaction crosscultural workers. Under God’s leading they plan to move to the village of Ban Pa Lao, in the Phrae province to commence a new work. Pray for Luke and Belle as they move house, commence new work, find new culture and language nurturers and look forward to the arrival of baby number three in November!

•

Scott & Janelle (Cambodia) – Having completed seven years of service with Global Interaction, Scott, Janelle, Rosie and Isaac, are returning to Australia and will conclude their work in December due to the schooling needs of Rosie and Isaac. However, their interest in Cambodia will continue. They remain open to the possibility of God’s call sometime in the future.

Scott and Janelle are available to speak at churches and groups between August and November.

•

Ben & Petra (Silk Road Area) – Ben and Petra, with their two boys, Bryce and Lachlan, are also returning to Australia on home assignment in July. They are available to visit churches and groups between August and February. If you would like to hear their exciting story, please make a booking.

•

Mike (Preparing for service in South East Asia) – Mike continues his online studies in

Around the Fences More than 20 former Australian Baptist Missionary Society (ABMS) missionaries and others travelled to Papua New Guinea in June to attend the 70th Anniversary celebrations of the commencement of Australian Baptist mission in that country.

There has been renewing work of the Holy Spirit in areas of Kompiam, Lapalama, Western Highlands, Southern Highlands, Min (Telefomin and Tekin) with many baptisms.

However, some areas, such as Yangisa, are experiencing conflict. A more complete report will be in the next edition of QB magazine.

Vale - Mrs Esther Ross (nee Buckley). Esther served as a teacher with ABMS (the former name of Global Interaction) in Assam, 19631966, and Bangladesh, 1970-1972.

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Image Credit: Siem Reap province, Cambodia - March 05, 2015 : Children cycling and have smile on the face on dirt roads in Siem Reap province, Cambodia.

Updates •

Luke & Belle (Thailand) – Luke and Belle, together with Salem and Judah, have returned to Thailand to commence their second term.

There are now three “selfsufficient” communities of faith in the Nan province, the

Please pray...

•

•

TESOL. He has a wonderful story of God’s graciousness in his life.

Mike is available to speak at churches, fellowship groups and youth events.

her into the waters of baptism.

Her prayers are for her husband: he lives in South Africa and left her struggling with daily life. She wants him home.

Tristan & Megan (Cambodia) – Tristan and Megan have found settling into another culture and community challenging.

Especially as a particularly hot wet season has taken its toll with illnesses affecting the whole family. However, they have continued in their culture and language studies and have made a number of friends within their community. Pray these new connections will result in opportunities to share how God is vitally interested in each person.

Two weeks after her open confession, we get a phone call. He’s back. He’s unwell but she beams as she sits by his hospital bed. God has answered her prayers and she believes He will again; her husband will get better and begin the journey of understanding her faith in Jesus.”

Daz & Bee (South East Asia) – Daz and Bee, with their children, have faced several challenges in their location in South East Asia.

Culture and language studies continue, and they have taken responsibility in managing the local café. While this takes away time for language learning, the café provides wonderful opportunities to employ and train staff, all the while building relationships.

Bee was back in Australia briefly for surgery. We thank God for a vast improvement in Bee’s health.

They ask to pray for strength and wisdom as they have “jumped in the deep end,” confident they are in God’s will but aware of the daunting task.

This is one of many stories.

Pray for the team serving among the Yawo to encounter the physical, emotional and spiritual challenges of their friends as they journey alongside them.

•

• •

Tim & Melanie (Malawi) – Melanie shares the story of a Yawo friend, “She sat in the group openly crying out to God, the same prayer she’d been praying for years. She has no money; she lives in a small mud hut, caring for her two young children. She is beautiful and her faith takes

Jean-Claude & Joyce (Malawi) – Jean-Claude and Joyce have settled into their new home and the children are loving their new African experience. They have settled in to a local Christian school in Mangochi and the family has been made to feel part of the community. Culture and language studies are a little easier for Jean-Claude and Joyce, as they already speak several similar languages. This has meant they have quickly made very good friends with local Yawo people. Please continue to pray for the family as they share the good news.

Morris and Graeme (South Asia) – Both made recent visits to South Asia to encourage the leaders of the work. Recent changes in funding by supporting groups means the organisation is looking for new ways to support the vital work.

The leadership continues to look

to God for His ongoing provision.

Projects through Community Based Organisations (CBO) offer dignity through simple but realistic micro-business incomes, particularly among women. We celebrate that lives are being transformed, physically and spiritually. Both men are available to speak at your church.

Would you like more great stories?

Go to www.globalinteraction.org. au/News Would you like a visit from Queensland Global Interaction, or the teams, call Lynda (3354 5603).

Frequently Asked Question: “Why are Global Interaction workers travelling around the churches seeking prayer and financial support when they are funded by Queensland Baptists?”

As I visit churches around the state, this question is sometimes asked of me. While we are grateful that QB covers some of the costs of the Global Interaction Queensland office, cross-cultural workers from Queensland are fully supported by the churches and individuals who partner with them and their ministry.

Our cross-cultural workers can only go to the ends of the Earth with the backing of faithful prayer and financial partners in Australia… and the faith of active partners in Australia is strengthened as they hear the stories and engage with global mission. This is a mutually enriching partnership as together we sow into God’s Kingdom.

Bob Rogers – Global Interaction, Queensland State Director

QB.ORG.AU JUN/JUL 19 27

my area, I thought about how my life would be in the future… and with courage and determination, I believed this could change our lives.

I have now been able to receive a lot of trainings that have really transformed the life of my family.

