Al Stewart, Andrew Heard and Steve Chong hosted an Australian Church Planting conference yesterday with the aim of turning talk into action. Al kicked off in the Bible and described the job description of a church planter: Soldier; Athlete; Farmer. He also spoke about the nature of the gospel and why it’s worth suffering. Solid and challenging stuff. Chong, 1 year into a church plant in Kogarah, shared some reflections as a rookie with things they got right and things they got wrong. Heardy, 13 years into a church plant on the Central Coast, spoke about thing he wish he knew when he first started.
Some common threads: how hard it is plant churches; the urgent need to plant churches around Australia that will proclaim Jesus; the desire to get out there and do it! There are a bunch of networks currently planting churches around Australia and so the question is: what type of network of networks could be formed to help plant more? And what would its relationship be to the Acts 29 Network?
It was an exciting night as 170 people gathered to think about how to reach our country with the gospel. There was a great respect for denominations and those on whose shoulders we stand, but a desire to see many more people reached with the good news of Jesus that are currently unreached. I met some great people who are keen to plant churches and proclaim Jesus. It was good to meet a couple of guys I’ve had contact with via the net: blogging legend (though his blog is ugly!) Mikey Lynch from Tassie; and Guy Mason from Docklands Church in Melbourne.
The aim will be to launch a network later on in the year. In the meantime there are a whole bunch of questions that need to be wrestled with… but exciting times ahead. Also, they asked for suggestions for a name for the network – I gave about 30… but here’s one I came up with today:
The Uluru Church Planting Crew
Uluru – also known as Ayers Rock – is a big rock in the middle of the country. It’s Aussie as. And it’s kinda smack bang in the middle of the country. Rocks are hard – so is church planting. Also Jesus is our Rock. It works on so many levels. What do you think? Any more suggestions?
For some more coverage check out: link removed and Michael Kellahan (+ pictures)
Dave
thanks for link and report – it was a great night and promises a lot
I hear what you’re saying about Uluru – but why does it make me think of Mr G?
haha its a nice name, but… you know when a joke has too many levels, so that by the time you get it, it’s not funny anymore?
It’s kinda like that… :P
Exciting conference though!!
A little too gimmicky for my taste
@mike – it makes me think of Ricky Wong more than Mr G…
@hayesy – sorry for lame humour
@craig – good. tongue was firmly in my cheek!
Hey man thanks for the report. Glad you got to meet Mikey.
Warm greetings to you in the name of the Lord Jesus, we thank you for the great work your doing for the kingdom of God. This is my testimony in short; I grew up in a slam area near the capital of Uganda, it was and up today with a lot of drug smokers, prostitutes, drunkard, and poverty and poor accommodation, my father hard left my mother when we were young, we grew up with our mum how was an alcohol seller living in such situation I can’t say that it was our mum’s effort ,because drunkard men could stay in our single room up to midnight and alcohol drums were our pillows, one day I was almost dead I received 45 injections for my treatment ,in 2000 our mum died, we remained two with my youngest brother, he got saved first and many times he preached to but I didn’t want to listen to anything about salvation, but instead married Mariam she was a Muslim, it was not because I was ready for marriage but it was my last resort , because although we grew up in slam with all things we were not smoking, taking alcohol or anything that could abstract my thoughts accept getting a wife. Many people resisted saying that I was too young to marry, I always told them that if it is my journey as a man let me begin it Wright now. Mariam after two years she got saved and accepted Jesus but she was chased away from her family by her father, we stayed together and got our first daughter petit, after one year I got saved, and I went to the prayer mountain I asked God which I should go for fellowshipping, God took me back to the slam where grew from. God connected me with ps. John Mugisha whom God had sent to preach the gospel we went to our slam area and began the ministry in 2005 called Revival ministry hoping to revive the people of the area. The ministry has been going on well with the preaching of the gospel though with struggles as you understand beginning ministries.On 25th of January 2011 the owner of the land which the church is renting came and informed us that she wants to sell the land and if we are able to purchase it we should do it as soon as possible or else we vacate the land so that she can sell it out to other people who want to use the land for other purposes. We would not wish to vacate this land because of the great work still required such as counseling the drug addicts, prostitutes, drunkards, widows, orphans, among others.The ministry land is worth 64000$, we understand that this is a lot of money to us as human beings but to God it is too little. We know you have a lot of things to solve, but you can come to our aid with the little you can to save God’s work not only with money though it is needed but with your strong prayers, and missionaries, volunteers and even your friends from other churches and the world at large who can do any thing for God’s work. We would like to send you the photos please. May God bless you so much as you join the struggle with us.
Hi this is pastor Daniel Mukisa from Uganda East Africa i send this to open up ministry Relationship and to well come you in uganda for the work of the ministry
It is in my heart to be under your ministry and if it is possible you to come and we start the church under your ministry it is my Prayers.
hope to hear from you.
yours in Christ Jesus
pastor Daniel Mukisa
Coming on holiday in April to AR. Wondering if there is a church which we can attend on the sunday?
hey john, i’m not sure what churches are in the area.
best bet is google to see what’s there!