WINTER 2019
unveiled
IN THIS ISSUE
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Lay it All Down What does it look like to surrender it all to Jesus?
Demystifying worship art and dance.
Creating a legacy worth leaving for our children.
An update on the Gerkhe’s Thailand mission.
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Hear Anna Baker’s heart for maternal health in Uganda.
Facility in Full Swing
How Riverlife is opening doors to the community.
Passing the Baton
A Family on Mission
Bringing Hope to Uganda
Worshipping God with Everything We Have
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26 Navigating Those Conversations with Our Kids
Hear from one family how they tackled delicate conversations with their kids.
38 What’s Your Motivation? Our opportunity to be radically generous!
58 Financial Summary
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Tracking Riverlife’s financial progress.
God’s Plan for Shalom Home
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Reflections on the last ten years of this Indian partnership.
Bringing God’s Word to Life
Practical tips to refresh your daily Bible reading!
48 Found Conference
Our annual women’s conference.
54 Behind the Scenes
What does it really take to do church on a Sunday?
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For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. HEBREWS 8:10 (ESV)
Churches all over the world are being shut down and believers persecuted as governments and radicalised groups are becoming increasingly hostile towards the Gospel of Jesus. History has shown that in these times of persecution the church doesn’t diminish but instead, actually grows as those who are fully committed are willing to pay the highest of prices to continue to declare and demonstrate Christ’s kingdom. In our own country, it seems that we are moving dangerously close to losing the freedom to express viewpoints that are different to mainstream society. While we could hardly say that we are persecuted for our faith like our brothers and sisters in other countries, I do believe that the church will undergo a sifting process leaving those who are willing to be fully committed to the cause of Christ. I wonder what that looks like for Riverlife.
God has covenanted Himself to you and to reciprocate this covenantal love means that we should all be prepared to be fully committed to Him and His church. What an opportunity we have right now to capitalise on the freedoms we still enjoy! I am convinced that when the people of God fearlessly and courageously move empowered by the Holy Spirit to declare and demonstrate Christ’s kingdom, we can and will change the world around us. Many of this edition’s stories reflect the covenantal commitment people have made to give of their all to the cause of Christ. Their story could also be yours. I hope that as you read this edition you will find the courage to continue to give your all for the kingdom of God. God bless, John Robertson Senior Pastor
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Lay it All Down When we surrender all, we discover that this covenant isn’t just good news for eternity, but also good news for right now
The issue with making these the standards of how we live is that they place us as the highest authority in our lives. What we want, what we feel and what we decide holds the most weight in our decision making. Living like this is totally absent of the Lordship of Jesus that says He alone has the ultimate power and authority in our lives that we welcomed in at salvation. The Lordship of Jesus is unavoidable. His ultimate power and authority over everything, even the living and the dead [Romans 14:9] doesn’t discriminate based on whether we acknowledge or reject Him as Lord. Matthew 6:26-28 elaborates on His provision given to the birds of the air and the flowers of the field. Revelation 22:13 speaks of Him as the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. His Lordship extends from the smallest flower in a hidden field right through to being the very beginning and end of everything, even time itself. This kind of Lordship requires more than a half-hearted commitment to a relationship. It demands a
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Popular opinion tells us to ‘do whatever makes us happy’ to ‘trust our emotions’ and that ‘truth is subjective’ - it makes me happy so I don’t need to consider how my actions might affect someone else. At the first sign of things becoming difficult and causing strain on my ‘emotional well-being,’ we pull out. Truth is based on our
feelings at any given moment and becomes fluid with what’s popular or convenient instead of He who is constant and never changing. Sound familiar?
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We live in a noisy culture. With social media having been solidified as part of the fabric of culture, everyone now has a public platform to vocalise their opinions. Morning talk show hosts are now somehow ‘experts’ on christians, the church and scripture. Bloggers with no means of accountability can create hashtag campaigns that take aim at anyone who disagrees with them. Complex, real-life issues with real-life consequences are boiled down to click-bait style memes, created and shared by people hiding behind keyboards and computer screens. It seems that just because something is popular, culture deems it to also be true. In amongst all of this ‘noise’, I think as a Young Adult generation we’ve lost sight of what true biblical Lordship is. We are missing what it is to live the “abundant life” that Jesus came to give us [John 10:10].
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re-arranging of our entire lives. I am convinced that the entire Christian life only makes sense through that lens - the Lordship of Jesus that places Him as the ultimate authority in our lives and over everything. But sadly, I think for many Young Adults in the Church, our salvation has been watered down to a consumeristic product; a ‘golden ticket’ that secures our place in eternity and His Lordship over every area of our lives is an optional extra. To use health insurance as an example, we’ve all got the base package that includes eternal security, but somewhere along the way, submitting everything to the Lordship of Jesus became an optional ‘extra’ that only some choose to ‘add-on.’ Beyond our initial salvation moment, we need to remember that when we said yes to Jesus we said yes to letting go of our experience, our emotions and our opinions being the leading force in our lives. ‘Me, myself and I’ were put to death with Jesus, but only Jesus was supposed to walk out of the tomb. Instead though, our generation continues to walk around wearing graveclothes that wreak of the stench that is selective Lordship. We live as if we can selectively resurrect whatever
it is we please, whenever it is we please. If it suits our current emotional state, what’s popular in the culture at any given moment or aligns itself with our immediate wants, we put the Lordship of Jesus on pause like it’s a song playing in the background of our lives. Then, when a need arises that we can’t meet by our own means, we hit play and the sweet sounds of provision and grace start to play again. By the very nature of the covenant commitment He has made to us, His provision and grace will always be there. But if our experience of His covenant commitment ultimately boils down to benefits-based Christianity, we’ve missed the entire point of Lordship. Relationship with God becomes more about what we can get than what we can give and what He has given for us [Ephesians 2:7-8]. The saddening reality in all of this is that He, [God], has given us access to all of Himself. He’s made a covenant commitment to a relationship with us and the corporate Church has communicated that an adequate response to this covenant is to respond by raising a hand. He hasn’t asked for a single hand raise or 30-second prayer acknowledging Him
once. He’s asked for our entire lives. Everyday. Every moment. It’s only inside the context of a covenant relationship with Jesus, our lives fully surrendered to His Lordship that we can enter abundant life. Salvation is a moment, but submission is a lifestyle. He is Lord over our provision, but what about our generosity?
If all authority in our lives ultimately begins and ends with Jesus, then true freedom and real living aren’t found in the grasp of our own control but in the open hand of acknowledgement that our life isn’t our own! We aren’t the masters of our fate or the captains of our soul. We ultimately aren’t in control. It’s in this posture and lifestyle of surrender that we find the freedom we were seeking through control. Happiness is replaced by joy; our trust can be put in Jesus instead of our emotions and truth becomes objective because it’s founded not in popularity but in a neverchanging Person.
