Moore College

Equipping men and women to love and serve the Lord Jesus Christ

Moore College farewells The Rev Dr Chase Kuhn

Moore College farewells The Rev Dr Chase Kuhn

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Moore College’s much-loved lecturer in Christian ethics and theology, The Rev Dr Chase Kuhn, has accepted the Archbishop’s invitation to become the Rector of St Matthias Centennial Park in Sydney. Dr Kuhn’s long-standing love of church-based pastoral ministry means that this move has not surprised any who know him. While we will be very sad to see him go, we are so glad that he is able to use his very considerable gifts in the service of this community of God’s people. We share the joy of this opportunity with Chase, Amy and the family.

Chase has been on the Moore College faculty since 2016, lecturing units in Christian doctrine and ethics, directing the Centre for Christian Living and overseeing the John Chapman Preaching Initiative, especially its tremendously popular annual preaching clinics.

“Chase has been a very valuable contributor to the ministry of the College over the past seven years”, said College principal, Dr Mark Thompson. “He is a fine pastor, teacher, and scholar and he will most certainly be missed. I can’t help but be excited, though, for the congregations at Centennial Park and I am glad that in many different ways, he will remain connected to the College.”

The timing of the appointment meant, sadly, that the student body was not able to farewell Chase together before the end of the academic year. However, we do expect him to be around College in one form or another next year.


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The Faithfulness of the Lord

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Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures (Psalm 119:89-90). 

In Psalm 119, the Psalmist reminds us of two fundamental truths: first, that God’s Word is eternal, and, second, that God Himself is faithful. In Scripture, we see God’s faithfulness in his dealings with his people across all ages, culminating in the glorious death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and continuing to the present as he continues to fulfil His plans and purposes in these last days. This is true in the history of the Church. And it is also true with regard to us at Moore College. Over many generations now, we have been privileged to witness the impact of the gospel on the lives of our graduates, and to see how they themselves have been used by God to impact others as they speak His Word in parishes, on university campuses, and in schools, hospitals, and prisons across Australia and around the globe. All this is evidence of God’s faithfulness and so we respond with praise – for that is His due. 

As our graduates have made their way from Newtown to serve in a range of locations, both domestic and further afield, we have been increasingly blessed to see new students come through our doors from a variety of different countries, with different family backgrounds, different stories to tell of how they were brought by God from darkness to light, and a raft of different ministry experiences. 

First-year student, Phoebe, and her team on mission at Bathurst Cathedral during 2023 Mission Week.

Take for example, Phoebe, one of our current students, who came to Sydney as a ministry apprentice, having previously worked in student ministry in the Philippines. As she served in her homeland, and grew in her joy of knowing God through study and reflection on the Scriptures, Phoebe realised that in order for her ministry to grow, she needed to be formally trained and so made the journey to Sydney. 

Or Jason, who comes from a Buddhist background in Malaysia. Jason originally arrived in Australia to study a master’s degree in architecture before the Lord brought him to faith. Since then, he undertook a ministry apprenticeship in Newcastle and is currently preparing to return to Malaysia as a missionary. 

Or Trace, who came from Uganda to complete a PhD in Adelaide before also serving a ministry apprenticeship. Trace is currently at Moore College preparing to minister to students within tertiary institutions in Uganda.

Third-year student, Trace, and his team at Mt Druitt Anglican and Oakhurst Anglican during 2023 Mission Week.

Three common elements stand out in these stories. First, Phoebe, Jason and Trace all share a joy in the Lord that comes from their own experience of His faithfulness to them. Second, each one has been raised by God to consider how they might best serve Him with their lives in vocational ministry. And, third, each one has recognised their need for theological education to prepare them towards this goal. 

The blessing of these international students also extends to the wider Moore College community, enriching the common experience of learning together.  

Please rejoice with us as our college continues to send out graduates into all the earth, who in turn send back future students to Moore so that they themselves might be blessed from the theological formation which our college offers. 

We are also thankful our Moore College graduates who are doing the slow but crucial work of prayerfully raising up future Gospel workers and challenging people from the Scriptures to consider ministry for themselves. One current ministry apprentice, who hopes to study at Moore next year, has previously served alongside a former graduate in Africa – and so the cycle continues as we see God’s faithfulness extend from one generation to the next and across continents. 

Please pray for our students and graduates, that they might continue to boldly proclaim Jesus and so play their part in raising up more and more workers for the harvest field. Will you please pray that we as a college might continue to faithfully resource and equip all those that the Lord sends us for a lifetime of ministry in His service. 

Would you also consider partnering with us financially to this great cause so that in the future many, many, more from places all around the world might have the opportunity to learn and grow in our community? A thorough theological education in Sydney is costly but a quality preparation for a lifetime of ministry is invaluable. 

Thank you for your continued partnership with Moore College in training, sending, and recruiting the next generation of Christian leaders in Sydney and around the world.  

