QB Magazine, Ocober 2018 by Queensland Baptists

QB MAGAZINE THE VOICE OF QUEENSLAND BAPTISTS | OCT/NOV 18

Health Check for our Churches Part 5

Sensing God – Hearing

Generosity isn’t just about money, but that should scare us

Print post approved ISSN: 100003837 | The Queensland Baptist - first published in 1890. This series Vol 16 Issue 5. | qb.org.au

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QB MINISTRIES 20

QCCC Why Triballink matters

QB Women Anew Conference 2018

QB Archives Tampering with your history

CONTENTS

30 Carinity Glendyne educating youths for 20 years 32

Malyon Faith in the family

Baplink Xerocon 2018

ARTICLES 23

Forgiven in God’s sight

Belief and faith

Sensing God Series

Drought in Queensland

Generosity isn’t just

about money, but that

should scare us

19 REGULARS 4 From the Acting General Superintendent 7

God moments

Knowing God Series

Speaking out: Peter Francis

Baptisms

Around the regions

18 Milestones

Reviews

Persecution brief

Fun zone

Classifieds

QB PARTNERS 38

34 BWAA Southern Indian state struck by monsoon floods 36

Global Interaction Out and about

Cover Photo: Celebration at Anew conference 2018 - Mapleton

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FROM THE ACTING GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT

Stepping Up Walking in Love

Some of my best childhood holidays were the ones where we went to the beach. I have clear childhood memories of following my dad as we walked along the shoreline at Fraser Island. I recall trying to walk in the impression that his footsteps left in the moist sand. My aim was to carefully place my feet in the marks left by my father, so that I left no marks of my own. It was not easy! To do this I had to concentrate and be very deliberate. I recollect that it was awkward. I felt unbalanced as I stretched my stride to match his,

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and tried to land my feet precisely into each of his foot prints. I am reminded of this childhood experience as I read the words of the Apostle Peter when he said, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” 1 Peter 2:21 It seems to me that following in the steps of Jesus is often awkward, unbalancing and requires both our attention and our deliberate action!

As I wrote in the last edition of the QB Magazine I believe that we as a movement will have an impact in our communities when we follow three key steps or directions of Jesus. Over the next editions I want to focus briefly on each of these steps that we as followers are to walk in, as we follow Jesus and His example: Stepping up – walking in love. Stepping in – walking in unity. Stepping out – walking in good works.

“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” 1 Peter 2:21

In reply to the religious leader’s question, “who is my neighbour?” Jesus tells the parable of the good Samaritan and unpacks what radial other person grace-filled love looks like. As I reflect on the message of the parable of the Good Samaritan as an example of how we are to love our neighbours, I see some parallels with the National Redress Scheme for victims of institutional child sexual abuse as a tangible expression of loving our neighbour. It could be applied in the following ways: •

Despite being totally unrelated to the victim, from a separate group and under no obvious obligation to assist, the Samaritan showed love and care when those who should have cared did not.

•

The Samaritan was not involved in the wrong that was committed, yet took responsibility as a fellow human being to address the consequences of the wicked actions of others.

•

The Samaritan was motivated by compassion and demonstrated love in a tangible way by providing redress for the victim in the form of wine, oil and dressing for his wounds.

•

The Samaritan, at his own expense, aided the recuperation of the victim by contributing financially to his ongoing recovery.

As we consider participating in the National Redress Scheme for victims of institutional child sexual abuse I think that this scheme provides us an opportunity to follow in Jesus’ steps by showing radial grace filled love and to “go and do likewise” in loving our neighbours. For more information on the National Redress Scheme go to www.nationalredress.gov.au or for QB specific resources, visit www.qb.org.au. MINISTRY MATTERS The Regional Consultancy team have been blessed to have the assistance of Col Peaker to fill in while Pieter Henning and Stephen Ball have consecutively taken some well-earned Long Service Leave. Col has graciously agreed to work with the RC team until early November 2018.

Walking in Love Luke 10:25-37 records a conversation that Jesus had with a religious leader who wanted to know what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus affirmed a response that reiterated two great commandments: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’”

The Queensland Baptists Board had their annual retreat in August and dedicated the entire time to processing and considering the information received through the denominational review processes. Please uphold the Board in prayer as they seek God’s best for the future and consider the next steps in the consultative discernment process.

Stewart Pieper Acting General Superintendent stewart.pieper@qb.org.au

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QB MAGAZINE

FROM THE EDITOR

THE VOICE OF QUEENSLAND BAPTISTS

The qb is a member of the Australasian Religious Press Association, published bi-monthly by Queensland Baptist Services Group in February, April, June, August, October and December. Editor: Linda Nevell Design: Shell Graphix Print: Printcraft This magazine is printed with soy based inks and paper from sustainable forest plantations. We welcome reader feedback and opinions about our articles. Remember to include your full name, email and postal addresses.

Some great stories have emerged from the QB women’s Anew conferences run by a dedicated and creative team, led by Cathy Knechtli. The series of events ran across Queensland, including regional areas. Thank you to everyone who supported Anew and contributed to another successful and blessed year of women’s ministry. We have included a variety of photos from the events, and more photos are also available on the QB magazine blog (www.qbmagazine.org.au). In this issue, Stewart Pieper (Acting General Superintendent) addresses important points raised by the National Redress Scheme for survivors of child sexual abuse in institutions, using Christian and biblical contexts (Stepping Up Walking in Love). We also have part five of the National Church Life Survey (NCLS) data. Sally Contessi explores the views of children in QB churches, and the positive impact of kid’s ministry (Health Check for our Churches).

Due to popular demand, we are introducing a “Letters to the Editor” section in future issues. We would love to hear your opinions and views on the stories in the magazine, or any comments from the local churches. Please email marketing@ qb.org.au or post to - Letters to the Editor, PO BOX 6166, Mitchelton, QLD 4053. Thank you to all our ministries and churches who supply articles and news each issue, we appreciate your support of the magazine and look forward to receiving your valuable contributions. God Bless,

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

Articles and advertising in The qb express the opinions of the authors, not necessarily the editor or publishers. Every effort is made to ensure the correctness of facts and information however we cannot accept responsibility for errors. The publishers reserve the right to accept or decline any advertising. Deadline for advertisement and copy: 10th of the month prior to the month of publication. 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/newsmedia. 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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Advertise in The qb It’s affordable and effective! Contact us for details and pricing. P 07 3354 5600 marketing@qb.org.au

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LIONEL (TED) BULL Humble me Lord and break me I pray Oh such is the prayer I have prayed day by day Hone me and polish me into your jewel Empty me, fill me, and use me your tool. My prayer has been earnest I felt so sincere Not knowing the process I harboured no fear The goal that I strived for, to be like my Lord In my faith and my foolishness warnings ignored. I’ve often lamented “I don’t understand, was this situation allowed by Your hand?” That person, that attitude, words such a blow Is it true they’re your instruments bringing me low? ‘Mould me and break me Lord,’ easy to say Why failed I to recognise steps on the way Complaining, condemning, I cringed from your shears That would prune me, mature me, beyond all my years. How often I’ve prayed that prayer, ‘break down my will’ Whilst longing in secret for each earthly thrill I’ve tried to manipulate, god even you! But now I surrender Lord, make me anew. Please use whatsoever it takes to transform This person make whole, to your image conform In your strength may the process, and also the pain, Give birth to humility, life’s blessed gain. Humble me Lord, and break me I pray Help me to understand steps on the way Remake me and fill me with songs to your praise In humility serving you all of my days.

My Trusted Friend RAEWYN ROXBURGH Thank you for being my friend – I can tell you anything that is on my heart – You are there no matter what Life brings. You were there from the start – You pick up the pieces – You are there To discipline – Placing Hope in my life. You, I can lean on – We can laugh together – Cry together – We can spend so much time together – Best of all we will never be apart. You are My true friend – My loving supporter – The love of my life! Thank you Jesus!

WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE YOUR OWN “GOD MOMENT”? It can be a poem, short story, testimony or quote. Please email your entries to qb@ qb.org.au or post to PO Box 6166 Mitchelton Q 4053. Every published entry will win a $30 Koorong gift voucher.

god moments

Humble Me Lord

KNOWING GOD

HEALTH CHECK FOR OUR CHURCHES PART 5

BY SALLY CONTESSI – TEAM LEADER - QB KIDS & THEIR FAMILIES RAISING THE NEXT GENERATION In 2016, our QB churches took part in the National Church Life Survey (NCLS). Children in our churches, aged 8-14 were encouraged to take part in the survey, and the answers given have been insightful into the experience of children within our churches. Their answers have helped paint a picture of how our children understand God, their relationship with Him, and where they fit in our faith communities.

WHAT DID THE SURVEY TELL US? The children who responded to the survey overall represented an even cohort of ages and gender. Most children (84%) reported being ‘happy with their lives as a whole’ and ‘firmly believe in the existence of God’ (92%). Children also report high levels of engagement with God and the Church (see infographic) Role models for children consist of both the family and church circle. See the infographic for the top 4 role models in following Jesus’. Additional role models were older adults in the church, grandparents and other leaders in the church. These statistics are encouraging to read. They give us affirmations that we are helping most children within our churches know who God is, that there are others around who

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follow Him – and they can have fun while they learn about Him. This is a wonderful place to start. These answers reveal that these children feel confident in acknowledging that God is real, and that church is a place where they feel welcome.

a personal, committed relationship with Him, is that children need our help.

Although 83% of children agree that ‘prayer helps me a lot’, only 51% feel confident enough to pray on their own. Just 19% of these children would talk to their school friends about God or Jesus, and less than a quarter (23%) of children report families often talking about doubts or worries about their faith.

Ivy Beckwith, author of Post Modern Children’s Ministry, says that children - especially young children who cannot think in abstract constructs yet -have ‘a vague idea of the world outside of themselves, and a vague form of who God is.’ Beckwith states that ‘what they know is what is in front of them: what is real to them.’ Children understand what they can experience. Our children are still discovering the world around them, how they fit into it and where they belong. They need our help to see God at work in the world around them. They need our help to pray and talk to God when they cannot see or hear Him. They need our help to read God’s words. (That’s why it’s so encouraging to see that 70% of children report often reading the Bible with their families at home!) They need our help to learn to repent from sin, even when they don’t see the seriousness of their sin. They need our help to find their place is God’s family, and they need our encouragement to use their gifts to serve Him. If we want our children to know God’s grace, we must demonstrate His grace.

What we should read from these statistic disparities is not an inconsistency in belief and behaviour. What we should read in these disparities between ‘knowing who God is’ and having markers of

Our children need to experience faith with older people as guides. Then, as they get older, our children need to be affirmed in their capabilities as they contribute to the mission of God.

Further reading into these statistics and responses, however, reveals that while most children know who God is, and that church is the gathering of His people, children feel less confident in describing their personal relationship with Him for themselves.

While 85% of children answer that the Bible is ‘helpful to their life’, only 51% report reading it on their own.

