Wonders of Mission

It is truly amazing, the opportunities that you can have to talk to somebody in the city about Jesus! There is a certain freedom with knowing that people sitting in the square are actually sitting on property owned by the cathedral - it kind of makes them fair game! And so many are curious about the cathedral and about the idea of church, so they're willing to engage in conversation if you approach them!

Last night's City Night Church was lots of fun. Lots of people were sitting out on the square before church so we were able to invite a number to join us for church - and some took up the invitation! It was great to chat with some who were checking out the cathedral services for the first time, as well as some who had been around for a while.

Lunchtime today saw a similar response. People came to check out the talks that we've organised for lunchtime throughout the week - not many people but there were some who were curious about what Chris had to say and it was great to talk with a woman who works in a local nearby office about what she believes and how that influences her life.

The other fascinating aspect to wandering around the square is spotting famous faces. Today's top 2 were Joe Hockey and Lyn Collingwood (go on, Google them if you're not sure who they are).

Mission begins....

So I've managed to grab some time on a computer in the cathedral offices and thought I'd give a quick update on the first few hours of the Moore College Mission week at St Andrew's Cathedral.

I was right in thinking that mission at the cathedral would be very different to last year's experience at Albury Bible Fellowship!

Church this morning was a very different experience to the relaxed informality of an independent evangelical service held in a church hall - and I didn't even go to the traditional service this week!! However, it brought back memories of attending traditional services in my teenage years, which was quite nostalgic. It was a surprising delight to see my friend Jodie and her friend Jill arrive at this morning's service, after having run away together for a girls' weekend in the city.

It was interesting to hear Phillip Jensen speak of the particular peculiarities of inner city ministry, especially that in a cathedral. The challenges that are faced are quite uniquely different to those in a regular suburban parish, yet provide exciting opportunities to share the gospel on a regular basis to people who visit.

Please pray for us as we continue to share the gospel this week, that we will be bold in taking up opportunities, sensitive to the needs of those we are talking to and faithful in the words we speak. Please also pray for me as I finalise the details of my talk for Thursday morning.

Mission and Prayer

Another quick update and a prayer request.

Next week, students and faculty of Moore College will be dispersing to various areas around the Sydney Diocese for a week of Mission. We will be working alongside local parishes, with the distinct intention of sharing the gospel with people and helping the parishes connect with their local communities.

I am part of a team that will be heading to St Andrew's Cathedral in the Sydney CBD. Some may recall that last year I was working alongside a small, independent, evangelical church in Albury - needless to say, I expect the two missions to be quite different!

However, the gospel remains the same and people's need to hear it does not change. Apart from time with regular members and visitors to the Cathedral, I will be involved with some kids' ministry and will be giving a talk to a group of women next Thursday morning.

Praise God for the opportunities that we have to proclaim him throughout mission weeks. Please pray that we will be faithful to the gospel, sensitive in conversation and deeds, gracious with each other as a team and that I, and others who are giving talks, will prepare well and bring glory to God as we deliver them.

Twitter Updates?

I've added a new element to my blog, at the top of the right hand column. The idea is that it will provide some short updates of what is happening in my life in between my blog posts.

It is especially for those relatives and friends of mine who are not on Facebook, as my Facebook friends are often given much more detail of what is happening week by week, or even day by day at times.

Can I say that apart from this function (and the old friend that I accidentally found on Twitter), I think that Twitter is actually pretty useless. It is merely about what is known as micro-blogging and has none of the additional functionality of Facebook in encouraging interaction between 'friends'.

However, I hope you enjoy this new addition.

Quick update

Apologies for not posting an update for so long.

We are now in Week 3 of Term 1 and we have certainly hit the ground running! I have a 2000-word Doctrine book review due on Tuesday, my first New Testament exegetical due the following Tuesday, college mission week 29th March - 5th April (I'm heading to St Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney), all the normal readings and Greek exercises and vocab, heading up the Agape Committee PLUS I'm leading church for the first time at Panania this week, etc, etc.

