On the first Sunday of each month a group of people meet for a simple church service, then hold a class in permaculture methods, bake pizza and spend time gardening together. The Open Table group is impacting their local community in Lockridge in tangible ways.

Steve and Erica McKinnon started with a dream 12 years ago to plant a church in Lockridge. From 2000 to 2007, Steve McKinnon was the Youth Worker at Beechboro Baptist Church, and used those years to build relationships in the Lockridge area. In mid 2010, together with several other families, they bought homes and moved into the suburb, living intentionally as a community of followers of Jesus, sharing their lives with the wider community.

“We live simply, so others can

Community garden open

simply live,“ Steve McKinnon said. “We hold a Sunday night service in the Anglican church, have a weekly bread run, hold a kid’s club each week and on Monday nights we share our evening meal of soup with people in the community.”

“We didn’t want to start things that weren’t needed, so we joined what’s already happening. We do ministry in clumps, connecting with people we live closely with,” Mr McKinnon said.

Partnering with the Peace Tree, a community of followers of Jesus, and the local Anglican church, the McKinnons and other families of the Open Table are embedded in the community.

Their commitment to sustainable lifestyle influences their choices for community involvement. They

approached the City of Swan and leased part of a local park to develop a community garden. A Work for the Dole team helped with the hard physical work of creating the raised garden beds. The Peace Tree group built an amphitheatre adjacent to the garden and finally the groups built an outdoor pizza oven. Tall gum trees sheltering parts of the area make it a welcoming public space for the local community.

Erica McKinnon exudes passion and energy when she talks about living with three young sons in Lockridge, a suburb with a reputation for social issues.

“It’s a great opportunity. The boys are learning for life as we work in the gardens in our neighbourhood. There’s always something interesting for them to do as we connect and work with our neighbours,” she said.

Members of the Open Table recently bought a home in Lockridge that they’ve called Ezekiel House. Currently three men who have completed terms in prison are living there, working with a mentor as they join the workforce and establish the life changes they want.

One man who is part of the Open Table recently said to Steve McKinnon, “You’ve invited me into a relationship. I never expected that.”

The McKinnons and other committed people of the Open Table believe it’s not hard living where they do, rather it’s what God wants them to do.

“ I don ’ t t h ink I ’m l i v ing dangerously,” Steve McKinnon said. “I know my local community very well and I’m willing to take one step at a time as Jesus directs.”

January 2011 theadvocate.tv

WESTERN AUSTRALIA’S NEWSPAPER FOR CHRISTIANS

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Green Team at Leavers

Steve and Erica McKinnon have started a permaculture community garden in Lockridge to promote sustainable living in their local community.

The distinctive red brick building that houses East Fremantle Baptist Church has sat just around a bend on Canning Highway for 90 years. Like the building, the congregation has changed over nine decades, but continues to have presence in the local community.

To celebrate the anniversary, people dressed in 1920s costumes to come to church. As well as antique clothing, the church added extra seating for the event using old pews that were part of the décor decades ago.

Guests on the day included past members and Pastors. The building was packed with visitors and locals. Director of Ministries, Mark Wilson, represented Baptist Churches Western Australia.

The special service included some old hymns that lead on to more modern songs. The development and influence of the children’s ministry was highlighted as a cause for celebration. A visual presentation tracked the ebbs and flows of growth and development within the congregation over the generations.

“We honoured Hazel Jones who has been in the church for 85 of the 90 years the church has been here,” Pastor Andrew Duncan said. “She is a national treasure!”

Before cutting the celebration cake, Hazel Jones prayed, giving God thanks for the past history of the church. Jonno Payne prayed thanking God for the church’s present ministry and Mark Wilson prayed for the future of the church.

Pastor Duncan used Hebrews 10:19-24 as the basis of his inspiring talk about loving God, one another and the world.

Many people stayed after the service to enjoy a buffet lunch in the church hall. Conversations and laughter reverberated throughout the building as old friends caught up and reminisced about God’s work in and through the people who have been meeting in the red brick building on Canning Highway during the past 90 years.

East Freo’s 90th birthday

Outcare gives Super shots

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theadvocate January2011

Cultural diversity at VoseVose Seminary and Vose Mission are holding a conference from 7 to 11 February where issues of ‘the healthy dynamics of culturally diverse teams’ will be the focus.

“This is going to be a great opportunity for leaders of teams – pastoral, mission, short-term team trainers, even Sunday School teachers can benefit from exploring issues like multi-cultural teams, cultural intelligence, worldviews and cultural style,” Neil Anderson, Director of Vose Mission said.

Several of the 14 mission organisations connected with Vose Mission will be represented at the conference.

Workshops each day of the conference w i l l b r ing highly practical learning to delegates.

Conference speaker, Johan Linder, will explore Tools for Leading Multicultural Teams. The context may be in a local church or a mission setting. Teams operating in a host culture are often more aware of the importance of exploring and adjusting to cultural differences, but the issues are just as relevant to a local Australian church formed of

people from a number of cultural backgrounds.

Simon Longden from Pioneers will address Cultural Diversity, Gifts and Skills in Mission Teams.

“Reaching least-reached people of the world with the gospel takes

Pastoral ChangesAashish Parmar was recently appointed Senior Pastor of Kalgoorlie Baptist Church. Allan Thomas commences as Senior Pastor at Parkerville Baptist Church in late January.

Riverton turns 50More than 600 people attended three church services at Riverton Baptist on 19 October joining celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the church. Local politicians joined friends of the church and present and former Pastors, Roland Maxwell and John Campbell. Colyn Landsdowne, Pastor of Bentley church in the 1950s when Riverton was formed, also attended. A video interview with founding member Les Coulson outlined the development of the church and highlighted how God has faithfully provided what the church has needed.

Violent videosThe push to legalise interactive gratuitous violence in video games has been spun as a child protection measure despite the advice of every Children’s Commissioner in Australia. Australian Christian Lobby Chief of Staff, Lyle Shelton said it was wrong for the Federal Government and the gaming industry to claim that introducing an R18+ rating was in the best interests of children when it was exactly the opposite. He also took issue with the Government’s selective use of polling to claim public support. “It is unbelievable to see this debate being twisted by spin to such an extent that having an R18+ classification is now being promoted as something that will benefit children. How does introducing new violent media into Australia benefit children especially when we know that these games will inevitably find their way into the hands of children?” Mr Shelton said.

Want perspective?Vose Seminary will run the influential Mission Perspectives course starting in late February. The 13 week course covers an overview of God’s heart for people, a history of missions and current missional ministry trends on the global scene. The course is a valuable training tool for pastors, mission teams, small groups and individuals interested in God’s Kingdom around the world. Vose Mission Director Neil Anderson will teach the course with WEC International’s Jim Dawson. For more information visit, www.vose.wa.edu.au.

news

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Practical training grows confidence‘Among the Urban Community’ is not a mission, nor a conventional camp, but certainly challenges faith, lifestyle, priorities and understanding of the Good News about Jesus.

“It’s a valuable experience for any Christian wanting to expand their experience, ground their theology, and learn new ways of relating the Gospel with others who are doing the same,” said Steve McKinnon, organiser and speaker at this year’s event.

From 2 2 to 28 Januar y, participants will study the principles o f B ib l i c a l engagement and community development at a global level, then apply what they’ve learnt to the local scene.

“We’ll be on the streets of Perth City for some of the time and then spend a couple of days in the Lockridge community, getting our hands dirty and learning alongside the locals,” Steve McKinnon said. “We’re looking at how we can

teamwork,” Simon Longden said. “We’re all wired differently and God employs tremendous diversity to see His mission accomplished. The way that all people will know that we are His disciples is that we love one another … no matter what our cultural heritage.”

Barry Austin will examine Short-term Mission Team Dynamics and Vose Seminary Principal, Brian Harris, and Neil Anderson will also teach at the conference.

For more information v isi t www.vose.wa.edu.au.

Brian Harris (left) and Neil Anderson will teach at the Cross Cultural Teams Leadership and Management conference in conjunction with Vose Seminary and Vose Mission from 7 to 11 February.

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respond locally in light of the big global issues like injustice. Justice and love ; gospel and culture ; incarnational evangelism — ways of bringing life and hope.”

Practical experience in the City is focused on incarnational evangelism among drug and alcohol users and refugees.

“We see people’s fears debunked as they walk with people on the streets. They get inspired seeing the possibilities.”

“I always thought social justice was like emptying the ocean with a teaspoon – but now I see all these people with their teaspoons and God will do amazing things through us,” Mr McKinnon said.

T h e t r a i n i n g i n c l u d e s opportunities for participants to examine how sustainable their lifestyle is for the journey of life.

For more information call Josh on 0414 583 609.

January2011 theadvocate

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From left Rob Graham, Chair of the Community Centre Board, Plantagenet Shire President Ken Clements, Helen Belfield, Terry Hicks from BCWA, Gail Short and Bevan Short at the of Mt Barker Community Centre.