They need to be shown grace in failure to gain confidence in their own relationship with Jesus, and they need authentic mentors from whom they can ask tough questions. We know that one of the main reasons young people are leaving the church today is a lack of engagement, with doubts on the big faith issues that they face. So, practically then -

HOW CAN WE RESPOND? As churches of Queensland Baptists, committed to raising the next generation of Jesus-followers, we need to prioritise our ministry to and with children. Not only our ‘children’s ministry programs’, but our ministry to and with young people, wherever they are in our churches. The QB NCLS results, and other similar studies, prove over and over again – our children don’t just need great programs given to them, they need people to walk the faith journey with them. Most of all, our children need people – of all ageswho will 1. Model following Jesus everyday by practicing what it is we desire to see in their lives. Children need to see and experience it to understand it. 2. Welcome them as members of God’s family who truly belong. People who will help them find their place in the family of God as one who really matters and can contribute in a meaningful way. 3. Be honest about their own walks with Jesus, with real discussion about the tough issues of following Jesus. People who can share their struggles, their failures and sin – and how to bring these things to Jesus. 4. Affirm their capabilities, efforts to serve and their place in God’s family, even when they fail. These commitments are to be true of our incredible Sunday school teachers who help our children know God. They are to be true of our children’s pastors, of our parents, of our pastors and those closest to the children. But these commitments can also be made by the wider body of the church family- because, ultimately, it is the whole village’s job to raise the child, and it is the whole church community’s role to raise the next generation.

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SPEAKING OUT

As you look back over your journey of life I wonder how readily you can identify some of the seminal moments – those moments which have significantly changed the whole trajectory of your life? We’ve all had those moments. Perhaps it was the moment when we first laid eyes on that person who is now our life’s partner! I well remember when I first noticed Wendy at the tender age of 8 years. My parents had decided to start attending the Ashgrove Baptist Church. As an 8-year-old kid, I can still recall the sight of a beautiful blond-haired little girl who walked into church that day holding her mother’s hand. Never did I imagine that one day that little 5-year-old girl would become my wife! The truth is, the real seminal moment came years later when she finally said “yes” to my proposal of marriage. However, for many of us, the most significant seminal moment was when we first came to really understand the message of the gospel and our personal need of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. From that day, when God began His good work of grace

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in our lives, nothing has ever been quite the same. That was certainly the case with the Apostle Paul in Acts 9 when he had his life-transforming encounter with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus. To this point Paul had been convinced that the followers of “the Way” (Acts 9:2) were nothing more than a deluded bunch of troublemakers who had either convinced themselves, or been convinced by others, that Jesus of Nazareth was in fact the promised Christ, the Messiah. In Paul’s eyes he was nothing more than a selfproclaimed prophet whose teachings were set to destroy the fundamental tenets of historic Judaism. It took this dramatic encounter with the risen Jesus to turn his heart and his life around. Instead of his continued advancement in Judaism as a wellrespected Pharisee and defender of the Law, Paul’s life would be forever changed as he learnt the truth about Jesus, and God’s greater purpose for his life. But the truth is, once God has started His good work of grace in us, there

are probably numerous seminal moments along the journey. Often, it is only in retrospect that we can look back and see His guiding hand as he has sought to direct us into what Paul calls “the good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10). Another seminal moment came for me back in the mid-80s. At that time Wendy and I were attending the Rosalie Baptist Church. After being blessed by the wonderful teaching ministry of Rev Reg Wright, we were without a pastor for some while. However, when God finally led Rev Ray McKenzie to the church, then general superintendent of Queensland Baptists, the late Fred Stallard came to conduct the induction. As a young leader in the church I had the privilege of leading the service. It was a wonderful time for us as Ray commenced his very fruitful ministry amongst us. But it was what happened after the service which left an indelible imprint on my mind. Fred Stallard came up to me after the service and said something like this, “Young man, I sense that God has His hand upon you for

1 For a good summary of Friesen’s book refer to http://www.equip.org/article/decision-making-and-the-will-of-god/

ministry. Have you ever considered going to Bible College?” I had to confess that I hadn’t, but I did have a deep desire to grow in my understanding of the Word and a desire to see others fall in love with God and embrace His purpose for their lives. That brief conversation got me thinking and praying. I went out to the old Brookfield campus of the Queensland Baptist Theological College to investigate the study options. However, I soon discovered that I was not able to pursue studies there part-time. Not to be deterred, I pressed on and found that I could undertake a Master of Divinity from Trinity Theological Seminary in Newburgh, Indiana by extension. This was the start of a five-year journey of theological study alongside my career as a high school teacher. While I wasn’t sure of what God had in store for me, I knew that this was the next step of faith and obedience. Remarkably, when I was almost at the end my course I received a totally unexpected phone call from Rev Jim Kitson, the senior pastor of the Cleveland Baptist Church. He informed me that the church was looking to appoint a second pastor, and someone had suggested that they might consider approaching me. This came as a total surprise as we didn’t personally know anyone in the church and had not been seeking a pastoral appointment. I was happily pouring my life into a bunch of high school aged kids. However, within 5 minutes of receiving that phone call Wendy and I knew that this was

another of God’s seminal moments in our lives. A few months later I had resigned from my very enjoyable teaching position at Brisbane Boys’ College and was inducted into pastoral ministry at the Cleveland Baptist Church by Fred Stallard. This was the start of what has been almost 30 years of commitment to ministry amongst Queensland Baptists.

to three-year undergraduate degrees in ministry or theology, on to masters level degrees and even doctoral studies.

But here is a question for you. What are the seminal moments that God has in store for you? Could it be that God has been trying to get your attention, but you have been too busy doing “other things” to be silent enough to hear His still small voice? Without a doubt, we have been “saved by grace through faith – and this is not from [ourselves], it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). But, having reminded us of this truth the Apostle Paul also goes on to tell us that; “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).

What does the Launch program look like? Well, it provides a unique one-year discipleship program that includes a great suite of subjects, designed to open your mind and your heart to God’s Word and what He is doing in our world. Over the course of two semesters, Launch students are given the opportunity of completing the following:

Has there been a seminal moment when you have begun to discern the “good work” that God has prepared in advance for you to do? Maybe you have already gotten it, and are pressing on with it, in the good times and even during the tough times. But, here is another question. Could it be that God wants to use you to open someone else’s eyes to His seminal moment for their lives? Each year at Malyon we have students who enrol because someone, often someone within their church family, has suggested that they should consider undertaking some theological education. At Malyon we have a fabulous array of courses for potential students to get involved in. These range from one-year diploma courses, through

One of the interesting things we have discovered in more recent years has been the growing interest in the one-year diploma course. Our oneyear Launch program is particularly geared towards high school leavers.

• • • • • • • •

2 x New Testament survey units 1 x Christian worldview unit 1 x Christian spirituality unit 1 x Spirituality project (supervised development of spirituality) 1 x Christian influence unit 1 x Field Education unit (where students get to engage in and reflect upon real-life ministry) 1 x elective 1 x Mission Trip

Once completed, students will graduate with a Diploma of Christian Ministry or they can have the course credited as their first year towards a bachelor’s degree for those who wish to continue on with their studies. Just maybe, you might be the instrument through whom God creates another seminal moment in the life of someone who is seeking to discover God’s calling upon their lives.

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

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Baptisms

Alfia Cavallaro

Ryan Cullen

Biloela Baptist Church • Trent Anderson • Jodie Cross • Tim Cullen • Ryan Cullen • Clint Dodd Bundaberg Baptist Church • Rachael Dingwall Outlook Christian Church – Toowoomba • Sophie Williamson

Sophie Williamson

PRAYER IS POWERFUL Please set aside some time to pray for the people recently baptised. They have taken a courageous and life changing step in their walk with Christ. Baptism is an important event in the believer’s walk with Jesus Christ. The Bible talks about water immersion baptism, in which a believer makes a public confession of their faith. Jesus led the way in example of water baptism! 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!

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God has called Sophie into a life of faith in Him and obedience to His word. Just as He has called all of us, who believe. God does not let his people down. To those who turn their minds and life towards Him, He directs and blesses. We can be fickle creatures, and Sophie’s public profession by baptism is a reminder to us all to re-commit to our steadfast God. Through His Indwelling Holy Spirit we have all we need to live a life that is pleasing to Him. Silkstone Baptist Church • Alfia Cavallaro Sunnybank District Baptist Church • Sylvia Ahn • Dion Buddle • Rebecca Chan • Stephanie Chan • Ann Chong • Miles Colledge • Casey Jones • Lachlan Mackay • Sze Min Ng • Stuart Page • Samuel Poon • Vanessa Shim • Kiara Shim • Wing Tsang • Jason Wong • Kelly Yang

Around the regions

Seniors Morning Tea Beenleigh Baptist Church Beenleigh Baptist recently held a senior’s morning tea to coordinate with National Seniors Week as a celebration to our own seniors and visitors from the Beenleigh community. Sixty-seven people gathered to enjoy a scrumptious morning tea, light entertainment, a sing along and words of encouragement from Pastor Keith Bray, who reminded us that we are never too old to serve the Lord and have a fulfilling life. Our oldest senior Edna (105 years) cut the cake. It was a fun morning and moving tribute to the many faithful seniors who have contributed to the life of the church. We presented the seniors with a ‘gold medal’ to acknowledge their contributions. Such was the success of the morning we have decided to hold a similar event in Seniors Week 2019.

Community Clothes Swap Enoggera Baptist Church The women of the church have been running a community clothes swap for the last seven years. It initially began as a small group inviting a friend each and has grown into the large public event that it is today. Over 150 women recently gathered in the church hall to swap clothes, share in a delicious supper and connect with each other. Many swaps are run on an item for item basis, we choose to run our event with generosity as the theme. We ask for clothing donations to be made prior to the event and then on the night, there is no limit to how many clothes you take home. A $10 entry fee is donated to a local women’s organisation. We have seen over the years that this generosity is infectious and people are curious as to why our swap is different. We have everyone from fashion-savvy bargain hunters to those who are struggling to make ends meet attending, and it is an amazing opportunity to be a connection point with the community, sharing Jesus’ generous love. Jesus’ love for us is overwhelmingly generous and our joy is to show that to our community. Find us on Facebook – ‘Enoggera Baptist Clothes Swap Community’ or at enoggerabaptist.org

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Gateway Baptist Church sets the pace in Church governance Gateway Baptist Church is amongst the first group of Christian organisations to receive accreditation from the Christian Ministry Advancement (CMA) Standards Council for its demonstrated commitment to good governance, transparency and accountability. The aim of the CMA Standards Council is to build faith and trust in Christian churches, charities and schools by providing independent verification of their commitment to good governance, transparency and accountability. “We are committed to helping our Partners lift their standards of governance – an organisation which is well governed will be more effective in carrying out its part in building the Kingdom” The CMA Standards Council measured Gateway’s practices against its 9 Principles of Responsible Stewardship: putting God first; charitable status; diligent governance; responsible leadership; carrying out purpose; financial oversight; risk management; transparency and accountability; and honest communication. Gateway met all the standards with flying colours. David Angell says, “The CMA Standards Council provides us with sound standards, an external perspective and constructive assistance in our governance improvement journey.” The Chair of Gateway, David Angell, was delighted to accept the Certificate of Accreditation at the launch of the CMA Standards Council. Steve Kerr, the Executive Director of the CMA Standards Council said “Gateway has shown great leadership to the Church sector by being part of our pilot program and being the first