We have doubled our household income and improved food nutrition for the family.

All my children are in school now and I feel very happy. I give thanks to God that I am always able to make sure my children have a good education to avoid future struggles in life. I keep calling my Lord to look into the lives of my children, to have a better and bright future and pass well in school.

I have seen God’s wonders in my life, for whatever I pray for is provided in Jesus name. Always, with great efforts, I see His deeds in my life.

We are very grateful to them who have seen our problems.

YOUR ONCE A YEAR OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE 6X THE IMPACT!

BY SAMARA LINEHAN, BAPTIST WORLD AID AUSTRALIA When I met Sharon in November last year, we were delighted to discover we were the same age as one another… but as I sat in the hot, Kenyan sun and listened to her story, my heart broke – our lives are worlds apart.

Here’s what she told me.

My name is Sharon, I am 34 years old and I have four children.

When I was young, my life was full of hardships. I never finished school due to lack of school fees.

I felt very troubled for it was like I was the only breadwinner in the family, everyone looked upon me, but I had not much to offer them.

28 OCT/NOV 18 QB.ORG.AU

This led me into an early marriage and having children while we were not yet stable. I was struggling to start a life which I was not yet fit for. I was only seventeen years old.

My husband was not working, and I was going out to look for casual work to help me get food for my children. There was a lot of starvation.

I had a lot of problems and always thought back about my life and how I started as a young girl. I thought if I had finished school, maybe I would be a better person. But when I heard about a development project starting in

Sharon’s quiet strength taught me volumes about faith and perseverance. Hers has been a life of struggle and poverty, mine is a life of boundless opportunity.

How much I have to be grateful for. Not the least of which is this… that I have the privilege of expressing generosity towards mums like Sharon – of actually seeing her and responding in love.

Will you join me?

Your generous gift to the Matching Grant Appeal will be matched with an Australian Government Aid grant – and that means up to six times the impact for mums like Sharon!

Don’t miss this once a year opportunity. Give before the June 30 deadline and support mums like Sharon to end poverty for their family and ensure bright futures for their children. Go to: baptistworldaid. org.au/matching-grant.

MALYON VOCATIONAL TRAINING

THE 2019 BAPLINK GRADUATE OF INFLUENCE AWARD Since 2017, Baplink has generously sponsored the Graduate of Influence Award. Through this award, Baplink is recognising the significant influence of the ministry of a graduate of Malyon Theological College who is applying their education and training for the benefit of others, the blessing of the wider community, and advancement of the kingdom of God. At Malyon’s recent graduation ceremony held at the Ashgrove Baptist Church in February, Christine Pilt was announced by Baplink’s manager, Robert Chapman, as the 2019 Baplink Graduate of Influence.

Christine, a mother of eight children, is a graduate of both Malyon Vocational Training and Malyon Theological College. Upon receiving the award, she referred to a treasured photograph of a turtle. This picture portrays how she sees herself and her ministry: “faithful, loyal, slow and steady”. She said, “Someone placed him there, and the same can be said for me.”

According to Christine, winning this award keeps her “focused on following God’s leading and being faithful to his calling on my life.” According to the testimonies

of those who nominated her, Christine has used the gifts God has given to her in numerous ways – teaching, writing, mentoring – and her faithful commitment to serving others has been appreciated and noticed by many. According to her home church, Bridgeman Baptist Community Church, Christine is an exemplary Christian, demonstrating the power of a Christian devoted to using their gifts to serve the spiritual wellbeing of others.

QB.ORG.AU JUN/JUL 19 29

IN CHRIST YOU CAN …

ALLAN QUAK

One of our church members is a senior cabin crew manager. Imagine her giving the talk about wearing your seatbelt, and how to put on a life jacket, and all those safety things which don’t feel like they will make a scrap of difference if the plane falls out of the sky!

Afterwards one of the other air hostesses comes to her and says, “the passenger in 15C is a little anxious and wants to talk to you”.

So she goes to the old lady in row 15C and says, “Are you anxious dear?”.

“Yes, yes I am anxious”.

“WELL STOP IT. STOP RIGHT NOW! Pull yourself together. You’re just being ridiculous”.

When Paul, in Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious” he does not have in mind an airhostess who couldn’t care less about how we feel. Instead, Paul is equipping those who are “in Christ” with the capacity to be calm. Here is the whole teaching:Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

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Calm BE

Now, because we are not reading the original we do see it so easily, but this verse has a series of Greek words with the verbal form called an “imperative”. The “imperative” is basically a call to change, or a command-like instruction.

The first imperative is “do not be anxious.”

Paul literally says, “No more, and keep having no more, anxiousness about anything.” It is not offered as a suggestion, it is a call for change in our lives. Which is an interesting way to get people to stop being anxious.

We may even feel it is impossible.

Until we realise that there is a second imperative—“present your requests to God.” Literally Paul is saying, “Make known, and keep making known, your requests.” Keep on coming back to God and let Him know what is going on. It is not a useful suggestion, but a command-like instruction to obey in our lives.

Together these two imperatives identify the clear message coming through these verses.

In Christ you can be calm, but to be calm, you need to learn to pray properly.

Of course we pray. We hand our concerns over to God. We ask the Lord to give us peace. We come with petitions. We pray, regularly.

However anxiety-removing prayer is a specific type of prayer.

Paul, in verse 6, teaches us that anxiety-removing prayer has three characteristics which are reflected in the three “prayer words”. Paul uses.

(Just to make this article even more exciting the Greek words are also included!). προσευχή = prayer Peter uses the same “prayer word” in 1 Peter 4:7. “The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.”