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newsCity Bible ForumLife in the city is many things. It’s fast, edgy, boring, exciting, frustrating, depressing and exhilarating. One thing it’s not is simple. Perth City Bible Forum (CBF) addresses the complex issues that face city workers by doing something radical and yet somehow obvious: by reading and discussing the Bible. Most weeks they meet at lunchtime in the Central Park Theatrette. Meetings run in seasons, working through a topic or book of the Bible to see what God has to say. The 2011 season begins with a talk series by Nigel Gordon called ‘The Turning’ based in Ruth and then the New Testament. CBF also facilitates prayer groups across the city. For more information visit www.citybibleforum.org.

Special ChaplainsA team of 83 specially trained Chaplains will be on stand-by to provide emotional guidance and support to students in public schools following traumatic incidents, WA Education Minister Liz Constable announced recently. The program forms part of the State Government’s $46 million ‘Better Behaviour and Pastoral Care Strategy’. Dr Constable said the Pastoral Critical Incident Response Chaplains Project, funded through a $10 million State Government commitment over four years, was at the forefront of school chaplaincy provision in Australia. “The chaplains will form part of a critical incident response team, which includes school leaders, school psychologists, school nurses, teachers, regional education staff and staff from other agencies,” she said

Christmas with ChristThe Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) welcomed a return to commonsense by political leaders who are pushing back against politically correct attempts to secularise Christmas. “The Minister for Human Services and Social Inclusion, Tanya Plibersek, is to be commended for overruling a bureaucratic order to ban nativity scenes in Centrelink and Medicare office,” ACL Managing Director Jim Wallace said. “Aggressive secularists and atheists have gone too far in trying to expunge Christianity from Australian life and the idea that nativity scenes should be banned strikes at the very meaning of Christmas.” Mr Wallace also commended new Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu for restoring nativity scenes and carol singing to Christmas celebrations in Victorian schools.

After almost five years of planning, Mt Barker Baptist Church sold their old building, approached the Shire of Plantagenet to lease their library building and signed contracts to build a state of the ar t Community Resource Centre. It will be the church’s new meeting place and become the home of the local food bank, library, office space for service agencies and designated child care facilities.

The new Community Centre located prominently on the main street, backs onto an oval and is nearing completion. It includes upgrading and extending the old Recreation Centre that currently houses the public library. The upgrade more than doubles the size of the existing establishment.

The Centre, which is due to open in March 2011, will be managed by a central office that will have direct responsibility for some of the programs and oversight of others.

S ince 20 07 a separa te l y constituted board of management

A new era for Mt Barker

made up of church members and Baptist Churches Western Australia (BCWA) staff has worked on the development. Rober t Graham, a deacon of Mt Pleasant Baptist Church and long-time Veterinarian in the town, is the Chair of the Board.

“Our local fellowship poured $500,000 into this project. We

raised a lot more through grants. So now we don’t own any property and we have a lease for 55 years,” Mr Graham said.

The Shire of Plantagenet is the landlord, BCWA is the sponsor and the Mt Barker Community Centre Board is the tenant.

“I believe the church is going

to move up to a whole new level once we move into this facility,” Pastor Paul McKeich said. “We are not relying on the building to grow the church numerically; rather I see this move as changing the perception of ‘church’ both for our congregation and for the wider community.”

The Council of Baptist Churches Western Australia (BCWA) was informed by the Board of Grace Communit y Co l lege in la te November that they had decided to terminate their Memorandum of Understanding with BCWA.

T h e M e m o r a n d u m o f Understanding outlined the agreed process by which Grace would become a part of Vose Seminary.

This announcement was both

Vose Equip forges ahead in 2011unexpected and sad. BCWA was convinced had the relationship continued, both Vose and Grace would have been stronger as a result. The Council is confident that at all times BCWA and Vose Seminary abided by the terms and the spirit of the Memorandum of Understanding with Grace Community College.

With Grace no longer joining Vose, the Council has determined that the desire to form Vose Equip

as a centre of excellence within Vose Seminary remains.

To ensure that Vose Equip functions effectively, meets the Seminary’s standards of excellence an d m ake s an o u t s t an d ing contribution to all that is offered at Vose Seminary some changes are planned. Monica O’Neil, Director of Vose Leadership, will increase her load and provide oversight of the Vose Interns program.

Neil Anderson, Director of Vose Mission, will investigate forming links between Vose and developing countries, to supplement what Vose is already doing in Mauritius.

As a result of the internship program, Vose will be of fering a larger number of units in the VET sector than they had done previously. These units will fit Vose Equip’s value of ‘highly practical, deeply biblical’.

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opinion

My ThoughtsOur new garden ...Rosemary and I recently celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary. Now I know it’s hard to believe that I’m old enough to have been married that long, but facts are facts. On 29 November 1980 we said our “I do” to each other, and we’ve never regretted the decision (well at any rate, I haven’t). In trying to decide how to celebrate, we explored various options. Front runner was a cruise, but we concluded that by the time our diaries cleared enough to take one, it would be our 50th anniversary, so that’s on hold ‘til then.

In the end our decision surprised us. We settled on a garden makeover, and contracted some landscapers to do the job for us. I say surprised, because neither of us knows the first thing about gardening. If the opposite of having green fingers is having the pink variety, ours are of a shockingly deep hue! True, some years ago I did manage to grow some rather tasty spring onions, but given that I had thought I was planting carrots, I’m not sure I can claim it as a success story.

The first landscaper consulted was depressingly open-minded as to what should be planted. He kept asking us what we would like — as if we’d know! I repeatedly told him that the brief was to create an indestructible, low maintenance, stunningly beautiful garden on a low budget, but he insisted on more information. It was embarrassing to be forced to confess that we couldn’t differentiate between a hibiscus and a hydrangea, so he didn’t get the job.

Eventually we found someone willing to accept us for who we are in the gardening world — total ignoramuses. He quickly abandoned the “so what do you think would look nice” routine and outlined his view of

Dr Brian Harris is the Principal of Vose Seminary and Senior Pastor of Carey Community Baptist Church. He can be contacted at brian.harris@vose.wa.edu.au

WHAT PEOPLE ARE BLOGGING 06/12/2010

Stephen Furtick: www.stevenfurtick.com“… the people who are really called to do something do

it because they’re called, not because they feel like it. Their inspiration is the fact that the Holy Spirit has equipped them with gifts. That’s more than enough inspiration to get started.

The greatest geniuses you’ve never heard of are the ones who are still waiting for their inspiration to come. You’ve never heard of them because they haven’t done anything.

Don’t let that be you. God has inspired you with the gifts you have. That’s enough inspiration for a lifetime. And for this week. And for today. Let’s get to work.”

06/12/2010Rodlie Ortiz: www.modernekklesia.com

“The danger with having a modernistic framework for church life is that the church becomes a machine. People become solutions to problems. So I’ll develop a ministry to feed the homeless, and I’ll evaluate the success of that ministry based upon how many homeless end up coming to church and become baptised. If it’s not working, the program is cut because, after all, it’s not accomplishing ‘the mission’ of the church. This mindset forgets the fact that Jesus healed people for the sake of making them whole, not on the condition that they would later follow.”

03/12/2010Tony Morgan: tonymorganlive.com

“I’m in the camp that believes leadership is a spiritual gift. Romans 12:8 tells us, “If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously.” One of the distinctives of large, growing churches is that they value leadership development. That’s not the case in small, declining churches. In small churches, leaders are controlled. This typically happens through the way churches are structured. Instead of giving Pastors and other ministry leaders the freedom to make decisions and make ministry happen, churches will add layers of boards and committees, rules and processes to prevent leaders from doing just about anything on their own. The smaller the church, typically, the more complex the structure. In growing churches, what I usually find is that leaders have been released to lead. Boundaries are established to create a framework for decisions and actions, but within those boundaries is

the freedom for leaders to leverage their spiritual gifts. Unfortunately, many churches are willing to embrace shepherds, teachers and Pastors, but they’re unwilling to embrace leaders.”

21/11/2010Brett McCracken: stillsearching.wordpress.com

“Our culture is a complaining culture, and I’m as guilty as anyone. We are constantly complaining about how busy we are and how stressful work is, even though we’d doubtless also complain if we were unemployed. We complain about everything from the weather to the way our food is prepared to the lack of parking spaces and the cost of gas. We complain about traffic, taxes, spotty cell phone coverage, lukewarm lattes and wifi that isn’t free. How dare we not be given free wifi!

We are spoiled, fickle, snotty-nosed complainers, all too eager to wallow in what’s bad and difficult and inconvenient in life. We spend so little time dwelling on all that we have that we don’t deserve (i.e. everything good). We don’t spend enough time focused on giving thanks for what we’ve been given. It shouldn’t just be one day out of the year.

As I observed the endless articles, blog posts, tweets and Facebook updates last week about the TSA’s annoying new security measures, I thought about how much we take for granted and forget to be thankful for. Instead of being thankful that no 9/11 repeats have occurred in America, we moan about having to take our shoes off in the security lines. Instead of being thankful that we have shelter, clean water, plumbing, electricity and warm clothes, we go nuts when Facebook does a redesign.

I’m not saying there is nothing worth complaining about, or no injustices worth fighting against. There are. We just need to keep things in perspective and focus a little bit more on positivity, thankfulness and hope, rather than grumbling about how much of a chore it is to get on a plane and fly somewhere we want to go.”