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church to be accredited for meeting our Principles and Standards. Its congregation and all those who encounter it can be confident that the leadership team is committed to acting honourably and diligently in church governance.” Steve Kerr advised that “Accreditation is designed to show existing and potential congregation members, volunteers and staff that Gateway deserves to be trusted with properly stewarding the time, talent and treasure which they are giving through their church. Romans 12:8 calls on those with the gift of leadership to lead diligently, and this is what is happening at Gateway.” Gateway hopes that its accreditation will stand as a beacon to the watching world. Peter said to let our honourable behaviour stand out to the non-believers so that they will give honour to God (1 Peter 2:12) and Paul in his own ministry endeavours took pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of God, but also in the eyes of man (2 Corinthians 8:21). Gateway is taking this teaching to heart – part of every Board of Elders meeting includes a study of one of the CMA Standards Council Principles and how it can guide their endeavours. The Church in Australia has lost a great deal of public trust over the last few years, and the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has left the reputation of Christianity tarnished. Steve Kerr says “We want to rebuild and strengthen faith and trust in Christian organisations. Our behaviour should be a light on the hill to show that we have higher standards than lay organisations because we are honouring God with all our heart, minds and soul in all we do. If you want to join with churches like Gateway and other responsible ministries, see our website at cmasc.net.au for further information or give us a call.” Image: David Angell (left), Chair of Gateway Baptist Church, receiving the Accreditation Certificate from Steve Kerr of the CMA Standards Council

Evergreens Caloundra Citylife Baptist Church We are an over 60’s Group who meet every Monday morning at Caloundra Citylife Baptist Church. Our purpose is to reach out to older and often lonely people, to love, support and care for each other. Some are attending from other local churches and some are not connected to a church, but a warm welcome is extended to all. We are very fortunate to have the use of one of our school buses to regularly collect some who are unable to drive. Some of the men play pool. Teams of both men and women challenge each other with indoor bowls, and an occasional enthusiastic loud shout of ‘YES’ makes us all turn around to see what the commotion is about! Other groups share with one another while enjoying various table games. Our scrabble players can be so serious that when the morning tea bell rings, it’s a bit of an imposition for them! We have a craft group and a painting group and we “non-crafty” ones admire their artistic creations. At the end of each morning session we have a special devotion time with singing, prayer, a joke or two and an encouraging message. Each year we go on a couple of bus trips and, of course, we enjoy a Christmas feast together. This year we visited the Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve and cafe at Maleny and we’ve also enjoyed a silent movie at the Majestic Theatre at Pomona. The latter proved very popular and the comments were “We haven’t laughed so much in a long time”. As the scripture says, ‘A merry heart doeth good like a medicine’. We also regularly donate to various missions from group funds.

So, what does it mean to be an ‘Evergreen’? Well! our group scripture comes from Psalm 92:14 “Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green.” We each contribute for the benefit of all, using his/her gifting from the Lord. A lady who joined us after seeing an advertisement in the local paper commented last week “I so look forward to Monday mornings. “Everyone is so bright and cheery, it lifts me up for the rest of the week.” Another says she feels the same. Some are only connected to the church through Evergreens, and we have seen a person return to the Lord through the group and start attending Sunday service. What a pleasure it is to be a part of God’s work among the Evergreens at Caloundra!

Inside Out Kids – The Quest The Grove Baptist Community Church – Ferny Grove Our church property and adjacent sports field were recently transformed into a wonderland, as we prepared for our annual kids holiday program – Inside Out Kids. This year’s theme was “the Quest”, where kids donned their shields and prepared to enter different lands, participate in a range of fun challenges and gather treasure (chocolate coins) along the way. The stories of David, the boy king and Jesus, our Saviour King were shared throughout the day. The wonderful team of volunteers did a fantastic job ensuring each child had a special day. It is certainly a highlight for many kids in our community, and it’s wonderful connecting with their families’ year after year.

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Communities connect

BWA Poverty Simulation

Caboolture Baptist Church

Birkdale Baptist Church

We recently hosted an annual Spring Fair. It was an event where hundreds of local families packed into our car park and streamed through the doors for a morning of fun as well as a bargain hunt.

Birkdale Baptist Church ran Baptist World Aid’s (BWA) Poverty Simulation in our evening service. The church auditorium was transformed into a Bangladeshi Clothing Factory (presumably owned by a big name Australian retailer) and the congregation took on the role of local workers. What followed was just a small taste of the unfair working conditions, unsafe factory practices, corrupt managers and impossible circumstances people find themselves in all over the world. It was an impacting and deeply disturbing look at how poverty is completely all-encompassing for those caught in it, and that many of them are then taken advantage of because they have no other choice but to take whatever work is offered them.

The children enjoyed jumping castles, face painting and fairy floss, and the adults relaxed with Devonshire Tea, pumpkin soup and damper or a burger from the catering trailer. We also had a massive Garage Sale, with hundreds of items available from the clothing racks, book shelves, cake stall, and manchester nook. There was also a wide variety of bric a brac, electrical items, furniture and an extensive range of craft items for sale. A local strawberry farm trading under the name of “Taste n See” donated 20 trays of large punnets of strawberries which were sold and total proceeds (approx. $1,000) were donated to the current Drought Appeal. This event also provided opportunity for outside ministries like Carinity, Gideons and the Postal Sunday School Movement to display their respective services. Visitors experienced a friendly welcome by our church family as well as grabbing a bargain. Our church community had a positive influence upon our local region, as the welcome and friendship extended during the week leading up to the occasion— everyone joined together sorting the goods for sale and working on the day. For the local town it was an amazing event appreciated by hundreds, and for the church it was a wonderful opportunity to show Christ’s love and connect to the community.

The fact that many Australian retailers use these kinds of factories reminded us that we are personally linked to these people. After the simulation ended everyone received BWA’s Ethical Fashion Guide and reflected on James 1:27 “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” A great conviction was felt to take seriously how our choices, even in the clothes we buy, affect others, and our consideration of this can be an active part of our worship to Jesus.

On the move • • •

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Rev Brett Wilson has commenced as Senior Pastor at Rocky Tab Pastor Jon Thorne has concluded at The Grove and commenced as MTQ Assistant (p/t) Rev Greg Carle has concluded at Murgon

PETER J HALLORAN Will there ever be a time That day will I ever find When our time will be All yours and mine Oh if only this road would end There would be much more time to spend Together with you My dear friend But this road just gets so long Some days wishing I didn’t belong But the hold it is so strong I must keep travelling on There are many things to say That deep in my heart lay If only I could find The time of day So maybe tomorrow my son We two together can run Having time alone in the sun Wouldn’t that be so much fun

But this road just gets so long Some days wishing I didn’t belong But the hold it is so strong I must keep travelling on

Yes maybe tomorrow my son Before my life I’ve run

Look for me RACHEL REES Look for me In the sunrise Each morning fresh and new I’m in the design of the flowers The insects big and small See me in the tranquil streams And majestic trees, strong and tall I’m the voice of the whistling birds The roar of the mighty sea Every animal that roams the earth Is here because of me Look for me In your own life I created you To enjoy the birds and flowers Sunrises and sunsets To care for my creation And each other too Show love for all mankind You’re in this world together Unity goes a long way It’s something to always treasure Look for me and my love I care deeply for you Wanting your happiness and peace To see this journey through - GOD

god moments

Maybe Tomorrow

MILESTONES

Bribie Island church camp 2018 – breakfast time.

CITY SOUTH BAPTIST CHURCH - THIRD ANNIVERSARY City South Baptist Church recently celebrated its third anniversary. We initially came together as a fellowship group in the Coorparoo Presbyterian Church, which had kindly invited us to use their church until we were able to find our own premises. From the outset we met regularly for prayer and placed ourselves in God’s hands. A Sunday School was soon established and within a surprisingly short time other internal ministries were in place and we had appointed our Elders, a Church Secretary, Church Treasurer and a number of ministry leaders. By early 2017 God had found a church building for us – the former home of the Slavic Baptist Church at 217 Cavendish Road right in the heart of Coorparoo. A pleasing aspect of our church growth at Sunday services over the past three years is that a high proportion of our new arrivals have been from Coorparoo. This confirmed for us once again that it was God who placed our church where it was needed. And He continues to bless our church. We are grateful to God for our pastor, elders and leaders and for His binding together of our congregation in love peace and joy.

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32ND YEAR ANNIVERSARY VIETNAM GRACE CHURCH BRISBANE – OXLEY A Church Anniversary has always been an opportunity for us to remember God’s grace and sovereignty over His Church. Our church started in 1986 with 1520 Vietnamese refugees, and has since grown to 200 people, with church plants in Woodridge and Rockhampton. We enjoyed a special day gathering with our brothers and sisters from Vietnam Grace Churches to give thanks to our heavenly Father. The theme of our 32nd Anniversary was ‘Do Not Worry – Trust in the Lord’ because we understand that as disciples of Jesus, we will face troubles in this world. For that reason, we need to put Jesus above all, aware that He is our Loving Father who is always looking after us amid everything. We used songs and dances of praise to give thanks to God and celebrate His goodness. We were also very glad

to have Rev.Dr David Loder share the Word and encourage the church on discipleship. Over the past 32 years we have seen many changes in the church, such as growth in community outreach— many more people have committed to God and His ministries. The leadership legacy has also changed. A strong leadership team has been formed, and the church is also growing different ministries to serve the needs of various age groups. God has also blessed Vietnam Grace Church its own building, lands and restaurant. We hope to continue to disciple people and spread the Gospel. Sending out people to rural areas where the Gospel has not reached the Vietnamese people, and investing in the younger generation to pass on the legacy.

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QCCC

WHY TRIBALLINK MATTERS My favourite Christian band, The Choir, has a song titled “It should have been obvious” about the use of the Bible through history to justify prejudice, segregation, slavery and other injustices. Stars and stripes and bibles waving They crushed the heart of original nations The cross of Christ on fire a shameful Misrepresentation It repeatedly comes back to the chorus that with the benefit of hindsight we look back appalled at our distortions of the Good News, before challenging us to examine our own prejudices. It should have been obvious. I was recently trawling the QB Archives and came across the historical editions of the QB’s Letters to the Editor, including 20 OCT/NOV 18 QB.ORG.AU

some addressing Land Rights in 1980. With the benefit of history these letters don’t read comfortably, confirming cultural prejudices rather than the weight of information about the importance and sustainability of Aboriginal culture which has emerged since. They’re riddled with hysterical fear of communist insurgency and one-world government, the type of domino theory being promoted by South Africa to justify apartheid, only years after the same theory saw thousands of young Australians slaughtered in Vietnam. “When the white man moved into Australia and America developed countries moved into undeveloped to develop. Communist nations move in to oppress and depress”. Early European settlers to Australia quickly dismissed the Aboriginal culture they encountered as

unsophisticated due to their material lack of technology and permanent structures. Early observers of Aboriginal culture missed more than half of the Aboriginal economy: the very high production of intangible value, such as education, knowledge, art, law, entertainment, medicine, spiritual ceremonies, peacekeeping and social welfare. Like Jesus prioritises in Matthew 6, there was a greater focus on relationship and community and less obsession with materialism and personal ownership. “Australia was a vast productive land lying idle and this situation could not have continued.” Consisting of more than 300 individual nation states, the Australian mainland before 1788 also had some of the most complex systems of sustainable diplomacy seen in any society, anywhere.