Your brother in Christ, 

Soo Sing Goh 

Chief Operating Officer

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    ‘Your truth’ and the true story: How the gospel of Christ transforms our decision-making

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    In this article, focusing primarily on Romans 5–8, I will explore how this gospel foundation grounds our decision-making when we face stories of suffering. I am writing primarily for those who have roles in making decisions in difficult situations, especially those in leadership or governance positions in churches, Christian schools and other Christian communities.
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    Moore College’s New Curriculum

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    Moore College launched its new curriculum at the start of the 2023 Academic Year. Moore College Principal Dr Mark Thompson unpacks the key features of the new curriculum in this new video.

    Here is what he says:  

    ‘At Moore College, we are committed to regularly reviewing what we do.   

    We want to keep learning. We want to keep growing. We want to keep improving and refining the training that we provide for our students. We want our students to be thoroughly equipped for ministry in today’s world.  

    1. Same Core, But Improved Delivery 

    One of the things that we’ve been doing over the last few years is looking at our curriculum. We have not changed the basic core of the curriculum. People will still be studying the Old Testament in depth, and learning Hebrew. People will be studying the New Testament in depth and learning Greek. There’s theological study, and church history, and ministry, and mission, and philosophy. All of those components of our study remain in place.  

    But what is changing is the way in which we present that material. We have worked hard at a closer  sense of integration, where theory and practice are put alongside each other, to not only understand what the Bible says, but to communicate it clearly; not only understanding what Christian theology is, but being able to think theologically about your world and about the ministry that you’re exercising.  

    1. A New Name for the Program 

    Another change is simply the name of the program.  

    Our four-year program now has exit points at every stage. If you study for one year at Moore College, you can receive the Advanced Diploma; after second year, an Associate Degree; in third year, a Bachelor of Theology. And in fourth year, the entire program is now a joint Bachelor of Theology/Master of Theology, the BTh/ThM. We think that change will be particularly helpful for those students who go and work on the mission field where mission agencies understand and require a Master’s degree in order to do some of the work that our students are preparing to do.  

    1. Reduced Number of Subjects 

    We’ve also worked hard at trying to reduce the number of subjects that a student is studying at any one time, so that they can devote themselves to the subjects that are in front of them. And so, to make that possible, we’ve had a few more intensive units placed into our curriculum. And that’s changed the nature of our weekly timetable and a few things like that. But we think that they will enable our students to focus on the things in front of them, and to study well.  

    Preparing Students for Ministry in today’s world 

    So those kinds of refinements and improvements, the integration of the developments that we have made over the last few years in Intentional Ministry Reflection and things like that, make this program something that we’re very excited about. We were of course excited about our old program, but we’re excited that this program will help produce students who are well-prepared for ministry in today’s world.’ 


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    Unravelling virtue in an age of virtue-signalling: Dr VanDrunen’s thought-provoking talk at Moore College

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    Moore College’s Centre for Christian Living hosted Christian ethicist Dr David VanDrunen, from Westminster Theological Seminary in the USA, at the recent CCL event “Virtue in an age of virtue signalling”. The event was held at Moore College on the evening of Wednesday 7 June, and was attended by students, faculty and guests.

    Dr VanDrunen began his talk by clarifying the concept of virtue as a habit or character trait that inclines a person to think and act in specific ways. “Virtue equals moral habits that dispose us to think, feel and act in good moral ways. It characterises the kind of person you are,” he explained.

    Addressing the interconnection of virtue with intellect, Dr VanDrunen stressed, “We are thinking creatures, but sin affects our minds. If we think poorly, everything suffers.” He underscored the necessity of intellectual virtues, such as prudence, wisdom and circumspection, to reorient minds towards good.

    Virtue also directs our passions or emotions, he went on to say. He explained how virtues could help us channel our feelings and reactions constructively, even when they come upon us unexpectedly. For instance, courage allows us to experience fear and respond to it in the right way.

    Furthermore, he pointed out, “The way God has made us, we act according to how we think and feel. Having virtues makes doing the right thing easier, more natural, and enjoyable!”

    In the second part of his talk, Dr VanDrunen highlighted the importance of virtue: “God cares not just about what we do, but about the kind of people we are,” he shared, citing examples from Proverbs and Galatians. He stressed the complicated nature of human life, which necessitates becoming virtuous people, instead of merely following rules.

    The seminar included a conversation between Dr VanDrunen and CCL Director Dr Chase Kuhn, along with time for questions from the audience.

    Dr Kuhn expressed gratitude for Dr VanDrunen’s valuable contributions: “We feel truly privileged to have Dr VanDrunen with us. His insights into virtue and its role in our lives have enriched our understanding and deepened our commitment to living godly lives.”

    Dr VanDrunen followed his time at Moore College with talks in Canberra with federal parliamentarians and the Lachlan Macquarie Institute.

    For more resources from the Centre for Christian Living, including articles, podcasts, and previous and upcoming events, please visit ccl.moore.edu.au.


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    Moore PTC 2023 Graduation Celebrates God’s Work 

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    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:


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