The qb, the voice of Queensland Baptists by Queensland Baptists

The voice of Queensland Baptists October/November 2015

We stand on their shoulders DIG your Bible Vanuatu in recovery

Print post approved ISSN: 100003837 The Queensland Baptist - first published in 1890. This series Vol 13 Issue 5.

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Issue

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Comment: David Loder Speaking out: John Sweetman Baptisms Around the regions QB staff news Milestones Knowing God series Called home Persecution brief Reviews Fun zone Classifieds

5 6 8 9 14 16 18 33 38 39 41 46

QB ministries Baplink continues to branch out! (Baplink) Spirituality with children (QB kids & their families) Dig your bible (QB Youth) Zimbabwe is ... Brave (QCCC) She is ... Brave (QB Women) Giving amputees a ‘helping hand’ (Carinity) Schneider family 150th anniversary reunion (QB archives) Bringing together the Word and the deed (Malyon)

In this issue 10

15 20 22 24 26 28 29 30

QB partners

Money and Mission (Global Interaction) Vanuatu in recovery (BWAA)

32 34

Articles When is a safe school not safe? Living missionally in a flat and spikey world Perfect condition – please take

36 42 44

Our cover: These beautiful girls have tragic pasts, but today they are living courageously and looking forward to what tomorrow will bring. Read more: Zimbabwe Is … Brave (pp 24, 25).

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

From the Editor

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

In this issue, we introduce QB’s newest regional consultants, Stewart Pieper and Warren Crank. Please pray for these men as they settle into their new roles.

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.

We highlight some important celebrations (Milestones): Deception Bay Baptist Church—50th Anniversary, Annerley Baptist Church—150th Anniversary, and Calvary Karen Baptist Church—9th Anniversary, and we thank God for his amazing provision for his people. DIG, the Youth Bible Reading Program that’s proving very helpful to our youth and young adults’ pastors and leaders, sounds great! As Aaron Fozzard reports (QB Youth): ‘The feedback has been encouraging, and many young people have begun a journey using DIG that will hopefully be with them for life.’ Check it out!

months after Cyclone Pam, and so good to know that Australian Baptists have generously supported this crucial work. However, there are still many needs to be met; please help if you can. Gary Nelson, guest speaker at QB Convention 2016, contributes an article (Living missionally in a flat and spikey world). In the December issue, he will expand on his ‘five suggested attitude checks needed for effective navigation and faithful living’. We are looking forward to welcoming Gary and Carla Nelson to convention next year. I trust you’ll be blessed as you read this issue of The qb! Robynne Milne Editor, The qb qb@qb.org.au

It’s encouraging to hear about Vanuatu’s recovery (BWAA), six

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 in The qb Media Kit available at www.qb.org.au/news-media. 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.

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Comment

Knowing God—discipleship ‘Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God’ (Colossians 3:1-3).

I seem to have spent extra time flying lately. After a while it seems as routine as getting on a bus, but I still find flight fascinating! I am still awestruck that a huge hunk of metal can go flying through the air at almost 1,000 km/h, and around 10 km above sea level, carrying hundreds of people! My special event when I turned 50 was a glider flight out of the Caboolture airfield … loved every minute of it! The quietness—soaring in the sky looking for thermals etc.— simply fantastic! It didn’t last as long as a powered flight and, too soon, the journey came to an end … as it must. Some approaches to discipleship are the glider type. Learning coasts along, meandering here and there, reacting rather than responding, occasionally going up, but making a steady descent because there is little drive. Other discipleship approaches are more active. There is a drive behind the person or church that is motivated by values, purpose, direction and a focussed journey with Jesus. Discipleship will respond, moving towards needs and opportunities. It is purposeful. Like all analogies, there is a lot to learn, but don’t push it too far attempting to see similarities that were never intended. Nevertheless, it

is important that our focus is in the right place—on godly things and not on the here and now. As someone has said, we need to pray as if we couldn’t work and work as if we couldn’t pray. Important happenings Discipleship Conferences Our connection with Edmund Chan (our convention speaker this year) continues. We had QB representatives at two conferences held recently. One was in Sydney, where Stephen Ball, Pieter (and Barbara) Henning, Phillip (and Shelley) McCallum attended the IDMC. This was stage three of a three-year programme. More recently, my wife, Ann, and I, plus Col and Judy Peaker, attended the 20th IDMC Conference in Singapore. The theme was ‘Life and Legacy’. We are still comparing notes but have all found the respective conferences extremely invaluable. Trans Tasman Conference Held recently in Cairns, this conference has been going for many years. Baptist leaders from all Australian states, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, and the South Seas Evangelical Church from the Solomon Islands gather together to discuss current issues. In addition to spending time in the Word, papers are presented, resources shared, questions asked, issues explored together and a

good deal of networking takes place! Some matters are explored at depth, others delivered ‘a glancing blow’. QB representatives who attended with me were Stephen Ball, Pieter Henning and Colin Stoodley. Some matters addressed this year included: pastoral health, being missional, spiritual formation for pastors, what’s happening with Baptists in the Pacific area, gender and ethnic diversity in leadership, the refugee issue, mission and evangelism, revitalising churches and dealing with those addicted to pornography. It may look like we solved all the world’s problems, but we were a long way short! It was a good time of resourcing and being further equipped to serve the Lord Jesus and his church. Finally… Our intentional approach to being, and making, disciples continues! It remains of key importance that both our hearts and minds are focussed on the Lord Jesus and being authentic followers of him. David Loder General Superintendent Queensland Baptists gs@qb.org.au

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Speaking out

We stand on their shoulders Thanks to our elders On Fathers’ Day, I wrote a note of thanks to my dad for the great example of spiritual leadership that he has been to me. That got me thinking. Dad is not alone. There has been a whole generation of Christian leaders who have served God well and who have been such a blessing to my generation and those who follow. I think of people like Keith and Roy, the Stans, John and Lance, Bill and Geoff, Ron, Trevor and Bev, and many, many others who have impacted me. So I would like to write a brief word of thanks to this generation of leaders, who have now mostly passed on their up-front leadership baton to others. I am aware that all the names I have mentioned above are male. This is because Christian leadership has been mainly a male preserve in Baptist circles. It

does not mean that women have not had an immense impact. For example, my mum was the single greatest spiritual influence on my life. But in this article, I want to say thanks to the men who held leadership roles that have touched my life and the lives of so many others. We stand on their shoulders. I don’t want to focus solely on individuals because I know there have been many godly leaders that I have not known well. So I will thank God for some general characteristics of this generation of leaders, and then give one example of my experience of each. I realise that these traits may not necessarily apply to every single leader of this generation, but they have been so common in these leaders that I associate the characteristics below with this generation of leadership.

Thanks for being sacrificial leaders This, I think, has been the defining characteristic of your generation. You have made so many sacrifices to serve both God and the people that you have led. You had big capacities and have given huge amounts of time and energy. You have made sure that your leadership roles have had a very high priority for you, and the personal sacrifice involved has not been a concern. I know that succeeding generations may feel that your generation at times worked too hard and gave up too much, but I have seen your ministry up close and know what a difference your commitment made in churches, organisations and people. Dad was the manager of a large business as well as

being church secretary at Ashgrove Baptist Church. He was also chair of Pioneers (a cross-cultural mission society) Queensland and was on their national board. These responsibilities kept him very busy with much travel and many night and weekend commitments. Yet when Pioneers was building a campsite at Mt Tamborine, he would often leave work on Friday afternoon, drive a group of guys to Mt Tamborine, work on the campsite until midnight, and then drive them home. And Dad had zero building skills. I can’t ever remember him holding a hammer. No wonder the campsite no longer exists! But this kind of effort was typical of his generation. No sacrifice for God’s work was too great.

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Thanks for being humble leaders You have not been the larger-than-life leaders of previous generations but have had a genuine humility, readily taking a back seat when needed and freely supporting and working with other leaders. In humility, you have not put your own agenda in front of what is best for those you have led. You have not sought the glory. In fact, in most cases you have tried to stay out of the limelight. While all leaders like achieving things, you have never done it for yourself. You have been driven by a desire to do the right thing, to serve God, to help people, to grow God’s kingdom, to make a difference, but never to build your own empire or attract attention to yourself. Ron was an older Baptist pastor working for a mission organisation when I first met him. He was part of the congregation at Bracken Ridge when I began to pastor there at the ripe old age of 34. After he retired from the mission, I quickly enlisted him as an associate pastor at Bracko. Ron had pastored all his life. He was very experienced and deeply respected. Yet he was always completely supportive of his young wet-behind-theears senior pastor, despite my shortcomings. He never criticised me to others or tried to garner personal support. He willingly and enthusiastically served and encouraged me. He rejoiced

Speaking out

when my ministry prospered and cared for me during the tough times. He was a deeply humble leader. Typical of his generation.

Thanks for being wise leaders In your many years of leadership, you have faced some very difficult situations in the workplace, church and parachurch worlds. Yours has not been an easy era for Christians in leadership, as the world has changed radically. You have dealt with financial pressures, moral dilemmas, demanding circumstances, changing cultures, difficult personalities, new opportunities, growing churches, declining ministries, broken families, new styles of ministry and questionable theologies. You have listened carefully, weighed up the options and made wise choices based on your understanding of people and your understanding of God as revealed in Scripture. Many challenges to the church have been repelled, resolved or rescued through your God-given wisdom. You have led us wisely. Stan pastored, lectured in Bible colleges, and then became principal of the Queensland Baptist College. I was always struck by his wisdom as my lecturer, then my principal, then my boss (as I became a part-time faculty member). I loved his theological balance and his great insights from

Scripture. I respected the way he wisely dealt with a number of hugely challenging issues at the college. I valued spending time with him and picking his brains on difficult biblical dilemmas. He was a wise leader through changing and challenging times. I must also mention Bev who spent many late nights (often until 1.00 am) standing on his doorstep sharing his wisdom with a youth pastor who wouldn’t go home until he had completely debriefed the meeting and solved all the world’s problems. Godly wisdom was typical of this generation.

Thanks for being blessing leaders I don’t quite know how to phrase this, but you have led with a heart to bless the people and churches and organisations that you have served. You have led at a time of great opportunity as well as challenge for God’s people. Churches have expanded, parachurch organisations have grown significantly, and opportunities for ministry have multiplied. But you have not taken these blessings from God for yourself as a sign of your success, but have been keen to pass them on to those

who follow. You have been generous with your finances. You have wanted God’s best for your people and have given freely to them. You have supported causes and ministries and new initiatives. You have been kingdom-minded people with big hearts. You remind me of that old saying, ‘Blessed to be a blessing’. Keith was a very effective parachurch worker who initiated many of the school ministries that continue to have a great impact. As a new leader, I was greatly impressed by this visionary young guy who God was using so powerfully and effectively. But Keith used his expanding influence to bless those who served with him. He took me under his wing and gave me opportunities to lead and speak and evangelise, well before I could do these things well. He was such a blessing to me. I’m sure that he could have done it much better himself, but his heart was to grow and bless others in, and through, the blessing God was giving him. So typical of his generation. Thanks so much to our spiritual elders. May we and the generations of leaders who follow us carry your baton well.

John Sweetman Principal, Malyon john.sweetman@malyon.edu.au

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Baptisms

Clayfield Baptist Church Pastor David Champness prays with candidates before baptisms

Baptisms On Sunday 23 August, at Deep Water Bend, Bracken Ridge, Clayfield Baptist Church celebrated the baptisms of Naszet Guartero, Yungli Pomeroy and Joseph Samraj. After testimonies were shared, everyone moved to the river bank to witness the baptisms. Lunch and a great time of fellowship followed.

Living Temple Christian Church

Please pray for those baptised recently in all our churches around Queensland, including: Birkdale Baptist Church Melissa Smith Paul Smith Merryn Trevor Clayfield Baptist Church Naszet Guartero Yungli Pomeroy Joseph Samraj

Cleveland Baptist Church Mel Ackroyd Bella Bywater Ashlee Corbett Cameron Francis Josh Hildebrand Callum Slater Elliot Smith Living Temple Christian Church (Tugun) Charlie Brownsten Natalie Brownsten Sam Robinson

CynthiaTangeria JoeTangeria ShabinaTangeria Sylvia Tangeria Adam Wright Stafford Heights Baptist Church Zachary Krause Toowoomba Community Baptist Church Esther Cathcart Kara Lindsay-Holley

Living Temple Christian Church

‘Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the only two ceremonies given by Jesus Christ through Scripture to be observed by the church for all ages. We call them “ordinances” as they have been ordained by Christ. We do not call them “sacraments” because they do not convey Christ’s salvation, which is conveyed directly by the Holy Spirit in response to the individual’s faith. Baptism is the immersion of believers upon their repentance and profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Baptism pictures the connecting of the believer with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection’ (excerpt from Queensland Baptists’ Statement of Belief ).

qb.org.au

Around the regions

Around the

Regions Trans Tasman Conference David Loder, Stephen Ball, Pieter Henning and Colin Stoodley joined Baptist leaders from Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, and SSEC leaders from the Solomon Islands, at the Trans Tasman Conference which was held in Cairns on 1417 September.

David is pictured with The Hon John Fahey AC, Chancellor—Australian Catholic University

Congratulations to David Loder who has recently received his Phd! David’s thesis is a foundational document exploring the spiritual formation of Queensland Baptists’ ministers. No previous research has been formally undertaken in this area. Whilst being descriptive through analysis, the thesis proposes a paradigm that gives shape to an intentional approach to spiritual formation. This paradigm is transferable so that it

may then be used to assist followers of Jesus in their spiritual formation. The thesis draws on both Baptist history and beliefs to evaluate the current methodology of ministers using both quantitative and qualitative data. David’s desire is that his research will assist QB pastors in this central part of their vocation.

Carols by the campfire Neil Biggs (Browns Plains Baptist Church) writes: Browns Plains Baptist Church has been conducting community carols for many years and this year we’ve decided to go with an Australian theme. We think the event, to be held on Saturday 5 December, will dovetail nicely with our car boot sales. We are planning a bush dance, damper and billy tea, and ‘carols by the campfire’ with the Christmas story told as an Aussie yarn. We are excited to be holding it on our church land for the first time. More importantly, we look forward to meeting people face-to-face and telling them that God loves them. Keep an eye out in the February issue next year, when we’ll report on the marvellous things God did at our Aussie themed Christmas carols.

On the move • • •

Pastor Daniel Rodgers has concluded at Birkdale Baptist Church Rev Jamie Maclean has concluded at Gracemere Baptist Fellowship and commenced at Salisbury Baptist Church Pastor Ian Walton has concluded at Northreach Baptist Church and commenced at Fairfield Baptist Church Townsville

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Around the regions

Check out the creative caption image in this issue’s Fun Zone. Chappy Sarah writes: ‘… after an amazing day of seeing God work, in our tiredness and elation, we had a bit of fun and shenanigans.’

Photo by Roy Packer

Project X rocks Dalby Dan Sercombe (Student Pastor - Cannon Hill Baptist Church/Birkdale Baptist Church) writes: A big crowd turned out at the local showgrounds for Dalby’s first Project X festival outreach on Saturday 5 September. About 1500 people from the community were served by the Project X team, which was made up of 85 volunteers from churches in Dalby, and another 30 from churches in Toowoomba and Brisbane. The event targets school-aged kids with performances from JC Epidemic Moto-X and BMX, X-Factor comp, Bella Chick

zone, sports, and plenty of other activities for the kids and their parents. A stand out was the Bella Chick zone, which struggled to cope with the huge number of girls who visited. The gospel was boldly proclaimed during JC Epidemic’s second show and about 16 people responded. Among that group were a number of Dalby State High School students, which is a huge encouragement to local chaplain, Cassie Walton. At the end of the evening the crowd heard about Project X’s vision to share the good news about Jesus, and about 50 young people came forward and collected their ‘Why do you exist?’ pack containing a new Bible.

The churches in Dalby are very encouraged by the community response. ‘I particularly loved the contact we had with other church folk who we don’t usually work with. I’m sure this will also impact our interdenominational relations too. All up, an extraordinarily wonderful weekend with God at the absolute centre of our focus,’ a volunteer said. God is good! Please pray for the seeds that were sown, and for those who will be doing the follow-up and discipleship. You can watch a wrap up video at https://vimeo. com/138686791

Iron sharpens iron Roger Van Der Veen (Mackay Baptist Church) writes: Iron Sharpens Iron, a ministry of Mackay Baptist Church, was launched on 14 July 2015. This is a nocost, short-term, intensive counselling and respite ministry for missionaries and development workers of any denomination, from any country. The name of the ministry comes from Proverbs 27:17 (NLT), ‘As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend’.

People serving in missions face many challenges. If these trials are left unchecked, disillusionment can result. People could leave the field or even missions work altogether. Addressing these challenges might allow missionaries and development workers to continue serving. This ministry offers a period of time (two to eight weeks) in a calming and tropical environment, away from dayto-day life. There are eight members on the ministry’s reference group. Its purpose is to provide ideas and advice, develop thinking, plan, pray, and network this ministry with other people and organisations. For more

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Around the regions

information, please contact Roger and Julie Van Der Veen, Mob 0478 713 188, International +61 478 713 188, email ironsharpensiron@ mackaybaptist.org.au or visit www.ironsharpensiron. mackaybaptist.org.au

and sexual exploitation. This month, ‘The Pong’ will become a truly national event with venues in all states and territories across Australia. It is anticipated that 1,500+ boys/men will engage in the event across 40 venues.

Serving up some justice

This year’s event will support the work of: • Destiny Rescue • Dton Naam • First Step Cambodia • Hard Places Community • Home of New Beginnings • IJM Australia • The Sold Project • Urban Light

FlameTree Baptist Church (Nambour) and Reedy Creek Baptist Church are participating in a ‘Ping Pong-a-Thon’ to raise essential funds for the fight to end child sex trafficking. FlameTree’s event at the end of September has raised $15,500 so far! The event concept is designed to engage the hearts of boys and men on issues of injustice, helping them take action as advocates on behalf of young people who are vulnerable to exploitation. Ping Pong-A-Thon events began in 2011 when one passionate Aussie bloke gathered 15 mates for the first 24-hour table tennis marathon. They raised $10,000, which supported the work of two organisations in Thailand engaged in prevention and aftercare relating to issues of trafficking

Planning is underway to take The Pong beyond Australian shores and to develop the event for different contexts in 2016/17. For more information visit pingpongathon.com

Eastern Europe trip Merv Dunkin, who worships with Bridgeman Baptist Community Church, writes: Currently I am part of a group involved in From Seed to Trees, which is a registered company with charity status. While most of the group are from ‘Bridgy’,

Merv Dunkin with conference attendees

it’s not a church project. From Seed to Trees is a young mission. Its focus is working beside Christian groups in universities, schools, churches and other groups in Romania, Moldova and Belarus. Each year From Seed to Trees takes small groups into Eastern Europe and, where possible, provides hands-on experiences. We also partner with Samaritan’s Purse and YWAM in Vietnam and take groups there to see how things are working and help where we can. This work principally focuses on disadvantaged and orphaned children, medical training and, where possible, developing sustainable income projects. Our recent trip to Eastern Europe was very intensive with not much down time. The final week in Belarus was humbling and a time of much blessing. Young people around the world want their questions answered, and God is totally able to meet this need. A seminar was led comparing the Bible and the Qu’ran—this created a number of questions about God. It took 51 hours of flying and waiting at the airport to reach Minsk, the capital of Belarus. Minsk is modern and comparable to any western

city. It was spotless, with clean streets and buildings kept in good repair. The roads were sealed and without potholes, unlike the other countries we visited. Religious freedom exists, to a point. It is important not to criticise the government, and political discussions do not occur. There is no preaching on street corners, but churches and house meetings do exist. One of the local churches asked me to speak to their leadership. We met at 7:00 am. In Australia, it would be ‘a walk in the park’, but there it was cold, icy, snowing— just plain challenging. There were eight nations represented at the conference we attended, and each person had their own brand and accent of English—in some cases it sounded like another language! Playing games proved to be a delightful way to communicate, however, and one night we stayed up until 1.30 am. What a great way to develop relationships. When I left Belarus, I thanked the Lord for his willingness to use an Australian visitor to that country. My heart was filled with joy and excitement in what had taken place. For more information about From Seed to Trees, email fromseedtotrees7@gmail.com or phone 07 3863 2454.

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Around the regions

Help for drought-affected communities Ps Ken Deeley (Longreach Baptist Church) writes: As most people around Queensland are aware, Longreach and surrounding areas are in the midst of a severe drought. Many longtime locals are saying it is the worst they can remember. Drought is an insidious thing, and its effects reach out like tentacles into every area of life in the outback. Much of the attention in the media focusses on the plight of graziers, and rightly so because so many of them are doing it really tough. We have three grazing families in our church, and all of them have completely destocked their properties because of lack of water and feed. This is the same for almost every grazier in the area. There is something surreal about driving for miles and miles and not seeing a single cow or sheep; empty paddocks stretching as far as the eye can see. It adds impact to the already significant desolation we are witnessing out here. But the graziers’ plight is only one aspect of the situation. Because there is no stock,

graziers are not employing anyone to work on their properties because they have no money coming in. The average age for graziers here is above 60 years old, and these men are now taking on even more work, trying to do what they would normally employ contractors to do. Also, this high level of unemployment, along with no income from the sale of livestock, severely impacts local businesses. Bakeries, jewellers, clothing stores, and the like, are really struggling to make ends meet, because people only have enough money for essential items. I bought flowers for my wife a few weeks ago and asked the lady how things were going— she said that in the previous week she’d not had a single customer. Drought really does affect every area of life out here. As a church we have been seeking God about how best to help our community at this time. In a moment of divine inspiration, Peter Whip, one of our church leaders, conceived the Rural Contractor’s Scheme, to help contractors who are finding

it difficult to find work and who do not benefit from government assistance. These are the people graziers employ for the everyday tasks on their properties: fencing, general maintenance, building and maintaining dams, mustering etc. Contractors really are the people who keep the rural sector ticking along. The scheme offers an incentive to graziers to employ a contractor by paying 40% of the wages for that day’s work. The average daily wage for a contractor is around $300, so we pay roughly $120 to the grazier to help cover that cost. Currently, we have received about $55,000.00 in assistance from various churches and individuals from as far afield as Victoria. We have placed a cap of $1,000.00 support per contractor, which works out to roughly eight days of work. As we receive more assistance we will be able to increase this cap. Currently we have 12 contractors who have signed up for the scheme, and have paid out about $10,000. Community reaction to the scheme has been very encouraging. One hardened old bushy couldn’t believe that a church was giving money freely to the

community because, in his experience, the church was always taking money from people. A lot of good will is being established as a result of this initiative. We have a larger view; we want to get beside people. With all the assistance being given by state and federal governments, there is very little being done to actually get beside people and share their burdens. We see this scheme as means to let people know that we care about them; and we have love and compassion for them because of the love and compassion shown to us by our Lord Jesus Christ. We are committed to supporting our community through this scheme for as long as we sense it is God’s will for our church. We so much appreciate the support shown to us so far by so many individuals and churches who feel God wants them to support our community. Anyone who, after reading this and praying about it, feels that God wants them to help in some way can reach me on (07) 4658 3865. Or contact us via longreachbaptist. com, or email church@ longreachbaptist.com.

