From mins at crca.org.au Tue Apr 2 07:51:03 2013 From: mins at crca.org.au (mins at crca.org.au) Date: Tue, 2 Apr 2013 15:51:03 +0800 Subject: [Mins] Admittance of non reformed folk to membership Message-ID: Hi all Greetings in Christ. I am seeking input from others about how their churches deal with the acceptance of non-reformed folk to communicant membership. There appears to be two main models in reformed polity. One is that of confessional membership, and the other is where only the office bearers need to agree to the confessions (for example, OPC). In the past we have admitted some folk from Baptist backgrounds to communicant membership with the proviso that they not be able to serve in office due to not being able to sign the form of subscription. Presently we have several more families and individuals who wish to be part of our fellowship, yet either hold to a position of Adult Baptism, or cannot yet agree to the teachings of the doctrines of grace. They have gone through some catechism, they understand the issues, but cannot yet signify whole hearted agreement. In some of our forms (baptism and pro-faith), members are asked to signify agreement with the teachings of the Word of God as taught in this Christian Church. That is part of what confessional membership is. We want to embrace those who have sought to make our church their spiritual home, but who do not (as yet) fully appreciate or understand our churches confessional position. But we are not sure how to proceed, or what long term principles to put in place. We want to avoid a two tier system of first and second class citizens (full confessional members and associate members). We also do not want to act unilaterally as a church without regard to denominational practice. When such brothers and sisters are admitted to membership, how do we proceed when they wish to get involved in teaching Sunday School and getting involved in youth ministry. And even stickier - how do we deal with adult baptisms when the time arises, when adult baptism for them does not mean much more than a profession of faith. (These issues have not arisen yet). Any input would be appreciated as our church council works through these issues Thanks for your consideration and time. Peter Kossen. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mins at crca.org.au Tue Apr 2 09:13:47 2013 From: mins at crca.org.au (mins at crca.org.au) Date: Tue, 02 Apr 2013 20:13:47 +1100 Subject: [Mins] Admittance of non reformed folk to membership In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi Peter, In 2007, Classis NSW put together the attached guidelines for our churches in ACT/NSW. I'm not sure if this helps significantly, but it arose out of a similar set of questions to what you're asking. Blessings, Simon van der Wel On 2/04/2013 6:51 PM, mins at crca.org.au wrote: > > Hi all > > Greetings in Christ. > > I am seeking input from others about how their churches deal with the > acceptance of non-reformed folk to communicant membership. > > There appears to be two main models in reformed polity. One is that > of confessional membership, and the other is where only the office > bearers need to agree to the confessions (for example, OPC). > > In the past we have admitted some folk from Baptist backgrounds to > communicant membership with the proviso that they not be able to serve > in office due to not being able to sign the form of subscription. > > Presently we have several more families and individuals who wish to be > part of our fellowship, yet either hold to a position of Adult > Baptism, or cannot yet agree to the teachings of the doctrines of > grace. They have gone through some catechism, they understand the > issues, but cannot yet signify whole hearted agreement. > > In some of our forms (baptism and pro-faith), members are asked to > signify agreement with the teachings of the Word of God as taught in > this Christian Church. That is part of what confessional membership is. > > We want to embrace those who have sought to make our church their > spiritual home, but who do not (as yet) fully appreciate or understand > our churches confessional position. But we are not sure how to > proceed, or what long term principles to put in place. We want to > avoid a two tier system of first and second class citizens (full > confessional members and associate members). We also do not want to > act unilaterally as a church without regard to denominational practice. > > When such brothers and sisters are admitted to membership, how do we > proceed when they wish to get involved in teaching Sunday School and > getting involved in youth ministry. And even stickier - how do we > deal with adult baptisms when the time arises, when adult baptism for > them does not mean much more than a profession of faith. (These > issues have not arisen yet). > > Any input would be appreciated as our church council works through > these issues > > Thanks for your consideration and time. > > Peter Kossen. > > > > _______________________________________________ > Mins mailing list > Mins at crca.org.au > To manage subscription settings - http://crca.org.au/mailman/listinfo/mins_crca.org.au -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Membership in CRCA - NSW Guidelines.docx Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document Size: 11704 bytes Desc: not available URL: From mins at crca.org.au Tue Apr 2 16:35:03 2013 From: mins at crca.org.au (mins at crca.org.au) Date: Wed, 3 Apr 2013 00:35:03 +0800 Subject: [Mins] Admittance of non reformed folk to membership In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi Simon Very helpful guidelines. Thanks very much Peter Kossen From: mins-bounces at crca.org.au [mailto:mins-bounces at crca.org.au] On Behalf Of mins at crca.org.au Sent: Tuesday, 2 April 2013 5:14 PM To: mins at crca.org.au Subject: Re: [Mins] Admittance of non reformed folk to membership Hi Peter, In 2007, Classis NSW put together the attached guidelines for our churches in ACT/NSW. I'm not sure if this helps significantly, but it arose out of a similar set of questions to what you're asking. Blessings, Simon van der Wel On 2/04/2013 6:51 PM, mins at crca.org.au wrote: Hi all Greetings in Christ. I am seeking input from others about how their churches deal with the acceptance of non-reformed folk to communicant membership. There appears to be two main models in reformed polity. One is that of confessional membership, and the other is where only the office bearers need to agree to the confessions (for example, OPC). In the past we have admitted some folk from Baptist backgrounds to communicant membership with the proviso that they not be able to serve in office due to not being able to sign the form of subscription. Presently we have several more families and individuals who wish to be part of our fellowship, yet either hold to a position of Adult Baptism, or cannot yet agree to the teachings of the doctrines of grace. They have gone through some catechism, they understand the issues, but cannot yet signify whole hearted agreement. In some of our forms (baptism and pro-faith), members are asked to signify agreement with the teachings of the Word of God as taught in this Christian Church. That is part of what confessional membership is. We want to embrace those who have sought to make our church their spiritual home, but who do not (as yet) fully appreciate or understand our churches confessional position. But we are not sure how to proceed, or what long term principles to put in place. We want to avoid a two tier system of first and second class citizens (full confessional members and associate members). We also do not want to act unilaterally as a church without regard to denominational practice. When such brothers and sisters are admitted to membership, how do we proceed when they wish to get involved in teaching Sunday School and getting involved in youth ministry. And even stickier - how do we deal with adult baptisms when the time arises, when adult baptism for them does not mean much more than a profession of faith. (These issues have not arisen yet). Any input would be appreciated as our church council works through these issues Thanks for your consideration and time. Peter Kossen. _______________________________________________ Mins mailing list Mins at crca.org.au To manage subscription settings - http://crca.org.au/mailman/listinfo/mins_crca.org.au -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mins at crca.org.au Tue Apr 2 22:43:42 2013 From: mins at crca.org.au (mins at crca.org.au) Date: Wed, 3 Apr 2013 09:43:42 +1100 Subject: [Mins] Admittance of non reformed folk to membership In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi Peter In Box Hill we have taken the same line as Simon outlined, although here we are not talking about admittance of "non-reformed folk". We have five adults and their three children who are of Reformed Baptist persuasion, and they are thoroughly Reformed. We have warmly welcomed them into membership, but have let the men know that they will not be able to serve in office. We have however allowed one to teach a Sunday School class. We identified the specific issues of doctrine they cannot agree with us on (infant baptism). Classes here are led by paired teachers who take blocks of lessons in turns, so lessons which address the