Image: Acting General Superintendent Stewart Pieper with the Triballink team and Jinibara elders at the first Triballink Songs and Stories Event.

they want the best of both worlds: Idleness and the fruit of the white man’s labour.” Daniel Quinn argues the Biblical story of Cain and Abel, and God’s unexplained endorsement of Abel’s offering over Cain’s could be a hunter-gatherer critique of the expansionary needs of the agricultural lifestyle exploding at the time, requiring ever more land to sustain inefficient practices and unchecked population growth. Wherever an agricultural, industrialised culture has met and subsequently competed with a hunter-gatherer culture the former wins.

Explorer Mitchell came across stacks of carefully windrowed native cereals, a storehouse of food for human consumption in the dry months in Central New South Wales. He allowed his animals to graze it, starving the local population and starting a process where cloven-hoofed beasts trampled the carefully-managed and lush native grasslands of the world’s driest continent to erosion-prone hardness within decades. “Racial upheaval is Satan’s work, preparing for world government. It is common knowledge their money is wasted. How many vegetable gardens do you see in Cherbourg? How many blacks do you see lying around in the park in Murgon, drinking? Bush aboriginals are drifting in from land that is untouched by whites. It seems

Sociologist Jacques Ellul suggests the city was created because Cain was still alive but had lost covenant with God. The move into urban environments disconnected people from the source of their survival - land and Creation. Block and McKnight suggest this created a shift away from “covenant people living in relative ‘harmony’ on the common ‘wealth’ to one of contract law founded on an economic ideology of individualism, individual property rights, greed, hedonism, and utility maximization (more stuff is better).” While society has physically benefitted from the manufacturing and technology since the Industrial Revolution, the march of progress has also resulted in growing anguish, anxiety, depressions, self-hatred, crime, madness, alcoholism and drug addiction with concepts of community and relationship declining. I was nine years old when the domino of Rhodesia fell to become Zimbabwe, and we became part of a great social experiment, going from full segregation to mixed classrooms within a matter of weeks. We were just kids and I’m not sure anyone imagined the huge societal shift we encountered, let alone thought to prepare us for it. Both black and white bought a worldview to the experience which had been forged in

a bitter civil war. Our neighbour had died at nineteen after losing both legs to a landmine and then having his medical evacuation helicopter shot out of the sky. Mistakes were made, hurtful words exchanged, battles fought in the playgrounds. Triballink’s school programs exist to preach understanding and reconciliation, knowledge and empathy being key to ensuring we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past. The message of Triballink’s curriculum is not angry, polarising or unrealistic. After all, the JudeoChristian West has also made huge contributions to our way of life. However, Australians are growing increasingly aware of some of the ancient wisdom in Aboriginal organising principles, leadership (which were both egalitarian and non-patriarchal) and land-management techniques. Reconciliation comes from being able to see the value of the other. At Triballink reconciliation is not only a national narrative, it is a spiritual one too. By merging Triballink’s curriculum with ones of environmental sustainability we reveal God’s original and ongoing desire for humanity. Made in the creative image of God to steward ALL of Creation, restoring all things, and people, to his original purposes and design. The purpose of our salvation is to be God’s agents - a blessing to our community and contributing our work as a worshipful gift to the Heavens. We have much to gain from acknowledging and incorporating the knowledge and organising principles of pre-contact Aboriginal culture into today’s national discourse. Triballink exists to make this bleeding obvious for the next generation.

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

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FORGIVEN IN GOD’S SIGHT BY STEVEN DILLA – THE PARK FORUM WWW.THEPARKFORUM.ORG

No one sees me—Adam as he hid in the garden of Eden. No one sees me—David after he dominated Bathsheba and sent her away. No one sees me—Peter as he cowered into the night after the crowds identified him as a follower of Christ.

Each had legitimate reasons— wisdom and knowledge—that explained what happened and could help self-justify so their lives could move forward. But, “I am and there is no one besides me”— the mantra of self-actualization—quickly turned to “I AM was beside me.” Each caught in their sin.

The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. — Proverbs 15.3

And, yet, none were left alone. None were crushed for moral failure. God saw not only their sin, but the path of restoration. Richard Rohr remarks.

“Where are you?” God’s voice called after Adam. “You are that man!” the prophet cried to David. “And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, ‘Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly.” Exposed.

Perhaps the most difficult forgiveness, the greatest letting go, is to forgive ourselves for doing it wrong. We need to realize that we are not perfect, and we are not innocent. If I want to maintain an image of myself as innocent, superior, or righteous, I can only do so at the cost of truth. We have for too long confused holiness with

innocence, whereas holiness is actually mistakes overcome and transformed, not necessary mistakes avoided. Letting go is different than denying or repressing. To let go of it, you have to admit it. You have to own it. You see it and you hand it over to God. You refuse to let the negative story line that you’ve wrapped yourself around define your life. Letting go of our cherished images of ourselves is really the way to heaven, because when you fall down to the bottom, you fall on solid ground, the Great Foundation, the bedrock of God. It looks like an abyss, but it’s actually a foundation. On that foundation, you have nothing to prove, nothing to protect: “I am who I am who I am,” and for some unbelievable reason, that’s what God has chosen to love.

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Gershon Nimbalker (BWA)

Biloela

Gershon and Steph Dobbins from BWA with Cathy Knechtli (middle)

Longreach

Brent van Mourik (BWA)

Innisfail

2018 saw the launch of Queensland Baptist Women’s Anew Conferences with a vision to see God change lives, to reflect His love to those around us, and to make a difference in the world by praying, giving and going. The very first Anew Conference was held in Longreach with women from as far as Emerald and Barcaldine as well as Longreach locals. In the last 4 months we have also run conferences at Innisfail in Far North Queensland, Mt Tamborine, Mapleton, Biloela and Dalby, ministering to hundreds of women and seeing God move in wonderful ways. We have seen women recommit their lives to Jesus and many come forward for prayer and have seen breakthroughs in their lives. We had many and varied speakers this year who shared with us from God’s word, and we heard many stories of what God is doing and has done in the lives of people around our world. We have seen incredible generosity, with the women giving over $17,000 to support the work of Baptist World Aid’s Vulnerable Children Fund and at least 19 children being sponsored, again through Baptist World Aid (BWA).

Mapleton

We are so thankful for what God is doing amongst His women in Queensland and we are looking forward to seeing lives changed as we reflect God’s love to our world. Please see the blog www.qbmagazine.org.au for more photos.

Longreach

Heather Foord at Mapleton.

Let me tell you how I learned to swim. It was during swimming lessons at Flagstone Creek State School. Flagstone Creek was my second school. Tallegalla, a one teacher school, didn’t have swimming lessons. Flagstone Creek was huge, it had two teachers! We students would go off to Helidon spa on the bus for lessons. Age wise I was behind the rest as I had never swum before. I wasn’t scared of the water; I had no trouble putting my head under water. However, I could not bring myself to take my feet off the bottom. So, I worked out a cunning plan that I’m sure the teachers did not notice. There were two groups of students in the lesson and one swimming teacher. I carefully positioned myself between the two groups. Usually one group was doing something where your feet remained on the ground: practicing breathing; or stroke practice. This way I became a fantastic swimmer. I was great at the swimming strokes and knew how the breathing worked; I just never took my feet off the bottom. One day I was practising my swimming stroke, bent over and noticed that my feet weren’t actually touching the bottom. Carefully I raised them to the top and away I went. I believed that the human body could float on water, after all, kids around me were floating, but I didn’t have the faith to do it. Belief and faith aren’t the same thing. Genesis 15:6 is, I believe, the most quoted Old Testament verse in the New Testament. “Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness”. Yet, when Abraham was asked to sacrifice Isaac, just as he raised the knife, God stopped him and said, “Now I know you fear God” (Gen 22:12). Didn’t God know this before? Doesn’t Genesis 15 show this? James uses these two episodes in his letter (James 2:14-25). Belief doesn’t mean much unless it is backed up by action. Our actions and deeds aren’t what save us. They are the evidence of our faith. They are our response to the grace shown to us by God. Your belief in God doesn’t mean a lot unless it is backed up by action. Faith is our belief in action. Now I know.

BELIEF AND FAITH BY ANDY COLLER

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TAMPERING WITH YOUR HISTORY A HIDEOUS PARODY OF BAPTISM LEADING HISTORIAN’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY

TAMPERING WITH YOUR HISTORY

Headstone, Rev George Whiteford (photo by Anne Quatermass)

Ignoring your history can be foolhardy, but tampering with it for personal, family or political reasons is positively dangerous, but, revising your history when new facts become available is the right thing to do. This is the case with Baptists in Central Queensland around Rockhampton.

year. Wilson sent his protégé, Josiah Hinton (formerly of Bathurst Street and later of Ipswich) then at Maryborough to Rockhampton to assist the new work. Hinton later transferred to Rockhampton for a longer period, before leaving the state around 1865.

As a result of some recent research done in Canberra, we can now probably make a small adjustment to the story of the very earliest days, which we published in our book, Something more than Gold (copies available from BHQ at $20 posted).

Now however, an earlier chapter can be written – although details are only very sketchy and some questions are left unanswered. Accomplished Baptist researcher, Barbara Coe of Canberra, has discovered that we can push back Baptist interest in the area by four years to 1858. Late in that year, a Baptist minister named George Whiteford moved from Sydney to ‘the Fitzroy’. According to the report in the Australasian Baptist Magazine of November 1858, he was ‘the only minister of whom we have yet heard proceeding to that scene of uncommon interest and excitement’.

The accepted version has been that the first Baptist presence in Rockhampton was Rev BG Wilson of Wharf Street Baptist Church, Brisbane preaching there when he visited the city in February 1862, a few years after the gold rush of 1858. Due to his visit, services began in the home of William Buzacott, who ran the local newspaper. The church was soon formed—on 25 June that

Buzacott plaque

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This was the time when gold rush fever was at its height, but there appears to be nothing known about Whiteford’s activities there. Evidently, he did not stay long—he turns up again in NSW in March 1859. It seems that, like so many other hopefuls travelling to the gold fields, his mission (in this case, spiritual, not financial) was unsuccessful. However, more can be said about the episode which is intriguing. Whiteford was born in Southampton England in 1809 and engaged productively in various inner-

city ministries until he migrated to Sydney where he arrived with some of his large family in 1853. He associated warmly with Rev James Voller and the Bathurst Street church, before starting a new work at Goulburn Street in 1854. This church lasted until 1858. It was right after this that Whiteford was reported as travelling to Queensland. Afterwards he served in various locations in NSW before leaving the ministry in 1862 to engage in business and public life. He died in 1876. His widow, Sarah, moved to the Gladstone area, living with their daughter Elizabeth for another year or so before she too died. (Elizabeth and husband Thomas Harbottle worked Paradise Farm on the Boyne and later Paragon Farm at Benaraby. A later relative is now in the Gympie area.) There are interesting links with the Buzacott family who were so important in pioneering not only Baptist witness but also business and political life in Queensland. Two brothers, William and Charles Hardie arrived in Sydney in 1852 (there were two others as well), both working in the printing and newspaper industry. They were both baptised and joined Bathurst Street church on 3 September 1854. Charles then transferred to Goulburn Street when it was formed. Here he married Louisa, the fourth daughter of the minister, George Whiteford, on Christmas Day 1857. Three years later they moved to Maryborough commencing the local newspaper and joined the short lived first Baptist church in that town. A few years later they moved on to Gladstone, in pursuit of their business interests. So, the Whiteford and Buzacott families were well known to each other, and Louisa and her husband arrived in Central Queensland not long after her father had been there.

in this case, contributing to the establishment of what is now a flourishing witness in the Beef Capital of Australia!