HELP BUILD GODâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S KINGDOM through your local church and other Baptist ministries

Explore giving options at

www.qb.org.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. Baplink-A5ad-1015.pdf

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8:29 pm

PARTNER WITH CHRIST

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QB staff

Introducing … As David Loder announced in our last issue, at a Special Assembly of Queensland Baptists in July, new QB Regional Consultants were appointed: Rev Stewart Pieper, who commenced this month, and Rev Warren Crank, who will take up his role early next year.

Meet Stewart Pieper Stewart was born in Toowoomba, Queensland, and raised on his family’s potato farm in the Lockyer Valley. His family attended Tent Hill Baptist Church, where Stewart came to faith in Jesus at the age of 10. He was baptised at age 17, after resolving that he would be a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ, and started serving as a volunteer in his local church. Stewart and his wife Teresa grew up in the same church. They were married in 1988 and have three children, two of whom are married, and one grandchild. Stewart enjoys the outdoors, trail bike riding, fishing, good coffee and spending time with family and friends. At the time of his appointment, Stewart was Senior Pastor at Gladstone Baptist Church, where he commenced in 2007. Prior to this time, he held pastoral positions with Toowoomba Community Baptist Church and Tent Hill Baptist Church. Stewart’s most recent studies were through Malyon College, where he completed a Masters of Arts (Ministry) in 2006. He is currently undertaking an Elijah House Prayer Ministry Certificate III. As a Regional Consultant, Stewart will be seeking to encourage both churches and pastors to discover God’s preferred future for them and support them in becoming all that God has called them to be as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Meet Warren Crank Warren was born to Christian parents in Roma, Queensland. After he came to faith at around age 12, Clontarf Baptist Church and Maleny Baptist Church played formative roles in his early, spiritual development. He was baptised at the Maleny church just before starting his working life. He met his wife, Ellie, in Sydney and they have three sons—William, Reuben and Nathaniel). Warren’s ministry service includes pastoral roles at Deception Bay Baptist Church, Northreach Baptist Church and Ipswich Baptist Church. He has filled several QB roles including board member (and chair), Area Coordinator, General Superintendent’s Advisors’ Team member, MAG/MTQ Team member, and he currently serves on the Global Interaction Reference Group. He is a member of Sports Chaplaincy Australia and served as chaplain to the North Queensland Cowboys until last year. He co-founded and co-leads Vision100 (a network of gospel centred churches seeking to reach every person in Queensland through planting over 100 new congregations and churches by 2022) and last year published a book, The Resolute Leader. Warren’s academic qualifications are BMin (ACT), Grad.Dip.Min (QBCM), Dip Theol (QBCM). Warren is passionate about helping pastors and churches follow Jesus and reach people. He hopes to help ensure that Queensland Baptists are prepared for the ministry and mission challenges of today as well as tomorrow.

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Baplink continues to branch out!

Baplink

Xero and Ultracs are front and centre right now at Baplink. Ultracs, our new transactional platform, is scheduled to ‘go live’ on the 23 November! We are very excited about Ultracs which is set to provide great new services and opportunities for our churches. Through Ultracs, we will be able to offer services including BPAY which will place Baplink right up there with products and services that fully meet the transactional financial needs of our QB churches and affiliated organisations. In fact, churches may no longer need to continue having their accounts with banks. Offering Xero is also an exciting part of Baplink’s growth spurt. XERO is an internet based accounting program that will meet all the ongoing accounting and administrative needs of churches.

We launched Xero at the QB Centre in Gaythorne in July, and 50 church treasurers and administrators attended the two-hour presentation. There was plenty of keen interest expressed at, and after, the meeting! Then we took our presentation on the road, and on 9–11 September, 28 people from Cairns , Townsville, Tully, Mt Isa and surrounding areas joined together to hear about Ultracs and Xero. We will be calling on your church soon! Robert Chapman, Baplink Manager robert.chapman@ baplink.org.au Image: Gary McGinty with the Baplink Team: Robert, Chelsea & Elisha

For more information about Baplink’s services Phone: 1800 650 062 Email: baplink@baplink.org.au www.baplink.org.au

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Milestones

Deception Bay Baptist Church celebrates 50 years On 23 August, Deception Bay Baptist Church celebrated its 50th Anniversary with a reunion and lunch. It was a great time of remembering the history and how much God has worked in the area over the years. It also provided great encouragement to look to him to continue to provide for the next 50 years. The first service was held at Deception Bay in April 1952. In July 1956, through the generosity of Mr and Mrs E. C. Stone, a block of ground, in a prominent position, was given to pave the way for expansion. In 1957, Margate Baptist Church decided to build a new hall and their old building was dismantled and the materials moved to the new ground and stored pending re-erection. (Originally the old building was moved from Sandgate in 1936). This building was re-erected and renovated in 1959, after much diligent labour by many helpers, and it was officially opened on 29 August 1959 by Mr E.S. Jones (then President of the Baptist Union of Queensland).

The first service was held in September 1959, followed by Sunday school, attended by 35 children. Deception Bay Baptist Church was fully constituted on Sunday 4 July 1965 by Mr P. J. Hancox, president of the Baptist Union of Queensland. During the 60s, five additional allotments were purchased, and two further extensions were added to the building to cope with the increased ministry of the church. By the early 70s, the congregation had outgrown the existing facilities, so a new sanctuary was opened by Rev Frank Stone in 1978. In February 1998, a new hall complex was opened incorporating the original building relocated from Margate. Associate Pastor, Dean Sandham, said: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;We are continually thankful for the faithfulness of God through his work over the past 50 years. Though the church is going through a time of change again at this time, our celebration has reminded us that God will continue to work as we continue to focus on serving him, for his glory.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Calvary Karen Baptist Church celebrates nine years The Karens are one of the ethnic groups in Burma, now Myanmar. Before coming to Australia, they had been refugees in Thailand for many years. Then, in July 2006, the first group of Karen refugees arrived in Brisbane. On 20 September 2015, Calvary Karen Baptist Church celebrated the ninth anniversary of their arrival. The celebration took place at Stafford Heights Baptist Church, where Karen and Chin groups meet together at 11 am each Sunday. Around 300 people attended the special anniversary service. With the help of Pastor Bob Rogers, Joshua Lin wrote this poem in remembrance of their experiences in Myanmar, in Thailand, and in Australia.

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Milestones

Annerley Baptist Church celebrates 150 years

From stateless to citizen Once we had our own places We enjoyed an abundance But they came to our villages And destroyed everything we had They forced us to leave our country— We became stateless As refugees in another country We faced harshness—we were powerless No jobs, no hope, no liberty We relied on the generosity of others Rice, beans, salt, fish paste, oil and chili Only as others gave did we receive Then we arrived in Brisbane— not easy, at first But years have passed and we are learning... Moving from homeless to home owner From no car to car owner From stateless to citizen Thank you, Lord, we are Australian

On 30 August, there was a great celebration of God’s faithfulness over the past 150 years, and time to look ahead, at Annerley Baptist Church (ABC). About 250 people who had been part of the life of the church were present, and the earliest connection was 75 years ago! Three pastors from the past 30 years shared memories of their times at ABC. As they recounted the highlights, there was a growing appreciation of the sheer extent of God’s work through so many aspects of the church’s ministry. Pastor Matthew Kuruvilla, from Parkside Baptist Church in Sydney, which has a vibrant ministry to the 50 cultural and ethnic groups represented there, spoke on the multi-ethnic nature of ABC’s future discipling ministry. It was a very encouraging and enriching time, followed by a great fellowship lunch, where old friends caught up and happy reflections of God’s work through ABC were shared.

Looking back at the trust and faithfulness of those who have served over the past 150 years was a great way to encourage the church to also look ahead and faithfully follow Jesus into future decades.

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Knowing God

QUEENSLAND BAPTISTS 2015 THEME

KNOWING GOD DISCIPLESHIP PART FIVE

‘For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel’ (Ezra 7:10). Most pastors have a ministry verse. Ezra 7:10 is mine. This verse highlights Ezra’s threefold devotion to studying God’s Word, putting it into practice in his own life. This is a good pattern for all ministers! I have had an ongoing interest in the discipleship practices or spiritual formation of Queensland Baptists’ ministers for many years. My studies have revealed that QB ministers: • Have an authentic interest in spirituality • Whilst being spiritual, have an unstructured, pragmatic approach to spiritual formation • Firmly base their spirituality needs in a conservative, evangelical understanding of the Bible • Seek out spiritual help routinely, but spiritual direction is largely foreign to them • Find the concept of ‘spiritual type’ new, but largely appreciate it and find it releasing. The strength of the QB movement depends heavily on the spirituality of our ministers, hence this important topic. We are in a good place with good, godly, spiritual pastors. However, there is always room for development and growth. The vast majority of our pastors have had a solid grounding with a good theological education. Over 93% of our pastors indicate that God communicates with them daily, or at least weekly, through the Bible. Pastors, when they need spiritual help, turn to a variety of places. They will turn to a friend (53%), a small group (45%), another pastor (41%), a mentor (47%), a Christian counsellor (8%) or a spiritual

director (5%) as examples of places to receive help. That this adds up to more than 100% indicates that most will go to more than one place to seek help. Not all goes smoothly for pastors! Obstacles to spiritual growth include busyness (74%), lack of discipline (55%), interruptions (30%), sin (28%), anger (12%) and previous life experiences (11%). It may seem odd to some that ministers experience these obstacles, but it further underlines that ministers face the same or similar issues as do most—certainly their calling may be different. Life is not all joy for them! In fact, whilst just a few (32%) say they rarely experience periods of spiritual dryness, one in three say they experience dryness occasionally, one in 10 cite every two or three months, and another one in 10 report it is often their experience. Our pastors are special people! If you have a pastor, look after him or her and keep them accountable in this regard! If you are a pastor, look after yourself, and give intentional time and effort to your discipleship and spiritual formation—be devoted to studying, practising and teaching God’s Word! David Loder gs@qb.org.au

DATE CLAIMER

8 APRIL 2016

QUEENSLAND BAPTISTS’ LEADERSHIP DAY & CELEBRATION DINNER AT QCCC MAPLETON

Hear Dr Gary Nelson, published author, dynamic speaker and recognised Christian leader in Canada and around the world. Gary is currently the President and Vice Chancellor of Tyndale University College and Seminary in Toronto. Previously, Gary served for 10 years as General Secretary of Canadian Baptist Ministries (CBM), the national and global working arm of Canadian Baptists. During those years, CBM experienced striking capacity growth, expanding the organisation’s global impact in the areas of leadership development, theological education, sustainable community development and the development of key educational resources for congregations across Canada. As a ministry leader, Gary has served in a number of congregations both in staff and senior ministry roles. As Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church (Edmonton, Alberta) in the 1990s, he was involved in the revitalising and renewing of this historic downtown congregation into a creative and dynamic contemporary congregation. Gary will be joined by his wife, Carla.

MORE DETAILS COMING SOON, RESERVE THE DATE NOW! QB Leadership Day follows immediately after the QB Pastors’ & Spouses’ Retreat (5–7 April) where Gary is also the guest speaker. KNOWING GOD: DISCIPLESHIP

QB kids and their families

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Spirituality with children

Our children have a wealth of spirituality that may be expressed and nurtured in a number of ways. Journeying with our children enriches both them, and us, and can help all know more of God. Spirituality has been around for a long time and has developed and adapted through the ages depending on context, societal changes and various religious eras. Christian Spirituality has a long tradition and is firmly rooted in our belief that it is possible to have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit. However, Christian Spirituality has often focused on adult spirituality. Children have been regarded as ‘spiritual beings in the making’ and much of Christian nurture has been based on

the belief that children need to grow up to be mature, spiritual adults. This view assumes that children do not have the capacity to be spiritual or experience spirituality until they are older. Jesus turns this thinking on its head in Matthew 18 when he puts a child in the midst of an argument about status in the Kingdom of Heaven and says we should be like the child. Child theology engages with this and other scriptures to draw attention to the upside-down nature of spirituality and points to the child as an example of what it means to have a relationship with Jesus and enter the Kingdom of Heaven. This does not mean we elevate the child but rather that we are all equals in relationship with God and his Kingdom regardless of our age.

Parents intuitively know that their children are spiritual as part of being human. Mostly they describe it through stories about what children do, what they say, how they act or how they see the world. Rebecca Nye, an influential researcher in Child Spirituality says that Child Spirituality is a ‘child’s way of being with God and God’s ways of being with the child’. 1 In her research (with British primary school children), where she listened to their talk about life, she identified that young children are spiritually aware from a young age: ‘As our research has shown, when they are very young most children are perfectly well aware that they have a spiritual dimension to their experience of life. The task of the teacher (parents) is therefore not at all abstract, though spiritual education

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QB kids and their families

Csinos (as well as others) has shown that children exhibit different styles of spirituality. He suggests four styles: 3 •

has something of a subversive quality to it, since it is encouraging children to question the isolation and individualism that is bequeathed to them by European social history. It is to give permission for spiritual awareness to continue to flourish by pointing to it in the children themselves and relating it to its cultural expressions in the great ethical and religious traditions of humanity.2 So how can we help our children to develop a healthy, Christian spirituality? We need to recognise that spirituality is not only about extraordinary experiences or something only some children experience. It is evident in everyday, ordinary aspects of children’s lives. To help us further recognise spirituality in our children, some research by David

Word – these children value words and knowledge about God. They enjoy reading the Bible and love collecting cognitive knowledge about God. Reason and logic are seen as the avenues for knowing God and people of this style value clarity, accuracy, precision, and thoughtfulness as they examine ideas about faith, life, religion, and God.

•

Emotion – these children value the arts like drama, music and visual arts. They are relational and experiential in style. Worship and singing are particularly important to these children.

•

Symbol – these children value places where they can be alone and spend time with God in silence, often in nature. Prayer in quiet places and privacy is important to them.

•

Action – while prayer, knowledge, and emotions matter to these children, what is most important is how they are expressed in acts of compassion and justice that seek to change the world.

Csinos notes that children will not be purely one style and also that it is healthy to encourage children to try other styles so that they do not become extreme in any single one of them. Here are some steps for you to try: •

Pay attention to your own spirituality and faith. Discover what your spiritual style is.

•

Discover your child’s spiritual style and ways of encouraging it.

•

Listen carefully to your child with spiritual ears to discover the insights and childlike faith they already have.

•

Learn spirituality from your child; see things through their eyes with awe and wonder, learn to trust from the way they trust you, see them as God sees them and you.

Elke Keeling

RESOURCES Real Kids, Real Faith: Practices for Nurturing Children’s Spiritual Lives, Karen Marie Yust & Eugene Roehlkepartain Children’s Spirituality: What It Is and Why It Matters, Rebecca Nye Four Ways of Knowing God: Exploring Children’s Spiritual Styles, David Csinos.

First published in Baptist churches of New Zealand Baptist magazine V131, No 4. Reprinted with kind permission. Rebecca Nye. 2009. Children’s Spirituality: What It Is and Why It Matters. London. Church House Publishing, 2 David Hay and Rebecca Nye. 1998. The Spirit of the Child. London and Philadelphia. Harper Collins. 3 David Csinos. Four Ways of Knowing God: Exploring Children’s Spiritual Styles. Journal of Childhood and Religion. Volume 1, Issue 8, December 2010. 1

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QB youth

DIG YOUR BIBLE

UTH BIBLE YO

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field

- Matthew 13:44-46

The QB Youth and Young Adults’ pastors and leaders retreat was a great time away to rest and refresh. The setting at Mooloolaba beach was perfect for unwinding, and time was spent getting to know each other better. We heard stories of struggle and triumph, and how God has been using those adventures to sharpen our relationships with him, and this allowed us to go deeper with each other—to listen, spur on and encourage. One of the many outcomes from the retreat was the realisation that most of us found the resource DIG to be very helpful. Geoff Eggins and James Alley teamed up to develop this Bible reading strategy, and because of it, many young people are being equipped to read their Bibles and ENJOY doing so. So what is DIG? In 2013, a Baplink grant funded the creation of DIG. DIG is a Youth Bible

Reading Program that was designed to help young people get started in reading and applying the Bible for themselves. There are three components that make up DIG, which is geared for youth from grade seven and up. 1. THE JOURNAL The Journal contains all the information about the program, what to do, how to do it, why to do it, and frequently asked questions. It also provides ‘DIG Pages’ for the young person’s notes as they go through each passage. DIG stands for ‘Dive in’, ‘Inspect’, ‘Grow’. Each journal page has space for the young person to DIG the passage they are investigating. In the ‘Dive In’ section, they write down the passage reference. In the ‘Inspect’ section they write down any initial observations from the passage, and in the ‘grow’ section they write down any ways God is encouraging them to grow or change.

qb.org.au 2. THE LEVEL CARDS Each young person doing DIG has a particular level. They start at one and currently DIG goes up to 10. As they finish a level card (with a list of passages on it), they move to the next one. Each level has more passages than the previous. Level 1 directs young people to read just two parables before going to level 2, and Level 10 directs young people to read the entire Gospel of Mark. 3. THE COORDINATOR The level cards are available from a coordinator who is the ‘go to’ person for the program and is there to encourage the young person as they go up through the levels. The program provides three main advantages over the general ‘just go and read your Bible’ method that young people often attempt, and that can leave them lost somewhere in the Torah. 1. HAND-PICKED PASSAGES The passages on the level cards in DIG are hand-picked for people who are just starting out reading the Bible for themselves. They start with ones that are easier to understand and work their way up to a whole book of the Bible. 2. THE DIG METHOD The DIG method is a simple way to get stuck into a passage and apply it to life. Reading the Bible in such a way that it prompts and informs our sanctification is a vital part of our Christian walk, and many of the young people in our churches struggle with it. DIG gives young people helpful and simple instruction on how to get started. 3. REGULAR ENCOURAGEMENT It isn’t easy for young people to get started in reading the Bible. Encouragement along the way is vital, and in most cases is necessary for the formation of a long lasting habit.

QB youth Regular coordinator contact as the young people move up the levels is designed to provide this encouragement. So far, DIG has been used by a number of QB youth pastors in their contexts around the state. The feedback has been encouraging, and many young people have begun a journey using DIG that will hopefully be with them for life. Unfortunately, the journals and sets of level cards have run out, and a number of youth pastors and leaders have requested more. We are compiling a

list of people who would like to obtain this resource or find out more about it in order to organise another print run. If you would like more info on DIG, check out www.digyourbible.com or to get your hands on DIG to use for your church, please contact me. Aaron Fozzard QB Youth & Young Adults’ Ministry Team Leader aaron.fozzard@ qb.org.au

QCCC

Zimbabwe Is … Brave Every two hours a girl under the age of 16 is raped in Zimbabwe. The Sandra Jones Centre is one of the few safe places for them to go after this trauma. In July, my family had the humbling honour of taking these girls, who as survivors of their traumas are real heroes, on a She Is … Brave camp, making the QB Women’s Conference an inter-continental event! The oldest of these girls is 16, six of the campers brought along their babies, and some are HIV positive. In their lifetime they have witnessed the total collapse of their nation’s economy—for a time nothing was available on shopping centre shelves as the country went back to a completely subsistence economy. However, you will find no ‘victims’ here.

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Leadership experts now flock to Zimbabwe as a country where they can observe the capacity of the human spirit in a ‘post-apocalyptic’ society. It would be true to say that these girls have all experienced the very worst that we would all fear in the West, and have come out the other side. What has helped the society of Zimbabwe to survive is that they’ve been forced to rely on the values of the Kingdom of Heaven—the ones Jesus speaks of in his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7). You will find extraordinary pockets of generosity, humility, resourcefulness and community in Zimbabwe. None of this is lip-service; it’s been forged in the fires of extreme hardship. Over the weekend, the girls heard the stories of four brave biblical women—Ruth, Rahab, Esther and Mary, the Mother of Jesus. They also heard that they shouldn’t be ashamed of who they are, or where they come from. They might be the most vulnerable citizens of the poorest nation on earth, but with their community spirit, and their love for one another, they are the very earthly embodiment of God’s future. My sister, Morag, is a much better writer than I am—so here are some of her highlights!

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A lone voice begins to sing, fighting against the crackles of the fire. Slowly another joins in; then in perfect harmony, sopranos, altos and a couple of deep basses join the chorus. Still others interject with perfectly timed melodious accompaniment. Then clapping and dancing, raising soft puffs of dust, the girls move in perfect African rhythm. This describes as best as my Western mind can, what it is like to sit, night after night, listening to the girls of the Sandra Jones Centre singing at the Shalom Camp. None of them have any training but they have all been blessed with beautiful, yet diverse, voices that naturally blend together to make you feel like you are in paradise. On Friday afternoon, the girls from the centre were whisked off in two buses for the 1½ hour trip through the scenic Matobo National Park to our destination at the Shalom Campsite. The first night was the time for the first closely guarded secret to be revealed. Each girl received a ‘She Is’ themed bag containing items collected over six months. Each girl was invited forward to receive their bag. Returning to their seats, they put their bags on the table and waited respectfully until they were all handed out before opening them en masse. Some sat with all their gifts in front of them savouring the newness of everything. The next day I noted some ‘luscious lips’ as they tried out the Body Shop Lip Balm. Two activities were included in the camp; these were chosen carefully. As most of the girls at the centre have experienced some kind of abuse or abandonment, at times it is difficult for them to trust. What better way to teach them, than sending them down a cliff face, tied to a rope or asking them to hold onto a bar while they dropped from a tree! The abseil site was over two kilometres away from the campsite, so the girls set off for a trek down the dusty path, followed by one car with all the mums with babies. A poor old man was driving his donkey cart to the Ebenezer Farm when he discovered our group

QCCC of stragglers walking in front of him. In true African style, they all piled on and hitched a ride. That was fine until the cart raced, at speed, up to the riverbed where our car had been parked, unintentionally partly blocking the path to other traffic. The donkeys and cart, now full of Sandra Jones Centre girls, hurtled past us, up an embankment and down the gully, spewing the human contents as it went. They all jumped off and ran, while nursing sister Morag rushed to survey the injuries ... there were none! The donkeys probably had some wounded pride, but they were reattached to the cart and went off with a lighter load.

At the abseil site, each girl was given a helmet and attached to a harness (all of these were donated by QCCC). The two Shalom instructors were fantastic with the girls, who all reacted differently. Some were terrified and extremely hesitant. Some were absolutely focused on the man at the top holding the rope. He gently encouraged them, saying, ‘Feed the rope, lean back, feet apart, TRUST THE ROPE!’ They had no choice; they were dangling between a cliff and 20 metres, or more, of nothing. None of the girls backed down. I wondered, with a few, if they would go over the edge, but once they committed themselves to the drop, they persevered to the end. As they landed at the bottom, the clapping and celebration from the top must have given them a real sense of achievement. After lunch everyone went off for their next adventure. Past the horse shelters was a large tree that looked like the

Magic Faraway Tree, Zimbabwean style. Planks were strategically placed up the trunk so that the brave could climb to a platform near the top where an instructor ensured that each girl descended safely. They were all pretty tentative, but they had enough OH&S gear to protect them from any possible calamity! I watched them at the top and most of them launched themselves off and then sped down, over a river bed, and landed on the pile of tractor tyres at the end. The girls loved it. Some did take a look down from the tree and decided that their lives were too precious, but then they had to face a long, arduous climb down those planks. Personally, if I had made it to the top, I would have taken my chances with the slide. Just before returning home, my brother, Andrew, gave each girl a beautifully decorated envelope and then announced that we would be stopping off at Zimbabwe’s version of an outdoor ‘op’ shop but just MUCH bigger. There was some yelling and screaming when they found $10 in each envelope. Ten bucks would go nowhere in Australia ... even at the local Lifeline store, but this was an opportunity for them to choose dresses, tops, shoes or jackets for themselves. Those who dug in the ‘1 doll-a, 1 doll-a 1 doll-a’ piles, managed to return with a whole wardrobe! Andrew describes Shalom as a ‘Thin Place’ or a place where heaven is very close to earth. As I watched the Sandra Jones Centre girls sitting on the side of that hill, contemplating what they want to do with their lives, it certainly felt that way!