covenant are fine, but when it comes to address baptism in the curriculum we follow, this person is required to step aside and the teaching partner will give that lesson(s). We talked this through openly with everyone involved so that everyone understood what we are doing and why. I don't think we would take such an approach with anyone who is fundamentally non-reformed. In Christ, Albert From: mins-bounces at crca.org.au [mailto:mins-bounces at crca.org.au] On Behalf Of mins at crca.org.au Sent: Wednesday, 3 April 2013 3:35 AM To: mins at crca.org.au Subject: Re: [Mins] Admittance of non reformed folk to membership Hi Simon Very helpful guidelines. Thanks very much Peter Kossen From: mins-bounces at crca.org.au [mailto:mins-bounces at crca.org.au] On Behalf Of mins at crca.org.au Sent: Tuesday, 2 April 2013 5:14 PM To: mins at crca.org.au Subject: Re: [Mins] Admittance of non reformed folk to membership Hi Peter, In 2007, Classis NSW put together the attached guidelines for our churches in ACT/NSW. I'm not sure if this helps significantly, but it arose out of a similar set of questions to what you're asking. Blessings, Simon van der Wel On 2/04/2013 6:51 PM, mins at crca.org.au wrote: Hi all Greetings in Christ. I am seeking input from others about how their churches deal with the acceptance of non-reformed folk to communicant membership. There appears to be two main models in reformed polity. One is that of confessional membership, and the other is where only the office bearers need to agree to the confessions (for example, OPC). In the past we have admitted some folk from Baptist backgrounds to communicant membership with the proviso that they not be able to serve in office due to not being able to sign the form of subscription. Presently we have several more families and individuals who wish to be part of our fellowship, yet either hold to a position of Adult Baptism, or cannot yet agree to the teachings of the doctrines of grace. They have gone through some catechism, they understand the issues, but cannot yet signify whole hearted agreement. In some of our forms (baptism and pro-faith), members are asked to signify agreement with the teachings of the Word of God as taught in this Christian Church. That is part of what confessional membership is. We want to embrace those who have sought to make our church their spiritual home, but who do not (as yet) fully appreciate or understand our churches confessional position. But we are not sure how to proceed, or what long term principles to put in place. We want to avoid a two tier system of first and second class citizens (full confessional members and associate members). We also do not want to act unilaterally as a church without regard to denominational practice. When such brothers and sisters are admitted to membership, how do we proceed when they wish to get involved in teaching Sunday School and getting involved in youth ministry. And even stickier - how do we deal with adult baptisms when the time arises, when adult baptism for them does not mean much more than a profession of faith. (These issues have not arisen yet). Any input would be appreciated as our church council works through these issues Thanks for your consideration and time. Peter Kossen. _______________________________________________ Mins mailing list Mins at crca.org.au To manage subscription settings - http://crca.org.au/mailman/listinfo/mins_crca.org.au -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mins at crca.org.au Wed Apr 3 01:04:54 2013 From: mins at crca.org.au (mins at crca.org.au) Date: Wed, 3 Apr 2013 09:04:54 +0800 Subject: [Mins] Admittance of non reformed folk to membership In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi all, Agree: Thanks Simon, these guidelines are very helpful. No doubt, our primary interest here is that the person(s) are committed followers of Jesus and that they can accept the confessional position of our churches. I think the NSW paper is wise in that it recognises people may be admitted as members, but may not be eligible for office. There are points on which Christians differ - and some of them have been mentioned previously - but these may be no barrier to acceptance as members. I think there is also another issue: are the person(s) happy with what the church is doing? Its direction, its worship expression, its ministry and its mission. My experience has been that the point of departure is not often one of doctrine, but more one of practice. When we are having our 'membership interviews' (or whatever it is that you do) there should be some solid discussion about your congregation ethos, not just about our confessional heritage and polity. This is where some policy or written statements about your particular congregation can be used as a helpful filtering mechanism or discussion tool. Grace and peace, Dave Groenenboom Gateway Community Church A: 63 Spencer Street, Cockburn Central, WA, 6164 P: 0418 383 055 E: dgroenenboom at crca.org.au W: www.gatewaycc.com.au On 02/04/2013, at 5:13 PM, mins at crca.org.au wrote: > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 3096 bytes Desc: not available URL: From mins at crca.org.au Wed Apr 3 01:20:06 2013 From: mins at crca.org.au (mins at crca.org.au) Date: Wed, 3 Apr 2013 12:20:06 +1100 Subject: [Mins] Admittance of non reformed folk to membership In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi all, Good point David. Some time ago Wantirna addressed these issues and produced a partnership (rather than membership) booklet that described the very things you mention. Glenn has regular partnership lunches to discuss the booklet with newcomers and what it meant to be a partner in Wantirna. Ray We also created a partnership On 03/04/2013, at 12:04 PM, mins at crca.org.au wrote: > Hi all, > > Agree: Thanks Simon, these guidelines are very helpful. No doubt, our primary interest here is that the person(s) are committed followers of Jesus and that they can accept the confessional position of our churches. I think the NSW paper is wise in that it recognises people may be admitted as members, but may not be eligible for office. There are points on which Christians differ - and some of them have been mentioned previously - but these may be no barrier to acceptance as members. > > I think there is also another issue: are the person(s) happy with what the church is doing? Its direction, its worship expression, its ministry and its mission. My experience has been that the point of departure is not often one of doctrine, but more one of practice. When we are having our 'membership interviews' (or whatever it is that you do) there should be some solid discussion about your congregation ethos, not just about our confessional heritage and polity. This is where some policy or written statements about your particular congregation can be used as a helpful filtering mechanism or discussion tool. > > Grace and peace, > > Dave Groenenboom > Gateway Community Church > A: 63 Spencer Street, Cockburn Central, WA, 6164 > P: 0418 383 055 > E: dgroenenboom at crca.org.au > W: www.gatewaycc.com.au > > > > On 02/04/2013, at 5:13 PM, mins at crca.org.au wrote: > >> > > _______________________________________________ > Mins mailing list > Mins at crca.org.au > To manage subscription settings - http://crca.org.au/mailman/listinfo/mins_crca.org.au -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mins at crca.org.au Wed Apr 3 04:29:24 2013 From: mins at crca.org.au (mins at crca.org.au) Date: Wed, 3 Apr 2013 15:29:24 +1100 Subject: [Mins] [Bulletins] Items for prayer - please insert in the newsletter and ask your members to pray. Message-ID: PLEASE PRAY FOR PERSECUTED BELIEVERS IN INDIA. Persecution comes in various forms. Some is physical as you read below, but it can also be done officially by the government. ATTACK. We have a church at Jamda. It is growing church, but there is constant harassment a group which tries to prevent spreading of Gospel. However, by the grace of God, this church is still continuing and growing in its enduring faith. Pray that God may guard all these believers from cruel attacks. THREATS. There is persecution of believers from villagers at Baktod. Pray that God may protect them from this sort of treats. We praise God for helping us to start two small worship groups in the month of December 2012. BEATING. Mr. Nansingh and his daughter (Kamalaben) were beaten up by a group in village called Zirniya. Pray that God may continue to strengthen these believers to witness to Jesus. Pray for the persecutors as well that their threats to believers will not hinder the ministry. RED TAPE. In India there is so much statutory auditing and reporting that needs to be done for the government. Our director in Central Western India will be busy for the next few months. There is also a new law in the Foreign Contribution and Regulation Act which controls receipt of foreign funds by Christian organization. The Indian Government uses this law to try to restrict Gospel work. 09 gospel letterhead Bert Kuipers * 11 Heritage Rise, Riverside, TAS. 7250 Australia ( +61 (03) 6327 3058 0438 343101 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: att9932f.