Nothing New Under the Sun

It has been so good to see City on a Hill grow so well over the last couple of years. Earlier this month they took up a new home in the Hoyts Cinema in Melbourne Central, and God really seems to be blessing his church right in the City http://www.cityonahill.com.au/.

It seems a bit edgy to have a church in a Cinema, very 2010! Until …

I was cleaning up my library after moving house, and found a book by the Revd Arthur Preston, who was the minister at my parents' church, West End Methodist Mission in Brisbane in the 1940's and 50's. Having re-heard some of his story when planning Dad's funeral, about how he began the Blue Nursing Service in Brisbane and Dad helped him out, I decided to read the book.

In an attempt to reach the ordinary working person in West End in the late 1940's, Arthur Preston, much to the shock and horror of the established church, rented out the local cinema during the week for church meetings. He gave "Plain talks to the people" and basically used the Cinema as a gospel preaching platform! Many hundreds of people came to Christ as he took the message to them in their own space. The book is filled with testimonies of conversion.

May God bless City on a Hill like that again, 60 years later in Melbourne.