Access to this covenant came at the expense of a life, Jesus, and He calls us to lay down our lives to serve His mission. Day in and day out, decision after decision, sacrifice after sacrifice. I firmly believe that the future of our generation being part of the Church or being critics of the Church hinges on our surrender. Are you in? Nick Lloyd Young Adult Pastoral Assistant
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His name is the name above all our needs, but what about our wants?
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He is Lord over our eternity, but what about our present decisions?
It’s important that we lay it all down and live surrendered because we’re tasked with serving a generation who often aren’t thinking beyond the next season of their favourite Netflix series. They’re less concerned with their eternity and more concerned with their present. A covenant that offers them eternal security is beyond the scope of their current focus and is being labelled as ‘outdated’ and ‘irrelevant.’ They just want to know that a covenant relationship with Jesus means something for them now. It’s in our surrender that we’ll show that this covenant isn’t just good news for their eternity but also good news for their present.
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A Family on Mission When living an ‘all-in’ life for God looks like embarking on long-term cross-cultural mission – with four children in tow!
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We had always thought that one day we would end up serving God in the nations. Cross-cultural work, a love for connecting with people, seeing their lives transformed through encounters with God and wanting to see God’s Kingdom spread further, were passions for us both. This was clear to us well before we met and married, from when we were both teenagers. It was something that drew us together in our original love story as a couple! But so far, we hadn’t ever taken that step of faith and followed what God had planted in our hearts long ago. We’d been serving God in church ministry and crosscultural opportunities locally for years; however, something was always tugging at the core of us to go into all the world and make disciples. There was a distinct point in our journey a few years back, where God said clearly to us, “will you give me your yes?” Essentially,
God was asking us would we say yes to Him, no matter what the cost, no matter how scary it may be. The best way to describe the leading we had, was that we must take step one, and God would then reveal the next step. Hebrews 11:8 describes how we felt; “…by faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.” So, we decided to take a step of faith and literally stepped out into the unknown. God proceeded to then open door after door and we just kept saying yes to Him. It was scary, challenging and lots of anxiety crept in. However, during this process, we learnt more about how to put our faith and trust in God alone, every day! The anxiety and worries about the unknowns, the decisions that didn’t make sense from financial/secular/educational standpoints, all of these we needed to place in Father God’s hands. After much prayer and preparation, we moved to Thailand in July 2017, with four kids under 11, to embark on
something pretty special. Kingdom Multiplication Movement (KMM) the organisation we work with, focuses on training and discipling pastors in ten of the least-reached nations in Southeast Asia and the Himalayas. We train leaders on listening to God, God’s Kingdom and Kingdom family, identity in God, operating in miracles, signs and wonders, church planting and discipleship. It’s been a wonderful time being a part of what God’s doing in the nations and learning so much along the way. It hasn’t been easy, in fact, it’s been two of the most stretching and difficult years of our lives, but so worth it! We knew that this journey we were on, we were to do it together as a family. God showed us that this season would be one where He’d open our eyes and hearts to what Kingdom family looks like. When God started to put things in place to fulfil His promise to save the world, He started with a family and gave them a mission. God spoke directly to Abraham and his family and asked them to step into being a family on mission. When we look to the life of Jesus, He operated in a similar way, gathering an extended family around Him, a group of disciples, before embarking on
His mission. When we look even further at the Trinity, the unity of God is expressed in a diversity of persons, which means that at the very heart of God's nature is a family on mission, having unity in diversity. As we’ve journeyed as a family our eyes have begun to be opened to the fact that God's preferred mode of operation has always been family on mission. The great news is that Jesus wants to empower us all, wherever we are, to live as covenant families caught up in Kingdom mission. God is shifting us all to start living toward the life of BEING family, ON mission. We are to wholeheartedly embrace being part of a covenant community, and with those people, play our part in God's Kingdom mission. Grant and Kelly Gerkhe
To hear more about the Gerkhes, listen to their Going Deeper podcast
Passing the Baton For better or for worse, every generation leaves a legacy for the next
of God’s grace told through the generations. We learn through these stories that each generation significantly impacts the next…every time. Take Moses’ generation – because of their doubt and lack of faith their children are born into a legacy of wilderness and wandering. For better or worse, there’s always a generational impact.
“Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your
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We see this theme run through scripture too. The Old Testament tracks the life and times of the nation of Israel through its generations – from Abraham to David to Jesus. Through many moments of tragedy, and some of triumph, we see the story
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Every generation significantly impacts the next. It goes without saying. A few generations ago, someone invented the very first computer. Fast forward 80 years and you’re most likely reading this article on some kind of personal computer or device. That’s the way the world works – every generation leaves a legacy for the next, whether we like it or not.
Let’s zoom in on Deuteronomy six, where the majority of Israel’s ‘wanderer generation’ have died and we find a very old Moses speaking to the next generation of Israelites: a generation finally about to enter the promised land that was withheld from their parents. You can feel the weight of this moment; Moses is about to hand the baton over to a new generation, a generation that will finally receive what has been promised and carry Israel’s message of the one true God into the future. Moses knows that his generation have not left a legacy of faithfulness for this next generation, but he knows it’s vital that the next generation get it right – they must leave a better legacy for their children than their parents left for them. This is how the message of Yahweh will continue. In verse four onwards Moses instructs Israel:
God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (NLT) Moses’ instruction is clear: for the message to live on, they must teach it to their children. Another translation says, 'impress it upon your children'. In the original Hebrew language, the word used is ‘shanan’, which means to ‘sharpen or prepare’ and is most often used in the context of sharpening a sword. How cool is that! He’s not talking about teaching the kids some cute songs and stories. Moses instructs Israel to sharpen and prepare their children to carry their message into the future. I think Moses has nailed next generation ministry. The baton will get passed on one day, whether we’re ready or not. And whether we are aware of it or not, we are creating a legacy of
faith that the next generation will carry with them. What kind of legacy are we creating? Are we setting them up well to carry this message of hope onwards? What kind of faith will tomorrow’s leaders and decision-makers inherit from us? According to Moses, it is the responsibility of each generation to prepare the next generation to carry the baton of faith onwards. As a church family in covenant relationship with one another, this is a responsibility we simply cannot ignore. It’s not enough to place this responsibility on the shoulders of a few people who put their hands up to help out in a Sunday morning program either. Preparing the next generation is the responsibility of the whole church. That’s the way God designed it. We must take seriously Moses’ words to prepare the next generation, that they too may pass the baton on well someday. Not only did Moses teach this, he modelled it. As the book of Deuteronomy finishes, we are witness to the end of Moses’ time on earth, and we see the baton handed over to Joshua, a new young leader who fears God and who Moses has sharpened and prepared well. And it is Joshua who God uses to lead the next
generation of Israel into the promised land and into glorious Victory at Jericho.
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Emily Ellis Children's Pastor
The baton will get passed on one day, whether we’re ready or not.
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I’m excited for what will happen when we all take this responsibility to prepare and sharpen the next generation seriously. I’m excited for the generation of Joshua’s that will come out of Riverlife in the coming years – strong young men and women who take up the baton of faith and continue to push forward, taking new ground as they stand upon the incredible legacy of faithfulness that’s been left for them. By God’s grace, may it be so.