BWA IN ZURICH – REMEMBERING A HIDEOUS PARODY OF BAPTISM WH Buzacott, one of the founders of Rockhampton Baptist Church

Perhaps he had given them good information about prospects in the region. Another personal link was George Whiteford’s acquaintance with Rev James Voller, who arrived in Sydney from England at the end of 1854 after being shipwrecked en route. He was pastor of Bathurst Street church until 1870, after which he moved to Queensland. But as early as 1857 he had travelled to Brisbane to assist the infant Wharf Street Church and made many more trips in the intervening years. His interest was supporting the church, his friend Rev B G Wilson (arrived 1858) and the members of his Bathurst Street church who had moved to Queensland. The Buzacotts were only one family of several who made this move. In this capacity, Voller was present at Rockhampton on more than one occasion as well. Josiah Hinton had also been in Voller’s church in Sydney before moving to Queensland. So Voller was aware of developments and could easily have had some influence on the Whiteford and Buzacott involvement in Rockhampton. It seems then that late in 1858 that Mr Whiteford was without a pastorate. He decided to look for opportunities for ministry in the Rockhampton gold rush, but did not stay long. He may then have some influence on the Buzacotts’ later move to the region. In any case, he is one of many ministers who moved about the country leaving little record of their presence and activity but making their own unique contributions to the Kingdom—

Baptists from all around the world met in Zurich Switzerland in July 2018 for the annual gathering of the Baptist World Alliance (#BWA18). The reformation, 500 years ago in that city, was a key focus for the Heritage Commission and many other participants. As well as insightful papers on the topic, there were extensive tours of the country to key sites. These included Constance where the pre-Reformer Jan Huss was condemned and martyred at the stake, Basel where Erasmus produced his highly influential Greek New Testament, and Geneva where Calvin was so prominent. Closer to Zurich was the hillside monument marking the place where the leading Swiss reformer, Zwingli, was killed in battle. There was a worship service with the oldest continuing Anabaptist congregation. Many delegates assembled for a service at a cave high in the mountains where Anabaptists once worshipped secretly to avoid the bitter persecution stemming from the Reformed churches and city authorities who vehemently opposed their adoption of believer’s baptism, congregational church government and separation of church and state. Right in the city itself, there were many places where key events in the Anabaptist reformation took place, but most moving of all was on the left-hand bank of the river Limmat. Here, delegates saw the plaque (see photo) near where Felix Manz was brutally drowned in 1527 under orders of the Reformed church in a hideous parody of his firm commitment to believer’s baptism. ‘Against the waters of baptism he sinned,’ they said, ‘so by water shall he die.’ In succeeding years, many others suffered the same fate. In 2003 efforts were made by the

Anabaptist Martyr’s memorial, Zurich

Reformed church to reconcile with modern Anabaptists, thus hoping to put an end to this dark side of the Swiss Reformation. In the same spirit, a combined Baptist-Reformed service was held during the July gathering in the Grossmünster in Zurich. This famous 12th church was the place where Zwingli and his followers instigated the Swiss Reformation in 1520 with a vigorous preaching ministry accompanied by extensive re-organisation of the church and its worship. In this service, attended by many church and civic dignitaries, recently installed BWA Secretary, Elijah Brown delivered a passionate sermon on the conference theme, ‘United in Christ—transformed by the Word of God’ which was a fitting climax for this unique BWA gathering.

LEADING HISTORIAN’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY Australia’s leading Baptist historian, Dr Ken Manley has published his autobiography, with the title. For all that has been – thanks! It is available for order online at www.underthesun.net.au.

Baptist Church Archives archives@qb.org.au Phone 07 3354 5642, 07 3878 3178 QB.ORG.AU OCT/NOV 18 27

Sensing God - Hearing BY ALLAN QUAK

Our sense of hearing has the amazing ability to focus our attention. We can be in a crowded place with lots of conversations going on— maybe at a shopping centre, or it could be after church at morning tea. In these situations, we can, or most of us can, block out all those other conversations and focus on a small group of people we are talking to. However, the moment that you hear your name, you will naturally divert your attention to the location where your name has been spoken. Even if a mother on the other side of a shop is calling her own child. If she is calling your name you will still look. It is called “The Cocktail Party Effect”. Hearing … it helps us to focus on other individuals, while at the same time enabling us to focus when others want our attention. The wonderful truth is that, because God hears, we can get God’s attention, and God gives each of us His individual attention.

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This is what the LORD says, he who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it—the LORD is his name: ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ (Jeremiah 33:2-3) Did you notice that the LORD’s name is repeated three times in one verse? God wants us to call on His name, and He promises to listen. In all sorts of contexts, the Lord responds to those who call out to Him. There is a story in Genesis 21 about Hagar and Ishmael who are sent away from the household of Abraham and Sarah, because Sarah doesn’t want them in her house anymore. So, Hagar and Ishmael end up in the desert without any water. God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there.” (Genesis 21:17).

Ishmael is crying out because he is thirsty. The cry isn’t necessarily even directed to God. But God hears. God resonates with the needs of the child and He responds to his needs. That is our God—our Saviour who responds to us in all sorts of circumstances. What a comfort! The certainty of knowing that we have the attention of God in all circumstances. You might be in a circumstance where you are going through a time of darkness and despair. The key struggle that we have in the times of darkness and despair is the mind games. That place where your mind tells you that … everything is so terrible. … and you are hopeless. … and you are not worth anything. … and you go down into this spiral. The blessed hope is that, even though this is a mind game, God hears it. And God responds. I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch

with tears. My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes. Away from me, all you who do evil, for the Lord has heard my weeping. The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer. (Psalm 6:6-9) Here I am in the deepest darkest place and God listens. That is the promise of the Scripture. God listens at other times as well. I’m thinking now of the times when we are in the wilderness. The wilderness is that place where we wonder if God exists. Does God care for me? Is God on my side? Can I have a place in his plan? Do I have a purpose? Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. (Psalm 130:1-2). When we are in the depths of a spiritual wilderness, we can cry out to God.

Maybe our circumstance is one where we are so busy that we just put God on hold. We go from dayto-day, week-to-week, month-tomonth. We know God is there and we do love God. However, we get up at 6:00am and we are off and we do our job. and we look after family. and we run around for our kids. and we have church stuff. and we need to shop. and we study. and we find a place to eat. By 9:00pm we are exhausted, and we fall into bed to sleep for the next day—just to do the same. Life is like that. And when life is like that, sometimes we can get into the routine of forgetting that God is there for us. God gets put on hold. Now think about Luke 18:9-14, and the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. These men come to the temple to pray. The Pharisee doesn’t even realise how uselessly pious he is. But the tax-collector is very aware of his situation. He realises that he has been putting

God on hold. So, the Tax Collector comes to God and says, “Have mercy on me a sinner.” God hears the prayer of the Tax Collector who acknowledged “I’ve been out of focus with you God. I’ve been doing my own thing.” Understand this truth about having a heavenly Father who listens. It is not just about God hearing you. God wants you to get His attention. I don’t know what you are going through at the moment. I don’t know if it is a time of business … or a time of desperation … or a wilderness time … or a questioning time. I don’t know your situation, but God does, and God is waiting to hear. God is not looking for a certain standard, or the right words, or the right formula. He is just waiting for you to call on His name, so He can give you His individual attention.

CARINITY

As one of Carinity’s four schools, Carinity Education Glendyne caters to students from Years 6 to 12, including at-risk and disengaged youth who have struggled to overcome personal barriers and challenges.

Glendyne educating youths for 20 years It opened on a former pineapple farm with just five students, and now Carinity Education Glendyne is celebrating 20 years of educating Fraser Coast youth. The independent school provides education, vocational training and lifestyle enablement skills for students having difficulty succeeding in traditional mainstream schools. The co-educational school at Hervey Bay welcomed its first students in 1998, five young men who had experienced extremely adverse life circumstances. “Lessons taught beneath the pineapple farmhouse consisted mainly of literacy, numeracy, practical farm skills and welding, delivered under the umbrella of the Brisbane School of Distance Education,” Principal Dale Hansen says. “Despite their history, the initial student group of five disadvantaged young men expressed the same desire to make a success of their lives. And that’s the same for today’s students.”

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Around 120 young men and women make up this year’s cohort and “hundreds, if not a thousand or more” positive educational outcomes have been achieved for students over the past two decades. Before attending Carinity Education Glendyne, Jada Perkins was a “teenager that didn’t like school” and was frequently absent from her former school. “If it wasn’t for Glendyne I wouldn’t be where I am today. That school helped me in so many ways. They didn’t just teach me basic stuff, they taught me how to be an adult,” Jada says. “I have nothing but good things to say about this school and sometimes I wish I could go back and do it all over again.”

“Our students benefit from a welcoming environment, smaller class sizes and a specialised curriculum and enjoy higher levels of staff support that is usually not available in mainstream schools,” Dale says. Students can undertake accredited vocational training courses in fields such as hospitality, construction, retail, outdoor education, engineering, furnishing and IT as part of their senior curriculum. “Often students who may struggle with regular academic school work in the classroom have an aptitude for hands-on work skills, and flourish undertaking vocational training. It opens up many more career pathways for them,” Dale says. Recent graduates have entered careers as varied as youth worker, mechanic, teacher, electrician, truck driver, security, air conditioning specialist and sawmill worker or undertaken tertiary studies.

After gaining a traineeship through school, Jada now works in hospitality and will soon commence study to become a youth worker.

“Our teachers and staff get much satisfaction from seeing teenagers who arrived at Glendyne lacking direction and confidence and with a clouded educational future, and seeing them develop into becoming valuable contributors to their community,” Dale says.

“It was the teachers and youth workers at Glendyne that inspired me to do this. I just pray that I can help kids like me,” Jada says.

Carinity Education Glendyne celebrates its 20th anniversary with a special event at the school at Nikenbah on October 26. Carinity Education Glendyne Principal Dale Hansen with middle school students Rachael Newman, Panda Wilson, Gemma Robertson and Charley Champney.

A family connection to Brookfield stretching back 150 years is woven into the fabric of Carinity’s latest state-of-the-art aged care community. Work on The Residences at Brookfield Green, a $30-million precinct at Brookfield in Brisbane’s west, will open in October. Offering 96 hotel-style luxury rooms with private ensuites and state-ofthe-art facilities, it is part of a $60 million master-planned revamp of Carinity’s existing Brookfield aged care and retirement site. Two Carinity employees, Steve Dart and chaplain Christine Pilt, are particularly proud of the project given they are descendants of the family which once owned the land on which Brookfield Green is set.

Family history enhances aged care legacy

Steve’s Great-Great Grandparents, Samuel and Eliza Dart, migrated to the Brookfield district in the late1860s and lived on the Gold Creek Road property.

The Residences at Brookfield Green honours Steve’s pioneering ancestors, the Brookfield area and the district’s indigenous heritage.

