eNews

Comment and Funeral details

We have no doubt all heard of the untimely death of Matt Stanley, a young Redlands College boy who was bashed last Saturday night, and who on Sunday evening died from his injuries.

A number of RCRC families are touched by Matt’s death: he was a schoolmate and friend to a number of young people in our church family. Following his death, the Monday night young person’s small group opened their doors to any young people in the community who wanted to talk about Matt’s death. About 45 young people turned up – all trying to come to terms with this senseless death and equally senseless violence.

In reality, though, we are all impacted by this death. It happened on our streets. In our community. Our backyard. And we need prayerfully to consider two things. First: what is happening in our society when aggression sits so close to the surface, not just in general, but in children? Why do events like these even happen? Sure, we know about the fall and our capacity for wrong: but violence and rage seems more prominent today than ever before. These things are consequence of a society we ourselves are building. And, before God, that is reason for pause.

Second: we need to consider the alternative voice of the Gospel. How would God want our community to be different? How can reflections of life and hope be spoken and lived following Matt Stanley’s death? How can we work towards non aggression and non violence? Part of the answer is that we start at home. We watch our own responses and seek Christ’s Spirit to mould and shape our attitudes and values. We help our kids think critically about the violence they see on TV, in movies, and computer games. There is some stuff we simply should not let in our homes. Not merely with a blanket rule, but also through discussing with our kids the value of human life, and that anything which devalues or diminishes it is anti-Kingdom. We actively change in obedience to Jesus that His likeness will be reflected in our lives. Gospel people could also get involved in community groups that help people deal with violence: put your care and concern into actions that matter.

Finally, remember that the Jesus who lives is the one who will both bring ultimate justice, and the one who will wipe every tear from our eyes. Pray especially that his life will bring hope as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

Can I encourage you to pray for Paul and Kay Stanley, and their son Nick? Uphold them in their loss and ask for God’s grace to surround them and comfort them.

Dave

Funeral - Friday 2:30pm at RCRC

Paul & Kay Stanley approached RCRC to host Friday’s funeral, and a small army of people have already swung into action to do what needs to be done for what will probably be a large event.

Thankyou, friends, for you willingness to serve this family and their loved ones in their time of need. God is wonderfully blessing others through your ministry.

Tell it like it is!

Most of the testimonies we hear stress the positive change that Jesus makes in a person’s life: and that’s great! But there’s a temptation we need to face here: for the story is not always rosy. Sure, we can celebrate the grace of forgiveness, we can rejoice about the burdens of guilt being lifted, and new beginnings of hope which have dawned. God’s grace is marvellous, so tell people about it!

Interestingly, however, our testimony needs to be honest with life’s hard and sharp bits as well. We are still fallen people: we still live in this world. We are not yet in the next. If you look through the last 2000 years of church history, we never see followers of Jesus without struggle and hardship. We never see the church at ease. They simply never ‘arrive’ this side of heaven. And when you look at Jesus’ life and ministry, we observe that far from enjoying comfort and ‘success’, he has nowhere to lay his head, his companions let him down, and ultimately reject him. Even His glory comes only through the crucible of unimaginable suffering. So who are we to imply that following him is the end of a person’s problems? That is a very bad idea.

So, tell it like it is! Give glory to God for all he has given you in His Son, but remember this: your story will only be weakened if you pass over suffering and struggles.

Surely the power of the Gospel is found in the words of the Psalmist “even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me…” To me that is one of the most remarkable things about God: he is with us in struggle and pain. He comforts and guides us right there in death valley. We are never alone!

Think about it: which one rings most true, “I am a Christian and all of my problems are over…” or “I am a Christian, and even though I still have major struggles, I am not alone, God is with me, and he helps me every day”. Let me hear the latter any day!

So keep it honest, friends. Let people hear your vulnerability, and allow them to sense the difference Jesus makes in your times of pain, tears, and weakness. Then the focus will be on him, and not on you. And that’s the way it should be. There’s only one happy ending that matters, and it’s the big one in the new heavens and the new earth.

Do you have a story of how God upholds you in pain? Why not send it through?

Open your mind… do some study in 2007

As part of our commitment to nurturing and nourishing people in their faith, Redlands CRC have been in discussion with the Reformed Theological College (Geelong) about offering some courses here in Ormiston.

We believe these courses will make an excellent contribution to RCRC by offering a valuable and credible educational element. The courses are serious studies, developed at Diploma level as determined by the Australian College of Theology.