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Worshipping God with Everything We Have
Worship art and dance are a core part of our DNA here at Riverlife and regularly feature on stage at our Sunday services and special events as part of our expression for worship. Our Worship Pastor Nick Riddel recently caught up with Petrea Taylor (Worship Art) and Nikki Peck (Worship Dance) on the heart and approach behind this.
Can you take us through your approach to painting on stage while worship is happening? You often
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I would say it is a physical representation of our heart in worship. Just like when you are in nature and see the wonders that God has made, you can’t help but be in awe of God. Worship art is a way of expressing our love for God through colours, pictures and images that make us think about who God is.
There are a few different ways I come up with my painting. Firstly, I will sometimes see a picture in my imagination weeks out from doing worship art on stage. At times, I feel that maybe it is something God is showing me so I can paint it. I will spend some time practising how to draw that picture and get it from my head to the page so that when I am on stage, I can draw it quickly and then work longer on filling in the image. Due to the time constraints, I like to have a plan. Some of our artists will already have something started that they have been praying into, and they will just finish it on stage. These paintings are often images that might make you think about who God is or an aspect of God’s
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Firstly Petrea, in a nutshell, how would you describe what worship art is to someone who is unfamiliar with it?
only have 30 minutes, sometimes shorter at other events, how do you come up with what you’re painting?
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character, like a lion or a light house. These images the artist believes, God has given them for that service. My most common method is more abstract. I paint with colours and am inspired by the music and the words and by how I feel during worship. Often songs we might sing have words like “rain down” or “blow through” or “Holy Spirit come.” I love to try and paint in a way, that if you imagined what it might look like for Holy Spirit to rain down into the room right now, those colours and brush strokes are what you might imagine. This can be done quickly, and for me is so worshipful, because I am being inspired by the beautiful colours God has led me too, and the way they interact on the canvas. Sometimes the art is an act of worship for the artist using colour and movement. Sometimes the art is created to help our congregation see something that might help them worship, become more aware of who God is and think about who they are worshipping.
Apart from using your gifts to glorify God, what’s your heart for the pieces of art you create on stage during a service? My heart is that it is never a distraction from God, but something that makes us think about Him. Whether that be because of the image you see before you, or the beauty in the design of it. Art itself is very subjective, but my heart is that all the art you see on stage, no matter the style, points back to God and who He is.
What’s something someone has shared with you after one of your paintings as to how they were impacted by your art? I have been blessed and encouraged over the years by so many people. Quite a few
How has your perspective on worship changed since becoming involved in worship art? I have become more aware that singing is not the only way to worship God. I am so aware now that my imagination can be a place of worship as well.
Nikki, you’ve been a trained dancer and danced most of your life. How does that compare to your approach and experience of worship dance on stage? My dance training can be both helpful and a hindrance at times while I’m worship dancing! Having the dance skills
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To create something in a moment of worship and have it still to this day have the same impact, even when there is no music playing, no conference atmosphere is incredible. To be used
by God, and to use my gifts to glorify Him and help others be aware of Him is a privilege.
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of my painting are hanging in houses and bedrooms because Holy Spirit powerfully spoke to someone through my painting. My favourite painting would have to be one I painted at a conference. Just a no-plan, go-with-whatever-I-felt-Godwanted painting. I was so inspired by the song ‘Holy Spirit Rain Down’, that I picked up blue and went to town. I felt so connected to God as I played with different tones of blue and literally just worshipped. Then as the music changed, I also felt to change, and started to use gold foil to represent Holy Spirit blowing through the room and falling in that place. I have had so many people say that as they watched the painting form, they could not help but feel God all around them. To this day, when we ask people what it is a picture of, they say, “I am not sure what it is, but man can you feel the Holy Spirit when you look at it.”
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is so important in being able to express what God is speaking to me while I’m dancing. If I have the ability, it gives me freedom to let my body express what’s going on in my heart and spirit. It flows more freely. On the flipside, when you train as a dancer, you are taught to be very aware of what your body is doing. You’re aware of the muscles that need to be turned out, the height of your leg, or the position of your arms. When you are so accustomed to being aware of yourself, it can be a challenge sometimes to ‘let go’ and let Holy Spirit guide my movements.
How would you best describe the purpose of dance in the worship setting? When we dance and use our whole bodies to worship God, we are literally shaping the atmosphere with praise. How awesome is that! The Bible makes it clear that God asks for ALL of us when we worship Him (Acts 17:28; Romans 12:1; Luke 10:27). Dance can help us connect with God and physically express what is going on in our hearts. It can be a powerful way of using movement to personally surrender to Him.
Dance also adds to the body of believers when we gather corporately to worship. It can be used to declare promises over people and also intercede for the congregation. Much like we use guitars or the piano to make music that declares truths about God, dance is another instrument that proclaims who He is.
What first drew you into this expression of worship? Often during worship, this feeling of praise would rise up inside of me and singing a song or saying a prayer just wasn’t enough to convey my thankfulness to God. I felt compelled to express my love for God with all of my being, and for me, that moved me to dance. I was lucky enough to attend the School of Worship at Bethel in 2015, which gave me some great tools and teaching to put that into practice. God had been moving others in our church to explore dance in worship, and that lead Ange Pratt and myself to kick-start worship dance about two years ago.
What is your process behind coming up with movements during a service? Are they pre-
rehearsed or more natural overflows and expressions of the heart?
As a church how do you envision us using and implementing worship dance into not only our services, but in our overall worship environment?
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I want to see everyone freely moving in our services, without fear of judgement. If you have a
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Everyone in our team hears from God differently as they prepare to dance in our services. For me, God will often give me an impression of what He wants to do before the service… it might be a word like ‘freedom’ or ‘breakthrough’, or it might be a picture of a storm that is being calmed. And then instinctively, I’ll let God move me during the service to reflect that impression. Quite often, as I dance, God will give me an idea of where to go on the stage next and what
movement to do. During the whole time I’m dancing, I’m in constant communion with God, and He is leading me. At times, I might stop because I’m waiting for God to lead me on to the next thing. Everything is very deliberate.
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desire to dance, you should feel free to dance down the sides of the auditorium! I think we've become so accustomed to using singing to praise God, but the idea of using dance is still a little uncomfortable for so many of us. But it shouldn't be! The idea of using dance goes beyond just our services. Maybe in your quiet time, when it’s just you and God, you could use movement to express yourself to God. You might find it incredibly freeing. We are running Movement and Worship Workshops, which is a great place to come along and learn some tools in how you can use movement in your worship – everyone is welcome!
What’s something God has revealed to you either before moving onto the stage or as you’ve danced during our corporate worship time? During a recent evening service, I felt like God wanted to go deeper during worship. I got a picture of a tree whose roots were growing deeper and deeper and deeper. So, I danced that over the service – my movement was very downward, and my feet barely left the floor.