The land was donated to the Baptist Union of Queensland in 1965 by Dr John Leslie Dart, Christine’s great uncle, to be developed into a seniors’ community. “Resthaven” opened in 1972. Steve, who works at Carinity head office in Brisbane and has been with Queensland Baptists’ community outreach organisation for 13 years, recently inspected the new Brookfield Green building. He says he is “very proud” of the Dart family’s legacy and its contribution to Baptist community care endeavours, including Brookfield Green and Queensland Conference and Camping Centres. “The Carinity organisation feels a bit like family and an extension of the church family. It feels like there’s a family legacy here and I’m happy to carry the torch a little further,” Steve says.

The three wings of The Residences – “Eliza”, “Lucinda” and “Kittybrook” – pay tribute to Samuel and Eliza Dart and their family, as does the “Bannerfield” private dining room. The name given to the top floor of the building, “Bundaleer”, is the Indigenous Australian word for “among the trees”, while “Rafters” café pays homage to Brookfield’s timber-getting past. Carinity CEO Jon Campbell says Brookfield Green enhances the legacy of Carinity caring for older Queenslanders for almost 70 years. “Brookfield Green ensures that seniors living in Brisbane’s scenic western suburbs will continue to receive the best of care, and that future residents will also enjoy the best lifestyle possible,” Jon says. The Residences at Brookfield Green features open-plan public spaces and the feel of a contemporary hotel,

rather than a traditional residential aged care centre. “Residents can soak up the tranquillity of native gardens, enjoy delicious meals prepared daily by our on-site chef, and have exclusive access to a private dining room, café, salon and chapel,” Jon says. “Brookfield Green also features world-class memory-assisted living spaces, palliative care and respite services, tailored to residents’ individual needs. “Integrated into the local environment through smart energyefficiency design, this sustainable development promises to deliver the best in aged care lifestyle living with full-service care in a community for seniors unlike any other.” To register for a tour of The Residences at Brookfield Green phone 1300 109 109 or visit brookfieldgreen.org.au. Carinity’s Steve Dart at The Residences at Brookfield Green, a new $30-million aged care community set on land once owned by his Great-Great Grandmother.

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MALYON

Bridgeman in 2003 when they decided they wanted their children to grow up in the way of the Lord. This decision also radically changed the life of PJ and Gwenda. Little by little through the sermons at church, Gwenda realised she was only paying lip service to God and developing Christians of influencehad unknowingly turned her back on Jesus through dabbling in New FAITH IN THE FAMILY Age spiritual practices. Soon after, Degrees theology and ministry she asked Jesus to be her Lord and At a time in when we need to celebrate Saviour and in 2008 she embarked the impact of Christian families Bachelor | Masters | Doctoral on a Master of Divinity with Malyon. more, now than ever, long-time members of Bridgeman Baptist “I attended church with my mother Church, Prasantha ‘Then I Community will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge understanding’ (Jeremiah when I was a child, but it wasn’t until and GwendaandJayawardhana are 3.15). a having children that those seeds testament to walking in faith with sown turned into my own faith,” she www.malyon.edu.au their family. explained. Prasantha Jayawardhana, also known as PJ, and Gwenda ….. together with their young family started regularly attending

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“My time at Malyon College was one of huge spiritual growth and discipleship, in a way it was a time

of Christian spiritual formation.” Gwenda shared. Submitting to God’s call, Gwenda committed to her studies and excelled and continued to learn more about what God desired for her and her family. She graduated in 2017 and was awarded the 2017 TJ Malyon Memorial Prize. In addition to Gwenda’s studies she also worked alongside her husband in their accounting software business, Acclique, which transformed into a Kingdom Business through their growing relationship with God. After seeing how God desired to change people’s understanding about money, PJ became involved a not-for-profit ministry called Compass – finances God’s way Ltd that teaches people God’s financial

principles using a small group study model (www.compass1.org.au). He is now Chairman of the Board. Their decision to attend church regularly with a young family also paid off with all three of their children now having a solid foundation from which to grow their own faith. Taruna, 18 years old, is following in his mother’s original footsteps to become an Accountant; Rasika, 17 years old, is finishing Year 12 and is Faith and Service Captain at her school; and Prashan, 14 years old, aspires to become an Engineer. Gwenda has seen her faith and confidence in God grow since her time at Malyon as well; she currently ministers as a Chaplain in a Carinity residential aged care facility. Gwenda runs weekly devotions for residents who come from a broad background of Christian denominations. Enjoying her current Godly assignment, Gwenda said she has the privilege of delivering what may be people’s last opportunity to hear the Gospel.

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“On one occasion after devotions, I gave my usual altar call and one of the members of the congregation, who I knew came from a different denominational background, came up to me and said that they had never heard they could have a personal relationship with Jesus. Soon after, this person prayed the prayer of salvation,” she said. God has grown Gwenda’s pastoral heart and sharp mind which is firmly grounded in a deep understanding of biblical truth from her time at Malyon. Learn more about how Malyon can help you grow in your faith at the Malyon Open Night on 9 October. You’ll also have an opportunity to hear from PJ in Dr Dave Benson’s lecture on Integrating Faith and Work.

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SOUTHERN INDIAN STATE STRUCK BY MONSOON FLOODS BY BAPTIST WORLD AID AUSTRALIA

Destructive monsoon floods have killed around 400 people in the South Indian state of Kerala since rains began in June this year. At least 800,000 have been forced to flee their homes by the rising flood waters, seeking shelter in relief camps across the southern state. In August, as the flooding reached its peak, Baptist World Aid Australia released $20,000 from its Disaster Action Fund to its Christian Partner on the ground in India. “Our Disaster Action Fund allows us to respond with immediacy when a disaster like the floods in Kerala strikes,” says Baptist World Aid CEO, John Hickey.

sodden earth, giving way to landslides in hilly regions. “Sadly, families have been ill prepared to deal with the effects of their collapsing surroundings,” says Mr Hickey. “Homes have been destroyed, livelihoods have been swept away, and lives have been lost.” They were the worst floods the state of Kerala had experienced in nearly 100 years. The devastating monsoon season has left families with nothing. They have no means of providing food for their hungry children or safe drinking water to prevent against the rapid spread of waterborne disease.

“In this case, the funds have been used by our Christian Partner to provide urgently needed food rations and clean drinking water for food affected families.”

And, now, as the flood waters recede, the southern Indian state has declared a heath alert following a rat fever outbreak.

The situation in Kerala has been made even more dire by the

“Our Christian Partner on the ground, the Emmanuel Hospital

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Association is continuing its disaster response,” says Mr Hickey. For Baptist World Aid, the disaster in Kerala followed a week of urgent response to the Lombok earthquakes in Indonesia. “It’s been a demanding time for our partners on the ground in both nations,” says Mr Hickey, “I’m just so grateful for the faithful generosity of our supporters, which means we can respond to disasters, very soon after they strike.” “In the Little Book of Big Hearted Gifts this year, you’ll find the Big Hearted Gift of Emergency Shelter. FIND YOUR COPY OF THE LITTLE BOOK OF BIG HEARTED GIFTS IN THIS ISSUE OF QB TODAY!

BAPLINK

XEROCON 2018 Baplink is all about ‘Investing in Ministry’, and part of our service is to offer Xero Accounting Software at a discounted rate to all our Queensland Baptist Churches. To keep us up to date with all this valuable resource has to offer, Chelsea Evans and Megan Kercher attended Xerocon Brisbane 2018 in September. Aside from the DJ, disco lights and ball pit swimming pool (who knew accountants could have fun!), there was much to be learnt in areas such as digital security, tax compliance, data automation and simplified reporting. Xero continues to offer easy to use software that regularly updates to meet the everchanging needs of its clients. This year, Xerocon even offered a Not-for-Profit breakout session to acknowledge and support this growing customer base.

Xerocon reminded us of how far we have come in our bookkeeping practices. What traditionally took days to do, now takes only a small number of hours, if that. We used to have to find (or chase down!) receipts, enter, code, spreadsheet, reconcile against bank statements (that may arrive weeks in the mail after the time you were ready to do them) and manually report our taxes, payroll liabilities and superannuation. We are now able to take photos of receipts at the time of purchase and automatically upload them into our Xero file. We can set up bank rules that automatically code repeating transactions. We can reconcile our accounts daily using bank feeds. We can produce beautiful and easy to understand reports at the push of a button. Not to mention automatic superannuation, single touch payroll and simplified activity statements. Makes sense? If not, that’s what we’re here for!

Image: Megan Kercher and Chelsea Evans at Xerocon!

We are privileged to be partnering with over 130 of our QB churches using Xero. Did you know that included in your monthly subscription fee (that is discounted 25% from a regular fee), you have free access to Chelsea, Megan or Colin for any of your queries regarding the bookkeeping requirements for your church? We are here to simplify things and ensure that no one feels like they are going it alone. If you are not taking advantage of Xero and would like to know more, please give us a call at the Baplink office on 1800 650 062. We offer free implementation, training and follow up sessions to help you get started. And in the meantime, we’ll keep updating our skills to ensure that we can offer you the best possible service. Xerocon 2019, here we come!

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GLOBAL INTERACTION

OUT AND ABOUT State Director, Bob Rogers, is also the Director of Field Education at Malyon College. He took nine students to visit Bill and Pauline Morrison serving with Global Interaction among the Gurindji and Warlpiri peoples around Kalkarindji and Lajamanu, Northern Territory. Kalkarindji is situated 900km SouthWest of Darwin and Lajamanu a further 130km south – it really is the outback! The Malyon team travelled there to observe what it means to be an Indigenous church.

It was a joy to meet Bill and Pauline in location and to meet the church leaders of the Kalkarindji, Lajamanu and Dagaragu church fellowships. We were welcomed most warmly, the church leaders sharing many stories and explaining their faith in God. It was a privilege to join and worship with them around the campfire at night, and later to sit and hear the joys and sorrows of their history. The leaders have a strong relationship with our Father.