Digital Church is Perth’s own online look at all aspects of digital life in the church. www.digitalchurch.com.au. Proudly supported by The Advocate.

our garden paradise. He assured us it met all of our stipulated criteria save one (low budget), but by this stage we were sufficiently desperate to forgive that, and work commenced. We are now the proud owners of a garden with five magnolia trees (I think), four other trees (of some variety), numerous shrubs (with different names), a water feature with mosquito fish (who apparently eat mosquitoes), and a seriously depleted bank balance. It all adds up to a very lovely garden — I now even read outside sometimes.

Some find it hard to believe that I was willing to hand over control of the project to a specialist. I don’t understand their point-of-view. I think it’s better in life to admit when your knowledge is limited (OK, nonexistent) — why else have experts?

In my better moments, I’m able to adopt the same attitude with God. I sometimes confuse myself by my tendency to chirp back about His decisions and to second guess His will, but though a slow learner, I’ve come to realise that God really does know a lot more than I do. Indeed, in His will, is my peace ...

Do people keep New Year’s resolutions? Adrianne Brennan, Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at LSU School of Medicine has found, “Most fail within 48 hours.” I’ve checked other surveys and it’s not a pretty picture. “Only eight percent successfully achieve their New Year’s resolutions. Eighty percent … are broken by Valentine’s Day.” Admittedly, at the University of Washington, Elizabeth Miller and Alan Marlatt found 67 percent still keeping their number one resolution two months later.

With the prospect of new beginnings before me, and the painful awareness of past shortcomings beside me, I’ve often made a New Year’s resolution to spend more time with God. My experience mirrors these surveys — better for just a couple of months. I may not be the only Christian to have experienced such disappointment.

For many, words like ‘prayer’, ‘quiet time’ or ‘TAWG’ arouse feelings

of anxiety, failure and guilt. A striking contrast to Jesus, whose disciples asked Him to teach them to pray after watching Him with His Father. I hope a lesson I’ve learned on the road may help you to avoid a trap set for us, (or sometimes by us), by the negative and often destructive results of unfulfilled spiritual aspirations.

It’s particularly relevant as we enter 2011 because many are responding to a call to spend time with God. Across Perth work place prayer groups have emerged. They’re diverse, but share a common sense of calling to the market place. It reminds me of the beginnings of the Jesus movement in the ‘70s. Then there’s the prayer initiative triggered by the forthcoming CHOGM Conference gathering momentum across the nation and overseas. If you haven’t heard of it, you soon will.

One small phrase in Mark’s gospel changed everything for me. “He appointed 12, that they might be with him and that he might send them

On Air with Graham Maburyout to preach.” [Mark 3:14] First and foremost He wanted them ‘to be with Him.’ At one of several retreats I’ve conducted with this theme, a Christ follower I admire greatly told me how prayer was becoming increasingly difficult and dry. A morning cuppa was her favourite way of ‘being with’ those she loved, so she began ‘having a cuppa’ with Jesus morning by morning, (very privately, mind you, lest others think she was losing the plot). A journey in experiencing what she terms “the companionship of Jesus” began, and continues to this day. In Michael W Smith’s words, “This is the air I breathe, Your Holy Presence, living in me.”

The wedding ceremony reminds every bride and groom that marriage is a picture of Jesus and us. Marriage reduced to a list of duties to be performed is robbed of its majesty and mystery. If perceived failure to complete this list makes guilt the predominant emotion within a marriage, God’s gift of companionship,

comfort and security is denied. If marriage becomes mere formulae and technique, the treasure of intimacy, being truly known and deeply loved is stolen. Lists of duties, guilt and formulaic techniques strip the intimacy from prayer too.

Remember Peter’s resolution to die with Jesus? It didn’t make it to dawn. Yet after the resurrection we find the risen Lord cooking breakfast for him — amazing! Peter experienced what Jeremiah had written amidst spectacular failure, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is [His] faithfulness.” [Lam 3:22-23]

I pray you’ll discover the unique way He wants to be with you. As He promised, He’s at the door waiting. [Rev 3:20] “Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and

Graham Mabury is a broadcaster and pastor at Mt Pleasant Baptist Church. You can hear Graham on Radio 6PR (882AM) every weeknight from 8:00 pm to midnight.

you will begin to sense his grace. The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Our Father …” [Matt 6 MSG]

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Passing the Baton inspires many

newsBurmese Pastor arrestedOfficials in Chin state, Burma, ordered a Baptist church to cease holding worship services after the Pastor refused to wear an election campaign t-shirt supporting the military government’s Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP). The election commission summoned 47 year old Pastor Mang Tling of Dawdin village, Gangaw township, Mergui division two days after the 7 November election and ordered him to stop holding services and discontinue the church nursery program, the Chin Human Rights Organisation (CHRO) reported. Village headman U Than Chaung had given the Pastor a campaign t-shirt to wear in support of the USDP, and when he refused to wear it, the headman filed a report with local authorities accusing him of persuading Christian voters to vote in favour of an opposing party, the National Unity Party (NUP).

President challengedA court in Pakistan has told that country’s President that he could not grant pardon to the Christian woman, Asia Bibi, who has been sentenced to death for ‘blasphemy’ against Muhammad. According to International Christian Concern (ICC), the Lahore High Court issued the order after lawyers argued that the President cannot issue the pardon before Asia Bibi’s appeal to the High Court is decided. ICC says Bibi had appealed to the High Court for the reversal of her death sentence, but the court has yet to set a date for the hearing of her appeal. In a statement to ICC, Pakistan’s Minister for Minorities, Shahbaz Bhatti said that President Asif Ali Zardari has pledged to intervene if the High Court unnecessarily delayed in deciding Bibi’s case. The President also asked Bhatti to investigate Bibi’s case and Bhatti found her to be innocent.

Afghan convert torturedBarnabas Fund is calling for Western governments to intervene on behalf of an Afghan convert from Islam to Christianity who has been tortured and abused in prison because of his faith. Said Musa (45), a father of six, was arrested in late May as part of a crackdown against Afghan converts to Christianity and was due to stand trial in late November this year. Observers say he is likely to be charged with apostasy from Islam — a crime that is punished by death under Islamic law. Some leading political figures in Afghanistan called earlier this year for the execution of converts. In a heart-rending handwritten letter, which he passed to a Western supporter who visited him in jail in October, Said appealed for help and prayers from his brothers and sisters around the world.

Children’s workers from across the state are already registering to attend Passing the Baton on 12 February 2011 at Churchlands Christian Fellowship in Balcatta.

The training day and expo of resources for children’s ministry is an annual event run by Children’s Ministry Network (WA) (CMNWA), a group of 20 denominations and specialist children’s ministries.

Tammy Tolman, an experienced children’s worker and trainer from Sydney, is this year’s speaker. She

Rodney Olsen (3rd from left in the front row) and the team that rode from Albany to Perth to highlight the affects of cancer on our community and raise funds for cancer research.

Hospitality and generosity marked the invo lvement o f Bapt is t Churches at Cranbrook, Katanning, Wagin and Pingelly with a team from radio station Sonshine FM in November.

Radio announcer Rodney Olsen and a team of ten volunteers rode from Albany to Perth to increase awareness of people suf fering because of cancer and to raise funds for cancer research.

Mr O l s en p re s en te d t he Sonshine FM morning show from 9:00 am to noon on Monday 15 November, then rode with the team to Cranbrook on the first leg of their journey to Perth.

The group of 20, including support crew, slept in the Cranbrook Baptist Church buildings and the ladies of the church provided meals for them.

“We also arranged with the Shire for the free use of the shower facilities at the local caravan park, as our church doesn’t have shower facilities,” Pastor Henry Harding said. “We arranged with the local general store to provide electricity and a phone line and for the program to be broadcast from under the shelter of their veranda (on Tuesday).”

The group visited Tambellup

Bike riding for cancer

before their next stop at Katanning where they stayed overnight at Kobeelya Conference Centre. Businessman and Katanning Baptist member Ashley Brokenshire said the team’s visit was beneficial to the whole town, giving people a unique opportunity to tell their stories of how cancer has affected their lives.

On Wednesday the team rode the 55 kilometres to Wagin and

the local Baptist congregation hospitably supported their visit.

Af ter Thursday’s broadcast and interviews in Wagin, the team headed off on the 100 kilometre journey to Pingelly.

“When they arrived our ladies had a huge smorgasbord of food ready for them in the hall, and after that they went to their billets with church families,” Pastor David Adams from Pingelly Baptist said.

Mr Olsen broadcast his last show of the week from Pingelly before they rode to York. The team arrived back in Perth on Saturday afternoon.

Mr Olsen said they raised well over $10,000 for cancer research on the trip.

“People all along the way were extremely generous,” he said. “Most of them told us stories of their own cancer journeys, how it had affected them or people they loved.”

will also teach two electives during the day.

As well as teaching forums for the expected 450 – 500 participants, electives are available targeting a range of issues for a variety of levels of competence and experience of delegates.

“There’s valuable stuf f for someone who’s just star ted in children’s ministry right through to the person leading a church-based kids ministry,” organiser Rob Adams said.