Every movement was pressing into Him. But then as the service progressed, I felt like the tree was growing and sprouting. Fruit was being birthed from that place of connection with God. So, my movement reflected that change. I began to prophesy over the church through my movement; that each person would see fruit from their intimacy and connection with God.
How would you encourage people to engage with what’s happening on the platform?
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If you don’t want to dance, that’s fine too. Perhaps you might like to ask God to speak to you through the dancing. The dancer might be expressing something that speaks right to your heart.
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Our desire as a dance team is to see people worshipping freely, however that looks. So, if you are in a service, and you feel like moving during worship, please find a space and move! I think that when we see someone dancing, it’s almost like giving us permission to do the same. We are so blessed to have space down the sides of the auditorium, so please feel free to use that space and join us!
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Navigating Those Conversations with Our Kids How one family tackled the topic of sex education
Talking to our children about sex is something most people will avoid doing until it is too late. If your child is exposed to sexual content or even chatted with friends before you have had a conversation with them, it is almost certain that this experience will shape their view of sex far more than the words we say. As Christians, a conversation about sex can be such a powerful, Holy Spirit-led time. God created it, so we can't shy away from it. It should be about more than biology as well, for if we only tell our children about the physical act but omit the spiritual component, when a child sees porn it technically matches that description.
It is our role as parents to help shape a child’s view of sex, the way God designed it, so that when they see something that does not match God's perfect creation, they feel confident to know that it is not the truth. So, when and how do we talk to our children about sex? My husband and I have been having conversations with our children since they started asking them, which was around three years old. Each time we have expanded on what they might need to know. We like to think of them as child-led but parentcontrolled conversations. If you have been struggling for the words to say or how to say them, I hope these practical tips may help you have life-breathed, Holy Spirit-led conversations with your children.
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It's a big topic, one we want to do well, but how do we talk to our children about sex when they are young? Studies show us that by 9, most children have sadly been exposed to pornography or some kind of sexually provocative images. Have you ever walked past a lingerie shop, seen an ad on TV or even just passed a young teenage couple and had your kids look with intrigue, and even worse ask you a question?
Before Five A child under five is likely to ask questions about how babies are born. It may be that a sibling is in the works or they know someone who is pregnant. This is a great opportunity to build a foundation for future conversations. It is so important to answer their questions and not dismiss them. If it is not the time, because you're in the Coles check out, it's important to just let them know you can't wait to tell them about it at home and what a great question. When talking to a young child, this does not need to be a serious conversation (although a serious topic), and the tips below are just one example of how we can start building that foundation. Using a gentle, but fun approach is important. Use language that a young child will understand – no need to introduce new words or big ideas just yet. Although it can feel awkward, these chats can be a great way to help a child know about some of their own biology. When asked questions about where babies come from or how did they get in mummy’s tummy, it is important to start to let children know that it takes a man and a woman to make
a baby. Most people just leave it there, and shy away from the how it got there. The how? This is where you can't freak out and say, ‘wait till your older’. This is where the foundation for the future is built, so again use words and language you feel confident with but also let young children know it does not just happen one day or when mummy and daddy just decide. We let our kids know mum and dad share a ‘special cuddle’ that God created for married couples to create a baby, and that mummy has some eggs in her tummy and when they have the cuddle daddy gives her the seed that makes the egg grow. If they ask more about the cuddle then you could say things like “I would love to tell you about that, but I think it would be great when you are a little older and can understand more about it. Is that okay?” Children need to know they can ask the questions, but its ok to let some detail develop as they develop. Young children also love to ask how babies get out. Anatomy is an important thing to talk about for child safety and is just as important for conversations about the birds and bees. Let kids know about their anatomy, and mummy’s anatomy. This is a great age to do it because
Our role as parents is to shape a child's view of sex, the way God designed it.
you can tell them about their anatomy, and they don’t think it is gross unlike teenagers! It’s important to let your child lead the conversation and for you to ask them questions rather than throw information at them. If they don't or have not asked you anything and you know you want to start talking to them, then you can ask them, how do you think a baby comes out? Or, how did you think it got in there? It might be fun to see what they say and let them know it's okay to think about these things and have questions about life. All these chats are building the relationship and telling our children, “I can talk to my parents.” If we avoid them, they might be asking someone else like another five-year-old, or if you dismiss them, they may feel it’s a topic not to discuss and that is not how we want our kids to feel.
Between Six-Nine
At this age kids might become aware of things like crushes and relationships. Questions about mums and dads not being together, people kissing, and love can be confusing topics. Big questions about divorce and that special cuddle happening when people are not married or don't love one another can start
to happen after prep and we all need to be prepared to answer them. We pray a lot as a couple and let God be our guide. Even though they’re still young, the exposure of schoolyard talk is high, but we knew we wanted to not create shame about something so precious that God had created. Knowing that by age nine children are more likely to be exposed to pornography, use this time to introduce the idea that this special cuddle is not always done right and encourage them to talk to mum or dad about it. Books like Liz Walker’s 'Not for Kids' can be helpful when introducing the idea of pornography. We have also found Moral Revolution very helpful and I recommend reading the blog post by Cole Zick, moralrevolution.com/ blog/my-eight-year-old-andpornography For us, this conversation happened at dinner after a lead up of lots of smaller questions about relationships. Our older daughter had asked me at the shops after seeing a baby, “Mummy how can a cuddle get a baby in your tummy and can anyone put it there?”. Being in the shopping centre, I let her know that was a great question and we could talk about it as a
family at dinner. So, at dinner, I asked our eight-year-old if she remembered her question and she did. I asked her if she remembered, because this told me she was not just asking a one-off, but she had been thinking about it. She had also been asking me a lot of questions about families where parents were not married and had stepchildren, so we had been discussing this and thought it was a good time to expand our conversations. We decided to introduce the word sex, so told the girls that the special cuddle has some things about it that make it special. First a mum and dad have to be naked (insert children laughing) and second, they use their private parts to get daddy’s seed in mummy's tummy and this is called having sex. We also told the girls daddy's part is called a sperm and is a little swimmer so that is how it gets up to the womb. Laughter, lots of laughter is what transpired! The idea of mum and dad cuddling naked was so funny to them. We asked the girls if they have ever heard the word sex before: our eight-year-old had not, our six-year-old had. Yep, that's right our six-year-old had children in her class in prep saying something about sex, and
people having it. She didn't know what it was though. So, although it seems young, this was the perfect time to talk to our girls. We had lots of laughs during this chat. Lots of questions about daddy being naked and it being gross. We all laughed together, and we let them lead the conversation asking them things like, do you think it's a big deal to make a baby, do you think it's a private thing or something other people can see? This allowed us to open the door on porn. We have not used the word porn yet in our family and our older daughter is nine. We will start to use that word closer to her teenage years, but we wanted to let her know about when sex is done wrong without telling her about porn or causing her to look at other families at her school like they were wrong families if the parents were not married. We communicated to her that sex is a special, and a beautiful thing that God created for married couples, but that not everyone treats it as special. Some people don't wait till they are married and sometimes they have a baby before they are married. We asked if she thought this was a good idea – once again, child-led. She agreed if
mum and dad are married, that is best. We talk about how God loves all families, no matter how they look too. We asked her if she had ever seen something that she thought was sex, she said “no, why?� We told her that sometimes people make videos or take pictures of it, which is not okay because God made it private for a married couple. So, if she ever saw a video or anything that is okay, she can just say that she does not want to see that and chat to mum or dad about it. I let her know that as she gets older more and more people might talk about sex and that's okay, she can just talk with me about it and ask questions. She has had lots of questions and we always answer them honestly. Have we had sex with anyone else? Do we like it? Why would we do it? Why would someone video that? None of these questions worry me, because the great thing is, she is asking them, and we are guiding and building our daughters' view
of sex. If and when she sees porn, she will see that it is not what she knows sex to be, and it is wrong. This is why talking to children about more than biology is important. The love and spiritual component of sex is as important as the physical act, and it is so important our pre-teens know that, so they recognise when it’s not sex the way God designed it. Although talking to children under the age of nine about sex and porn seems like an unnecessary, too-soon thing to do, the reality is in a digital, overly sexualised world, we need to be the narrative our children learn from. It is not enough to protect them from it. We need to guide them through it and do our best to point them to God’s plan at every opportunity. We still have a long way to go, but with God’s guiding, we will hopefully pass on a legacy to our children that reflects the sanctity of sex and God’s design for it to be used in a covenantal relationship. Petrea Taylor Children's Pastoral Assistant
Facility in Full Swing External events prove an opportunity to welcome the community to Riverlife
something that would benefit the broader community,” he said.
Since moving into our new premises in late 2017, Riverlife has been home to a multitude of Sunday services and ministry events and it seems the building is bustling each week with the comings and goings of church life. Yet, it has always been intended for Riverlife to be a blessing to the broader community. Riverlife’s Technical Director, Andrew Nix, said the original purpose of the building was to be more than just a place to do church on a Sunday. “The auditorium at Riverlife has been designed with concerts and theatrical performance in mind, as well as being custombuilt for church services. We didn’t want to just build a singleuse facility, but instead design
With a wide array of facilities, Riverlife undoubtedly has the capacity to host just about any event, including productions, conventions, graduations, concerts and speech nights. Recently, Riverlife was honoured to host renown Christian artists For King & Country for their soldout performance to 1500 people. Impressed by the remarkable technical capabilities and enthusiasm of the Riverlife team to serve them well, the group considered Riverlife “the best venue in the tour so far.” A member of the Riverlife community, Natalie Ward, felt proud that when her school hired the facility for their speech night, they had such a positive experience. “To be welcomed with a stage and building that is at least 20 times bigger than our hall was an amazing opportunity. I heard multiple conversations from parents and staff that they highly appreciated how helpful the church staff and volunteers were during the entire process of planning and running the night,” she said. Now many high schools from across South-west Brisbane
have booked Riverlife for their upcoming events. This not only provides an important source of financial income for the church but is providing the community with a solution for the absence of appropriately sized facilities previously experienced in the western corridor.
It is our prayer that as we have more people entering our church, they would also experience Riverlife as a place filled with God’s love. Whether people attend our services or not, offering the community a chance to enter a place where they can feel valued and accepted, is an opportunity to show them the love of Christ.
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“It actually feels a little like some dreams and visions for our home are being realised when QPAC producers and some of the best theatre creators in Australia are sitting in our auditorium, their minds blown by the scope and being quite moved by the genuine friendliness and generosity of our community” Josh said.
The recent federal election offered another opportunity for Riverlife to connect with the community as more than 3,500 people stopped by over a three-week period to visit a prepolling booth. Many had no idea the church existed and were able to stop and chat with the team about the diverse range of community activities on offer. Several people even commented to each other on how they felt an incredible sense of peace present as soon as they entered the building!
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Another long-time member of the Riverlife family, Josh McIntosh, shared his experience as the Production Designer for Shake and Stir’s adaptation of Fantastic Mr. Fox. With its complex video projection component, high-energy live action and a huge production set, Josh suggested Riverlife as a rehearsal venue, which was quickly realised as a blessing for the company.
"I believe we [Riverlife] have a pivotal role in exposing God’s love to the world’s arts sector and this small adventure feels like scratching the iceberg,” he said.
Bringing Hope to Uganda
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How a Child and Maternal Health Clinic In Kyampisi, Uganda is restoring a community to health Weema Clinic in Kyampisi, Uganda has been a project long in the making. The vision for the clinic began back in 2011 when the first stage of the building was constructed. In 2014, enough funds were received to complete the final stage of the building, which included power and plumbing. From 2015-2019 the building had been used as offices for the staff at Kyampisi Childcare Ministries (KCM). It’s reassuring that the building was being put to good use, but this wasn’t the building’s original intention. Despite the long wait, the vision had stayed alive; one day the doors to this little building would be open as a safe sanctuary to renew health, restore hope and bring life to mothers and babies and the sick and vulnerable of Kyampisi. In early 2019, KCM’s Founder Peter Sewakiryanga had a new injection of hope that by around April this year we would receive the rest of the funds we needed to purchase equipment, recruit
and pay four staff members to make the clinic operational. I decided to take the bold step and purchase flights to Uganda in early April and start fundraising for purchasing much needed equipment. We received some donations through the DIAS website by raising awareness through social media, but it wasn’t enough to purchase what we needed. In the beginning of March, just before our trip, we received two separate donations totaling $20 000 that would go towards purchasing the equipment. Praise God! This would go a very long way in securing everything we needed for the clinic. We were also able to fly over several capital items that people had generously donated as well. During the week I was in Uganda in April, we went shopping for equipment and started the process of recruiting four staff members: a clinical officer, nurse/midwife, nurse administrator and lab assistant. God is so faithful. If He gives
us a vision, pray boldly, plan confidently and commit the plans back to Him. He always provides!
Anna Baker
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The second workshop was with the church community of Kyampisi. We started with
Although very brief, this was one of the most memorable trips I’ve had to Kyampisi, Uganda. God is doing some amazing things in this community and it’s a privilege to be playing some part in it.
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Since my last visit to Uganda I also had a desire to run a midwifery workshop with local midwives and a health workshop in the community of Kyampisi. I’m a midwife in Brisbane and am passionate about education and bringing God into the midwifery industry. God brought me in contact with two other midwives, Emma Higlett and Sydney Rinn, who have been to Uganda with KCM several times. It was the perfect team! There were 20 midwives who came to our workshop who were all leaders in their workplaces throughout the Mukono District. Emma and I led devotions about showing God’s love as a midwife and inviting God to help us in our work places. We shared our wealth of knowledge with each other and Emma, Sydney and I prayed for all of them individually. It was a fun and special day and God’s presence was definitely evident.
worship, a devotion and Bible study followed by lessons in CPR and first aid. After lunch we broke up into separate groups of men, women and teenagers and ran sex education. The topics we covered included saving sex for marriage, family planning, pregnancy, STIs, contraception and abortion. We allowed space for everyone to be vulnerable and ask questions. Nothing like this had been run in Kyampisi before, and we definitely had some interesting questions to answer! At the end of the session we shared that no matter the mistakes we have made in the past, Jesus forgives, and we can give all our shame and condemnation to Him. In Jesus we are new creations. There were several people really touched by this message.
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What’s Your Motivation? The heart behind our giving God’s amazing generosity to His creation is one long story woven throughout Scripture. From creation to the fall, to redemption, glorification and ultimately a new heaven and earth, God’s generous nature to His people should motivate us to follow His example. Because He is a generous God, we should be generous people.
were a part of, produced a supernatural generosity and unity.
The early church of Jesus followers was isolated, persecuted and by no means in-sync with the values of either the predominant religions of the day or the values of the society they lived in. Their covenant bond with God and therefore the covenant community they
The power of this covenant community transformed selfish hearts and generated a love and compassion between people that was so intense that no one could hold on to anything extra when someone else appeared in personal need.
All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2: 44–45, 47b (NIV)
Give to The Church? We can be generous people in all sorts of ways, and to all sorts of good causes but we also need to address if our giving to the church is in a generous manner. Of course, our time and talent are things we can be generous in giving, however our money is the thing that probably is the real litmus test of our generosity. Do we trust God enough to supply all our needs when we become generous with our finances? The idea of giving back to God in an act of faith, recognising that He has provided, and this is a part of our worship, has a long
If then giving to God is an act of worship, an act of thanksgiving and faith that both the Old and New Covenants encourage us to participate in, what becomes your motivation for giving? Believing that God has purposed the church to be the vehicle to reach the world is good reason to generously support the work of the church. But I think that the overwhelming motivation should be to honour God. Our faith pleases God and so too does our cheerful giving (Hebrews 11:6; 2 Corinthians 9:7).
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Why Do You Give or Not
and rich biblical narrative. We see the idea of giving a tithe (the first 10%) and offering and gifts in the covenant with Abraham (e.g. Genesis 14:18-20), and again in the Law to Moses (e.g. Leviticus 27:30-33; Numbers 18:21-32) and in Malachi 3:5-12. We also see instances of freewill giving where people’s hearts were stirred, and they gave as they were willing (Exodus 25:19; 35:21-29; 36:2-7). The New Testament insists that we belong completely to God, and we are not our own, for we were bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Everything we have belongs to God, and we are to be good stewards of all that we have temporarily been given (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 12:4248, 16:1-13, 19:11-27).
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That sounds like a church I want to be a part of. A church where the regenerate work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, moves us with genuine love and compassion to the needs of others and undoes our tight-fisted ‘me first culture’ approach to life, to one that reflects the generous nature of a generous God. We want the community around us to know that we are an incredibly generous people and that this would point towards our generous God, because we know that generosity is counter cultural.
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The kind of giver that God wants us to be is a generous giver, a person who is cheerful in giving. As Christ followers we are to delight in giving, it really should be something that from our heart springs forth the delight in being both able and willing to give. This counts out giving from habit, or reluctantly just trying to be obedient, because that becomes unsustainable. If every time you give, you grieve, it won’t be long until that wears thin and you stop giving. It’s when we give with a wrong motivation, or out of compulsion that we will give sparingly rather than abundantly. If you give under compulsion, like giving because you are trying to avoid punishment or giving to get something, then you’re not giving from a place of delight.
we should if we do not trust Him with our finances? Inevitably this then leads to a question of how much then should I give?
Plan to Do, Not Just Hear
Can you imagine the day when our church has more than enough to fulfil every vision and dream God gives us to reach the lost and the least? I believe it’s possible when God touches our hearts and we plan to give generously.
Jesus said that we are to be doers and not merely hearers of the word and James backs this up (Matthew 7:24–27; James 1:22–25). Giving generously is not something that is haphazard. Giving generously should be something we plan. Ultimately our action is both a sign of obedience and trust. Do we trust God with our lives like
Ultimately this comes down to you and God. Paul says that you should give what you have decided in your heart, remembering that he is talking about a heart that is giving in abundance not stingily. Throughout the Old Testament the idea of giving the first 10% or a tithe was a common practice and is a great starting point I believe for us today. However, if this then becomes our limit rather than our guide, we start to give out of compulsion which will stop us being cheerful or generous. Bottom line, you can’t out give God!
More Than Enough
There’s a great story found in Exodus 35 -36 where Moses asks the people of God for free will offerings to build the Tabernacle as God had asked. Day after day
they brought their gifts with such generosity that Moses had to tell them to stop (Exodus 36:6-7). Where did a group of wandering refugees get that kind of wealth? God had supplied it from their previous captors, the Egyptians. They realised that what they had was supplied by God and gave generously to the need for God’s community.
listen to an extended Going Deeper podcast here
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John Robertson Senior Pastor
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We have the same opportunity today of being a people who recognise that what we have is from God’s provision, and by faith trust Him and we give generously to His community so there is more than enough!
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How our support has opened doors in India The word shalom comes from the Hebrew language, and means ‘nothing broken, nothing missing, nothing lacking’. Through the work of Shalom we want to help restore systems and relationships that are broken; and restore access to that which is missing or lacking in people’s lives. Shalom started as the dream of Pastor B.A. Daniels and his family, who have been supporting orphans and widows in the Madurai district in Tamil Nadu, Southern India, since the early 1980’s. They initially purchased a 5-acre plot of land in Erampatti in 2007, with the dream of establishing a small sustainable community where orphans and widows could live together and grow nutritious food.
this, people we knew, and those we didn’t know at first, have joined us to help achieve this through Shalom.” Israel Daniels – Director, Shalom.
“Our vision is to see rural communities thriving, free of poverty, and contributing to the future leaders within our country. As we have stepped out to do
How has the support of people from Riverlife helped over the past 10 years? That was a Godly connection! The help from Riverlife started back in 2009 with the Lego challenge. This raised funds for our first kitchen dining hall. Since then, Riverlife families have been standing with us and helping in many ways, sponsoring children at the Campus, giving money to build additional buildings, buy vehicles that enable our medical clinics and health programs,
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Underpinning Shalom’s strategy is the principle of ‘One Raaga’ – Together Better – Based on the Tamil word for ‘together’. The power of people working together has enabled great progress achieved to date and is fundamental to achieving long lasting transformation.
Here is part of a longer conversation where Israel Daniels shared a glimpse into the ministry of Shalom.
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Since then, Shalom’s programs have grown to include a Children’s Campus, Shalom farm, and education and health programs in six villages. The vision by 2022 – to assist the poor in 10 surrounding villages through sustainable community development programs and offer end to end care for up to 50 orphan children through the Children’s Campus.
