Our Health Check Results

Over December 2014 we took our pulse.  We asked you to complete a quick ‘health check’ survey and let us know how you think our church is going. 

Here’s what you said…

You think that our church is good at Bible focused teaching (86% of you said so), preaching (81% of you think we are good at this) and Bible Study / Growth Groups (68% of you).    This is great news.  Ensuring the Gospel message is at the heart of all our proclamation and teaching is one of our core values.

It’s also fantastic news that 89% of you said that yes, you would bring a friend to church. This was reinforced in the comments.  For example, ‘solid, gospel focused teaching, ‘and, ‘a warm environment for a visitor,’ and ‘I’m proud of our church and want to encourage my friends to become Christians’. 

Having said that, we are falling well short of hitting our goal of doubling in size by the end of 2016.  (That would mean 1,100 people in attendance weekly.)  We need to investigate why we are happy to invite our friends, yet we are a long way from achieving growth targets.

One way we can possibly help is by holding special events to which we can invite people. 48% of you said it would be a good idea to hold events on depression and anxiety.  Well, watch this space – we are planning something on this for the near future.  Other popular suggestions for special event topics were on women, worry and busy life syndrome and more men’s events.

Overwhelmingly, the survey was full of positive comments about our church.  There was of course some constructive criticism – and we thank you for this – we need to hear it and want to continually improve.  There weren’t any key patterns in this – comments varied from looking at how we can become more involved with the local community to how we can make people feel more welcome and including music that is more Christ centred. 

Thank you to everyone who completed the survey.  Please be assured that your comments are taken seriously by the team. We want to stay focused on our vision of introducing Jesus, changing lives, by regularly reviewing all that we do, so expect some more brief surveys in the future.  

By Stella Brown, Communications Manager

The Bali Two

We can’t get away from the impending execution of the Bali Two - Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran. Everyone, it seems, has a view.

The old biblical idea of “an eye for and eye and a tooth for a tooth” was meant to be a principal that stopped people going too far in their anger and desire for “Justice”.  It put limits, even on the state,  on the desire for vengeance – “you can go this far in your punishment of wrong-doing but no further.”
Each nation, and often states within nations, decide what is appropriate when it come to the ultimate punishment.

Drug dealing is a terrible crime. It pushes evil at the expense of lives to make money. (Not a lot of difference with gambling to my mind but that is another issue.)  Those who engage in pushing drugs deserve to be punished. No one disagrees with that.  The issue is whether or not the death penalty is appropriate.

A nation has every right to come up with its own set of penalties and execution does not of itself contradict the Bible’s command not to commit murder.  In the Bible murder is unlawful killing – taking the law into your own hands.  It does not include lawful execution. 

However, it is so final and I for one would not wish to consign a person to God’s final judgment without giving them every opportunity and all the time possible to repent.  And that is not taking into account the fact that a disturbing number of people have been executed over the years who were innocent.  

Furthermore, the death penalty punishes the innocent family.  You could argue that any alternative to the death penalty would do that as well, but the families of these two men seem to be saying very clearly that the death penalty will hurt them far more than life imprisonment. Not being in their shoes I’m in no position to disagree.

In the end we need to be sure that doing something that is “legal” does not diminish us as human beings or as a society.

By Bruce Dingwall, Senior Minister

Your Church Needs You

What's on my mind, you ask...

What's on my mind is 'Christians' who don't come to church.

Allow me to explain...

We're all busy - and sometimes things come up that prevent you from meeting with your brothers and sisters - that happens - as long as it's a rare occurrence - no foul.

I also get that sometimes - under fairly extraordinary circumstances - not being in church can be the only option for a few people. But this isn't what I'm talking about.

I'm talking about the idea that's crept into our thinking where a 
heap of people who call themselves Christians think that they don't need church and that church doesn't need them.

That's tragic.

We do need you. And you do need church.

The Bible is FULL of stuff about doing this Christian life together - and it knows nothing about doing it alone. Fact is we really need each other.

Your church needs you - because you have gifts - spiritual and regular. And the good news is that you get to share those gifts with your church. Plus, your brothers and sisters are blessed by your presence. Plus you are missed when you aren't there. Plus your pastors worry about you. Read that again - and I promise we spend A LOT of time worrying about you. Plus your friends worry about you. Do they always call? No, not always - and that upsets you. But then, you don't call them, either. So let's not get too picky. 