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 15225 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- _______________________________________________ Bulletins mailing list Bulletins at crca.org.au To manage subscription settings - http://crca.org.au/mailman/listinfo/bulletins_crca.org.au From mins at crca.org.au Wed Apr 3 09:15:46 2013 From: mins at crca.org.au (mins at crca.org.au) Date: Wed, 03 Apr 2013 20:15:46 +1100 Subject: [Mins] Child Safety Protocols Message-ID: Hi Brothers. In Geelong, we're currently considering issues around protocols for dealing with allegations of child abuse. We're aware of the SACC work on this, together with Kingston's document and some documents prepared by other denominations, but we're wondering whether other congregations have material that we could consider/make use of. Regards, Nigel From mins at crca.org.au Thu Apr 4 01:11:34 2013 From: mins at crca.org.au (mins at crca.org.au) Date: Thu, 4 Apr 2013 01:11:34 +0000 Subject: [Mins] [SPAM] RTC Preaching Conference 2013 Message-ID: ADVANCE NOTICE - for your diaries and church bulletins 2013 RTC Preaching Conference - September 26 & 27 [cid:image003.png at 01CE312D.8C6D3660] This year's theme, Preaching Biblical Wisdom, explores the wisdom literature of both the Old and New Testaments. Drawing from the books of Ecclesiastes, Proverbs, Song of Songs and James, we'll look at how godly wisdom can be powerfully and practically preached, and how wisdom can become part of our message of hope that moves and motivates us to serve Christ. Please make this information known throughout your churches and pray for this event - for the speakers and the attendees. These two days will be of great value to preachers, would-be-preachers and anyone with a love for God's Word. Registration Forms and flyers will be circulated in the coming weeks. Please contact the RTC office for further information. Telephone: +61 (03) 5244 2955 Email: admin at rtc.edu.au Web www.rtc.edu.au/Calendar/Events -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image003.png Type: image/png Size: 26506 bytes Desc: image003.png URL: From mins at crca.org.au Thu Apr 4 01:11:34 2013 From: mins at crca.org.au (mins at crca.org.au) Date: Thu, 4 Apr 2013 01:11:34 +0000 Subject: [Mins] [Bulletins] [SPAM] RTC Preaching Conference 2013 Message-ID: ADVANCE NOTICE - for your diaries and church bulletins 2013 RTC Preaching Conference - September 26 & 27 [cid:image003.png at 01CE312D.8C6D3660] This year's theme, Preaching Biblical Wisdom, explores the wisdom literature of both the Old and New Testaments. Drawing from the books of Ecclesiastes, Proverbs, Song of Songs and James, we'll look at how godly wisdom can be powerfully and practically preached, and how wisdom can become part of our message of hope that moves and motivates us to serve Christ. Please make this information known throughout your churches and pray for this event - for the speakers and the attendees. These two days will be of great value to preachers, would-be-preachers and anyone with a love for God's Word. Registration Forms and flyers will be circulated in the coming weeks. Please contact the RTC office for further information. Telephone: +61 (03) 5244 2955 Email: admin at rtc.edu.au Web www.rtc.edu.au/Calendar/Events -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image003.png Type: image/png Size: 26506 bytes Desc: image003.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- _______________________________________________ Bulletins mailing list Bulletins at crca.org.au To manage subscription settings - http://crca.org.au/mailman/listinfo/bulletins_crca.org.au From mins at crca.org.au Fri Apr 5 03:43:32 2013 From: mins at crca.org.au (mins at crca.org.au) Date: Fri, 05 Apr 2013 14:43:32 +1100 Subject: [Mins] Grow Update In-Reply-To: Message-ID: Hi brothers, Please find attached a copy of an update from GROW for your information. A copy of this will also be in the ext CRCA Catalyst. Yours in Christ, Brian -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: GROW update to Church Mar 2013[1].docx Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document Size: 22610 bytes Desc: not available URL: From mins at crca.org.au Fri Apr 5 08:50:51 2013 From: mins at crca.org.au (mins at crca.org.au) Date: Fri, 5 Apr 2013 16:50:51 +0800 Subject: [Mins] [Bulletins] FW: Major facelift of Wheatbekt website site Message-ID: From: Geoff van Schie [mailto:gvschie at ozemail.com.au] Sent: Friday, 5 April 2013 4:47 PM To: 'Geoff Van Schie' Subject: Major facelift of Wheatbekt website site G'day everyone Just inviting you all to come and visit us on our website as we are well on the way to completing a major facelift. The home page now is refreshed regularly with new content and the navigation structure has been entirely reworked and refreshed. It has been a real learning curve but very productive. I can't afford the big bucks to get a site designed/redesigned by others, or maintained by them - all I do on this site I self taught and I pray will be sued of God for the progress of the Gospel and the glory of His name. http://wheatbeltchristianfellowship.org/What's%20New.htm Please continue to remember us in your prayers Blessings in Christ Geoff van Schie -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- _______________________________________________ Bulletins mailing list Bulletins at crca.org.au To manage subscription settings - http://crca.org.au/mailman/listinfo/bulletins_crca.org.au From mins at crca.org.au Fri Apr 5 08:56:04 2013 From: mins at crca.org.au (mins at crca.org.au) Date: Fri, 5 Apr 2013 16:56:04 +0800 Subject: [Mins] [Bulletins] FW: Major facelift of Wheatbekt website site In-Reply-To: <001501ce31da$ad4e1450$07ea3cf0$@com.au> References: <001501ce31da$ad4e1450$07ea3cf0$@com.au> Message-ID: I assure everybody I am not keen to be sued by God for the progress of the Gospel! J "Used' of course was the word I meant to use. Blessings Geoff From: bulletins-bounces at crca.org.au [mailto:bulletins-bounces at crca.org.au] On Behalf Of Geoff van Schie Sent: Friday, 5 April 2013 4:51 PM To: bulletins at crca.org.au Subject: [Bulletins] FW: Major facelift of Wheatbekt website site From: Geoff van Schie [mailto:gvschie at ozemail.com.au] Sent: Friday, 5 April 2013 4:47 PM To: 'Geoff Van Schie' Subject: Major facelift of Wheatbekt website site G'day everyone Just inviting you all to come and visit us on our website as we are well on the way to completing a major facelift. The home page now is refreshed regularly with new content and the navigation structure has been entirely reworked and refreshed. It has been a real learning curve but very productive. I can't afford the big bucks to get a site designed/redesigned by others, or maintained by them - all I do on this site I self taught and I pray will be sued of God for the progress of the Gospel and the glory of His name. http://wheatbeltchristianfellowship.org/What's%20New.htm Please continue to remember us in your prayers Blessings in Christ Geoff van Schie -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- _______________________________________________ Bulletins mailing list Bulletins at crca.org.au To manage subscription settings - http://crca.org.au/mailman/listinfo/bulletins_crca.org.au From mins at crca.org.au Sat Apr 6 00:54:39 2013 From: mins at crca.org.au (mins at crca.org.au) Date: Sat, 6 Apr 2013 11:54:39 +1100 Subject: [Mins] [Bulletins] Crossroad Bible Institute Update April 2013 Message-ID: Dear Friends, Please enjoy our monthly CBI Update. Jack has taken over the publishing and he has made an Ecopy of each, for those who just like to read the Update. This first email is for those who like to print the Update for their Churches, as can be the Greyscale photos. For reading only, watch for the next email. In Him, Anne Bruinsma, Director Crossroad Bible Institute Australia and the South Pacific. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: CBI update for April 2013.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 133845 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: PNG photos April update greyscale.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 259331 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Testimonies received for April 2013.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 41772 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- _______________________________________________ Bulletins mailing list Bulletins at crca.org.au To manage subscription settings - http://crca.org.au/mailman/listinfo/bulletins_crca.org.au From mins at crca.org.au Sat Apr 6 01:18:37 2013 From: mins at crca.org.au (mins at crca.org.au) Date: Sat, 6 Apr 2013 12:18:37 +1100 Subject: [Mins] [Bulletins] Ecopies from Crossroad Bible Institute Update for April 2013 Message-ID: Dear Friends, This is the second email with Ecopies for easy reading, as Jack has produced them for you and coloured photo's from PNG. Enjoy and enjoy God, In Him, Anne Bruinsma, Director Crossroad Bible Institute Australia and the South Pacific. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: CBI update for April 2013 Ecopy.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 136775 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: PNG photos.