Whether your passion is religious

education in schools, puppetry, discipling children, or working with Boys or Girls’ Brigade, the event has much to offer.

“We sent our whole team in 2009,” a children’s Pastor in the Perth Hills said. “It was such an inspiration to be with so many people absolutely committed to learning to do ministry with children better.”

“I hear stories from people who tell me they were ready to give up, but Passing the Baton renewed their enthusiasm and vision,” Rod

Adams said. The expo highlights ideas

and resources including teaching materials and programs groups can use, kids’ music and displays of organisations that can help in your ministry.

Delegates can register on-line at www.passingthebaton.org.au. Fees for the all-day event are $26 with the option to purchase lunch for $8. Early bird discounts are available until 28 January, as are group discounts.

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theadvocate January2011news Operation World In December The Advocate reported on the production of Operation World (www.operationworld.org), the comprehensive survey of all countries in the world giving statistics of people groups, including those unreached with the Good News. Produced by WEC International (Worldwide Evangelisation for Christ), copies of the book and CD are available from their office in East Victoria Park. For more information contact Denise Rhodes on 94702725 or denise.rhodes@wec.com.au.

Pray for SudanSudan faces a referendum this month that could propel the country back into civil war. A fragile peace, signed into being five years ago under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, is on the brink of unraveling, with preparations for the vote on 9 January 2011 still behind schedule and foreign governments slow to fulfill promises of assistance. Churches in Sudan have shouldered a large part of the burden in readying people for the referendum and pushing it high on the agenda of the international community. The tangible support of the global body of Christ would be a great comfort to them in this uncertain time.

Suu Kyi’s releaseThe release of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest in Burma on 13 November has sparked cautious optimism about human rights among Christians and the country’s ethnic minorities even as the junta does battle with armed resistance groups. Freeing her six days after elections, the military regime of Burma kept 1991 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Suu Kyi from running in the country’s first election in 20 years. Ethnic minorities are still “very happy” and “enthused with hope and anticipation,” said Plato Van Rung Mang, who heads the India chapter of Chin Human Rights Organisation. “We have faith in Suu Kyi’s honesty and leadership, and she has been our hope,” he added.

South Korea praysChurch leaders in Korea have put out a global call to prayer in the wake of military violence which they have branded ‘all too reminiscent’ of the pain inflicted by the Korean war more than 50 years ago. The National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) said it deplored the North Korean military for targeting the civilian community of Yeonpyeong Island and challenged government chiefs in South Korea, Japan and the USA for ‘provoking’ North Korea with joint naval exercises off the coast and ‘war games’ on the Peninsula. “Yet again, only months after the sinking of a South Korean warship, Choenan, the fragile peace along the dividing line between the two Koreas has been broken,” NCCK General Secretary Rev Kim Young Ju said in a statement.

Churches support Outcare

Outcare worker Aimee Vella sorts Christmas gifts for children of prisoners at Bandyup Women’s Prison.

and referrals, emotional support, financial assistance, childcare and general welfare.

The Christmas season brings the sense of loss, pain and disconnect into sharp focus, so Outcare works with prison staff and community groups to bring some joy to children of prisoners by organising Christmas parties for prisoners’ children.

“We strive to provide each child with an appropriate gift. For many children this is a very special time as it may be the only gift they receive due to the family’s financial difficulties

Thousands of children’s lives are severely affected by their mother or father being held in Western Australian prisons. In 2009-2010 more than 45,000 children visited the Family Support Centres run by Outcare at six prisons in the metropolitan area.

Outcare is a non-for-prof it organisation providing services to families whose loved ones are incarcerated. They work through these centres to reduce the impact of imprisonment on families, providing information

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and change in circumstances,” Aimee Vella, Coordinator of Outcare’s North East Family Centres said.

Based at Bandyup Women’s Prison in Middle Swan, Aimee Vella organises a Christmas party for up to 200 children of women prisoners.

“We are extremely lucky to receive quality donations from the Parkerville Baptist Church; The Toddler Jam Group and The Hills Craft Group. This church has been assisting with donations for a good few years now. Other Baptist churches located throughout the metropolitan area

also provide donations to Outcare at Hakea Prison,” she said.

Outcare staff greatly appreciate the generous support of Baptist Churches across the state.

“A huge thank you to the Baptist churches that are involved in providing Outcare Family Support with donations of new toys for the children,” Ms Vella said. “Seeing the children’s little faces light up when they receive their gift is just so gratifying.”

For more information contact Bandyup Outcare on 9374 8759.

Christian and atheist in discussion Tavern earlier this year. By starting time more than 200 people packed the venue and organisers had to turn away 150 people because the Tavern was full.

In 2007 the renowned journalist and atheist Christopher Hitchens began a series of written exchanges on the topic ‘Is Christianity Good for the World?’ with Douglas Wilson — an evangelical Pastor and Apologist. In 2008, they set out on a tour of the US that was captured in Collision. Collision reveals Hitchens and Wilson as formidable opponents — intelligent, articulate, utterly convinced that their adversary is wrong — and yet clearly

Many Christians believe that the truth about God is public, that it really matters, and that it can be discussed by friends without degenerating into personal hostility.

To demonstrate the point, the Christian Union at the University of Western Australia teamed up with the UWA Atheist and Agnostic Society for a special screening of the award-winning documentary Collision followed by a discussion between Ben Rae, senior staff worker with the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students at UWA, and Atheist Lecturer Daniel Midgley.

The event was held at the UWA

good friends.The atmosphere was excited, but

friendly inside the UWA Tavern. The audience was a mix of Christians, atheists and others still ‘undecided’.

Following the documentary, Daniel Midgley and Ben Rae spent over an hour discussing Christianity and Atheism on stage. They talked about various topics that the movie raised and explained their views. Daniel Midgley argued that we can explain everything through science, while Christianity’s claims are essentially untestable.

Ben Rae aimed to show that although Atheism claims that it can explain everything, when you start

digging deeper you quickly discover that it explains nothing. Atheism fails to explain our lives, but when we know God through Jesus everything falls into place.

The discussion was robust, but friendly and the crowd seemed genuinely engaged, asking some good questions and continuing to talk with friends.

The Christian Union hopes that by engaging in events like this they can offer opportunities for Christian students to talk with their friends about God — not just that He exists, but that people can know Him and be reconciled to Him through Christ.

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NZ miners rememberedChurch leaders in New Zealand have assured families of the Pike River mining tragedy of their continued support and prayers as they come to terms with the loss of their loved ones. A series of underground explosions which began on 19 November 2010 killed 29 men at Pike River Mine after toxic gases prevented any rescue operation being carried out. Ten thousand people including New Zealand Prime Minister John Key attended a special memorial service in Greymouth to remember the miners. “The loss of so many lives after the frustration of not being able to move sooner to attempt a rescue has meant that the nation, the families and all involved held onto hope only to have that suddenly extinguished,” Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Aotearoa New Zealand, Rt Rev Peter Cheyne said. Leaders of the local Uniting Church in Greymouth face a difficult time ahead supporting those affected by the tragedy.

Haiti pollThe Baptist World Alliance asks Baptists everywhere to pray for Haiti as this country held an election even while it grapples with the after effects of the massive earthquake that occurred on 12 January, as well as with the recent outbreak of cholera that has killed more than 1,600 and affected thousands more. Yet, in the midst of this, Haiti had the fortitude to conduct elections on 28 November to elect a new President, Senators and Deputies.

Lawyer arrested Dr Fan Yafeng, a prominent lawyer and leader of the Chinese Christian Legal Defense Association in China, has been arrested for the fourth time since mid-October. Dr Fan, who is also a (unregistered) house church leader, was forcibly removed from his home late in the evening of 24 November. He was detained and interrogated for several hours by police about allegations of illegally ‘engaging in activities under the guise of a social organisation’. Following his arrest, the authorities returned to the home and brought Dr Fan’s wife and three year old son to the police station for questioning. When the family arrived home following their release at 2.00 am, they discovered their home had been ransacked. Observers of human rights in China fear Dr Fan could be treated like prominent human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, who went missing in April and has not been heard from since. Christians are asked to pray this harassment will cease.

news

Volcano brings suffering in Java group at Yogyakarta to bring relief materials including food, blankets and mats, as well as medical treatment to the people affected by the eruptions.

The worst eruption since 1970 occurred on 5 November this year. Thick ash, sand and gravel rained down on the nearby cities of Yogyakarta, Magelang, Purworejo, Solo and Klaten.

After almost three weeks of eruptions, more than 365,000 peop le have been fo rced to evacuate their homes, 300 people

WA Pastors Wayne Field and Mark Edwards visited a group of Baptist churches in East Java in October. Within days of their return to Perth, Mount Merapi (‘mountain of fire’), located 220 kilometres west of the group of churches the Australians visited, turned destructive with a series of eruptions.

On 3 November, the Setia Bakti Baptist church sent their Senior Pastor, Dr Yosia Wartono, Pastor Sardjono, Pastor Hono and Dr Pebtu to the Mt Merapi region to join the Indonesian Baptist support

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Saint’s house restored to complete with a team of eight Ecuadorians and other short-term work crews. They utilised about 20 percent of the timber from the original house. Due to a severe infestation of flying termites in the house, Nevins estimated that it would have collapsed within a year without intervention.