Also...You need your church. You need to hear the Word preached. You need to be encouraged. You need to remember 'whose you are'. You need to be reminded to bear the family resemblance - and you need feeding so that you can. You need to sing worship to Jesus and be inspired to LIVE worship to Jesus through the week.
There are a squillion reasons TO go to church if you're a Christian.
There are hardly any (aside from a handful of exceptional circumstances) for not going.

So go on... particularly if you've been a bit slack lately - quit making excuses and get back to church this weekend. Not out of guilt - but because you know that God wants the best for you - and He says, 'Do not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing.' That's Hebrews 10:25 by the way.

Steve Wakeford, Associate Minister

Reflections- Article Preview from our Autumn MAC Magazine

REFLECTION AND PRAYER GATHERING- 2PM SUN 6 APRIL AT CHURCH

Recently I’ve been reflecting on the noise of life. 

It can take over our headspace, squeezing out other things.

What sparked this reflection was a sermon I heard in January at my brother’s church. The sermon was on James 1. It helped me think more clearly about an issue I have been tossing around for a while. 

From James 1:18 – 21, and 25:

The Father . . . ‘chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created.  My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. . . . The man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does.’  

                                                                                                                              

The preacher suggested that, since the passage is about the centrality of God’s word, and the response to it we need to make so that the ‘righteous life that God desires’ grows in us, it is to God and his word that we should be quick to listen, and be slow to speak with him about our concerns – the noise of our lives.

That noise is powerful. 

It is the accumulation of all that is on our mind and in our hearts.

We have probably all had the experience of listening to a great sermon – the word being taught – and suddenly finding that our attention has been pulled away by life’s noise. We may have had a good look at a Bible passage in our growth group, but the prayer time that follows may have little to do with praying the passage into our lives, and have barely any focus on God himself, and how we are developing in our relationship with him. How easy it is for the noise of our lives to take over our time with God.

Not that it is wrong to bring our concerns to God. Far from it. We are encouraged, if not commanded, to do so (Psalm 62:8, Phil 4:6). It underlines our dependency on God.

But if the noise of life is the focal point of our relationship with God, that relationship is out of balance and we will struggle to grow. It is a bit like the husband who adores his wife and takes her to a fabulous getaway, to spend some quality time together and to give them both, but her especially, a break from the demands of caring for their young children. But the children are her ‘noise’. They are all she talks about. They are on her mind the whole time. She can’t step beyond her role as a mother and throw herself into her role as wife and lover, even for a short time. Her relationship with her husband is the foundation of her family. But she is giving it - giving him – very little attention, even when the opportunity is provided. Yes, she is a caring mother, but the relationship with her husband will shrivel if she does not nurture it, however hard that may be for her while the children are little.

How can we get to a place where loving God, and caring about what he cares about, drives us at least as much as the concerns of our own lives, if not more so?

We know James wrote a letter about action, so doing is important. But the preacher I heard referred to a step James mentions that it is easy to skip over.

James says we must ‘humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you’.  

God has already saved us from remaining dead in our sins and given us ‘birth through the word of truth’. The word is already ‘planted’ in us.

So what, then, does it mean when James says we are to ‘accept’ it? The preacher said that it means to take it into ourselves, to sit under its authority, humbly, and without anger – rebellion, resistance, impatience. We need to ‘look intently into the perfect law’, to work it into our lives. This is similar to the Old Testament concept of meditation – being still in God’s presence, taking time pondering his word, chewing it over, wrestling with it, taking it on board.

If we are quiet before God and quick to listen, the Holy Spirit has more opportunity to grow within us the righteousness of Jesus - to grow in us his life, which was planted in us when we were given new birth (2 Peter 1: 3-4). Nurturing this life is not something we can do on our own. What we need to do is to make ourselves available for the Spirit to grow the word in us.          

If you’ve ever tried being still before God, letting the Holy Spirit remind you of things the word says, letting the things of God ‘gel’ within you, just spending time loving God, then you will know that it can be a time when the words of the two disciples who met the risen Jesus on the road to Emmaus, can be true for us. ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us . . . and opened the Scriptures to us? ’Luke 24:32.