Should there be sufficient and sustainable interest, this may developed into a full Diploma of Ministry (16 units, two years full time).

To help us assess whether this is something we should explore further, we need some concrete expressions of interest for courses that may be held from Semester 1 2007.

Please email dave@redlandscrc.org.au with you response, indicating which courses you would want to take. Each course will go for a period of 12 weeks, and should you desire, completion of the course(s) can receive credit toward a Diploma of Theology.

Course costs:

·         $550 per subject (if taken for credit) – these fees are externally set and beyond our control. Those facing financial hardship may receive some assistance from RCRC

·         $120 per subject if taken without credit.

The same course material and assessment will be applied to both credit and non credit students.

These are the courses available for next year Sem 1

Christian Worship – Lecturer: Murray Capill

Delivery: Intensive, plus self guided locally supported study (eg. lecturer will visit for two whole weeks, once at the commencement of the course and once in the middle weeks)

Overview: An introduction to biblical, historical and pastoral perspectives on Christian liturgy.

Aims:

a) To introduce candidates to biblical perspectives and major developments in Christian liturgy from the time of the Jesus to the present;

b) To assist candidates learn about significant issues in contemporary Christian worship;

c) To equip candidates with basic skills in the understanding,  Preparation, planning and conduct of Christian corporate worship.

Principles of Christian Leadership – Lecturer: David Groenenboom

Delivery: in house lectures – 2 hrs per week

Overview: A study of leadership in Christian ministries in the light of biblical, theological and management perspectives.

Aims:

a) To develop candidates’ understanding of the theology and dynamics of leadership, challenging them to a commitment to excellence;

b) To promote the process of personal development, assisting candidates to become facilitators in the leadership development of others;

c) To equip candidates with the ability to manage congregations and other Christian organisations.

Theology: Doctrine of God and Christ – Lecturer: Bill Berends

Delivery: Locally facilitated external study

Overview: A study of major doctrines of the Christian faith.

Aims:

a) To introduce candidates to the whole range of major Christian doctrines;

b) To give candidates an overall perspective upon the structure and contents of Christian faith;

c) To enable candidates to begin to think theologically, integrating faith with biblical, historical and pastoral studies.

Possible courses for Semester Two:

·         Old Testament: Israel to Judea

·         Foundations for Evangelism

·         Theology: Apologetics & Worldview

My Expression of Interest:*

I would like to express my strong interest in registering for the following courses:

[       ]       Christian Worship

[       ]       Christian Leadership

[       ]       Theology

I would like to undertake this study

[       ]       For credit ($550 per subject)

[       ]       Not for credit ($120 per subject)

Name:

*I understand that this is not an application to register for the course. I also understand that should the courses be viable, Redlands CRC can reasonably expect me to follow this expression of interest with a firm registration

Simply Christianity

In the next week or so we’ll be starting a six week (Monday night) course called “Simply Christianity”. This course seeks to strip away all the things that often confuse people about following Jesus, and instead will help them see clearly how he is portrayed in the Bible. When we do that, we'll be more like to give a response that honours him and which is good for us.

The course will start on either Monday Sep 26th, or Oct 02 (to be confirmed in the next day or so) and will be held at RCRC. Its format will be discussion based, and we aim to provide a context where all your questions can be aired. No doubt, others joining in will have plenty to discuss as well, so it's sure to be a stimulating environment.

If you’d like to find out more about who Jesus really is, this will be great for you. It will also be great for anyone who wants to affirm and strengthen their understanding of who Jesus is and what he came to do. The course will be conducted by Dave Groenenboom and Sean Murphy. Places are limited, so get in early…

Any questions: dave@redlandscrc.org.au , 0418 383 055, 3286 4700

Learn to say “I don’t know”

One of the biggest fears people have about sharing the good news of Jesus is that they’ll get stumped with a really tough question, or they won’t know enough about the Bible. No doubt: these are real issues.

It’s good to remember, though, that it is impossible to be prepared for every situation that arises. It’s also helpful to recognise our own limitations: there are questions we just will not be able to answer.

The worst thing we could do in situations like that is to try and answer a question when we really don’t know anything about it. That sort of ignorance is always obvious – unfortunately first to the listener, and sometimes never to the speaker. We can do without that. So can the Kingdom.

The best thing to do when difficult questions arise is to acknowledge the difficulty and tension expressed in the question. Sometimes these matters involve things humanity has grappled with right through history. It’s unlikely that anyone will come up with satisfying answers to the coexistence of good and evil over a cup of coffee (no matter how good the coffee is...). So acknowledge it – but then what?

