The qb, the voice of Queensland Baptists by Queensland Baptists

The voice of Queensland Baptists June 2013

Higher and higher The call to disciple More than our imaginings Print post approved ISSN: 100003837 The Queensland Baptist - first published in 1890. This series Vol 11 Issue 3.

www.qb.com.au

HELP BUILD GOD’S KINGDOM through your local church and other Baptist ministries

Explore giving options at

www.qb.com.au/giftfoundation or phone 0400 795 302 We encourage you to consider a gift in addition to your tithes and offerings, after you have made provision for family and friends.

PARTNER WITH CHRIST

What are you saving for? Our term deposit interest rate is:

6 months 4.45% p.a. Current interest rate and terms effective 1 June 2013 Please note: Rates are subject to change without notice with the exception of fixed term deposits already lodged. Interest is calculated on daily balances and paid or accumulated half-yearly unless otherwise agreed. ABN 59 241 212 544

BAPLinK investing in ministry

Ph 07 3354 5611 or Free Call 1800 650 062 Fax 07 3354 5605 PO Box 6166 Mitchelton Q 4053 baplink@qb.com.au www.qb.com.au

Regulatory Compliance: BapLink is not subject to the following requirements • To have a ‘Disclosure Document’ or ‘Product Discourse Statement’ (PDS) • To be registered or have a Trust Deed under the Corporations Act 2001 • The scheme has not been examined or approved by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC). BapLink will deliver audited financial statements to ASIC each year • Neither ‘The Baptist Union of Queensland’ (controlling entity) nor ‘BapLink’ (the Fund) is prudentially supervised by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA)

•

Contributions to the fund do not obtain the benefit of the depositer protection provisions of the Banking Act 1959.

BapLink accounts and schemes are designed for investors who wish to promote the charitable purposes of The Baptist Union of Queensland and its constituted churches for whom the consideration of profit is not of primary relevance. Such investments are not specifically secured but repayment is underwritten by the overall funds and assets of The Baptist Union of Qld.

BapLink … a ministry of Queensland Baptists

5 6 8 13 15 18 20 33 37 44 45 46

In this issue

Comment: David Loder Speaking out: John Sweetman Around the regions Baptisms QB Conference 2013 Milestones Extending God’s Kingdom series Persecution brief Called home Reviews Fun zone Classifieds

QB ministries

‘One day’ coming soon! (QB youth) I+F=T (QB kids & their families) A vision for the future (QCCC) Lost and alone in the dark (QB Women) Transforming work (Malyon College) QB Archives Queensland Baptist Care rebrands as Carinity (Carinity) Partnership with SSEC develops

23 24 26 28 30 32 34 39

QB partners Talking about God with confidence Hope born out of war-torn Sri Lanka (BWAA) Serving, partnering and sending (Global Interaction)

36 38 40

Articles More than our imaginings Higher & higher

41 42

Our cover: Don’t miss SaSa’s story. In villages which now have a community health care worker and medicine because of Health and Hope, children under five are no longer dying from curable diseases.

www.qb.com.au 06/13

News, views and issues 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: Robynne Milne Advertising: Emily Twible 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 and postal address.

From the Editor I must be honest and say that as I edit The qb, some articles engage me more than others—as readers, no doubt you will say the same. And while underpinning every story that crosses my desk is the contributor’s deep passion for Jesus, and for spreading the Good News of his salvation, there are some stories that just hit you as you read. Dr SaSa’s story is one such narrative (Higher and higher—Footsteps for Burma). Written deliberately in simple words and sentences, the article tells SaSa’s story from birth to now: his dreams and his trials, but most of all, his unshakable belief in his God. It also tells a little about what some of our churches, working together, are achieving for the Kingdom. Stephen Ball reports on his recent trip to the Solomon Islands where the partnership between Queensland Baptists and the South Seas Evangelical Churches (SSEC) continues to flourish (Partnership with SSEC develops).

And while Stephen’s purpose in visiting was to teach and encourage, he makes it clear that ‘we have much to learn from our brothers and sisters in the Solomons’—it’s certainly not a onesided partnership! Emil Rahimov also reminds us that we don’t need to leave Australia to reach out to people from other cultures (Extending God’s Kingdom— The Kingdom prevails). He reflects that we have increasing opportunities to minister to people from other cultures who arrive, right here on our ‘doorstep’, as immigrants or asylum seekers. As you settle down to read this issue, I trust that God will speak to you as only he can—because he knows and loves you so completely. Enjoy this issue of The qb. Robynne Milne Editor qb@qb.com.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. PO Box 6166 Mitchelton Qld 4053 P 07 3354 5633 F 07 3354 5646 Advertising rates are listed at www.qb.com.au - follow the links to qb magazine. Prices are also available on enquiry and advertising packages can be tailored to suit your budget. Reduced contract rates apply to three bookings within a 12 month period. Please contact us for details. A limited number of inserts are also accepted. Copyright © 2003 by Queensland Baptist Services Group. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means without written permission from the publisher. 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.

ISSN: 11323-7829

Advertise in The qb It’s affordable and effective!

For pricing and details contact Emily Twible P 07 3354 5600 emily.twible@qb.com.au

06/13 www.qb.com.au

53 Prospect Road, Gaythorne Qld 4051 PO Box 6166, Mitchelton Qld 4053 P 07 3354 5600 F 07 3354 5646 admin@qb.com.au

Comment While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them’ (Acts 13:2).

Loving others ... WIDER— Extending God’s Kingdom Life changing events—we have all had them. Sometimes they are planned: a new job, a marriage or buying a home. Sometimes they are unplanned and unexpected; events over which we have no control: a doctor’s report, a vehicle accident, another person’s word or action. Sometimes God interrupts the regular flow of life. That’s how it was with the church at Antioch. The church had spread, primarily as a mechanism to avoid persecution. However, as they scattered, they also spread the Gospel. It can never be silenced. Now the church was doing what it always does best, spending time with God. This time they were worshipping and fasting. We gather from the account that the church was already multi-faceted: different cultures, stations in life and giftedness. While they were God-focussed, he spoke to them. The Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them’. Is that all he said, or was it the essence of the message? We don’t know, but they understood exactly what it was about. How did the church receive the message? Well, they sent off Barnabus and Saul. Happily? Probably... well, mostly at least. These were two of the best. How can any church survive without their best people? Well they

did—and we do. God looks after us. And so the dramatic change is effected! Not just in the life of the church and in the lives of this missionary pair. This is a change in strategy. It’s a Godorchestrated change. No longer will the church spread just because it is forced to scatter. Now it is an intentional, strategic approach. God said to send out these itinerant church planters on a journey, dropping the spark of Christianity in numerous locations and allowing the Holy Spirit to fan these sparks into a flame—in some cases a raging fire. Fantastic! So what does God say to Queensland Baptists today? He is still in the sending mode: maybe you; maybe the best people in your church. Are you ready for the change? Board Theme: Extending the Kingdom of God It has been exciting to hear story after story of people coming to faith: old and young, male and female, all varieties. Jesus loves them all! I heard another story yesterday in the church where I was preaching. How are you involved in sharing the Gospel message? Are you praying for the Plus4 people on your list? Mission to Queensland recently held an equipping event for church planters.

Well attended, it was also inspiring, challenging and equipping. Pray for these heroes of the church and support them where you can, both personally and as a church. Be involved. QB Conference 2013 This event, encompassing Pastors and Spouses Retreat, Leadership (Business) Day and QB Weekend Convention had many good aspects to it. Focussing on mission we enjoyed a variety of speakers, some from QB, others invited guests. The State of the Union address is available on DVD from our office, or you can view it at www.qb.com.au Personally I am writing this at the beginning of some long service leave. There are two aspects to this. It will be good to have a longer break but I also will use the time to write up further parts of my study into the spiritual formation of Queensland Baptists’ ministers. Finally… God has me reflecting on an account in Mark 3:13-19 over the last few days. Jesus called those he wanted. They responded. He wanted them to be with him. He didn’t want them to stay there. He then sent them out—just like he did with Saul and Barnabas. They came to him and then were sent out. He calls you and me because he wants us to be with him. He then sends us out. Are you ready to go? David Loder General Superintendent gs@qb.com.au

www.qb.com.au 06/13

Speaking out

The call to disciple In the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20), Jesus called his disciples to make [more] disciples by introducing them to Christian faith (‘baptising’) and helping them understand and grow in this faith (‘teaching them to obey’). It was a challenging commission for a group who had, themselves, struggled to understand and follow Jesus, but they had the promise of Jesus’ authority and support. And that’s what they did— made disciples. The main challenge among Jews was getting them baptised. Many Jews were deeply committed to their religion and had been well discipled in the Jewish faith. It was a big step for them to follow Jesus, joining what seemed to be a cultish Jewish sect and being rejected by their community. Once they became Christians, however, discipleship was not so difficult. They were used to studying the Bible; they had strong disciplines in their lives; they had good

06/13 www.qb.com.au

morals; they understood the pressure of being different; they partly knew what God wanted. Coming to grips with grace was always a challenge, but following and obeying a holy, righteous God was already in their DNA. The Gentiles were a different kettle of fish. Many responded more readily to the gospel and were baptised, but teaching them to obey was a huge challenge. Spiritually, they were used to following fickle, unjust, unholy Greek and Roman gods. Reading through Corinthians gives you some idea of the challenges of discipling Gentile converts. There were problems with divisions, sexual immorality, lawsuits between Christians, involvement in demonic feasts, lack of submission, abuse of spiritual gifts, wild worship, etc. Some were even dying because God was displeased with their behaviour (1 Corinthians 11:30).

Our Growing Need to Disciple I grew up in a society that ostensibly held to Christian values. Many children, if not most, went to Sunday school. People basically knew what was right. They didn’t always do it, but Christian values were somewhat embedded in our DNA. Oh, there was a good deal of legalism, both in the church and in society, but Christian discipleship mainly involved building on the foundations that had already been laid by our culture. Generally, we took a ‘Jewish’ approach. But we now live in a ‘Gentile’ world. Broad Christianity, defined in terms of loving and not judging anyone, remains well respected, but narrow Christianity, defined in terms of seeing Jesus as the only way to heaven and living a sacrificial, obedient, evangelistic, God-honouring life, has become deeply unpopular. Our society, in

Speaking out its individualism, materialism and consumerism, has rejected the life of Christian discipleship and its associated values. This means that many people entering Christian faith have no idea of how to obey Jesus. The ‘teaching them to obey’ side of the Great Commission has become immensely important for the church.

Some churches have intentional discipling programs for younger Christians. These can occur in groups or one-on-one, but they provide new Christians with a solid biblical foundation and the tools to personally grow as a disciple. Based on my argument above, I believe this is essential.

And I suspect that we’re not doing all that well with it. Most churches would probably see preaching and small groups as their major discipleship arms. As long as our preaching continues to teach Scripture, explain its practical ramifications and call people to respond/obey, it will have an ongoing impact on discipleship. Biblically, the ‘ministry of the Word’ goes much wider than preaching, but strong preaching is a good start.

Some churches are moving towards mentoring programs where more mature Christians are linked with younger Christians. This builds accountability and often provides impetus for growth for both mentoree and mentor.

I’m not so confident about our small groups as an effective discipling tool. I think they play a very important role in fellowship and building community. We are meant to live our Christian lives supported by family, and small groups often make this a reality. It’s important to experience tangible community. But in some small groups the ‘teaching them to obey’ becomes ‘we all have some ideas, but we don’t put too much pressure on’. Perhaps I’m too sceptical. I know that many small groups are doing an excellent job with discipling, but I’m just saying that I don’t think the church can delegate discipling to small groups unless it is being strongly intentional about how small groups function. Ways Forward So what do we do to ramp up discipleship?

Some churches provide short-term, discipling-style courses on particular issues. They could be on managing your money in a biblical way, or on sharing your faith, or on understanding the Bible, or some in-depth teaching on a particular Bible book or theological theme. These courses can provide a new shot in the arm for spiritual growth. Some churches see involvement in ministry as the key to effective discipleship. So they build an apprenticeship system to get new (and old) Christians involved in ministries, or they run regular mission trips to majority world places, or they call their people to get involved in corporate prayer. Andy Stanley (Deep & Wide, 2012) takes a thoughtful approach. He concludes that discipleship occurs as a person’s faith (confidence that God is who he says he is and will do what he has promised to do) grows. So his church has developed a model of discipleship/spiritual formation around growing people’s faith.

Stanley has identified five faith catalysts and has built them intentionally into the church program. They are: 1. Practical teaching (people grow when they know what God wants them to do) 2. Private disciplines (when God speaks through his word or answers prayer, faith grows) 3. Personal ministry (ministry stretches us so we seek God and grow) 4. Providential relationships (faith grows as we hear from God through someone or see God in someone) 5. Pivotal circumstances (there are good and bad times when faith is stretched and growth is rapid—the key is how we deal with these times). You’ll have to read Stanley’s book (or send me an email) to see how he integrates these catalysts into the church program. Discipling was always meant to be intentional. That’s why Jesus called his own disciples to ‘teach them to obey.’ It becomes even more important in a culture that offers little support for Christian lifestyle and values. Every church needs to be actively and intentionally discipling. I know it’s a challenge, but we have no choice. John Sweetman Principal, Malyon College john.sweetman@ malyon.edu.au

www.qb.com.au 06/13

Around the regions

Around the Regions

businesses. Queensland Baptists generously offered a $3000 grant, and with grants from the Moreton Bay Regional Council and partnership with the Redcliffe Uniting Church, El Shaddai has been truly blessed in their connections. Foodbank is providing all of our stock at present and El Shaddai has also received sponsorship from the Redcliffe Ministers’ Fraternal, Bendigo Bank Margate and Office National at Clontarf. The shelves are stocked with fresh groceries, cans of food, toiletries, cleaning products, drinks, cakes, baking needs, rice, pasta, and other basics, for very low prices (between 50c and $2). There are also free products and emergency food parcels for those who can’t afford to pay.

