Senior Pastor: Bob Regazzoli   +61 7 32168768

Pastoral Team:  Our congregation is served by a pastoral team which includes elders and ministry leaders from the congregation. Our aim is to work together in prayerful consideration of our members, and to help in equipping the membership for ministry (service) within the congregation and broader community.

Discipleship

One of the primary roles of the pastoral team is to provide pastoral care for our spiritual community, and to provide a nurturing environment so that each member can grow and develop as a follower (disciple) of Jesus Christ to become a mature Christian.

Worship services, Bible Studies, and small groups are opportunities for this teaching and support to take place.

It addition, Worldwide Church of God Australia also has an online Christian Ministry training program. Ambassador College of Christian Ministry (ACCM) was established to support the development of the ministry of all believers within our fellowship.

The diploma program is denominationally accredited and recognised by the Worldwide Church of God to equip men and women for more effective and informed service in the work of the gospel.

Further details can be found at www.ambascol.org

Lessons from ministry.

Growing in Humility through pastoral teams

Pastoral Teams are a challenge to our understanding of Christian humility. They also are an opportunity to put some of the essentials of ministry (service) into action. Sadly too often in history, God’s people have hurt each other by the spirit of competition. We have only to watch the disciples arguing about who will be the greatest in the Kingdom of God. What does Jesus do? He takes a little child and places the little child in the midst of the disciples and declares “Unless you become like this child, you will not enter the Kingdom of God.” No self -important claims, no seeking to above anyone or to have the chief seat or to dominate others. Just be real, genuine and sincere.

 Just before he dies he shocks his squabbling disciples by doing the most menial task in the hospitality of the day: washing their feet. They didn’t understand what he was doing. Their minds were still filled with the values of their culture which were built on status, impressing others, having authority over others. The eyes were opened when they understood the humility of their crucified Saviour.

 If there is any warning in Jesus’ teaching, it is about “chief seats” and dogmatic religious types who use their authority over others in a self important and harsh way. We are all students with so much to learn. When we think we have all the answers then pride is at the door.

 In the next few months we will look further at the challenges of working together. Especially when there are, necessarily, positions of service and responsibility within our congregations that are unavoidably filled by flawed, imperfect people just like you and me.

Handling Diversity   Rod Dean

I remember about 34 years ago being in a group led by a lady who trained speakers, including ABC announcers, to use their voice correctly. She said to me that ministers have the most difficult speaking job because of the diversity of the audience. And when you begin to analyse the demographic differences in a congregation it is quite extensive. Think about these factors for starters: age, education, personality, life situations, life experiences, health, ethnicity, locality, job, income, talents, gender, religious background, sensitivities and vulnerabilities.

 And then add in to the mix spiritual factors: how we hear –it is quite surprising what words mean to people and how selective we are in what we actually hear; the different ways we exercise the disciplines of grace — for example how we pray and when we pray; the different priorities in our Christian living — understanding the Word of God; action in helping others; time of reflection; going to meetings and even the type of meeting; our use of time with work, recreation, family.

And we haven’t even listed issues that can create tensions in congregations: creation and evolution, worship days, inspiration of scripture, worship styles and music, church governance, women’s roles, finances and on and on the list can grow.

That is the reality to one degree or another we face in all congregations. It is probably the reason that from one estimate we have over 38,000 different Christian groups in the world.

 So we face a challenging reality: not all Christians have the same traditions, worship practices but each of us needs to live and deepen what is essential in our faith in Jesus Christ: to be in communion with the Father and to grow in love to others.

The real challenge is not to suppress what is different in others, but learning to love and respect what is different. Each needs to be grounded in their walk, loving that walk. This will become the means to feel we are truly called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and be willing to participate in his broken body, bearing the pain for the sake of unity.

Appreciating the importance of each person’s story 

(from Church Matters, Sydney WCG congregation)

 At a funeral, have you ever sat and listened to the eulogy of a person you thought you knew reasonably well? As you looked around the room you realise that there are people there you have no connection with except somehow you share being part of the deceased’s story. There is something unique about each person’s story. We as humans only know each other in part. God knows us fully.