You will also know that, despite our best efforts to spend quality time with God, with every intention of being quick to listen and slow to speak, the noise of our life can take over so very quickly.

It can be easier to be quiet before God in the company of others, even if we are communing with him privately, in our own hearts. Guided reflection can help us set aside our noise. It can help us stay focussed.

Some of us are getting together for Reflection and Prayer, for about an hour, in the church, on Sunday afternoon 6 April at 2pm. The focus of our reflection will be Easter. We are planning for it to be a gentle, non-threatening time. We will read God’s word, sing, there will be a time of guided reflection, and a time to be still before God on our own with a suggested focus.

Whether you are an old hand at this, or whether it is something new to you, everyone is welcome, from the young to the not-so-young. No RSVP needed. Just turn up.

We are looking forward to sharing with you as together we wait on God to do his work in us. As the joy of sharing in Jesus’ life grows within us, individually and as a community of God’s people, so we will grow in the freedom to delight in our relationship with God, and to be more keenly attuned to his agenda.

By keeping on looking ‘intently’ into the word of life, the mind-boggling benefits of being ‘in Jesus’ will become more real to us. James says we will ‘be blessed’ in what we do.

- Jenny Kennedy

READ THE FULL ARTICLE and more in the Autumn Church Magazine due out next weekend. 

Comments and discussion on this article are welcome and encouraged. 

Engage in Peoples Lives through Growth Groups

 












I had a great night at my growth group this week. 

It’s a group of men who are looking at the Bible together and who are engaged in each others lives in a way that men don’t normally get a chance to do. 

It’s been really heart-warming and encouraging to be a part of it – as one of the men said this week, “it’s a privilege to be part of it.” It’s a little glimpse of heaven.  There’s lots of talk and toing and froing, some great supper, some laughter, some deep discussion and a serious determination to not just skate over the surface of life. 

There has been the chance to input into each other’s lives and an expectation that God is going to do some real work among us. Already we’ve seen some answer to our prayers and we’re looking forward to meeting next week to see what God has done.  We’re becoming a band of brothers.

If you’re not in a group like this then you are missing out.

Ours is a new group and that might have something to do with it.  I think that sometimes groups can be together too long and they can get into an unhelpful rut where they just go through the motions. 

That’s not always the case with long term groups but it might be a good thing to ask the question of your group “Are we helping each other become disciple making disciples? Are we growing in love and obedience to Christ? Is there progress?”

Thanks to the men in my group for your involvement.


Bruce Dingwall
Senior Minister
 

Living Out Your Faith

One of the great things about being on staff here at Menai Anglican Church is that you get to hear some great stories about people living out their faith by introducing Jesus and changing lives.

I received an email during the week from Peter Jarvis who comes to our 10am service and got permission to share it with you for your encouragement.

“Morning Bruce, Just a quick note to say how much I enjoyed yesterday’s message from James.

It was really ‘on the money’ and contained loads of practical examples that both Gail and I discussed on our way to a family function yesterday.

I can’t wait to discuss it with the guys from Bible Study tonight.

I am currently talking to two younger women about my faith and what they their views are about God, eternity and faith etc.

One lady (about 44 years old) is a high ranking Union leader who has hard-line socialistic views. The other has worked in DOC's and is now in the education system. Her views are more humanistic.

Both are cynical about what they refer to as ‘the church’ and have a very worldly perception of Christianity.  

The Union lady came to me recently and complained about a business owner (who claimed to be a Christian), who treated his workers pretty badly. I gave her some practical extracts from the bible to discuss with this Boss that would hopefully make him think about his actions toward his staff. I mentioned that I’d be happy to have a chat with him if she thought it might help. 

She has also helped me find work for a young Brother who was out of work so I know she has a kind spirit and a warm heart.

I think your sermon from James would be a great ‘eye opener’ for both these women and provide another way for me to start up the conversation with them again.

I recently sent them the article (from Southern Cross) that outlined a Christian perspective to the asylum seekers topic. Both ladies were impressed and found it interesting.