One other thing to consider is to offer to look into the matter and get back to the person you’re speaking to. There are books and resources that have helpful responses (some resources are listed below), but remember, you still may not find an answer that satisfies.

When the better avenues have been exhausted, sometimes it's best to simply say, “I don’t really know. I respect the tension, and I struggle with it too, but like you, I’ve never found an answer that satisfies my curiosity…” But don’t leave it there, consider something like the following: “… but as a follower of Jesus, I know the reality of what He has done does not depend on my ability to know all the answers. I’d like to know, but if I never work it out, I’ll survive. I can live with a few loose ends. The best I can do is continue to try and understand it as best I can from God’s perspective.”

To my mind, there’s more authenticity to Christian who acknowledge the harder tensions in life, than with those who seem to have all their theological ducks lined up. Maybe there’s a greater blessing in saying “I don’t know” than “I have it all sorted.” One thing’s for sure, the person you’re speaking to will be more inclined to accept the former than the latter.

Some resources:

·         Lee Strobel: The Case for Christ, The Case for Faith excellent treatments of questions that revolve around the evidence for Jesus and the truth of His claims

·         Nicky Gumble: Searching Questions. Mark Brookes comments “it's a short and easy read that addresses some of the most commonly asked questions of (and by) Christians”

·         Brian McLaren:  More Ready than you realize. Peter from Wollongong says this is a great resource to take people from the 70’s into the current mindset.

·         John Dickson: Promoting the Gospel  “…A biblical, practical, warm and encouraging book that does exactly what it sets out to do: equips us as the Christian community to promote the Gospel. Should become a standard text on the subject." - Michael Frost

·         John Chapman: Know and Tell the Gospel …becoming a bit of an Australian classic. Chapman’s style clarifies the issues and opens our eyes to warm, conversational witness.

Feedback: dave@redlandscrc.org.au

Next time: There’s only one happy ending that matters…

New Faces on deck…

From Sep 24 to Oct 29 we will see a few different faces on the deck on Sunday. Since the first Saturday in September, Clinton and Dave have been leading a preachers’ workshop at RCRC. About a dozen people attend, and some are already busy preparing sermons under the supervision of Dave and Clinton.

The first person up is Rod McWilliams (24^th, 9am), followed by Dan Kroon on Oct 8. The sermons being prepared will deal with sections from the first few chapters of John’s Gospel. Please feel fee to pass feedback on to the people concerned or to Dave or Clinton.

Telling your story – Keep it conversational

Last week we were talking about how easy it is not  to listen to the person you’re seeking to share your story with. That happens because we’re sometimes too preoccupied with what we want to say that we don’t listen to what they say to us (I know the men who read this will find that hard to relate to, but, guys, it does happen).

It may be helpful to think of sharing your story as a conversation: both people contribute, both listen, both learn something from the other. Conversations move back and forth as two people communicate meaningful realities. We see Paul using something of this method in Acts 17 and in Acts 26. Even though he’s the primary speaker, he responds carefully to the people he is interacting with and their situation.

Similarly, we need to think about the pace of our conversations. Rather than wanting to ‘get the whole story out’ as fast as we can, we need to let the conversation ‘breathe’. Basic to this is an assumption that while the Good News of Jesus is of ultimate and primary importance, we have to ‘bring the listener along with us’. In a way, considering the pace of our conversation is a way of respecting them as a person, and communicating that their concerns matter to you.

It may even be helpful see how the person you’re speaking to is going with whatever you’re speaking about – just to give them the opportunity to clarify or question what you’re saying. Sometimes asking “does this make any sense?” or “what do you think?” is all people need to move on in your conversation.

Our prayer is that a conversational approach will help develop trust between us as we speak and those we are speaking to. Australian culture places a great deal of emphasis on trust like that. As we get serious about developing it, God may be using us to create a more effective context for the Gospel of Jesus to be heard.

Don’t forget…

This Sunday September 17^th we have a special Discovery Service: “What if…” that will seek to show how what God has done in Jesus is the best way of understanding our world and dealing with the tensions of life, and the dark side of who we are. The same format and message (which we think will be a pretty creative approach in itself) will be repeated in both Sunday services.

The message audio will also be available online (www.redlandscrc.org.au) after the event: so if you’re one of our remote readers, you’ll still be able to hear it all.

Feedback: dave@redlandscrc.org.au