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 319200 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Testimonies received for April 2013 ecopy (2).pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 44966 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- _______________________________________________ Bulletins mailing list Bulletins at crca.org.au To manage subscription settings - http://crca.org.au/mailman/listinfo/bulletins_crca.org.au From mins at crca.org.au Sun Apr 7 23:44:48 2013 From: mins at crca.org.au (mins at crca.org.au) Date: Mon, 8 Apr 2013 09:44:48 +1000 Subject: [Mins] Recharge 2013 -- one week left for early bird price Message-ID: Dear colleagues in ministry, You do not want to miss out... The CRCA Recharge conference is the one event, other than the triennial Synod, that gives opportunity for ministers from all over the country to gather together in one place. This is a great time to renew friendships and gain new ones. The added bonus is that you can come here with your spouse and/or other ministry staff. A number of your colleagues are coming on their own, so if your spouse cannot make it this year, don't let that stop you from attending. This year's conference is shaping up to be another great conference -- respected speakers, ample free time to fully recharge, and key events to help us as colleagues and friends to grow in our fellowship with each other. There is still time to reserve your "hotel room" for the upcoming Recharge CRCA Ministry Conference - 06-09 May 2013. There are also spots for any of you who are planning to come on your own! Have you registered yet? There is still time to take advantage of the early bird price which will be in effect until 15 April. Hotel rooms will be available on a first come first serve basis. Registration forms and conference details are attached. Early bird price is $270 pp for twin share or $220 pp four share. Transportation is provided from Sydney Domestic Airport. A deposit will secure your rooms. Send in all rego forms to recharge2013 at crca.org.au or post it to the address on the rego forms. Perhaps you know of a colleague or a couple who is considering attending, but they have not yet registered. This is a good time to encourage one another. It would be great to have every room spoken for! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. Warm regards, Jack De Vries Jack De Vries Ministry Development Coach Christian Reformed Churches of Australia 49 Hunter Circuit Petrie, QLD 4502 P: 07 3285 3678 M: 0437 339 008 E: mtc at crca.org.au www.ministryformation.com.au _______________________________________________ Mins mailing list Mins at crca.org.au http://crca.org.au/mailman/listinfo/mins_crca.org.au -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 39496 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Registration Form.doc Type: application/msword Size: 40448 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Registration Form.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 345267 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Recharge 2013.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 289172 bytes Desc: not available URL: From mins at crca.org.au Mon Apr 8 21:30:04 2013 From: mins at crca.org.au (mins at crca.org.au) Date: Tue, 9 Apr 2013 07:30:04 +1000 Subject: [Mins] Recharge 2013 -- one week left for early bird price In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear Jack, thank you for the invitation and the initiative / effort to organise this great event. Yes, we do need to recharge and strengthen our relationships as colleagues. Unfortunately those of us who's wives can not attend due to work related responsibilities, do not need more time away from our wives. The ministers and wives conference was always intended to address this problem, but did not succeed in this goal for those of us who most need it. This is very unfortunate! Wish we could attend! IC. Rev. Dr. Johann Eloff sr On 08/04/2013, at 9:44 AM, mins at crca.org.au wrote: > Dear colleagues in ministry, > > You do not want to miss out... > > The CRCA Recharge conference is the one event, other than the triennial Synod, that gives opportunity for ministers from all over the country to gather together in one place. This is a great time to renew friendships and gain new ones. The added bonus is that you can come here with your spouse and/or other ministry staff. A number of your colleagues are coming on their own, so if your spouse cannot make it this year, don't let that stop you from attending. This year's conference is shaping up to be another great conference -- respected speakers, ample free time to fully recharge, and key events to help us as colleagues and friends to grow in our fellowship with each other. > > There is still time to reserve your "hotel room" for the upcoming Recharge CRCA Ministry Conference - 06-09 May 2013. There are also spots for any of you who are planning to come on your own! Have you registered yet? There is still time to take advantage of the early bird price which will be in effect until 15 April. Hotel rooms will be available on a first come first serve basis. Registration forms and conference details are attached. Early bird price is $270 pp for twin share or $220 pp four share. Transportation is provided from Sydney Domestic Airport. A deposit will secure your rooms. Send in all rego forms to recharge2013 at crca.org.au or post it to the address on the rego forms. > > Perhaps you know of a colleague or a couple who is considering attending, but they have not yet registered. This is a good time to encourage one another. It would be great to have every room spoken for! > > If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. > > Warm regards, > > Jack De Vries > > Jack De Vries > Ministry Development Coach > Christian Reformed Churches of Australia > 49 Hunter Circuit > Petrie, QLD 4502 > P: 07 3285 3678 > M: 0437 339 008 > E: mtc at crca.org.au > www.ministryformation.com.au > > > _______________________________________________ > Mins mailing list > Mins at crca.org.au > http://crca.org.au/mailman/listinfo/mins_crca.org.au > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Mins mailing list > Mins at crca.org.au > To manage subscription settings - http://crca.org.au/mailman/listinfo/mins_crca.org.au -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mins at crca.org.au Mon Apr 8 23:54:09 2013 From: mins at crca.org.au (mins at crca.org.au) Date: Tue, 9 Apr 2013 07:54:09 +0800 Subject: [Mins] [Bulletins] Geneva Webinars Message-ID: Hi all, The Geneva Push is a collaboration of evangelical and reformed minded people toward the goals of God's mission and church planting. They have some great webinars - most free - helpful 30min slots where you can hear experienced people talking about how things have gone for them. I have participated in a few of these, and I am always impressed with the faithful and Scripture based approach of the partitioners, and I always come away within some helpful information. There's one on tomorrow - Planting in the Country, and there are others planned. You need to register if you want to be part of these events. To do so, click on this link http://thegenevapush.com/events/webinars Grace and peace, Dave Groenenboom Gateway Community Church A: 63 Spencer Street, Cockburn Central, WA, 6164 P: 0418 383 055 E: dgroenenboom at crca.org.au W: www.gatewaycc.com.au -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 3096 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- _______________________________________________ Bulletins mailing list Bulletins at crca.org.au To manage subscription settings - http://crca.org.au/mailman/listinfo/bulletins_crca.org.au From mins at crca.org.au Thu Apr 11 15:17:53 2013 From: mins at crca.org.au (mins at crca.org.au) Date: Thu, 11 Apr 2013 23:17:53 +0800 Subject: [Mins] Resources: Depression and Suicide Message-ID: Hi everyone, You have probably heard that Rick & Kay Warren's son took his own life last weekend: Christian social media has been abuzz with this news. Some responses have been helpful and compassionate, others less helpful and far from compassionate. Christianity Today released a few article today that might be helpful for those pastors who are dealing with these issues. I am passing them on for your information. Also included are a few links to blog pieces from Frank Viola and Mark Driscoll. They contain wise words from men grappling with the insensitive and ungracious words of the Christian lunatic fringe. Christianity Today: Dan Blazier, 'The Depression Epidemic' March 2009 http://www.ctlibrary.com/ct/2009/march/15.22.html?utm_source=ctlibrary-html&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_term=2012469&utm_content=167783683&utm_campaign=2013 Excerpt: Christian teaching about sin and its reverberating effects frees the church from surprise about the disordered state of human affairs. We can acknowledge the effects of sin both within and without. We can look at wrecked reality squarely in the eye and call it what it is. And thanks be to God, who raised the One who entered fully into our condition, breaking the power of sin, death, and hell, that we not only can name wrecked reality, but also lean into it on the promise that Christ is making all things new. Al Hsu. 'When Suicide Strikes in the Body of Christ', 2013 http://www.ctlibrary.com/ct/2013/april-web-only/when-suicide-strikes-in-body-of-christ.html?utm_source=ctlibrary-html&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_term=2012469&utm_content=167783683&utm_campaign=2013 Excerpt: The Bible tells us that God grieves with us in our loss. Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus, and he stands with us and weeps over our loved one's death. Throughout Scripture, God comforts the grieving and brokenhearted, and he understands the suffering of grief and loss. He experienced ultimate pain, suffering, and grief on the cross. Where is God when it hurts? He stands with us, grieving beside us John E. Colwell, Befriending the Darkness, 2013 http://www.ctlibrary.com/le/2013/january-online-only/befriending-darkness.html?utm_source=ctlibrary-html&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_term=2012469&utm_content=167783683&utm_campaign=2013 Excerpt: Of all the psalms of lament, Psalm 88 is the bleakest. It seems entirely devoid of hope. All that is left is despair and desolation. But even this psalm, for all its despair, is not entirely hopeless. It is, after all, a prayer. It is addressed to God even though it offers no assurance that God is listening. And what a strange and enigmatic way for the psalm to end: "The darkness is my closest friend." Can it really be that the darkness itself can become a friend? Mark Driscoll: @PastorMark . @RickWarren, critics, and the hope of God?s Son:ow.ly/jWXWj Frank Viola: @FrankViola : Rick Warren's Tragedy & the Sick Response of Some "Christians" http://frankviola.org/2013/04/08/rickwarrentragedy/ I hope these are helpful. And, if you are dealing with pastoral issues at this level, may God give you wisdom, discernment, and insight to pastor in the grace and mercy of our faithful Saviour. Grace and peace, Dave Groenenboom Gateway Community Church A: 63 Spencer Street, Cockburn Central, WA, 6164 P: 0418 383 055 E: dgroenenboom at crca.org.au W: www.gatewaycc.com.au -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 3096 bytes Desc: not available URL: From mins at crca.org.au Tue Apr 16 00:55:01 2013 From: mins at crca.org.au (mins at crca.org.au) Date: Tue, 16 Apr 2013 10:55:01 +1000 Subject: [Mins] FW: Yearbook Statistics In-Reply-To: <516C9AE9.1050803@gmail.com> References: <516C9AE9.1050803@gmail.com> Message-ID: Yearbook Statistics Dear Pastor, On the 28th February your clerk or administrator person was sent an e-mail with excel forms, asking for the annual membership statistics for this year with the request to have them in by the 1st May. With only two weeks till the end of the month we have only received 17 out 55 churches' replies and would ask whether you could check to see the responsible person has in fact received the forms to fill in and is aware of the deadline. This will give our denominational treasurer, Troy Van der Noord time to calculate and distribute ministry shares in time as many churches are soon wanting to set their budgets. Thank you Frank Sparrius, Yearbook deputy, 7 Monze Drive, Langwarrin, Vic, 3910 Ph: (03) 9775 7274 Mob: 0466 997 847 E-mail: fwsparrius at gmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mins at crca.org.au Sat Apr 27 00:46:10 2013 From: mins at crca.org.au (mins at crca.org.au) Date: Sat, 27 Apr 2013 08:46:10 +0800 Subject: [Mins] [Bulletins] Can you help? -- Music Needs at ReCharge (May 6-9) Message-ID: Dear friends You may beware that from May 6-9 that ReCharge, the national CRCA ministers and wives conference, will be held at Collaroy. Currently we are in need of some music gear. Is there anyone who can help us with * electric bass amplifier * 2 electric guitar amps, preferably one with a mic input * drum kit * microphone plus stand * three music stands While not everyone has these items at home, perhaps someone from your church music team, or someone else known to you has these items. They may be prepared to allow some pastors to use them carefully and prayerfully. I am happy to approach these people directly if you provide relevant contact details. Please let me know as soon as possible. Grace and peace, Dave Groenenboom Gateway Community Church A: 63 Spencer Street, Cockburn Central, WA, 6164 P: 0418 383 055 E: dgroenenboom at crca.org.au W: www.gatewaycc.com.au -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 3096 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- _______________________________________________ Bulletins mailing list Bulletins at crca.org.au To manage subscription settings - http://crca.org.au/mailman/listinfo/bulletins_crca.org.au From mins at crca.org.au Mon Apr 29 23:49:11 2013 From: mins at crca.org.au (mins at crca.org.au) Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2013 23:49:11 +0000 Subject: [Mins] RTC Monthly - No. 64 - April 2013 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: [Description: Description: Monthly-Banner] No. 64 - 30 April 2013 College News ? Over the last couple of weeks the RTC has been host to a number of visitors. We hosted the CRCA Candidacy Committee last week and the RCNZ Deputies this week. They have come from our supporting churches to oversee their students studying for ministry at the RTC. We have hosted the CRCA TRAIN workgroup that works to encourage effective training and discipleship in the local church. This week we also host a special visit by Dr Michael Goheen, newly appointed as Professor of Missiology at Calvin Seminary, Grand Rapids. He will be speaking to the students on aspects of a Christian worldview. Visitors are most welcome this Thursday at 12 noon. This week we also host a special prayer initiative for the nation of Mali. This is being organised by one of our former students, Brendan Short, who works for SIM. ? The RTC Board met on 19 April. Considerable time was spent discussing bigger picture issues for the College - how do we increase student numbers, especially among supporting churches, should the membership model the College uses be changed, how should the Board itself be structured, and how can the College best be represented among the churches? These are ongoing matters for the Board to wrestle with. The Board also gave thanks to God that the 2012 year saw a small surplus of funds even though we had forecast a deficit for the year. We are constantly thankful to the Lord for our many prayerful and generous supporters. You're invited to join an RTC Study Tour to Israel and Jordan [cid:image012.jpg at 01CE4587.E968E3F0] [cid:image013.jpg at 01CE4587.E968E3F0] [cid:image014.jpg at 01CE4587.E968E3F0] [cid:image015.jpg at 01CE4587.E968E3F0] Have you ever wanted to explore the lands of the Bible first-hand? An opportunity to do just that is available now. The RTC is planning a student study tour to Israel and Jordan from 17 Nov to 6 Dec 2013, and there are still some places available for others. You can join with our Old Testament lecturer, John de Hoog, and a group of keen students, as we travel to many of the places in Israel where Jesus lived and worked, including seven days in Jerusalem. Full details of the 20 day itinerary are available at http://www.missiontravel.com.au/rtc2013. It's a very exciting itinerary. A trip that offers so much is not cheap, but the cost of $6,499 includes all airfares, 18 nights 4 star hotel accommodation in twin rooms (with a single room supplement available), all breakfasts and dinners, and most other expenses for a twenty day trip (see the full list at the end of the itinerary). Also included will be a study guide that we will produce for students to help you make the most of this trip. A fair bit of walking is involved for many of the places we will visit, but you don't have to be super-fit, just independently mobile. We have had some advice from an accountant that it will be possible (in Australia at least), with some minor paper-work, to claim the expenses of this trip as a PD experience for people in Christian ministry, so making it tax deductible. It's going to be a great experience. The images above are photos John took on a trip to Israel and Jordan in 2012. If you are interested in joining us for this trip, please contact the RTC without delay. Faculty News ? The second Advance Together conference for the CRCA was held in Victoria this past weekend. The next conference is in Brisbane on 18 May. For more details, go to: http://www.rtc.vic.edu.au/Calendar/Events/Advance-Together ? Several faculty members will be attending the CRCA ReCharge conference in Sydney next week. We look forward to this as a valuable time of learning and networking with ministry colleagues across the country. Book Recommendation (by Rev John de Hoog) Nancy Guthrie is a prolific author who is currently pursuing graduate study at Covenant Theological Seminary in St Louis, Missouri. One of her current projects is working on a series of books in what Crossway Publishers are calling the "Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament" series. Current volumes in the series are The Promised One: Seeing Jesus in Genesis (2011); The Lamb of God: Seeing Jesus in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers & Deuteronomy (2012); and The Wisdom of God: Seeing Jesus in the Psalms and Wisdom Books (2012). Each book is styled in the form of a 10-week Bible study, but the volumes are far more substantial than simply a set of questions with blanks to fill in the answer. Each "week" includes a Personal Bible Study, a Teaching Chapter including a section called "Looking Forward" and a Discussion Guide. Guthrie's approach is hermeneutically sound