Tasmanian State Leader Jenny Baxter explains why Australian Baptist Women began, and how things have changed.
In the early days in Tasmania, there were some heroic women who led the ministry in during the depression when cars were still few, telephones a luxury item, and most communication was done by mail!
Setting the scene
Australian Baptist Women (ABW) has been an entity since the 1930s. When the national body began, it aimed to provide opportunities for Baptist women to gather and connect. ABW was formed separately to the infant Australian Baptist Ministries, which began a few years earlier in 1926.
Nationally, ABW State leaders were appointed. This handful of women oversaw the ministry in each state and territory, gathering annually until 2020. Around that time, independent of one another, the states/territories gradually ceased those positions, with the exception of Northern Territory, Queensland and Tasmania.
20th-Century ministry?
No thanks!
After over a decade with no Tasmanian leader, I was appointed in 2017. By then, many Tasmanian Baptist women’s ministries had wound down. I soon discovered there was little appetite for returning to 20th Century-style women’s ministry.
Nationally, things were moving. Covid disrupted plans for the ABW national meeting in 2021, and then came a series of online discussions, think-tanks and brainstorms. But nothing seemed to fly. The question was: How do we continue to support Baptist women, when state Unions are less inclined to appoint ABW state leaders?
THE QUESTION: How do we continue to support Baptist women, when state Unions are less inclined to appoint ABW state leaders?
Moving onto 2023
In May this year, the National Council Taskforce gathered in Sydney. There was intense and robust discussion about women and women’s ministry. However, good decisions were made.
As a result of this announcement, ABW officially ceased to exist:
The clear decision of National Council is that ABW, as a delegated body, is not the desired way forward for the State Leaders and National Council Taskforce. This decision is due to a number of factors including lack of agreement on purpose/scope, lack of buy-in from state associations [unions], changing understandings of needs and the inconsistency with how other delegated bodies operate. National Council has a desire to bring this group to an end well and recognises there might be different responses from current ABW group members. Some may feel disappointed or hurt, others relieved or even excited about the change.
Mark Wilson continued …
I want to affirm that this in no way says National Council is not committed to developing and supporting women leaders . . . National Council is creating a new delegated body, specifically focused on Women in Leadership. This is a new group and will involve representatives appointed by each state association [union].
What does this mean for us?
In God’s goodness, we Tasmanians were ahead of the curve!
Since 2021 a statewide team consisting of Wendy Marston (Newstead), Jenna Blackwell (City, Launceston), Gabe Fife (Ulverstone), and myself (Hobart) have met, mostly on Zoom (and very rarely in-person!)
EmpowHer became our new name.
The EmpowHer Team: Jenna, Jenny, Wendy, Gabe (Sept 2021)
EmpowHer Vision:
A network of women growing and encouraging each other in their God-given potential.
EmpowHer Mission:
Providing community, training, and support for Tasmanian women to empower them to move into leadership, and to take their God-given place within the Baptist churches of Tasmania.
I look forward to this new era as we further develop EmpowHer. Here is what’s happening next …
Day of Courage
The Day of Courage in November will be the first statewide event in this new paradigm. We are looking forward to hosting as many women as possible at Riverlnds (Longford). All women are welcome!
Women’s National Taskforce
I will also work with the National Taskforce to help develop the newly delegated body, focussing on women in leadership.
The team and I value your prayers as we lead and encourage women around Tasmania.
In previous years, Scott Pilgrim was the Executive Pastor at Crossway Baptist Church (Vic), and had senior roles in BaptistCare NSW-ACT, and Baptist Churches of NSW/ACT.
But what does Scott do now, and why does that matter to Tasmanian Baptists?
I was born and grew up in Newcastle. So, although I love living in Melbourne and it’s home, I will always be a “Newy boy”. It’s one of those types of places.
Newcastle was a great place to grow up, close to family, and actively engaged in sporting teams as a child/youth. Newcastle is home to some great beaches and so we spent a lot of time at the beach, then heading back to my grandparent’s home five minutes away. As a child, Newcastle was an industrial city – home to the BHP Steelworks, where my father and his father worked. These industrial roots kept the city grounded and authentic.
I lived in Newcastle through all my schooling days and then landed my dream job as a cadet journalist at The Newcastle Herald.
I grew up in what I now understand was a “God-fearing” home, rather than in a family that had a deep personal relationship with Jesus. In my teens, I started attending a Presbyterian Church. The ministers of the church – a young husband and wife ordained couple – influenced me greatly. They gave me opportunities to explore ministry at a young age and encouraged me in my journey with Jesus.
In my late teens I started attending a Baptist church and for the first time in my life met a male mentor figure, who clearly and passionately loved Jesus. He had a significant impact in my life, and during this period in the 1980s, Jesus became real to me!
A national spread
I am married to Megan, who is a nurse. We are a blended family (a Brady Bunch family for those old enough to know the show!) All up, Megan and I have eight children.
We have five adult children who live in NSW and the Northern Territory, aged from 31 to 20. And we also have three children with us in Melbourne, a 13-year-old daughter, a 12-year-old son, and a 10-year-old daughter. It’s delightful to see how our younger kids engage so regularly with the benefit of technology in staying connected to their older siblings.
After growing up in Newcastle, I moved around in my young adult years living in a few different places in NSW, working as a journalist. I then spent most of my adult years back in Newcastle.