I’m hoping to do the same with your sermon from Sunday by downloading it and giving it to them both. The lady who heads up the Union will definitely relate to James’s forthright instruction on how we are to treat ‘everyone’ equally."

It’s great to hear of the members of Menai Anglican Church sharing their faith in a gentle, confident and forthright way. I love the idea of passing on articles that might challenge and enlighten people. Thanks Peter for the encouragement and the challenge!

Bruce Dingwall

Senior Minister

Getting weird for the sake of art

People say many things about artistic ministry in the church. But they don’t often mention the fact that it involves being kind of weird in everyday life. Makes you contemplate doing strange and awkward things.

Experiments with furniture for inside/out artwork

It’s a Saturday morning and I’m wheeling an unbalanced trolley laden with ten metres of Astro Turf down one overstuffed Bunnings aisle. As I wrestle the awkwardly heavy roll of black and green into a checkout there are stares, smiles, small chuckles. “ Well well, that’s a lot of synthetic grass, what are you going to do with it?” I pause for a second, there’s no conversation stopper like when you answer back “it’s for church”. No more questions asked. I often wonder if this should be phrased differently to create a conversation opportunity instead of an awkward pause… 

But the weirdness of buying ten metres of turf is mild compared to many of the everyday strange things that pursuit of art for church can bring….

Standing on the barely-stable wire fence of a vineyard in Camden at 6.45am on a Friday morning wondering if anyone (or that police car that keeps going back and forth) might see if you trespassed (just a little bit) to get closer to that grapevine for a better video shot…. 

or talking someone into running along a mangrove bank in the rain for half an hour, back and forth with little wings leukoplasted to their feet….

stopping to “borrow” some  tall grass from the side of the road because it looks just like it could be from a beautiful field…

carrying the contents of your house outside and arranging it in a tree just for a photograph….

or driving around in a car laden with a tool shop, a haberdashery, an art store and the leftovers of that roadside grass packed in so tightly it falls out every time you try to add in a grocery bag or two.

The pursuit of art-making for church makes every day an opportunity for weird and random acts of creativity. And sometimes it creates a conversation worth having too.

These past few weeks the creative team have been, among other weird and wonderful things, diving into the book of James to prepare for MenaiAnglican Church’s new series- Inside/ Out.

But what does astro-turf, boxes, lampstands and couches have to do with living inside out, being people of integrity, living as the new creation where our new heart and renewed mind and the spirit at work in our lives produce the fruit of our faith expressed in good works? 

Well first, the box. 

The brown box, filled and closed, has no integrity, no markers on the outside of what lies beneath. It could be a fruit bowl or a chimpanzee inside, we really can’t know for sure. A bit like us, at times we have the ability to present ourselves to the world as something other than we are, we can pay lip-service to our beliefs and live lives that fail to step out the changed person God is working out inside of us.

Over the course of the series we will be revealing items of living room furniture (the stuff that’s inside) being brought outside these boxes. House furnishings (like our faith) are significant contents that you can't see are in a house when you are standing outside it.  

Bringing them outside seems dangerous, risky even. Things might get ruined, broken or damaged, plus it looks pretty weird (maybe even weirder than a shop assistant finding those leftover eagle feathers stuck to the bottom of your green bags at the coles checkout), people might say something!

Living on the outside the stuff that is being transformed on the inside looks kind of weird too, it’s risky, it puts our contents on display, it demands consistency, integrity, resolve and so much more.

It is also something weirdly attractive to other people though- a couch on a lawn- don't you want to sit on it? doesn't the strangeness of it seem kind of wonderful?…so it is, we thought, with living inside/out, it is a strange kind of wonderful thing that shines a light on who Jesus really is, the crazy changes he has really made in us and is making in us, day by day, that set us apart. 

And that completes the story of why astroturf, boxes and living room furniture will be gracing our stage for the next 8 weeks. 

We hope you enjoy!

What Being In A Growth Group Means For Me

I have been a part of a Growth Group/Bible Study group now, either as a member or a leader, for nearly 30 years.  I have been in many varied groups, from mixed young adults, to men only, to mixed groups. Currently I am co-leading, with Karen, a mixed group of adults – some married, some single.