and she writes warmly and with great clarity. Her great concern is to show how the Old Testament points to Christ. These books would be useful for both personal study and group work. Ministry Spot (by Dr Murray Capill) Discipline isn't a particularly fun word. It sounds hard, difficult, demanding, taxing. Spiritual adventures, discoveries, opportunities or possibilities sound more enticing than spiritual disciplines. But while the Christian life is the most wonderful adventure, full of endless discoveries, great opportunities and diverse possibilities, the fact is, it requires discipline. Without discipline we will not grow in Christ. We have seen in the previous two articles that growth in godliness requires discipline, not because discipline makes us grow, but because we need to have the discipline of placing ourselves in the current of God's grace. The most fundamental way we do that is through disciplines that help us cultivate personal relationship with God - in particular the disciplines of prayer and bible reading. In focussing on them above all else, however, there is a danger that we begin to think that spiritual discipline is chiefly a private matter. We easily get the impression that the most spiritual people are those who are most disciplined in having personal time with God. Surely those who spend much time in personal prayer, who are regular in personal bible reading, who journal, and memorise Scripture, and spend time meditating on God's Word, and maybe practise regular times of fasting, are the most godly of people. Well maybe so, but if we emphasize personal spiritual disciplines ahead of corporate disciplines we are out of step with the Bible itself. Beginning with Abraham, God's plan of salvation was always a plan to save a people not just many individuals. God has formed a community for himself - a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God. Believers are gathered together in church communities, and the church is the body and temple of Christ. Just as no one in the Old Testament era could claim to belong to God if they didn't belong to the covenant community of Israel, so no one can rightly claim today to belong to God if they do not belong to the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Of course there are plenty of people who do claim exactly that. They claim to have a strong personal faith in God but say they are disenchanted with the church and disconnected from it. But that is not a spiritually healthy place to be. In fact biblically, it is just not an option. So what are the corporate disciplines we need to cultivate if we are to grow in godliness? What must we do with other believers in the context of the church to advance spiritually? Perhaps the best answer is found in Hebrews 10:25 where the author writes, 'Do not neglect meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.' The most fundamental corporate discipline is to meet with other believers. That is really what church is all about - it is coming together with other Christians for spiritual fellowship. We come together to hear God's Word, to pray, to serve, to love, to give, to share, to sing, to build others up, to participate in the Lord's supper, to give testimony to others of God's work in our lives, to find help and encouragement, to receive counsel. The exhortation to 'not neglect meeting together' is not specifically tied to worship services but to a diverse array of ways in which we can meet with other believers for mutual edification. Meeting with other believers is a God designed formula for our growth in grace. For one thing, it will mean that we rub shoulders with difficult people! The church is made up of sinners and we will inevitably bump into other people's pride, insensitivity, small-mindedness and a hundred other frustrations. These are God-given opportunities to grow in love, acceptance, patience and mercy. Thankfully, we will also bump into people who are wonderfully inspiring and encouraging. Church is the context for forming strong spiritual relationships with people who love God and are passionate about serving him. You don't find many people like that in the work place, but you do at church. Church is also the context for serving others. Spiritual growth takes place when we use our gifts to build others up. It is the testimony of many Christians that they never grew as much as when they had to take a bold step in Christian ministry. They had to step up to teaching Sunday school, or leading the youth group, or sharing their faith on a church mission, or preach their first sermon. Other Christians have grown massively as they have quietly served needy people or befriended those who struggle. It is hard to develop spiritual muscle if you never exercise spiritual gifts. The centrepiece of corporate spiritual life is the discipline of hearing and studying God's Word together. The public proclamation of God's Word is especially designed by God to build us up in the faith. There is no spiritual substitute for being under faithful and powerful preaching. And alongside that, there is enormous value in wrestling with the Scriptures with other believers in a study group. Others may well ask questions we haven't thought of or give perspectives we need to hear. All this requires discipline. It takes discipline to get to church, attend a home group, engage in a church ministry, extend hospitality to other believers, and develop your gifts for service. It takes time and effort. Many an evening, around dinner time, I don't feel like going out again - to an elder's meeting, or a home group, or a pastoral visit, or a prayer meeting. But time and again I have come home at the end of the evening encouraged by the time with others. The discipline has been a blessing. It's easy to justify not going. It's easy to get slack in church attendance. It's easy to leave ministry, and difficult people, and church business to others. But the simple fact is, no one can grow to spiritual maturity if they are disconnected from the community of God's people. God has designed us to live in community with each other. That's why Christians for centuries have confessed not only that they believe in God the Father Almighty, and not only that they believe in Jesus Christ his Son, and not only that they believe in the Holy Spirit, but also that they believe 'in the communion of saints, the fellowship of believers.' Do you believe in that? If so, you'll cultivate the disciplines that are a part of meeting with other believers. ________________________________ Reformed Theological College 125 Pigdons Rd, Waurn Ponds, 3216 Ph. 5244 2955, email: admin at rtc.vic.edu.au ________________________________ Please forward this email newsletter to others who may be interested in it. If you want to be added to or removed from the mailing list, please send a brief note to admin at rtc.vic.edu.au -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 28735 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image002.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 4156 bytes Desc: image002.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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Name: image015.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 2819 bytes Desc: image015.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: RTC Monthly 64 - A4.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 107091 bytes Desc: RTC Monthly 64 - A4.pdf URL: From mins at crca.org.au Mon Apr 29 23:49:11 2013 From: mins at crca.org.au (mins at crca.org.au) Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2013 23:49:11 +0000 Subject: [Mins] [Bulletins] RTC Monthly - No. 64 - April 2013 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: [Description: Description: Monthly-Banner] No. 64 - 30 April 2013 College News ? Over the last couple of weeks the RTC has been host to a number of visitors. We hosted the CRCA Candidacy Committee last week and the RCNZ Deputies this week. They have come from our supporting churches to oversee their students studying for ministry at the RTC. We have hosted the CRCA TRAIN workgroup that works to encourage effective training and discipleship in the local church. This week we also host a special visit by Dr Michael Goheen, newly appointed as Professor of Missiology at Calvin Seminary, Grand Rapids. He will be speaking to the students on aspects of a Christian worldview. Visitors are most welcome this Thursday at 12 noon. This week we also host a special prayer initiative for the nation of Mali. This is being organised by one of our former students, Brendan Short, who works for SIM. ? The RTC Board met on 19 April. Considerable time was spent discussing bigger picture issues for the College - how do we increase student numbers, especially among supporting churches, should the membership model the College uses be changed, how should the Board itself be structured, and how can the College best be represented among the churches? These are ongoing matters for the Board to wrestle with. The Board also gave thanks to God that the 2012 year saw a small surplus of funds even though we had forecast a deficit for the year. We are constantly thankful to the Lord for our many prayerful and generous supporters. You're invited to join an RTC Study Tour to Israel and Jordan [cid:image012.jpg at 