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

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QB women

‘Thank you all sooo much for an amazing weekend! My life has been changed! I had a wonderful time. Filled with joy to be in the presence of so many faithful ladies and to listen to the wisdom of so many fellow Aussies. Who knew it was possible for Aussie woman to be wise?!’ (Rachael, PNG).

She is… BRAVE

She is … BRAVE kicked off in Bilolea on 1-2 May, then moved on to Atherton on 29-31 May. Mt Tamborine was the venue for the event on 19-21 June, followed by Mapleton (7-9 August) and Toowoomba (28-29 August). Finally, from 21 September to 4 October, She is … PNG was held in Ukarumpa and Lae, PNG. Women from around our state, and further afield, were truly blessed by this series of annual conferences which commenced in 2010. Thanks to all those involved in conducting these special events for women.

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QB women

‘Thanks to all the She is … team for a wonderful weekend. You all rock and are great at sharing Gods love. Loved camp and next year I am bringing a posse. Mwahaha!’ (Glenis, Tamborine).

‘What a fantastic weekend! I am inspired, encouraged and rested. Thank you, thank you, thank you to all the team that organized and worked on this weekend. What a blessing you all are to women like me, who have the pleasure of attending’ (Amanda, Mapleton).

Images: Aimee K Photography aimee_k_photography@hotmail.com

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Carinity

Giving amputees a ‘helping hand’ Hervey Bay is a long way from Cambodia; however, the students at Carinity Education – Glendyne are making a huge difference in the lives of landmine amputees. The Special Assistance School, designed to assist young people who have struggled with mainstream schooling, has partnered with the Rotary Club of Hervey Bay to build bionic arms for victims of landmine accidents. Carinity Education – Glendyne Principal, Dale Hansen, said students had been assisting Rotary with their humanitarian efforts for the past decade.

‘We have been building wheelchairs for landmine victims for a long time, as part of our workshop curriculum. With the Helping Hands Program, all students can participate as the kits are designed to be built by anyone,’ Dale said. ‘Students have responded very positively to the initiative and we are now fundraising for a few students to go to Cambodia and Laos next year with Rotary to see, firsthand, the positive impact of their work.’ In addition to assembling the arms, students decorate the case and enclose a personal note for the recipient. Year 12

student Deborah Vernon-Hall said she enjoyed being able to put some of her personality onto the case. ‘We were told a person is killed or seriously injured by a landmine every 15 minutes, so I am glad to be part of making a difference in a person’s life,’ Deborah said.

There are an estimated 110 million antipersonnel landmines in the ground, and the worst-affected areas are Afghanistan, Angola, Cambodia, Iraq and Laos. Aged Care • Education • L

www.c

An outreach of Queensland Baptists

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Schneider family 150th anniversary reunion Hundreds of descendants and family members of the pioneer German Baptist lay preacher Johann Georg Schneider gathered for a reunion on 8 August 2015, commemorating 150 years since his arrival in Queensland. The function included the re-dedication of his grave, sited in a paddock at Franklyn Vale, south-west of Rosewood, which was conducted by Rev Dr David Parker, director of the Baptist Church Archives, Qld. Johann Schneider died in 1878 and for many years his grave site was not identified. It was first marked with a wooden cross and concrete slab and name plaque in a service conducted by Rev R J Paulsen in 1970. That old cross had long since deteriorated and the 150 year reunion provided the opportunity to replace it with a new one erected by Ken Mandelkow. Mr Schneider was a key leader in the origins of the German Baptist work which became an important part of Queensland Baptist life. Peter Whitehead, a descendant of the Schneider and Dickfos families, writes about this movement: ‘To help develop the newly separated colony in the 1860s, the Queensland government encouraged German migrants to make a new home here. Seen as hardworking and God fearing, they were considered ideal to help develop the new colony. Attracted by a scheme of government land grants, large numbers of Germans migrated to Queensland in the years prior to WW1. They settled mainly together in pockets of the Fassifern Valley. Many of these German families migrated from the same

QB archives

district, made the journey together on the same sailing vessels, and their families became neighbours and intermarried in the new land. This created tightly-knit communities that provided strength and support for these early German migrants. Strong in their Christian faith, these communities planted some of the earliest Baptist churches in Queensland. Two families who typify the experience of the German families settling in the ‘Normanby Reserve’ (now Mutdapilly area) are the Schneider and Dickfos families. Like so many other families, they took up government land grants ranging in size up to about 200 acres, and through sheer determination and hard work cleared the land for farming. They were also strongly involved in establishing the Baptist church in their new home. Early church meetings took place without the benefit of ordained ministers or church buildings. Oral history suggests the earliest Baptist church services in this area took place in ‘Robertson’s Barn’, which was a slab and shingle building (built by Johann Georg Schneider and his son Fred) located on a property known as ‘Glenbrae’. This property, on the corner of what is now the Cunningham Highway and Coleyville Road, is the oldest surviving building at Mutdapilly. It was owned by Thomas Robertson, who in 1869 married Friedricke Wilhelmine (Minnie) Dickfos—which connection would explain the use of the barn for German Baptist worship. This barn was used for worship meetings until the construction of the Coleyville Baptist Church in 1868. Minnie’s brother, Carl Dickfos, was a wellknown lay preacher in the area over many years. He also assisted in the construction of the Coleyville church building in 1868 and the new, larger building built further up the road in 1910.

Carl Dickfos married Christine Schneider on 1 July 1871 at the residence of Baptist minister Rev T. S. Gerrard in West Street, Ipswich. The Schneider family were also prominent in the German Baptist Churches of the Fassifern Valley. Christine’s father, Johann Georg Schneider, was the first pastor of the Baptist church in the Mount Walker area. The Queenslander newspaper of 17 June 1871 reports that he was ‘unanimously called by the Associated Churches of the German Baptist persuasion’ to pastor the German families—a role which he carried on until his death, often riding many miles on horseback to minister to his flock. The Schneider family was also significant in the establishment of the Boonah Baptist Church. Fred Schneider (son of Johann Georg Schneider) took up land at Hoya, near Boonah, after his marriage to Caroline Dickfos in 1871. The first Baptist church meetings there took place under a mulberry tree on their property. Later they helped build a small church building just outside their property on land apparently donated by them, and later still, the church relocated to a larger building in Church Street, Boonah. While some of the smaller churches, such as Coleyville and Vernor, have now closed, the legacy of these pioneering German families and their strong faith in establishing a vibrant Baptist community in the area still continues. Only in Glory will the full results of this witness in bringing souls to the Lord be known!’ Baptist Church Archives archives@qb.org.au, Ph 07 3878 3178 07 3354 5642 or 07 3256 8897 The Baptist Archives PO Box 6166, Mitchelton Q 4053

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Malyon

Bringing together the Word and the deed Ian Hussey, lecturer at Malyon, shares his thoughts about English Conversation Classes. St Francis of Assisi is often quoted as saying, ‘Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary use words’. Since he belonged to a preaching order, it is unlikely that he actually said this; however, it is a useful quote to highlight the distinction that some see between presenting the gospel with words and presenting the gospel through service. Of course, this is a false distinction. Preaching the gospel involves presenting both ‘Word’ and ‘deed’

together in our community and personal outreach activities. Too much emphasis on either ‘Word’ or ‘deed’ distorts our message so that it either becomes ‘Bible bashing’ or simply an activity of good deeds. For many years, local Baptist churches have been engaged in community activities as a setting in which to share the gospel. Events like carols in the park are a classic example of this worthy activity. The problem is that the larger the event becomes, the more difficult it is for individuals to share the Word of the gospel in a personal manner. The average experience of a Christian at a large scale community

event is frantic activity and service but rare opportunity to personally present the content of the gospel to the nonChristians who attend the event. (Of course, where a church offers postevent programs, there can be valuable opportunities to engage with visitors after the big event.) Large scale community outreach events certainly have their place, but smaller ministries like English conversation classes are a natural place to bring together the Word and deed of the gospel in a totally authentic manner. Although different churches offer English conversation classes in

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Malyon

different ways, the potential exists for the Christian to be able to present the gospel in Word and deed simultaneously and naturally through helping a person improve their English as they study the Bible together. The love expressed in a person giving up their free time in order to help improve another person’s English, sometimes when the migrant or student feels unwelcome in Australia, is an extremely powerful witness to the gospel. Many Baptist churches already offer English conversation classes. Some offer classes that make no explicit reference to the Bible in their teaching. They hope that through the relationships formed in the classes, Christians will have the opportunity to share their faith with the student, or be able to invite them to some evangelistic event. At the other end of the spectrum, some classes are based purely on the Scriptures. The important thing is that the ministry is conducted with hospitality and integrity. At Taringa Baptist Church, for example, the free English conversation classes focus on different topics, like food from different parts of the world, but all the participants are invited to attend an ‘Easy English Bible Study’, which is held after the classes twice weekly. Of the 40–60 students who attend the classes on a given day, 6–12 of them will choose to stay for the Easy English Bible study. Some are believers, but many, intrigued by the kindness of the Christians in offering the English classes, attend the Bible study as well. Such a model allows for the seamless integration of the deed of the gospel with the ‘Word’ of the gospel.

With the increasingly multicultural nature of Australia, and the fall in the value of the Australian dollar, which will once again make studying in Australia attractive for overseas students, English conversation classes have the potential to be of growing importance amongst Queensland Baptist churches. It costs very little for the church to offer the ministry, draws people into the church building and community, and can be performed by anybody who is confident in English— that is, anybody who has grown up speaking English! Certainly, if the ministry is aimed at helping migrants, refugees and students with low levels of English, training in teaching English is important. If this is the case, at least one person in the ministry should have some qualification like those offered by Intercultural Training Australia www.interculturaltraining.com. au/tesol-courses. However, many people from non-English speaking backgrounds are just looking for natural English speakers who will

converse with them, and be their friends. If your church already has an English conversation class, joining it will probably give you more evangelistic opportunities than you have ever had before! If your church does not offer this ministry, it may be one that could be explored. Either way, the opportunity exists for us to wonderfully get in step with the loving heart of God, who said: ‘The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your God’ (Leviticus 19:34). Rev Dr Ian Hussey ian.hussey@malyon.edu.au www.malyon.edu.au

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Global interaction

Money and Mission Unfulfilled hopes: the evidence was there in derelict buildings. Some, probably, were never grand. The surrounds proved more challenging than anticipated. That’s what I saw. Travelling by train through outback areas was an enjoyable and relaxing experience. At the same time, it was a roller coaster of emotions in seeking to identify with the likely experiences of pioneers. History tells us that often the pioneers did not foresee what would be involved for long-term engagement. Maybe it could only be that way. Some others had an inkling. They counted the cost and went ahead anyway. That train journey on a 1960s railmotor caused me to think about long-term global mission involvement. Here are two contemporary aspects.

Jim, a Queensland Baptist church administrator observed to me that the growth of any church is linked to cross-cultural mission. A significant proportion of funding applied to cross-cultural ministry is a healthy, intentional practice. He told me that his congregation currently has a budgeted target of 10% of income, and in practice, it’s nearer 15%. The blessing of giving is enhanced when the workers with whom the church partners recount stories about relating with those who have least heard the Good News.

benefit from a lower exchange rate for the Australian dollar. However, donor support for our workers needs to increase when the dollar devalues against the US dollar. Has your congregation considered such a review? Not long ago our dollar was at parity with the US dollar. As I write, it is at 70c. Raising financial commitment after at least a bi-annual review is part of long-term global mission engagement.

