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TELLING THE GREAT WORKS OF CHRIST IN THE WORLD TODAY au
1 May 2019 Vol 81 No 19 Free On Request: office@nlife.com.au
Living For Jesus
– Easter At Belgrave Heights Convention
The hills were alive with the sound of praise to God. The camp sites
were full and all available accommodation was occupied for the weekend
of Bible study, prayer and fellowship. This Easter was especially memorable
for me as it was here I met my husband 60 years ago at the ESA camp. Each
year the grounds continue to be maintained and improved. We thank God
for the dedicated team of volunteers as well as full-time staff members who
work tirelessly to give us the perfect convention setting. It was great to wit-
ness the turning of the soil for the new accommodation and dining building
after the Saturday morning meeting. Richard Coombs prayed that the build-
ing would be constructed without mishaps and that all who would eventu-
ally use the new amenities would be blessed. David Price symbolically
turned over the first sod (pictured right).
We welcomed Sameh Maurice Tawfik, with his wife Dr Imane Kheir, from Egypt. It was the first time BHC has
been privileged to introduce a speaker from the Middle East. Sameh is the senior pastor of Kasr El Dobara Evan-
gelical Church in Cairo, the biggest Bible-believing church in the Middle East. Each Sunday the congregation num-
bers between 10,000 and 12,000 Christians. Sameh grew up in a nominal Christian family. His father was Coptic
Orthodox and his mother was Presbyterian. At eight, he was invited with his brothers and sisters to attend an
evangelical campaign in the Presbyterian Church. It was there he committed his life to Christ. He studied medicine,
specialising in general surgery. Imane is also a medical doctor.
In 1988, Sameh became a fulltime pastor. The church sends many missionaries to the Arab world. There is a
drug rehabilitation centre, a hospital, a ministry to the homeless, many sports programs and a huge motel/hotel
complex with all kinds of outdoor activities, situated on the highway halfway between Cairo and Alexandria.
Sameh’s passion is to preach the Gospel in every way possible and to disciple believers. He has a daily Arabic satel-
lite TV outreach that is viewed worldwide. Many Egyptians living in Melbourne listen to this daily. Many Australian
Egyptians came to BHC for the first time this Easter. We pray that they will continue to support the convention.
The auditorium was almost full for several of the meetings. The financial target of $77,000 was exceeded by over
$2,000. We praise God for the generosity of His people.
We again welcomed Tim Meyers, Principal of Melbourne School of Theology. Tim
grew up in a Missionary Aviation Fellowship family, living in PNG. He studied music at
the University of Melbourne, became a secondary school teacher, and then trained as
a commercial pilot with MAF. He pastored churches in Queensland before joining the
leadership team of Pioneers, based in Melbourne. Tim has been Principal of MST since
2011. (Tim, pictured left with Dr Imane Kheir and Rev Sameh Maurice Tawfik.)
Both speakers emphasised the theme ‘Below the waterline,’ showing how our lives
must be the same inside and out. There must be no disparity between the world’s view
of us and our private lives. The invisible work in the soul is the most important, just as
the keel of a ship is its strength although not seen above the waterline. The first meet-
ing, on Good Friday, commenced with a dramatic monologue by a Roman soldier who
cried as he knelt at the cross, ‘Surely this is the Christ, the Son of God!’ Sameh also chal-
lenged us to live faithful, prayerful and holy lives ‘below the waterline.’ (Continued p.4)
‘Tell the people the full message of this new life’ – Acts 5.20b www.nlife.com.au
VOLUME 81 NUMBER 19
ISSUE DATE:
1 May 2019 TELLING THE GREAT WORKS OF CHRIST IN THE WORLD TODAY
FILE NO: NL 2019-04-01
Our World Needs The Courage Of Israel Folau
‘I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to
ISSN: 1033-7903 all who believe…’ wrote the Apostle Paul (Romans 1.16).
There was once a society very similar to our own. Children were seen
FOUNDER: as a burden. They were routinely left to die in the hours after their birth,
Eric J. Daley (1910-1992) for the convenience of their parents, in a primitive abortion-like practice.
Sexual expressionism was celebrated, in an ancient version of what we
EDITOR:
might call PRIDE. Homosexual activity was a feature of religious practice,
Rev Bob Thomas
Phone: 0417 592 646 and prevalent in the culture.
Email: editor@nlife.com.au Materialism, love of entertainment, and hedonistic pleasures reigned
Postal Address: supreme. Orgies were the foul indulgence of the elite. There was even a
PO Box 457 thriving feminist movement. Public expressions of Christianity were dis-
Mitcham VIC 3132 sident acts, offending the cultural sensitivities of the time, and earning
adherents a place on the fringe of society. It was a world in which the em-
OFFICE MANAGER: peror would marry two boys, one he called his husband, and the other his
Rachael Maskell wife. But not before he had kicked his pregnant (actual) wife to death
Phone: 0415 612 646 amidst the rise and rise of a broader domestic violence epidemic.
Email: office@nlife.com.au
It was a world whose power, prestige, and wealth betrayed its crip-
pling sickness; a sickness of soul and spirit, which ultimately destroyed it
WEB-SITE:
www.nlife.com.au completely. It was the dizzying and spectacular, yet broken world of pagan
Rome.
SUBSCRIPTION: What medicine does a world like this need? Where to begin? How to
Free On Request engage? The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the church at the epicentre of
it all – in Rome herself. ‘I am not ashamed!’ he declares. And why should
ACCEPTANCE OF he be? He carries a priceless treasure for a broken world. He knows and
ADVERTISING proclaims the truth which will set these people free. And he pulls no
DOES NOT IMPLY punches in demonstrating just how unashamed he is.
ENDORSEMENT. His very next words state the blunt truth that ‘the wrath of God is re-
vealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men,
NEW LIFE RESERVES
who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.’ We only need to look
THE RIGHT TO REJECT
ADVERTISING DEEMED at Israel Folau’s lot over the past weeks to know how inflammatory that
UNSUITABLE. was. You can almost see the furrowed brows of outrage over this man’s
lack of nuance. How dare he! Why is he alienating people? Such judgmen-
PUBLISHED BY: talism! But he will not stop. He calls out the people’s sins in rapid-fire suc-
New Life Australia Ltd cession, not pausing for breath for three chapters.
And yes, he even has a few uncomfortably direct things to say about
ABN: 15 005 035 138 homosexual behaviour. And hellfire, for that matter. Crucially, he does not
ease up the pressure until he is sure his readers are no longer pointing
NOTE TO CONTRIBUTORS: the finger of accusation outwards at their culture, but at their own hearts,
New Life is archived by the
too. Until they have had every defence mechanism, every excuse, every
National Library of Australia.
instinct to burst with outrage, overwhelmed with rapid-fire condemna-
It is assumed that contributors
agree with this arrangement and so tion. Paul concludes, ‘None is righteous, no, not one,’ ‘All have sinned and
are willing to be published on this fall short of the glory of God.’ But of all the sacred cows he kills along the
basis. way, self-worship would have to be the biggest.
Because, in times like these, the very last thing people can comprehend
is the idea that they might be wrong; that they could be judged by God
and found wanting; that they could possibly be hell-bound. (Cont. on p.3)
NEW LIFE – 1 May 2019 – Page Two
OUR WORLD NEEDS THE COURAGE OF ISRAEL FOLAU
(From p.2)
Yes, in times like these, the very last thing people can comprehend is the idea that they might be
wrong; that they could be judged by God and found wanting; that they could possibly be hell-bound.
That is offensive. It is worthy of ridicule. Reading over the various opinion pieces on Israel Folau, the
common feature among authors, both his supporters and detractors, is their contempt for this very no-
tion. ‘If those are the criteria for entry [to hell], then I’ll see you all down there,’ says one. Well … yes …
exactly … Above all things, we live amongst a generation that tells us to believe in ourselves, so we do.
And we believe that self is good.
The Mardi Gras banners emblazoned with ‘pride’ just give overt expression to the cardinal, though
often more subtly expressed, sin of our times. Our highest value is ourselves, and our identities. Paul
presses this very button in Romans 1, declaring that we ‘worship and serve the creature rather than the
Creator.’ We’re narcissists who have killed God in our thinking, putting ourselves on His throne. Niet-
zsche’s famous words have been fulfilled, ‘If there is a God, how can I bear not to be that God? And Paul
intends to burst that bubble with some serious trigger words because he knows it is the thing which is
immunising his fellow Romans against the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So long as this remains true, they will
never repent. They will never turn to Christ. They will never be saved. And that means ultimate disaster.
That is why the Apostles preached sin, guilt, and judgment with boldness at every turn. There is not one
public sermon in the book of Acts which does anything less than press the issue home with unrelenting
conviction, normally right after exposing the specific sin of the crowd being preached to.
Paul even declared the coming judgment of the ‘unknown God’ to the men at Mars Hill, whose fore-
bears had killed Socrates for ‘introducing new deities’. No wonder Scripture says he was stressed before
he spoke! And the full ambit of reactions is seen. Paul was mocked and laughed at. Peter and John were
hauled before a tribunal for hate speech. Agrippa had his curiosity aroused. Many were ‘cut to the heart’
in response to Peter. Detractors plotted revenge. People threw stones at Stephen. The churches were a
mixed bag, too. Some listened, clearly, but Paul also writes that ‘all in Asia have deserted me.’ And he had
to defend himself against endless attacks and smears by writing 2 Corinthians. His was no smooth road.
And, crucially, anger continued to swell from all quarters against these men who dared to point the
finger, name sin, declare Christ’s judgment, and urge repentance. Paul died as an axe took his head off.
Every Apostle was martyred, except the one they exiled. But they followed in the footsteps of their Lord,
the crucified Christ. And He, too, was One who began His earthly ministry with the word ‘Repent.’ And
He, too, experienced the full range of reactions.
But crucially, we must not forget that something else happened. The Gospel spread faster than a
pandemic through the Ancient Roman world, fuelled by the unrelenting boldness of these early Chris-
tians. Why do I say all this? Because too many of us think Israel Folau did something wrong. If he did the
wrong thing, then so, too, did Paul, Peter, James, John, the rest of the Apostles, and Jesus Himself. The
truth is, there’s nothing more offensive than the ideas of sin and judgment to a generation like ours, no
matter how you say it. The notion that in myself I am judged and found wicked is anathema and con-
temptible. This idea that some sovereign God has power over me in any real sense must not be counte-
nanced. But the truth will set the people of such a world free, as it did you and me. And the truth,
whenever it is spoken, will yield fruit. That is a promise of God.
I have no doubt that there are many who are saved through the most gentle of encounters, as
Christ with the woman caught in adultery, or through honed apologetics, like Nicodemus. But in a hard-
ened, self-loving, neo-pagan age, maybe Folau’s paraphrase of a Scripture which assaults it all head-on
will be just the medicine someone needed to turn to God in repentance and faith, and know Him forever
through Jesus Christ. If we don’t believe that, then we must ask ourselves to what extent our wayward
culture has shaped our thinking.
Perhaps the boldness of the apostles, who bravely declared against the odds that they were ‘not
ashamed’ is what God looks for among His people in these changing times. From pagan Rome to neo-
pagan Australia, there really is nothing new under the Sun.
– Blog by Martyn Iles,
Managing Director, Australian Christian Lobby, via Australian Prayer Network
NEW LIFE – 1 May 2019 – Page Three
NEW LIFE ADVERTISING
NEW LIFE – 1 May 2019 – Page Four
THE HILLS WERE ALIVE ...
Living For Jesus – Belgrave Heights Easter Convention (From p.1)
1. Easter Brings The Call For God’s People To Respond To The Cross (He-
brews 13.11-14). We must go to Him outside the city, giving ourselves com-
pletely to Him. Jesus gave everything for us; we must give everything to Him
in return. As citizens of the Kingdom of God, we must deny self and love oth-
ers. We carry the shame of the cross by sacrificing ourselves, not by killing
others.
2. Easter Sharpens Our Faith. The whole of Hebrews 11 is devoted to faith.
We preach and believe in faith. The Old Testament records the works of God’s
people. The heroes of Hebrews 11 lived by faith, and did great things by faith.
Faith is not against the mind, but is the perfect equation by which we under- Convention Chair, Richard
stand the truth and receive it. It is not a blind leap into the darkness. The an- Coombs, thanks the speakers,
Sameh Tawfik and Tim Meyers.
swer is God’s Word. ‘We have an answer for every honest question,’ said
Francis Schaeffer. Faith is the opposite of sight. Faith relates to the spiritual world. We do not see what we believe
in because it is invisible. No one has seen God, but Jesus came as a man to reveal God to us. We walk by faith, not
by sight.
3. Our Faith Is In A Person, Not In Things, Events, Values, Religions Or Philosophies. We believe what Jesus
says because He is God and God, who promised, is faithful. He is trustworthy. He is there and He changes lives!
Faith is total dependence, not just a conviction or ratification. It is not just the lack of fear or confusion. Faith is
the confidence that drives men to live lives based on God’s Word. The heroes of Hebrews 11 believed in the reality
of God, not just theory. It is impossible to live for God without faith. We must believe He is there to be able to speak
with Him. Our relationship with Jesus is by grace through faith. By faith we understand God’s work in our lives.
By faith we walk closely with God, like Enoch. By faith we are obedient, like Abraham. By faith we see the unseen.
4. Faith Empowers Us. Like Abraham, we receive the promise and strength to conquer the world. By faith we can
demolish strongholds and endure suffering. We need to look to Jesus, the source of faith, not the Bible heroes. He
is the subject and object of our faith. We are the source of His joy. He should be the joy of our lives.
– Barbie Prout, ‘Mrs D.P.’
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NEW LIFE – 1 May 2019 – Page Five
MATTERS FOR PRAYER:
IRAQ: From Nation To Decimation To Elimination
– The Plight Of Iraq's Indigenous And Christian Assyrian Nation
Islamic State is making a comeback in Iraq. Military analyst David Kilcullen remarks that IS is 'giving new
meaning to its motto Remaining And Expanding.' While IS attacks are presently small-scale and low-intensity, com-
prising mostly bombings, raids, assassinations and sectarian executions, they are increasing in frequency and so-
phistication. According to the Institute For The Study Of War, IS maintains some 30,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria,
of whom up to 17,000 are in Iraq, including 1,000 who have crossed over from Syria in the past six months. ISW
reports that IS is re-establishing zones of support, lines of supply and the means to generate revenue (mostly
through drugs and extortion). As long as Baghdad remains enmeshed in political power struggles between parties
that are proxies of either Iran or America, IS will exploit the paralysis to re-establish itself across Iraq.
In January the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Nechirvan Barzani, ominously warned,
'We have concerns about the return of IS ... to Nineveh [Province, northern Iraq].' On 20 February the Iraqi Army's
Chief of Staff Othman al-Ghanimi told reporters at a press conference near Mosul that Iraqi security forces had
detained 24 IS militants. The group, which had escaped Syria and was headed for Mosul, included four IS leaders.
Later that day, Iraqi security and intelligence forces intercepted a car near Badush, 25km north-west of Mosul,
killing the five ISIS fighters inside, each of whom was reportedly wearing an explosive vest. On 28 February ISIS
successfully carried out a car-bomb attack in Mosul, killing one civilian and wounding 13. On the same day, a car-
bomb exploded near Mosul University, killing two and wounding 24. On Friday 8 March a car-bomb in Mosul killed
two (including a child) and wounded 10. It must be noted that, whilst violence has escalated, not all recent bomb-
ings have been claimed by IS.
The return of IS is not the only threat facing Nineveh's already decimated indigenous and Christian Assyrian
remnant. In August 2014, as IS advanced east from Mosul towards oil-rich Kirkuk, the jihadists overran and eth-
nically cleansed the Nineveh Plain, displacing around 130,000 Assyrian Christians, along with other non-Sunni
minorities, including the Shabak. Possibly with Persian roots, the Shabak follow a syncretistic form of Shia Islam.
Today, it seems that Baghdad and Tehran are using the Shabak as a proxy in their struggle against the Kurds for
control over Nineveh's 'Disputed Territories', which includes the Assyrian heartland. If there is one thing the Kurds,
the Shabaks, Baghdad and Tehran all agree on, it is their desire to eliminate the Christian presence and even erase
millennia of Assyrian and Christian history.
Ground zero in this existential struggle is the Assyrian town of Bartella, 21km due east of Mosul. Prior to
August 2014, Bartella had been policed by the mostly Christian, Assyrian Ninewa Protection Unit. Today, security
in the area is controlled by Iraq's mostly-Shia, Popular Mobilisation Force, also known as 'Hashd'. In Bartella, the
Hashd are mostly Shabak. Of the 3,800 Christian families to have fled Bartella in 2014, less than one
third have returned. In Bartella they face not just devastation, but
disturbing levels of harassment, intimidation and threat. Christian PLEASE PRAY THE LORD TO:
leaders are convinced that the Shabak are working to drive them • intervene in Iraq to the benefit of His Church
away, prevent their return and replace them with Shabak Shi'ites. and the long-suffering, severely persecuted
To this end they have the backing of Baghdad and Tehran. Regional Assyrian remnant (see, Isaiah 19.23-25):
authorities are establishing new settlements with the aim of re- • bless and sustain Iraq's pastors, priests,
populating the town. nuns and other Christian workers as they risk
One project under way in an area traditionally occupied by As- their lives and struggle against overwhelming
syrian Christians is named 'Sultan City'. The project involves seiz- odds to rebuild and maintain the Christian
ing agricultural land owned by Assyrians and converting it into a presence in Iraq; may spiritual unity blossom
residential area with hundreds of new homes. The project was across ethnic and denominational lines.
first outlined in 2013, but had to be postponed due to the ISIS oc- • bless and sustain His precious Church
cupation. This situation is being repeated, albeit to a lesser extent, across Mesopotamia (Syria-Iraq); may the
in the nearby Assyrian towns of Karamles and Qaraqosh- Lord bring physical, emotional and spiritual
Bakhdida. As Father Behnem Benoka notes: ISIS are Sunnis and healing to all who have been profoundly shat-
the Shabak are Shi'ite, 'but all are Muslims. Everybody hates the tered, fundamentally distracted and deeply
Church, everybody hates Christians and wants them out of their spiritually challenged by violence, displace-
historical places.' ment and betrayal.
Elizabeth Kendal is the author of Turn Back The Battle: Isaiah Speaks To Christians Today (Deror Books,
Melbourne, Australia, Dec 2012) which offers a Biblical response to persecution and existential threat;
and After Saturday Comes Sunday: Understanding The Christian Crisis In The Middle East (Wipf and Stock,
Eugene, OR, USA, June 2016). See www.ElizabethKendal.com
NEW LIFE – 1 May 2019 – Page Six
FROM ALL QUARTERS
Gospel Co-alition Encourages The Story Of C.S. Lewis’s Better Half
Gospel Workers From New York Times best-
We had a wonderful day with Mark Dever on 27 selling author Patti Callahan
March. It was a wide mixture of people from many comes a novel about Joy
different churches, backgrounds, and ministries. Davidman, the woman C.S.
Mark's talks and answers to questions were a Lewis called ‘my whole
great combination of Gospel clarity, personal au-
world.’
thenticity, Biblical power, theological richness, and
practical wisdom. The talks are online at
Becoming Mrs Lewis tells how Joy Davidman dis-
https://au.thegospelcoalition.org/podcasts/tgc covered friendship and faith, and found love. From
abibletalks/markdevergrowinghealthy their love story has come some of C.S. Lewis’ great-
churchesministriestgcavic/ est writings on love, grief and faith.
Here you will find out why we should love our When the poet and writer began writing letters
church; how to improve your congregation's singing; to C.S. Lewis, she was looking for spiritual answers,
the advantages of a robust theology and implemen- not love. Everything about her seemed ill-matched
tation of church discipline; why all believers should for an Oxford don and the writer of Narnia. Yet
be engaged in discipling others; benefits of long- their minds bonded over their letters.
term ministry; centrality of Christ’s atoning work. Published by Harper Collins, Becoming Mrs Lewis
Our next TGCAVic gathering will be on Thursday 6
is described as a fascinating historical novel, and a
June, 9am-1pm, at CrossCulture, Swanston St, Mel-
bourne. Our topic will be one of central importance
love story – a love of literature and ideas, a love of
to our mission. Wei-Han Kuan, State Director of CMS, God, and a love between a husband and wife.
will speak on Jesus: Gospel, Church, And Kingdom. Patti Callahan unveils the woman who changed
Come along to meet and encourage each other, the life of C.S. Lewis and inspired books for all time.
and pray together for Gospel progress in Victoria. – Harper Collins News Release
– Peter Adams
To Look Up Back Issues Of New Life
Right Back To August 2007
Go To: www.nlife.com.au And Click On: Previous Issues
Bound Volumes Back To Vol 1, No 1 Are Held In The Library Of MST,
5 Bur wood Hwy, Wantirna 3152
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NEW LIFE – 1 May 2019 – Page SevenFAITH NEWS FROM OVERSEAS ... With Stan Hunt
AE Training Keeps African Churches Ahead Of The Game
More than 70 pastors were trained by African Enter
prise last year in Rwanda, Kenya and Ghana. For 50 years
AE has been educating pastors with the support of
churches and individuals in Australia and New Zealand.
Daniel Kiwanuka with African Enterprise says good train-
ing is leading to effective evangelistic outreach, the disci-
pling of new believers and raising a new generation of
godly leaders. Women are also involved in training.
Josephine, who with her husband pastors a church, told AE Mission in Rwanda.
Christian Today the AE course has given her better understanding of the Bible, helped equip her pastoral
work and prepared the church for evangelism.
African governments have started to crack down on people without training calling themselves pas-
tors. The AE Pastoral Training Course is uniquely adapted to African culture, and includes pathways to
accreditation through partnerships with evangelical theological colleges in Australia and South Africa.
– Christian Today
Baptism In The Middle East, A Bold Declaration For Jesus
A couple of weeks ago, Samuel from Redemptive Stories had the opportunity to celebrate the baptisms of two Christ-followers
in the Middle East. The men have followed Christ for at least the last four years. In a blow-up pool in the yard of a friend who
had been discipling them, these men counted the cost of following Christ and publicly declared their faith through baptism.
Samuel says the men took the opportunity to share their testimonies and their stories, and those present prayed with them.
Following the baptism, the group of friends shared in the Lord’s Supper and a time of community around a meal. ‘It was so
joyful to see their joy in their baptism and to tell their stories. One had lost his wife. Because of his faith, his wife had divorced
him. The other one’s wife had accepted him and his faith, but still there were struggles in that relationship with her. ‘He is
begging for prayer for that,’ Samuel says. ‘It was a beautiful story of them counting the cost for Christ, knowing that it was
going to be difficult, knowing that it was going to be hard, but yet, knowing that Christ Himself is worth it.’ – MNN
New Life For Old Cemetery Tiny Homes Making Big Impact
Israel's oldest cemetery, better known as the Mount Another church has joined the growing trend of
of Olives, is to be rejuvenated. Overlooking the providing ‘tiny homes’ to help house the homeless.
Temple Mount, the 3,000-year-old reservoir of Jew- A Church of the Nazarene in the U.S. state of Oregon
ish history is the resting place for about 150,000 has experienced the need and is extending a help-
Jews, including the prophets Zechariah and ing hand. Lead pastor Matt Huff says they are mov-
Malachi. A new educational centre is planned for ing camped people off the steps of the church on a
the Mount to teach Jews, especially the young, regular basis. He told Christian Headlines they want
about their heritage. A visitor centre will also be to love these people, not kick them off the property.
created that will include a research area, lecture The church is reaching out by building 15 tiny
hall and facilities for the distribution of literature homes on their 11 acre property. Pastor Huff says
about the Mount. At the same time a Jerusalem the homes in what they have called Agape Village
cable-car stop that will help ease traffic in the Old will be places where people can find safety and sta-
City is planned for the Mount. It will transport up bility in a relationship they need in order to move
to 3,000 people per hour through the skies of on to whatever God wants for them. The tiny home
Jerusalem arriving in the city in less than five min- idea is catching on globally with churches in West-
utes. The cornerstone of the new building is ex- ern countries, including Australia, involved in sim-
pected to be placed by the end of the year. ilar projects.
– Breaking Christian News – Christian Headlines
Read: The Mathematical I mpossi bility
by David Holden at
www.defenceofthefaith.org
NEW LIFE – 1 May 2019 – Page EightFAITH NEWS FROM AROUND AUSTRALIA ... With STAN HUNT
Telling The Story Our First Peoples’ Way
Springwood Presbyterian Church, in the Lower Blue Mountains
west of Sydney, has been attracting attention with an exhibition
of paintings by Christian Aboriginal artists depicting the Gospel
message.
The church has displayed the works in their grounds in Main
Street. The seven paintings are reproductions of works in Our
Mob, God’s Story, the award-winning coffee table book published
by Bible Society Australia.
Parishioner Janice Johnston tracked down the artists to ask
their permission to use their works in an Easter exhibition for the
church. Ms Johnston told Eternity News they have discovered how
much people are drawn to Aboriginal art, with many stopping to
ask about the paintings and photograph them. A quote from Scrip-
ture was placed underneath each piece.
Our Mob, God’s Story comprises works by 66 Aboriginal and Tor-
res Strait Islander Christian artists.
– Photo and story, Eternity News
‘It’s About The Cross’
The sign of the cross appeared over cities in Australia's eastern states this Easter thanks to a skywriting
campaign funded by Hillsong Church. The Cross Equals Love campaign saw skywriters using a plane to
draw the sign of the cross, an equals sign and a love heart in the skies over cities from Geelong (Vic) to
Noosa (Qld). The skywriting is part of a broader campaign which also includes employing Google Ad-
Words to reach people with encouraging messages. According to Sight Magazine the Cross Equals Love
campaign started more than 10 years ago as a way to brand Hillsong's Easter services. It is now a coör-
dinated campaign across all of the church's 85 campuses around the world. – Sight Magazine
Mark 16.15
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You’re welcome at The Faith Factory:
ST KILDA: Cnr Alma Rd/Barkly St. Every Sunday 11am & 5pm;
Living Stones Korean Presbyterian Church. Every Sunday 1pm;
BALACLAVA: Cnr Hotham St/Denman Rd. Every Sunday 9.30am.
Rev Paul Lee (03) 9537 1642
You’re Welcome At The Faith Factory
– A Friendly, Caring, BibleBelieving Christian Fellowship –
NEW LIFE – 1 May 2019 – Page NinePERSECUTION WATCH
Prayer Called For Sri Lanka After Terrorist Attacks
The horrendous Easter attack on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka and its tragic aftermath has
rocked the world. as the death, injury and destruction toll rises A number of the Christian leaders there
within the International Prayer Council have provided the following prayer points with the request that
Christians around the world support their brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka at this time. Let us pray for
its public officials, Christian leaders and believers, and for the restoration and healing of this nation that
the Lord created and loves. Please pray into the following aspects of the situation in Sri Lanka as the
Lord leads:
• The death toll is more than 250 persons and the injured list is more than 350. Attacks and at-
tempts of attack are still in the air. Please pray for the recovery of the injured and for those who mourn
the loss of loved ones.
• Please pray for the reestablishment of peace amongst the general public, with fear, anxiety and
hopelessness extremely high.
• Pray For the government and rulers to be united and intentionally decisive to overcome enemy fac-
tions.
• Pray that the Lord will bind the work and plans of ISIS which claims to be behind these attacks.
They are looking for more opportunities to strike churches and Christians.
• Shops, offices, schools are closed, people who are dependent on daily wages are not finding work.
Therefore, starvation and frustration is creeping in. Pray for sufficient food to be available to meet the
daily needs of people
• Public demonstrations against the government is threatened. Pray for peace across the whole na-
tion. Decision makers do not see eye to eye with each other, therefore important decisions are not being
made. Pray that personal differences would be put aside for the good of the nation.
• Pray for the situation of leadership failure with consequent economic, social and political instability
in the nation. Pray that God would place His hand on the nation, restoring stability and peace to this
troubled land.
• The forces of darkness in high places are raging against the Church and her leadership. Pray the
Church would receive strength and comfort to battle against the powers of darkness.
• Please pray that the support lines of ISIS would be cut and resources would stop flowing to the ISIS
leadership here. – International Prayer Council via Australian Prayer Network.
NIGERIA: Boko Haram Mark Anniversary Islamist captors to force them into marriage, while
Of Mass Abduction Of Girls With Cruel Raid a group of Christian girls experienced a mock exe-
Boko Haram extremists marked the fifth anniver- cution for refusing to convert to Islam.
sary of their abduction of 276 mainly Christian CHINA: Police Loot Church, Bury Bibles, Detain
schoolgirls in north-east Nigeria by leaving a neigh- Members As Persecution Escalates
bouring village a smoking ruin on 14 April. The Chinese authorities have launched yet another bru-
merciless Islamist raiders swept into Kwarangu- tal attack on Christianity, looting the donations box
lum, a village just 10 miles away from Chibok, the of a church, burying Bibles, and detaining the se-
town where the girls were snatched on 14 April nior pastor before shuttering the building. The raid,
2014. They fired weapons indiscriminately, set led by the deputy governor of Zhecheng county and
many homes on fire, and filled their four trucks involving armed SWAT and anti-riot police, took
with as much looted food as they could carry. For- place at True Jesus Church in Anping town. 60 ve-
tunately, the villagers had already fled after receiv- hicles, surrounded the church with the police
ing tip-offs that gunmen were heading in their blocking off all the intersections leading to the
direction. The attack came just hours after local building. Authorities claimed that the church was
people had gathered at the school in Chibok to in contact with foreign countries and was thus en-
peacefully acknowledge the anniversary of the kid- gaging in illegal activity. They ordered an immedi-
napping of the girls. Around 160 of the schoolgirls ate shut down by any means possible.
have subsequently escaped, been rescued or re- – Gospel Herald
leased. Girls have reported being whipped by their
NEW LIFE – 1 May 2019 – Page TenNEW LIFE ADVERTISING
Can You Help Us?
New Life Needs To Update Its Equipment And Computer Programs.
Donations To Help Us Achieve This Would Be Most Appreciated.
If You Can Join Us In Improving The Ministry Of New Life, Please Send Donations To:
New Life Australia Ltd, PO Box 457, Mitcham 3132
or By Direct Deposit To: Account: New Life Australia Ltd.
Bank: Westpac. BSB: 033-112. Account Number: 16-8239
Elizabeth Kendal’s New Book ...
War! Destruction! Violent Persecution! Martyrdom! Forced Displacement!
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‘Kendal’s book is a godsend to anyone who is at a loss to understand what lies behind the suffering in the Middle East. Drawing
on authoritative voices from the region, her clear-eyed analysis untangles the conflicts with the heart and insight of a prophet.
– Jeff M. Sellers, Editor, Persecution News Service, Morning Star News.
For more information go to: www.ElizabethKendal.com
Glorious Things – A Protestant’s Guide
To London
• Revised! • Updated! • Illustrated! • Now Available As An e-Book!
Glorious Things will help visitors to London arrive well prepared to make the most of their time there.
The guided tours will take you to places like Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s Cathedral,
but Glorious Things will take you to important sites linked to our Protestant heritage.
COST: $10 for the PDF version, with the right to print two hard copies.
PAYMENT OPTIONS:
1. Cheque for $10 payable to New Life Australia. Mail to: PO Box 457, Mitcham Vic 3132.
(Please include a letter with your name and email address so that we can email the PDF to you.)
2. Direct deposit $10 to Bank: Westpac; A/c name: New Life Australia Ltd
BSB: 033-112; A/c No: 16-8239 (Please also notify us by email).
We’re C oun t ing On YOU!
YOUR Don at ions Ke e p Us G oing!
Through the generous donations of members of the New Life family,
New Life is now available free on request by email to everyone, everywhere,
who wants to receive it.
PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION:
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(Please make cheques out to: ‘New Life Australia Ltd’.)
• By Direct Deposit To: Account Name: New Life Australia Ltd.
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(Please email office@nlife.com.au when you direct deposit).
• From Our Web Site: (www.nlife.com.au)
using the Make A Donation button.
NEW LIFE – 1 May 2019 – Page ElevenJOURNEY THROUGH JOHN with David Cook
Our Greatest Privilege (Read John 7.37-39)
The Feast of Tabernacles marked the end of the annual harvest (see Deuteron-
omy 16.13). Each morning of the seven-day feast, an offering of water was made,
probably as an act of faith that God would now water the land, ensuring an effective
sowing of seed to usher in the new agricultural year.
Jesus makes use of this water theme. He also combines the basic staples of life:
bread and water, and claims that both are found spiritually in Him (John 6.35;
7.37).
It is Jesus who nourishes our spiritual life. The invitation is: come to Jesus and
abundant streams of water will flow from within. The Scriptures to which Jesus
refers may include Isaiah 58.11 and 12.3; the association of water and Spirit is
found in Nehemiah 9.20.
The Spirit is eternal but is not given to us until the work of Christ is done,
because the work of Jesus is the basis of the New Covenant and the gift of the Spirit is one of
God’s great gifts to His people.
For the Christian, God lives in us in the person of the Holy Spirit.
FOR REFLECTION: The Holy Spirit is God’s abundant provision for our spiritual thirst. He
gives life (Romans 8.11). He leads us in the battle against our sinful na-
Think about how we are
ture (Romans 8.13). He reminds us that God is our Father (Romans
tempted to think – that God’s
8.15). He accompanies and aids us in our witness (John 15.26,27).
provision is paltry,
Notice that Jesus’ offer is exclusive. People must come to Him to drink;
His invitation narrow,
there is no other way. They must believe in Him; the Spirit comes when
and His offer inexact
Jesus is glorified by being recognized and acknowledged for who He
– and rejoice that
claims to be. Though the offer is exclusive, the invitation is widespread
His provision
and generous. Jesus calls ‘anyone’ (v.37) and promises ‘whoever’ (v.38).
is just the opposite.
God’s provision is abundant. Abundant! Widespread! Exclusive!
Reprinted from Our Daily Bread Journey Through Series® – Journey Through John by David Cook
(Copyright © 2017) published by Discovery House.
Used with permission of Discovery House. All rights reserved.
For further enquiries please visit: journeythrough.org or email: australia@odb.org
SEEN ON FACEBOOK:
NEW LIFE – 1 May 2019 – Page Twelve‘FATHER FORGIVE ...’
Sri Lankan Christians Following The Lord’s Example
The leader of an evangelical church bombed in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday has spoken out, offering
forgiveness to the attackers. Pastor Roshan Mahesen, speaking on behalf of Zion Church in Batticaloa,
said: Jesus Christ on the Cross prayed ‘Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.’ He
said: ‘We also, who follow the footsteps of Jesus Christ, say, Lord, forgive these people.’
He told Inspire Magazine they will continue to fulfil the mission the Lord has given them in Sri Lanka.
In a video shared by Sri Lankan Christian ministry The Life, Pastor Roshan also thanked people around
the world who have prayed for them and sent messages of condolence and encouragement. The video is
available to view on Facebook. – Inspire Magazine
Caring For Lebanese Refugee Children
The Triumphant Mercy Lebanon Mission is planning six-week programs for the Northern Summer to
protect children in refugee camps, at a time when parents have to make the agonizing decision to go and
work at their agricultural jobs and leave their children
New Bible Memorisation Program
alone. Two-year olds sometimes are left in the care of a
A new Bible memorization program is help-
six-year old sibling, often with disastrous consequences.
ing Christians learn Scripture by heart and
TM is lifting the weight of worry from refugee parents,
apply it to daily life. BibleMemory.com – an
giving the children a safe space to spend their days.
online portal for Scripture memorization –
‘For six weeks the children play games, hear Bible
has launched a Small Group Leader’s Guide
stories and experience healing of their emotions,’
For Memorizing Scripture. Available for free
Nuna with TM told Mission Network News. they need
at www.biblememory.com the guide pro-
more helpers for their camps – people who can play
vides step-by-step instructions for starting
with children and show them love. Anyone prepared to
and leading a small-group study program
go to Lebanon for six weeks in June-July should contact
dedicated to memorizing and mastering Bible
the Triumphant Mercy Lebanon website for more infor-
verses.
mation.
For Further Reading:
Every fortnight New Life receives more material than we are able to include in the current issue
due to the exigencies of space. For the most part these are articles which exceed the space available in
their particular category. Others are longer than the usual run of articles we publish. Still others, though
worthy, are judged to be of interest to only a small proportion of readers, generally because they are
more technical than the articles we choose for publication.
However, we believe that such articles would be of sufficient interest to enough of our readers to
refer them to the websites where they can be accessed.
The following items come into this category as we go to publication of this issue:
CMIAID, Newsletter of Christian Mission International by Matthew Hillier, Director,
Mother's Day – Ann Jarvis – Our History And The Christian Connection, Graham McDonald,
www.diduno.info/mothersday
WHO CAN YOU
INVITE
TO SIGN UP
And Inspiring Talk FOR A FREE
www.96three.com.au
Phone: 03 5241 6550 SUBSCRIPTION
Email: listen@96three.com.au TO NEW LIFE?
NEW LIFE – 1 May 2019 – Page ThirteenNEW LIFE EXTRA
So You Desperately Want To Write To Your MP,
But Just Don’t Have The Confidence To Write?
Christians in Australia and other western nations have found themselves increasingly socially
marginalised over recent decades. At universities, in the workplace, at social events and even on the
streets, the increasing hostility towards Biblical teachings and those espousing them is unmistakeable.
Whether you’re taking a stand for marriage, speaking up for the unborn to be afforded the same legal
protections one minute before birth as after birth, or defending the uniqueness of Christ, you will be
considered a pariah and attacked in nearly all social settings these days.
Will the trend continue and this marginalisation lead to outright and widespread persecution
throughout the western world? Only God knows. But unless He sends a widespread revival or intervenes
in an extraordinary way, then we should not be surprised to see that the main forces currently at work
shaping our culture are party politics, the mainstream media, many universities and many schools con-
tinuing to influence society for the worse.
What can Christians do to ‘occupy until I come’? Should we throw up our hands in despair? Will we
keep our heads down and bury our talent in the ground? Or will we use what God has given us as much
as we are able to produce a return? If we want to hear a ‘Well done, good and faithful servant’ from our
Lord on the last day, then it is incumbent upon every Christian to do the latter.
Now, each of us has our own special gifting from the Lord, and our own ways in which we can most
effectively stem the tide of evil. This may involve speaking with friends or colleagues about these issues,
standing for parliament, producing YouTube videos, writing articles or any number of other activities
behind the scenes. Not all of us can be an expert in every area, or have enough time for everything, but
we shouldn’t let any opportunity pass where we could make a difference for the better.
One way I have found I can make a difference is by regularly contacting my Federal and State Members
of Parliament on various issues of great concern regarding the future of our nation. This is a particularly
rewarding activity, because every one of us has been given a vote, and there are no special talents, re-
quirements or restrictions on using it. I am convinced that if each Christian will use this privilege that
we still have in Australia, then our country will be considerably better off.
Organisations like Family Voice (www.fava.org.au) and the Australian Christian Lobby
(www.acl.org.au) do a fantastic job of bringing to our attention the issues that our Members of Parlia-
ment need to be lobbied on. Both organisations have excellent websites, and you can subscribe at no
cost to receive email bulletins from them.
If, however, like me you don’t have the time to research the issues, keep up to date with who your
current MPs are, and then write to them, I’ve discovered another excellent service that takes all the effort
out of the process, but still leaves you in complete control of your correspondence with your MPs.
It’s a service called The Golden Sceptre (www.thegoldensceptre.com.au), named after the golden
sceptre in the book of Esther and designed specifically for Christians to use. Subscribers receive two
emails a month, written especially to send as from them, on the most important issues of Christian con-
cern in their area and specifically addressed to their elected representatives at Federal or State level.
The emails can be reviewed and edited before sending, though I very rarely want to change anything in
them, and they are then sent off by The Golden Sceptre to all addressees – for example your MPs – with
just one click. Actually, a variety of different emails are written on each topic and distributed amongst
subscribers, so that MPs in the same electorate will receive a variety of emails, approaching the issues
from several different angles, even if you don’t edit them in any way before sending. It is a paid service
at just $5 per month, and all new subscribers receive a free, no-obligation two month free trial to test
the service out.
I highly recommend this service, and am confident that you too will find The Golden Sceptre a very
useful tool for expressing your convictions on many aspects of society today, so that you can hopefully
help to make a difference in these areas. – Bruce Grayden
NEW LIFE – 1 May 2019 – Page FourteenBOOKS WORTH READING
LETTERS OF JOHN CALVIN: With An Introductory Biography,
Banner Of Truth, Edinburgh, 2019
This selection of 70 letters from the pen of John Calvin comes from the
Bonnet Edition (1833-37) and is prefaced by a 20-page biography of this great
servant of Christ. Calvin has often been misunderstood and misrepresented,
but these letters correct any distortion of his character and aims. They help
us to discover the ‘real Calvin’. For those who want the full edition of his letters,
the volumes edited by Jules Bonnet are also published by Banner (2009) in a
seven-volume set, Tracts And Letters.
Calvin had a network of friends who shared his passion to see Gospel truth
prosper in Europe and beyond, and for whose spiritual welfare he was con-
cerned, especially Farel, with whom he worked in Geneva. When expelled from
that city after several years of ministry, Calvin found support in his trust in ‘These letters,
God, saying to Farel his fellow-refugee, ‘Let us therefore find refuge in that one
asylum, which, even though the whole Earth may be shaken, can never be together with
moved’ (page 30). It is, of course, imagery drawn from Psalm 46. his commen-
Calvin sought to be a peacemaker in the church and was willing to over-
look many faults and imperfections in church leaders and church practice to taries and
promote the unity of the body of Christ. The common image of an inflexible
and domineering Calvin is contradicted by his letters. He writes letters of com- other writ-
fort to bereaved and afflicted believers and conciliatory letters to Luther and ings, notably
other reformers.