El Shaddai—reaching out Angela Rodgers at Margate Baptist Church writes: On 3 May 2013, with the help of Queensland Baptists and other organisations, Margate Baptist Church (MBC) in Brisbane’s north opened El Shaddai Community, a food bank for people in need. Queensland Baptists’ (QB) Director of Administration, Phillip McCallum, and representatives from Redcliffe Uniting Church, Discovery Baptist Church and The Lakes Pantry, as well as MBC volunteers, were all in attendance. Pastor Theo Salahor, the driving force behind El Shaddai, felt that there was a gap in local services and provision for disadvantaged groups. ‘The people started to get the vision, so we decided to do the math and wait on God,’ he said. After much prayer, calculation, and consultation with the leadership of the church, El Shaddai Community was opened, with support from a number of organisations and

06/13 www.qb.com.au

‘We are currently opening on a Friday afternoon 3 pm–5 pm, with the view to also opening on Wednesday afternoon in the near future,’ said Pastor Theo. Lifetime membership is being offered for $5 and any money raised from the sales will be invested back into the community. Prayer for the future of El Shaddai would be appreciated. The community’s needs are great and ideally the church would like to get more young people involved with various tasks like picking up supplies and stocking shelves. At this stage, El Shaddai has limited suppliers, so please pray that more businesses sign up to donate their unwanted stock for people in need. ‘Our goal is not to make any money, but to invest funds back into the community,’ Pastor Theo said. ‘Above all though, God has blessed MBC with dedicated church members who are keen to be involved in our local community through the project. The folk at MBC are an inspiration; they have given me the freedom to seek God’s will for the church and together we continue to do that.’

Images top to bottom: Decorating shoeboxes, Foreground—shoeboxes ready to be filled; background— tubs of goodies for the shoeboxes, The Redcliffe Ministers’ Fraternal, Ladies busily knitting, or packing pencil cases and toiletry bags, El Shaddai volunteers

Around the regions

There’s plenty to do Pauline Dare, Mundubbera Baptist Church, writes:

God’s into mission, are you? Catherine Wooster, City Tabernacle Baptist Church, sends this report: This year, the City Tabernacle’s observance of our denomination’s May Missions Month included the special missions focus weekend held on the 4–5 May. We were blessed to have Wycliffe staff member Miss Jenny Austin, one of our church family members, return home from Melbourne for the weekend to tell of her work. This was a time of happy reunion for many of the congregation as well as providing an opportunity for newcomers to the church to meet Jenny, whom we often speak about and uphold in prayer. As well as speaking to the adults in the services, Jenny interacted with the children at Kids’ Church and, hopefully, planted the seed of God’s call to mission in those young minds and hearts. The children also pray regularly for Jenny during their program. Our guest speaker, the Rev. Brian Billings (CEO of World Team Australia) brought a challenge from his Sunday morning and evening sermons entitled ‘Wired for Mission’ and ‘God’s into mission, are you?’ On Saturday evening, a good time of fellowship, inspiration and challenge

was enjoyed over a meal and in the program that followed, which included the movie regarding the church established amongst the South American Auca Indians following the slaughter of five missionaries there many years ago. From our church archives, a collection of photographs has been displayed indicating all those who have gone out from the Tabernacle since 1890 for long or short term missionary service to reach other peoples and cultures with the gospel. This year’s May Missionary Month Thanksgiving Project is to raise $5,000 to purchase computers for the Kompiam Hospital School in the Highlands of New Guinea, which is a ministry of PNG Baptists where Russell and Wendy Conwell are currently serving.

On the move • • • • •

Rev Angelo Giovas has accepted a call to Annerley Rev Russell Matthews had accepted a call to Toowong Rev Phil West has accepted a call to Toowoomba Northside Rev Peter Richards has accepted a call as Interim Pastor to Silkstone Rev Charles Byrne has concluded at Toowong and retired

Our church has been a proud supporter of the Samaritan’s Purse Christmas Shoeboxes Project for many years. We currently make up around 200 shoeboxes every year. Chat & Do was established last year after it was realised that many of the ladies spent a lot of solitary time making items for the shoe-boxes. It was suggested that it would be great to bring everyone together to have a time of socialisation and to work on items for the shoeboxes—hence the name— Chat & Do. At the moment we meet on the last Friday of each month, and ladies can stay for the day or just pop in for an hour or so. You don’t need to be able to sew, be good at crafts or a church member to come along as there are plenty of things to do. Our time is spent making items (beanies, puppets, pencil cases, drawstring bags, necklaces and bracelets, clothing, shoulder bags) or decorating shoeboxes. Preparation for packing the boxes is also done, like removing the plastic packaging from toys, soaps, pencils etc. so that they don’t go into the landfill of poorer countries, or putting together pencil and toiletry packs. We have recently been blessed with a second-hand sewing machine and overlocker, which means that we don’t have to bring our own machines. While Chat & Do is only a small group, it is providing an important outreach into our local community—several of the ladies are not regular churchgoers—and it’s ensuring that our preparation for the shoeboxes is on target for the year.

www.qb.com.au 06/13

Around the regions Singing God’s praises All Nations Revival Church Youth have come a long way! Not only have they experienced adventures, there have also been trials along the way. The youth sing in a choir and they dance. The choir began with just 12 girls and boys but in 2009, the number decreased to eight: two girls and six boys. Even though it was really hard to continue, they did not stop working for God. ‘I just felt like stopping because sometimes I was the only girl, for example, when the other girl was away,’ said Sarah, one of the youth singers. As they continued ministering through singing, they kept on praying, asking God to bring more people. After a year, a few boys from Africa joined the choir. ‘I felt so bad because all the other choirs I knew had many girls. As for us, it felt like it was a boys’ choir.’ ‘At that time, I knew that something was wrong,’ said Jimmy H. The Youth leaders and children’s leader, Filbert, Jimmy and Joram, decided to fast and pray overnight, to ask God to send more girls to join the choir. They spent the whole night worshipping, praising and praying. During that prayer time, they felt something different. And they did not only feel the difference, they also saw a transformation in the youth. Now the choir is growing rapidly, and the number of girls and boys has increased. They are also receiving invitations to different places to sing and spread the gospel. In January, the youth again fasted and prayed, and worshipped and praised God. Their main purpose was to pray about their outreach ministry to a conference in South Australia. Accepting this invitation to sing was not easy because it was the first time they had been asked to sing in another state. God showed them that he would be with them and so it was; God’s hand was on them and many souls were impacted and blessed by their message.

06/13 www.qb.com.au

Thank you!

Singing God’s praises

Thank you! Rose Neumann at Leichhardt Baptist Church writes: Part of Acts 1 verse 8 reads: ‘You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth.’ Over a few days towards the end of May, we touched each of these areas. On Friday 24 May, as part of National Thanksgiving Day, we served morning tea to the teachers at the Leichhardt State School to say thank you for their efforts in educating the children of our area and for the extra mile they go when they see children with needs. We discovered that the teachers purchase bread, vegemite, etc. so that they can give sandwiches to children who have no lunch. They also purchase exercise books for children without them. As a Church, we will now look at how we can help with this. The weekend of 25–26 May was our Mission Weekend. On Saturday night, we had our Mission Dinner (of delicious hot dishes and sweets). Our Speaker was Don Van Cooten, former GIA worker in Indonesia and now working with World Relief Australia helping other organisations with aid and relief work around the world. On Sunday morning, Graeme Johnson from Symbiosis spoke about a community on a sand island, which could disappear in the next flood, in the middle of the Brahmaputra River. The people are very poor and

Symbiosis has been able to commence two schools for the children and also teach the women to read and write, which has resulted in the women forming a Savings Group. By saving just a small amount regularly, they can borrow from the Group to buy a cow, goat, chickens, etc. so that they have food for their family, and they can sell milk, eggs and other produce, which gives them an income that helps make life more comfortable for their families. Early this year, the Mission Committee had some surplus funds which were donated to Symbiosis for this project, so our influence has gone further afield. In the evening service, Karen Haynes, Young Adult Consultant in Queensland for Global Interaction, spoke passionately about her work of encouraging young people and young adults to ‘think mission’ and answer God’s call upon their lives. Tuesday 28 May was the Under 7s’ Day at Amberley District State School and a group from our Church held a barbecue for the children and parents, cooking and serving up 700 sausages. This was our third year—and we are booked up for next year! So, in these few days, we have touched our Jerusalem (Leichhardt), Judea (Amberley), Samaria (Queensland) and the ends of the earth (Bangladesh) with Symbiosis and World Relief Australia. We have been involved with Mission—locally and globally.

MATCHIN G GRANT 2013 R INANCIAL YEA F F O D N E IS TH

Get behind the end of poverty through your gift today! By giving before June 30, we’re making your gift go further through the Australian Government’s Matching Grant. That means your support will literally get behind the changing of children’s lives, their families and whole communities. And that means, together, we’re actively getting behind the end of extreme poverty. For a world as it should be.

You + Your Gift – BEHIND IT –

– BEHIND IT –

The End of Poverty

Visit behindit.org or call 1300 789 991

Perhaps it’s just early risers Jane Ganter, Rockhampton Baptist Tabernacle, writes: Just imagine that you’re a young backpacker from the USA—with two friends you hire a ‘WICKED’ campervan and travel around. When you arrive in Rockhampton, you look for somewhere to park overnight, free parking of course, and it’s lovely on Mount Archer—quiet, peaceful, and you’re unlikely to be moved on for illegal camping. Saturday night would have been beautiful, looking out over the Fitzroy River valley, enjoying the display of Rockhampton’s lights down below, and being right among the plants, birds, and animals of the Australian bush. But ... you’re woken with a jolt very early on Easter Sunday morning by the sounds of vehicles arriving. Perhaps it’s just early risers. Not so. The car engine noises continue, and the people emerging from them make no attempt to keep quiet. Obviously an event of some sort is underway. As you peep out of the window of the van you see many cars and crowds of people, a barbecue has been set up and the smell of cooking sausages makes your mouth water and your stomach rumble.

The mist slowly rises from the mountain, penetrated by the light of dawn on Resurrection Sunday morning. Soon the sounds of singing give you a clue about what’s going on. Bible readings and prayers are followed by a fervently preached message about the resurrection of Jesus. After more singing and a final prayer, the crowds move to the barbecue (Salvation Army style) for breakfast. Somewhat sheepishly, you and your friends leave the van and join the queue for a sausage in bread and a cup of tea. Many people welcome you, and ask where you are from... We may never know where those three young backpackers stand with the Lord, and we don’t know what impact the Sunrise Service had on them. Many of us prayed for them. Each year the Baptist and Salvation Army Churches of Rockhampton combine to celebrate Christ’s resurrection. Each year this dawn service impacts the lives of many people, and 2013 was no exception. The backpackers certainly heard the gospel preached by the Salvation Army Commissioner! And God’s powerful word is effective. It was no coincidence that these young people decided to park on Mount Archer on Easter Saturday night—the Lord knew and had a purpose in it. May Jesus, the Light of the World, penetrate the darkness in the lives of those young backpackers.

www.qb.com.au 06/13

Iron men flex their muscles

Around the regions Iron men flex their muscles Martin Hirsch, Nanango Community Baptist Church writes: Following the lead of the Queensland Government, who proposed a second Australia Day as a catch-up celebration because of the disastrous weather at the end of January, our church invited local residents for a picnic in the church grounds and for some Aussie fun.

Prayer in our churches

The church community set up shade marquees, brought out the barbecues and served up the finest Devonshire Teas, damper and other treats for every sweet tooth. The event was promoted as an action-packed and fun-filled day for the whole family and many joined in a range of activities: sack racing, ball throwing, thong throwing, balloon races, an Iron man contest, and face painting in a great Aussie atmosphere which included well-known Aussie songs sung by the church ladies singing group. Fun was the goal and fun was the result, and in true Aussie spirit there was a bit of a spin to the Iron Man Competition—the men were lined up with flexed egos ready to compete when they were confronted with a basket of ironing and an ironing board! Couldn’t have been funnier to watch as these typical bushy Nanango blokes ironed their way to a trophy ... one bloke didn’t even realise his iron was not switched on! In the end, retired pastor Don Niebling took out the title and the trophy, while a local cattle farmer, Peter Ballinger, was a close runner-up. Recent arrival to the ministry at Nanango, Pastor Neil Folling welcomed the opportunity to meet local folk who were not usually church attenders. Pastor Neil was excited by the hard work of the church community and thanked God for a beautiful clear blue sky, which was quite the contrast to the original Australia Day celebrations in January. Pastor Neil said that he

06/13 www.qb.com.au

The two regions visited were Cabiao and Guimba, and outreaches were conducted once or twice daily from these towns to many outer villages where children and adults were happy and excited to hear the Word of God, many for the very first time—praise the Lord!

Prayer in our churches Image: Around 150 people from 11 churches gather to pray at Bracken Ridge Baptist Church.

hoped the event was just the beginning of an exciting time as people in the region, which has been hard hit over recent times, seek God. Proceeds from the event were donated to the Mayor’s South Burnett Flood Relief Appeal.

