“In like manner the faith, zeal, self-denial, knowledge, and joy, manifested by those who had recently been converted from the darkness and wickedness of heathenism, were often made, by the grace of God, effectual to put to shame the selfishness and sluggishness of members of Christian Churches at home, and to provoke them to an holy emulation, in the bold profession of the faith, and the consistent practice of the precepts of the Gospel.

“Thus in the way of natural consequence might we expect a blessing to revert on the Church, in proportion to the zeal it displays in the missionary work; and we might expect a blessing also in the way of direct reward from God.”[1]

Do you want to see an increase in the health of your local church?

Get it more involved with CMS! Share news from our missionaries with your congregation. Organise regular prayer meetings for mission work.

If you don’t have one, ask for a link missionary. Make sure that your missionary is supported financially.

A greater outward focus on what God is doing all around the world will, as Perry argued, enlarge our hearts and capacity for local mission and thus bless our local churches.

May the Lord bless us in this way!

[1]Church of England Messenger, February 1851, p52.

BranchMatters

July 2014Vol 8 No 6

The Single Secret of Church Growth

CMS VICTORIA630 MITCHAM RDMITCHAM, 3132

9894 4722vic@cms.org.au

cms.org.au/vic

The Single Secret of Church Growth

New Opportunitiesin Asia

The Katherine Christian Convention

A Good Read

The Bendigo Weekend

Diary

VictoriaVV

Welcome shade at the Katherine ChristianConvention, NT.

Wei-Han Kuan

State Director

There is nothing better calculated to increase the health of the local church than a vital commitment to missionary

work.

This is my favourite Charles Perry principle. Charles Perry was the first Bishop of Melbourne. When Perry took up his appointment in 1847, the Diocese of Melbourne had three clergymen and served the whole of what is now the State of Victoria.

Over the next 27 years, Perry planted churches and schools and established Melbourne as the most evangelical diocese in Australia. He returned to England in 1874 and served as a Vice-President of CMS until his death in 1891.

During his speech at the founding of a missionary board in 1851 Perry said:

“Activity in missionary undertakings was one of the means best calculated to promote the general prosperity of a Church and the edification of her individual members. This was true in the way of natural consequence.

“The cultivation of a missionary spirit tended perhaps, more than anything, to produce that enlargement of heart, which was so great, and alas! so rare an ornament, both of an individual and of a community. The record of the self-denying labour of missionaries was calculated also to stir up their brethren at home to emulate their zeal and diligence, and self-devotedness to the work of their high-calling …

New opportunities in AsiaMission

P B has been a Visiting Scholar at Seminari Theoloji Malaysia (STM) since 2009, while also teaching in seminaries and universities across Asia

People

Recently CMS and P were approached by Langham Partnership to see if he could serve

in a greater capacity with Langham Preaching. The proposal was readily accepted, and this month P begins a half time position as Regional Coordinator for Langham Preaching and Scholar Care Coordinator for Langham Scholars.

P will provide oversight for the preaching movements in across Asia, as well as coordinating any new initiatives. He will also provide pastoral support to Scholars in these regions, communicating with, visiting and mentoring them.

Langham Partnership’s aim is to recruit national leaders to fill both these positions within the next two years.

From P’s own perspective this is not as big a change as it sounds. “I have been doing work for Langham Preaching for several years, but now I’m taking on the coordinator role for much of Asia for the next two years,” he tells us. “I shall be finishing the Malaysian seminary teaching but keeping up my other teaching responsibilities elsewhere in Asia.”

Riad Kassis, International Director of Langham Scholars, commented, “Whether it be training at the grassroots or teaching in the institution, P B’s work is marked by a skill with his subject and a love for his students. We are thrilled to have him join our team in this more formal capacity.”

This change means that P will no longer live at Seminari Theoloji Malaysia (STM) in Seremban but will move to Kuala Lumpur, where he will need to find a place to rent.

This has budgetary implications, as there will no longer be the free use of an apartment at STM, but living in Kuala Lumpur will make life much easier for travel and general living.

Though circumstances change, P’s ministry calling remains as clear as ever.

“For Asia there is a great need for better biblical preaching and a more accurate handling of the word, so that the church grows into maturity and depth under the

word and is not blown around by every wind of doctrine.If I can be but a small part of raising up better preachers, then that is most strategic and a huge privilege.”

To support P B, in prayer and/or finance, please contact the CMS office on 9894 4722, or email vic@cms.org.au.

Assistant Vicar of St Jude’s Church, Carlton, John is responsible for global mission and training across all St Jude’s congregations. He is also the Director of eQuip Ministry Inc. and Assistant Director of the

Centre for Biblical Preaching Inc. John writes:

I remember well my first contact with CMS. It was 1974; I was 17 years old, only two months old as a Christian and

attending my first Christian conference - the CMS Summer School in Katoomba. Although it was January the old tin shed was freezing cold, but Michael Griffiths wasn’t holding back in his call for us to follow Christ anywhere. It was a great introduction to the Christian life.

Ever since then I have been involved with CMS one way or another, be it attending New South Wales’ Summer School and Victoria’s Summer Under the Son, or membership of CMS NSW and CMS VIC, or taking a short-term team to work with Steve and Jenny Sonneman in Pakistan.

Currently I am the minister responsible for Global Mission at St Jude’s church, Carlton, supporting six CMS Global Mission Partners, and being a coach/mentor to Steve Sonneman. So it made a lot of sense to consider seriously – and then accept! - the invitation to join Branch Council. I’m looking forward to it.

John Sugars joins Branch Council

Not a win on the horses, but a wonderful job done

in cleaning up at Blackburn after we moved.

A lot has been said about the new office: let’s not forget the unsung heroes who cleared out rubbish, organised for furniture to be collected, and patched, painted and generally made good the old offices where we had been for 20 years.

Mark Glover delivered this part of the project with professionalism and commitment: we couldn’t have done it without you, Mark - thank you!

(Mark and his wife Jenika Graze served with CMS in Nepal from 1996 to 2008.)

Flat hunting in Kuala Lumpur

Mark Glover cleans up

Teaching a class of future preachers.

People

The Great Bible SwindleReviewed by Michael Collie.

ISBN: 9780647518656

Price: $19.95

Mission

The Katherine Christian Convention

I chuckled as I read the testimony of a recent convert to atheism in which he described his epiphany as a ‘Road to

Damascus experience’. Sadly, the irony will have been lost on his audience. Such is the general lack of familiarity with the Bible, we even need to ask whether the irony was intentional.

The best-selling book of all time is absent from our public school curriculum. Censorship of the most influential text in the world is giving way to indifference. In a single generation our society has lost touch with the greatest story ever told and the most significant life ever lived.

This is the Great Bible Swindle. And the consequences are as numerous as they are profound. The inability to appreciate biblical allusions in our language compromises the meaning and gravity of our words.

Respect for individual worth, justice with mercy, scientific inquiry, equality, charity and grace are gospel fruits in our culture which we take for granted. When we no longer recognise their source and foundation we risk losing them altogether.

Most critically, we learn in the Bible what we cannot otherwise know. That when all else has passed away, three things will remain: faith, hope and love. That it’s not ‘what’ you know but ‘who’ you know.

The Great Bible Swindle is a concise, persuasive and friendly appeal to read the Bible. Your neighbour needs to read this book. So do you.

Michael Collie is the National Director of SparkLit and host of the Australian Christian Literature Awards. This year’s awards supper will be held on Thursday evening 14 August at St Alfred’s Anglican Church, Blackburn North. To find out more and book your tickets ring Michael on: 0423 244 481

(Michael and his wife Elspeth served with CMS in Argentina from 1992 to 2008.)

A Good Read

Tavis and Kate Beer are based in Katherine, helping indigenous Christians to estabish Kriol-speaking urban and rural ministries. Tavis is also chair of the Katherine Christian Convention, held each May.

In April Branch Matters, as the chair of the committee, I put a call out for volunteers for Katherine Christian

Convention (KCC). Sure, it’s 3,500 kilometres from Melbourne, but you missed out!

KCC attendees are a diverse lot, with the vast majority being indigenous Christian. People gather from around town and the surrounding region: Roper Valley, Lajamanu, Beswick, Binjari, some travelling up to eight hours to be part of it. We are also from different traditions: Baptists, Anglicans, Uniting, and various Pentecostal groups. But, we are one in Christ!

KCC is in its 47th year and, like Summer Under the Son (SUTS), has a rich history in many venues. For the past 16 years, the home of KCC has been the Morrow family’s farm. The Morrows’ farm is located just outside Katherine, next to the beautiful but croc-infested Katherine River. Many people come for the whole weekend and enjoy the relaxed outdoor program. KCC is very ‘territory’ – nothing like the air-conditioned comfort of SUTS!

Attending the conference is free, except for personal costs like travel and food. Main meetings are held in the shade of a massive tree, the ‘cafe’ is a corrugated iron lean-to and there are bush toilets – yes, long drops, which we dug the weekend before!

This year, the two main speakers were Jerry Patrick and Bill Morrison, who spoke on the topic of the Holy Spirit, from John 14-17, during the five meetings. Pastor Jerry is a Walpiri speaker from Kalkaringi (south west of Katherine), and many appreciated this extraordinary ‘old man’ sharing his faith and message bi-lingually, although there were many other languages represented also.