When Jesus came amongst us his life pointed to a focus on the grass roots. He responded to the individual’s story – their anguish, struggle and questions. He didn’t seem too concerned about the perpetuation of the elite leadership structure of the temple. Instead his followers would be brothers, fellow footwashers. Even the smallest is respected and concerned for. They would be quick to forgive their common frailty to make mistakes or hurt one another. Jesus didn’t seem to want titles that lifted one above the other. They were followers of the same Master, hearing, watching him.

Thus Christian ministry, which really operates as an unglamorous service at the grass roots, has sensitivity to the privacy of each person’s story. Christian ministry is not about being representatives of an organisation who have the authority to barge in or impose the dictates of such an organisation. Christian ministry is by invitation into someone else’s story. And if invited to walk alongside sharing whatever part of that story the person wishes to reveal to us.

We see this exemplified in Jesus in Revelation 3:20 “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”

At the heart of Christian ministry is a belief in the effective work of the Holy Spirit dwelling within each believer. The Holy Spirit takes each person’s story and brings it into God’s story. That in itself should be a warning not to meddle with His work and to impose on the conscience of another. It requires having a long term view and not reacting to present-day differences or demanding everyone think the same way on every topic.

Further lessons

Over the years one reflects on the lessons learnt in ministry. Every generation will face new challenges and gain new insights. And each generation will make its mistakes. But there are signposts for ministry that can help avoid some of the mistakes of the past and move forward constructively. In this newsletter I would like to introduce a concept which has been of great help.

 Back in the seventies I came across a book called “Ministering to Alcoholics” by John E. Keller. In it he wrote: “The story is told of the retired pastor who, looking back upon his ministry, divided it into three phases.

 In the first phase the people were in the river and he was on the bank telling them how to get out of the river and up on the bank where he was.

 In the second phase, he was on the edge of the bank reaching down and out to help the people get up on the bank where he was.

 In the third phase, the phase of real wisdom and understanding, he ministered with the

realization that he was in the river with the people, they were holding him up, he was holding them up, and underneath them all were the everlasting arms of God.”

One can reflect on that many times and the truth of it becomes more real as one experiences more of life. It is amazing how clear everything can appear when we are helping someone else and we haven’t struggled with the circumstances they’re going through.

But, somewhere in life — and life is a great leveller — we go through a crisis or a very difficult challenge and suddenly it all isn’t so clear. We think dark thoughts, or have anxieties and doubts that are not very noble. And it is in moments like that we sometimes remember how “above-it–all” we were to the person we were helping or advising years ago.

It is then that we can come to see that we are all in the river of life together and we all need God’s rescuing. We begin to understand more deeply how God has rescued and continues to rescue us in the mediation of Jesus Christ.

Rod Dean

PS – Rod is senior pastor of our Sydney congregation.

 

THE CROSS OF CHRIST   by  Bob Regazzoli

In recent weeks, we have heard of some remarkable rescues of survivors of the terrible earthquake in Haiti. But a much more remarkable rescue has been underway for centuries: God’s rescue mission for the salvation of humanity.

We know that this whole world has been held captive under the regime of an evil dictator – Satan the Devil. Thankfully, God sent His Son Jesus to rescue us from his dominion – the dominion of darkness, sin, and eternal death. “…giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Col 1:12-14)                              

And Jesus did this by dying on the cross. “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Col 2:13-15)

 The Cross of Christ was central to the gospel message of the Apostle Paul. “…but we preach Christ crucified; a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles…” (1 Cor 1:23)  “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (2:2)

Note was various Christian writers have said about the Cross:

Emil Brunner (Swiss theologian) : “The Cross is the sign of the Christian faith, of the Christian church, of the revelation of God in Jesus Christ… He who understands the Cross aright – this is the opinion of the Reformers – understand the Bible, he understands Jesus Christ.”

Bishop Stephen Neill: “In the Christian theology of history, the death of Christ is the central point of history; here all the roads of the past converge; hence all the roads of the future diverge.”

John Stott wrote: “…the Christian community is essentially a community of the cross.”