Villagers welcome the Word Joan Drummond, Clontarf Beach Baptist Church, writes: It was a great privilege for 12 people from our church to head to the Philippines at the end of last year on a short term mission north of Manila. The team was led by Pastor Ron Flores and the team was his wife Cecille, sons Philip and Paulo, the Well’s family (Mike, Keryn, Sam, Caitlin and Rachel), Paul Brown, Dave Shea and Liz Luva.

We are beginning to hear many encouraging stories of the revival prayer meetings held in churches around Queensland. It is already clear that many hundreds of Baptists came together to pray at the combined churches prayer meetings during the week June 2–8. Quite a few of the meetings around Brisbane attracted between 100–200 people. One of the most exciting comments we are hearing is how naturally and well people from different churches joined together, in unity, to pray for our state and the work of God amongst us as a movement. A number of people commented, ‘Why don’t we do this more often?’ There will be a full report in the August issue of The qb but, in the meantime, please continue to pray for revival in our state.

Baptisms

Image: Pauline Dare

Pastor Barry Edwards, Longreach Baptist, writes: In the first weekend in May, we held our annual family camp at Royston, a property 70 km south of Longreach. We were blessed to have Graham and Andrea Sercombe come out from the ‘big smoke’ of Brisbane to minister among us for the weekend as we tackled the question, ‘How are we to live as Christians in this ever-changing and increasingly hostile world?’ There are no plush auditoriums or ensuite cabins out our way, so the property woolshed was called into service as a meeting venue for our sessions, and the people bunked down in the shearers’ quarters, in tents or under the stars in their swags. The highlight of the weekend was seeing eight people baptised in the nearby dam on Sunday afternoon, with two more being baptised in the following weeks. God is at work out west!

Pauline Dare (Mundubbera Baptist Church) writes: ‘The attached photo is of Betty Gagen (holding towel), Liza, Pastor Paul Dare and Richard getting excited just minutes before taking the plunge. Being able to use the Three Rivers Caravan Park’s swimming pool was wonderful as just three months before, the park was totally inundated in the Australia Day flooding and they have slowly been picking up the pieces and getting their business and lives back together.’

beautiful waters of 1770, in front of a crowd of holiday makers, to publically declare their desire to follow Jesus. Since that moment, the blessings on the family have flowed abundantly. They have well and truly ‘gone on their way rejoicing’.

Agnes Water / 1770 Baptist Church is praising God again and again for his blessing! A family of four were in despair and without hope; the Church connected with them and helped them find accommodation and provided much-needed support. God has used this to bless!

Bhushan Kumar is an international chef. Tasty cuisine was enjoyed following a service in which five tear-jerking testimonies were shared. An engraved commemorative plaque was presented to each person as a fitting conclusion to a victorious Easter Sunday in Agnes Water.

Christopher Noakes, a local teenager who met Jesus through RE classes four years ago, joined in the moment and was baptised too.

The family, Bhushan Kumar Sehgal, Asha Nair, Karishma Sehgal and Poonam Sehgal were baptised in the

www.qb.com.au 06/13

Baptisms Sunny Lee was baptised at Annerley Baptist Church. This is her testimony: ‘My name is Sunny, and I am from Korea. The reason I came to Australia was to find a way to live permanently in Australia. However, I realised that God had a different plan. I am so excited to know about God and feel that it is not important where I live, as long as I have Jesus in my heart.

Please pray for those baptised recently in all our churches around Queensland, including:

Since I came to Australia, I have had so many troubles and all I could do was to seek God and pray, although I didn’t know him. I realised God is real and he is always with me, and also I learned that it was sin that I didn’t know God; therefore, I have been sinning all my life.

Atherton Chelsea Ward

Now I am going to live as God wants me to do. Whenever I face troubles, I will seek God and obey the Words of God. I am born again. My old life is dead now, and I am a new person in Christ. Lord, thank you so much for your love, and I love you too.’

Agnes Water/1770 Bhushan Kumar Sehgal Asha Nair Karishma Sehgal Poonam Sehgal Annerley Sunny Lee

Birkdale John Slade Bribie Island Madeleine Abraham Julia Cameron Caboolture Aaliyah Dowd James Hill Christy James Arnya McMinn Narelle Repacholi Shaun Repacholi Clontarf Peter Hughes Hamish Wood

Be love. End poverty. SponSor a child. baptistworldaid.org.au phone 1300 789 991

Dalby Joan Johnson Anthony Skerman Ipswich Kerryn Brockel Jane Durstan Stephanie Kajewski Renee Obrien Cristyn Saunders Matt Stieler Kingsridge Zauseng Lahpai Van Ro Lian Danyon Ramsay Lifepointe Amelia Cross Chontele Dufty Zayne Dufty Heidi Gruenwald Kimberly Harper Leanne King Kimi Knapp Steve Scheiwe Donna Spiteri Maureen Vanderhor

Longreach Jonathan Edwards Simon Edwards Laura Hearn Mitch Hearn Elaine Jacobie Matt Neuendorf Georgia Owens Nicholas Rumsey Anthony Wehmeier Sam Whip Moore Park Annie Johnson Liam Johnson Alexandra Jordan Stephen Jordan Elizabeth Kruger Steve Kruger Gwennie Lam Douglas Ross Helen Singer Kate Springall

New Heart Mahtab Abassi Zoe Butler Sarah Lane Kristin Lomas Therese Lomas Eloise Riley Isabel Riley Keira Thompson Park Ridge John Buckley Pat Buckley Gabby Fergus Liam Head Josiah Jackson Micah Jackson Shem Jackson Madeline Mitchell Ryan Mitchell Chelsea Sampson Stanley River Joshua Rutherford The Gap Andrew Byrnes Rose Byrnes Umi Davis Andrew Harden David Harden

David Loder & the Hon Fiona Simpson MP, guest speaker at the P&S Appreciation Dinner

QB Conference 2013

On the

Mountain

QB Conference 2013, held in the school holidays week immediately after Easter, provided great opportunities for fellowship, learning and prayer. At peak attendance, 224 adults and 35 children gathered to enjoy the program and beautiful facilities at QCCC Mapleton. The conference included the QB Pastors & Spouses Retreat, Leadership Day and the QB Weekend Convention. Guest speakers Keith Jobberns and Allan Meyer, along with those who led sessions or electives, were well received and a blessing to many. Too many people to name helped make the event run smoothly and we thank them sincerely!

Conference returns to Mapleton in 2014 and we’re trusting God for an even bigger roll-up. Date claimer for your calendar! (8−12 April 2014) As part of our evaluation of this year’s event, we invited responses to a survey. Comments were overwhelming positive—of course, there are areas for improvement and we’ll be looking closely at your comments in this regard. In the meantime, here’s what a few people had to say (more on pages 16-17):

‘I would like to congratulate the entire team on both the organisation of the combined conferences and the new format and location. QCCC was a great venue and it enabled us to truly fellowship with one another over meals and coffees in such a relaxing and beautiful environment! Our kids were well cared for and that released us as parents to truly engage with the conference speakers and electives. My only criticism is that the registration form was complicated but given the nature of the event that isn’t surprising. Again, well done to the team and we’re looking forward to next year!’

We acknowledge and thank QB Conference 2013 sponsors: Platinum

Gold

Silver

Bronze

We also acknowledge our QB Ministries and Ministry partners who exhibited at the event: Baptist Heritage/Archives, Gift Foundation, QB Kids & their families, QB Women, QB Youth, BWA and Global Interaction. www.qb.com.au 06/13

Conference 2013

‘I was blessed and uplifted by all three speakers. Just what I needed thanks.’

Allan Meyer

The happy team at QCC who provided a spectacular P&S Appreciation Dinner. Thankyou!

‘Everything was brilliant! The Mapleton staff were terrific. The speakers were spot on.’

Thanks to all the volunteers who helped in many ways

‘(It) was great being in school holidays. It meant my wife (and kids) could come along. Great program for the kids.’ David Loder, Matt & Kirsten Anstey at the Thanksgiving & Recognition Service

06/13 www.qb.com.au

QB Conference 2013

‘Having the events grouped together during school holidays is excellent for families. In the past I have always thought of Pastor’s & Spouses retreat as the retirees retreat because someone had to stay home and look after the kids. Please continue with the format tried this year, it works!’

David Loder thanks Keith Jobberns for his ministry at P&S Retreat

Over 40? Confused by so many mission options? WALK FOR CHINA’S ABANDONED AND DISABLED CHILDREN

JOIN US IN QUEENSLAND Each year, International China Concern (ICC) organises a walk-a-thon called Walk the Wall. Walk the Wall raises the necessary funds to give life to hundreds of children and adults with disabilities by providing full-time care. ICC works to end abandonment by providing support to families with disabled children, proving that there are ways to keep families together.

Second Wind Network has successfully placed over 100 people in mission and is here to help! We can: - advise, guide you and explore opportunities with you - help you select the right mission agency for you

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. SIGN UP TO AN UPCOMING WALK NEAR YOU AT:

WALKTHEWALL.ORG

You can: - check out our Online Mission Matching Service - check out multi-agency opportunities on our Top Needs page

www.secondwind.net.au www.qb.com.au 06/13 SWN_Advertisement_2013_FINAL.indd 1

10/5/13 2:03

Milestones

Col Peaker brings greetings from David Loder Men’s choir sings Mighty Warrior written by Keith Stevenson

Hervey Bay Baptists celebrate Hervey Bay Baptist Church has celebrated the 25th anniversary of Keith Stevenson’s role as senior pastor. His wife Lindy was also recognised for her ministry and for steadfast support for Keith, their children and grandchildren. Special guests included extended family, past and present associate pastors, ministry colleagues, members of retreat groups, missionaries and community leaders. Many who were unable to attend sent greetings. QB Regional Consultant, member of Hervey Bay Baptist and past Associate Pastor, Col Peaker, brought a greeting to Keith and the church from QB General Superintendent, David Loder. For many of the earlier years of Keith’s ministry, Stan Solomon was QB General Superintendent and his special trip down from Townsville

06/13 www.qb.com.au

was appreciated. His word of encouragement to Keith and to the church was a great blessing. Past associates, Ross Wardill, Neil Parish and Chris Ganter, spoke (by video) of the contribution that Keith had made in their own ministry journeys. State Local Member, Ted Sorensen, and Fraser Coast Regional Council Mayor, Gerard O’Connell, thanked Keith and the church for making community involvement and outreach their priorities. Doug Ensbey (Maleny Baptist) has been a close friend to Keith since being part of the Fairfield youth in the late sixties. Doug’s greeting and encouragement was greatly appreciated. James Baker, a frequent participant in Keith’s Fraser Island retreat groups, expressed appreciation on behalf of all participants, many of whom were present. Elder Heather

Dickfos presented a very special tribute to Lindy. Keith’s mother Ellen Gibbons and sisters, Noela Ensbey and Lynne Woods brought greetings from the family. In his formative years, Keith was an active member of Fairfield Baptist Church. From 1975, Colin Paterson was pastor and it was good to have a greeting from him. Prior to that, during the sixties, when Keith and Doug were in youth group together, John Tanner was Fairfield’s pastor. John’s impact on Keith’s life and growth as a Christian leader was very significant and his mentorship continued well into Keith’s pastoral ministry at Hervey Bay. John has been a very good friend to Keith and Lindy, and to the church over the years. For many years he and Irene brought students from Pine Training Centre to Hervey Bay for experience in Children’s Ministries. The church

Milestones

Keith and Lindy with current pastors and elders

Ross & Sharon Wardill

Keith’s mum Ellen with his sisters Noela and Lynne

Stan Solomon

was privileged to have John bring a short message of encouragement to the church and its leadership as the service approached its conclusion.

Everyone has a story to tell

Finally, with elders laying on hands, John prayed on behalf of the whole congregation; he offered a prayer of thanks to God for his provision, and a prayer of commitment and blessing upon Keith and Lindy.

Words have the ability to lift us, enlighten us and inspire us. What would your story be? Reflect who you truly are by pre-arranging your funeral.

Presentations were made and Keith and Lindy responded. Now in his 26th year of ministry at Hervey Bay, Keith continues with apparently endless energy. Whether it be in the 10 km run, the half or full marathon, or on Fraser Island’s ocean beach in the middle of a big tailor run, the energy and enthusiasm are still there. But paramount is his energy and enthusiasm for the Gospel, and for the lost who need to meet Jesus. These are the enduring marks of this man.

1800 636 660 metropolitanfunerals.com.au

Phil James Elder, Hervey Bay Baptist Church

We’ll know what to do. Proud Member of InvoCare

Extending God’s Kingdom series

Extending God’s Kingdom

Pray to the Lord of the Harvest

world and see the answers on our screen almost instantly.

I love the parable that Jesus shares in Luke 18. I love it because Luke tells us why Jesus told this story before he even tells us the parable. I, along with Jesus’ first followers, often listen to Jesus’ parables and am left wondering, ‘what was all that about?’ In the parable of the nagging widow, Luke tells us that Jesus told this parable so that we should ‘always pray and not give up’ (Luke 18:1).

I wonder if we have brought some of our fast food culture into our spirituality. We want God to answer our prayers fast. If God doesn’t give us what we want fast, we lose heart and we give up.

Jesus tells the story of a poor widow who is being harassed and needs some help. When she goes to the local judge, he does nothing because he doesn’t care about her or her predicament. However, this feisty widow does not give up. She keeps coming back, day after day, to ask for help. Eventually, because she wore him out with her nagging, the heartless judge gives her what she wants. This is some serious nagging! If you know anything about our Father in Heaven, you know he is nothing like the bloke in this parable. Our God does care about people. Our God loves people. The reason that Jesus has not yet returned is because he wants more people to be saved (2 Peter 3:9). If the heartless leader in this parable will eventually give this woman what she’s asking for, then how much more will your Father in heaven bring justice to the people he loves? So keep praying and do not give up. Our challenge today is that we live in an instantaneous, fast food culture. We want what we ask for now ... not later. We want food fast. We want information fast. We want answers fast. It wasn’t too long ago that if we wanted to ask a question of someone on the other side of the world, we would have to write a letter, post it and wait for weeks until a reply arrived in our letterbox. Today we just click on a button and we can ask questions of someone on the other side of the

06/13 www.qb.com.au

My 94-year-old grandmother is one of the few people who still sends me hand-written letters. She has never made a Skype call in her life, but she is a persistent nagger when it comes to prayer. She has prayed for me and all the members of our extended family, by name, every day of our lives. When we get together, every member of our family from four generations is following Jesus and serving in a local church. I reckon my grandmother’s persistent prayer has got something to do with that. We are at a time in the Church when we have more programs, websites, vodcasts, Facebook pages and Twitter feeds than ever before. We will need these things if we are going to reach our community with the gospel, but doing better what we already do well is not going to bring revival to Australia. I believe God is calling us to get on our knees, to pray and not give up until we see revival in our churches. In this parable, Jesus chose someone who was completely dependent on the person she needed help from. She was absolutely desperate to receive what she was asking for. I believe God is calling us, in our Churches, to a greater dependency on him in prayer. Jesus expects us to be desperate to see people in our community come to faith; he expects that we will get on our knees, pray and not give up until he comes again. Jason Elsmore Senior Pastor, Gateway Baptist Church gatewaybaptist.com.au

Extending God’s Kingdom series

The Kingdom prevails The Kingdom prevails over and penetrates all cultures with its transforming power. Before federation of the Australian states, constitutional conventions were held to draft the Commonwealth Constitution. While recognition of God in our constitution was passionately debated, one protestant commentator stated: ‘We are one great community, Christian in faith... Set in the Southern Hemisphere… We are, by mere force of our geography, a sort of great missionary outpost… The Pacific is to be our Mediterranean.’ Much time has passed since that statement was made, but there is a lot of truth in it, particularly as we concentrate on extending God’s Kingdom this year in Queensland. A lot has been said, and will continue to be said, about multiculturalism and growing cultural diversity caused by the changes in culture and morals that have occurred in the 20th century. While we are entitled to an opinion about whether these things are good or bad, we ought to remember that we have an obligation to take the Gospel to all peoples. It would be ironic if we were passionate about taking the Gospel overseas, praying and supporting missionaries, and yet not ready to share the Gospel with our neighbours

in Australia. If God calls one of us to missionary work in Sri Lanka or Iran they will be ministering to the same people that are now coming to our shores as immigrants or asylum seekers. The breakthrough in mission enterprise came during the Jerusalem council as it is recorded in Acts 15. Prior to that, the inherent Jewish religious and cultural superiority was a hindrance for the expansion of the Kingdom. In other words, some Jewish believers thought and argued that Gentiles could become followers of Jesus only if they became like them, Jews, first. Acts 15 records the breakthrough that there are Christian values to which we all ought to subscribe, and be part of, and there are secondary matters which should not be an impediment for one to follow Christ. But, at the same time, there are unbiblical practices in cultures that must be changed. That spirit of superiority may still be present in both mainstream and ethnic churches, that is to say, if you want to be part of us, you need to be like us. Let us remember that the Kingdom of God prevails over all cultures. We should not create barriers for someone to be part of church or a faith community just because there is something in their culture we are not familiar with or find uncomfortable. The priorities of the Kingdom must

prevail. At the same time, the Kingdom permeates all cultures—that is, matters that are unbiblical in any culture ought to be abandoned. And we need to be ‘wise as serpents and simple as doves’ (Matthew 10:16 YLT) to identify them and know the differences. A recent growth in our Baptist Ethnic and Multicultural ministries in Queensland does not only say how diverse our community has become, it also says much about us as a denomination and a family. It says that we are flexible in secondary matters; it says that we are hospitable and willing to help newcomers. We open our hearts and our churches; we welcome refugees and migrants; we go an extra mile and encourage fellow Christians to help those who have just called Australia home. And I would like to salute fellow pastors, leaders and lay members in our churches who remove cultural barriers. Let us remember that ‘He did not discriminate between us and them’ (Acts 15:9). Emil Rahimov QB Regional Consultant

www.qb.com.au 06/13

INTERCULTURAL TRAINING AUSTRALIA

TESOL Training Centre, Windsor Road Baptist Church, Red Hill, Brisbane e:admin@interculturaltraining.com.au

TESOL Courses • 0438 273 954 / 3311 5595 •

www.interculturaltraining.com.au

TESOL Training Teaching English as Ministry

All profits support the work of missions Providing Christ like care for grieving families Personalised care & support Prepaid Funeral Planning

24Hr 7 Day Service Serving Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast

Office

2998 Logan Road, Springwood, QLD 4127 07 3219 9333

WE TRAIN • Overseas short term ministry volunteers • Local volunteers and churches • Teachers for worldwide employment WE RESOURCE • English through parables and discussion • Syllabus and lessons WE MODEL • Ideas and relationship evangelism • Language for LIFE WE PARTNER • With churches and NFP agencies in Australia and worldwide • Facilitate free English class networks

Certificate IV in Teaching Conversational English (TESOL) 30987 QLD

Prov No 30002

Accredited TESOL Courses Brisbane TESOL Courses 2013 at WRBC Red Hill Brisbane • DAY COURSES (5 weeks) Course 2: 19 August – 20 September

n ti nr ed ,s oWr i Rn od as o n e 273 • 0438 954 T E S O L TTEr Sa O i nLi nTgr aCi en ni nt gr e C, eW d r BRa op at di s tB aCphtui rs ct hC, h Ru er cd h H, i Rl le, d B H r ii sl lb,a nB er i s b • a0438 954 /273 3311 55 i nr @ i n.ga.uc o m . a u e : a d m ien:@a idnmt e c ui nl tt ue rr ac lutlrtauirnai lntgr .aci on m

www.interculturaltraining.com.au www.interculturaltraining.com.au

Non-Accredited TESOL Short Courses Brisbane : 12 – 13 July, 18 – 19 October Toowoomba : 13 – 14 September Deception Bay : 9 – 10 August

• EVENING COURSES (14 weeks) February 2014 • INTENSIVE COURSES (4 weeks) 11 November – 6 December

ITA Qld training rooms - Windsor Road Baptist Church RED HILL BRISBANE (Open to discuss other locations. Courses have limited spaces, please book early) For more information or enrolment packages please contact admin@itateach.com P 07 3369 1296 www.itateach.com Chris Neale M 0412 307 931 or Rachel Lee M 0421 681 801

Unit 29, 37 Mortimer Road ACACIA RIDGE QLD 4110

07 3274 2530

MAY & JUNE SPECIALS

CALL US FOR A QUOTE!

www.lightupmylife.com.au

QB youth

‘One day’ coming soon! ‘If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land’ (2 Chronicles 7:14). In March of this year, we held our Youth & Young Adult Pastors’ Retreat where we experienced an incredible move of God and an amazing sense of unity and passion to see God do even greater things through his church all around our state! Flowing from the retreat came a real desire to get together, not just with pastors but also with youth leaders, young adult leaders and worship leaders to seek God and pray. There was also a desperate desire to see God move mightily in our city and generations. As a result, we are excited to announce that ‘One Day’ Conference July 13th has been launched to empower and equip our youth, young adult and worship leaders and pastors. We have some of the best practitioners, thinkers and communicators from around our country coming to teach, inspire and equip us, our teams and the young people from our churches. Dan Lian serves as a member of the preaching staff at CityLife Church, Melbourne, where he has had the honour

of leading the thriving youth and young adult communities. Focused on reaching the lost, raising disciples and releasing leaders to effective service, these ministries have experienced great grace and growth and now minister to over 1000 students weekly. A passionate and engaging communicator, Dan’s commitment to preaching the Good News and God’s Word with accuracy and applicability, in a creative and compelling manner, has made him a sought after speaker in Australia and abroad. Mark Sayers is an author and speaker who specialises in interpreting popular culture from a Christian viewpoint. Mark is the Director of Über, a ministry that specialises in issues of youth and young adult discipleship. He is also leader of Red East in Melbourne, an innovative Christian community specifically reaching the young adult demographic. He is a highly sought after speaker, consultant and thinker in the areas of Generation Y, pop culture and youth and young adult discipleship and spirituality. Mark is the author of The Trouble with Paris: Following Jesus in a World of Plastic Promises. He has been in full time ministry for 15 years and during this time has been involved in a variety of ministry appointments including: youth work with the Salvation Army;

ministry with the poor; denominational work; writing for Christian popular culture magazines; lecturing; research and development roles, and roles as a church planter and pastor. JD is passionate about serving God and the church. He has grown up in Hillsong Church where he continues to serve, leading worship in their youth ministry. He is now also one of the main worship leaders for Hillsong United. His heart was (and still is!) desperate to see God move in youth ministries and young adult ministries. He has an amazing gift in teaching and leading worship teams. We are so excited about what God is stirring in our youth & young adult ministries across our state and can’t wait to see what God will do when his people humble themselves, seek his face and pray! Join us for ‘One Day’ Conference July 13th, one day that might change your life! Bring your whole teams, and anyone else who wants to be inspired and equipped to see God do greater things! Register and info @ www.qb.com.au/youth See you there!

Dave Morrow Team Leader, QB Youth dave.morrow@qb.com.au

06/13

QB kids & their families

I+F=T

an urgent rethink needed Terry Williams, Children’s Ministry Specialist with SU Qld & SU International, was one of the elective speakers at our recent QB Conference. This is a brief summary of the information he presented. Why are we bleeding young people from our churches? ‘Despite all our incredible children’s, youth and young adult programs, we have not been able to stop this mass exodus from our churches. We have not just lost one generation, we are losing several’ (David Sawler, Goodbye Generation, USA). ‘Students didn’t begin doubting in college, they simply departed by college. If you look around in your church today, two-thirds of those who are sitting among us have already left in their hearts’ (Ken Ham & Britt Beamer, Already Gone, Aus & USA). ‘If the church is haemorrhaging young people, we have to ask ourselves if it’s because we address the issue of discipleship too late. Is the spiritual

06/13 www.qb.com.au

education we provide for our young people neither consistent enough nor rigorous enough to provide them with the means to have a strong and stable faith in a time when there are many challenges to the authenticity and relevance of our beliefs?’ (Jason Gardner, Mend the Gap, UK). ‘One of the biggest problems I have seen, and which I believe must be addressed, is that a large percentage of children who have been brought up in Sunday Schools and churches—and in Christian homes—do not continue on into adult church’ (David Goodwin, Lost in Transition, Aus). Towards a solution: The core issue at the heart of this disturbing statistic and trend is a failure to critically consider this question: What does it take to see children grow as disciples in response to Jesus’ final command? The current ‘discipling factory’ is turning out defective models and it is time for an urgent rethinking of our strategies.

A large part of our discipling strategy has revolved around the imparting of information (I). While the content of our curricula and programs is important, it cannot, on its own, produce disciples. To this equation we need to intentionally add experiences that focus on formation (F) so that faith goes deeper. The result will be transformation (T). What are the ‘experiences’ that, if integrated into a 15-year journey of our children from birth to 15, will cause their faith to go deeper, be more strongly rooted and grounded, and provide a foundation and stability for the turbulent years ahead? 10 key formational experiences: 1. Nurture within the ‘family’ (household of faith + community of faith) 2. Serving in mission 3. Responding with compassion 4. Encounters with Jesus 5. Positive peer community 6. Mentoring/life coaching 7. Peak experiences 8. Generational experiences 9. Big story of the Bible 10. Rites of Passage/Anchors

QB kids & their families Five values/foundations/key strategies that should be the HEART beat of a 15-year strategy for discipling children and that pulse through the ten formational experiences above: Holistic—‘I have come that they may have life’ Empowering—a voice, serving and leading Answering their questions—life intersecting with faith Relational—ongoing life connections, trust, coaching True—authentic lives modelling reality, genuine, real Christian formation ‘My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you...’ (Galatians 4:19). ‘And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being

explore possible responses and directions in the light of these statistics. Operating under the banner of the Queensland Children’s Ministry Network, this team has facilitated workshops with senior pastors and key leaders at the IGNITE Conference and at a follow-up event, as well as leading presentations at denominational conferences. The journey continues. transformed into his image with everincreasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit’ (2 Corinthians 3:18). Scripture presumes that faith formation occurs within intergenerational, familial and community settings. It is time to regain these priorities.

The team has created a website that will act as a repository for practical ideas for each of these 10 formational experiences, as well as providing access for visitors to the site to upload their own ideas. Together, it is hoped, we can achieve much for the future of our children and young people.