‘May God give us more church administrators like you’, I emailed Jim. Why? He is assessing the impact of currency exchange rate fluctuations on Global Interaction and cross-cultural workers.

Beginning in 1949, Australian Baptists sent many missionaries to live in Papua New Guinea. My wife, Lyn, and I were among them, going in 1977. People responded to the Good News of Jesus. Scriptures were translated into Kyaka Enga (as well as other languages). Today, when I travel among Enga congregations, I notice very few

I rejoice with those producers and business people in our nation who

Here’s another example …

‘I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten…’ (Joel 2:25). For everything you’ve loved or lost, God has something else. For everything that’s been stolen from you, God has something else. The situation you’re in right now is not the end of the story; God wants to write a new chapter—he’s not through with you! Imelda Gilmore [gilmore.imelda@gmail.com]

qb.org.au

Called Home

Betty Salisbury

9 June 1931 – 5 August 2015 vernacular editions of the Bible. None are available. Inter-tribal fighting, with consequent burning of houses, has destroyed many copies. In addition, surviving books have fallen apart due to the deterioration of the binding. Various leaders in Papua New Guinea recognised the need. Scripture in Kaka Enga is still needed. I remember the words of a fellow who had worked as a member of the original translation group. He was sitting under a tree, reading aloud his newly acquired copy. ‘This is my language!’ The power of a person’s mother tongue. The translated Bible, begun about 50 years ago, needs an injection of funds to provide a slightly updated edition and to publish it. A team of national translators is ready. Sally Burton, who earlier engaged in the original translation, is available to assist again. $65,000 will see the completion of the first phase of this project. Here’s an opportunity to take our earlier involvement forward a further step. This time we partner with the established national church, the Baptist Union of Papua New Guinea. Money and mission involve intentional long-term engagement … and it is a joy!

Betty Salisbury served Queensland Baptists with distinction for over 50 years, including missionary service in Bangladesh from 1957 – 1988. On her return from the field, she worked as a bookkeeper with QB, and following her retirement in 1996, went to Papua New Guinea for eight months as a relief bookkeeper. After this she served the Wynnum Baptist Church as leader of the Missions’ team, teacher in the Bethel & Precept Bible Studies and supporting missions and missionaries by raising finances and prayer. Betty, a qualified teacher, served the Bengali and Garo people in evangelism, teaching and administration. She lived through two of the biggest upheavals in the life of Bangladesh, and stayed throughout. The first was the closing of borders between India and East Pakistan, when all ABMS missionaries were withdrawn from their stations and evacuated to Singapore, and a small group (including Betty) stayed in Dacca, keeping in touch with the church leaders and other missions. The second was the Bangladesh War of Independence with its nine months of incredible warfare. Being surrounded by warfare, Betty’s passion remained for seeing God’s purpose fulfilled. Her work as women’s evangelist enabled her to contribute in no small way to an upsurge of spiritual concern among the Garo women in the mid-seventies. At that time she visited village after village, by bicycle and on foot, from the furthest west to the last eastern outpost, while everywhere encouraging people in their faith. During her later years, Betty had a heavy administration role and divided her time between Joyramkura, where she was financial advisor to the hospital, and Dhaka, where she was ABMS field treasurer. She was one of Global Interaction’s longest serving cross-cultural workers and one who was wellloved and admired.

‘And everyone who has given up houses or Geoff Cramb Queensland State Director Global Interaction gcramb@globalinteraction.org.au Office ph: 07 3354 5603 Globalinteraction.org.au

brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life’ (Matthew 19:29 NLT).

10/15

BWAA

the main cash crop on Tanna, but it can take up to three years to gain an income from that. So we’re focusing on peanuts instead. Peanuts are relatively fast-growing, and communities can begin supplying peanuts to local shops on Tanna and in Port Vila for an income,’ he concludes. The help Australians provided through BWAA has made a world of difference for thousands of affected families across Vanuatu just like Rosaline’s. For further information on disaster response in Vanuatu, please visit www.baptistworldaid.org.au or call 1300 789 991.

Vanuatu in recovery September marked six months since Cyclone Pam made landfall on the tropical island nation of Vanuatu. With winds of up to 250 km per hour, the category five cyclone left entire communities in financial ruin. One young mother tells of her horror as she watched both her home and livelihood vanish into the fury of the storm. ‘We lost all hope. Homes, gardens, everything was gone in seconds,’ Rosaline recalls. ‘I was heavily pregnant and during the cyclone I was worried about the health of my baby. But there is hope now. Trees are growing back, houses are being rebuilt, and things are slowly going back to normal. Life can start again. I also thank God every day

for the delivery of a beautiful, healthy girl!’ Thanks to the generosity of Australian supporters, Rosaline and her husband have been able to build a temporary home and re-establish their produce garden. BWAA’s field partner in Vanuatu, Jeffery Lahva from Nasi Tuan, reports on the impact donations have made in the lives of families in the region: ‘We were able to reach over 5,000 households in the initial phase of disaster response. We immediately began by replanting crops to re-establish the food supply. We focused on getting kumara (sweet potato) into the ground as fast as possible. Kumara is a relatively fastgrowing vegetable and can be ready in as little as three months. ‘Our priority now is cash recovery. Families need money for medical care, school fees, uniforms, and the other things that come up. Now we’re working to help people rebuild their livelihoods. Families here depend largely on crop yields, but most of their crops have been wiped out! Coffee is

Nikky and Ann— changed lives In a remote Cambodian village near the border of Thailand, nine year old Nikky smiles happily as she prepares for her day at school. Her mother, Narom, watches on—amazed at the differences she now sees in her child. ‘Before the BWA funded program started work in my village, my family was very poor,’ Narom recalls. ‘We didn’t have enough food to eat. We really wanted to raise chickens, but when they grew up, they always died. Other than doing farming, we didn’t know what else we could do! So my husband decided to climb on the mountain (of the Khmer Thai border) to seek for precious wood which we can sell. He knew that it is illegal to do this and he could be killed. ‘Also, I thought it was not useful to send my children to study because we live in the jungle … so I kept Nikky at home to take care of her siblings. She couldn’t even read.

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Pedal Against Poverty ‘Coast2Coast’ On 31 October, BWAA supporter Michael Osten and a team of cycling enthusiasts will set out from Coolangatta to change the lives of some of the world’s most vulnerable children. ‘There is never going to be a “right time” to do something like this endurance event,’ Michael says. ‘Sometimes you just have to dive in and do it. That’s what I’ve done.’

‘After FH Cambodia (BWA’s Christian partner) came to work in my village, my living conditions became much better. I learned how to raise healthy animals and plant vegetables that I can sell. I’ve learned how to protect ourselves from sickness. We also joined a saving group in my village and I was able to borrow money to start my motorbike repair business, so my husband does not need to [risk his life looking] for illegal wood.’ Twelve-year-old Ann* lives in a small Ugandan village of less than 1000 people. Her school has five teachers, none of them qualified. When her parents were short on cash, she would skip school. ‘I was very shy,’ Ann recalls. ‘I used to fear to talk. My parents did not know about child rights and they would keep me at home where I could not play with others. My father used to drink a lot of alcohol and our family had no knowledge about good farming practices or environmental protection.’ Thankfully for Ann, life improved dramatically when BWAA’s partner, Share An Opportunity Uganda,

established an education and livelihood development program in her village, funded through the Child Sponsorship program. ‘At first I did not take part in any of the activities,’ Ann’s mother recalls. ‘However, I soon joined a self-help saving group and now my husband and I actively participate. Before, I lacked adequate knowledge about hygiene and sanitation and a number of child health issues. I realise I also didn’t take my children’s education seriously. After joining the group, my life has really changed; I now have knowledge on child health, hygiene and sanitation. I feel empowered economically and socially and have also gained knowledge and skills in modern and commercial farming.’ The program has also provided teacher training at the school, career counselling, vocational skills trainings for youth and even radio programs advocating against child rights violations. ‘I feel happy because BWAA has done a lot for us as children,’ Ann adds. ‘I

The Coast2Coast will arrive at Manly Beach on 7 November: it’s a 1,100km ride over eight days. Would you like to support Michael and the team? Every dollar raised from the ride goes directly to BWAA. Please visit www.pedalagainstpoverty.com

now feel confident and can freely talk to my parents whenever I need something. I never sit at home anymore while others are in school. I also see youths in our village learning knitting of sweaters, hair dressing, horticulture and we don’t see authorities picking them up any more for stealing timber from the forest.” When you sponsor a child through BWAA you are helping far more than just one child. Your child sponsorship will help children to change their world! If you would like further information on how you can begin this life transforming journey, please visit www.baptistworldaid.org.au or call 1300 789 991. *Ann’s name has been changed.

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Salt

a s i n e h W L O O H C S E SAF ? e f a s t o n Schools should be a safe place for ALL students. Our children should never fear going to school, or going out at school breaks to play in the playground because someone is determined to make their lives miserable. The reasons that kids get bullied are varied but include: • • • • • • • •

wearing glasses not being in the ‘cool’ group being over or underweight body image belonging to a different race or religion coming from a different socioeconomic background identifying as gay or lesbian having a disability.

In 2013, then Minister for Finance and Deregulation, Penny Wong, announced an $8million federally funded program called the Safe Schools Coalition, to address bullying of students who identify as gay, lesbian and transgender. This program is now in approximately

400 primary and high schools around Australia. But this program is much more than an anti-bullying program. It provides students with radical sex education which is entirely age-inappropriate, particularly in online resources, and it promotes potentially harmful practices. Teachers at ‘Safe Schools’ are instructed to ‘integrate gender diversity and sexual diversity across every area of the curriculum’. http://www. safeschoolscoalition.org.au/uploads/ bcc26a996bc80c181a71097f592ce984. pdf Parents around the country are alarmed but seem powerless to stop the rollout. A Queensland Parliament petition calling on that government to stop the rollout of the radical program is the largest current Queensland Parliament petition. The great irony of the Queensland petition is that its

original wording was censored by the Clerk of the Parliament because it contained ‘intemperate language’. The language was a direct quote from the Minus18 resource that is promoted in the safe schools curriculum. https:// minus18.org.au/index.php/sex-love/ item/109-doing-it The Clerk of the Parliament advised: ‘In accordance with Standing Orders petitions “must be respectful, decorous and temperate and not contain any unparliamentary language or otherwise offend any rule or practice of the House”. The content is not allowed on the Queensland Parliament website because it is offensive, but our Federal and State governments have deemed it to be acceptable for our young children. ‘Safe Schools’ are encouraged to allow children with transgender feelings to use the uniform, toilets and change rooms for the sex of their choice, http://www. safeschoolscoalition.org.au/uploads/6 7bcaee23b6cd8036e402aa33e4e4490. pdf to display prominent posters

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depicting same-sex relationships, transgenderism, bisexuality and intersexuality in corridors and classrooms, and to make sure the ‘OMG I’m Queer’ and ‘OMG My Friend’s Queer’ booklets are readily available through the welfare department and in other visible spaces such as the front office, library and common rooms. http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org.au/uploads/ bcc26a996bc80c181a71097f592ce984.pdf On discrimination, Safe Schools advises that, ‘Discrimination is not allowed, even if your school discriminates without meaning to. An example of this might be not allowing a student to stay in a particular room at school camp’. http:// www.safeschoolscoalition.org.au/uploads/67bcaee23b6cd8036 e402aa33e4e4490.pdf Safe Schools Coalition resources are primarily provided by Minus18. The Safe Schools coalition asks children to check if they can access the Minus18 website at school and to speak to someone if it’s blocked, effectively asking school principals to bypass the education firewall which is there to keep our children safe from accessing inappropriate content at school. http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org.au/uploads/67bcaee23b6c d8036e402aa33e4e4490.pdf page 18 Minus18 advises young girls on how to bind their chest if they do not want to develop, or if they want to hide the fact that they are developing. https://minus18.org.au/index.php/ resources/sexuality-info/item/441-how-to-bind-your-chest STIs are referred to and explained as not being as terrible as you may have expected … ‘in fact it’s not terrible at all’. https://minus18.org.au/index.php/sex-love/item/513-so-yougot-an-sti-now-what? Research has established that there is a connection between early exposure to sexual content and intimacy disorders, highrisk sexual activities, sexual violence and sexual misconduct, and also in becoming a victim of sexual violence. Please join the growing call for the Federal Government to defund the program and for the State Governments to stop the rollout. Schools should be safe for ALL students.

Q CCC

DISCOVER QCCC TAMBORINE Situated in the beautiful Gold Coast Hinterland, we have 4 venues that would be perfect for hosting your next family camp, youth retreat or men’s and women’s getaways. From delicious meals to comfortable accommodation, we have everything to provide your guests with a memorable experience.

What can you do? • • •

Contact the Queensland State Education Minister, Hon Kate Jones education@ministerial.qld.gov.au Contact your local State Member Contact the Federal Education Minister, Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham senator.birmingham@aph.gov.au

Please act quickly! And if you would like more information, please email me. Wendy Francis wendy.francis@acl.org.au

QUEENSLAND CONFERENCE AND CAMPING CENTRES

www.qccc.com.au bookings@tamborine.qccc.com.au 07 5545 1417

10/15

Persecution brief

thomas koch / Shutterstock.com

Please pray!

Millions of Christians around the world today are facing persecution for their faith in Jesus Christ. Some are disowned by their families, others are tortured or imprisoned, others are sent away from their homes, and sometimes they even face death. For the past 20 years, OpenDoors has compiled a list of the top 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian. This list has been reprinted with permission. For more information, visit www.opendoors.org.au

THE 2015 WORLD WATCH LIST EXTREME PERSECUTION

SEVERE PERSECUTION

INTENSE PERSECUTION

MODERATE PERSECUTION

1. North Korea 2. Somalia 3. Iraq 4. Syria 5. Afghanistan

6. Sudan 7. Iran 8. Pakistan 9. Eritrea 10. Nigeria 11. Maldives 12. Saudi Arabia 13. Libya 14. Yemen 15. Uzbekistan 16. Vietnam 17. Central African Republic 18. Qatar 19. Kenya 20. Turkmenistan 21. India 22. Ethiopia 23. Egypt

24. Djibouti 25. Myanmar 26. Palestinian Territories 27. Brunei 28. Laos 29. China 30. Jordan 31. Bhutan 32. Comoros 33. Tanzania 34. Algeria 35. Colombia 36. Tunisia 37. Malaysia 38. Mexico 39 Oman 40. Mali 41. Turkey 42. Kazakhstan 43. Bangladesh 44. Sri Lanka

45. Tajikistan 46. Azerbaijan 47. Indonesia 48. Mauritania 49. United Arab Emirates 50. Kuwait

The voice

Reviews: Books, DVDs, Music

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DVD: 23 Blast $24.99 at Koorong

www.qb.org.au 5/08/2015 4:52 pm

Spread the word! Do you pass on your copy of The qb after you’ve read it? Why not extend its reach and pass it on to a friend, take it when you visit someone, or leave it where it might be picked up and read. Or order extra copies to add to your welcome packs for visitors to your church. It’s a great resource for demonstrating what being a part of Queensland Baptists is all about. And if you have friends or acquaintances overseas, don’t forget they can read The qb online at qb.org.au/news-media/

23 Blast is based on the amazing true story of high school football star, Travis Freeman. In the fall of 1997, Freeman was unexpectedly stricken with an infection that left him with total, irreversible blindness. Travis showed true bravery, determination, and unshakeable Christian faith by returning to the sport he loved, and helping his team go on to become champions.

Book: Hiding in the Light Rifqa Bary $18.99 at Koorong Hiding in the Light is the story of Rifqa’s remarkable spiritual journey from Islam to Christianity. It is also the untold story of how she ran from her father’s threats to find refuge with strangers in Florida, only to face a controversial court case that reached national headlines. Most of all, it is the story of a young girl who made lifechanging sacrifices to follow Jesus–and who inspires us to do the same.

www.koorong.com

Book: Counter Culture David Platt $18.99 at Koorong Too often Christians pick and choose which social causes they are willing to engage in based on what our culture deems ‘fashionable’ while remaining silent on others out of discomfort or fear of personal persecution. But the Bible makes it abundantly clear that is not what Christ’s followers are called to do. In Counter Culture, New York Times bestselling author David Platt redefines social justice from a biblical standpoint and makes a compelling case for why Christians are called to fully and actively surrender themselves to every cause—regardless of personal cost or consequence. Drawing heavily on Scripture and compelling personal accounts from around the world, Platt presents a pointed yet winsome call for readers to faithfully follow Christ in countercultural ways—ways that will prove both costly and rewarding for the contemporary church.

CD: As Family We Go Rend Collective $21.99 at Koorong Modern-day Irish psalmists, Rend Collective, present their fifth studio album. These brilliant, upbeat worship songs were created to engage listeners and bring them closer to God. The first single ‘You Will Never Run’ has already performed well in the R&R National Christian Audience charts in the US. This deluxe edition features 16 songs, including five great bonus tracks!

10/15

Reviews: Books, DVDs, Music Dr. E G Gibson. From the sub-title, A Testament of Devotion, to the concluding section, the author’s warm appreciation for his former principal shines through.

BOOK: Glimpses of Glory Mark Ingram $15, postage included contact Mark (see below)

Mark Ingram studied at the Baptist Theological College of Queensland (now Malyon) for a period during the time when Dr E G Gibson was principal (1967–82). Dr Gibson was born 27 June 1915—this year marks the centenary of his birth. Another of Malyon’s esteemed past principals, and retired QB accredited minister, Stan Nickerson, offers this review of Mark’s book. Glimpses of Glory is the author’s tribute to his revered Queensland Baptist Theological College Principal,

After an Introduction by the author, the opening section, covering some 30 pages, presents short sketches of Gibson’s life, influence, and thought. These chapters include many quotations from Gibson’s writings and reminiscences from students who also studied under him. The main section is a reprint of 13 articles which were first published in The Australian Baptist in 1977. These focus on various aspects of the Holy Spirit’s activities, especially in a Christian’s life. They do not pretend to present a complete theology of God’s Spirit but are selected facets of the part the Holy Spirit plays in God’s dealings with people. Gibson’s doctoral thesis had been on the Holy Spirit and the topic remained a continuing central focus in his writing and lecturing.

The final part of the book consists of a month of daily readings from Gibson’s writings with appropriate prayers by the author. It is a series of devotionals with particular reference to the role of faith. Glimpses of Glory is a book to warm the spirit. It is an insight into the spirituality of an important figure in Australian evangelical history and will both inform and encourage the reader. It could be of particular interest to anyone who knew Ted Gibson. Stan Nickerson Mark Ingram is keen to locate notes or material particularly from the Department of Leadership Studies (DLS) and a paper, Our Joy in Christ. Mark would also like to hear recollections and testimonials to Dr Gibson’s influence upon their lives and ministries. Email Mark at the.ingrams@ iinet.net.au or phone 0412 274 559.

COMPETITION Heritage Films’ new release, ‘Believe Me’ available on VOD/DVD on 4 November 2015 is a comedy/drama. No one can say ‘no’ to smart, handsome and charming college senior, Sam. But when a surprise tuition bill leaves him thousands of dollars in the hole, Sam is forced to think outside the box. Convincing his three roommates they can make a killing exploiting the gullible church crowd, the guys start a sham charity and begin campaigning across the country, raising funds for a cause as fake as their message. But when Callie, the object of Sam’s affections, discovers their ruse, it’s Sam’s moment, alone in the spotlight, to decide what he really believes.

Email qb@qb.org.au with ‘Believe Me’ in the subject line, and you could win a copy of ‘Believe Me’. CONGRATULATIONS to winners of the competition in the August issue: Louise, Roslyn, Nigel & Karissa. We trust you enjoy viewing ‘Freedom’, kindly provided by Di and the team at Heritage Films. www.themoviefreedom.com

Nick Riddel, youth pastor and worship leader at Kenmore Baptist Church, has a heart to represent Jesus to this world. He has recently recorded his first worship EP called ‘This is Jesus’. Nick has a desire to see his songs reveal the nature and character of God, and inspire a generation to passionately seek His presence. ‘I was able to record five original worship songs that I’d love to share with the Church here in Queensland,’ Nick says. iTunes reviewers have said about Nick’s songs, ‘With the amount of worship music available nowadays, Nick’s songs are a fresh outlook on worship. Honest and to the point, with an interesting new sound, bringing all the more glory to Jesus.’ Another review read, ‘These are some really heartfelt songs! Nick has done a great job making them not only enjoyable to listen to but they also deliver such awesome messages. I’ve been listening to them non-stop since I got the EP! Can’t wait to hear more from Nick!’ You can get in contact with Nick or get a copy of Nick’s EP through his website www. nickriddel.com where you can purchase a hard copy for $10 or follow the link through to the digital download on iTunes.

qb.org.au

Fun zone

Sudoku Challenge

Creative Caption

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.

Win a Koorong Gift Voucher

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

We loved this clever photo! It’s that ‘… bit of fun and shenanigans’ after Project X in Dalby (see Around the regions) recently. What’s your clever caption? Submit it via Email: admin@qb.org.au or post: PO Box 6166 Mitchelton Q 4053. And, if you have a great photo that needs a clever caption, send it to admin@qb.org.au or snail mail.

Your entry could win a Koorong gift voucher. Don’t forget to include your full name and contact details. Name

She’s back! Look for Lucy!

Address

We’ve heard from some of our readers that Little Lucy has been missed. So she’s back … hiding somewhere in this issue.

Solution: 08/15 Congratulations to Denise White and Antonette Gray a $30 Koorong voucher is coming your way!

We especially liked this feedback: ‘I just wanted to share a little story with you. About four years ago, we intentionally added fun into the life of our church. One thing we have done every month, without fail, is every time The qb magazine is delivered, the very next Sunday we hand a magazine out to everyone at our Sunday Service and when I say ‘go!’ the whole congregation race to see who can find Lucy first. It is always a time of laughter, fun and celebration. Thank you for your magazine and thanks to Lucy for bringing us many smiles and much laughter over the years. We do miss Lucy, but we also understand that The qb magazine is not all about us.’ We’re sure you’ll also have fun locating Lucy! Welcome back, LL!

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

10/15

Discipleship

Living missionally in a flat and spikey world

PART ONE Gary Nelson, President and Vice Chancellor at Tyndale University College & Seminary (Toronto, Canada) will be the special guest speaker at QB Convention, 5–8 April 2016. I travelled to China when I was serving as the General Secretary for Canadian Baptists. It was a wonderful time of cultural and political engagement. One particular joy was the conversations I had with the Chinese official who accompanied us. He was a graduate of the University of California, Berkley, with a PhD in economics. We found ourselves in constant dialogue about the relative merits of economic systems and the idea of globalization.

One day, during our conversation, he chuckled and said, ‘You North Americans thought globalization was a great idea as long as you were the ones setting the rules. Now things are shifting. Markets in India and China are growing. You aren’t so sure anymore. The rules have changed. You no longer control them and globalization doesn’t look so inviting now’. Then he told me a Chinese proverb: ‘When the window is opened the fresh air comes in, but so do the bugs.’ This proverb and encounter illustrates a critical issue we face, culturally and missionally, in the 21st century. While church literature of the last

decades obsesses over concepts such as Postmodernism, the end of Christendom and the development of the missional mindset, we may have missed the point altogether. The most critical issue shaping the Church today is the reality of a globalized world and the complex implications this strange new world has brought about. We live in a shrinking and flattening world that is inescapable. Governments attempt to legislate restrictions but the influences are unavoidable. When the banking or economic systems fall apart somewhere else in the globe, we feel the pain. When governments fail to deal with their debts or their lack of political consensus, we are

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affected. When a chicken gets flu in Thailand it impacts the global poultry market. With borderless ‘virtually’ connected worlds of social media and internet capabilities, you can create movements, influence decisions and access resources once inaccessible. This is our world and, frankly, we have been given very little training in how to navigate its strange new trails. Thomas Friedman called it a ‘flat’ world and his writings are profoundly optimistic in their tone. In truth, he may have overestimated the goodness of a shrinking world. The reality is that a globalized world is both flat and ‘spikey.’ Remember—‘when the window is opened, the cool air comes in, but so do the bugs’. The flat world is not kind for cocoa growers in Ghana who have to destroy their annual crops because Nestles decided that their prices were not competitive with the subsidized beans grown in Brazil. It is still spiky for coffee growers in Kenya where it seems that luscious green hills of coffee beans go on forever. They are only allowed to export raw coffee beans because trade tariffs limit the export of instant or even roasted coffee from Kenya. Kenyan farmers must accept far less for the raw, green beans than they could get if they processed the beans before export. This is an outrage, but what can you do when the rules are set against you? A flat world creates a street like the one that I live near, in what is considered to be one of the multicultural cities in the world—Toronto. On this street, a Baptist church stands next to a large influential mosque, and just down the street from a Jewish

Discipleship

synagogue. Interfaith dialogue in that context is not just a good idea—it is an imperative need.

In our next issue, Gary will expand on five suggested attitude checks needed for effective navigation and faithful living:

Globalization, in the little church I attend in my neighbourhood, means that of the 100 people in attendance, there are at least 15 cultural groups who bring their different backgrounds and experiences into the life we live together. Competing stories, lived experiences and a diversity of socio economic status make for a church life that is complex and difficult.

1. Get over it! You are living in a world that will never return to the way it was

‘When the window is opened the fresh air comes in, but so do the bugs.’ Complexity dictates a much more integrated life of character and virtue for the faithful follower of Jesus Christ. It requires a call to discipleship that connects Sunday to Monday in faithful living that is a seven day a week experience. Only this kind of dissident faithfulness makes sense in a world that increasingly challenges us at the foundation of all we believe and do.

2. Watch the gaps! We are living in a world where differences and gaps are more pronounced 3. Learn to have conversations! We are living in a time when dialogue between faiths and cultures is not just a good idea but a necessity 4. Learn to live on the edge! The church is no longer at the centre, and that may be a good thing 5. Find the compass points for navigating and negotiating the journey. Gary Nelson These themes are more deeply explored in Gary’s books published by Chalice Press. Borderland Churches: A Congregation’s Introduction to Missional Living, Going Global: A Congregation’s Introduction to Mission Beyond our Borders and his latest published this year, Leading in DisOrienting Times: Navigating Change in Churches and Organizations.

Father God

Perfect condition —please take Merryn and I have a friend named Ali. We got to know Ali when she joined our Friday night prayer group looking for support during her battle with cancer. She soon became a friend, started praying herself, and began discovering who God is. Ali’s taste in fashion and furnishing is exotic. Her flat is filled with fairies, feathers, crystals, and cheap-butclassy antiques. Browsing an antique shop one day, Ali came across a beautiful old Singer-style sewing machine—the manual kind, mounted on a table with a foot pedal. ‘God,’ she prayed, ‘I’d love something like that for my place’. God is a gift-giving God. He gives us food and joy, sunshine and rain, forgiveness and eternal life, the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus compares God the Father to earthly parents. If they—even though they’re fallen and selfish—know how to give their children good things, how much more so does God? Jesus wants us to know that as we pray for guidance or for a need to be met, our Father hears us. But still, there’s a world of difference between asking God for a need and for an old sewing machine, don’t you think? Ali wasn’t praying for food, rent money, world peace, or even eternal salvation. Her request was a childlike wish to a God she was just becoming acquainted with. I’m not even sure how serious her prayer was. A couple of days after her visit to the antique shop, Ali walked out her front door on her way to work and saw a pile of junk by the roadside. She stopped in amazement. There in front of her stood a beautiful old Singer-style sewing machine—the manual kind, mounted on a table with a foot pedal. On it hung a sign that read: ‘Perfect condition—please take.’ Adapted from Resilient: Your Invitation to a Jesus-Shaped Life by Sheridan Voysey. Available at Koorong, Resilient launches worldwide on Wednesday 21 October.

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Father God

Based on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, Resilient is a journey of 90 readings designed to recalibrate the callings, relationships, spiritual practices and life choices of readers. For more information, visit sheridanvoysey.com/resilient ‘These attractive reflections are compassionate, personal, view-altering, and priority-shaking. Sheridan Voysey is warm and sage, but unafraid to call you out. We are all benefitting from the work Jesus’ Sermon has done on him!’ (Greg Clarke, CEO, Bible Society Australia). ‘The crowd who climbed that day to hear Jesus preach were not just blessed with a mountain-top vista, but a view into the very heart of God’s message of love. Anyone who has climbed a mountain knows the importance of a good guide, and in Resilient Sheridan Voysey, with wisdom and clarity, guides the reader to the heights of Jesus teaching, and invites us to drink in the glorious view’ (Mark Sayers, author of Facing Leviathan, The Road Trip That Changed the World, and Pastor of Red Church).

‘So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him’ (Matthew 7:11 NLT).

Merryn and I lost a friend this week. We first met Ali as she was battling ovarian cancer. We watched her fight that battle with remarkable perseverance, cheer, even cheekiness. And at first it looked like she’d won. But after a three-year reprieve another round came. Ali again fought hard, with joy as much as medical treatment. She called her numerous hospital visits ‘gallivants’, she christened her portable oxygen machine ‘Vera’ and dressed it in feathers; she stayed grateful and positive all the way through, taking smiling selfies from her hospital bed. But on Friday Ali left us. And how her family and friends miss her now. I was putting the finishing touches on my next book last week. And as it happens, I had written a story into it about Ali. I still remember the Friday night she recounted this event to us. Ali discovered a God who hears each prayer we whisper, and helped us learn a little more to trust him. Ali. We miss you. But we will see you again—Sheridan Voysey

Subscription Form 2015 Order by phone: 07 3354 5633 - Payment via credit card. OR Complete this form and post back: The qb Editor, PO Box 6166 Mitchelton QLD 4053 Australia Price: 1 Year $19.50 (GST inclusive) Personal Details Rev / Dr / Mr / Mrs / Ms / Miss (circle) Name

FISHERS OF MEN Fishers of Men(FoM) is a registered, non-denominational charity, operating in Brisbane and Logan for over 10 years. Bobby Mearns, founding Pastor was a heroin addict for 20+ years and was saved through the ministry of Jackie Pullinger in Hong Kong. FoM provides: food/ food parcels/ clothes and blankets at meetings for homeless held twice a week (free) and furniture for people setting up house (free). •

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A mobile street van service for Logan twice a week, Fri and Sat nights Residential Christ focussed rehab, turning men from addiction to Christ For further info please visit www.fishersofmen.org.au or call (07) 3341 0160.

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GLADSTONE BAPTIST CHURCH SENIOR PASTOR Gladstone Baptist Church is seeking a Senior Pastor to facilitate, direct and develop the ministries of the church. The successful applicant will lead a ministry team including an Associate Pastor, Pastoral Assistants, office staff and a team of ministry volunteers. GBC is a vibrant, growing and contemporary congregation of 400+ people. Our vision is to “Be the family of God and Bring Others into the Family of God” in our local community, nation and world through the ministries we operate or support. One of the major ministries of the church is its Christian school, Trinity College, which shares the same premises. The college provides a quality education for kindergarten to Year 12 students and is growing and thriving. It presently has 330 students. Gladstone is a major Central Queensland export hub creating unique opportunities to witness and share the power of God to a wide variety of people. If you: • are a proven leader, able to motivate and develop teams to meet the vision and mission of a large regional church • are eligible for pastoral registration by Qld Baptists • believe God is calling you to this ministry opportunity Please contact the Pastoral Search Team, Louise or Karen on phone (07) 4979 2260 or email louise@gladbap.org.au for an information pack.

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POSITIONS VACANT

ACCOMMODATION BRISBANE: House available as a ministry for missionaries and church workers on the move. Three bedrooms, single garage, fully furnished, everything provided. Transport at the door. Minimal rent. Email: gtho4536@bigpond.net.au

NORTHERN BEACHES CONNECTIONS LEAD MINISTER Northern Beaches Connections (NBC) is seeking a Lead Minister for 4 days per week. The god- appointed applicant will be welcomed to lead a united and supportive Leadership team; a dedicated team of Ministry leaders and a vibrant, growing congregation of 80-100 people. We are mission focussed and passionate about reaching out to families and youth in the rapidly expanding, suburbs of the Northern Beaches of Townsville (where we are based). NBC is known in the community for its outreach and community focus, with regular Sundays dedicated to serving and connecting with the community in the community. We take the church outside the building! Our vision is to ‘have the courage to move beyond the visible’ inspired by 2 Cor 4: 16-18. If you feel called to find out more about our communityfocussed, mission-minded church please visit our web page www.northernbeachesconnections.org, the face book page and email Meg Watts (Secretary, Pastoral Search Team) pastoralsearch@northernbeachesconnections.org.

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. NORTH BRISBANE: ‘Riverviews at Griffin’ Self contained unit style waterfront accommodation, $130/night. Phone Helen Gynther 0400 832 614 or email helen@moretonmusic.com www.facebook.com/riverviewsbnb.

FOR SALE THE CHRISTMAS EXPERIENCE, BY CITY ON A HILL: 3 x Small Group Study, includes DVD’s, Leader’s Guide and Participants Guide - $30 (normally $69.99) 100 x Extra Participant Guides (new) - $4 (normally $9.95) Contact Hervey Bay Baptist Church office on 4124 7200.

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

CHANCELLOR PARK COMMUNITY CHURCH PART-TIME ASSOCIATE PASTOR Chancellor Park Community Church is seeking a part-time Associate Pastor (3 days per week). Chancellor Park was planted in 1998 and currently meets in a school hall adjacent to the University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. We are a community-based church with a multi-age membership, and are a part of the Queensland Baptists. The position will start in 2016, at 3 days per week. We are looking for someone who has a passion for, and giftedness in discipleship and growing small groups. The position will include the sharing of teaching and pastoral care. Please send expressions of interest to info@cpcc.org.au. We will then send out a full position description and application form.

JP MASTER JEWELLER

Five day turn around on REPAIRS. Brisbane area. Call Jack m. 0401 584 879.

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

INTEGRITY TRAVEL

Book all of your holidays and travel with Integrity Travel and help missions. Tours & specials at www.integritytravel.com.au Ph 07 3863 1007 for more information and bookings.

LIVE the life you

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Ageing doesn’t mean it’s time to stop doing the things you love. We’re here to support you to live the life you love. Carinity Home Care supports you in setting and achieving your goals for a rich and joyful life. Carinity Home Care is so much more than just personal care or help around home. With Carinity, you set the agenda. If you want to get out and be active, participate in exercise classes, work in the garden or enjoy social events, we’ll make it happen. If you want to cook your favourite foods, see a movie, go shopping or go to church, we’ll be there for you. Whatever you want to get out of your life, we’ll support you to achieve it. Of course, along with an enriched lifestyle, we provide basic support and care to keep you happy, healthy and safe at home. Our Lifestyle Carers can assist with personal care, arrange nursing and allied health services, prepare meals, provide transport and do basic cleaning – we can help with whatever you need.

Call us on 1300 722 890 or visit www.carinity.org.au for more information.