This is an “end of days” type prayer. When everything has completely fallen apart, and the world is in absolute chaos, you get down on your knees and cry out to God knowing that all you have is your faith in Him. It is ongoing, consistent, persistent. Anxiety is removed as we habitually come to God with all our requests, especially the small ones. For as we see God working and answering us in the small issues, we are given greater confidence to trust that He will also answer when it comes to the big issues. δέησις = petition Paul uses the same “prayer word” in Romans 10:1. “Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.”

It is about 25 years since Jesus rose. Paul had been preaching the Gospel for a decade or so. 1000’s … maybe even 100’s of 1000’s are coming to faith and repentance— but not enough of them are Jewish.

Paul comes to God petitioning Him about this situation (see Romans 9:2-3 for the content of the petition).

The petition is not a tacked-onto-the-end-at-dinner prayer; but a get-up-early-and-come-to-God prayer. When such petitions are applied to our lives, would those things that cause us anxiety be able to overwhelm us as much? It would seem that, instead, we would be driven forward in the conviction that, in Christ, a change can happen.

Relationship breakdowns and misunderstanding.

Persecution and hatefulness.

Bills, unemployment, MRI’s, deadlines, exams, expectations, vulnerability, and second guessing ourselves.

These “anxiety causes” won’t stop.

What anxiety-removing prayer does is bring us through the cause of the anxiety … without the response of anxiety. We go through anxietyinducing situations with peace.

εὐχαριστία – thanksgiving

Peace.

Paul explains the source of thanksgiving in Colossians 2:6-7, “Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

Paul here is reflecting on our attitude as we pray. An attitude which remembers that, in the middle of anxiety, there is an unmoveable, unbreakable, unconditional truth—we have Christ. In Christ; sin is defeated; death is defeated; brokenness is undone; a lack of security is turned to hope; relationships are restored. This is an eternal truth which gives us the perspective to enable our anxieties to fade into insignificance.

The word used here is connected to the Hebrew word “shalom.”

Shalom is “peace which comes despite the circumstances which are happening.”

A spiritual peace.

A nothing-is-going-to-rock-myfaith peace.

A peace where my mind is safe, and I have fullness of life.

Philippians 4:6-7 gets us to think about all the stuff that anxiety produces in our lives, and assures us that peace outranks them all.

Prayer. Petition. Thanksgiving. In Christ this is the journey away from anxiety.

It won’t be a prayer journey that stops the causes of anxiety.

Pain and death.

In Christ you can be calm.

This article series is based on a series of sermons preached by Allan Quak. You can listen to the full sermons here: www.nec.org.au/listen-to-asermon-series/in-christ-you-can

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CROSS CULTURAL MINISTRY SERIES

MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE

BY LISA WEST-NEWMAN

“Jesus is the answer. Now what was the question?”

While they mightn’t say this, it’s the attitude of the evangelist who is prepared to answer your every objection. They’ve read every apologetic book, have impeccable doctrine, and know a bible verse for every situation.

But they have no clue about how to share the gospel with a man of a different faith, or what his questions might be. So, words fall on deaf ears, unless our evangelist friend learns how to contextualise the gospel.

A contextualised gospel expresses faith in Jesus in a way that is accessible and understandable to the hearer. However, getting to this point can be anything but simple, as the process of contextualisation requires us to work through three layers of culture – that of our own, the Bible and our hearer.

Contextualisation starts by recognising our own cultural beliefs and biases, so that we can truly listen, understand and empathise with the other, and together discover the good news of Jesus.

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Our cultural biases We never hear our own accent. We rarely recognise our own biases. It is only once we are exposed to another cultural worldview that we recognise our own.

When Tim Foster became a pastor in the inner-city of Sydney amongst “yuppies” and “battlers”, he was deeply challenged by how “suburban” his accurate and neat gospel was—how it had been shaped by his own values. Tim discovered that to reach those around him, he had to critically reflect on his own cultural biases (which actually grew his understanding of the gospel).

When we can recognise that we are not the holders of a superior culture, and that all people don’t have to “be like us”, then we are able to begin contextualisation (and be incredibly blessed through the process).

The Jews found themselves grappling with this issue as the early church began to grow. Did Gentile believers have to become Jews in order to be genuine believers? Paul was adamant, and the Jerusalem

Council of Acts 15 agreed; a Gentile follower of Jesus remained a Gentile.

The implications of this are hugely significant to our cross-cultural witness. Allowing people to remain within their culture means that when they accept the gospel, they may not automatically integrate into our own culture-laden style of worship or community.

Listen, understand and empathise The greater the cultural gap, the greater the need to listen to those we are seeking to reach. We often look at the example of Jesus and His disciples going throughout towns proclaiming the kingdom—forgetting that even Jesus spent 30 years within the culture listening, learning and understanding his community.

Every culture is God-given and is simultaneously blessed with a common grace that will help lead people to God while being damaged by sin.

Therefore, listening requires us to recognise our own cultural biases, lay aside judgement and identify the cultural themes that shape another persons’ worldview.

We can discover a culture’s broadlyheld values through their language and sayings, rites and rituals, symbols and stories. However, in some ways this only scratches the surface. Going deeper requires listening to a person’s “story-line” (as Timothy Keller describes it) as they interact within their culture.

What is their mission? What makes this mission “impossible”? It may be a young student’s paralysing anxiety that extends for months, or an immigrant parent who finds their child rejecting them and all they hold dear, or the pervasive loneliness of a Sikh friend following his broken marriage.

At this point, it is tempting to jump in with the solutions of an outsider.