I have seen so many things happen over those years, not the least of which is the way God has moved and shaken me up to mould me into the person I am today.

Growth Group participation is a given for me as a Christian, I simply cannot do things on my own and what better way to do it then with a group of people who share the same values and reason for living that I do.

So, here are some of the benefits of being in a Growth Group that I see, in no particular order:

Supper. In business they say the best discussions are had around the coffee machine, so never underestimate that time where we socialise beforehand with a cuppa and a biscuit; mind you it seems to only be the men who eat up!! We meet about 15 minutes before the more formal time and it’s a great way to chat and catch up with what’s been happening during the week gone and helps build the relationships, particularly for any new members.

Accountability. Sometimes in life we need other people to keep us on track and spur us on to accomplish our goals. A Growth group is perfect for doing that. We can be honest with each other and share our worries and concerns in a confidential environment without judgement but in a way that enables us to be accountable to someone who cares.  

Social Events. Once a term we strive to have a meal together. Occasionally we study the Bible as well as eat, but mostly we just enjoy a meal and a chat together and share conversation. It’s another great way to get to know each other better.

Studying the Bible and hearing different perspectives. We spend about 45 minutes to read and study the Bible, varying the way we study it, from following along with the current sermon series in Church to using Life Guide study notes on books of the Bible or topical subjects or characters.

I like the idea of hearing other people’s point of view. Our group is a diverse mix of so many different people who are Christians – e.g. age, gender, office workers, work from home people, some have degrees; some run their own business, some are crafty, some excel at hospitality. We are all at different stages of our journey. The one thing that is not different is we are united by our love for the Lord and a desire to grow closer to Him each day.

It is refreshing to hear a different point of view on a scripture I have read numerous times before. That is one way we grow as Christians.

Encouragement. Another primary reason I go to Bible study each week is for the encouragement I receive from the people in our group.

Sharing personal struggles and seeking advice. Over the course of the years, I have shared our stories of loss, our fears, temptations, and weaknesses. Sometimes a member of the group might offer a helpful suggestion, and sometimes there is no answer. That's when we are able to support each other, and love each other through times of struggle, to pray together, and encourage one another as best we can. There aren't always answers, but knowing you’re being held up in prayer can go a long way to calming fears.

Praying for each other. Usually after studying the Bible we spend about 30 minutes writing down and sharing our prayer requests and of course praying for each other, usually in groups of 3-5 people. We stress the importance of confidentiality that what’s shared in the group stays in the group. We also encourage everyone in the group to use these in their personal daily prayer time; it helps to know others are praying for you.

Celebrating life's many blessings. Over the years there are so many great things that happen to us and our Growth Group experiences many of these together. Our groups have been: a source of encouragement, support, Godly counsel, and friendship that can never be replaced.

Outreach Focus. One of the key things I love about our group is that we want to grow and serve God and see how He wants to use us. Some years ago we felt led to head up the Anglicare Food Drive collection in the Barden Ridge area on behalf of our church. We listened to the call to action and as a result we have been blessed to see God work so powerfully each year. So many contacts have been made in the community, so much help from so many people in our Church, and every year we seem to hear more touching stories. It’s fantastic to see so many other groups and individuals share our vision.   

Growth groups are a sure way to get to know others in our church community more intimately. We are a large church and there is no way you can get to know every person. But you can get to know every person in your group, well. And we can support each other and share each others’ burdens in a group. We don’t always do that perfectly because none of us is perfect. But we can do the best we can with the gifts that God gives us in the intimate nature of our groups.

Nigel Beckman

Generosity

The New Testament has lots to say about how we handle our wealth.  One of the striking aspects for me is that we're told that giving should be a joyful exercise [2 Corinthians 9:7].  How does that work?

Well, when we are generous with our wealth a number of great things happen.  

Firstly, our generosity brings praise to God [2 Corinthians 9:12-13].  I guess that real sacrificial giving, such as the Macedonians exhibited, is so rare that it will point people to the God who inspired it and to his gracious character [2 Corinthians 8:8-9].  

And then Jesus tells us that our generosity frees us from the strangle-hold that our money often has on us [Matthew 6:19-24].  It helps us to learn tot rust God [Matthew 6:25-34] and if that doesn't make you joyful, nothing will.  

