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As I write this article, Australians are in the last two weeks of a postal survey to change the definition of marriage in the Australian Marriage Act (1961), and the Lower House of the Victorian Parliament has just sent a bill that would legalise self-administered suicide to its Upper House for review.

Christian and non-Christian voices have (rightly) spoken out against both measures, which attempt to introduce seismic shifts to the status and purpose of marriage and the God-given sanctity of all human beings. Speaking out has

proved costly for many Christians, who have been cruelly targeted and shamed—even by strangers. Those who say that opposition will intensify if these measures pass into law are not being alarmist.

Meanwhile, another group of women and men are about to graduate from Trinity and enter into various forms of paid and unpaid Word ministry. What should these women and men bear in mind as they head into a lifetime of serving Christ? I cannot do better than give them 2 Timothy 2:1-7, and a few of its implications:

In this edition: 2. A Lifetime of Serving Christ3. Raising the Next Generation4-5. We Can’t but God Can so We Will

6. From All Walks of Life 7. Why Women in Ministry?8. Your Partnership

Preparing People for Effective Christian ServiceLaying foundations for ministry that upholds, proclaims, and is shaped by the Gospel.

ttc.wa.edu.au

A Lifetime of Serving Christ

Continued page 2

Trinity students gathering around God’s Word at Trinity House. Fltr: Rob Lydon, John Clayton, Winnie Loy and Josh Van der Kooij

Summer 2017 – Issue 81

“You then, my son [and daughter], be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing

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A Lifetime of Serving Christ Raising the Next Generation

Raising the Next GenerationA Lifetime of Serving Christ

Continued from cover A conversation that often takes place in my circles is the question of future ministry workers. As we consider approaching ministry retirements, expanding churches and new church plants, where will the new workers be found? Added to this is the fact that our city is desperately under-supplied with churches that faithfully teach the Bible.

If we love the Lord and the honour of his name, we must surely want his Word proclaimed to every ear. If we care that people are destined to hell if they don’t have Christ, then it follows that we will want his Word proclaimed to every heart. Since proclamation requires teachers in churches to equip all of God’s people for this work (Ephesians 4:11-12) then it must surely be a priority concern of every believer to see new Bible teachers recruited, trained and sent. The need for workers who will teach the Bible is great because there is a massive harvest field but few workers (Matthew 9:36-38).

But where are they going to come from? When I joined my denomination, the Westminster Presbyterian Church, it struck me how many accents among the paid workers were either American or South African. How had these churches recruited staff? By searching for existing workers from elsewhere - effectively by recruiting people trained by others. This is not uncommon but one does wonder what many churches make of the Bible’s call to intentionally recruit and train new workers (2 Timothy 2:2). Surely Scripture is saying that raising new workers should be a basic concern of any church.

What this exactly looks like on the ground will differ from church to church. In our church we have learned from other models around Australia and overseas. The basic principle is that our Bible teaching ministries – children’s work, youth, Bible studies, one to ones – are led by people who have been intentionally trained in handling the Bible. We don’t want the paid workers to do all the teaching. Rather, following Ephesians 4:11-12, they are to give themselves to equip others for this. It is from among those who have

been equipped that we start to see who possible candidates for paid Bible teaching ministry are.

These people are then invited to consider a 2 year ministry apprenticeship to develop skills and test suitability for paid Christian ministry. Theological training at Trinity Theological College follows and then employment in a 2 year internship.

Our partnership with Trinity is crucial because we seek workers who are excellently trained in handling God’s Word. What we do in the local church is beautifully complemented by the training that Trinity delivers. Trinity is committed to sound doctrine and to Biblical Theology (how the whole Bible fits together). Biblical Theology is essential in properly interpreting the Bible and is sadly not adequately taught in many colleges, if at all.

Raising new workers requires funding that is not usually part of a church’s day-to-day budget. It is a significant financial investment for a church to make. But it is not uncommon for churches to take on special projects over and above normal giving. We have all seen the funding barometers on church noticeboards for special projects like building extensions. The Bible describes the church as a building constructed out of living stones – i.e. people (1 Peter 2:4-5)! It therefore makes all the sense in the world to prayerfully challenge our congregations to partner in this ongoing “building

project” by giving specially and sacrificially to fund the training of ministry workers. At Westminster Presbyterian Church Bull Creek, we ask our people to financially partner through the whole training process – ministry apprenticeship, Trinity Theological College and a two year internship afterwards. Trinity is a vital training partner and funding it is a direct investment in the future proclamation of the words of eternal life. It would be wonderful to see every Bible-faithful church commit to financially partnering with Trinity out of general funds as well as by regularly challenging the congregation to specially give. Perhaps it’s time to set up a barometer for a Ministry Training Fund with Trinity as a key recipient. Since becoming more intentional about recruiting, training and funding we have seen several ministry workers come through in one way or another. We now have someone in uni work, a school chaplain and a ministry intern in our church. We have a new candidate for Trinity soon and four apprentices lined up for next year. There is no doubt that things have changed dramatically as we now look to a future of home-grown workers. This has only been possible through many partners working together.

How are you partnering in raising future Gospel workers?

Craig NewillSnr Pastor: Westminster Presbyterian Church Bull Creek

according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.”

• Let the centre and source of your life and ministry be God’s abundant mercy poured out in Christ.

• Soak yourself in the Scriptures each day; confess your sins and pour out your heart to God in prayer, praise and thanksgiving.

• You have been entrusted with the Gospel of Christ. What a privilege! Train up others in this Gospel so that they will train up still more people.

• Suffering accompanies the proclamation of the Gospel. We are to joyfully participate in our sufferings, knowing that we are receiving the goal of our faith: the salvation of our souls.

• Let your ministry with people focus on the things of the Lord Jesus, that is, heavenly things (salvation, forgiveness, eternal life, holiness, faith, hope, love, humility, etc.). Do not waste time on worldly things or seek worldly recognition, for these will pass away.

• The Scriptures are the main instrument of your ministry. Be diligent in preparation as you teach through Bible books, so that you may make them clear and apply them in any and every context.

Neridah Deering joined the team at Trinity Theological College in October this year.

She will be sharing the Reception Desk with Debbie Schroeder where she will be happy to greet and assist you. Neridah will also assist staff and students with various administrative tasks.

If you have any general enquiries or need to get in touch with Trinity staff, please feel free to contact Debbie or Neridah at:

08 9228 9067 info@ttc.wa.edu.au

New at Trinity

Don’t avoid parts of the Bible that may cause offence.

• Make time each week to rest and be refreshed in God’s creation with your family and friends.

• God will not forget the hardships you have endured.

Marty FoordIn July 2018 Marty Foord will leave Trinity to join Evangelical Theological College Asia in Singapore. Marty, who has been on our faculty since January 2000, has both brought clarity and depth to his subject area of theology and given his life and heart to us as well. He is a dear friend and fellow servant in the Lord Jesus for whom we give thanks and he will be missed.

Short evening and weekend classes for anyone who wants to dig deeper into God’s Word.

Registrations for 2018 will open soon!

Feel free to contact Kelly Penhale (our Certificate Coordinator) for more information on the available units, or visit our website for more information.

ccs@ttc.wa.edu.au | www.ttc.wa.edu.au

Trinity@Night & Trinity in Town

We commit him and Jenny (BTh 2005) to the Lord as they prepare for the next stage in their ministry together, and we look forward to ongoing fellowship with them in the Gospel.

Let us continue asking God to raise up many more workers for the harvest both here and in Singapore and beyond.

With every blessing in Christ,

Don West Principal

The next generation of ministry workers: (from the left) Daniel Lu, Yee She Lee and Al Van Zijl are some of our newer students in the Bachelor of Theology course.

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How can we raise up more gospel workers for Perth and beyond?

The answer is: We can’t but God can so we will.

We don’t have the ability in ourselves to raise up a blade of grass let alone a generation of gospel workers. But where we are weak He is strong. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has the power and He will do it. The question is: will we be a part of it or not?

Here are two guiding principles and five practical tips for seeing God raise up the next generation of gospel workers in Perth and beyond.

1. Plead with God to raise up more gospel workers

“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:37-38)

God raises up the next generation of ministry workers, not us. He is the Lord of the harvest, not us. And so, we pray. But we’re not just to pray, we must “pray earnestly to the Lord”. We must plead with our Father to raise up more workers. The harvest is plentiful not miniscule. And the labourers are few not many. Could it be that the problem is us and not God? Could it be that our lack of earnest prayer is a serious barrier to raising up gospel workers?

2. Plan the process to pass it on

“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” (2 Timothy 2:1-2)

We Can’t but God Can so We Will

2018 Applications are open!

ENQUIRE NOWregistrar@ttc.wa.edu.au

The way to see more gospel workers raised up is to purposefully entrust more faithful people with the Gospel who can then teach others. Paul tells Timothy to entrust the Gospel to reliable people who will be able to teach others also. This implies a process of identifying faithful people and a plan to make sure they are able to teach others too.

A: Get them early

Future gospel workers don’t grow on trees, they’re in our Sunday School classes and youth groups. Ask the person who oversees your kids or youth ministry “Who are the ones who get it?” or “Who are the young people who are growing in Jesus?” Those are the potential gospel workers. But don’t stop there. Start passing it on to them now.

B: Give them a go

It sounds obvious but it’s usually very difficult. Once we get a few grey hairs and a few years under our belt, for some strange reason we start thinking we know the best way to do Christian ministry– “and those young guys have a long way to go!”. The end result is that many leaders are afraid to hand over real responsibility to leaders younger than them. As a result those young leaders don’t grow. Despite the risk, we must give them a legitimate go.

C: Allow them to fail

A church culture that doesn’t allow failure will massively stifle the growth of new leaders. On the other hand, if our churches see failure as a part of the growth process, if we invite younger leaders to take a risk and explore more effective ways of serving and proclaiming Jesus, then we’ll provide fertile ground for raising up the next generation. The consistent message from the leaders of our churches to the next generation ought to be: “permission to fail”.

D: Be clear with them

A wise man once said, “Leadership is clarity”. Make sure the ones God is raising up around you know what is expected of them. To do this, you also need to know what you want of them! Make it clear.

E: Let them change things up

Younger leaders will almost always do things differently to older leaders. Some things must stay the same, but for everything that’s not Gospel, let it go. The next generation want to serve Jesus and proclaim His amazing grace to their peers in their way. So, let them change it up a bit. You never know, they might even do it better than you!

Matt MalcolmLead Pastor: North Coast Church (Bachelor of Theology: 2004)

On the far right is Brendan Hurley (Bachelor of Theology: 2014), spending time with the Trinity students during their missions week earlier this year, educating them about how they approach ministry at their church. Brendan is Ministry and Children’s Pastor at North Coast Church.

“The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ

has the power and

He will do it. The question is: will we be a part of it

or not?”Find out how Trinity’s 1 & 3 year courses lay deep foundations for long-term Christian service

which is shaped by the Gospel.

Our degree-level courses are accredited by the Australian College of Theology. Eligible

students can apply for FEE-HELP. Late applications accepted until 9 January.

www.ttc.wa.edu.au

IMPORTANT DATES

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18 - 10 Feb: Quarterly Prayer Breakfast

- 26 Feb: Ministry Matters- 26 Feb: Commencement & Graduation- 10 Mar: Trinity Women Enrichment Day- 05 May: Quarterly Prayer Breakfast- 07 May: Information Night- 08 May: Open Lecture- 28 Jul: Quarterly Prayer Breakfast- 12 Sept: Information Night- 17 Sept: Trinity 21st Celebration- 18 Sept: Open Lecture- 3 Nov: Quarterly Prayer Breakfast

We Can’t but God Can so We Will

All donations of $2 or more are tax deductible

Lasting Support to Future Ministry WorkersOne way of a making a lasting investment in raising future ministry workers for generations to come, is by including Trinity in your will (bequest).

Yes, please send me information about bequests

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It is only with your partnership in financial support and prayer that we can prepare men and women like these for Word ministry.

Ben Smart was raised in a family with loving Christian parents who showed him what it means to follow Jesus. “As I got towards the end of my teens, I was thinking about what I would do vocationally. I had always wanted to go into the business sector. And I knew that, as a Christian, I could faithfully serve God as a businessman. I didn’t need to be a pastor or in paid ministry to honour God with my life.

But just after finishing Year 12, God hit me with the reality of eternity, and how fleeting this life is. I started asking: what can I do with my life that will really count? What will last beyond our life here on earth? I knew the answer: people. People, and their relationship with Jesus, are what will last into eternity. Pretty much everything else will fade away.

So, I had two paths in front of me. First, go do my commerce degree and work in business, as I had planned. Second, study theology and go into vocational ministry. I knew that I could honour God on either of those paths. But I asked myself this question: in all likelihood, which of those life paths will result in more people standing with Jesus on the last day?

If by taking that second path even one more person gets to be with Jesus for eternity, then that would be worth it. So that’s the path God has led me on. And that’s what has brought me to Trinity Theological College. I want to be equipped as well as possible to spend my life for eternity, to help as many people as possible find the joy of knowing Jesus.”

Ben Smart 3rd year: Bachelor of Theology

Please donate now and support us in training

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Our Purpose: Preparing people for effective

Christian service

From All Walks of Life Why Women in Ministry?

From All Walks of Life

I never had a life-changing epiphany where I can say that I wasn’t a Christian at one point and was at another. I was incredibly fortunate that my parents believe the Word of God and when I was a child taught me about the realities of our sinfulness and the wonderful news of Jesus. They took the Bible seriously, it affected their lives and, in turn, it affected mine as well. This is not to say that I believe in the Gospel only because they do. Quite the contrary, in High School while struggling with my identity as a Christian in a non-Christian world and wrapped up in sin, I was faced with a real decision to follow Christ or to pretend he doesn’t exist. By what can only be called grace, here I am.

After graduating from High School, I began an apprenticeship in heavy metal and structural fabrication, colloquially know as a boilermaker or welder. I really enjoy learning practical skills that have so many applications throughout life. Working with my hands is what I feel comfortable with and where my strengths lie.

During my apprenticeship, I also became a member of Busselton Baptist Church, where the pastor, Paul Colyer, faithfully taught me God’s Word and trained me in ministry. While working, I served

the church as best I could in some different ministries, mainly serving youth. I left Busselton Baptist at the end of 2016 and moved to Perth to begin my studies at Trinity Theological College and to be closer to my family and girlfriend (now fiancée!).

I am studying at Trinity because I want to be as equipped as I can be to serve God’s people throughout my life. After my time at Trinity I don’t really know specifically where I will go or what form service will take for me. I am not at Trinity specifically to become a pastor but rather, while I am young, to get a solid foundation in the Bible. I would happily go back into my trade or work in another field while being a member and fellow servant in a local church.

One of the things I really value here at Trinity, is that College does not require a huge prior understanding of the Bible, ancient cultures or big terminology but simply a willingness to learn. The lecturers purposefully and gladly teach from the beginning and they build the foundation carefully and correctly before they move into more complex truths. Coming from a trade background I’ve known very little about the academic world or things like writing essays and researching. However, the College community is ready and willing to help. Another thing that I really value at Trinity is being able to build relationships with my lecturers and fellow students. What a joy it is to study, grow and grapple with things that matter as part of a team.

I’m so thankful for the opportunity to get a great, biblical foundation here at Trinity which I will build upon for the rest of my life, and because I am learning and growing alongside some much-loved brothers and sisters in Christ.

Scott Thomson1st year: Bachelor of Theology

Why do we want women in ministry?

Trinity Info Night

Come and find out how you can be better equipped for long-term Christian service which upholds, proclaims and is shaped by the Gospel.

In Titus 2, Paul exhorts Titus to teach a variety of groups godliness: old men, young men, old women, and slaves. What is interesting about this command is that Titus is instructed to teach the old women so that they may be able to teach the young women. In Paul’s mind, ministry to women is done by women. Now, this doesn’t mean that it has to be. Women can be and are taught by men. But I think it suggests that women teaching women is good and needed. It is part of the life of God’s people. “Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.” (Titus 2:3-5)

Women are actually already teaching women, whether formally or informally. But what is their teaching like? Do you know? Is it faithful to Scripture; does it reflect the truth of the Gospel; will it help women to stand firm in their faith in a culture which despises Jesus? If you have never been to a women’s Bible study, outreach morning, or conference, you might not realise that for many Australian Christian women the Bible teaching they regularly hear is about as filling as fairy floss. Even in a church where the male pastor is thoroughly Scriptural in his teaching, the Word ministry between women can be woefully inadequate. More needs to be done to ensure that those women who teach have the necessary training.

Word ministry between women bears great fruit. For the past 10 years I have been part of a women’s Bible study group at church. I love this group and in part it’s because I have had more deep, life-changing discussions with the women about their godliness than I have ever had in a mixed group. For whatever reason, the group works better without men!

In our culture we have many women who won’t, can’t, or are not allowed to attend a mixed group. There needs to be somewhere for these women to go where we are confident that they will be taught well. As my children have entered school, I have been quite surprised at the depth of conversations I have been able to have with other school mums. These have led to opportunities for me to pray with and for them; to rejoice and mourn with them; to point them to the hope of the Gospel. I don’t know what God will do. But in the majority of cases, a women’s Bible study seems the most likely entry point into church life for them.

Helping our women to love others and share the Gospel with their neighbours, friends and colleagues is a great privilege. A group of women who are praying and encouraging each other to be Bible-based and Christ-centred in all they do is vital for the health of our ministries. And I think for this reason, it is important that we work at encouraging more women into ministry.

Here are some ideas to help women learn to teach others: • Pray for your women. Pray that they would seek to teach

what is good. Pray that God would raise up godly women to teach women;

• Encourage and support women to undertake theological study;

• Employ a women’s worker;• Help women to attend lectures, conferences, and training

sessions by freeing them up from other ministry areas, providing child-care, and helping them think through their work/life choices;

• Give them opportunities to teach. Arrange supervision and constructive feedback;

• Don’t neglect your godly older women. Respectfully help them to participate in your new fangled ways of doing things. Encourage them to show us young ’uns how to be godly.

Cheryl WaldronPastor’s wife and ministry partner: Three Crosses Church(Bachelor of Theology: 2007)

Looking at our student’s profiles, one cannot help but notice that (1) God calls them from all walks of life, and that (2) so many young

people come to a cross-roads in their faith after finishing school.

At Trinity, we run a creche on Fridays to allow more women and students’ wives to attend classes. ‘Trinity Women’ (some meeting above) is another initiative where we bring present female students, students’ wives and fiancées, and female staff together to support each other and be edified by hearing from the experience of others in ministry areas.

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Your Partnership

Each year we are humbled by the many men and women supporting Gospel work through Trinity Theological College. Your faithful giving leads us to identify with Paul as he rejoices in the church’s generosity when he writes to the Corinthian church:

“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:11-12

To all of our much-valued donors and supporters, we truly thank God for his provision through you!

This year we are experiencing an unexpected shortfall in reaching our target through donations.

If you are in a position to contribute to the training costs of raising up the next generation of ministry workers, please use the donation form on page 5 of this Newsletter to make your donation, or contact us for other ways to donate.

Donations of $2 or more are fully tax-deductible. All donations contribute to the essential costs behind training more men and women to disciple God’s people to reach the lost. These essential costs include things like securing high quality lecturers and support staff to facilitate student training, and upgrading technology to help students be more effective in their learning.

We truly appreciate one-off gifts and highly value ongoing support. We praise God for your faithful partnership in Gospel work.

Ilse LorenzenDevelopment Coordinator

Feel free to contact Ilse:

08 9228 9067 | development@ttc.wa.edu.au

Your Partnership

TRINITY THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE INC ABN 70 006 203 227 ACT CRICOS provider code: 02650EPO Box 115 LEEDERVILLE WA 6902 • 632–634 Newcastle Street, Leederville, Perth, WA 6007

info@ttc.wa.edu.au • Phone: 08 9228 9067 • Fax: 08 9228 3862 • ttc.wa.edu.auTrinity Theological College is an affiliated college of the Australian College of Theology TN81

Give thanks for:• Students coming to the end of their degrees and

looking at going into ministry positions• New student applications for 2018 received so far• Our faithful faculty and leadership team, remaining

true to God’s Word• The Trinity Community, actively supporting our ministry

by their time, prayer and sacrificial financial giving

Prayer & Praise

Pray for:• Our graduates in various ministry and ministry

partnership positions; that they will preach the Gospel and nothing but the Gospel

• Our students currently preparing for their exams; that they will use their time at College well to grow in their knowledge and faith

• Churches to establish ministry apprenticeships• Many more Christian men and women to set

themselves aside for Gospel work and being better equipped at Trinity

• Our lecturers as they complete teaching and marking• The appointment of a Lecturer in Theology• Prayer partners who would continue to uplift the

College, its ministry and people to our Lord• Many faithful donors who will generously give towards

raising up the next generation of ministry workers through Trinity

AF

Received to date: $594,736

AF

2017 TARGET: $785,000

Budget target: $700kReceived to date: $132k

GF

GENERAL FUND

Budget target: $70kReceived to date: $21k

LF

LIBRARY FUND

Target: $15kReceived: $36k

BF

BUILDING FUND

100%

75%

50%

25%

12.5%

37.5%

62.5%

87.5%

18.75%

End of September 2017