However, effective contextualisation is more likely to occur when one can learn to not only understand, but empathise with someone’s worldview, effectively entering their story and potentially grappling together in how Jesus is the answer to their “impossible” question.

In speaking with the men of Athens in Acts 17, Paul highlights the

multiplicity of gods he had seen in their temples. Perhaps remembering his own misguided piety, Paul did not judge, but affirmed their genuine search for God. Yes! He applauded their religiosity, and from there began to introduce a gospel they could understand about their “unknown god” in an evangelistic message quite different from any other he had previously given.

Sharing the Gospel Some people fear that contextualisation is nothing more than watering down the gospel so it is more palatable to the hearer. This could not be further from the truth.

When we put aside our “one-size fits all” tracts and evangelism strategies, we can start to engage with the culture in a way that affirms that which points to God, and challenges that which has been corrupted by sin. Through this, we are able to take the gospel to the heart of the culture, and in the words of Tim Foster “provide an alternative story to live by”, otherwise a truncated gospel will result in poorly formed disciples.

Some helpful further reading: Evangelism in a Skeptical World by Sam Chan The Suburban Captivity of the Church by Tim Foster

Engaging the heart of a culture includes interpreting the gospel through the God-inspired stories and symbols that already exist within the culture, and redeeming their meaning by finding their fulfilment in the gospel.

In his speech in Athens, Paul puts aside his Jewishness and connects with the listeners where they are at. He fills the gaps and introduces them to their “unknown God” as the God of all people (not just the Jews) who desires people to seek Him. He quotes their philosophers and poets (not the Jewish scriptures) who affirm their status as “children of god”. And yet, he also warns of coming judgement through Jesus.

For those who were hoping for a preprepared gospel message to share with your immigrant neighbour, I am sorry to disappoint you. However, the process of contextualisation will hopefully bring much joy as you take the time to listen and discover not merely the fingerprints of God within another culture, but also how Jesus is the answer to our impossible questions.

QB.ORG.AU JUN/JUL 19 33

GOD WILL PROVIDE YOUR NEEDS. BUT, WHAT ARE YOUR NEEDS?

BY ANDY COLLER

In the late 1980s I was working for Telecom in the middle levels of the Technical grades. I was married with 4 young children. I was being paid well and life was comfortable. Then God called us to Bible College. Our income dropped dramatically.

I have to confess, I am a worrier! This sudden drop in income caused a lot of worry.

Just how exactly were the bills going to be paid?

Then one day as I was walking, head down, worrying about another bill, I found 5-cents and felt that God was saying, “I will provide. Not lots, but enough.” Did I learn my lesson? Well, not really.

God has had to continually bring 5-cent pieces across my path and reminds me of Matthew 6:19-34, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.… Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”. I’ve come across 5-cent pieces in all sorts of unusual places. As

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we moved into a new unit to better care for my wife Julie, I found a 5-cent piece in the laundry. This was a unit that had just been professionally cleaned.

As I’ve reflected on what it means that God provides our needs, I am very conscious that I am a rich westerner who too easily reduces needs to money and possessions.

Jesus warns of the trap that wealth can be. I have a lot of trouble getting cotton through the eye of a needle let alone a camel.

However, this doesn’t mean salvation comes through poverty. Lydia and Philemon were rich, as were many Christians down through the ages. We do need to hold ‘things’ lightly.

As a citizen of the Kingdom of God I have wealth and health and prosperity beyond imagination. I have salvation and have been adopted into God’s family. I have an eternal home where there is no more

crying and pain. A place where gold is of so little value that it is thrown on the streets. God does promise prosperity, if we look at the right kingdom. All of this we are reminded of at Easter.

However, God does promise to supply our needs. In North Korea, Christians are severely persecuted. Does God supply their needs? The Christians in refugee camps—does God see them and their needs? Is God seeing the needs of loved ones who watch people taken with cancer and dementia?

Considering we have a home for eternity, and this life in comparison is fleeting, what are our needs?

James 1:2-4, Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

The last three words of this passage are telling. If we are lacking nothing then all our needs must be met. The path to met needs seems to be: faith tested, leads to perseverance, produces maturity and completeness.

God provides your needs. We need to be sanctified.

You have salvation, a home in heaven, and the Holy Spirit. I know that this doesn’t always seem satisfactory when there is suffering and injustice, or when the bills pile up, or when you are in that dark valley.

But, hopefully, as you look back and see the journey God has taken you on you will see a God who has indeed provided your needs.

Oh, and, God does heal and provide material blessings but all too often not the way we think he should.

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The Value of Pets

BY MEREWYN FORAN – PRESS SERVICE INTERNATIONAL In Australia there are reported to be more than 33 million pets, and with only 8 million households across the country, this places Australia’s level of pet ownership amongst one of the highest in the world.

There has been a large volume of research that has reported the many health benefits of owning pets. In comparison to people who do not own pets, studies show that pet owners: • •

This includes the usual suspects such as dogs and cats, but also extends to the less common pets such as snakes, rats and ferrets. The majority of Australian pet owners report that they consider their pet to be like a member of their family (www.acac.org.au). (That is certainly the case for this writer!)

With so many households owning pets, it seems sensible to consider the benefits. Why would a family or household want to own not only one pet, but multiple pets?

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• • •

Typically visit the doctor less often Have a lower average cholesterol and average blood pressure Deal better with stressful situations Recover more quickly from illness, and Are less likely to report feelings of loneliness (www.acac.org.au).

With such wonderful reported benefits, I am not surprised at the high levels of pet ownership.

Families For families, there are also some wonderful benefits that children can gain from growing up with pets.

