29 Years

I was really stoked last night to discover that the year I became a Christian was the year that "B&B H" (St Jude's Mission Partners) left for South America. That's 29 years ago! How faithful is God to them, in sustaining them all this time? How faithful are they in sticking with this assignment? I was really humbled.

After Unichurch, where 98% of the congregation had not even been born when they first left, I was chatting to B. He had come to St Jude's as a Student (like the Unichurchers he had just spoken to) in 1974, and had been a member of the church when he felt his call to South America.

Next week, we will be running a "Consider Ministry" evening to encourage St Judeans to consider Vocational Christian Ministry (there will be a number of Unichurchers among them). We are hoping to encourage some towards ordination, and some towards Global Mission opportunities. I'm praying that someone next week gets stirred to think about mission, and can come back to St Jude's in 29 years time, and tell of God's faithfulness to them.

Reflections on 7 years

Sunday was the 7th anniversary of my induction as Vicar of St Jude's. It is good to reflect on what has happened, especially in the light of preaching yesterday on 2 Corinthians 10 - "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord".

I remember being quite scared in taking on the role at St Jude's wondering if I would be the bloke at the helm while St Jude's emptied. It is great to see that God in his mercy has not allowed that to happen. I can honestly say that this is a miracle of his grace. I am so deeply aware of my inadequacies and short comings, and for those to not cause St Jude's to stumble is very humbling indeed.

I was praying with a friend this afternoon, and he prayed about God building his church. And I recalled one of my colleagues reminding me in the midst of a very challenging time in the last few years, that St Jude's was "Jesus' Church", and to stop sweating on it like it was mine. How great to be reminded of these things - that this is God's work, and in his mercy and kindness I get to be a part of it.

Praise God for the privilege.

Anglican World

It is a big week for Anglicans, not that we'd really know it way down here at the ends of the earth. But this week the Anglican Consultative Council meets in Jamaica to consider the Anglican Covenant Document. The ACC is one of the "instruments of communion" that hold our loose association of churches together. They are the ones who set the "rules of engagement".

The proposed Covenant is the method by which the Archbishop of Canterbury hopes to save the communion. It sets out what we as Anglicans commit to, to hold us together.

The challenge will be to get a covenant that really holds us to biblical orthodoxy and that has the ability to exclude from the fellowship those who have chosen to tread a different path away from historic creedal Anglican Christianity. The fear is that it will be so weak that it will drive out the orthodox among us.

Of course, this is a matter very close to the heart of those of us who have joined the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans around the world. The question of whether the communion is heading towards or away from orthodoxy is key. There is good coverage of the events at the ACC meeting here if you are interested.

Holidays Study Leave and all that

Well it's been a busy week getting back into the swing of things after two weeks away.


Had a brilliant week with my two kids paddling down the Glenelg River in Western Victoria. We paddled and camped our way down the River over 4 days. It rained every day - a bit of a record after 10 years of drought, but the adversity made it all the more of an event. We weathered a storm in the night and freezing cold and wet, but it was fantastic. You can't buy the value of having that kind of an experience with your children. Now thinking what to with them next.

Then had a great week of Study Leave working on my Thesis for my D Min. Read some fascinating studies of church culture and wrote them up. About to start work on analysing all the interview transcripts I have about the culture of St Jude's over the last 35 years. It is a great topic. I am more and more convinced we should teach clergy how to "read" the culture(s) of their church. Certainly would make for healthier ministries.

Now I am back at work and immersed in preaching. A series in Paul's wonderful letter to the Galatians - Free for All-True Freedom in Christ at Unichurch. What a great grounding in the gospel it is for students.

AND 2 Corinthians - True Power in the morning services and at 5pm. Finishing off the Corinthians series I began last year. All makes for a busy Sunday!

Just pondering from 2 Cor 9, how the same trust in God that saves us, is the trust in God that is needed for our material well being. ALL things come from his hand.