Where to from here? Representatives from many agencies and denominations have been meeting monthly for the last 18 months to

DISCOVER A DYNAMIC PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN YOUR PROFESSION & FAITH Choosing to study at CHC has given me the opportunity to grow my understanding and knowledge, strengthen my beliefs and reflect on what Godly leadership is all about. Perhaps there will never be a perfect time to start – but the journey is definitely worth the effort.” – Felicity

Terry Williams, on behalf of the Here2Stay team here2stay.org.au

QCCC

A vision for

the future

Over the last few years, QCCC’s focus has been to brainstorm how to have ministry within the context of the modern-day camping industry. This has seen us developing tools like the R1202 Hand, embracing an incarnational approach to mission and developing new curriculum-based activities. In order to consolidate and then expand QCCC’s incarnational ministry approach, we will be pursuing three complementary areas of strategic vision. Sequential programming for schools: Since the turn of the century the majority of QCCC’s ministry has been in high quality school programming. It

06/13 www.qb.com.au

is conceivable that every child in South East Queensland will visit a QCCC site at least once in their thirteen years of schooling. In response, a lot of effort has gone into theming QCCC’s sites and programs around the Beatitudes and developing activities to deliver outcomes from the new Australian Curriculum. QCCC’s future ministry to schools will rely on ‘sequential programming’ for schools. Sequential programming will offer a pathway through QCCC sites and programs for schools so their students come to us multiple times. This maximises the opportunity to partner meaningfully with schools, their staff and students. A child will come into contact with our ethos, ministry and theme several times, building relationship where the opportunity for a ‘life changing experience’ (including a response to the gospel) is far more likely.

Over the next few years we will work towards the provision of additional formats that will be an attractive part of any sequential program. In particular we will pursue options where QCCC staff can spend more time with people, in more extreme learning sessions—long-version outdoor education programs, tent camping and the growth of QCCC’s expeditions program. A commitment to pursue a sequential approach will fulfill QCCC’s aspiration to have every child in South East Queensland visit QCCC sites multiple times (rather than once) and be exposed to the R1202 theme regularly but within significantly different formats. It would empower QCCC to provide longer-version formats with greater relational and evangelistic benefits.

Pictured L-R: Expeditions will form a key part of QCCC’s sequential program to schools, Australia will be a sought after location for international camp programs.

QCCC

•

Church camping: For a number of reasons church camping has been in decline, which is concerning given that the National Church Life Survey (NCLS) has indicated the importance of camping programs to congregational life, spiritual formation and evangelism. Reasons for the decline over the past twenty years include: • •

•

Encroachment of work and sport into weekends OH&S compliance and health regulations which have curtailed self-catered camps, so expense for families is an issue Difficulty of getting congregations to commit, combined with more stringent bookings policies

•

Establishment of more multicongregational niche events Increased partnership with groups running events, where their specialty is running the event and ours is accommodation/catering Flexible group-booking options at existing sites.

A commitment to provide and promote additional church camping formats will reverse the recent decline in church camping programs and restore what appears to be an important element in congregational life, where conversions, re-dedications and calls to mission are prevalent. Please keep us in your prayers as we set out to keep Baptist Camping at the leading edge of camping provision in Queensland! If you’d like more detail or would like to contribute financially to our ministry, please email me.

US ERO GEN A BE

COUR AG E

TE AM

BE RESP ECTFUL

E BE HUMBL

the change change you the you want wantto tosee see in the the world world lies in lies within within

Self Others

QCCC will expand the number of options available for church camping if this is to be a restored part of the congregational calendar for Queensland Baptists and beyond. Not to move away from what QCCC currently offers (this is still a valid format and remains popular) but providing additional options to address some of the difficulties already described. Initiatives will include:

• A commitment to pursue international groups and programs at QCCC sites will position us to be one of the early adaptors servicing the surge of incoming visits expected in the ‘Asian Century’. More importantly, it will allow QCCC to work directly with middle to upper-class teenagers from countries where Christian evangelism is difficult or persecuted, something we call ‘in-bound mission’.

A shift to day attendance, forgoing a residential component, for larger events and conventions. (My belief is that this is to their detriment as the residential element is important to relationship building and reflection.)

We see tremendous potential to minister to international groups visiting Australia. They will stay longer and the liminality and dislocation of being in a foreign land represent huge potential for our Christian staff to build genuine relationship with people from nonChristian nations.

•

E AN RAG BENCOU E

International ministry opportunity: In November 2012, the Australian Government released its White Paper on the ‘Asian Century’. It argues that Australia’s future is closely tied to service provision to Asia’s growing middle class. We are already seeing the impact of Asia’s increasing wealth on camping as Australia becomes a sought-after destination for their wealthy high schools. QCCC has already hosted groups from Japan, Korea and China.

d a r oun d

Self: You’re blessed when you’re happy with just who you are. No more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.

Others: You’re fortunate when you care for others. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.

World around us: You’re fulfilled when you get your inside world – your thoughts and feelings – put right. Then you can see the Real Meaning in the outside world.

Stay in touch and share your story of change: www.changeu.me www.facebook.com/ changeu.me www.twitter.com/qldccc

Andrew Grant Director of Queensland Conference and Camping Centres andrew.grant@ qccc.com.au www.qccc.com.au

Images (L to R): The chapel at Shalom. Andrew Grant and his sister Morag Roy stand at the altar.

www.qb.com.au 06/13

QB women

Lost and alone in the dark The following is an excerpt from The Love Campaign Project by Darryl Peters. The Love Campaign Project (TLC Project) is a series of devotional studies written to further deepen our understanding of this year’s theme for the She is… conferences and camps--LIGHT. All contributions are from people who have shared the She is… journey over the past four years and have a passion to see God’s women walk in his light. TLC can be downloaded free from www.sheis.net.au or hardcover copies can be purchased for $5 from any She is... conference or camp.

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, ‘I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life’ (John 8:12 NLT). When I was growing up I loved playing spotlight. We’d get together at night in the middle of a paddock, with a ‘bazillion’ watt torch (often connected to a car battery). Everyone would run off into the dark and then slowly sneak up on the ‘spot lighter’ before he could flash on the light and blind them.

The game involved a lot of crawling around in the grass and you had to be careful where you put your hands—in case the cows had been there first! In hindsight, it was probably one of the worst games you could run with a bunch of teenagers because you had no idea where they were or what they were doing out there in the dark. Our youth group leaders hadn’t quite figured that out, though, so my friend and I had lots of fun. As soon as the game started, we’d bolt off in the darkness and rather than trying to get back to the light, we’d spend the next half-hour in the dark, doing whatever we wanted. One youth group night, we were camping on a farm that was a couple of hundred acres in size. As the game started we did our usual trick of running away from the action. It was only when we started to get away from the light, however, that we began to realise just how dark it actually was. There were no stars or moon out; it was pitch black and the spotlight was fading in the distance the further we walked. When we finally stopped, it was so dark we couldn’t even see each other. It was one of those nights where the darkness was so thick you could almost feel it. As teenage boys, we thought it was pretty cool because we could do all kinds of stuff and there was no way we could get in trouble for it. We tried whacking each other with sticks and no one could tell who was hitting

06/13 www.qb.com.au

QB women them (very mature I know!). But after a while novelty wore off. It’s hard to hit someone when you can’t see them. Before long reality hit and we were wondering how we were going to get back to where we’d started. You see, we’d gotten so far away from the light we couldn’t tell if we were on the path anymore or even what direction we were heading in! We were lost and alone in the dark.

God’s word tells us that we were all walking lost in the darkness until Jesus, the light of the world, came and found us. Reflect upon where you were, and how far away you were from Jesus when he found you. Take time to thank him for bringing you from darkness into his light. Rev Darryl Peters is the Senior Pastor of Stanthorpe Baptist Church

After what seemed like hours of bumping into a whole lot of trees, tripping over rocks and even falling in the dam, we spotted a speck of light in the distance. This time, instead of running away from the light, we ran towards it, as fast as we could. To our relief it was the torch held by one of the youth leaders who had come to find us. We had never been so happy to walk in the light as we were that night!

www.shesis.net.au

Darryl and Sue, Qld Baptist Women’s State Director, have two daughters and a multitude of guinea pigs and chickens. Darryl has a passion for seeing God’s love in action in the community of Stanthorpe and beyond. Darryl has been an invaluable member of the She is... team since its inception in 2009, contributing in song, technology and sheer brute strength.

‘Reflect upon where you were, and how far away you were from Jesus when he found you.’

We’re waiting to welcome you to

www.mountalfordlodge.com.au

Join us at one of our remaining 2013

“Breaking Free” Weekends!

A weekend of personal discovery as we consider life as God intended us to live - Abiding in Him!

John 15:4

Presented by

Geoff Hopson

13/15 Sept or 8/10 Nov Book now!

More details on our website or call 5463 0999 www.qb.com.au 06/13

Malyon

We are exhorted to go and develop relationships with people, but, in the workplace, the relationships already exist. We are encouraged to go out and fish in pools and puddles when we are already sitting on a lake full of fish.’ [Emphasis added]

Transforming work At the 2010 Third Lausanne Congress for World Evangelisation held in Cape Town, Mark Greene, Executive Director of the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity, asked the 4000 delegates to consider the strategies their organisations and churches were using to reach the world for Christ. ‘Simplistically put,’ he said1, ‘… there are two main strategies for reaching the world. One is … to recruit the people of God to use some of their leisure time to join the missionary initiatives of church-paid workers. The second model [of mission] is to equip the people of God for fruitful mission in all of their life.’ Greene claimed that the first strategy is dominant and that the result of this approach is that the, ‘… 98% of Christians who are not in churchpaid work … on the whole are not equipped or envisioned for mission

06/13 www.qb.com.au

Malyon College, the theological training arm of Queensland Baptists, is committed to, ‘… developing Christians of influence’. While our first priority is to prepare women and men for a range of opportunities in paid Christian service, a broader mandate of assisting God’s people to flourish in their workplaces has been on our agenda for some time. We’ve been asking ourselves questions like: •

except in the 2–10 hours they might spend in church related activities every week’.

•

Consequently, Christians are generally not prepared for effective ministry where they spend the other 110 waking hours of their week—in their homes, their neighbourhoods, their workplaces or the many other frontlines where God has placed them. In Thank God It’s Monday2, Greene puts the challenge firmly in the context of the workplace:

•

‘There are very few places where a non-Christian could and should see the difference that Christ makes in a life so clearly as working with someone thirty, forty, sixty hours a week. We are called on to look for common ground with non-Christians when, in the workplace, we already share it. We are being exhorted to build bridges when, in the workplace, the bridges are built and have been crossed. 1 2

•

What might it mean to be a Christian of influence at a building worksite, on a hospital ward or a Woolies’ checkout? What difference should it make to be a Christian teacher, tradesman or dental technician? Or perhaps a nurse, a nanny or a novelist? Is God even interested in what we do from day to day in so called ‘secular’ workplaces, Monday to Friday, 9–5? Or is God most interested in what we do in those ‘sacred’ times when we are with our Christian family; when we are serving him at church? Can we view work itself as worship? What does it mean to be ‘salt’ and ‘light’ in the workplace? How might the world be squeezing us into its own mould in an office, a school classroom, or even a taxi cab? And, what is God’s view of work anyway? Is ‘secular’ work a distraction from real ministry? Is it a necessary evil? Is it just God’s way of making sure the paid Christian workers can put bread on the table?

http://conversation.lausanne.org/en/resources/detail/11359 Greene, M. (2001). Thank God it’s Monday. Scripture Union.

Malyon These are the challenges and opportunities that Malyon College is embracing in its new Transforming Work project. College principal, John Sweetman outlined his vision for the project:

•

‘We see Transforming Work as an added arm to our Leadership Centre where we have been providing training for senior pastors, pastors, younger leaders and potential leaders for some time. Transforming Work will build resources and trial models for growing Christian leaders in the workplace. Murray Wright (exCollege Council chair and experienced workplace Christian leader) is working passionately at this and we are excited to see where this project leads us.’

•

a one-stop shop for ideas and resources—why not check it out now? A 6 session Transforming Work seminar series is currently being trialled in Toowoomba; three sessions on workplace theology, culture and character having been completed with leadership, ethics and relationships to come. Is your church interested in exploring these areas? A Transforming Work online survey has been developed to assist us in gathering information about the perspectives of Christians in the workplace—would you take a moment to complete the survey?

It’s early days but we invite you to join us as we explore how we can join God in his mission in our workplaces. For more information about the Transforming Work project, contact Murray Wright info@transformingwork.org.au or mobile 0406 766 240.

Three activities are already well underway: • The Transforming Work website (http://transformingwork.org. au/) is up and running, albeit in embryonic form, and will be

Please complete our ‘Worker Survey’ If you are a Christian in the workplace, please take a few minutes to complete the Transforming Work Worker Survey. Just click on the survey button on the Transforming Work website www.transformingwork.org.au The first 100 participants will receive a free copy of Mark Greene’s stimulating and informative booklet, ‘The Great Divide’, which explores what Greene calls a pandemic, the ‘sacredsecular divide’, and discusses the implications for effective sharing of the good news about Jesus. It’s a great read!

Integrity

is choosing your thoughts and actions based on values rather than personal gain

Theological and leadership education for the 21st century. Max Wheat Celebrant & Funeral Director 0416 226 686

Rowan Steer General Manager 0417 738 501 rowan@integrityfunerals.com.au

A Christian family company Gold Coast, Brisbane and Sunshine Coast 24 hrs a day we’ll come to you.

1800 671 310

www.integrityfunerals.com.au

www.malyon.edu.au ...developing Christians of influence for the 21st century. ‘Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding’ (Jeremiah 3.15).

QB archives in 1985 came to an abrupt end after the devastating floods of 1990. More recently, MTQ commenced operations in Goondiwindi in 1995.