There is an opportunity to learn responsibility through being the care-giver to a pet, there is also the opportunity to develop many of the fruits of the spirit that Jesus talked about in the Bible. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and selfcontrol.” Galatians 5 verses 22-23.

How wonderful it is to be given opportunity at a young age to develop these Godlycharacteristics!

Many experts also report mental health benefits from the companionship that comes with pet ownership. With statistics showing that

in 2007 45% of Australians aged 1685 had experienced a mental health disorder at some stage in their lives and with the Australian Bureau of Statistics reporting the estimated cost of mental health in Australia is $20 billion (www.abs.gov.au) such simple steps as pet ownership surely need to be considered and valued by everyone.

As a family that has a veritable farmyard of pets (dogs, cat, bird, and until recently chickens) I was always going to be a strong advocate for pet ownership but when you read some of these outstanding benefits I also think it makes it very difficult to argue against!

And when you have a tail wagging, four-legged bundle of joy jumping in excitement to greet you on your arrival home each evening how could I believe anything other than the fact that pet ownership is simply wonderful?

God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good.

- Genesis 1:25

Masha at the hospital – Photo Credit: Siberian News

Animals also reflect the love and character of God—their creator, to bring people closer to Him, like the story of Masha and many others; Loyalty of Masha In Siberia, a dog has been coming to a hospital every day for over 2 years, unaware her master died a year ago. The elderly man, from the village of Dvurechie several miles away, had fallen ill and came to the hospital with his pet.

Whilst he was staying on the ward, Masha was his only visitor and she even trotted home to guard the house before returning to the hospital each morning.

Masha still visits the hospital every day in search of her owner, unaware the man has since died. She still comes, hoping to find him. A family tried adopting Masha but she escaped and made her way back to the hospital. Now the staff makes sure she is fed and cared for.

Nurse Alla Vorontsova said: “She is waiting for him, for her owner. I don’t think she will ever leave here.”

Source: https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/539962/Dog-waits-hospitalwhere-owner-died-over-year-ago and AOL

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QUEENSLAND PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY INTO VOLUNTARY ASSISTED DYING ’Submissions to the Queensland Parliamentary “Inquiry into aged care, end-of-life and palliative care and voluntary assisted dying” closed on the 15th of April. The Queensland Baptist Board made a submission on the voluntary assisted dying aspect of the inquiry.

Aged care and palliative care are certainly important issues, and they are related to voluntary assisted dying. Currently there is a Federal Royal Commission looking into aged care, so it was somewhat of surprise to see the Queensland Parliament duplicating this effort.

Provision of aged care and palliative care are not controversial in themselves. The concerns are that provision of both has been inadequate and at times inappropriate. In particular, requests by people for assistance in ending their lives decrease markedly where there is readily accessible high quality palliative care.

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In all probability the focus of any legislation coming out of the inquiry will be on “voluntary assisted dying”, which is really a euphemism for euthanasia. So the focus of the submission made by the board was on euthanasia. The submission borrowed heavily from a 2014 paper prepared by Australian Baptist Ministries, particularly in eleven points we made under the heading, “What we believe about voluntary assisted dying”. These are the points, 1. Queensland Baptists believe that all people are made in the image of God, so human lives are precious and of intrinsic worth.

The value of life is not diminished by age, lack of productivity or illness.

2. This does not mean that prolonging life with futile or burdensome treatment is an ethical necessity.

3. It does however mean that intentionally ending life to avoid suffering of any kind is morally unacceptable.

4. Treatment which intends to reduce suffering is acceptable, even if it may hasten death.

This differs only in degree from some other medical treatments which also have side-effects, and although intended to preserve life or reduce pain, do sometimes cause or hasten death.

5. We believe the state has an obligation to protect people from harm, especially those people who are elderly, disabled or otherwise vulnerable to abuse.

Deliberately taking a person’s life is the ultimate harm.

6. We believe that legalising voluntary assisted dying will increasingly promote mistrust

between patients and their health practitioners, and patients and their families. The community’s view of medical practitioners and other involved health practitioners, especially among the vulnerable, will change so that they are seen as potential agents of death as well as health.

7. We are concerned that legalising voluntary assisted dying will have unintended consequences, in particular the devaluing of those who see themselves (or are seen by society) as being of low value.

8. Similarly we are concerned that governments, in response to voluntary assisted dying, and we trust unconsciously, may reduce spending on end of life care with their budgets benefiting from the consequent reduction in health care costs.

9. We believe that it is impossible to ensure that “assisted dying” is always truly voluntary. Abuse of the elderly occurs, and older people will be bullied into “voluntary” assisted dying. To believe otherwise is to ignore the accumulating evidence of elder abuse.

10. Further, with legalisation of voluntary assisted dying, people’s view of the state and community morality will change. Whereas at present the state overrides people’s autonomy when necessary to prevent people from harming themselves, the state will be come to be seen as prioritising autonomy over preventing harm. This is a highly significant change, and one which will have unintended consequences, some of which are unpredictable.

11. We therefore call on the Queensland Parliament to reject any legislation which legalises voluntary assisted dying.”

There are two ethical principles at play. The first is, do no harm. The bedrock for this is that all people are made in the image of God, as explained in point one. In James 3:9 people are condemned simply for cursing a fellow human made in the image of God. This should make us think before we contemplate criticising some one on social media.

The second principle is autonomy.

This is a principal Baptists value highly. Believer’s baptism is founded on principal that each person has to decide for themselves to follow Jesus. However, when the principal of autonomy is taken to the extreme of allowing a person to harm themselves, we argue that the first principal, do no harm, takes precedence over the person’s autonomy, their choice to do harm.

The precedence of “do no harm” over “autonomy” is recognised in law. When a person with depression wishes to take their own life, the law allows health professionals to detain them and treat them without their consent. Legalising euthanasia reverses this. It places the principal of autonomy above the principal of “do no harm”.

There is an obvious link between abortion and euthanasia. In both, there are humans who’s lives are deemed to be not worth living. And in both, the principal of autonomy or “choice” takes precedence over the principal, do no harm.

As followers of Jesus we believe in the sanctity of human life because all, regardless of race or religion, ability or disability, age or infirmity, all of us are made in the image of God. So we oppose euthanasia.

Dr Neil Parker Interim Lead Pastor, Toowoomba Community Baptist Church For the full submission see the QB website – www.qb.org.au.

An academic article which was very helpful in preparing our submission was PhysicianAssisted Suicide and Euthanasia: Emerging Issues From a Global Perspective.

Sprung C, Somerville MA, Radbruch L et al Journal of Palliative Care, 2018, 33(4):197-203.

Special thanks to Rev Murray Lean (who is also a registered medical practitioner) and Rev Dr Peter Francis for reviewing the submission for the board.

Another issue with euthanasia is that creates a category of persons whose lives are legally recognised as not worth living. Disability advocates have recognised the “thin edge of the wedge” here, and in the Netherlands and Belgium lethal drugs have been administered without the person’s consent.

That is to people who were unable to consent, because they had a disability like dementia.

QB.ORG.AU JUN/JUL 19 39

KRISTALLNACHT AND THE CHRISTIAN CONNECTION

BY GRAHAM MCDONALD | PRESS SERVICE INTERNATIONAL

By the end of the night, so many windows in Jewish shops and synagogues across Germany had been destroyed that the carnage was dubbed ‘Kristallnacht’— Crystal Night or the Night of Broken Glass.

This was another event leading up to the Second World War that had international attention.

Hitler’s claim that thousands of ordinary people across Germany and Austria suddenly rose up as one murderous body to avenge the murder of a German diplomat was far from believable.

With a single swift swing the sledgehammer exploded through the window, sending splinters of glass flying through the air. The young Nazi storm trooper wielding the hammer turned his back as crystal shards tinkled to the ground.

“Vom Rath will be avenged! Destroy another Jewish shop!” He directed his squad of brown-shirted thugs, many of them armed with crowbars, further up the street.

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Supposedly, it was to expend their fury over the shooting of Ernst vom Rath, a young embassy official in Paris, by a seventeen-year-old Jewish boy. This boy was angry at the Nazi regime, for herding his father into a crowded boxcar and deporting him to Poland. Ironically vom Rath was opposed to the Nazis for their vicious anti-Semitism and was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

William Cooper In retaliation over 30,000 Jews were rounded up by the Nazis and deported to death camps and the world— mostly—fell silent.

BOOK CONGRATULATIONS, YOU’VE GOT MS’ JONI EARECKSON TADA

Stung by the reports of destruction, looting and wholesale arrests of innocent people, William Cooper decided to act.

Knowing that silence encourages the oppressor to continue perpetuating injustice, he took his protest to the German Embassy in Melbourne on 6th December 1938.

Leading a delegation of the Australian Aboriginal League he tried to deliver a formal petition which condemned the “cruel persecution of the Jewish people by the Nazi government of Germany.”

Although the petition was not accepted, the protest did not go unnoticed. When the people of Israel made plans to set up Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem, they found this record of what is considered ‘the only private protest against the Germans following Kristallnacht.’

As a result William Cooper is highly honoured in Israel.

A memorial at the Yad Vashem and seventy Australian trees have been planted in Jerusalem to pay him tribute. An Academic Chair in his honour has also been created in Israel.

The professorship attached to this Academic Chair is valued at one million dollars. A truly significant legacy!

“I must give my heart to God” In his early twenties, and influenced by the teaching of the Bible, William announced, “I must give my heart to God…” Nourished by the faith community of the Aboriginal Mission at Maloga, William’s growing understanding of Scripture began to equip him for a fight for equality for his own people. A long campaign for indigenous rights began.

When he was in his seventies, his serious activism began. This was because he discovered that he couldn’t get the pension if he stayed on an Aboriginal Mission. So he moved to Melbourne – and began writing letters and putting together petitions.

Of all the goals he set for himself during his lifetime, only one was achieved: that of creating Aboriginal Sunday. It is still commemorated today: as NAIDOC week. Although William died in 1941, he inspired an entire generation of Aboriginal people to seek justice, and to work for the elimination of racist elements in Australian government legislation.

Forty years ago, Joni Eareckson Tada published her autobiography ‘Joni: An Extraordinary Life’. Ten years later, ‘No Compromise: the biography of Keith Green’ followed.

Now, ‘Congratulations, You’ve got MS’, the autobiography of Mark Elvery has been released.

In 1989, Mark Elvery prayed, “Do something in my life to turn it around” and also added, ‘Do whatever it takes’. Then Mark experienced the onset of MS. Over the next 15 years, ‘Whatever it takes’, led to that life being deconstructed, before God took back control and rebuilt it brick by brick.

You will be reminded how even though we may not understand our circumstances, God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, and our ways are not His ways.

He is faithful in all things, at all times, and in every way. And more than that, He can work ALL things together for the good of those who love Him. Because, He is immeasurably good.

In this book, read about how He can rebuild lives that are handed over to Him and then use them for His glory. And ultimately, how God is faithful in all circumstances. The book is available to purchase via Amazon Books and Koorong Online.