“Instead of working ten to 12 hours a day on something that doesn’t matter that much, this was an opportunity for us to do something that really mattered,” Nevins said. “This house represents a powerful story that has inspired and encouraged so many people in missions.”

During the four months Nevins has been working on the project, he estimated more than 400 people from various organisations and mission teams have visited the house due to the story popularised by the 2006 motion picture, The End of the Spear.

The work crews preserved the front two rooms of the original

house. The radio room displayed prominently in the movie, as well as the kitchen captured in a famous 1956 Life magazine photo, were restored to look much like they did when Nate Saint first built

the house in 1948. Nevins also converted a front storage room into a historical display of MAF and Saint in Ecuador, which includes a display of Ecuador ’s stamp collection honouring Saint.

Gilberto Nenquimo, the grandson of Mincaye, one of the Waodani tribesmen who at tacked and killed five missionaries in 1956, including MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) pilot Nate Saint, was among a group of leaders to help dedicate the newly rebuilt Nate Saint House in Shell, Ecuador in late October 2010.

More than 250 people attended the official unveiling of the house, which included an open house walkthrough. MAF leaders from Ecuador and abroad attended the event.

Nenquimo, who pastors a Waodani church on the edge of the jungle, told how the story of how his grandfather and Nate Saint became more real to him as he grew older. Nenquimo eventually decided to become a Christian and help his fellow Waodani people learn more about the Gospel.

Chris Nevins, founder of the non-for-prof i t group Fuel the Mission, oversaw the construction project, which took four months

Gilberto Menewa, the grandson of Waorani tribesman Mincaye, who was part of the group that attacked and killed MAF pilot Nate Saint and four other missionaries in 1956, greets former MAF Ecuador Program Manager Gene Jordan (left) at the Nate Saint House rededication in Shell, Ecuador.

are reported to have died and 511 people are injured.

The devastation covers several hundred square kilometers of surrounding countryside, where ash as thick as sand and fine as talcum powder has created a grey wasteland.

There are 638 evacuat ion centers with displaced people living in tents, village halls, school buildings and spor t stadiums. Most centers are overcrowded, lack privacy and have inadequate sanitation.

Survivors have started returning to their homes, but fear food shortages over coming months as their crops, farm machinery and irrigation channels have been ruined by the volcanic ash. Many farmers do not have seed to plant new crops.

On 8 November, Mt Bromo, another active volcano situated 120 kilometers east of the area where the Baptist churches are located, began rumbling. Government authorities are urging people within a three kilometer radius of the volcano to move to safe ground.

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theadvocate January2011feature

The Green Team at Leavers 2010Leavers week is a rite of passage for many Year 12 students.

Thousands of 17 year olds flock to the south-west coastal region and

Rottnest Island to celebrate the end of their high school education.

part of such a successful project in keeping the leavers entertained and the locals happy,” Micaella Bove said after her third year as a volunteer at Dunsborough.

Since The Zone event began, assaults and arrests have reduced by 90 percent in the Dunsborough area.

“The Green Team volunteers do an amazing job in that of serving where our community needs help,” Baptist Events organiser Erik Olsen said. “We see this as a state-wide issue and rather than sitting

back and judging the negative behaviour of a minority, as a church we are actively making a difference.”

“At the exit gate on two nights I got a whole load of comments from Leavers saying, ‘Thank you for keeping us safe’ and ‘Great job guys!’ which was really pleasing to hear,” volunteer Matt Hare said.

Volunteer numbers were down this year, adding extra stress for organisers.

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n v i s i t www.greenteamwa.org.au.

celebrate in a safe and fun environment. A team of 150 Green Team volunteers, security and police ran The Zone from 7:00 pm to 1:00 am. Activities range from DJs, bands, bouncy castles, rides and Play Stations, to a Pamper Tent!

Green Team members often make personal sacrifices to be on the team. There’s pre-event training sessions to attend and no pay for hours of work. Many return to help each year.

“It’s a great positive week promoting fun and safety all round. I feel honoured to be

Since 2005, Baptist Churches WA and Churches of Christ Sport & Recreation have trained and mobilised the Green Team, a band of volunteers who oversee and run an alcohol free venue called The Zone at Dunsborough and assist with a similar program on Rottnest Island.

In 2010, the Green Team once again joined government and volunteer agencies to run a four night event in a farm paddock nine kilometres out of Dunsborough enabling more than 26,000 teenagers to

January2011 theadvocate

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Erik Olsen plays a key role in organising The Zone at Dunsborough. He’s hard at work long before anyone else arrives and after everyone has gone home. Here are some notes from his on-line journal.

Sat 13 – Fri 19 November Load gear in Perth, drive to Dunsborough, move sheep from paddock, then mark out the paddock for The Zone. Erect fencing, shade cloth, marquees, signs, lighting towers, toilets. Endure some very hot weather and get sunburnt. Lay flooring in First Aid tent. Bring on 8,000 Leavers! I’m getting too old for this.

Saturday 20 November Long Day — 8:30 am to 11:00 pm. Lighting towers now focused, front fencing up, just awaiting a Police truck to fill the hole. Staging done. Stage barriers done. Need a plumber as someone drove over the taps.

Sunday 21 November The Zone is pretty much ready to go. Plumber coming tomorrow to connect water.

Monday 22 November D-Day for The Zone. Tonight we open and will go to bed after 2.00 am tomorrow.

Tuesday 23 November The Zone ran GREAT. Over 5,000 on NIGHT

ONE and not one fight! The team did a fantastic job.

Wednesday 24 November Another great night in The Zone, over 6,000 Leavers, again well behaved bar ‘maybe’ one or two. The team did another fantastic job. Half way there ... and hoping to get more than two hours sleep tonight.

Thursday 25 November Wow, over 7,000 in The Zone tonight. Most of the team are exhausted. Thousands of kids get to go home safely because of the great volunteer effort working closely with police and local government.

Friday 26 November Totally exhausted, left The Zone at 3:30 am and had truck drivers calling just after 8:00 am wanting to pick up gear. Back to The Zone for a day of packing and cleaning.

Saturday 27 November Seven hours of sleep, but still feel totally zapped. Returning equipment and packing up a campsite after an army of fantastic volunteers headed home.

Sunday 28 November Finally home. Paddock still needs work so I’ll do a trip down later in the week to finish off.

Erik’s Leavers Experience

Peter Randell, Youth Pastor at Waratah Baptist Church, told the Advocate about his experience on Rottnest Island during Leavers week.

We arrived at Rotto on the Monday afternoon to primarily focus on manning The Zone which was an evening DJ/music event open to all wearing pre-sold wristbands running on the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights. This area was set up adjacent to the central mall area at Rottnest. We also spent much of Tuesday and Thursday afternoons setting up and running various balance-based activities in The Zone. In the evening we averaged about 400-500 leavers in The Zone between 8:00 pm and 1:00 am.

I thought our team did an incredible job considering that we had averaged around ten volunteers running each night. The volunteer training sessions preceding the event proved very useful as our team managed to get over the ‘deer in the headlights’ reaction that leavers week can cause some people and get on with the job immediately.

Critical to the success of the event was communication between Green Team, event

security and police. Together we managed to get through the week without a single incident at The Zone.

Green Team were not par ticularly involved with the logistics of setting up The Zone area apart from some last minute activity construction! Rottnest Express ferries were very helpful in transporting our own equipment such as radios, whiteboards, baggage and so forth to the island even delivering it to our accommodation door!

I think the most important influence the Green Team had on Leavers at Rotto was the creation of a positive and fun atmosphere amongst the Leavers. I especially recall the example of the last night of the Zone which had a slightly, but definitely more negative vibe from the previous two nights. However the serving attitude of Green Team members, whether dancing their hearts out in front of the mosh pit, keeping Leavers hydrated with water or just having conversations with Leavers away from the main stage, really worked to transform the feeling of the night.

I’m planning to get many of our youth and young adults from Waratah Church involved for 2011!

Rotto calling

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conversation

Australian Rikk Watts, Professor of New Testament at Regent College in Vancouver, Canada, believes academic learning must engage the whole person to bring about life transformation.Ph

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Australian Rikk Watts spent some of his teenage years in Perth. Currently he is Professor of New Testament at the graduate school Regent College in Vancouver, Canada. He talked with The Advocate at his home just prior to Christmas. How did you come to be in Vancouver?

I had a mid-life change in career when I was a Systems Engineer in Melbourne. I was working with John Smith of God Squad and we ran a crisis accommodation place. I sensed I needed more theological training to help with answering the questions people asked. I studied at Gordon-Conwell in Boston (USA), and then did my PhD at Cambridge. I returned to The Bible College of Victoria and sometime later Gordon Fee approached me about coming to Regent College to teach the New Testament. That was 15 years ago.

I believe you were involved with On Being magazine.

Yes, Kevin Smith and I, along with some other folk, including David Boan, founded On Being in Melbourne. In the beginning it was an evangelical response to activism. Being rather than doing. It all started in the lounge room of Montrose House in Melbourne.

What do you do at Regent?I teach five or so courses a year. In alternate

years, I teach something in the spring or summer school program as well. So there’s spare time to write too.

I teach core courses, including New Testament foundations — focusing on the content not just the history of scholarship; ‘Interpreting the Bible’ — that’s not easy to do well; and a book study; ‘Advanced Exegesis’. A key course is also Christian Thought and Culture — a course to introduce people to the history of how Christians engage with culture.

In some places academia has a tendency to ‘dehydrate’ learning, making it dull and dry. How do you manage to keep your teaching vibrant and engaging?

I think that my fundamental philosophy is that when we teach and preach, people should see the face of God. That for me means Jesus. So in my classes the academic stuff matters, but I will tell students regularly that I don’t do this purely out of a love of academia. There’s got to be some level of academia, otherwise you wouldn’t keep at it. But really it’s the preaching that I love because that’s when the Word of God comes alive to people through the Spirit in their hearts, so that often happens in my classes. I’m really not ‘just’ interested in ideas. People are much more than that ... I want students to experience the living presence of God — and knowing their Greek grammar and cultural background doesn’t push God away, but makes him a lot closer.

How do you safeguard so that learning is transformational not merely filling heads?

It’s not about an idea. It’s about a person. All too often theology becomes about ideas and not the person. An important observation: How do you get to know about people? Narrative is the way you get to know about people. There’s a lot of talk about narrative theology and sometimes that can almost border on just being fashion. Actually I want to say this with great strength:

the only way to get to know people is through their story. But that story has to have an open future and it must have the flow of time and the possibility of change. Because if there was no possibility of change in the environment you were in, you would just sit there for a million years, not moving, and I wouldn’t know you at all. Sometimes that’s the way theology has tried to talk about God, that God is an unchanging idea — well, the further you pursue that idea, the less you get to know him.

What do you do for fun?I love to sail. I have a friend here who has a

boat. I recently crewed on a 12 day race from Victoria to Maui — ten metre waves and high winds. It’s great when your sails are properly trimmed. And I also enjoy film and food. It’s like communion — colour, taste, smell — it’s all God’s gift. When the relational element is gone, that’s when (food) becomes an idol.

Would you suggest a couple of books you think would help people on their spiritual journey?

I’d say try Tom Wright’s Surprised by Hope and Rodney Stark’s book The Rise of Early Christianity.

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newsBlair vs HitchensIt was one of the hottest tickets of the pre-Christmas season in Toronto, Canada and the 2,700 seats in the Roy Thompson Hall were gone in a few short hours. The draw? Two great minds and orators debating what has been described as one of the most important issues of the 21st century — whether or not religion is a force for good in the world. Defending the faith was former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Since leaving office, he has converted to Catholicism and launched the Tony Blair Faith Foundation to promote respect and understanding among the major religions. Prominent atheist and journalist Christopher Hitchens, who wrote God is not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, was his formidable opponent. After the debate 68 percent of the audience sided with Hitchens. Blair’s argument captured 32 percent of the final vote.

Mass exodus fearedOne week after the 31 October attack on a Baghdad church where more than 50 people died, at least four people were killed and dozens injured following a series of coordinated attacks on Christian neighbourhoods in Baghdad. Roadside bombs and mortar shells targeted homes and a church in six districts across Iraq’s capital city. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Christians have already been driven from their homeland over the last 20 years because of attacks by Muslim extremists, but the exodus is expected to accelerate in light of the latest outbreak of violence. Archbishop Athanasius Toma Dawod, a senior Iraqi church leader in London warned of a pending ‘genocide’.

Russian churches torchedThree churches were torched by arsonists in Karachayevo-Cherkessia republic in the early hours of 1 November. One church was almost completely gutted, but all three buildings were saved by the immediate intervention of church members who, after alerting the fire brigade, began fighting the flames themselves. No one was hurt in the attacks. The fires have been described by a senior church leader as ‘well-orchestrated provocation’. He added, “The intention is to destabilise inter-religious harmony, but they will not succeed.” The republic, which has a sizeable Christian minority, is located in Russia’s mainly Muslim North Caucasus region, where Islamists are fighting to establish a separate state ruled by ‘sharia’ Islamic law.

BWA and Vatican finish talksThe final round in the second series of theological conversations between the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) and the Pontifical Council For Promoting Christian Unity of the Roman Catholic Church took place from 12 to 18 December in Oxford, England.

Discussions began in 2006 and focused on the theme “The Word of God in the Life of the Church: Scripture, Tradition and Koinonia.”

The ob jec t i ves o f these international conversations are to increase mutual understanding,

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appreciation, and Christian charity toward each other; foster a shared life of discipleship; develop and extend a common witness to Jesus Christ; and to encourage further action together on ethical issues, including justice, peace and the sanctity of life.

An overall aim is to explore the common ground in biblical teaching, apostolic faith and practical Christian living between Baptists and Catholics, as well as an examination of areas that still divide the two Christian traditions.

The 2010 gathering, co-hosted by two Permanent Private Halls of

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) celebrated 60 years of ministry with a special dinner featuring Billy Graham, Music and Program Director Cliff Barrows and Soloist George Beverly Shea in November.

Barrows, 87, and Shea, 101, travelled the world with evangelist Billy Graham, 92, for more than 50 years, leading music in front of millions at Billy Graham Crusades.

Between 1959 and 1979, Billy Graham spoke at ten crusades in Australian cities including Adelaide, Br isbane, Canberra, Hobar t , Launceston, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.

The inv i tat ion-only dinner provided an opportunity for family and close personal fr iends to reminisce about the past 60 years of proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ around the world, but also to look ahead to the future.

“The whole purpose of the BGEA — my father, his team — over these years, is to take this simple message of God’s love and share it with a world

BGEA celebrates 60 years

Left to right: Don Wilton (Billy Grahams’ Pastor from First Baptist Chruch in Spartanburg, USA), Billy Graham, Franklin Graham, Cliff Barrows and George Beverly Shea.

who doesn’t know Him,” Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham and President and CEO of the BGEA said. “And, we’ve seen over the years, millions of people give their lives to Christ. And we give God the honour. We give Him the glory.”

Based in Charlot te, Nor th Carolina, USA, the BGEA directs a range of evangelism ministries, including large-scale festivals led by evangelists Franklin Graham and Will Graham, around the world.

My Hope World Evangelism has

run nationwide evangelistic events in 50 countries during the past decade. Families host their friends in their home to watch a national television evangelistic program, then tell their own story of following Jesus and invite their friends to respond.

the University of Oxford — Regent’s Park College (Baptist) and St. Benet’s Hall (Benedictine) — focused on the preparation of the report of the conversations.

The first series of talks between the BWA and the Vatican occurred between 1984 and 1988 and was followed by the publication of Summons to Witness to Christ in Today’s World in 1990.

Paul Fiddes, Professor of Systematic Theology in the University of Oxford, and former chair of the BWA Commission on Doctrine and

Interchurch Cooperation, led the BWA team. The Catholic team is led by Arthur Serratelli, Bishop of Paterson, New Jersey, in the United States.

Permanent members of the Baptist team since 2006 include Fred Degbee from Ghana; Timothy George, Steven Harmon, and Nora Lozano from the United States; Tomás Mackey of Argentina; Tony Peck of the United Kingdom; and Tadeusz Zielinski from Poland. Newer members are Elizabeth Newman and Curtis Freeman from the United States, and Rachael Tan from Taiwan.

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theadvocate January2011leadership

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Work Hard. Play Hard. By Monica O’Neil, Vose Leadership

The family that plays together stays together. Earlier this year I was part of a team that took off from a mild spring in Perth for a hot Asian destination. We had in our baggage wheelbarrows, Vegemite, angle grinder blades, pair upon pair of work gloves, Gatorade and chocolate. We were off to help some people with the construction of their home. Some of our team had skills that would relate to the building task ahead and some of us were only able to take what muscles we had.

Of all the capabilities in the team there were three which were married together in a most outstanding way. They were capacities for heartfelt care, hard work and a determination to play. We sweated profusely as we laboured. We worked until our arms, legs and backs ached each day and we played and laughed until our sides hurt. I hadn’t laughed so much in a very long time. That is saying something because I laugh a lot! Some people work hard and then they ‘play hard’. Some people muck around in a way that distracts them from their work, in a sad ‘either/or’ dichotomy. This group played while they worked, and did so in a way that increased, rather than diminished our productivity on site. And all the time, the group’s capacity to care for one another showed itself. The humour never hurt, the play didn’t shame and each looked

For more information on Vose Leadership, please call Monica O’Neil on 6313 6200.

out for the other’s safety, health and stamina.We worked alongside the people for whom

we were building, and as our senses of play joined theirs our two worlds were joining in a universal language of care, play and laughter. Awkwardness was diminishing in both cultural groups and friendships began to develop.

Most people see caring as valuable — within limits. But some frown on laughter and play as a distraction. I disagree. And I am not alone. What happens if we marry up care, play and hard work?