Please pray with me that I will not be overwhelmed by the number of things to do, that I will be focused and disciplined in my work and that I will be seeking to bring glory to God in all that I do.

A couple of people have asked me recently how they can support me financially. The best way would be to contribute to my accommodation costs or Moore Books account. Details are as follows:

Cheques made out to Moore College, 1 King St, Newtown NSW 2042 with student # 10010313 can be sent.

Alternatively, the BPay biller code is 908327.
For accommodation, the reference # is 10010313634.
For Moore Books, the reference # is 10010313303.

By all means, feel free to contact me if you're unsure about all of this.

Victoria's Bushfire Tragedy

I certainly don't profess to be any sort of expert in this area, but there is no doubt that the tragic events of the last few days have deeply affected Autralians.

Never in Australia's history have we had a natural disaster that has claimed as many lives (the toll was officially 173 this morning and will, no doubt, continue to climb over the next few days).

Even if they've not found themselves under direct threat, most Australians will have had some sort of exposure to bushfire, and will have some understanding of how quickly such fires can move and claim property and even lives.

However, the scale of the events of the last few days has been particularly horrifying. Even with modern fire-fighting equipment and techniques, 1000's of hectares, 100's of homes and scores of lives have been destroyed.

It is, therefore, reasonable for people to be asking why such a tragedy has happened - and different people will look in different places for the answer. If it is found that these fires were the result of arson, no doubt there will be some seeking to extract vengeance upon those responsible.

However, if the fires have been the result of the extreme temperatures and conditions that Victoria had been experiencing for a few weeks, then some will be asking how a loving God could allow such a tragedy to occur. Indeed, even if the fires were the result of arson, such questions could still be legitimately asked, with the additional question regarding human evil.

So, how could God allow so many to die, so many more to be injured and to lose their homes?

The Bible tells us that God created us and he knows us. In fact, the psalmist writes:
"O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways...For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb." (Psalm 139:1-3, 13)

God loves us, too - not because we deserve it or have earned favour from him. John writes, "This is how God has showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (1 John 4:9-10)

What I'm trying to say, I guess, is that God has created us, known us, loved us enough to send Jesus to die for us, and STILL, we ignore him, live our lives our own way and even outright reject him. But we still then have the audacity to expect him to love us and protect us from all evil!

The reality is that God did create a world that was good and without sin. However, in ignoring God, we have been the ones responsible for stuffing things up. God has been very gracious in sending Jesus so that we can, one day, again live in a world that is perfect. It is by trusting that Jesus has paid the price that we deserve to pay for ignoring God that we will one day see this world.

However, the world we live in now, is not that world. This world is broken and hurting. It is filled with tragedy and evil. We cannot escape this reality. However, in no way should this be taken to mean that the fires are God's punishment for the people who have been affected, or that they somehow deserved this tragedy. But it is a consequence of this fallen world.

However, it is of enormous comfort that, one day, Jesus will return and bring to reality that new world. Of that time, John wrote, "Never again will they hunger, never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat...And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (Revelation 7:16-17)

God does love us and wants us to have the best of everything. But we need to respond to him by trusting that Jesus has paid the penalty we should pay for ignoring God.

These fires remind us that we cannot know when we will die and when we will face God. We need to have made a decision about trusting Jesus before that happens.

In the meantime, I pray that God will relieve the suffering of those affected by the fires; that he will use his people to show love to those who are hurting and suffering in immense ways; that he will provide for the myriad physical, emotional and spiritual needs; that he will provide the conditions to enable firefighters to extinguish the ongoing fires and protect against further loss of property and life; that somehow God's name will be glorified; and, that Jesus will return soon to bring an end to all suffering.

Ouch!

One of these days, I want somebody to tell me how to open things they sell in those hard plastic packages, without cutting myself.

This was made especially difficult this morning by the mozzie bites on my hands that made it awkward using the scissors :-(