It pays to hold your nerve. Always. With the latest news out of the UK that a young woman is calling out the National Health Service’s gender clinic for not challenging her strongly enough when she was 16 and wanting to transition to male, it feels like the ground is shifting back to sanity.
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It Pays to Hold Your Nerve in the Transgender Debate – Steve McAlpine
Are we really called to the ends of the Earth? – Tim Swan
Should I offer to go as a missionary to somewhere on the other side of the world? What about if it would put my life in danger? Should I encourage people to go and tell members of Boko Haram that Jesus died for their sins, that unless they turn to God they are damned, but that Jesus offers forgiveness and grace and a place in his kingdom to glorify God forever?
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The Bible tells one big story – John Menear
by John Menear, Acting General Secretary
Many Christians around the world have never been taught that the Bible tells one big story – about God’s plan to save us through Jesus. Without an understanding of this amazing story of salvation, some believers don’t realise that they are saved not through keeping the law, but by the grace of Jesus.
That’s why a number of our CMS missionaries serve with MOCLAM, where Spanish-speaking students learn how to understand and faithfully teach the whole of God’s word. MOCLAM courses are based on material from Moore College’s Preliminary Theological Certificate.
In Valencia, Spain, CMS missionaries Jim and Tanja French teach the first MOCLAM subject, Creation to New Creation. They share,
“Over and over our students are thrilled with how this course helps them to put the Bible and its stories together into the one big plan of salvation by God for us: our redemption through Jesus.”
Marta is a student from Madrid who recently studied with Jim and Tanja. In her final essay she writes,
“For me it has been a discovery to stop to think about certain historical stories or moments while doing this work and realise that everything points to Jesus, to the smallest details.”
CMS missionary Peter Sholl is the International Director for MOCLAM, and is based in Mexico along with his wife Sarah and their family. Peter recently taught a Christian Worship course to a small group in Panama, and at the end of the class students shared what they had learned:
“One student said they had learnt how to read the Old Testament. Previously, it had been too scary because it was full of rules that he found impossible to obey or stories that were confusing. But now, knowing that the fulfilment of the Old Testament is Jesus… it helps him understand who Jesus is and what difference that makes to his life.”
In the coming months MOCLAM will be undergoing some changes in leadership that you can be praying for. Peter and Sarah Sholl will be returning to Australia in June for their final Home Assignment. Adrian Lovell will take up the role of International Director in Peter’s place. And you will already have heard of John Lovell’s departure from MOCLAM as he and Jodi prepare for his new role as General Secretary of CMS NSW & ACT.
Please pray for Peter and Sarah, Adrian and Anita, and John and Jodi as they each prepare for a new season of life and ministry. And pray for students studying MOCLAM throughout the Spanish-speaking world – that they would know God’s plan of salvation through Jesus, and that more students would be raised up who can understand and share God’s word!
This was originally published by CMS NSW & ACT on 27 January 2020
A Summer Not Easily Forgotten
I’m sure Summer has been memorable for all friends, supporters and graduates of Moore College, but perhaps for all the wrong reasons. It has been a harrowing time. We’ve been confronted by extremes of heat, fires, destruction and disruption. There has been a sense of uncertainty and concern for our future. For some, life has been out of their control, and fear has been far too real and personal. Sadly, citizens and firefighters have lost their lives. In the public discourse, we have heard many references to helplessness, pain, fear and difficulty in processing what has happened. Many have not had experiences quite like this before.
I was deeply moved by the words of one man stranded on a beach in Mallacoota, Victoria. He huddled with over 4,000 people forced to seek refuge close to the sea until the fires passed through their town. The flames had reached as far as the sand hills of the beach, and the day seemed like night. In the midst of this, he shared with a radio reporter that although he was an atheist, he’d “cried out to God and Jesus”, pleading to be saved from the horror. His experience in calling upon a God he didn’t really know isn’t uncommon in a crisis. Our collective experience of the fires this summer, and in recent days floods, must not be forgotten. While there are many possible responses, preeminent amongst these must be the reminder for all of us, that life is fragile and for an allotted time, and then of course comes death. But is that it? Is there future hope? As Christians, we know that there is. A certain hope centred on God’s rescue plan for his people through the eternal salvation offered in and through his Son.
While we would wish that the tragedies of the fires had not taken place this summer, we should pray that God is at work in all those reminded of their mortality. King David experienced many times of distress and the same sense of powerlessness in the face of his helplessness. His life was not under his control. In Psalm 30:1-3 he cries out:
I will exalt you, Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths
and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
2 Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me.
3 You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead;
you spared me from going down to the pit.