Baptists in ‘Never Never Land’ When Rev William Higlett became pastor of the Toowoomba Baptist Church in 1882, he reported to his friends back in England that the church, one of only ten in Queensland, was the farthest from the coast, making it ‘the vanguard of the Baptists towards the interior. Westward for over 2,000 miles extends the vast ‘never, never’ country, without any Baptist church and but few ministers of any denomination.’ Since then, Baptists have served in several places on the Darling Downs, but the coverage of this vast and productive area is still not extensive. The Toowoomba church was established in 1875 after Rev William Moore conducted a service at the Oddfellows Hall in Ruthven Street. He also conducted a baptism in Queens Park which attracted a great deal of interest. Rev John MacPherson, who had been an evangelist in Britain, Ireland and Peru, was appointed pastor. A chapel was erected at the corner of Herries and Hume Streets. The work grew, and there were outstations in surrounding areas such as Highfields and Gowrie Junction and in some of the outlying areas of the town. Mr MacPherson’s pastorate lasted until 1880, but there were tensions associated with its conclusion, resulting in a split. Early Churches of Christ activity in Queensland also impacted negatively on the church with some people leaving to proselytise for the new religious group, locally and in Brisbane. Mr Higlett did stalwart work in Toowoomba and also encouraged a group of Danish Baptists at Freestone

06/13 www.qb.com.au

near Warwick to form a church. Baptist Association leaders anticipated that an English speaking work would begin in Warwick itself, although in the earliest stages there was only a Sunday school conducted by dedicated lay women. The planting of a church at Warwick took place in 1911. This church remained under the Home Mission for about 20 years. It was vigorous in its outreach and had preaching places in several areas around the district, two of which became established churches—Allora, which lasted from 1947-1970, and Stanthorpe. Evangelistic work took place in the Granite Belt from the end of World War I and thanks to the work of Rev Dick Walker and also the Baptist Gospel Wagon after World War II, a flourishing church was planted in 1952. In 1948, the Toowoomba church began services in Dalby but the Home Mission began a permanent work in 1950. The next area of development was Chinchilla, where pastors from Dalby and the Home Mission Superintendent made occasional visits from the early 1960s at least. In 1970, an already existing independent church became part of the Baptist Union. A surge in Home Mission work in the early 1960s saw interest in the southwest with the appointment of Pastor N C Butcher as a Mobile Missionary, complete with van. His circuit included Miles, Roma, Mitchell and Charleville. Little is known of services reported at Roma in the 1890s, but it was the most promising area for the 1960s outreach, and a church was begun there in 1965, and lasted until 1994. An MTQ church plant in Charleville

Meanwhile, expansion was also taking place in Toowoomba with work in South Toowoomba from 1949, which became an independent church in 1975. From the early 1950s, services were conducted at Rockville leading to the formation of a church in 1956 (now Toowoomba Northside). The central church relocated to the suburbs in 1995. Baptist work was conducted at Highfields in the early days, with the fellowship there sometimes being part of the Toowoomba church. With growth in the district in more recent years, it has become an independent church, reporting its own membership since the late 1980s. Recently, Outlook Christian Church has also been established in Toowoomba as a Phase 2 plant. Despite much dedicated service, Baptist work has extended only about 160 kms westward since Mr Higlett’s day. The combined reported membership of the 10 churches is about 700. Baptist Heritage Queensland is working on a history of Baptists on the Darling Downs and invites interested people to make contact.

Help! The Baptist Archives wants

to obtain copies of early editions of Brisbane and other Queensland street directories (dating from before the 1990s and going back as early as possible) to help in historical research. Please contact the Archives if you can help. The Baptist Church Archives, archives@qb.com.au Ph 07 3878 3178 07 3354 5642 07 3256 8897 The Baptist Archives, QB Centre, PO Box 6166 Mitchelton Q 4053

Pictured L-R: Stanthorpe Baptist Church, Warwick-Original church building, Gospel Wagon in Dalby, Home Mission Mobile Van, Highfields original church building.

Persecution brief

Please pray!

BANGLADESH

There has been a violent uprising by Islamists in Bangladesh who are demanding that the country become an Islamic state. Christian homes have been torched and churches threatened as increasingly volatile protests have rocked the country. Scores of people have been killed in the clashes, which erupted in February. At least 37 died last month as police tried to quash protests in the capital, Dhaka, where 70,000 Islamist demonstrators took to the streets on Sunday (5 May), calling for the introduction of an antiblasphemy law. This was the deadline that one Islamist group, Hefazat e-Islam Bangladesh (HIB), had given the government to implement its demands, which include sharia rule, virtual segregation of women and the death sentence for those who insult Islam or Muhammad. An anti-blasphemy law would be disastrous for Christians in Bangladesh. Their counterparts in Pakistan suffer grievously as a result of the blasphemy laws there, under which they are vulnerable to malicious, false accusation. Devotion to Muhammad

is a particular feature of South Asian Islam, and the Pakistani law specifies a death sentence for anyone who insults him.

TANZANIA

At least five people were killed and around 60 wounded in the bombing of a new church building in Tanzania during a service to mark its official opening. An explosive device was thrown into the church compound in Olasti, a predominantly Christian suburb of Arusha, on Sunday (5 May). Radical camps in the country were teaching young Muslims that Christians must be killed or live as second-class citizens. Senior Christian leaders had reported details of these camps to the authorities, but no serious action had been taken against them. Christian leaders and converts from Islam are particularly vulnerable to attack.

SYRIA

As the conflict between government and opposition forces rages on, Islamists are emerging as the strongest force. Islamist militias have established themselves as the most effective

fighting forces battling the regime. The al-Nusra Front, whose leader pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda on 10 April, has emerged as the most prominent group and has won the respect of many Syrians. Islamists control the supply of essentials such as flour and fuel in areas they have captured. Alarmingly, they are also implementing sharia law in at least one place. Recent events have given a chilling foretaste of what Islamist control of Syria could mean for the country’s Christians, who are particularly targeted by rebel fighters. Two senior church leaders were kidnapped on the road to Aleppo on 22 April; their captors intercepted the vehicle they were travelling in and shot its driver in cold blood. An Islamic cleric has issued a fatwa saying it is “legitimate” for Islamist fighters to rape non-Sunni, non-Muslim women. And attacks on Christian areas have continued; 350 Christian families were forced to flee their homes in Aleppo after opposition fighters invaded their area on 29 March. Source: Barnabus Fund www.barnabusfund.org

www.qb.com.au 06/13

Carinity

Queensland Baptist Care rebrands as Carinity In order to strengthen its outreach role to the community and reflect its diverse range of services, Queensland Baptist Care officially changed its name to Carinity on 6 May 2013. The organisation, which began in 1949 as an aged care provider, now operates from 29 locations throughout Queensland and offers a comprehensive range of community services, including Aged Care, Lifestyle (retirement living), Education, Communities and Youth. CEO, Jon Campbell, said that after a great deal of research, consultation and consideration, the brand name ‘Carinity’ was chosen because it is derived from ‘care’ and ‘affinity’ which captures what the organisation strives to provide to its clients every day—care, connection and a sense of belonging. ‘It was essential that our brand reflected our Christian foundations, enhanced our ability to reach people, clarified what our organisation is about and encompassed all our services which assist over 11,500 people each year,’ Jon said. ‘The cross in the centre of our new logo symbolises our commitment to follow Jesus which is central to everything we do; the five colours represent outstretched open hands denoting our five main service areas: aged care, education, lifestyle (retirement living), communities and youth.’ As part of the rebrand, Carinity held

06/13 www.qb.com.au

a series of focus group sessions on ‘values’ to identify what staff wanted the organisation to stand for—and what they were prepared to live by. ‘The importance of Christian values featured very strongly in the consultation,’ Jon said. ‘Although many of our staff have not made that personal commitment to the Lord, there was still a sense that Christian values provide a great sense of comfort.

God’s faithfulness and the dedication of staff that we are now in a position to grow,’ Jon said. ‘Our intention is to continue to grow until we have statewide coverage of services to reflect the state-wide nature of Queensland Baptists. The new brand creates a strong foundation for the expansion of our mission to ensure we continue to serve our Lord through effective outreach to the community in the years ahead.’

‘Much more than a name and logo, the rebranding has invited our staff to deeply consider their role and purpose which has built a strong sense of cohesiveness exemplified by the development of our vision to create communities where people are loved, accepted and supported to reach their full potential.’

Asked what he wants Carinity to be known for, Jon says first and foremost ‘Christ-likeness’. He also wants the organisation to be perceived as welcoming, inclusive, professional, compassionate and focused on excellence.

The new name and additional expansion plans for the organisation, including the newly acquired Kepnock Grove aged care centre in Bundaberg, John Cani in Mount Morgan and new aged care and lifestyle services planned for the Gold Coast, Toowoomba and Townsville are, Jon says, indicative of the ‘dynamic evolution of the organisation’. Other areas identified for growth include chaplaincy and education, with plans in the pipeline for another six schools for marginalised youth. ‘A few years ago we were questioning whether the organisation could survive in the long-term. It is testament to

‘Our aim is to provide communities of care, compassion and respect built on the love of Christ in which people feel secure and valued—a place where they feel they belong.’ In addition to caring for the frail aged, Carinity currently offers: support and accommodation for homeless youth; help for families and young people dealing with domestic violence and abuse; secure lifestyle communities for people over 65; support for those with a disability; chaplaincy support for people in hospital; and an alternative education for teenagers who struggle in traditional schools. Mary Earls www.carinity.org.au

Pictured: Jon Campbell

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re here for you...

Special event

Talking about God with confidence Dennis Pethers returns to Australia The recent 2011 National Church Life Survey (NCLS) has highlighted that, over the last decade, people in our churches have become more involved in the wider community, but less confident in sharing the Good News. Crossover, in conjunction with Queensland Baptists, has asked Dennis Pethers to help Christians develop more confidence and competence in talking naturally to others about God. Many readers will remember Dennis’ successful tour of Australia sponsored by Crossover and Lifeway Publishers in 2010. This year, Crossover is pleased to sponsor his return. He will be conducting a range of meetings in WA, VIC, TAS, NSW and QLD. Dennis will also be Crossover’s guest speaker at their first Emerging Evangelists Conference in Melbourne on 5–6 August.

In Brisbane, Dennis will speak at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 30 July at South Pine Community Church, situated on the corner of Eatons Crossing and South Pine Roads, Eatons Hill (Warner)—across the road from the Fire Station and Eatons Hill State School. He will also be helping pastors and church leaders to better equip church members to be more confident in the Good News and more capable in sharing the Good News in their networks at a special workshop at 10.00 am on Tuesday 30 July at the QB Centre (small auditorium), 53 Prospect Road, Gaythorne. The purpose of the workshop is to explore how to make our community-focused ministries—such as playtime, men’s sheds, craft groups and sporting teams—more effective in helping people discover the transforming love of Jesus. Dennis is the founder of Viz-A-Viz Ministries and International Director of ‘More to Life’. He grew up in the East End of London and for the

You are invited to a special workshop

Turning a Community Contact into a Faith Conversation

With

Helping Pastors and Church Leaders equip their congregations to share the Good News Tuesday 30 July, 10 am - 12:00 noon QB Centre (Small auditorium) - 53 Prospect Road, Gaythorne Register online via www.crossoveronline.com.au

Dennis Pethers Fo u n de r o f Viz-A-Viz Ministries and International Director of “More to Life”

early part of his life knew nothing of church, Jesus or the Christian faith. He discovered the amazing truth about Jesus while reading ‘Mere Christianity’ and sitting on a train at Liverpool Street Station. He is an author and creator of numerous creative resources that are being been used by churches to help people discover the truth about Jesus. He has also written and presented a number of evangelistic videos. Through Viz-A-Viz Ministries, huge numbers of adults, young people and children are being reached every year through creative and effective events using music, drama, visual media, and speaking that connects with the unchurched. As International Director of More to Life, Dennis speaks at Church Leaders Conferences, and other events, working in close partnership with Lifeway Christian Publishing and numerous networks of leaders globally. He presents weekly on UK radio. Dennis communicates the message of Jesus with passion and clarity. Always ‘down to earth’, he is known for his ability to present the truth about Jesus in ways that make sense to people who are not familiar with church. He has a passion to see the church in the western world rediscover what it means to live for Jesus and impact lost people with the great news of the gospel. To register for the evening workshop hosted by South Pine Community Church, please visit crossoveronline. com.au and follow the links. Stan Fetting, Operations Manager Crossover Australia crossoveronline.com.au

06/13 www.qb.com.au

Called home Murray William Rapp was called into the presence of his Lord on 28 April, 2013, aged 88 years. Murray grew up in the Maleny-Conondale area and gave his heart to the Lord in 1939, and ever after his one desire was service for the Lord. He did this through Christian Endeavour and open air meetings in Maleny with the late Rev. Reg Jarrott. He was the mainstay of the Condamine Sunday School and travelled long distances each Sunday. He was active in whichever church he attended.