Church and community leaders Jerry Jungala Patrick, his son, Steven Jampijinpa Patrick, Judith Donald, Violet Wardrill, Leah Leamons and others met with the students on several occasions, learning a little indigenous culture and a little language. The Malyon group came away with an understanding of how another people group interprets and contextualizes the Scriptures in light of their own culture and thinking. More recently Bob travelled to South East Asia with three Queensland Baptist pastors, Cathy Leslie (North East), Bill Hogan (Narangba) and Murray Lawrence (Mareeba). They visited two locations where Global Interaction staff are serving. Across Asia the teaching of English is booming. Global Interaction is making the most of this interest with the establishment of language schools in several locations. Australian cross-cultural workers serve among the S.I. and B.I. peoples. Language classes, computer classes, a café in a bustling city and environmental projects are all a means to an end – building relationships with local people. Through these relationships, we pray our Father’s Spirit will work within the hearts of individuals and families as they interact with Global Interaction staff. We desire they would see Jesus. We pray that relationships built between crosscultural workers and Indigenous people will cause them to ask questions and seek the true Light of the world. The work is slow, but not tedious. The group visited several of the

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class locations where local students were learning English. It was a joy to meet new Global Interaction arrivals, Daz and Bee, who are just beginning their own culture and language (CAL) studies. Already they have begun to build a relationship with their language nurturer, Mrs N. In this class learning four hours a day, five days a week, means they have already developed a close relationship with Mrs N. Soon invitations will come to visit the nurturer’s family, maybe for a birthday or a wedding. Over time, we pray strong relationships will grow to the point where open discussions on the most import things of life are undertaken. We witnessed some such events for ourselves during our travels as we undertook a two-day homestay in the homes of local B.I. people. Most of these folk are not (yet) followers of Jesus, but are well known to our Global Interaction staff. These folk are trusted leaders within their community and, in turn, hold our cross-cultural staff in high regard. This has taken many years of quiet but genuine service in these communities. The friendship shown by our hosts was open and honest. Several of us found ourselves in interesting conversations as we shared together and explored what we believed. It is clear God’s Spirit is moving among these people. Please continue to pray our staff will see a breakthrough in these communities. One of the highlights of the trip was to sit and hear the testimony of Mrs R, one of the language nurturers. Mrs R is a MBB. She shared how she had applied to teach with the company. Over several months, she noticed something special in the lives of the staff – somehow, they were different. She began attending the weekly staff meetings where a short devotion was presented. As she listened, she heard why these people are different – it is through a special relationship with our Father,

Cathy Leslie tries her hand at weaving.

through His Living One. Soon Mrs R decided to also follow the Living One. Her husband, Mr A, noticed a difference in Mrs R’s life. She was a kinder, more gracious person. For more than a year he watched her. They discussed their differences. Mr A liked what he saw in his wife but was hesitant to make any changes in his own life. Their marriage came under a great deal of pressure, particularly following the birth of a son. But Mrs R persevered in her faith. Hearing Mrs R’s story we promised to pray for her situation. We have just heard from the SEA Team Leader, Dave, who informed us that Mr A and Mrs R were recently invited to attend a week-end. At the last minute, he agreed to go. A local MBB spoke about the “Living

One” and the good news. It all came together in Mr A’s mind and he believed! The next day he went into the water, along with five others. He said he feels like a new man (because he is!). Let us remember Mr A and Mrs R as they grow in their relationship together and with their new Friend. In other news, it has been a blessing to farewell the Crilley family to Cambodia. We have journeyed with them for several years as they have undertaken training and partnership development in preparation to leaving on their first term. Further, we are so pleased to see the financial levels of Jean-Claude and Joyce Manirakiza and their family at 98% of their target. We expect them to be leaving for Malawi, Africa, in late November.

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DROUGHT IN QUEENSLAND

WARWICK BAPTIST CHURCH Melanie O’Dea is one of the young women in Warwick Baptist church who lives with her family on a small dairy farm just north of Warwick. She was moved by the current situation with the drought affecting, not only her family, but the farming families around her, and has written a poem about it. Melanie’s family are doing it tough, to the point that unless there is a turn in the weather, they will most likely have to sell off their dairy herd, along with a parcel of land to cover debts, and cease operating. Yet, despite the struggle, their focus is on those around them who don’t know Jesus, and thus have no hope. Melanie’s hope is that this poem raises awareness of the plight of our farmers and motivates people to respond. However, her greatest hope is that through that, people will meet Jesus and find the source of their hope in Him.

WHEN ALL THAT IS LEFT IS THE DUST A POEM FOR THE FARMERS BATTLING THE DROUGHT, BY MELANIE O’DEA Dusty showers of cloudy dirt, scatter the thin parched sky; As a hundred silent ghostly hooves, disturb an earth again bled dry. Slowly and solemnly walking behind, the farmer gravely takes the rear; Of life and of his herd of bony

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cows, on his skeleton farm and his conscience of fear. The thin dusty air is craving and wanting, for a breath of fresh rain to fall; But anxious clouds of worry and stress, have been the only clouds to recall. The dry soil is parched, split and thirsty, for a glimpse of green hope to show; But with soaked regrets, the sprouting uncertainty is all the ground can grow. Hope is the only thing that can help us survive, hope is our only gain; When all you have worked for and proudly built up, becomes your reason for pain. But where can we find it, a solid foundation, a place to put our faith without doubt? When all you have known and firmly established, is taken in the midst of a drought. Older generations who have been where we are, tell us the rain will come in all. They say “Like nineteen-sixty-five, you’ve just got to still be there when it falls.” But it is so hard to hope for what you have not seen, to believe in mere words alone; When the wait for the rain stretches on, while your land that’s your life turns to bone. The sun’s dry heat in the middle of winter, ironically is the only warmth you’ll find;

From any controlling higher world power, that will even bother to pay you some mind. The struggle is real, the farmers must fight alone, they must either fight or give in; For nobody else wants to take on a place, where money and prospects are grim. So where shall we place all our hopes for the future, what can we honestly trust? We find whole communities only gather to pray, when all they have left is the dust. We know in our hearts what we try to deny, that inner conscience that tells us it’s so; That the dust - earths inheritance is where we came from, and back to we must go. So what is this hope that we try to deny, simply because of humanities pride? The only true hope that will get us through, we push as long as we can to the side. We wait ‘till we’re broken, we wait ‘till we lose, we wait until nothing remains; And then only then in our hopeless estate, we resolve to the praying hands. So what if we started, while rain was still there, to hope in a heavenly hope? What if we had already built up a faith, which already instituted a way to cope? Then in the dry seasons when our earthly inheritance, is taken out of our hands;

Many communities are affected by the severe drought that has impacted a large part of Western Queensland. Please call your church to prayer for those effected by drought.

We will have the hope of a heavenly inheritance, that trusts not in rain nor in man. So even if we have to fight till the end, with nothing but our hope to show; We would rest in the peace that we gave all we had, to allow our faith to grow. We would not need to fight the pride of man, we could simply rest and trust; For we’d already be in God’s gracious hands, even when all that is left is the dust.

ROCKHAMPTON BAPTIST TABERNACLE CHURCH BY ALAN WATTS STARFISH AND DROUGHT There’s been a storm and at the beach Washed up upon the shore, Are starfish. Thousands of them. Everywhere you look are more. The tides gone out. The sun’s come up, And they will surely die. It’s then an old man sees a boy As he is walking by. The boy is throwing starfish In the water, one by one. The old man thinks it futile As he sees what he has done. He asks him what he’s doing. “Saving Starfish.” the reply.’ “You’ll not make any difference. There are thousands that will die.” He picks one up. He throws it in. And then when this is done. Turns to the man and says to him. “ Made a difference to THAT one.”

A drought is on. The land is dry. No water, signs of rain. Some shoot their beasts. Some suicide. The farmers suffer pain. A Bank donates two million. Some think that that’s a joke. ” Enough to buy each farmer One lousy can of coke.” That may be true but what about Those starfish on the beach. What if we started one by one And gave our help to each? We cannot help the lot at once But let’s not stop at none. Let’s start collecting money now. Maybe we can help ONE. Yes ONE. I know that that’s not much, The situation’s grim. But to that one, the difference may be seen as HUGE by him. Yes. Let’s collect some money now. It may spare the farmers gun, If of our gift, it can be said “MADE A DIFFERENCE TO THAT ONE”. With the media publicity of the drought, the Commonwealth Bank recently gave two million dollars to launch a drought appeal. I am a retired CBA employee, so I shared a post about this on Facebook only to cop a tirade of negative comments. “That’s a quarter of the CEO’s salary”. “They make billions and that’s all they give” etc, and “That is only enough to give each farmer a can of coke” said one guy. I replied to the last comment “What about the starfish story?”

That guys father, a long-time friend rang me and said he had shared the “Starfish story” at a party and collected a sum of money. He then contacted a mayor of an affected area and got the name and details of a person (his starfish) to send it to. I did the same at a men’s event and raised $505 and to U3A Rockhampton where a total of $570.15 was collected. Both amounts were sent for distribution to a drought affected farmer (starfish) through Outback Aerial Mission at Longreach. Rockhampton Baptist Tabernacle have also got on board through the month of September with funds raised to be distributed through Longreach Baptist Church to one or more farmers (our starfish) depending on the amount raised. Senior Pastor, Brett Wilson, is very supportive of the idea. I would like to encourage other churches to do likewise to help farmers at this time of need. We need to pray for rain but even If it comes quickly, it will take time for the farmers to recover. Steve Cavill, of Outback Aerial Mission and Longreach Baptist also was glad that it was monetary help being sent. This is then spent in local businesses and helps them also. Please also see the QB website for more drought Relief resources and charities https://www.qb.org. au/who-we-are/news-and-mediareleases/

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GENEROSITY ISN’T JUST ABOUT MONEY, BUT THAT SHOULD SCARE US BY BRENT VAN MOURIK

As someone who is effectively a fundraiser (among other things), I commonly hear the comment ‘generosity isn’t just about money.’ This is true, of course, but I don’t think those using the phrase always consider the outworking of this logic. Sometimes it’s used to unburden the speaker from giving financially, but I think it should represent a far greater burden than simple financial giving. Generosity may not be just about money, but that shouldn’t unburden us, it should scare us.

UNDEFINED GENEROSITY IS SCARY It should scare us, first of all, because undefined generosity is scary. God calls us to give generously, but He doesn’t always make clear what form such generosity should take. Deuteronomy chapter 15 verse 10, for example, simply exhorts us to give generously to the poor, but does not stipulate how we ought to do this, be it through the giving of money, food, clothing, shelter, or time.

Instead of stipulating a figure we should give, 2 Corinthians chapter 9 verse 7a simply says “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give.” We have the freedom to give in any way, and to give away any amount. However, these commands speak not of a freedom to excuse ourselves from financial giving, but of a far deeper concept than simply prying open our wallets or writing down our bank details. They speak of being generous people - having a generosity which is personal, and all encompassing.

THE PERSONAL NATURE OF GIVING IS SCARY The personal nature of such a call should scare us as well. God will call each of us to give something (time, money, belongings etc.), but the ‘something’ that he calls us to give won’t be the easy thing. Instead, it will be the hardest thing we could be called to give, the thing in which we have placed our trust. 1 Timothy chapter 6 verse 17 says: 17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant

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nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Whilst this passage speaks of ‘wealth’ specifically, the concept is applicable in a general way: giving of all things generously reminds us that those things (whatever they may be) are not the basis of our certainty, God is. As such, God will call us personally to give whatever it is we are trusting in over him. This is not a concept that should unburden us, this is scary! However, as scary as undefined, personal giving is, we should remember that God calls us to this generosity for our good. It reminds us that we should not put our hope in wealth (or things), which are so uncertain, rather we should put our hope in God, who is eminently trustworthy.

TWO VERSIONS OF THE SAME COMMAND Two biblical examples can make this point clear for us. First, Matthew chapter 8 verses 19 to 22, which says,

19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 21 Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” In both stories, each man is asked to give something up, the first the security of a fixed address, and the second the comfort of familial obligation.

Whilst both these things are not bad in and of themselves, I suspect that for these men, they were things in which they had unhealthily placed their trust. So God says, “give them away.” In the second passage, Matthew chapter 19 verse 21, Jesus says to a rich young ruler who, in his mind, believes he is doing all that is required to be a follower of Christ: “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” This man’s security is housed in the wealth that he has accrued. And to

this man, Jesus also says, “give it away.” In both these cases, while the mechanism is different, the commandment is the same: whatever you trust in more than God, give that away.

GENEROSITY IS THE CURE FOR MISPLACED TRUST And this, I think, is the heart of God’s command for us to be generous people. Personal, undefined giving is the instrument God uses to remind us that ‘things’ are not the basis of our certainty, God is. As such, God can (and I would argue will) ask us to give those things away. Because this sort of generosity is a sure-fire cure for misplaced trust. Generosity isn’t just about money, but that should scare us. Because true undefined, personal generosity will require that we take all the things that we trust more than God and give them away. Nevertheless, while this is scary in the short-term, the long-term benefit of being generous people is that we will truly experience life, and life to the full. Life truly reliant on, and given over to, God.

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Bestselling author Stasi Eldredge shows readers how to choose a joy that stands against the tides of life’s real and often overwhelming pain.

Pastor and New York Times bestselling author Timothy Keller uncovers the moving, provocative, and urgent message within the book of Jonah and at the heart of the Christian faith. Most people, even those who are nonreligious, are familiar with the book of Jonah: a rebellious prophet defies God and is swallowed by a whale. Less familiar to most people is the second half of this Biblical story--what happens after Jonah is released from the belly of the fish. Yet it is in this second half of the story that one of the most powerful and important lessons of the Bible is hidden. The famous story shows how, if we would understand the mercy of God, it will always take us in directions we would rather not go, toward people we would rather not care about, and ultimately into the deepest counsels of God. In a time of growing division, The Prodigal Prophet shows us God’s love among people, and how Christians must listen to God’s call even when it takes them to uncomfortable places.

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- Publisher 42 OCT/NOV 18 QB.ORG.AU

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NIV BIBLICAL THEOLOGY STUDY BIBLE (BLACK LETTER EDITION) D A CARSON (ED), T DESMOND ALEXANDER (ED), RICHARD S HESS (ED), DOUGLAS MOO (ED), ANDREW DAVID NASELLI (ED) HARD COVER: $59.99 AT KOORONG Biblical Theology allows you to ponder the individual stories and themes of Scripture while observing how they all fit together in God’s grand biblical narrative. With three articles introducing Biblical theology and 25 articles unpacking key themes of Scripture, the NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible equips you to follow the progressive unfolding of God’s story. Helpful introductions to books and sections of the Bible combined with 20,000 verse-by-verse study notes will guide you to a clearer understanding of every portion of Scripture. This Bible features: • The New International Version (NIV), which is the most widely read Bible translation in contemporary English and is trusted for its combination of accuracy, readability, and beauty. • 28 theologically rich articles by authors such as Tim Keller and Kevin DeYoung • 20,000 verse-by-verse study notes • Hundreds of full-color photos, more than 90 maps, and over 60 charts - Publisher

PERSECUTION BRIEF

uzbekistan Uzbekistan: Trapped and Intimidated

Bible at home. Many are placed under house arrest until they give up on God.

Uzbekistan is a country in central Asia, with Islam as the main religion. A Christian can be fined just for having Christian songs on their smartphone. Christians are regularly dragged into police stations and intimidated. If their faith is discovered at work, they can be fired on the spot. Even if they want to escape, Christians need an exit visa, which they are rarely granted.

“Jesus says: ‘Go and preach the Gospel’. When I was arrested there were other believers in the interrogation room next to me. The police told me: ‘The others have betrayed you. Now you will end up in jail.’ I started to laugh and I said: ‘Even in prison I will continue to preach. All prisoners have time to listen to the Gospel.’ They said: ‘You are a fool!’ I answered: ‘Yes, I am a fool for Jesus.’ God wants us to become mature in the faith. Only a mature Christian can do courageous things. Through persecution we become mature Christians.” – Uzbek Believer

No New Churches In Uzbekistan, churches must register to run. For the past 16 years, not a single new church has received registration. Christian gatherings are raided, and believers are detained. As punishment for meeting illegally, churches receive hefty fines. It’s also common for Christians to serve short sentences in jail. Those who leave Islam to follow Jesus usually experience the worst persecution. They’re pressured by the state and their own families to deny their faith. Their conversion is shameful and a sign of dishonour. Neighbours report Christians if they catch them worshipping or reading the Source: Open Doors - www.opendoors.org.au

pray for uzbekistan • • •

Pray for God to help Uzbek leaders see that Christians are good and kind. Pray for believers who are threatened, fined and arrested that they will not stop believing in God. Pray for Christian women forced to marry against their will. Pray for their unbelieving spouse to find Christ.

QB.ORG.AU OCT/NOV 18 43

FUN ZONE WHERE IS THAT LITTLE PIGGY? Sir-Save-a-Lot the Baplink piggy bank is hiding somewhere in the magazine. Can you find him? Congratulations! Congratulations! To all those who found Sir-Save-a-Lot hiding on page 3 (August/September 2018 Issue of The Qb Magazine).

CROSSWORD

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

Beautiful Bees Bird Bloom Blossom Butterfly Flowers Football Fresh

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

44 OCT/NOV 18 QB.ORG.AU

Garden Grow Hiking Holiday Lambs Leaf New Outdoor Picnic

Plants Play Rainbow Seeds Sprout Sunshine Tennis Trees Warm

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

SUDOKU CHALLENGE Sudoku rules: Each row, column and block must contain one of the numbers from 1 to 9. No number may appear more than once in any row, column or block. When youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve filled the entire grid, the puzzle is solved.

WORD UNJUMBLE Ocean Unjumble the words relating to Spring. Then unjumble the red letters to answer the clue. Clue: What do bees collect? SOLSMBO NIHUSNSE RTOPSU ERGADN GOWR TELUYRFTB Word Unjumble Answer

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

CALM SPOT - COLOUR

QB.ORG.AU OCT/NOV 18 45

POSITIONS VACANT

CLEVELAND BAPTIST CHURCH (CBC) IS SEEKING APPLICATIONS FOR A SENIOR PASTOR

IS SEEKING APPLICATIONS FOR A LEAD PASTOR Chancellor Park Community Church, Sunshine Coast Seeking a part-time Lead Pastor (2-3 days per week, starting 2019). CPCC meets in a school hall adjacent to the University of the Sunshine Coast. We’re a community-based multi-age church. Will work with associate team. Looking for someone with a passion for leadership and teaching. Send expressions of interest to info@cpcc.org.au for a position description.

We are looking for a Senior Lead Pastor who will work with us to implement our mission “To Be Followers of Jesus – Equipped, Empowered, and Sent to The Community” Where is CBC? CBC is a mid-sized Church located in Cleveland (QLD) 40 minutes east of Brisbane All expressions of interest can be directed to The Pastoral Search Committee Contact: Derek Millar Ph: 0437 345 898 Email: millarmtb@gmail.com

IS SEEKING A SENIOR PASTOR Vacancy from January 2019 Pastor (senior) Perth Baptist Church, WA For further details, contact: Dr Keith Bender chairperson, Pastoral Search Committee paagal@iinet.net.au

QB MAGAZINE

Subscription Form - $19.50 per year

THE VOICE OF QUEENSLAND BAPTISTS

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46 OCT/NOV 18 QB.ORG.AU

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

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QB.ORG.AU OCT/NOV 18 46

POSITIONS VACANT

ACCOMMODATION BRISBANE: House available as a ministry for

ASSOCIATE PASTOR (YOUTH) AND COLLEGE PASTOR Glasshouse Country Baptist Church [GCBC] is looking for an Associate Pastor (Youth) and College Pastor (Glasshouse Christian College [GCC]). The candidate will be employed three days per week as Associate Pastor (preaching and youth responsibilities) and two days per week (during term time) as part of the College Pastoral team of Glasshouse Christian College. The Associate youth Pastor will be charged with the responsibility of encouraging the Christian faith in the young people of GCBC from Year 8 to Year 12. If you are interested in this unique position, please ring Chris Johnson on 0400175601 or email for a pack at revchrisj@gmail.com.

missionaries and church workers on the move. Three bedrooms, fully furnished, everything provided. Bus stop at the door. Minimal rent. Email: gtho4536@bigpond.net.au

CALOUNDRA - GOLDEN BEACH: Highset three bedroom holiday home. Weekends or weekly. Pets OK. Close to beach. Phone 0402 077 822 or lizottaway15@gmail.com. CALOUNDRA: Sunshine Coast, Qld, beachside units from $400/wk, ph 0427 990 161. SHARE ACCOMMODATION: Fairfield Christian Family (www.fcfchurch.org.au) is located in a vibrant inner-city suburb close to universities. There is currently one vacancy for a female (student or worker) in a 2 person share accommodation house adjacent to the church. Please contact Pastor Neil Pattemore, ph 0435 065 035 or tarragindipats@yahoo.com.au. FOR HIRE LARGE AUDITORIUM: Seats 290. Queensland Baptists’ Centre at Gaythorne. Phone Sharon, 07 3354 5600 for more information or visit www.qb.com.au – venue hire.

POSITION VACANT FULL-TIME SENIOR PASTOR Mount Isa Baptist Church is a bible-based church that aims to share Jesus’ message of hope with our local community and beyond. As our Pastor embarks on his retirement in early 2019, our church is seeking a Godly leader who is committed to sound biblical teaching and pastoral care.

INTEGRITY TRAVEL

Book all of your holidays and travel with Integrity Travel and help missions. Tours & specials at www.integritytravel.com.au Ph 07 3142 2242 for more information and bookings.

This is a full-time position with salary, subsidised housing, relocation support and administrative support. To express your interest in this role please contact Kingsley House (Pastoral Search Team Secretary) 0412 704 127 kingsleyhouse@bigpond.com

CHRISTIAN SINGLES

Travel with no single supplement. Register with Integrity Travel. For more information go to www.integritytravel.com.au.

ORGANISING A SEMINAR OR CONFERENCE? A MAJOR TRAINING OR COMMUNITY EVENT? We can help you get the media part working so that your message is well presented. Video recording - live streaming - sound systems - rear projection screens. Call Darbeth to discuss how we can help make your event a success. 0422 414 829 and ask for Darryl or email info@darbeth.com.au QB.ORG.AU OCT/NOV 18 47

THE VERY BEST IN AG E D C A R E L I V I N G

Introducing The Residences at Brookfield Green, a welcoming community where luxury suites and state-of-the-art facilities deliver the best in aged care. Nestled in the hills of scenic Brookfield in Brisbane’s western suburbs, The Residences at Brookfield Green delivers stunning views and full-service care in a community that is unlike any other. The brand new $30-million development includes 96 hotel-style rooms with private ensuites and exclusive use of Plume Salon, Bannerfield Private Dining, Rafters Café and Chapel. With world-class memory-assisted living spaces, palliative care and respite services, The Residences ensures around-the-clock support tailored to your individual needs.

Visiting health professionals such as GPs, physiotherapists, podiatrists and dentists ensure specialist care is also on hand. You have a choice of rooms including the Premium Suite which comes with a large wall-mounted television, adjustable electric bed, optional bar fridge, electric sit-to-stand recliner chair, feature lighting, timber panelling and writing desk. Enjoy scrumptious fresh meals prepared daily by our on-site chef. You’ll have plenty to do through our wellness and social programs or simply soak up the tranquillity within the native gardens and animals. At Carinity, our care is provided by people who feel more like family, helping you enjoy and celebrate your life.

Experience the real sense of belonging you get from being part of a Carinity community. Call Carinity today on 1300 109 109 or visit brookfieldgreen.org.au to arrange a private tour.

brookfieldgreen.org.au

RL007–0918