How did Calvin view his own sufferings? One perspective is given in a letter the Institutes
to the Lord Protector of England (during the minority of Edward VI), ‘God
chastises our faults by those who would otherwise serve Satan only’. In other Of The Chris-
words, God uses our enemies to bless us! There are touching letters praising tian Religion,
his wife, Idelette de Buré, who had died, with Calvin throwing himself into his
work to keep from being overwhelmed by grief. It was through such times of are a perma-
personal sorrow that Calvin learned how to comfort others in their afflictions
and many of the letters in this collection are letters of consolation. nent legacy
The volume is completed by Calvin’s last will and testament and his of great
farewell to the leaders of Geneva dictated by an ailing Calvin. If the truth be
told, there never was a more humble, faithful and able servant of Christ. Like value to the
his Master, Calvin had many enemies; he was slandered, but he did his duty to
the end. These letters, together with his commentaries and other writings, no- church.’
tably the Institutes Of The Christian Religion, are a permanent legacy of great
value to the church. – Greg Goswell
WHO CAN YOU
FORWARD NEW LI FE TO?
TURN BACK THE BATTLE: Isaiah Speaks To Christians Today.
With persecution escalating globally, Elizabeth Kendal calls us to revisit the prophecy of Isaiah,
maintaining that Isaiah 1-39 provides an unambiguous treatise on how God's people
are to respond to persecution, suffering and existential threat.
For purchasing options, visit: www.ElizabethKendal.com
NEW LIFE – 1 May 2019 – Page FifteenNEW LIFE EXTRA
Two Sermons-To-Go For Easter
Outlines of sermons preached by the Rev Andy Pearson, Minister of London City Presbyterian Church meeting in St
Botolph Without Aldersgate, London, on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, 19 and 21 April 2019. To see and hear the
sermons in full go to: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_N2sX_LwemqatfZTIxGNug/featured
1. GOOD FRIDAY: 2. EASTER SUNDAY:
The Darkness Of Golgotha (Mark 15.33) The Physical Resurrection Of Jesus.
Introduction: 1. The Church Is CONFRONTED By The Resurrection.
Zero in on the DARKNESS – deep, thick, impenetrable The resurrection sets our priorities as Gospel impera-
DARKNESS … Jesus was crucified at mid-day, so it tives drive us in proclamation …
should have been really light, but it was really dark … The resurrection recalls our status before God as being
The darkness was most likely over Judea alone, made saved by Grace …
by supernatural means and concentrated on the Man on The resurrection guards us from error … we are con-
the Cross … fronted by facts, not by metaphor, and the minister’s job
It would have been terrifying darkness … Jesus was not is not to explain the facts away but to declare and affirm
just mocked, He was tortured and agonisingly crucified them … Worshipping with the Lord’s people on the
… how dark must it have been for Him? Lord’s Day, praying constantly, studying God’s inerrant
1. Darkness Shows Us The SIGNIFICANCE Of The Word, sharing the Gospel with others are ways by which
Cross. the Lord confirms us in our faith …
Jesus’ birth had been heralded by the appearance of a Paul’s message of the resurrection in 1 Corinthians to
bright star, but His death was heralded by deep DARK- the Church in Corinth is his message to us today …
NESS – unusual, unnatural, unique events, signifying the 2. The Church Can Be CONFIDENT In The Resurrec
uniqueness of the Cross … tion.
The offering of the life of the Just for the unjust is the We tend to cherish certain portions of God’s Word
only means by which anyone can be saved … which have helped us along the way …
2. Darkness Shows Us The SORROW Of The Cross. 1 Corinthians 15 is cherished by a multitude of Chris-
Not just of Jesus, ‘the Man of sorrows and acquainted tians because it gives such a precise summary of the
with grief’, not just of His loved ones gathered at His Gospel … Christ D.I.E.D. for our sins; He was buried; He
feet, but the Father’s sorrow at the death of His Son ... rose again on the third day – and all in fulfilment of the
Old Testament prophecy shows us that Christ’s atoning prophecies of Old Testament Scripture …
death on the Cross was a planned event, the darkness 3. The Church Must Be CONSISTENT In Upholding
signifying the Father’s sorrow that salvation had to be The Resurrection.
achieved this way … The consensus of Christian preaching from the very be-
3. Darkness Shows Us The SINBEARING NATURE Of ginning in accord with the Scriptures and the Creed has
The Cross. been that ‘on the third day He rose again’ …
God’s wrath, His anger, was poured out against His Son Living in a desperately needy city like ... (wherever you
as ‘He who knew no sin became sin for us’ … live) where so many churches ignore the true Gospel for
He did it for you; He did it for me … a ‘prosperity gospel’ or a ‘social gospel’, and so many at-
4. Darkness Was OVERTAKEN By Light At The Ninth tempt to turn the historic Gospel into metaphor, the
Hour. bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ must be the
That’s it! ‘Tis done, the Great Transaction’s done!’ The hill on which we take our stand …
work of salvation is finished … The light has returned … Conclusion:
God will not look on us and see sin because He looked Only in Christ, crucified, dead and buried, who on the
on the Lord Jesus Christ in the darkness on the cross third day rose from the dead will anyone be saved, but
and saw Him bearing the weight of our sin … ‘everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be
Conclusion: saved’ … If you have not yet called on Him, will you come
The saved, those who look to Christ, have their sin for- to Him today? Talk with … (the ministers, elders, dea-
given because He suffered and bled and died in our cons, other designated persons after the service.)
place …
But the unsaved, those who refuse to look to Him, will ‘But none of the righteous ever knew
suffer, not for three hours, but forever … how deep were the waters crossed;
Therefore look to Jesus Christ, crucified, and receive how dark was the night that the Lord went through
God’s gracious gift of full and free salvation in Him. to save the sheep that was lost’
NEW LIFE – 1 May 2019 – Page SixteenYou can also read