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Graham McDonald is President of the ministry Diduno (Did you know) which provides a wide range of important historical information (for schools, universities, publications, on-line) and this is one of these. The information itself came Diduno’s Annie Hamilton.

Image: Windows of a Jewish owned printing business smashed during Kristallnacht, Berlin. November 9_10, 1938. - Illustration

WIN A BOOK

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To win a copy of the book (Congratulations, You’ve got MS’) by Mark Elvery, visit the QB Magazine website www.qbmagazine.org.au and enter your details, or email your full name and address to marketing@qb.org.au. Three (3) winners will be randomly chosen, and the draw closes at midnight on 22nd July 2019.

QB.ORG.AU JUN/JUL 19 41

reviews of the questions that trouble our hearts, Ravi tackles the most difficult topics with ease and understanding.

But The Logic of God is more than intellectual; it is also personal, offering thoughtful wisdom on: • • • BOOK (HARDCOVER) THE LOGIC OF GOD: 52 CHRISTIAN ESSENTIALS FOR THE HEART AND MIND RAVI ZACHARIAS $24.99 AT KOORONG We all have doubts that challenge our faith. We wonder whether the Bible still matters, or whether God is truly as loving and personal as we hope. In his first ever devotional, The Logic of God, apologist Ravi Zacharias offers 52 readings that explain how and why Christianity, the Bible, and God are still relevant, vital, and life-changing for us today.

To all our dilemmas Ravi says, “I am convinced that Jesus Christ alone uniquely answers the deepest questions of our hearts and minds.”

With a remarkable grasp of biblical facts and a deep understanding

• • •

when Jesus draws especially near you. the deep ray of hope found in God’s Word. how God transforms disappointments. why prayer matters. how genuine peace is possible. making sense of suffering.

Ravi makes profound biblical truth easy to understand. And if your life is busy, this book is designed for you!

It addresses 52 topics that you can read over the course of one year or slowly digest at your own pace. Each entry includes a Scripture, questions for reflection, and some practical application steps.

Covering the war in Afghanistan has provided journalist Paul Asher with some of the best stories of his young career. But on his return, he struggles to deal with the aftereffects of his experiences: a failing marriage and a dying faith.

- Koorong

When you’re struggling with questions and doubts, confused, curious, or just want a clearer way to express your faith The Logic of God has answers from that satisfy the heart and the mind.

- Publisher BOOK (HARDCOVER) SUFFERING IS NEVER FOR NOTHING ELISABETH ELLIOT $24.99 AT KOORONG

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DVD - AN INTERVIEW WITH GOD $24.99 AT KOORONG

Elisabeth Elliot (1926-2015) was a Christian author and speaker. She, having lived through great loss, taught on God’s grace in the midst of hardship, as well as teaching wives and mothers to fulfill the high calling of Titus 2. In her final book, Elisabeth Elliot describes how it is often through the deepest suffering that God teaches us the deepest lessons. As we trust Him through our trials, we come to a greater assurance of His love and sovereignty-even as He works all things together for the good of those who love Him. - Publisher

PERSECUTION BRIEF

Persecuted Church - Brunei

In early April, the full extent of Sharia law went into effect in Brunei, making this South East Asian country even more dangerous for Christians.

The first phase of Sharia law was introduced in 2014.

It covered crimes punishable by imprisonment or fines.

The implementation of a new phase covers crimes such as theft and adultery. Punishments under this new phase can include whipping, amputation, and stoning to death.

Tomas Muller, a persecution analyst for Open Doors’ World Watch Research unit said, “It is to be expected that not only society will change… but also that the country’s Christian converts will be forced to hide their faith even more carefully.”

Forced Into Deeper Hiding Even before the full implementation of Sharia law, believers in Brunei faced intense persecution. This is now heightened. While conversion from Islam to Christianity was already illegal, it is now punishable by death.

Source: Open Doors - www.opendoors.org.au

Believers who have left Islam to follow Jesus can lose their families under Sharia law. Converts to Christianity face forced divorce and the loss of custody of their children. If authorities discover a Christian convert, they threaten them in an attempt to make them renounce their faith.

These new laws have faced much international criticism from human rights groups. It’s difficult news for Christians, many of whom will be forced into deeper hiding.

Brunei is one of the most dangerous places to follow Jesus in 2019, ranking 36 on the World Watch List.

Please Pray For Brunei: • • •

Pray for Christians who have left Islam to follow Jesus, despite facing the death penalty under Sharia law.

Pray that God will transform the hearts of the Bruneian government and that they will know Jesus.

Pray that the gospel will continue to go out in Brunei, even as persecution increases.

QB.ORG.AU JUN/JUL 19 43

FUN ZONE WHERE IS THAT LITTLE PIGGY? Sir-Save-a-Lot the Baplink piggy bank is hiding somewhere in the magazine.

Can you find him? Congratulations! Congratulations! To all those who found Sir-Save-a-Lot hiding on page 30 (Apr/May Issue of The QB Magazine).

CROSSWORD

WORD SEARCH Can you find the hidden words? They may be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, forwards or backwards.

Archery Badminton Basketball Boxing Cricket Cycling Football

For solutions, visit Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GaythorneOffice/

44 JUN/JUL 19 QB.ORG.AU

Gymnastics Hockey Javelin Judo Karate Netball Rowing

Rugby Running Swimming Taekwondo Tennis Volleyball Wrestling

Puzzle Choice www.puzzlechoice.com is the source of this Crossword. www.puzzles.ca is the source of this word search.