Edward Hallowell is a psychiatrist with a 30 year love of studying peak performance. In a recent article he refers to a “disease called disconnection” which “can spread like a virus. It can sap companies of their vital juices,” whereas “working on a connected team galvanizes people in ways nothing else can.” (HBR December 2010) He refers to studies with global sample groups which showed that disconnected people “were more likely to get sick, miss work or even suffer a heart attack.” You may be familiar with Marcus Buckingham’s First Break All the Rules where he refers to a Gallup research finding that people were happier, more productive, and more likely to stay in their jobs when they have a best friend at work. So perhaps friendship and care on our teams is not a distraction, but a welcome addition.

Hallowell then moves on to play. Imaginative engagement in our work is play. I often feel like I am in a playground when I am at work. Not because I am mucking around, although that does happen just a little, but rather because so much of what I do and the people I am with are engaging. Tasks are like climbing a giant tree or swinging higher on a swing than I am used to. It is that sense of adventure and creativity at work. He calls this ‘flow’ — where we lose ourselves in the task at hand. This kind of play builds our brain. Play according to Hallowell actually improves our ability to plan, prioritise, decide, delegate, anticipate and organise!

Some of the most productive teams I know have strong play rituals as well. One I know has a cheeky, harmless pranking culture. Every now and then they plot something. There is fun in the thinking, in the doing and in the response. Not to mention the storytelling afterwards. Another place has deliberate play lunches. On a certain day of the week, they dress ‘corporate’, eat lunch together in the work boardroom and play corporate, writing bizarre plans on the whiteboard and so on. Are you getting the picture? At Vose, we have occasional morning teas, catalysed by a cake-wielding birthday person. We often end up strategising new ventures which have us laughing until we cry as we

explore the depths of our idea of the day. Engaging our imaginations is so good for us.

And then there is the hard work. Our building team worked hard. We didn’t stop for inconveniences. We determined to do the hard work and get the job done. We all had to push through some personal barriers to achieve the goals we had set together. It cost us in the harnessing of our attitudes and our efforts towards the project and towards each other. I suspect that if we had not played so hard we would not have reached our goals.

Proverbs 17:22 says that a cheerful heart is good medicine.

There is so much to play about.

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Publishers General DisclaimerAll the articles, comments, advice and other material contained in this publication are by way of general comment or advice only and are not intended, nor do they purport to be the correct advice on any particular matter of subject referred to. No reader or any other person who obtains this publication should act on the basis of any matter, comment or advice contained in this publication without first considering and if necessary taking appropriate professional advice upon the applicability of any matter, advice or comment herein to their own particular circumstances. Accordingly, no responsibility is accepted or taken by the authors, editors or publishers of this publication for any loss or damage suffered by any party acting in reliance on any matter, comment or advice contained herein.

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EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING:

Email: editor@theadvocate.tv advertising@theadvocate.tv

Mail: Baptist Churches of WA PO Box 57, Burswood

Tel: (08) 6313 6300

Fax: (08) 9470 1713

The Advocate is published on behalf of the Baptist Churches WA by Image 7 Group. Tel: (08) 9221 9777 Email: info@imageseven.com.au

DistributionAgape Baptist Church (08) 9332 8572

Albany Baptist Church (08) 9841 8699

Armadale Congregational Church (08) 9497 1444

Armadale/Kelmscott Baptist Church (08) 9495 1067

Atwell Baptist Church (08) 9397 2147

Australind Baptist Church (08) 9725 8492

Ballajura Baptist Church (08) 9248 7037

Baptist Care (08) 9282 8600

Baptist Ministry Centre (08) 6313 6300

Beaumaris Community Baptist Church (08) 9404 7664

Bellevue Baptist Church (08) 9250 1439

Bentley Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9458 1628

Bethel Village (08) 9482 3263

Boyup Brook Baptist Church (08) 9765 1452

Bridgetown Church of Christ (08) 9761 4311

Broome Baptist Church (08) 9193 6135

Bunbury Baptist Church (08) 9721 3700

Busselton Baptist Church (08) 9754 8001

Carey Community Baptist Church (08) 9394 9155

Chidlow Community Church Incorporated (08) 9572 4455

Claremont Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9385 2607

Collie Baptist Church (08) 9734 1272

Comet Bay Baptist Church (Golden Bay) (08) 9537 4870

Como Baptist Church (08) 9450 5328

Coolbellup Charismatic Baptist Church (08) 9331 3510

Craigie Baptist Church (08) 9307 7509

Cranbrook/Frankland Baptist Church (08) 9826 1038

Dalkeith Baptist Church (08) 9386 6374

Denmark Baptist Church (08) 9848 3229

Derby Baptist Church (08) 9193 1551

Dowerin Church of Christ (08) 9681 1132

East Fremantle Baptist Church (08) 9339 2610

Eaton Baptist Church (08) 9725 1793

Ellenbrook Community Baptist Church (08) 9296 8194

Esperance Baptist Church (08) 9071 2315

Esperance Church of Christ (08) 9071 7173

Geraldton Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9921 3356

Girrawheen Baptist Church (08) 9343 1537

Gnowangerup Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9827 1134

Golden Mile Baptist Church (08) 9091 5423

Gosnells Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9398 4191

Graceford Hostel (08) 9526 2898

Gracehaven Village (08) 9527 3535

Gracewood Baptist Fellowship (08) 9365 2537

Gracewood Hostel (08) 9365 2400

Hedland Baptist Church (08) 9140 1962

Indonesian Family Church (08) 9218 9809

Inglewood Community Church (08) 9370 1135

Kalgoorlie Baptist Church (08) 9091 4222

Karen Baptist Church (08) 9495 1496

Karratha Baptist Church (08) 9185 4008

Katanning Baptist Church (08) 9821 1922

Kojonup Baptist Church (08) 9834 2242

Kununurra Baptist Church (08) 9169 1980

Lake Joondalup Baptist Church (08) 9400 2310

Lakeside Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9310 7111

Lesmurdie Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9291 9866

Maida Vale Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9454 4626

Mandurah Baptist Church (08) 9581 1980

Manjimup Baptist Church (08) 9777 1042

Margaret River Baptist Church (08) 9757 3881

Maylands Baptist Church Incorporated 0410 133 428

Melville Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9317 2006

Moonya Hostel and Nursing Home (08) 9771 8100

Moora Baptist Church (08) 9651 1846

Morley Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9276 1568

Mount Barker Baptist Church (08) 9851 2326

Mount Hawthorn Baptist Church Inc (08) 9444 1171

Mount Pleasant Baptist Church (08) 9329 1777

Mozaic (08) 9370 6067

Mukinbudin Church of Christ (08) 9047 1046

Mundaring Church of Christ (08) 9295 3339

Narrogin Baptist Church (08) 9881 4164

Newman Baptist Church (08) 9177 8890

North Beach Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9448 7018

Parkerville Baptist Church (08) 9295 6789

Perth Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9328 6507

Powerhouse Church (08) 9439 4555

Quinns Community Baptist Church (08) 9305 8882

Ravensthorpe Baptist Fellowship (08) 9838 3208

Riverton Baptist Church (08) 9457 6135

Rockingham Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9527 7544

Scarborough Baptist Church (08) 9245 1491

Serpentine Camping Centre (08) 9525 5135

Slavic Baptist Church (08) 9407 7000

Somerville Baptist College (08) 9314 7754

Sorrento Christian Church (08) 9401 7039

South Perth Baptist Church (08) 9368 1479

Sunshine Park Hostel (08) 9221 6100

Tabernaculo Biblico Bautista (08) 9206 3059

Tom Price Baptist Church (08) 9189 3454

Toodyay Baptist Church (08) 9574 4546

Vose Seminary (08) 6313 6200

Waratah Christian Community (08) 9582 2002

Warwick Church of Christ (08) 9447 7877

William Carey Court Village (08) 9752 2073

Winthrop Baptist College (08) 9314 7722

Woodvale Baptist Church Inc (08) 9309 4044

Yangebup Baptist Church (08) 9417 2135

Yokine Baptist Church (08) 9344 7132

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BaptistChurchesWESTERN AUSTRALIA

Position VacantInsurance OfficerBaptist Churches Western Australia (BCWA) exists to serve the Baptist churches, agencies and institutions by doing those activities which are better achieved when we work together.

BCWA are currently seeking an experienced administrator to join the team in Rivervale. The role involves providing client support and claims processing for insurance, Workers Compensation and CCLI licensing as well as assisting in general office administration.

The person to fill the role will: • Be proficient in Microsoft Office products • Have a minimum 2 years experience in an

administrative role• Have excellent organisational and time

management skills• Enjoy building strong client relationships• Love to serve• Share the Christian ethos

For information or to apply, please contact Priscilla Innes Baptist Ministry Centre PO Box 57 BURSWOOD WA 6100 or email priscilla.innes@baptistwa.asn.au

Applications close Friday the 14 January 2011

theadvocate January2011

14

entertainment

spotthedifference biblestory

A vamp is the upper top front of a shoe.

Lizards communicate by doing push-ups.

The main purpose of growing rice in flooded paddocks is to drown the weeds surrounding the seedlings.

The average human body contains enough lead to make a 76 mm nail.

An elephant can throw a baseball faster than a human.

The Mona Lisa has no eyebrows.