Furthermore the Bible is clear that God blesses the generous. Not that he will make us money-rich but he will bless us [2 Corinthian 9:6, 10-11].  And who could not be pleased that their giving contributed to people being introduced to Jesus and getting their lives changed [2 Corinthians 9:13]!  

There is no better investment in existence than that, and we don't have to pay for the advice, there is no brokerage fee and the market is never going to collapse.  The bottom line is that our generosity is for our own good.  It brings joy and blessing if our heart is in God. 

Bruce Dingwall, Senior Minister

How do you read it?

TEAR Australia (Transformation, Empowerment, Advocacy, Relief) is a movement of Christians in Australia responding to the needs of poor communities around the world.

Recently TEAR invited the well known and loved international speaker, CB Samuel, to the TEAR Annual Conference, and afterwards for speaking engagements around Australia. With one spot left on his schedule, our Justice and Mercy team was contacted with an offer for CB to visit us at Menai.

CB Samuel with Matt Anslow (TEAR) and Dave Gaskell.

CB Samuel comes with a long track record of serving God as a pastor, Bible teacher, missiologist, evangelical leader, former head of a major Indian christian relief and development agency and a passionate advocate for the poor. He is also known as "the smiling assassin", we were yet to discover why.

CB chose to speak on Luke 10:25-37 - the parable of the good Samaritan - very familiar to most of us, but his focus was not on the part of the story we expected. He drew our attention to this:

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus, "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "What is written in the Law," he replied, "How do you read it?"

He went on to explain that every character in the parable knew the Law to some extent, but they all read, and acted on it, differently.

1. The priest knew the law and how to keep himself ritually pure, but allowed his own spiritual wellbeing to over-ride his obligation to the injured man. (The blessing reading)
2. The Levite also knew the law, but was only willing to do what he was required to do in his job, which didn't include ministering to an injured man. (The job description reading)
3. The robbers - knowledge of the law didn't carry through to how they lived. Their lives were in two different compartments. (The robber reading)
4. The lawyer was only interested in asking an intellectual question, but not in obedience. (The intellectual stimulation reading)
5. The Samaritan knew the law demanded to be obeyed, and acted on it. Jesus obviously approved this way of reading the Law. (The obedience reading)
6. Jesus expects more than mere obedience. In Luke 4:14-21, Jesus said his ministry was announcing the kingdom of God and bringing good news to the poor, the oppressed and the suffering. He calls us to live the same way. Thus his teachings become "the script by which we live" - more than mere obedience, but living out the kingdom. (The fulfilment reading)

So far so good - but now "the smiling assassin" was preparing for his deadly attack.

CB drew our attention to the writings of sociologist Phil Jenkins, who in the 1990s predicted the demise of christianity in the 21st century. But by 2002 had completely changed his view, writing in his book The Next Christendom that christianity was indeed alive and well, but the centre of gravity had changed from the west (Europe and the USA) to the "global south" (Asia, Africa and Latin America). A hundred years ago most of world christians could be classified as white and rich, but now 90% are coloured and poor.

In his book The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South (2008) Jenkins maintains that the reason for this change and huge growth comes down to the way that they "read the Law" (the Bible).

CB Samuel continued with a story to illustrate his point:

"A Bible teaching missionary in Africa who established a church, appointed elders, and taught them the scriptures. One day a woman became sick, so the elders called the minister to join them in praying for her healing, as in James 5:14-15. He agreed, reluctantly, because he didn't expect her to get well. But surprisingly to him, she recovered, only to fall ill again.

The missionary awaited the call to pray again with some apprehension, but it never came. But a few days later, he saw the woman was in good health again. Upon asking the elders what had happened, they replied "after we prayed the first time, we looked among us for the one who had no faith in the Bible, and so we left you out."

It was then that the smiling assassin delivered his last lethal thrust, speaking to us very seriously, yet still with a smile, and challenging us with these words:

"It will depend on you christians and how you read the Bible and believe, obey and act upon it, as to whether or not the people of the west will see God."

A podcast of CB Samuel's talk is on the church website.

- Eric Hatfield, Justice and Mercy Team