SUDOKU CHALLENGE Sudoku rules: Each row, column and block must contain one of the numbers from 1 to 9. No number may appear more than once in any row, column or block. When you’ve filled the entire grid, the puzzle is solved.

WORD UNJUMBLE Winter Unjumble the words relating to Winter.

Then unjumble the red letters to answer the clue.

VLOSEG EBNEAI JECTAK SOBOT SEJAN SAFCR CSSKO Clue: Keeps you warm in winter Word Unjumble Answer

Sudoku puzzle provided by www.sudokuoftheday.com visit them and get a new Sudoku every day!

CALM SPOT - COLOUR

QB.ORG.AU JUN/JUL 19 45

POSITIONS VACANT CHURCH PASTOR (PART-TIME) A vacancy exists for a Pastor with a heart towards to re-invigorating a waning 80 year old church with a rich heritage.

Margate Baptist Church is situated on the Redcliffe Peninsula close to the beach, shops, schools and transport.

Interested applicants who would like a copy of the position description are urged to please contact the Secretary, George Moss on 0457 9799312 after 3rd June 2019.

ASSOCIATE PASTOR POSITION OUTREACH Rockhampton Baptist is a medium-sized, multistaff congregation ministering to Rockhampton and surrounding areas of Central Queensland from its facilities at 650 Norman Road, Norman Gardens.

God is obviously moving across Rockhampton with a visible increase in many churches as well as numerous outreach opportunities opening into the community.

Our Church is seeking an Associate Pastor (full time) to join our family who can assist us to move people from frontline contacts into our effective discipleship programmes.

This role includes the coaching of our existing outreach teams in effective evangelism, as well as training and resourcing our Church people for effective and confident witness on their frontlines.

To obtain an application and information package please email psc.chair@rockybaptist.org.au Applications close 5:00pm Tuesday 30th June 2019

QB MAGAZINE

Subscription Form - $19.50 per year

THE VOICE OF QUEENSLAND BAPTISTS

Name

WHY NOT SUBSCRIBE? Treat yourself or give as a gift.

46 JUN/JUL 19 QB.ORG.AU

Email details to qb@qb.org.au Or post to PO Box 6166 Mitchelton Q 4051

Address Email Phone Send invoice via email

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QB.ORG.AU JUN/JUL 19 46

POSITIONS VACANT

ACCOMMODATION

CHURCH PLANT PASTOR (PART-TIME) A vacancy exists for a church plant Pastor at Sandstone Community Church at Sandstone Point. Hours and remuneration negotiable.

If you are interested in applying and would like a copy of the job description, please contact Pastor John Gollan on 0414 979 664 or Leadership Team Secretary Gavin Hugh on 0407 888 409.

BRISBANE: House available as a ministry for missionaries and church workers on the move.

Three bedrooms, fully furnished, everything provided. Bus stop at the door. Minimal rent.

Email: gtho4536@bigpond.net.au

CALOUNDRA - GOLDEN BEACH: Highset three bedroom holiday home. Weekends or weekly.

Pets OK. Close to beach. Phone 0402 077 822 or lizottaway15@gmail.com.

CALOUNDRA: Sunshine Coast, Qld, beachside units from $400/wk, ph 0427 990 161.

SHARE ACCOMMODATION: Fairfield Christian Family (www.fcfchurch.org.au) is located in a vibrant inner-city suburb close to universities.

There is currently one vacancy for a female (student or worker) in a 2 person share accommodation house adjacent to the church. Please contact Pastor Neil Pattemore, ph 0435 065 035 or tarragindipats@yahoo.com.au.

FOR HIRE LARGE AUDITORIUM: Seats 290. Queensland Baptists’ Centre at Gaythorne. Phone Sharon, 07 3354 5600 for more information or visit www.qb.com.au – venue hire.

The Open Door

Retreat

Queensland Baptists’ Retreat Lodge

Relax

Refresh

The Open Door is situated 30km north of Gympie on Mt Kanigan in a rural setting with spectacular 360

degree views. The complex sleeps 27-30 people in seven bedrooms and one dormitory and there are two kitchens, two lounge rooms, four bathrooms, a dining room and fireplace. Other amenities include a children’s play area and games room (pool and ping-pong tables) and a small meeting room/chapel.

The Open Door is a relaxed, refreshing environment that provides a unique uninterrupted setting for leadership seminars, prayer retreats, team weekends and missionary holidays.

For further information contact: Queensland Baptists Phone: (07) 3354 5600 Email: enquiries@qb.org.au

www.qb.org.au

QB.ORG.AU JUN/JUL 19 47

CHAPLAINS

APPEAL You can help provide chaplaincy directly to Queenslanders in their homes For 70 years Queensland Baptists, through the ministry of Carinity, have been helping to create communities where people are accepted, loved and supported.

In response to a growing need, a new outreach this year will provide chaplaincy to more seniors in their homes.

As we bring the care of Christ directly to people, Carinity will work with Baptist churches to extend their impact in local communities.

Carinity Home Care chaplains will assist older folk with spiritual and social support for

daily life and for facing challenging times, particularly for those living alone or who do not experience belonging in a church or social community.

The new chaplaincy service aims to help alleviate social isolation and support people through troubling times by being a friendly face and helping people’s spiritual wellbeing.

Carinity chaplains, in close collaboration with churches, already support people in hospitals, prisons and aged care communities.

Together, we can provide hope, comfort, compassion and holistic spiritual care to people in their homes. Please support the 2019 Carinity Chaplains Appeal.

DONATE NOW

Visit carinity.org.au/donations or call 07 3550 3737

CH002-00519

You can positively impact the lives of those in need by helping us to place more chaplains around Queensland. Please give today.