Murray William Rapp 20 February 1925 – 28 April 2013

A boilermaker by trade, and later a First Class Steam Engine Driver, Murray spent his whole life working in saw mills from Witta, Conondale—a mill built to cut timber for the original Hornibrook Bridge—Esk, Chinchilla, Wallumbilla and Rockhampton, including a season at the Isis Sugar Mill. Even in retirement he managed to

work part-time in a mill near Gatton. His experience in every aspect of sawmilling enabled him to go with his whole family to Awaba, New Guinea, in 1970 to spend four months teaching locals how to run a sawmill. Murray loved the Solomon Islanders and went there various times to minister among them. In 1952, Murray married Grace Drescher. Murray is survived by his wife, three children and their spouses, Craig, Jayneen and Col, Kelvin and Veronica, five grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren. He passed away peacefully in Karinya Baptist Home for the Aged, Laidley. Well done good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord. Written by his sister Bev Reyne, for his wife Grace Rapp and family

www.qb.com.au 06/13

BWAA self-confidence has increased and health practices have improved. We are also conducting a free school. We want to thank Baptist World Aid for their contribution to this development.’ Empowering communities to lift themselves out of poverty is a long term solution to extreme poverty. By giving to our Matching Grant appeal, you can be this hope to many more villages and families like Sri Priya’s. At ‘Matching Grant’ time, the Australian Government will contribute millions of dollars to Baptist World Aid projects—but to access these funds, we must raise $1 in supporter donations for every $5 the Government provides before June 30. It is an amazing opportunity to push your gift further which ends with the financial year. Send your tax-deductible gift before the June 30 deadline, and together we can be Jesus’ hands and feet.

Hope born out of war-torn Sri Lanka

The end of poverty ... Get behind it—for a world as it should be. For more information on Baptist World Aid’s Matching Grant appeal, please phone 1300 789 991 or visit www.behindit.org

‘Most of the people who live in my village are not educated. My father could not work, so even though I studied well I couldn’t continue my schooling. I believe children should continue schooling.’ What Sri Priya desires is also God’s heart for every child on the planet; a world where poverty has ended and every person has access to education, nutritious food, clean water, health care and sustainable incomes. Sadly, for many families in war-affected Sri Lanka, the reality is far different. ‘My family was displaced to another village in 1990,’ Sri Priya, now an adult, says. ‘They and others from our village spent years depending on host communities because they left with only their lives and their children. When the government assured everyone that they could go back to the village, it was like a jungle. People lived in huts built using only clay and leaves and there were no teachers to teach after grade five. The government school was in another village, and there was no money for uniforms and for the bus. I stopped my schooling after that.’ In 2006, Baptist World Aid and their local partner, LEADS, came to Sri Priya’s village, and life changed dramatically for the previously displaced community. ‘LEADS conducted workshops on education, health practices and how to communicate with outside people. They gave livelihood assistance which has helped people to develop,’ Sri Priya says. ‘They asked for local people to help and I was selected. I studied the village and found we have enough resources, but they are not utilised properly. Now, the dependence mentality is slowly decreasing,

06/13 www.qb.com.au

TRAINING FOR LAY MINISTRY ... in your own church ... at your own pace ... in your area of passion • • • • •

Chaplaincy Children Christian Ministry Community Cross-Cultural

• • • • •

Pastoral Tesol Women Youth and more!

STUDY • Gap Year • Post-Uni • All ages • Full time, part time or intern • In-house, distance or intesives FEE ASSISTANCE • Austudy, Abstudy & Youth Allowance approved • VET Fee-Help available for Diploma and above ALL Enquiries WELCOME P 07 5437 8402 M 0408 732 087 admin@calam.edu.au

www.calam.edu.au RTO no.3002

QB/SSEC

Partnership with SSEC develops Regional Consultant Stephen Ball, on behalf of Queensland Baptists, visited the South Seas Evangelical Churches (SSEC) in the Solomon Islands from April 15–26. This is part of a series of visits by our Regional Consultants for the purposes of developing relationships with each of the six SSEC regions and assisting in the training and development of pastors and church leaders. We have much to learn from our brothers and sisters in the Solomons. Their rich and vibrant worship is inspiring and there is something special about standing in a room with everybody praying aloud together, with passion and enthusiasm, as they seek God to act in their lives. The vision of the SSEC is to grow a mature church, impacting the nation and touching the world. There are also many challenges for the church. The nation is feeling the impact of materialism and development as it distracts some from their commitment to the church. Whilst the people seem open to spiritual things, many groups and teachers seek to influence the people in many different directions. One of the greatest needs is for their leaders to be well-grounded in the knowledge of God’s Word. Many of the pastors and leaders have no, or very limited, training. SSEC is currently developing a pastoral training

program at the new college at Saura, about an hour outside of Honiara. This new college has been wonderfully assisted by our Lifepointe church who have helped with the construction of buildings and, just recently, in establishing the college’s library.

2. 3.

Stephen Ball conducted seminars for leaders at Jericho church in central Guadal Canal and also at Honiara. Each seminar included eight teaching sessions, two on the theme of following Jesus and six studying 2 Timothy. The prepared study material was particularly appreciated as it allowed the pastors to take the material and pass on what they had learnt to others. There was also time for preaching and meeting with various leaders of the SSEC. 4. Bishop Matthias leader of the SSEC said of the seminars, ‘We too experienced God’s fresh touch on our lives and encouragement/ challenge to be faithful to him and his Gospel through your ministry. The church could not thank you enough for imparting the Scriptures to our leaders’.

number of years, is retiring and returning to New Zealand. There is also a need to increase the staffing of the Bible College at Saura. Re-building of the Infrastructures of SU’U National Secondary School on Malaita is required. SU’U NSS is the only National Institution of SSEC offering education up to year 13. The infrastructure of the school has deteriorated and has not been repaired over the years. The church appointed a committee to process the school’s redevelopment plan. This is a major project that the church is trusting God for resources to implement. Pray for this committee and the finances needed. A Building Supervisor is needed, based in Honiara, to do urgent repair work on the deteriorated condition of the staff houses. This need is urgent. Transport is needed for the six regions to connect with their Associations, move leaders for meetings and Superintendent’s visits to churches. A priority is an outboard motor and canoe. Print Shop Manager is needed to replace Shirley Taylor who retires in August 2013.

As we develop our partnership with SSEC, please pray for them in their particular context:

1. There is a need for a National Treasurer as Ken Taylor, who has faithfully filled this role for a

Stephen Ball QB Regional Consultant Stephen.ball@qb.com.au

www.qb.com.au 06/13

Global Interaction

continuing support from their crosscultural team. Recently, we at the Queensland office of Global Interaction have had conversations with the likes of Nicole and Justin, early in what could be cross-cultural serving. Some such conversations arose from a series of meetings we conducted in various places in Queensland. The meetings were held primarily to explore ways we could serve local congregations and their mission groups. Here are some brief comments to commonly asked questions. (For information about these

Serving, partnering and sending She wondered what she was doing in this place so different from home; quite remote really. Married for just three years, sharing this experience with her husband gave her a kind of secure feeling. Stepping out onto the street was something else. People everywhere ... some eyed them off, others ignored them. Experimenting with some of their newly- learned vocabulary mixed fun with despair; how long before she could have a meaningful conversation? Nicole and Justin had been sent by a church community who clearly saw this cross-cultural engagement as an extension of who they are as a local church—to seek to communicate the Good News to those who are among those who’ve least heard is part of the DNA of this congregation who identified with God’s heart. The church leaders insisted that Nicole and Justin link with a reputable crosscultural mission agency. Being Baptists, their senior pastor and mission group linked them with Global Interaction. They had explored opportunities for service, likely people groups, gathered a discernment group around them, applied and were interviewed. As accepted provisional candidates, they had participated in short courses training for an effective beginning. Now here they were.

06/13 www.qb.com.au

God’s call on them, together with their sending church, had been impactful. They knew God was with them. This new context revealed another dimension—not that it was an altogether new experience; they had seen it in previous settings. In one of the preparation courses, the importance of accepting others had been emphasised to proactively communicate respect and dignity to each person, based on the fact that each is an image-bearer of God. They’d heard how cross-cultural workers had opened their home to locals and how that positively impacted the community, as well as providing invaluable learning opportunities for the workers. Nicole and Justin determined to practise cross-cultural servanthood in whatever expression was appropriate. Their language teacher told them that local people were commenting on how these new workers seemed to like them. They did not come across as ‘superior’ at all! They were encouraged about how important it was to continue to learn, to glean relevant assistance from and with other people. The mutual acceptance enveloped them: much to learn ... and they felt okay about that. They were so grateful for their home church and the

Q&A, please ph 3354 5603 or email qld@globalinteraction.org.au.)

How do we engage our congregation in cross-cultural mission? Partner with a cross-cultural worker; focus on a least-reached people group; organise a team to visit a cross-cultural worker. Where is Global Interaction working? Global Interaction has staff in nine people groups from among those who have least heard the gospel: South Asia, Central Asia, On the Silk Road, Malawi and Mozambique, South East Asia (three people groups), Cambodia and Thailand. What opportunities are there for short-term and long-term workers? Long term—primarily people who engage in establishing faith communities. Almost any professional skills can be used. Examples: English teacher, accountant, pastor, IT skills, business planner, trades teacher, discipler within a culture, biblical and theological trainer, roles in agriculture (crop diversity, domestic animal production) and aquaculture, and allied health workers. Short term (i.e. less than 12 months)—people to assist long-term workers. Examples: primary school teachers, trades teachers, trainers. How do I prepare for cross-cultural service? What training is necessary? Have an exploratory discussion with Global Interaction Director, Geoff Cramb, or Young Adult Consultant,

Karen Haynes, as well as your local church pastor. Engage in a short course such as Kairos or Context Training. What qualifications are needed? Check out the story of Nicole and Justin. Growth in your own faith is basic—who you are, together with a skill set or profession. How can Global Interaction serve local Churches? Global Interaction staff can share experiences in communicating the Gospel and assist the local church to become global in ministry. How can we serve you and your congregation? Geoff Cramb Queensland State Director, Global Interaction Mob: 0438 879 838 qld@globalinteraction.org.au www.globalinteraction.org.au

Context Training Malyon College and Global Interaction are partnering to offer Context Training, a relevant, intensive module to be conducted 30 September – 4 October 2013. Malyon College lecturer, Peter Francis, will be joined by Global Interaction staff, Morris Lee (Team Leader South Asia), Global Consultants Walt White, Roger Kemp, John Davis, and State Director, Geoff Cramb. The course may be audited or taken for credit at undergraduate and MDiv level. This is an opportunity not to miss for those interested in global mission. ‘This is a rare opportunity to have all of these high calibre participating global consultants in the one place at one time,’ Geoff Cramb said. All of the consultants have many years of practical engagement in cross-cultural ministry. Some topics in the course are: A Theology of Culture, The Bible and Contextualisation, Understanding religious and social heritage of a people group, Poverty and the use of money, Prayer in context. For further information: Peter Francis Peter.Francis@malyon.edu.au or Geoff Cramb gcramb@globalinteraction.org.au

Thinkspot

More than our imaginings I recently sold some produce to a lady at a farmer’s market. As she paid for her purchases and I gave her change, she said, ‘awesome’. That made me laugh afterwards, as I considered what she’d said. It was as if she was amazed that I’d given her correct change. Awesome! Unreal! I’m so surprised! Obviously, that’s not what she meant, but her cheerful use of ‘awesome’ had lost its original meaning. Also, I was discussing with some Sunday school children the characteristics of God. As I displayed words, the children told how they thought the words described God. ‘Awesome’ was one word that had them stumped. ‘What does that mean?’ I asked. ‘Ummm… great?’ or ‘cool’ were some of their responses. As I spent the next few minutes explaining that God is vastly much more than cool, I wondered what we have done as a society, so that our communication about God is so restricted and deficient. ‘Our God is an awesome God’ hardly sounds the same as ‘Our God is a cool God’, but in essence that’s what our children believe it means. We can’t call God awesome anymore; it doesn’t do him justice. Language changes and adapts with society and culture. When I went to school, groovy was on its way out and everything became cool, or wicked. The movie Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure ensured that anything good was declared Excellent, dude! Now we have transitioned to using great and awesome in ways that mean something is good and pleasing. These words have been used so much, in so many different ways, that they no longer have the powerful import for which they were originally intended. If I get change at the market and that experience is ‘awesome’, then I also describe God as awesome, how can a non-Christian or a new believer be inspired to yearn for that experience

of knowing a God who is as exciting as a shopping exchange? I believe we must talk in terms that exalt God to the place where we can sense the void in our own lives that needs to be filled with something higher and more lofty than anything our worldly existence can provide. The apostle Peter advises us ‘always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have’ (1 Peter 3:15). People may say that God is so big we can’t define Him. He is indescribable. Chris Tomlin states in his song that God is indescribable, but fortunately for the rest of us, he takes it further by expounding the many wonders of nature that display the majesty and power of God. If ‘awesome’ has become so much a part of your vocabulary that you can’t find a better way to describe God and his love, here are some ideas: God is vast, compassionate, merciful, relentless, tender, forgiving, insightful, all-knowing, all-powerful, ever present, eternal, irrepressible, fascinating, ardent, intoxicating, overwhelming, magnificent, inspiring. How about we all take the challenge to communicate about a God who is over and above all our imaginings? A God who motivates us to wax lyrical like a love-struck poet or a besotted minstrel; a God who performs heart surgery on us more radical and life-changing than any cardiac specialist; a God who whispers in our ear messages of love, more tender than a compassionate mother murmuring to her infant. If we elevate God in our witness to others, then surely people can’t help but be drawn to worship such an irresistible God. And that would be awesome. Susan Johnstone worships with Stanthorpe Baptist Church bsenterprises@activ8.net.au

www.qb.com.au 06/13

Footsteps for Burma

Higher In March 2013 senior pastors from North-East Baptist (Nundah), Kingsridge Baptist (Kingston) and Stafford Heights Baptist Church united to meet with an amazing young doctor from Burma who has an amazing story to tell about trusting God. The morning tea was organised by Footsteps for Burma—a ministry of North-East Baptist. Footsteps for Burma gave $6000 to help the doctor train 12 community health care workers. This is his story. LET me tell you a story about a boy and his faith, and how that faith helped him overcome hurdles as big as mountains. About 30 years ago in a small village in the state of Chin in Burma, a boy was born on a kitchen floor. The mother

06/13 www.qb.com.au

higher

didn’t know what month it was, or even what year. She could not read or write and neither could her husband ... but they told stories. They loved their son and they taught him about God. They named him SaSa—which means ‘higher and higher’. Their life was simple. They were poor. SaSa grew—he was strong and he was a naturally gifted learner. He made friends and they played together, but one day a simple sickness killed three of his dear friends, and SaSa was very sad. He felt his heart breaking. He started thinking about becoming a doctor. There were no doctors in his village or even in his state. It seemed impossible, but he talked to God about it.

SaSa finished primary school. Nobody from his village had ever gone to high school, but he was determined to succeed. So he walked for 14 days and nights to reach the big city of Rangoon. His feet blistered. He was about 13. Everything in Rangoon was different. The language was different. He was scared ... and he had no friends, but he started talking to mango trees to practise Burmese. And he kept talking to God. He worked hard and he finished high school—second top in his class. SaSa went back to his village where children were still dying because there were no doctors or medicine. The government had closed down all the universities in Burma, so SaSa walked to India to study. It took many days—

Pictured L to R: Chin state borders India and is extremely remote with few roads. People walk for over a week to reach Health and Hope , One of the few remaining crosses in Chin state Burma—most have been destroyed by Burmese soldiers , Many children in Chin State come from families who are extremely impoverished

Footsteps for Burma

a doctor in English hospitals. Soon even Prince Charles asked to meet SaSa. The Prince organised 200kg of medicine and this allowed SaSa to treat 5000 patients in three months.

his feet blistered again. He got a job smashing rocks to make roads and was paid just $1 a day. He was still poor so he had no money to buy clothes for the interview at the Indian University. A kind woman lent him clothes, but they were women’s clothes. He looked ridiculous—the pants were too tight and the shirt buttons did not do up. His hair was long and full of lice and dust and SaSa was exhausted. The principal looked him up and down and then dropped his head in disgust. A fan above the desk blew the lice from SaSa’s hair and they fell on the principal’s papers. He frowned and sent SaSa away. SaSa sighed. He vowed to learn Khasi—the local language, and also English. He practised these new languages by talking to the stars and the moon. After a while he went back to see the principal; this time he was clean and well dressed. When he was told he could start at the college, he was happy and thanked God. But it was hard; he came last in the college and the principal wanted to send him away. SaSa begged to be given just one more year to improve. He prayed to God to help him. When he finished his course in 2002 he was the top student in the college. It was like a dream! He

thanked God. But SaSa was still poor and it cost too much money to study medicine in India. So he went back to his village. Everyone there gave him animals to sell. They did not have much but they gave him what they could. He gathered enough money to go to Armenia to study medicine. There he learned another language and he felt God was with him. Christians from South Korea and American gave him a little money ... but he was still poor. The bosses of the Armenia university did not believe SaSa had no money so they asked for his parents’ phone number. Of course there were no phones in SaSa’s village. They tried to find the family’s address on Google Maps but it wasn’t there. So SaSa asked God for help again. Soon, the university offered him a scholarship and he started studying for his medical degree in 2002. Two years later he met a special woman from the United Kingdom who had heard his story. This lady found him and ‘took him under her wing’. He called her Mama Cox. She was known to others as Baroness Cox, a member of the British House of Lords. She invited SaSa to share his story with the other Lords, and he practised being

But SaSa was tired. He started thinking about training Chin men and women from each village so they could care for their own people. In 2009, he finished his medical degree with distinctions. The same year he set up Health and Hope in India to train Chin people to become community health care workers. In the first two years, 370 people from 153 villages learned how to save lives. But then soldiers from Burma, carrying guns, came to SaSa to shut the clinic down. SaSa asked God for wisdom. He greeted them like friends and asked them to tea; he asked about their families. For a long time, nobody had asked the Burmese soldiers about their families. They forgot about their guns and instead dug into their pockets to give money for Dr SaSa’s clinic! The Burmese soldiers told SaSa he could build a second clinic in Chin State. He did. He trained another 207 people from 102 villages. Now, 200,000 people in Chin State had access to a health care worker and medicines. The children stopped dying. In September 2013, 300 more people will be trained as health care workers. Dr SaSa has funding for 200. He still needs $50,000. In March 2013, Footsteps for Burma gave him $6000. Please pray that the rest of the money he needs will be donated, and keep his life-saving work in your prayers. Learn more at www.healthandhope.org Tracy Jones Foosteps for Burma tracy@footstepsforburma.org

www.qb.com.au 06/13

Reviews Books DVDs Music

BOOK: Seven Men (Eric Metaxas) Price: $15.99 (at WORD) In Seven Men, New York Times best-selling author Eric Metaxas presents seven short portraits of widely known—but not well understood—Christian men, each of whom uniquely showcases a commitment to live by certain virtues in the truth of the gospel.

Seven Men addresses what it means (or should mean) to be a man today, at a time when media and popular culture present images of masculinity that are not the picture presented in Scripture and historic civil life. What does it take to be a true exemplar as a father, brother, husband, leader, coach, counsellor, change agent, and wise man? What does it mean to stand for honesty, courage, and charity, especially at times when the culture and the world run counter to those values?

News! Quality of Australian Christian Books recognised internationally Three titles from Even Before Publishing (an imprint of Wombat Books) will be translated and published in Korea: Fine Lines by Aliki Flodine A Simple Mistake by Andrea Grigg Best Forgotten by Paula Vince. ‘Selling books internationally is very exciting for us and the authors involved,’ said Rochelle Manners, Director of Even Before Publishing. ‘We never know how far the great words that are God inspired and created here in Australia will go.’ For more information on these titles and other great books by Australian authors, visit www.evenbeforepublishing.com.

06/13 www.qb.com.au

Each of the seven biographies represents the life of a man who experienced the struggles and challenges to be strong in the face of forces and circumstances that would have destroyed the resolve of lesser men. Each of the seven men profiled— George Washington, William Wilberforce, Eric Liddell, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Jackie Robinson, John Paul II, and Charles Colson—call the reader to a more elevated walk and lifestyle; one that embodies the Gospel in the world around us.

CD: How Mercy Looks From Here (Amy Grant) Price: $19.99 (at WORD)

As a teenager nearly 30 years ago, Amy Grant began embracing fans with a heartfelt singer-songwriter style mixing elements of pop, folk and country. As Contemporary Christian music’s first major crossover success, she has earned three multiplatinum albums, six other platinum albums and four more gold albums. She’s scored 10 Top 40 pop singles and 17 Top 40 Adult Contemporary tracks as well as a string of Contemporary Christian chart-toppers while winning six Grammy Awards and numerous Dove Awards. Amy worked closely with highly acclaimed producer, Marshall Altman (Brooke Frasier, Natasha Bedingfield, Matt Nathanson) and is set to release her first studio album in over 10 years.

BOOK: Cameos of Joy (Evelyn Joyce Ham) Price: $18 + postage contact joyham1@bigpond.com Share in the journey of a lifetime with a nurse/midwife in the tiny Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal. Cameos of Joy in the inspirational true story of Evelyn Joyce Ham which will capture your heart as she shares her faith story of the trials and joys of medical work, and the quiet assurance of God’s presence and joy in the mundane experiences of life, as well as in the miraculous. Immerse yourself in a thirty-year mission of giving hope to the people of a developing country on the roof of the world. Joy worked with WEC International, seconded to the International Nepal Fellowship. She has also been a member of Lifepointe Baptist church (formally Maroochy Baptist) for 53 years.

Fun zone

Sudoku Challenge Creative Captions Win a Word Bookstores Gift Voucher Submit your creative caption for this photo via email: admin@qb.com.au or post to PO Box 6166 Mitchelton Q 4053. And, if you have a great photo that needs a clever caption, send it to admin@qb.com.au or snail mail.

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. Sukodu solutions to: QB Magazine, PO Box 6166 Mitchelton Qld 4053

Solution: 04/13

Two correct entries will be chosen to receive a $30 Word bookstore voucher. Don’t forget to include your full name and contact details.

Name

Address Email Congratulations to Bryan Hoar & Narelle Heit! A $30 Word Bookstore voucher is coming your way.

Last issue: “Ducking for cover” Congratulations to Anne McIntosh.

Hey Kids, Look for Lucy! Congratulations! To all those who found Little Lucy hiding on page 28 (April issue). Hey kids! Look for Lucy in this issue! Little Lucy is hiding somewhere. Tell us where she is hiding and snail mail your answer, or email qb@qb.com.au

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

www.qb.com.au 06/13

Subscription Form 2013 Order by phone: 07 3354 5633 Payment via credit card.

Classifieds POSITIONS VACANT

OR Complete this form and post back: The qb Editor, PO Box 6166 Mitchelton QLD 4053 Australia Price: 1 Year $19.50 (GST inclusive)

QB KIDS TEAM LEADER QUEENSLAND BAPTISTS

Personal Details Rev / Dr / Mr / Mrs / Ms / Miss (circle) Full Name

Address

General Description: The QB Kids Team Leader will lead the QB Kids Team comprised of experienced children’s workers and the Team Leader. The QB Kids Team Leader will be a strong, strategic leader who will chair the QB Kids Team and will empower people across Queensland to resource and support Queensland Baptist Churches in their ministry to children and families. This is a one day per week role. The person fulfilling this role will be able to demonstrate the following skills and abilities:

State Postcode Phone (

)

• • • • • • • •

Payment Details I have enclosed a cheque/money order for $19.50 payable to Queensland Baptist Services Group. OR Please charge my credit card Mastercard / Visa (circle one) Number

Team leadership Passionate about ministry to children and able to motivate others Effective and diverse communication Strategic thinking Problem solving Vision casting Ability to prioritize and focus Critical reflection Conflict resolution Ability to network

The person will be a committed Christian with a vision for children’s ministry and with the ability and commitment to be part of the ministry team of Queensland Baptists and must be a member (or become a member) of a Baptist church before appointment is confirmed. For more information and/or a position description please telephone the General Superintendent Rev Dr David Loder on 07 3354 5615 or email to gs@qb.com.au Applications may be made by email to gs@qb.com.au or posted to The General Superintendent, PO Box 6166, Mitchelton Qld 4053.

Expiry Date

Cardholder’s Signature

• •

06/13 www.qb.com.au

Applications will be received in confidence and close on 8 July 2013.

Classifieds POSITIONS VACANT Tugun Tweed Baptist Community Church We are a very warm and friendly small church family. Our church is a passionate church family who value relationships based on a foundation of Christ-centred biblical theology and seek to express our faith in prayer, worship and evangelism. We need a breath of fresh air to strengthen what remains and build for the future. The potential for growth is enormous and awaits God’s man of vision to grow this work. ARE YOU THE ONE GOD IS CALLING? For full details and church profile etc. please email to the Pastoral Selection Team c/- rossco_43@hotmail.com

Wynyard Baptist Church Senior Pastor Position Enquiries are invited for the position of Pastor, Wynyard Baptist Church Tasmania. If you are aged between 35−50 and believe God may be calling you to a new ministry in 2014, we would like to hear from you. Confidential enquires without obligation to: Phillip Marshall psmarsh6@bigpond.net.au

ACCOMMODATION BRISBANE: Willara House offers permanent or casual accommodation to students and young working women in a safe, secure, Christian environment. Residents have a private room, meals provided and free internet access. The facility is managed by an onsite Supervisor appointed by the City Tabernacle Baptist Church. For further information visit our website: www.willarahouse.com.au. CALOUNDRA: Seafarer Chase luxury 2 b/r holiday apartments on the Sunshine Coast. Ocean views, heated pool, BBQ, security parking, close to beaches, shops, cinema and bowling club. Contact Marianne/Martin Burton, phone/fax 5491 7155. 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 $300/wk, phone 0427 990 161.

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

GENERAL OFFICE SPACE: Taringa Baptist Church has a 70 sqm two-room office suitable for a mission or community organisation available from July 2013. The church is only 6km from Brisbane CBD, with public transport at the door. Rates negotiable. If interested, phone (07) 3870 1406 or email taringa.baptist@gmail.com.

A will to end poverty Do more than you ever thought possible by leaving a bequest in your will. Call us on 1300 789 991 or visit baptistworldaid.org.au

www.qb.com.au 06/13

RELAX

knowing your money is safe and working hard for you, and at the same time, helping to support much needed local projects.

Simply deposit your savings and investments in BAPLink, the investment fund of the Baptist Union of Queensland. BAPLink was set up to give people like you the opportunity to enjoy healthy interest returns, while creating a pool of funds from which Baptist churches and ministries can borrow to grow and serve their local communities. BAPLink provides: • Competitive interest rates • Security of a guaranteed return on your investment • Friendly service • No account keeping fees on savings and investment accounts

Facilities available: • Internet banking (for churches only) • Savings accounts at call and term • Partnership accounts - a new way of giving • Electronic transfers for both deposits and withdrawals • Deposit facilities through the Westpac Bank • Cheque accounts for churches • Loans to churches and ministers Join the growing number of ‘Baptists making a difference’ by depositing with BAPLink.

For more information or an application form contact BAPLink: Building 1, Level 2, 53 Prospect Road, Gaythorne PO Box 6166, Mitchelton 4053 Phone: 3354 5611 or 1800 650 062 (outside Brisbane) Fax: 3354 5605 baplink@qb.com.au www.qb.com.au/baplink