01CE4587.E968E3F0] [cid:image013.jpg at 01CE4587.E968E3F0] [cid:image014.jpg at 01CE4587.E968E3F0] [cid:image015.jpg at 01CE4587.E968E3F0] Have you ever wanted to explore the lands of the Bible first-hand? An opportunity to do just that is available now. The RTC is planning a student study tour to Israel and Jordan from 17 Nov to 6 Dec 2013, and there are still some places available for others. You can join with our Old Testament lecturer, John de Hoog, and a group of keen students, as we travel to many of the places in Israel where Jesus lived and worked, including seven days in Jerusalem. Full details of the 20 day itinerary are available at http://www.missiontravel.com.au/rtc2013. It's a very exciting itinerary. A trip that offers so much is not cheap, but the cost of $6,499 includes all airfares, 18 nights 4 star hotel accommodation in twin rooms (with a single room supplement available), all breakfasts and dinners, and most other expenses for a twenty day trip (see the full list at the end of the itinerary). Also included will be a study guide that we will produce for students to help you make the most of this trip. A fair bit of walking is involved for many of the places we will visit, but you don't have to be super-fit, just independently mobile. We have had some advice from an accountant that it will be possible (in Australia at least), with some minor paper-work, to claim the expenses of this trip as a PD experience for people in Christian ministry, so making it tax deductible. It's going to be a great experience. The images above are photos John took on a trip to Israel and Jordan in 2012. If you are interested in joining us for this trip, please contact the RTC without delay. Faculty News ? The second Advance Together conference for the CRCA was held in Victoria this past weekend. The next conference is in Brisbane on 18 May. For more details, go to: http://www.rtc.vic.edu.au/Calendar/Events/Advance-Together ? Several faculty members will be attending the CRCA ReCharge conference in Sydney next week. We look forward to this as a valuable time of learning and networking with ministry colleagues across the country. Book Recommendation (by Rev John de Hoog) Nancy Guthrie is a prolific author who is currently pursuing graduate study at Covenant Theological Seminary in St Louis, Missouri. One of her current projects is working on a series of books in what Crossway Publishers are calling the "Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament" series. Current volumes in the series are The Promised One: Seeing Jesus in Genesis (2011); The Lamb of God: Seeing Jesus in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers & Deuteronomy (2012); and The Wisdom of God: Seeing Jesus in the Psalms and Wisdom Books (2012). Each book is styled in the form of a 10-week Bible study, but the volumes are far more substantial than simply a set of questions with blanks to fill in the answer. Each "week" includes a Personal Bible Study, a Teaching Chapter including a section called "Looking Forward" and a Discussion Guide. Guthrie's approach is hermeneutically sound and she writes warmly and with great clarity. Her great concern is to show how the Old Testament points to Christ. These books would be useful for both personal study and group work. Ministry Spot (by Dr Murray Capill) Discipline isn't a particularly fun word. It sounds hard, difficult, demanding, taxing. Spiritual adventures, discoveries, opportunities or possibilities sound more enticing than spiritual disciplines. But while the Christian life is the most wonderful adventure, full of endless discoveries, great opportunities and diverse possibilities, the fact is, it requires discipline. Without discipline we will not grow in Christ. We have seen in the previous two articles that growth in godliness requires discipline, not because discipline makes us grow, but because we need to have the discipline of placing ourselves in the current of God's grace. The most fundamental way we do that is through disciplines that help us cultivate personal relationship with God - in particular the disciplines of prayer and bible reading. In focussing on them above all else, however, there is a danger that we begin to think that spiritual discipline is chiefly a private matter. We easily get the impression that the most spiritual people are those who are most disciplined in having personal time with God. Surely those who spend much time in personal prayer, who are regular in personal bible reading, who journal, and memorise Scripture, and spend time meditating on God's Word, and maybe practise regular times of fasting, are the most godly of people. Well maybe so, but if we emphasize personal spiritual disciplines ahead of corporate disciplines we are out of step with the Bible itself. Beginning with Abraham, God's plan of salvation was always a plan to save a people not just many individuals. God has formed a community for himself - a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God. Believers are gathered together in church communities, and the church is the body and temple of Christ. Just as no one in the Old Testament era could claim to belong to God if they didn't belong to the covenant community of Israel, so no one can rightly claim today to belong to God if they do not belong to the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Of course there are plenty of people who do claim exactly that. They claim to have a strong personal faith in God but say they are disenchanted with the church and disconnected from it. But that is not a spiritually healthy place to be. In fact biblically, it is just not an option. So what are the corporate disciplines we need to cultivate if we are to grow in godliness? What must we do with other believers in the context of the church to advance spiritually? Perhaps the best answer is found in Hebrews 10:25 where the author writes, 'Do not neglect meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.' The most fundamental corporate discipline is to meet with other believers. That is really what church is all about - it is coming together with other Christians for spiritual fellowship. We come together to hear God's Word, to pray, to serve, to love, to give, to share, to sing, to build others up, to participate in the Lord's supper, to give testimony to others of God's work in our lives, to find help and encouragement, to receive counsel. The exhortation to 'not neglect meeting together' is not specifically tied to worship services but to a diverse array of ways in which we can meet with other believers for mutual edification. Meeting with other believers is a God designed formula for our growth in grace. For one thing, it will mean that we rub shoulders with difficult people! The church is made up of sinners and we will inevitably bump into other people's pride, insensitivity, small-mindedness and a hundred other frustrations. These are God-given opportunities to grow in love, acceptance, patience and mercy. Thankfully, we will also bump into people who are wonderfully inspiring and encouraging. Church is the context for forming strong spiritual relationships with people who love God and are passionate about serving him. You don't find many people like that in the work place, but you do at church. Church is also the context for serving others. Spiritual growth takes place when we use our gifts to build others up. It is the testimony of many Christians that they never grew as much as when they had to take a bold step in Christian ministry. They had to step up to teaching Sunday school, or leading the youth group, or sharing their faith on a church mission, or preach their first sermon. Other Christians have grown massively as they have quietly served needy people or befriended those who struggle. It is hard to develop spiritual muscle if you never exercise spiritual gifts. The centrepiece of corporate spiritual life is the discipline of hearing and studying God's Word together. The public proclamation of God's Word is especially designed by God to build us up in the faith. There is no spiritual substitute for being under faithful and powerful preaching. And alongside that, there is enormous value in wrestling with the Scriptures with other believers in a study group. Others may well ask questions we haven't thought of or give perspectives we need to hear. All this requires discipline. It takes discipline to get to church, attend a home group, engage in a church ministry, extend hospitality to other believers, and develop your gifts for service. It takes time and effort. Many an evening, around dinner time, I don't feel like going out again - to an elder's meeting, or a home group, or a pastoral visit, or a prayer meeting. But time and again I have come home at the end of the evening encouraged by the time with others. The discipline has been a blessing. It's easy to justify not going. It's easy to get slack in church attendance. It's easy to leave ministry, and difficult people, and church business to others. But the simple fact is, no one can grow to spiritual maturity if they are disconnected from the community of God's people. God has designed us to live in community with each other. That's why Christians for centuries have confessed not only that they believe in God the Father Almighty, and not only that they believe in Jesus Christ his Son, and not only that they believe in the Holy Spirit, but also that they believe 'in the communion of saints, the fellowship of believers.' Do you believe in that? If so, you'll cultivate the disciplines that are a part of meeting with other believers. ________________________________ Reformed Theological College 125 Pigdons Rd, Waurn Ponds, 3216 Ph. 5244 2955, email: admin at rtc.vic.edu.au ________________________________ Please forward this email newsletter to others who may be interested in it. If you want to be added to or removed from the mailing list, please send a brief note to admin at rtc.vic.edu.au -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 28735 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image002.