Help train a Pastor in India

One of the best ways to reach the world with the good news of Jesus is to train Pastors. I have a number of friends who have been involved in doing this in short-term stints in India and Africa with great fruit. My sister and her husband (Jen & Martin Shadwick) are taking a team over in about a week to teach a stack of Indian Pastors using Moore College notes. It’s really exciting. I’d love it if you’d consider partnering with them by prayer support and/or financial support. See their email below…

We write to let you know about an exciting way in which you can partner us as we go to India next week to train pastors from across the south of India.

We will be spending 2 weeks in India with 3 students from Newcastle Christian Students. Leaving Saturday 6th Feb and returning the 21st Feb (the 22nd is the beginning of O-week!!!). We are going in partnership with The Indian Gospel League. This organisation is doing amazing things in India – particularly in the area of Church Planting (1000s of churches a year!!).

The first week will be spent training pastors in Salem from the book of Ephesians (Moore College Preliminary Theological Certificate). Martin will be doing the majority of the lectures with 2 of our students teaching one unit each as well. We will all be involved in leading small discussion groups that are based around the lectures.

Continue reading “Help train a Pastor in India”

In Memory of Bert

While in Clovelly last week, I walked through the massive cemetery at Waverley a number of times. I don’t know how many graves are there, but I’m reasonably confident that the population of dead people is greater than the population of alive people in the immediate area. I found it a sobering experience to walk and read about people now dead. I’m not sure what impact the cemetery has on locals.

I’m not sure what the 100’s of fitness fanatics are thinking each day as they do their health hussles through the cemetery. Are they ignoring the graves? Or are they trying to fight off death for that little bit longer? I’m not sure. I didn’t get a chance to ask any locals. Next time.

What am I sure of?

“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:27-28)

We’re all destined to die. After that we’ll face judgement. The only way we can stand on that day is by trusting in Jesus: sacrificed to take away sin to bring salvation.

The above inscription says “In Memory of Bert”. I didn’t know Bert. He didn’t know me. What mattered for him was whether he knew Jesus or not. Do you know Jesus?

Clean Water For An Entire Community – Only $200 To Go!

DMDC is partnering with Compassion Australia to raise money to provide clean drinking water for an entire community. Here is the original post with the plan of attack. We have now raised $1341. The target is $1541. That means only $200 to go! I’m thankful to God for the generosity of DMDC readers as well as family & friends on Facebook and Twitter.

I think it’s really cool to be able to leverage social media and blogging for good.

Want to help with the final $200?? DONATE NOW.

Australia Day 2010

To celebrate Australia Day on DMDC, I originally planned on having a rant about Racism in Australia. I got lazy. Australia Day has now happened. Expect a rant on racism sooner or later… but in the meantime, check out Jeremiah’s Australia Day post. He has recently started blogging again – and has been churning out lots of quality posts. Check it.

Here’s a snippet:

Here are three things that I love about Australia:

  1. Egalitarianism
  2. Unity
  3. Creativity

Here are three things that concern me about Australia:

  1. The void
  2. The nation within the nation
  3. Alcohol

Read the post for an explanation of each…

Clovelly needs Jesus

God is doing exciting things through St Luke’s Church Clovelly. Last week we were part of their first Summer Festival. Many kids and families heard the good news of Jesus and the church continues to have a positive impact on the community. We were really encouraged by the great bunch of gospel-minded people living on mission in Clovelly.

Each day at our team lunch, we briefly looked at each of the “I AM” statements from Jesus. Here are some of my thoughts on each passage.

See below for (unedited) updates I sent during mission via twitter/posterous:

Continue reading “Clovelly needs Jesus”

Stay connected to Jesus – “I AM” part 8

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:1-5)

Cut a branch from a vine and it will stop bearing fruit. The key to bearing fruit in the Christian life is staying connected to Jesus. Remain in him. You don’t receive Jesus and then move onto bigger and better things. There are no bigger and better things than Jesus! If Jesus is “the life“, then disconnecting from him means disconnecting from the source of life.

If you’re not connected to Jesus – anything you do is useless. Those connected to Jesus will be useful, they will bear fruit for eternity. Going through a tough time? You may be getting pruned: this refinement leads to greater fruit! Remain in Jesus.

This is the final part in the I AM series. Check out the other 7 posts here.

Is Jesus arrogant? – “I AM” part 7

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:5-7)

Jesus says he’s the only way to God. If that is true, Jesus is saying that the only true religion is Christianity and that all other religions are false. Does this make Jesus arrogant? Not at all! If Jesus really is the only way to the Father – the most loving thing that Jesus (and his followers) can do is tell people the truth.

Just before the bit quoted above, Jesus says he is going to prepare a place for his followers in his Father’s house. I used to picture Jesus going into each room and making the bed and placing a towel and soap on the end of each bed. That’s a little bit silly. How does Jesus prepare a place for people in heaven? He goes via the cross. Jesus’ death for sinners and resurrection to new life is the way that he makes access to God possible. Trust him.

Find out more about Jesus.