As we continue to deal personally with what we’ve experienced this summer, might we be quick to draw alongside the many traumatized people who we know. This is a time to love and support, and also perhaps to remind others of the eternal hope that we have in Christ.
I have been pleased to see that many churches have been active in supporting and standing with the victims of fires. I’m also mindful that many churches in regional centres and towns need our help at this time. Chief amongst these needs is the ongoing provision of well-trained men and women to minister in our regions and their towns. There are many towns across our nations that need well trained evangelists and teachers. Please continue to help us at Moore College to equip and send graduates to our regional towns and cities that need to hear the gospel as they face life’s uncertainties. We’ve now set up a fund to support those coming from or going to regional Australia. Please give generously to this fund. You can choose it in the dropdown menu on our donations webpage.
If you have any questions please feel free to email me at trevor.cairney@moore.edu.au or phone my direct line at +61 (0)2 9577 9900 (please leave a message if I’m not available to pick up the phone).
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Why Would You? – An Australian Church Record Interview
The ACR talks to Gladwin Joseph, overseas alumnus of Moore College, about his training and his current ministry in India.
ACR: Tell us about the state of the church in your country?
GJ: The state of the church in India, as said by someone, is “a mile wide, but only an inch deep”. Most churches are either very traditional or highly charismatic. The centrality of the gospel, Bible exposition, culturally aware evangelism and solid discipleship is rare. However, there are a few churches among the population of 1.3 billion that practice these things. These churches are mainly found in the urban cities where 30-35% of the people in India reside. Rural India is still a bountiful harvest field that requires many more laborers.
North India, particularly, is extremely gospel-poor and it is very hard to find good churches there. Good churches also struggle to continue their work because of limited resources. Theologically trained pastors, financial support and established ministries are lacking. Overall, there are churches and great scope, but there is a void of solid leadership.
ACR: How did you hear about Moore College, and what made you decide to come to Moore?
GJ: I heard about Moore College when a generous patron and visionary ministry leader decided to sponsor a local Indian to be trained at Moore in Sydney for future gospel work in India. I was just looking to be trained theologically somewhere where they would teach the Bible well. God provided Moore and it has been a fantastic experience. To be trained by some of the best in the field of theology and ministry is more than I could have asked for!
ACR: What are some of the challenges in moving so far to study here – is it worth it?
GJ: I think each story is different and so the challenges would vary. International students generally have to pay high fees, but I was fully sponsored and so the money was not a problem.
For me, coming from an education system that thrives on rote learning and then being encouraged to use free and critical thinking was a big challenge. I would say it took me the first two years to re-learn how to read, think and write.
Secondly, I had to learn cultural expectations and differences by making mistakes. I know many would argue that Aussies don’t have any culture 😉 but we all do.
Apart from these two challenges, learning theology has its own challenges. To maintain quality love and devotion to the Word even in the midst of using it for writing assignments is not easy. To keep serving the church, God’s people, rather than being lost in books is not easy. And last, prioritising mission to see God’s kingdom come, rather than being comfortable, is not easy.
Overall, it was an enriching experience. I was part of a wonderful church, St George North Anglican, where I made many good friends and also met my wife!
ACR: What have you learned during your time at Moore?
GJ: I learned a great deal. Primarily, I learned how to read, understand, and teach the Scriptures. I know this might seem basic or clichéd, but getting the basics and foundations right can be the hardest and most important thing. Subjects like biblical theology, Reformation church history and the languages were some of my favourites.
The College experience of living in the single mens’ residence, as well as chapel and missions, were helpful for being trained for future church ministry.
If I have to put it in a few words what I have learnt, it would be the magnitude of the gospel.
ACR: How is the training you had here impacting your ministry in India?
GJ: College and student ministry experience at church have helped me to be a faithful Bible teacher, which is quite rare in India. The centrality of the Word in ministry is something I brought home to India. As a result, my ministry is more planned and intentional, in order to see the growth in maturity of each person. It has also given me the theological tools to innovate ministry ideas that are both biblical and culturally helpful.
ACR: What would you say to those who might be tempted to take for granted what you’ve found here?
GJ: There are many in India and other parts of the world who find themselves serving in ministry because of their love for God and people, but who are struggling because they haven’t been trained. They would love to be at your place, but they can’t! So, don’t waste but rather maximize God’s kind providence for his glory and the worldwide church.
ACR: Thank you Gladwin for sharing with us!
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On the Removal of Steve Timmis, Head of Acts 29 – Archie Poulos & Simon Gillham
There are lessons for us all in this. For those in leadership, those being led, and those developing leadership structures and systems. Co-written by Archie Poulos & Simon Gillham.
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