On the evening of Friday, 26th May 2023, Moore Theological College held its graduation for the Moore PTC.
The Preliminary Theological Certificate is our long-standing non-accredited course designed to help people from all backgrounds grow in their love and knowledge of God and his word. The live event, which was also livestreamed, celebrated the successful conclusion of three different levels of PTC studies for 68 graduands and showcased the benefits of studying the Moore PTC for people of many ages and stages of life.
These dedicated students, along with many of their loved ones and well-wishers, came from far and wide, filled with love and excitement for the gospel of the Lord Jesus. Despite differing backgrounds and experiences, they were united in their desire to grow in knowledge and love of God and his Son Jesus Christ, and a desire to serve him and share his word.
The keynote speaker for the evening was the Reverend Ken Noakes, Rector of Lower Mountains Anglican Parish and long-time supporter and advocate for the Moore PTC. His address was titled, ‘The Gospel We Proclaim’. He spoke from Romans 1:1–17, reminding those present of the glories of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and the privilege it is to proclaim him. He urged the graduates to use what they had learned to proclaim Christ in their own situations.
The joyous focus of the night was the conferral of awards for the completion of 3 different stages, followed by interviews of 18 graduands, who told of their experience doing the Moore PTC. Six graduands, who studied the first Level of PTC over two years at Pacific Hills Christian School, spoke with fondness of classroom PTC discussions led by their teacher, Mr Tim Dawson. Michelle Dallimore, now a semi-retired teacher, had done four PTC units in 1989 at the encouragement of her Christian school. Now semi-retired and leading a Bible study group, Michelle restarted PTC with her church, more than 30 years later. She said ‘[…PTC has] helped me have confidence finding answers in God’s word and where to look in God’s word, just to pull things together more succinctly.’
Graduand Philip Trigge noted one of the major recurring themes of the night was that ‘you are never too old to learn’. Glen Wang said that God had been ‘nudging’ him to study the PTC for 20 years. ‘It was not until the last couple of years, I finally decided that it was time to start taking ownership of learning about God’. One outcome has been Glen’s ‘awareness of the realisation of how much I need Jesus’. One graduand, Vanessa Padgett, mentioned that PTC had given her a ‘sounder theological base’ which even impacts her song leading ministry at church.
Penny Dempster, a primary teacher who had travelled from Darwin to receive her Level 3 award, noted that PTC has helped her ’embed the word of God’ in her classroom teaching programs at her Christian School. It was a delight to have Carolyn Anetter, who does not have the privilege of hearing, share how the PTC has helped develop her understanding of the word of God so that she can live in a godly way. Oisin Friel, who has completed his final PTC award, said the PTC had supplemented what he’d heard from the pulpit and his Bible study and that it had ‘whetted my appetite for more’. Since completing the PTC, he has done a chaplaincy course and is now volunteering as a chaplain at his former hospital workplace, as well as enjoying Spurgeon’s sermons daily.
‘Moore PTC graduation nights are always a joyous occasion’, said the Rev Dr Lionel Windsor, the Academic Director of the Moore PTC. ‘Not only do we rejoice in the achievements of these outstanding men and women, but we also delight in witnessing God’s work in equipping individuals with a deeper understanding of God and his word. Moore PTC students can be found all over Australia, including NSW, the ACT, Victoria, Queensland, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia. This evening we had an attendee all the way from Darwin – and several graduands from even further afield joined us on the livestream!’ This formal, wonderful work in shaping the lives of individuals through his word.
As the hymn Be Thou My Vision filled the hall, the audience and graduates finished the evening with thankful hearts for God’s work in and through the Moore PTC.
A recording of the event is available here:
