27th September 2015 "Aspire to be a phenomenal church"

This message by visiting speaker, QB regional consultant, Rev Pieter Henning, calls us to step up and be true disciples, as we together aspire to be a phenomenal church.

To listen click on the link below...

http://k001.kiwi6.com/hotlink/d2eq1ggjrw/27th_September_2015.mp3

20th September 2015

This message by Chappy Tony Dodge takes a fresh look at the story of the Samaritan women's encounter with Jesus at the well.

To listen click on link below...

http://k001.kiwi6.com/hotlink/5jv5d40eiz/20th_September_2015.mp3

13 September 2015 "True Unity"

Taking a fresh look at Unity, Ps Steve explores the work required buy all members of a team in order for true unity to be achieved.

Click on link below to listen , or right click and 'save as' to download...

http://k001.kiwi6.com/hotlink/y5rox9rzyv/13th_September_2015.mp3

Pastor's Pen 13th Sept 2015 "Commitment"

Commitment is an issue in all spheres of life. Just a generation ago, commitment to one partner for life was the normal thing for all members of society, not just Christians, but now divorce is as common among professed believers as it is among non-Christians. But commitment in other areas has also suffered. Commitment to a local church for Christians has dropped away significantly, with once a month attendees believing they are regular and committed. Furthermore, there is an easy come easy go attitude among many who call themselves Christians, as they float from one church to another, or even adopting a view that they don’t need to be part of a local church, that they are part of the ‘universal church’ and get there teaching online or on television.

But what do those looking on think about a lax un-committed group of people that claim to be God’s power people. They probably don’t care. But that may be because many “Christians” have stopped caring. But God cares and He does intend for His children to be committed members of a local fellowship, active in service and humble in attitude. I have noticed a powerful picture of the church as God intended in scripture in recent times. This gathering of God’s holy people was clearly recognized by believers and un-believers.

Acts 5:12-14 reads, “And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.”

Notice four things. 1. When they met together they were all there. 2. They were different and those who weren’t part of it knew they weren’t included. 3. They might have been different but they were “highly regarded”. 4. The group continued to grow (those who were saved became PART of this committed, set apart and highly respected group.)

We must resist making church common and unimportant. We have a beautiful, potentially powerful thing going here. What we need however is for us who have been saved to take our commitment to Christ seriously and make our commitment to the church something that will serve to bear witness to the truth and power of God in our midst. So let’s make our commitment to Christ and His church real by gathering together, by being different, and by living with integrity. Such commitment may even open the door for God to bring more people into our community of faith.           

PASTOR'S PEN 6th September 2015 "A Godly father-figure"

So it's Father’s Day. On this day we can pause to reflect on what is a Godly take on Fathers Day? I was at a luncheon on Wednesday that sought to honour fathers in exercising their role and I saw a number of dads that could well be described as good role models.

But while we can certainly be shaped and encouraged by the influence of our peers we should also look beyond the good but imperfect example of others to the example God himself sets as Father. A neat picture of God our Father can be found in the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-31). While we often look at the story from the sons perspective, the Father shows us some Godly examples to draw on.

Firstly, the father wanted the best for his son but he wasn't controlling. When the son asked for his inheritance the father didn't start manipulating, but seemingly with great sadness he allowed his son to exercise his free choice. God also allows us to make choices, and we should never think that that we need to make all the choices for our children. It takes faith to let go and let our children make their journey. We need to teach our children truth and set boundaries for them as little ones, but there comes a time when we have to entrust them to God.

Secondly, we see from the father  he didn’t stop caring. While he had surrendered control the father’s compassion never waned and he never stopped hoping for his sons safe return. This is the essence of every healthy relationship; it is the essence of love. Not having to control the other person but always having the door open for them to respond freely with love, gratitude and respect. So whether we are a father, a son, a daughter or a spouse or whatever, the godly example we can glean is to always operate out of a heart of compassion, without taking on the spirit of control.

Yet in all relationships, rejection can hurt. That is also why we can draw our final godly example from the prodigals father: forgiveness. Forgiveness is the most powerful aspect of love that sits right alongside sacrifice in every relationship; God’s relationship with us and our relationship with each other. There are many people, even church people who are being controlled by the anti-Christ spirit of  un-forgiveness. But if we are truly Christ ones or Christians than  we should be operating in the same heart of our Heavenly Father, whose heart of forgiveness is modelled by the father of the prodigal. Yes, we may have been hurt but forgiveness is key for the one thing that is so important to God, unbroken relationship.

The story in Luke offers  an example for fatherhood as well as an example of  Godliness no matter who  we are. A few aspects of what that looks like includes: letting go of control, nurturing a heart of compassion and exercising a spirit of forgiveness. These three things will enhance who you are, father or not.    

 Ps. Steve

Pastor's Pen 30th August 2015

Targeted treatment

Every week day I turn up at the Level 3 oncology at Royal Brisbane and wait for my name to be called. It doesn’t usually take long before a voice comes over the speakers, “Stephen Gellatly, LA2”. My name is called and I am being summoned to my treatment location LA 2.  “L.A.” stands for “Linear Accelerator” a machine that gives my daily dose of radiation to the area of disease. This treatment is regarded as targeted, zoning in on the unhealthy, diseased cells while leaving the healthy cells untouched (that is the plan anyway and we believe with God’s help this is being achieved).

This treatments safety and effectiveness is conditioned on a couple of variables. Me laying still and allowing the treatment to have its effect, and the operator of the machine lining me up correctly and setting the machines parameters properly. As I have thought about this process, even as I undergo it each day, I often think about spiritual parallels to this treatment that apply to all of us. We are, even as born-again believers, subject to the effect of an even greater disease than cancer; the toxic condition of sin. But as ones who have been saved, who are being saved and who will be saved, God is intent on treating us for this debilitating condition of sinfulness.

Yes when we surrender our lives to Jesus and are born again of His Spirit we are forgiven, the eternal punishment for our sins is cancelled out. But the work of salvation is an ongoing process that is God intention to get rid of the areas of sin that are holding us back from the God ordained purposes He has for us. And just like the daily treatment in LA 2, so too God has some targeted treatment to get rid of the disease.

2 Timothy 3:16 reads, “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…” You see God has a treatment He wants us all to submit to in order that we can overcome the pervasive condition of human sinfulness. It’s a targeted treatment that zones in on the offensive areas of our lives so that we can overcome the deadly disease of sin. That treatment is the targeted truth of His living word being brought to bear upon our own lives, habits and attitudes; it’s the humbled, submissive reading of God’s word and receiving its truth. Often we can read the word and see instruction for others, but the first port of call in our daily bible reading should always involve us letting the truth of God’s word do some targeted treatment on us. Like me laying down and remaining still while the Linear Accelerator does its work, so too we need to come and quiet ourselves before God in order to allow Him to target the areas He wants to deal with.

This also requires us to trust the work of the Holy Spirit and resist the words of the enemy. You see God is loving, caring and careful as He treats us for our underlying condition. But the enemy wants you to be restless and he wants to use scripture to condemn and destroy you. In all of this there is a faith required to allow God to target areas we may be afraid to let go of, but if we do as He says, allow His word to search us and destroy the dark cancer of sins power over us, we will be set free in increasing measure to live a freer, more righteous life. 

Ps. Steve.

23rd August 2015 Tony Dodge

Click on the link below to listen to this message by Tony Dodge...

http://k001.kiwi6.com/hotlink/nysfjp821r/2015-8-23.mp3