Riverlife’s Geoff and Karen Hales have worked tirelessly behind the scenes providing coordination, technical support and resource mobilisation, in partnership with Israel Daniels and his amazing program team of nationals with local knowledge, language and community relationships, based in Erampatti.
start tuition and homework clubs, even invest into social enterprise programs created through the farm by buying goats and cows.
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How is Riverlife connected to the Vision of Shalom? When Pastor Ric and Anne Benson came in 2013, we had started a big building for the girls. In faith we had stepped out to start the foundation work, yet we only had resources to complete about 10 per cent of the building, not enough funds to finish. Ric and Anne prayed with us. Riverlife (back then KBC) held the Jireh Bazaar fundraiser. Families sponsored rooms and gave a lot of money. Within a year, the buildings were done thanks to the help of Riverlife community. Pastor John Robertson and a team came in 2017 where he received a prophetic word that confirmed a vision I had already received to reach out to ten villages. The team prayed and now, two years later, we are running programs and sharing God’s love with people in six of those 10 villages.
How is what you’re doing now different to what you imagined ten years ago? We never expected or dreamed that the ministry would grow this much. Our dream started with building a home for orphan boys and that was pretty much the limit from our thinking. I didn’t imagine that fast forward ten years and we would be running tuition programs, exam preparation clubs, mobile health clinics, medical camps, awareness and outreach programs in so many villages, having more buildings to complete the Children’s Campus complete with a huge staff and volunteers as well as creating employment generating social enterprise. It’s all God’s hand – He’s given us increase in everything! We have really learnt to cease reliance on our human thinking and place our total reliance on God our provider and seek His Godly thinking. We have now come to expect more things from the Lord, through His power. It is an exciting journey as He takes us to the next level of growth.
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What are some of the needs you see in the villages you’re reaching out to? Among the six villages we currently work in, only one village has a shop that sells basic medicines. There are no government free clinics closer than an hour from these villages, so the reality is these people don’t have regular medical help. If anyone is sick or there’s a health emergency, they must travel a long way, which is extremely difficult and cost prohibitive. Some people are only finding out they have been suffering from high blood sugar levels or heart conditions when we run a medical camp. They’re in their 50s or 60s and have never been tested because of poverty. This also impacts pre-natal, birthing and postnatal care and leads to high presentation of stunted children. We also see the cascading impact of prolonged drought in the region, with challenges accessing water, growing food, engaging in regular work that all impact ability to cover school fees and access education. For many in these villages they had lost hope. It is our desire to be the fragrance of Christ and
give them a taste of God’s love for them, practically and tangibly. Every aspect of Shalom’s involvement in the community, whatever we do with or for them, is to show God’s love. Often people ask me, “Why do you come and do this, for what reason do you come? Who is telling you to come here to this village?” It is so exciting when we have opportunity to say “We want to show you God’s love for you. It is God who talked to us and told us to come here and help those who are poor and needy, afflicted or in trouble. This is the work God gave to us.”
Are there risks in speaking openly about Jesus? For Shalom, it always starts with relationship. In many places, it is very tough to get into villages, but by the grace of God we’ve been able to forge good relationships with Government officials and village leaders. We go into villages upon invitation. When we speak to Village Leaders and community, we speak to them with love that prompts them to say, “Come to our place, you are welcome.” Even when the teams from Riverlife come, they receive a warm welcome in the villages. We have even seen those who
are addicted to alcohol, when we talk to them in this way, they are very open to hear what we have to say. But it is true that there is a heightened sensitivity and growing resistance to the gospel movement in India now. In many places as soon as someone has a meeting or says prayers in houses, people come and stop them. This is really disturbing and something people can uphold in much prayer for us.
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We want to see many changes, in all these places. The Word of God says that God does not want to see people lost in this world. So, our main prayer point is that we want to see these villages come to know Christ. At Shalom Home we want to see the children grow and settle in good jobs. Already the first boys to graduate are doing very well. They have given their lives to the Lord and are living wonderful Christian lives in different places and going to church regularly. In the same way, we want all the boys and girls living here now to give their hearts totally to the Lord and commit their lives to God.
Thank you.
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In what way can families at Riverlife pray for your ministry?
A big thanks to Riverlife families for all your prayer and support. I give thanks for them, every individual who has helped support Shalom Community Development Projects.
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Click here to purchase digital content of the conference
It was no coincidence that Found Conference 2019 took place on the weekend that we were concluding the Covenant Series as a church family. As a series, Covenant was designed to bring us together as a family, remind us of our commitment to each other and to God and fuel our hunger to see His kingdom break into our lives, families, communities and those around us!
Found Conference provided a perfect setting for the women of Riverlife to do just that – connect, be inspired and equip ourselves with practical teaching that would help us bring God’s kingdom to our front lines. More than 250 women of all ages rolled up their sleeves and explored topics such as how to keep marriages alive, lead with authenticity, parent well and thrive in the second-
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inspiration when life gets tough. We were thankful for the many hands that served us so faithfully to make the conference possible and we look forward to seeing the fruit of the weekend as we boldly seek to share the love of Christ with those in our community. Riverlife Women
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half of life. Laughs were shared, and friendships grew as women reflected that they felt valued and had a place to belong. We were reminded of the importance of intentionally finding ways to be God’s hands and feet through our Buckets of Joy and Buckets for Bubs outreach programs and of how we can look to so many incredible women in the Bible as sources of courageous
Bringing God’s Word to Life Practical ways to read scripture that will transform the way you live
Scripture is fascinating! In it we find stories of God’s amazing love towards humanity, songs of praise right alongside songs of sorrow, as well as moments of deep desperation from God’s chosen people. In Scripture we see God’s covenantal commitment and the very nature and characteristics of God displayed to us.
We need Scripture to read us! That’s right, when we come to reading Scripture, we need to
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However, once we get past the ‘cheap knowledge’ temptation, we come to Scripture with our own priorities, prejudices and perspectives. This can result in us seeing what we want to see. If we know we need emotional fixing, we come to Scripture with the expectation that God will speak to the parts in us that need to be fixed. Or if we think gay marriage should be legalised, we will find that perspective in the pages of the Bible. As a matter of fact, as western Christians, we read the Word with understandings that are completely different to a Christian in another nation or in another cultural setting. It’s true that we are unable to avoid some of this due to our upbringing and the worldview that we are a part of. So how can we faithfully bring God’s Word to life when we read it? How can we engage with Scripture so that it changes how we live in this world as empowered people?
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The Bible truly is “living and active, sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). But if you’re anything like me, when you open the Word of God, sometimes it doesn’t make sense. Sometimes it’s quite confusing! Maybe you don’t even know where to start! I often see people getting caught up in the finer details of the text and, in doing so, miss the main points. Because of this, people turn to second-hand knowledge and experiences found in devotionals, books and podcasts, without having a chance to engage with the presence of the Author of Scripture. These resources aren’t evil, but if we rely on these alone, we can fall into a case of ‘cheap knowledge’,
which may create a dependent spirit in us as we rely on others to digest information for us.
practice an ancient spiritual discipline of allowing Scripture to read us. Instead of coming with our preferences and selfish ambitions, when we come to read Scripture it is best to allow it to read us. This means setting aside our agendas and allowing Scripture to set the agenda.
For this, I would simply suggest starting with a simple time of prayer. Perhaps pray something like “God, thank You for Your revealed Word. I pray that today You would help me see all that You have for me. Spirit of wisdom and revelation come and meet me today.”
To most effectively do this, we can upskill ourselves as empowered people across various areas. Firstly, and most importantly, we need to learn to discern God’s voice. The whole point of Bible reading is to meet the Author. If we are simply trying to memorise verses to rebut our work colleagues at the lunch table, or to say that we have completed a Bible reading plan, we are missing the point. When we read Scripture, we must come with the primary priority to meet God Himself.
Once we invite God into our Bible reading time, we are primed and ready to hear from Him and search out what He is saying to us. To do this best, we should aim to learn the context and content of the passage that we are looking at. This can be done quite simply by purchasing a good study Bible, or by searching a website like Bible. org which will assist in explaining the genre, authorship, purpose, occasion, audience and themes of specific books and passages.
In John 5:39, Jesus warned the Pharisees of this exact thing when He said: “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” So, in order to meet the One who has life, we ought to involve Him in our reading.
Once we have invited God into our reading time and have spent a few moments looking at the context and content of the passages, what are we going to do with it? If all of this remains in our heads without making real life application and response, we once again are missing the point of coming to Scripture. Scripture reading is only complete when we are changing and being
transformed into the image of Christ, to then declare and demonstrate the love of God to those around us. Scripture reading requires a response. For me, I love to open my journal and begin to write. What has God been saying to my soul through these passages? But more than that, how will I live today differently because of how God’s presence is interacting with me? I love this part of Bible reading, because these notes then become testimonies of God’s faithfulness and love towards me as I look back on notes from years ago and see how He has been at work. If you don’t like writing or struggle to find time in your day to find some silence, perhaps start a new notes section in your phone, or a new message with some friends of yours. This final aspect of Bible reading is so important, so why not try it out today? Bringing God’s Word to life is a must for Riverlife as we continue as a family embracing His presence. This ancient discipline has transformed cities and has shaped cultures, and I am convinced that it will continue to do so in the days ahead. If you don’t know where to start,
don’t worry! I’d encourage you to message a friend or mentor and ask them to read along with you. Once you invite God into the reading, seek out the context and content of the passage and then respond to what God is saying to you. Just watch and see how God’s Word will come to life! Scott McKinnon Pastoral Assistant
listen to an extended Going Deeper podcast here
Behind the Scenes When serving others brings unexpected blessing
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With more than 150 volunteers for our Sunday services alone, Riverlife depends on volunteers to operate the services we know and love. For a single service, there are 14 people who are dedicated to welcoming in our Riverlife family. Worship might seem like a band of 14 at the front, but there are 12 other volunteers all around the auditorium making sure the
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Serving is more than just something we do to fill time, it’s practically being able to work alongside God and see hands and feet attached to the vision He’s placed in us personally, and the place we’re serving. We serve because we’re called to. Jesus Himself came to Earth to serve others and not be served (Matthew 20:28) and the same can be applied to us today. We’ve been gifted the greatest act of service so naturally, the response for us is to enter a lifestyle of service. It’s not meant to be a way of elevating ourselves above others, but
instead is a process of making ourselves lower so that ultimately Christ is lifted higher (John 3:30). Without serving, the church simply doesn’t happen; it’s a crucial element of any ministry and our privilege to become the hands and feet of the gospel. Our reward has been paid in full! We can then be blessed to serve God to allow others to experience that reality in their own lives.
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“I get filled up by giving out. I would never call myself a creative person but because of lights, I get to be creative in a new way.” lighting, graphics and camera operation run smoothly. While we soak in the presence of God, there are more than 50 other volunteers preparing food, taking photos and pouring into the hearts of children and youth alike. Serving our church offers us so much more than an opportunity to be God’s servant. As said by one of our volunteers, Sierra Manley, “Serving has made me a stronger, more loving and compassionate person. I know that without Youth Ministry I wouldn’t be strong in my faith at all.” Being a part of a ministry is an integral part of our journey with Christ, and truly has power to bless us. Host Team volunteer, Michelle Sinn said, “The friendships, the joy in being
His servant and spending time with the wider 'church family' is a rich blessing in my life.” Without a personal priority to serve, we make no room for God’s glory to be experienced and exalted. As written in 1 Peter 4:10 “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” There is still a great need for volunteers to help make our Sunday services possible! Unfortunately, our current 650+ volunteers are filling more than 1,100 service positions, which means they’re stretched to the max! Areas like production team are always looking for volunteers and provide a great way to learn a new skill and serve at the same time. There’s also always a need for those wanting to get involved in kids’ ministry and youth church. This is such an awesome way to equip the future
JOIN THE TEAM Worship and Production
13 volunteers needed for data, camera operating and graphics
Kids
15 helpers, 10 small group leaders, 3 upfront teachers, 10 support team to support kids with special needs
UNVEILED WINTER 2019
generations and see them get the best out of their youth and kids church experience. To sign up for a team simply go to the 'Join the Team Desk' after a service. By volunteering to be a part of a team and serve you could find a new passion or skill that helps you serve the Lord!
57
“I have been blessed to watch as a new generation is rising up with such enthusiasm and eagerness to learn more of the truth and grow closer to their Heavenly Father, at an astoundingly young age.�
M AT T H E W 6 : 2 1 ( N I V )
Actual Income
% of Budget
Budget Variation
May 2019
100.3
$899 -$78,806
Pastor al
29%
ty
18%
try
19%
s ini
34%
Administration
er op Pr
Co sts
M
Expenditure by Expense Category
2019 year (5 mths) 94.9
Mis so n an d
Financial Summary
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also
Income Budget Debt
Per annum
Per week
$11M
Per auditorium seat
$2,461
$47
$7,333
Per regular attendee (18+)
$2,172
$42
$6,471 59
1.05
1.1
UNVEILED WINTER 2019
2018
2019
0 .75
0.8
2017
0.7
Income vs Budget
0.85
0.9
0.95
1
16
20
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
MORE TESTIMONY Have more testimony on what God has done at Riverlife and the surrounding community? We’d love to hear about it! Please email your testimony along with your name and contact details to church@riverlifechurch.org.au
By submitting testimony you are giving Riverlife Baptist Church your permission to share this testimony verbally in messages or sermons and in written form in reports and email newsletters.
Unveiled is a publication of Riverlife Baptist Church If you have any further questions about anything you have read, please visit the information desk in the foyer on Sundays, call the church office during business hours or visit our website. Our regular service times are 9am and 5pm every Sunday.
riverlifebaptistchurch riverlifebaptistchurch
E P
church@riverlifechurch.org.au 3378 3595 W riverlifechurch.org.au
Jennifer Street, 17 Mile Rocks Qld 4073