“May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (Gal 6:14 ) Paul, in concluding this epistle, writes this most amazing verse. That which the Roman citizen regarded as an object of shame, disgrace, and even disgust, was for Paul his pride, boasting and glory.

Paul was devoted to the message of the Cross. So closely had he identified himself with it, that he suffered physical persecution for it. “…for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus” (6:17)

Campbell Morgan: “It is the crucified man that can preach the cross. Said Thomas ‘except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails…I will not believe’. Dr. Parker of London said that what Thomas said of Christ, the world is saying about the church. And the world is also saying to every preacher: Unless I see I your hands the print of the nails, I will not believe. It is true. It is the man…who has died with Christ…that can preach the cross of Christ.”

 How deeply do we identify with the death and resurrection of Jesus?  During this season of the year, we are to clearly focus on this pivotal event of all history, and its meaning for each of us personally. The good news for this week and every week – what Jesus did to save us.

 Let’s join with Paul in saying: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I life in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal 2:20)

Lessons from Ministry

As time goes on, it is inevitable that younger people are given increasing pastoral responsibilities. How does a young person gain respect when dealing with an older, more experienced, congregation? By having all the answers? By insisting that people respect “my office”?

Paul gave one of the most helpful pieces of guidance to a young person in I Timothy 5: 1-2 “Do not rebuke an olderman harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers,and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.”

This is a wonderful word of advice to heed. The church is God’s family. Every member is precious to God. Jesus said in Matthew 18:10: ”See to it that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.”

It was always a very insightful question to ask oneself: How would I want my mum or dad to be treated if they came to this congregation? It is the old adage “If you give respect, you will receive respect.”

Rod Dean

It’s His Ministry  by Bob Regazzoli

The calling into pastoral ministry is wonderfully exciting, but also very demanding and challenging. It is a profession that has a high burn-out rate because of the demands and sacrifices that are involved, and also at times because of unrealistic expectations and approaches.  Thankfully, we have many resources to draw upon, most importantly the love of the Triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and the realisation that this is God’s ministry – not ours! We have been drawn into participation in His life.

In this regards, a book by Andrew Purves, “The Crucifixion of Ministry” helps us keep the proper perspective. As he records in the Preface, a realisation came to him that “if anything worthwhile is to happen, Jesus has to show up…Only the ministry of Jesus is redemptive…Ministers can’t forgive sinners, raise the dead or bring in the kingdom of God. Neither can we grow congregations, convert sinners or heal the dying.”

Jesus is the one and only Saviour – certainly not any human being. Other insights Purves offers are: “…because he is the living and reigning Lord, the issue is now What is he up to, and how do I hitch a ride on whatever he is up to?…It is not Jesus Christ who needs our ministries; it is our ministries that need Jesus Christ. So my dictum is Wherever Christ is present in ministry, there my ministry may be found.”(pp12-13)

“In what follow, I will develop the doctrines of the vicarious humanity and ministry of Jesus and show their significance for us as ministers of the gospel. Then I will look at an approach to ministry characterized as participation in Christ. When we understand ministry in this ancient way, we will find Jesus’ words true, ‘My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matt 11:30)” (p.20)

This is a wonderful book which is a must read for all in Christian ministry.

Suggested reading list

Holy Bible       2 Tim 2:15; 3:16-17

Pastoral epistles.

“Mere Christianity” C.S.Lewis

“The Crucifixion of Ministry” Andrew Purves

“Invitation to Theology” Michael Jinkins

“Life with God” Richard Foster

“The Great Dance” C.Baxter Kruger

“Worship, Community & the Triune God of Grace” James B.Torrance

“The Mediation of Christ” Thomas F.Torrance

“Incarnation” Thomas F.Torrance

“Atonement”  Thomas F.Torrance

“How to Read the Bible for all it’s Worth”  Gordon D.Fee & Douglas Stuart

“Lead With Your Strengths” Peter Kaldor and John McLean

“Revisiting Relational Youth Ministry” Andrew Root

“The Contemplative Pastor” Eugene H.Peterson

“Tell It Slant”  Eugene H.Peterson

“Practice Resurrection”   Eugene H. Peterson

“Life Together” Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“The Challenge of Jesus”  N.T. Wright