In Elizabethan times carnations were used to spice wine and ale.

23 percent of all photocopier faults are caused by people sitting on them and photocopying their buttocks.

If you have ozostomia, you are suffering from halitosis, or bad breath.

Donald Duck comics were banned in Finland because he doesn’t wear pants.

10 Things You Didn’t Know

Matthew 3; Mark 1John the Baptist preached in the desert. The people of Jerusalem were baptised by him in the Jordan River. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. This was his message: “After me will come one more powerful than I. I will baptise you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.”

John the Baptist

Reproduced by kind permission of Candle Books/Angus Hudson Ltd.

Queens Club is our artist of the month. Can you spot five differences between the two pictures below?

January2011 theadvocate

15

bookreviewcdreview

webreviewmusiccompetition

Kindly supplied by Koorong.com Kindly supplied by Wanno from The Reality Zone

WorthyVarious ArtistsTrans World Radio – the international media ministry that serves 160 countries around the world – has released an inspiring collection of 16 Australian worship songs from some of this country’s leading artists including Paul Colman Trio (which incidentally undertakes a reunion tour next April), Compliments Of Gus, Vita Adam, Justin Michael, Geoff Bullock, Rivertribe, and Jade Ambroze. Stand out songs include Nathan Tasker’s ‘Worthy’ (which gives the collection its title), Guryel Ali’s ‘Most Worthy’, Steve Grace’s ‘Blessed Assurance’, and Aliki’s ‘At Your Throne’. Proceeds from the sale of the album assist TWR Australia.

Back To the RockClassic PetraPetra is a pioneer of Christian rock. Formed in 1972, the band took its name from the Greek word for “rock”. Though formally disbanding in 2005, incarnations of Petra have played reunion shows in the years since. Last year, the line-up that made the 1985 album Beat the System re-recorded several Petra favorites including ‘Adonai’, ‘Bema Seat’, ‘Rose Colored Stained Glass Windows’, and ‘More Power To Ya’ – plus two new songs. These sessions, released as Back To the Rock, honor the original arrangements with enhanced production, plus additional strings on three cuts. Classic Petra performs at Albany’s Strawberry Jam, and Queensland’s Easterfest this April.

In Japan the Crickets CrySteve MetcalfSteve had suffered under the brutal regime of his Japanese guards. He and his classmates at Chefoo school in China had been interned in 1942. Resentment of the Japanese was a way of life. Could he possibly pray for them? He could. At the end of the war the China Inland Mission was seeking young men willing to go to Japan. Steve trained, packed and went. Thus began Steve’s lifelong love of Japan. Over the years he would tussle with a culture where courtesy wins over truth; where suicide is an honourable choice; where to be foreign is to be forever alien. Time after time he would encounter miracles of healing, provision, and protection as God looked after him, his wife Evelyn and their growing family. In a resistant culture he would see many come to Christ.

The Narnia Code: C S Lewis And The Secret Of The Seven HeavensMichael WardC S Lewis’ Narnia books have delighted millions of readers with their captivating otherworld. In this compelling book, Lewis scholar Michael Ward reveals deeper layers of meaning encrypted in the Narnia series, drawing on medieval cosmology and symbolism. The Narnia books are mysterious. Millions of people have been captivated by them, but are left with unanswered questions: Why are there seven books?; Are they biblical allegories?; If so, why do four of them seem to have no biblical basis?; Why do they lack uniformity?; and Why does Father Christmas appear in them? In The Narnia Code Michael Ward attempts to answer this puzzle.

entertainment

rating: 5/5

rating: 4.5/5

rating: 4/5

Bible Treasure HuntValue BooksHere’s a fun way to learn more about the Bible! The ‘choose your own ending’ storyline of Bible Treasure Hunt involves you in the plotline. Follow the characters as they pursue a hidden treasure through Bible lands. Along the way, you’ll help them make decisions at the proverbial forks in the road. It’s a fun and easy way to learn more about the Bible, and makes an ideal resource for Sunday school classes, youth groups, Vacation Bible Schools ... even personal reading. Especially suited to children over the age of ten.

Competition

Answer:

Name:

Postal Address:

Phone Number:

Please complete this form with your details and post it to:Chris Tomlin CompetitionThe Advocate11 East Parade, East Perth WA 6004

Entries close 19 January and all winners will be announced in the February edition of The Advocate.

Christmas competition winners: R Read, W Morrow and P Taylor.

Chris Tomlin — And If Our God Is For Us ... Chris Tomlin returns with his much-anticipated new album And If Our God Is For Us ..., which features the new single ‘I Will Follow’ and a new studio recording of ‘Our God’, the anthemic declaration of faith that has already spent nine weeks on top of the Christian radio charts. The new songs on And If Our God Is For Us ... came from Chris’ experience as a worship leader over the years, and currently at Passion City Church in Atlanta, led by communicator and Pastor, Louie Giglio. As the songwriter behind the worship favourites ‘How Great is Our God’, ‘Jesus Messiah’, ‘Holy is the Lord’ and ‘Forever’, Chris continues to write songs that connect people to the heart of Jesus and lead them to a greater worship of Him.

The Advocate in conjunction with Crossroad Distributors is giving you the opportunity to win a copy ofChris Tomlin’s And If Our God Is For Us ..., To be in the draw, simply answer the following question.

Question: What is the new single on Chris Tomlin’s CD And If Our God Is For Us ...

Kindly supplied by Koorong.com

Come AwayJesus CultureSince launching its national and international conferences in 1999, Jesus Culture has ignited a generation with energetic, passionate and authentic worship music. Recorded live, Come Away is the fifth full length CD/DVD released by the influential youth outreach ministry from Redding, California. Music directors and youth leaders looking to capture the hearts their congregations and youth will find inspiration in the music from this exciting worship team. This is worship music that draws you in and you want to participate. Most of the songs are sung to God, not just about Him. Previous albums Consumed, We Cry Out, Your Love Never Fails, and Everything are also worth getting.

Have you ever wanted to post some audio or video online, but were worried about what adverts the service might place around your media? Enter e-zekiel.tv which offers a safe place for sharing Christian centric audio and video. Individuals, churches, ministries and non-profits can benefit from having a place online to share their lives, their work, and their purpose through audio and video — without the concern or distraction of what adverts will appear around, before, during, or after their media plays. Offering the usual suite of social media integration as well as embed codes, you can upload and share with confidence. Best of all e-zekial.tv is a free service which will playback on a range of desktop and mobile devices.

E-zekiel.tv

16

theadvocate January2011

The boys from ‘How Ridiculous’ shoot hoops for the charity Compassion from the 12th floor of the Raffles apartments in Applecross.

Phot

o: D

avid

Mac

Pher

son

Amazing shots for Compassionsport&youth

the fence to shoot,” Brett Stanford said. “Then we tried from the roof, shooting from the front yard over the house.”

In mid-October, they made baskets from the DNA Tower in Kings Park, the 12th floor of the Raffles apartments in Applecross to a hoop set up in the Swan River and from the Narrows Bridge to the South Perth foreshore. A local television station invited them to prove their skills on a shoot at Patersons Stadium in Subiaco using the TV station’s cameras.

The Channel 7 film crew took longer to set up than it took the guys to make the baskets. Scott Gaunson

(22), Derek Herron (22), Scott Gaunson (18) and Kyle Nebel (18), all come from the southern suburbs and are part of Lifestreams Christian Church in South Perth. They’ve played basketball at school and socially at Lakeside Recreation Centre for years. During 2009 they started experimenting with shooting interesting baskets.

“We got the idea of making some fantastic basketball shots after seeing a video clip on YouTube. These guys from the United States were using their basketball skills to promote a charity. We could do that! We started with basic stuff like bouncing off walls, sitting on

Four talented young Perth men are a YouTube sensation and may hold the world record for long-range basketball shots. They are also promoting Compassion’s child sponsorship program around the world as media outlets show footage of their incredible basketball shots at iconic Perth locations.

Their latest challenge aired on Perth television on 6 December. In a quarry at Boya, Brett Stanford threw a basketball from the top edge of the quarry wall, 75 meters from the basket. He made the shot on his second attempt.

The band of four is known as ‘How Ridiculous’. Brett Stanford

sunk the ball on his fourth attempt from the third tier of the stand. Brett Stanford made a backwards shot from the second tier of the stand on his second attempt.

Dur ing an inter v iew af ter successfully making the amazing shots, the guys explained their commitment to generate awareness of the impact Compassion is having on the lives of children living in poverty around the world.

“We love the work of Compassion. We have our own sponsor kids, and we would be really pumped if we could see heaps of other people jump on board and start sponsoring kids as well,” Brett Stanford said.

“I’ve always been the kid who couldn’t resist picking up a stone to throw at some sort of target,” Physiotherapist Brett Stanford said. “We’ve all got a skill set that ’s probably above average when it comes to basketball. There is an element of luck too, and you have to consider the wind. There’s a lot of persistence and perseverance in there too.”

‘How Ridiculous’ may tour some country towns in Western Australia dur ing the summer ho l idays generating plenty of interest and having heaps of fun.

Search for ‘How Ridiculous’ on YouTube.