Megan and I with our three youngest children moved to Melbourne at the beginning of 2017 as I took up the role of Executive Pastor at Crossway Baptist Church.
Melbourne is a great city to live in. [Better than Sydney, but don’t tell them that!] It has so many things you can do, and I love the culture and diversity of the city. Although it’s not the beaches of Newcastle, I love relaxing and walking along the bay and in the eastern suburbs where we live. We are spoilt with so many beautiful green spaces. And yes, the food is great – so many good options to choose from.
It’s also very much home for our younger kids. Melbourne is home for them and they all love playing basketball.
Scott’s work now
I serve as the Executive Director of Baptist Mission Australia, our movement’s international intercultural mission agency. In my position, I head up our work across the world, and our National Team is spread across Australia. And yes, I do travel a lot! I am currently writing from Norway where I am attending the Baptist World Alliance Gathering.
Most of my travel is to places well off the tourist maps, where our teams and partners serve in communities in Africa and Asia. And we’re growing our ministry in Australia, including our partnership with Citywide in Hobart. It’s good to see many different parts of the world – but it’s always great to get home to my family.
I’m privileged to lead a team – that’s the real joy of what I do. And I was invited to step into the position in a time of rapid change around the world and with Western mission agencies like ours needing to re-imagine and re-invent who we are and what we do. It’s why I resonate with the journey that you’re on as Tassie Baptists.
So, when people ask me to summarise what I do I like to use these images – team leader, pastor of global teams, cultural curator, Spirit-seeker and change agent. And I get to lead alongside a great team, including Suse and Caryn, two outstanding younger female leaders who serve with me on our Leadership Team.
A global perspective
I get excited when with others we can share in missional imagination and look to the Spirit to lead us in new ways. As well, I get excited that God would graciously invite me to share in his mission, in the joy of pursuing shalom in our broken world.
There are also wonderful possibilities of partnership and innovative collaborations, which will be at the future of global mission. And one last thing which excites me – I get encouraged every day that the organisation I lead only exists because of the partnership we have with Baptist people across the country.
The biggest challenge I have comes because we live in a rapidly changing world, and the face of world Christianity and international mission is experiencing seismic shifts. The days of the “West to the rest” are behind us, but we can get trapped in this traditional paradigm.
By the year 2030, 70% of all followers of Jesus will live in the global south, and we have the opportunity to explore what new polycentric partnerships will look like as we move ahead. We must face up to these changes in our world, while also celebrating all that God is doing among our current inspiring and passionate team members, serving around the world.
The wounded healer
My best piece of advice? Wow that’s a hard one. How about the learning from a number of authors, including Henri Nouwen, that a theology of brokenness helps us best understand leadership.
I love Nouwen’s image of the “wounded healer”. We can try to hide our wounds and scars, but I am so glad that I have come to see them as very much a part of who I am as a broken person, and that I am in absolute need for the Spirit to be at work in my life. And while he restores me, I am graced with the privilege of standing alongside other broken people, seeking to bring hope, love, acceptance and care.
Please pray for wisdom as we seek to discern the ways of the Spirit in this changing context. Pray for courage in the decisions we need to make. And I would value prayer for my on on-going health challenges as I navigate a pain management journey.
Short ‘n’ Sweet
I am looking forward to . . . A holiday with my wife in Italy!
I am worried about . . . followers of Jesus who can’t respect the views of others.
I am confident that . . . the Spirit is at work across the world!
I am joyful about . . . people passionately committed to missional re-imagination and justice!
I would like to change . . . where the Sydney Swans are on the table.
I am at my best when . . . I trust God, be myself and act courageously!
Scott Pilgrim Executive Director Baptist Mission Australia
Every two months you can catch up with the latest news in Tasmanian Baptist Churches.
North
RIVERLANDS, LONGFORD
New Youth Group
Every third Friday during term, Riverlands has recently offered a youth group for those in and around the church. The youth group is focused around church-encultured teens and giving them activities through the week.
Our goal is to develop a thriving youth ministry, where the youth can share life and have Christian discipleship. It’s had a strong reception as we’ve gathered together and enjoyed the company of one another whilst playing games, having snacks, and doing small devotions.
Our most recent Riverlands Youth group was a (not very) messy night much to the chagrin and the disappointment of the youth!
Whilst only small we are having a lot of fun and the group is developing well in line with our goals. We would appreciate your prayers and thoughts as we continue to develop the program and its structure.
The youth group has been running in co-operation with the other churches around Launceston where we have been gathering on the Fourth Fridays of the month for larger games, larger connections and better connections between churches and youth in the Launceston and Northern Midlands area.
CITY BAPTIST, Launceston
In the news
Our recent move to the Boathouse Centrereceived media attention, and, given events in the Southern Baptist scene, they chose to focus on our female leadership. We are enjoying the wonder-inspiring views of the city of Launceston from within our new gathering space, and also creating a partnership with the owners. We are greatly appreciative to Worldview for accommodating us so well during our previous transition.
In The Examiner, 18th June 2023
Radical Hospitality
Over the month of June, we focused on the theme of hospitality – the gift of giving and receiving hospitality, and how it can be as simple as a smile. We continue to explore this theme of ‘radically ordinary hospitality’ in practical and life-giving, everyday ways.
The Saturday night drop-in centre meal continues each week, nearing capacity in the new space at Pilgrim Uniting. Stephen Avery’s presence in the street community furthers the connections.
Over July we will look at the theme of Seeds – seeds of faith, hope, justice and love – and how City can help germinate these seeds in the city of Launceston.
The City Seed Community Garden at St Leonards continues to welcome new members.
Northern Refugee Support continues, with a recent long-awaited breakthrough.
We are also pleased to support outside ministries, such as SU’s upcoming camps, allowing children and families to attend who would otherwise be unable to.
NEWSTEAD
Alpha Underway
We have had a great start to the Alpha course with 24 people attending. Alpha is an evangelistic course which seeks to provide a space to ask questions through a series of talks and discussions. We wil be running Alpha for the next three years, and although this year we planned to first become familiar as a congregation with the course, we are excited to already have cross-over from other ministries during the week.
Week of Prayer and Fasting
It has been very encouraging to hear how many in our congregation during our week of prayer and fasting swapped-out something they loved for precious time in prayer. We had people go without food or a meal, coffee, alcohol, social media, and even the Chase (Aus. and British edition), and instead, spending time praying for our church’s strategic goals, church family prayer points, and our other Baptist churches around Launceston.
Friendship Lunch
We had a great turnout for the Friendship Shortest Day Longest Lunch with the Wentworth room filled with Friends. A delicious selection of BBQ meat and salads for mains, with sweet stuff to follow. Finally, a cake to top it off to celebrate a birthday. Geoff Marston shared on friendship and encouraged ‘’to have a friend; be a friend”. Thanks to the drop-in centre team for a great lunch.
Friendship Lunch; Birthday cake for all!
BEAUTY POINT
New Youth and Children’s Leader
The most exciting development for our little church is the induction of our new Youth and Children’s Leader last Sunday. Dempsey Horton from Texas is our new youth and children’s leader for the next 12 months.
Texan Outreach Friday 23rd June to Wednesday 19th July
We are midway through our regular Texan Mission, with four Texans visiting for almost four weeks.
Events include women’s coffee and dessert night, Bible studies for women, men and youth, Primary school youth group, Hope Night and more youth events to come. There will be a holiday kids’ club and five-day basketball skills clinic.
All events are free and designed to reach the North Tamar population with Hope found in Jesus Christ. If you live nearby you are welcome to attend!
See Info BROCHURE > OR Contact Rachelle on 0409 272 877
Around the Churches June-July 2023
Northwest
LATROBE
Volunteers Honoured
On Saturday, 20th May, the Latrobe Council presented special awards to volunteers in their community.
Mayor Peter Freshney handed out over 30 awards, and amazingly Latrobe Baptist Church received seven of them!
Latrobe Baptist church for its many community programmes
Latrobe Baptist Chat ‘n’ Choose
Latrobe Men’s Shed
Glenis Smith – 30 years of volunteer service, Chat ‘n’ Choose
John Langmaid – 30 years of volunteer service, Chat ‘n’ Choose
Glad Purdy– 20 years of volunteer service, Chat ‘n’ Choose
Fay Horne – 20 years of volunteer service, Chat ‘n’ Choose
Award recipients
Ralph on behalf of Latrobe Baptist
John and Fay, Chat n Choose
John and Ralph, Men’s Shed
Glenis, 30 years
John, 30 years
Glad, 20 years
Fay, 20 years
SASSAFRAS
Winter Service
This annual event is always a success because it is always so cold and the hot chocolate always so welcome.
The real reason is, of course, to bring to mind that Jesus is the light of the world John 8:10, “Ï am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life”.
A few Sunday School children play their part by reciting a relevant poem they wrote and sing a children’s hymn. As always Cathy, Ruth and Max lead and inspire.
This event is always the simple reflection of children, though lead by adults, it is always a real blessing to us all, in the pews! Some of the hymns we sung were ” Showers of blessing”, “The Light of the World” and “Jeus bids us shine”. The inspiring message was from Ben Hallam followed by the three “S’s”, Soup, Sandwiches and Savouries!
Every one left the service fed in “Body, Mind, and Spirit!” It was great.
Winter Service at Sassafras
SHEFFIELD
Vale Mrs Beverly Duff
On 3rd June, the Lord called home to glory Mrs Beverly Duff who was a stalwart of the Sheffield Baptist church for over seventy five years. Mrs. Duff (nee Irvine) was baptised in 1947, and from that time took an active part in the church.
In 1953 she married Bruce Duff, and together they played a major role in the Church. In the late 1970’s Mrs Duff became church organist. She played for both the morning and evening services, as well as playing for funerals and weddings in the Sheffield Baptist church. As well, she often played for the West Kentish and Paradise churches.
When then church commenced our monthly fellowship teas and singing your favourite hymns in 2005, Beverly played until ill-health took its toll.
Mrs Duff was actively involved in the Ladies group, and was a keen supporter of the overseas missionary work of the church. She loved CWA and craft groups, and was a highly respected lady in the Kentish community.
Mrs Duff was truly a fine Christian lady who is now resting in the everlasting arms of her Saviour. The Sheffield Baptist church extends to Stephanie, Ashley, brother Desmond and their families our deepest sympathy.
WYNYARD
SUPPORTING OTHERS
Our church continues to support two children, Tithi and Rafin, through Baptist World Aid with the proceeds of our cappuccino sales on Sunday mornings.
JUST BLOKES
This is a quarterly gathering of men from the community when they enjoy a pizza and an interesting speaker. Greg White who works in the engineering department at Caterpillar was the speaker in June.
JUST GIRLS
The girls met recently for fellowship where they were able to enjoy some Filipino food. The afternoon was spent making a fridge magnet with Beth and Kester.
ULVERSTONE
Mother’s Day
Inviting our friends, mothers, daughters, sisters, and aunties, our UBC ladies enjoyed an evening out dining at Café RA. After our Mother’s Day service, and to honour the women in our midst, our UBC men provided morning tea. This was a bake-off competition from which we have now discovered we have a number of very capable and talented cooks at UBC! Prizes were awarded to Matt Cox for his macarons, Robbie Cunningham for his savory toast and Andrew Gurr for his apple cakes.
May Mission Month
May Mission Month was embraced as we listened and were challenged by guest speakers Paul Manning from Baptist World Aid, and Geoff Maddock from Baptist Mission Australia
Table Tennis
Our winter table tennis competition has once again commenced on Monday evenings with 27 registered players. Table tennis at UBC has been running for about 40 years.
Men’s events
Our recent Men’s Events have included go-karting, indoor cricket, a men’s breakfast, and an evening of carpet bowls and pizza. These events have been well attended by a variety of ages and has been a wonderful opportunity to reach out, encourage and strengthen relationships.
Dylan Standridge
In June we were privileged to spend an evening with Dylan Standridge. Dylan partners with Iris Global Ministries, he has a heart for Tasmania and has a prophetic call upon his life.
Home to Glory
Our church family have mourned the passing of three dear ladies and sisters in Christ.
Nalda King passed away on 19th March aged 85. Margaret McCall passed away on 18th June aged 94, and Pauline Beasley passed away on 22nd of June. Our thoughts and prayers continue for their families.
Around the Churches June-July 2023
South
CITYWIDE
Special Service
On Sunday 11 June we had a special combined service which included several aspects:
Four Baptisms – what a delight to hear the testimonies and share in the faith journey of 4 people. As a result another person gave their life to the Lord that night.
New Members – four people were received into membership.
Dedication of Nepalese Outreach Ministries – Both the Community Bus and the Driver Mentor Car which were donated through BMA grants were in the auditorium and dedicated to the Lord’s work among the Hindu community.
Salvation Army’s Red Shield Appeal – in support of our local Salvation Army Corps, everyone was encouraged to wear something red and bring a donation towards feeding children at our local schools as well as supporting families who are struggling. Almost $1000 was raised.
Healing Prayer – At the close of the service 20 people came forward for anointing with oil.
Future Proofing your Life: 14th June to 12th July
A new initiative from our Pastoral Care team has seen the development of a three-part program for people both in their senior years, as well as for the families of seniors. Over 40 people registered from both the community and local churches.
Week of Prayer and Fasting – 18th-24th June
A dedicated week to draw closer to Jesus, to pray for our outreach into our local suburbs, and to pray for Hobart and people in need. A booklet with guidelines to aid our focus is provided for everyone to help engage us in praying together.
Citywide held an indoor Table Top Sale on Saturday 1st July
CLAREMONT
Combined Pentecost Service
On the afternoon of the 28th May, Claremont Baptist hosted a combined Pentecost Prayer Meeting with Edge Anglican and Claremont Uniting to pray for unity and our community.
After sharing in reflective prayer, communion and corporate prayer we had some good chats over light refreshments. Good to meet and greet our brothers and sisters in Christ.
The Luthys Visit
Missionary family Chris and Amy Luthy and their family will be leading our service on 16th July. They serve with Pioneers and will share some of their experiences.
HOBART
Esteem. Coffee Shop
After a month or so of trials and waiting for final council approval, our coffee shop is now open! Volunteers will staff the coffee shop with a community focus and strong leaning towards supporting and training ex-refugees.
Thanks to Kelvin Smith for his work in the final stages of getting the coffee shop up and running, well over a decade since the dream began.
Esteem Coffee Shop
Luminous Festival
Thursday 8th to Sunday 25th June
Over two weeks, the Luminous Festival at Hobart Baptist hosted various activities, lined up to coincide with Hobart’s mid-winter festival, Dark Mofo.
An art installation by Michael Henderson, The Seed of Life Weighed Down, on display in the foyer of The Tab. The display generated well over 100 faith-conversations with passers-by.
Three “Conversations”, which provided a space for thought and discussion. Speakers in the Conversations panels brought expertise on topics asking:
Is Tasmania A Place for Everyone?’
How can we help Tasmanian Children flourish?
How Do We Create Healthy Families?
The festival culminated with Christmas in Winter, when we celebrated Christmas within its original context of the dark, cold mid-winter.
Luminous Carols, Friday 23rd June
Christmas Day service, Sunday 25th June
Art by Michael Henderson questioned ‘what the nativity scene represents, and whether it has an ability today to help us enter the mystery of God and faith’.
L to R: Michael Henderson opens his artwork; The art exhibit; Soundy building’s lit-up entry; The Tab lights; Speakers John Kumara and Zelinda Sherlock; Stephen Baxter instroduces the Hallelujah Chorus community choir at the Luminous Carols event.
Long Table event
Members of the church, and many others, attended this wintry meal on the 25th June. Over 50 people enjoyed Eritrean food together. Thanks to Kelvin Smith and others for organising.
Farewell Margaret Baikie
Our dear friend Margaret Baikie went to be with her Lord and Saviour on Wednesday 14 June 2023. Margaret was a member of HBC for 55 years, and until fairly recently, in a very active capacity.
Loved and loving wife of Albert, mother of Margaret (Luckman) and Gordon, mother-in-law of Greg and Angie (Read). Adored Granny of Gordon James, Alistair, Hamish, James and Sunday Clare.
Fostering Hope partners with Tasmanian Baptists to help Christians provide stable families and church communities for foster children.
Grow your Faith as a Mentor
Are you looking for a way to live out your faith? Do you think about foster care and how you could be involved, but not sure how? Do you have time to mentor a child who needs a caring adult?
“Having a supportive adult to be able to talk to [is important]. So being able to share if you’re upset, in trouble or whatever … it doesn’t really matter who they are, just as long as they have someone who is there for them.”
This is what the Fostering Hope Mentoring Program is about. Christians voluntarily meet regularly (perhaps weekly, fortnightly or monthly) with their special mentee to do an activity together and build relationship.
Here are two stories
Kylie* is a mentor to Rachel, an 11-year old girl in care, they meet once a month on a Saturday afternoon and do lots of different things together. Kylie is there for Rachel if she wants to talk about what’s going on for her or just to have fun! Kylie says:
“I just can’t thank you enough for this opportunity. It’s great for her to have the special time, it’s great for her carers to have a little break and it’s great for me to get out and do things I wouldn’t normally do!”
The second story is yours!
Compassion might look foolish to the world, but it is God’s way and the way we are called to live as well. Loving the orphan, the outcast and the widow may not be the usual way of the world, but we know it is God’s wisdom.
Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.
Isaiah 1:17 NIV)
But sometimes we don’t know what that looks like on a practical level. We may feel a disconnect between the faith we talk about with friends and we hear about at church, and the faith that we are living each day. We see injustice and know that God’s way is compassion, but what does that mean for us?
Living out compassion
At Fostering Hope we want to help you work out how you can show compassion to the often outcast kids in care. This might be through becoming a mentor or a respite carer. It doesn’t need to be a burden, but like we heard in the first story, it could be an incredible joy. It also means you will no longer wonder how you can live out compassion.
We are running a mentor training day in Launceston on Saturday the 29th of July.
If you are interested in becoming a mentor, or know someone else who you think would be interested, we’d love to connect and have you come along to the training.
Fostering Hope is a charity whose work comes from the Bible and the teachings of Jesus to ‘visit’ and ‘care for’ orphans and widows, to put the lonely in families, to love the fatherless, to care for children, and to love the neighbours in the communities.
Our vision is to reflect Christ’s love by supporting at-risk children and those who care for them. We work to raise awareness about this need, equip communities, and support foster, kinship and informal carers. One of the ways we provide wrap-around support for carers is through our mentoring program for their kids in care. We recruit, train, screen, match and support volunteer Christian mentors (like you!)
Jenna Blackwell, a member of the Tasmanian Baptists’ Mission and Leadership Development Team, gives insight into God’s amazing heart of grace.
Inner Critic: Why don’t you have everything together? Jesus’ gentle voice: Did you hear about the disciples I chose?
We are all too familiar with our inner critic. And in the midst of our humanness, Jesus whispers, “my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor 12:9). God’s grace is not sufficient for just some people. It’s sufficient for you.
This might seem like an odd transition to talk about hospitality, but if we can’t accept God’s hospitality toward us, I fear we have little hope to offer the world.
In my recent ponderings about hospitality, I have felt God’s invitation to stretch and challenge my preconceived ideas. I am still learning a lot, but I offer to you a few key thoughts thus far:
Hospitality is a heart posture, not just an act or series of acts
Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) says, “guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Hospitality is not just having some friends over for a meal. It is welcoming the stranger with the love of God. It is listening to one another’s burdens with the compassion of Jesus. And it is creating margin to be interrupted by Holy Spirit.
All our human effort cannot make us do this with longevity. It must be an overflow of the heart of God.
Our God is the King of hospitality
God’s heart is for the stranger and the outcast (in other words, for everyone). We particularly see this in the life of Jesus.
I love Jesus’ interaction with Peter in John 21. Peter, who boldly proclaimed that Jesus was the Messiah, also denied knowing Jesus in his time of betrayal. But here, resurrected Jesus meets Peter once more on the shore. Following a failed fishing trip, Jesus shares a meal with Peter, restores his identity and invites Peter into greater transformation.
Jesus’ heart is for Peter.
If we want to extend hospitality, we must learn how to receive.
Like Peter, we must learn how to receive from God. Similarly, Martha’s sister, Mary, gives us an example. Luke 10 invites us to wonder: What was so good about sitting at the feet of Jesus?
But we must also learn how to humbly receive from each other. When we learn what it is like to receive grace without merit, gifts without the ability to repay, and hospitality when we feel like we have nothing to offer, then we can learn to extend hospitality with humility, gentleness and radical love.
All of this has me wondering, if the people of God embraced ‘radically ordinary hospitality,’* how might our wider communities be transformed with the love of God?
Radically ordinary hospitality can indeed be used by the Lord to grow his people in grace and sacrificial living, to preserve practices, ideas, and cultures… to change the world… but (it) must be rooted and steeped in grace.
When you think about it, we all often have opportunities to share radically ordinary hospitality – in a friend’s home, for a colleague having a rough day, for the stranger on the street, for your neighbour … for someone in need of God’s radical grace.
God’s gentle invitation
I’m learning how to practice hospitality in community. But in a simple way, I see the hospitality of God in the people I mentor and coach. In my privilege of being present and creating space, people find invitation to show up courageously. And as they do, they experience God’s gentle invitation to deeper transformation. They experience the whispering invitation, “my grace is sufficient for you, my child.”
It’s quite simple, quite every day, but it’s far from ordinary. In fact, it ends up being quite radical.
Provide emotional, social, and spiritual support to school communities…
Scripture Union has multiple chaplaincy positions available across Tasmania. Chaplains provide emotional, social, spiritual, and often practical support to school communities. They are in the prevention and support business: helping students find a better way to deal with issues ranging from family breakdown, loneliness, depression and anxiety.
SU Chaplaincy models the compassion and unconditional love demonstrated and taught by Jesus, as recorded in the Bible. Chaplains will be sensitive to, respectful of, and available to all regardless of beliefs or religious affiliations. All SU Chaplaincy staff and volunteers are empowered and equipped to champion a child-safe culture, and are committed to the highest standards of safety and care in our work with children, young people and families.
In Cinemas – but you can arrange to watch at your church!
After being raised by a white family, a young girl is taken away and returned to the Aboriginal family she didn’t know. Decades later, she’s on a journey to discover where she truly belongs.
Brenda’s first memories were of growing up in a loving white foster family, before she was suddenly taken away and returned to her Aboriginal family. Decades later, she feels disconnected from both halves of her life. But the traumas of her past do not lie quietly buried. So, she goes searching for the foster family with whom she had lost all contact.
A great resource for your church or small group, the Values Project* is designed to help individuals, churches and groups reflect, talk and learn about our identity and values as communities of faith within the Australian Baptist movement.
The Values Project strengthens our sense of identity, encourages connectedness and community across our movement, and informs decision making and leadership.
Four free episodes are available, along with corresponding Scripts, Facilitator’s Guide, Discussion notes, and sermon ideas.
They are a great basis for discussion and understanding Baptists, particularly for those new to the movement.
The 4-5 minute videos each focus on one of our four values: 1. Jesus-Centred; 2. Community; 3. Mission; 4. Freedom
As reported in reCharge in November 2022, the Horn of Africa is suffering a severe famine. So it is encouraging to learn that in the recent federal budget, the government announced Australia will contribute $29 million from the Humanitarian Emergency Fund to partners in the Horn of Africa and the Middle East.
This includes:
$15 million to address increased humanitarian, displacement and protection needs of people in drought-affected areas in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.
$4 million to provide food and nutrition support to the most vulnerable in Yemen.
$10 million for food and monetary assistance to refugees and vulnerable populations in Lebanon and Jordan.
Have you heard City is moving to two new locations?
Our Sunday Gatherings will be held at The Boathouse, 55 Lindsay Street Invermay, for at least the next 12 months. The Boathouse is an attractive modern building in the Seaport precinct, overlooking the North Esk River and Trevallyn, and next to Riverbend Park. Our first Gathering there will be on 18 June.
Our Drop in Centre will remain operating on Saturday nights out of the Red Dove Café in the Pilgrim Uniting facilities in Paterson Street.
Hobart Baptist church is again running its mid-winter festival, Luminous. This is the third year for Luminous, which aims to shed light on important topics for the people of Hobart during Dark Mofo. The festival runs for two weeks from 8-25 June and hosts conversations around spirituality and hope and showcases installation art.
6pm, Thursday 8th June, FESTIVAL LAUNCH AND ARTWORK
Michael Henderson’s art installation opens. Michael is an artist based in lutruwita / Tasmania and his work is entitled: The Seed of Life, Weighed Down. He uses symbols and metaphors to tell stories about identity, faith and longing. The artwork will be open from 12pm-6pm until 16th June.
Over successive evenings with free refreshments, this year’s topics ask, ‘Is Tasmania A Place for Everyone?’; ‘How can we help Tasmanian Children flourish?’; and ‘How Do We Create Healthy Families?’ Each of the conversations are a safe space for discussion, and not just for people of faith. We value the unique journey and point of view each of our panellists can contribute.
CHRISTMAS IN WINTER – IN THE TAB
6pm Friday 23rd June Luminous Carols
10am Sunday 25th June A traditional Christmas Service
All are welcome to the festival and entry is free, but bookings for evening events (catering) are essential.
Perth Tabernacle’s coming events
Women’s Collective
For women in Launceston
Calling all women in Launceston and surrounds who are interested in growing in their faith-in-action journey. You might be leading or interested in leadership, serving, or wanting to grow in faith that leads to action. This is a new space for you! Join with other women who want a safe space to process and learn together.
No life qualifications necessary. This is not a small group, or a Bible study. It’s a collective of women who are serious about learning and living in the ways of our good God, doing the journey with others, and hopefully having some laughs along the way.
Jenna Blackwell is Tasmanian Baptists’ Mission Leadership Coach. Gabi Dunn works for the Anglicans. They are housemates, great friends, and peer supports in ministry. With the support of their organisations, they are collaborating to bring a new space for women.
No, they don’t think events/gatherings have to be gender-specific. But yes, they acknowledge the complexity of life and history, and that sometimes you just need a space with other women.
In this Sacred Agents blog, Crossover Director Andrew Turner explores how we can shift demographics by diving Into diversity.
My father always enjoys belting out Amazing Grace in church, not least because he likes to tweak the second line to “…that saved a wretch like TREVOR SMITH” (or some other friend within earshot). God’s grace for people like you and me (and Dad) is truly amazing. Amazing too is his grace for people who are unlike you and me.
As such, God’s Spirit is often prompting and challenging us to see a greater diversity in our churches and groups. How often have you said or heard, ‘It would be great to have more [insert demographic] people here’, referring to a missing segment that might be generational, racial, economic, intellectual, or something else in nature.
It just doesn’t seem right for God’s family to be segregated, so we want to listen to those nudges of the Spirit. But what to do about them?
Possible Steps
There’s a whole range of possible steps, and let’s put them along an imaginary spectrum:
Down one end would be practical and immediate actions, such as going straight to the people you’d love to have with you and simply inviting them. Thoughtful arrangements to make space for them would be down that end too.
At the other end of the spectrum are deep, underlying heart issues and systemic norms that may need to be addressed. These might include raising awareness, prayers of repentance, symbolic steps towards reconciliation, and contemplating your way through a heap of books and conferences.
The trouble is, where to start? If you start at the first end, you hope to solve the issue within a fortnight. But your efforts may quickly be stymied by the systemic and underlying stuff. “We saw that we were missing young people, so we invited them, they didn’t come, so I guess we can say we tried.”
But if you start at the other end, you can feel that any real progress will take 100 years. And you can take 100 years of talking and praying and thinking about the people you’re missing, and wondering whether your group is even a thing that would be good for them, and even whether your group should exist at all.
It means well at first, but it can become busy work that is essentially procrastination which perpetuates the status quo. You are always inching closer to, but conveniently never achieving the aim. “We can always say that we’re taking steps.”
So what do we do?
How can we make real progress to see the body of Christ actually come together more fully? I suggest starting at both ends at the same time. Each will serve the other. The practical end will bring to light what underlying work is (and what isn’t) necessary, and the underlying work will shape the practical actions to be less and less clumsy and more and more wholehearted.
May the Spirit give us all the wisdom, humility and love we need – and also all the shrewdness, daring and energy of faith – to be effective agents of reconciliation as the body of Christ builds itself up in love.
Andrew Turner is Director of Crossover for Australian Baptist Ministries.
Crossover exists to Help Australian Baptists Share Jesus. Browse all our resources on crossover.org.au
ATTENTION ALL CHURCH SECRETARIES, DEACONS and leadership teams!
Tas Baptists’ Administrator Rodney Marshall explains the new legislation our churches must engage with.
On the 30th of May the Child and Youth Safe Organisations Act passed the houses of parliament, fulfilling the Sate’s responsibility to enact the 10 Child Safe Principles and to establish an Independent Regulator.
The 10 standards mirror the recommendations from the Royal Commission and the principles developed by the Australia Human Rights Commission. Their scope encompasses all forms of harm to children and young people, in addition to child sexual abuse, requiring adherence to the following …
The Ten Standards for Safe Churches
Standard 1
Requires organisations to ensure that child safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture.
Standard 2
Ensures that children and young people are informed about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously.
Standard 3
Ensures families and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.
Standard 4
Guarantees that equity is upheld and diverse needs respected in policy and in practice.
Standard 5
Requires that people working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice.
Standard 6
Requires processes to respond to complaints and concerns to be child-focused.
Standard 7
Expects that staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training.
Standard 8
Requires physical and online environments to promote safety and wellbeing, while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed.
Standard 9
Sees regular review and improvement of the child and youth safe standards within the organisation.
Standard 10
Ensures policies and procedures document how the entity is safe for children and young people.
In addition
As well, there is an additional overarching principle that embeds the right of Aboriginal children and young people to cultural safety which sits across all 10 Child and Youth Safe Standards.
What churches need to do now
Several years back, at the request of our insurers, Tas Baptists churches updated their policies to incorporate these standards. The main task that remains is to appropriately train and support our workers and volunteers.
Training completion date: 1st January 2024.
Matt Henderson (S), Owen Muskett (NW) and Linda Guy (N) have agreed to assist by providing training around the state. In addition, online training will be available in the Safety Management Online system. Once the trainers are trained, Workshop details for each region will be made available.
So as to comply with the new laws we need to ensure that everyone 18 and over, who ministers (has direct care or gives spiritual direction) to a person under 18, understands the principles and their application.
I hope the workshops will answer most of your questions, but if you would like to check on something before then please contact me on 0407 903 620 or rodney@tasbaptists.org.au
Christian author Mel Saward contemplates what we can do to help our children and youth become strong Christians.
Discovering Deep, Resilient Faith
Many statistics have emerged over the last few years that have painted a jarring picture of the state of faith for Millennials and Gen Z. But none quite so shocking as a study completed by the Barna Group recently, finding that 75% of young Christians will leave church.
But there is hope. Unlike other studies, this one listed common factors present in the 25% who stayed.
These included:
Eating dinner five out of seven nights a week as a family
Serving WITH their families in a ministry
Having one spiritual experience in the home during the week
Being entrusted with responsibility in ministry at an early age
Having at least one faith-focused adult in their lives, other than their parents
It must be noted that this was a rather helpful study!
Finally, something constructive we might all be able to implement for our children. But despite the usefulness of this information the resounding questions still remain: How is this possible? 75%? Do these small habits really make such a significant difference?
The habits seem so simple! There are at least three factors out of the five that have nothing to do with church itself! Were any of these factors present in the 75% too?
There is something missing
Maybe it is this simple. Maybe there is more to this. But what can’t be denied is that there is something missing in the Millennials’ and Gen Zs’ experience of faith, that is often observed through their relationship with the Church. Surely that is demonstrated rather clearly in these statistics.
In my latest book, Deep Faith Resilient Faith, I examine what I believe to be the cause of this phenomenon. The missing piece is DEPTH.
It has always been a temptation in our Christian culture to become preoccupied with external matters and not those of the heart. From the day the church began, there were smaller sections that concerned themselves with rituals. And in the generations just prior to Millennials, church attendance has been the universal sign of commitment to Christ.
While I suspect such observable signs do matter, they have never completely expressed the true picture of a changed heart. Church attendance was not the goal of our faith, the goal was always to be a disciple: something that is clearly seen in the five factors above.
Church attendance was not the goal of our faith, the goal was always to be a disciple
Signs of depth
These five factors are all signs of a whole community discipling a child: parents, church leaders, and the larger church community. Truly, they are signs of depth and the priority to instil a deep faith in the next generation.
Depth of faith is critical, as scripture proposes many times: it was the depth of the soil that determined the response to the seed (Mark 4:5), it was deep digging that stabilised the house built on the rock (Luke 6:48). And so we must explore for ourselves what a deep faith looks like, so that we can exemplify it for the next generation.
This is the goal of my book. It meticulously unpacks depth in action, and how we can attain it. As you can imagine, the book is quite challenging. But confronting such truths also gives us the greatest hope we could ever have in our faith.
What they need
The fact is: the next generations need us. They need those who come before them to demonstrate through the life we live, the kind of depth and meaning that a faith in Jesus can bring. Honestly, they don’t need us to nag them, to judge them, to be frustrated by them.
They need us to be willing to take up our cross, forego our comforts and go deeper than we have ever gone before. Because the Gospel has always been enough to satisfy all of us, from generation to generation.
Melanie J. Saward is a Christian author and communicator – meljsaward.com
Every so often you fall over some gem, hidden in plain sight, in God’s Word.
The more you stare, almost in disbelief, at the opening statement of Psalm 91, the more unbelievable it seems. After learning the psalm by heart, the enormity of the truth displayed, dawns.
Perhaps some are slower to appreciate God’s love so obviously shown to whoever might want to be acquainted with it. Anybody at all! You or me.
There is no mistake though! The guarantees He gives for your presence in the Secret Place, are awe-inspiring.
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Psalm 91:1 (NKJV)
The foundation is that if you do dwell in this secret place, you are in fact in the presence; the protection; the radiance; the love; the guidance of the Creator of the universe.
Once you say: “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust”, the walls he erects to protect you are nothing short of amazing. On an on!
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”
Psalm 91:2 (NKJV)
Almighty protection
In the refuge, under the softness of His wings of protection, you will not experience diseases or pestilences. Just hide behind His truth for protection from bullets during the day and diseases during the night; or even sudden destruction during the day.
He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge;
Psalm 91:4 (NKJV)
Everyone around you may be struck down, even close by, but it shall not come close to you. Just look and see how the non-believer fares, He says.
A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you.
Psalm 91:7 (NKJV)
Even more stunningly, here follow some more guarantees because you have made the Lord the Most High, your refuge, “No evil shall befall you”!
Neither shall any plague come near your place. Not only that, but He will also tell His angels to look after you in the way you live.
Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.
Psalm 91:9-11 (NKJV)
And there is much more!
They shall carry you in case you hurt your foot on a stone. You will also be enabled to stomp on a lion and a cobra under foot.
In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
Psalm 91:12-13 (NKJV)
God’s love becomes really apparent when He says: “Because he has set his love upon Me therefore, I will deliver him”. “Ï will set him on high because he has known My name”. (Psalm 91: 14, NKJV)
He will give us an answer when we call on Him. As well, He will be present when we are in trouble and deliver and honour us!
He will satisfy us with long life and then show you, and me, His salvation.
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him . . . With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.”
Psalm 91:15-16
What does it really mean, to you, now?
There is a real resting place available. A real spiritual power base in which we are one with our God and Father. One with all life and all power, with all presence of “I am, I am, I am”.
You can then listen to the silence. The peace for those who wait to hear “All is well”.
In this closeness we can, and should, tell Him what we need and want, so our lives can proceed in harmony and a happy wellbeing.
Sadly, only a few come here because they are persuaded that circumstances control our lives.
The truth is, incredible though it may seem, indirectly the soul directs its own path in this, God’s Law. It becomes obvious that He wants to fulfill our slightest wish and want. Our only requirement is to believe and trust in the power of our Father, our company and Maker.
Only believe and this ultimate reality becomes the reality of our lives. We create our reality when we see through the eyes of God.
Psalm 91 shows the way, all we need to do is to apply the principles He has laid out for us to follow. So simple! If it was difficult, who would be able to do it?
Rest your weight on this psalm and be greatly blessed.
May God bless you always!
Frans Ammerlaan plans to publish a book of devotionals he has written, this one included.