One highlight of KCC is what we call ‘the Celebration evening’. This is when different individuals or community

groups share a song, expressing their praise for God through their culture.

Another valued aspect of the convention is the meeting place at Morrow’s farm. Away from town, it is experienced as a safe place. Through the generosity of the Morrow family, camping is also provided by freewill donation. Each year members of different communities return to ‘their’ camp area and many feel very much at home in this bush setting.

On reflection, KCC 2014 went very well on the weekend, and we thank God for this. However, KCC’s organising team have been struggling on a number of fronts, including insufficient volunteers to sustain the current set-up. So we were thankful that quite a number came to the ‘Future of KCC’ discussion on the Sunday afternoon.

While many expressed a strong desire for KCC to continue at the Morrows’ farm, this may not be possible. There are also differences of opinion about where the focus of KCC should be. Nonetheless, a number of new people expressed willingness to help on the 2015 committee. So a way forward, under God’s leading will be sought. Please will you continue to pray with us for the future of KCC.

It was a huge effort and those of us who served KCC were exhausted from the weekend. But we are ever so grateful for all your prayers, which God answered to make sure the Convention ran smoothly and without any major incident.

To support Tavis and Kate Beer, in prayer and/or finance, please contact the CMS office on 9894 4722, or email vic@cms.org.au.

Jerry Patrick addresses the convention

Missionary Care FellowshipAt Holy Trinity Church, 106 Church Road (corner Doncaster Road), Doncaster.

Wednesday 9 July, Robert and Mary Reside will be sharing on ministry in Tanzania.

Come at 10 am for morning tea before the meeting.Contact Maurelle Thompson on 9850 6850.

1MPG (First Monday Prayer Group)

Prayer for God’s worldwide mission at 630 Mitcham Road, Mitcham.

Monday 7 July, BYO lunch at 12.30pm and then we pray for the hour 1-2pm. All welcome. Contact: Hugh Prentice on 9014 0968.

Diary

Giving Electronically

comings and goings

To support CMS financially is easy.There are three options:

Direct Credit: Westpac BSB 033-112 Account 280677Put the name of the fund or missionary in the transaction description field. This is the favoured option - it costs nothing to process, so all your dollars go to support CMS!

Direct Debit: Go to www.cms.org.au/vic/give/directdebit, download the form, complete and send it to the office.

Credit Card: go to give.cms.org.au and follow the prompts. We pay a fee on each transaction with this option.

Gospel Paths: You Are Where You’re Heading

What will you be doing in five years time? How does this influence the way you live now? The gospel choices you make today will shape who you are tomorrow.

The second annual Young Adult Winter Dinner is on Saturday 26 July, 6.30pm at St Silas’ Church, Osburn Avenue, North Balwyn. Cost is $25. To book tickets go to: www.cms.org.au/vic/winterdinner

Peter Blowes – former CMS Australia Mission Personnel Secretary and National Training Secretary for the IFES student movement in Argentina – will challenge us to think about what it means to live gospel-centred lives.

Contact Iain Payne in the CMS office on 9894 4722 or email him ipayne@cms.org.au for more details and to book your place.

7 JulyKen and Ally Thompson return to Mondulkiri, Cambodia.

6 AugustJohn and Jill Morshead arrive from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

So, how was the Bendigo weekend?

The regional centre of Bendigo received some amazing and down to earth teaching at the CMS Autumn Weekend.

Pastor of City on a Hill, Geelong and army chaplain, Andrew Grills spoke on “God’s Own Heart” from 1 and 2 Samuel. He focussed on some of the key people in these books and their hearts’ love for God. Jonathan gave up his own ambition to be king to serve God and God’s chosen one, David, serving even unto death. David himself failed but his heart was always for God and his repentance was genuine.

We also heard from our missionaries whose hearts are to serve the poor and needy across the globe: David and Prue Boyd on preparing to return to DR Congo; Ken and Ally Thompson on their ministry in rural Cambodia; and L and J heading to East Asia.

The members of South East Bendigo Parish of Holy Trinity served not only our hearts but our stomachs with generous meals which always included a dessert! Their service to us and their community reflects a great service to God.

To listen to Andrew Grills’ talks, go to:www.southeastbendigo.com

Spring Dinner - 20 September“East Africa vs. East Asia!”

In the company of John and Jill Morshead and others

Book the date now and come to One Community Church, Blackburn for a stimulating evening of good food, good fellowship and inspiring news from Tanzania and East Asia.

Invitations will be mailed in August.