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 4156 bytes Desc: image002.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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I have attached both a PDF version and a Word version of the information, depending on what best suits your local situation. Regards, John John de Hoog Lecturer in Old Testament and Hebrew [Description: Description: Description: Description: Q:\2-ADMIN\Logos\2012 Dube Logos\RTC Logos for Windows\web\RTC-Full-Colour_rgb.png] www.rtc.edu.au 125 Pigdons Rd, Waurn Ponds, Geelong 3216 T. (03) 5244 2955 M. 0423 267 050 E. jdehoog at rtc.edu.au -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 9290 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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Article by Carl Trueman April 2013 http://72.47.212.95/media/carl.jpg This month, I thought I would use this column to indulge in a little thought experiment. What, I wonder, if the conservative evangelical church world came to be dominated by a symbiotic network of high profile and charismatic leaders (think more Weber than Wimber), media organisations, and big conferences? What if leadership, doctrine, and policy were no longer rooted in the primacy of biblical polity and the local church? What if, in other words, all of this became a function of an Evangelical Industrial Complex? It is an important question. It is probably a year or so since I raised the question of the impact of celebrity on evangelicalism. As I was told then, celebrity either does not exist in the evangelical subculture or is of no real importance there. Thus, I suspect the Evangelical Industrial Complex either does not exist or exerts no influence; but it is entertaining to imagine what would the signs be that it was a real issue (which, I am sure you will agree, it is not). The aesthetics of success would subtly and imperceptibly supplant the principles of faithfulness or would indeed come to be identified with the same. The rhetoric of faithfulness would be retained, but the substance would be less and less important. Thus, the key leaders would be the men at the big churches or with the ability to pack a stadium or to handle media with slick sophistication. Fruitfulness and faithfulness would be rhetorically opposed in a way that would be ridiculous if we were talking marriage, but which somehow seems plausible in a church context. The key books on pastoral ministry would be written by men who either have no real experience of anything approaching normal pastoral ministry or have not had such for decades. Students at seminaries would rarely, if ever, name their own pastors as the most influential preachers in their lives. Multi-site video churches would spring up, as the desire to be connected to success and to the Top Men, rather than to serve as part a local body, would become a significant factor in church life. The pastors held up as models of ministry would have little personal contact with most people in their churches. Of course, the Complex may make space for criticism of this type of church and churchmanship; but it will not do anything about it, thus making the matter yet one more area where we can - must -- all agree to differ. Leaders would gradually and sometimes self-consciously become brands. The instruments of fostering that intimacy of strangers which is such a part of celebrity culture - for example, the faux-chumminess of all those tweeted exchanges and retweets, lives lived as soap operas mediated by the internet - would feed smoothly, humbly, and imperceptibly into the building of one's brand. Another sign of this branding would be that publishers and conferences would recruit writers and speakers not on the basis of competence but of market appeal. Some writers would thus write the same book over and over again (using different titles, of course). Some topics would not be considered sufficiently or definitively addressed until the Complex's own brand names had had their say. Few, if any, thoughts or sermons of the brand names would pass unpublished. Overall control of the evangelical world would in practice lie in the hands of select groups of unelected leaders, captains of industry, answerable to nobody but themselves and with no transparent accountability beyond the constituency's ability to give or withhold funds. As a corollary of this, ordained office would be of little significance in the world of the Evangelical Industrial Complex. Character, personal orthodoxy, a transparent, stable, loving family life embedded in a particular congregation, prioritisation of hard work in the local church setting (evidenced by far more Sundays serving in your home church than anywhere else), ability to teach the local church, accountability to a local session, elder board or presbytery - these things would be at a discount. One might even come across key leaders who had left their local calling precisely to further their 'ministries.' Paul's list of elder qualifications in the Pastorals would be of secondary interest compared to the ability to handle communications media, to attend board meetings, to attract a crowd, to sell a title, and to network. And the average age of the key movers and shakers would slowly but surely decrease. Criticism would be effectively stymied. Most critics would lack the stature to present a threat and could thus be safely ignored. Those who carried influence could be internalized by being offered a cool speaking gig or a place at the table or inside the tent; they might even be allowed to voice their criticisms there - but only as members of the club, in which role they would demonstrate the Complex's openness to discussion. The fear of missing a true movement of God would ultimately keep them from actually doing anything to upset the PR strategy. Finally, those who could not be ignored or internalized could be rendered irrelevant through linguistic demonization: they would be decried as 'haters', 'ivory tower academicians', 'ranters' and 'envious.' Along with this, a more positive rhetoric would also be developed to pre-empt criticism. A term like 'gospel centered,' for example, could easily be turned from a helpful description of a ministry into a kind of mantric shibboleth, implicitly ruling as imbalanced, malicious, or unbiblical any criticism of those who own its copyright. 'Confessional orthodoxy' would be wrested from its historic ecclesiastical context, with its connotations of elaborate theological formulation connected to clear polity built upon a Pauline view of the church and her officers. Instead, it would come to be whatever the careful negotiation between the captains of the industry, the media moguls, and the marketplace would determine it to be. Grand visions always create large overhead costs. Money would therefore play a larger and larger role in who is in and who is out, who gets to speak and to write and, indeed, what therefore comes to be spoken and to be written. Further, production of commodities is never simply a response to market need but is often creative of the same. After all, nobody needed a smartphone or an iPod until someone invented one. Thus, the captains of the industry, the big conferences, and the key media outlets would come increasingly to set the churches' agenda. Supply would shape demand. Creation of new markets would therefore play a large part in determining what issues are addressed and which are ignored. For example, everyday problems would be subject to mystification so as to place them beyond the competence of the minister and elders and deacons (and thus beyond the church as Paul envisaged it) and therefore to require specialized training and help. And guess who is there to provide the quasi-Gnostic knowledge necessary? It can be purchased, of course, from the members of the Evangelical Industrial Complex. And this would in turn feed into further marginalization of biblical polity and ordained office. It is a bleak and disturbing scenario. One can only be glad that it is not really happening. Dr. Carl Trueman is the Paul Woolley Professor of Church History at Westminster Theological Seminary and the pastor of Cornerstone Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Ambler, PA. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.gif Type: image/gif Size: 2051 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image002.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 25128 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image003.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 2250 bytes Desc: not available URL: