most photos on this page are thumbnails to save download time; click on them to give a full-sized view. Updates older than two years are buried under older updates until later cremation....
Real prayer is not just spending time with God, but WASTING time with Him - Sheila Cassidy - Prayer for Pilgrims
July 2010: Our church has had a 20 year+ involvement with the combined Christian churches religious education ministry in our local municipal district. I (Brian) served as Chairman of the Board for some 18 years. The shift in mindset among young people has been staggering in that (relatively) brief time - impacting on how we do ministry in this secular environment (something quite unique to our State - NSW). In the past year, there has been a gathering momentum to run an "Ethics" course up against religious education - for which our State law demands every student must receive the opportunity to examine at least one (40 minute) period a week. Just what code of morality will serve as a basis for this "ethics" course - and who will determine it - no one can really say.... yet!
Friends recently forwarded a succinct article from the USA that outlines the new religion that is superseding biblical Christianity - one that in reality opens the door for a refined, sanitised version of "old-gospel" biblical Christianity (expunging horrible things like sin, repentance, judgment, hell, denying self, serving others, etc). A much more "tolerant" version of the "Faith once delivered to the saints". Go here to read it and be glad such authors take the time to flesh out the notions that are shaping the brave new world of the next generation....
Feb 2010: Another year unfolds with an amazing amount of attention being focused on the ongoing collapse of the personal lives (and marriages) of several high-profile faith-movement celebrities. Just this month, Benny Hinn, Ray McCauley have followed in the footsteps of Todd Bentley, heading for the divorce courts with considerable secular media publicity (for a summary of validated info here). And look at the YouTube clip of Morning Star's Rick Joyner and Bill Johnston doing an apologetic for Bentley's unfaithfulness and remarriage - "giving hope to all those Christian divorcees who have given up that God could ever use them again"...
December 2009: Although most Christians are aware that Jesus Christ was not born in December, nevertheless, we take the opportunity to recall afresh the immense significance of the Incarnation at Christmas time. Every year, we circulate among our e-friends a marvellous extract from Gene Edwards account of the "The Birth!". Here it is again, Also a simple examination of the Real Christmas Story - separating the truth form the myths that later sprang up. And may the impact of God coming in flesh to show His great love for mankind, give us fresh encouragement to walk with Him on the "way home".
We have started collating a new resource series - The Dust of Death - which examines the still-increasing alternative spirituality that is seeping under the doors into our society, and even among our church folks. The theme of the 2010 giant Sydney New Years Eve extravaganza and fireworks was "awakening the spirits" and the 1 million-odd people who attended in the city were encouraged to wear something blue to join in the spirituality. The series will analyse what and why this acceleration is happening, and the awful consequences for individuals, families, churches, businesses, and societies that embrace the arrival of the "Avatars".... Refer to the Serious Stuff of Friday Food 'n' Therapy.
November 2009: This update was started at the end of an exhausting, but very rewarding six weeks of itinerant ministry through Central Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. Some of what we have experienced, and learned here has taken us back to one of Richard Rohr's most powerful statements - Institutional religion is the least mature manifestation of the living presence of Christ. Elizabeth and I have spoken with a wide cross-section of Christian leaders and ministers here, and have continually seen the need for an awakening to the demands of the Divine Presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, and a consequent repositioning of the many demands of a material nature that constantly seek to pull us away from the centrality of Christ - where they come into line with HIS way of living and doing things.
In Manchester and BC, Canada, we have spent time with ministers and preached to their congregations on the need for sound "theology" in the minds and lives of ordinary people, so we can all relate to God, one another, the lost, and do ministry more effectively - taking our cue from the nature of the Trinity and the way they relate to one another, and to "outsiders". I wish we had known more about this 30 years ago.... Why is it we neglect / ignore so many vital issues when we are young, whilst busily chasing after rainbows and windmills!?!? To be continued...
September 2009: We are about to go again into Zimbabwe; Jeremy is going with Brian tomorrow into Mozambique for a week, then Deb is going with Elizabeth a week later; then we all head to the Midlands and the South after that. Please pray for us as we have a very hectic schedule and really need God's guidance and health. we're happy to forward am itinerary on request.
July
2009:
Since the last update, we have been back in Zimbabwe again, and was it a trip
with a difference! Not a lot o public pleasantries to be relayed on, but a
lot of "sorting out" among the areas represented at our last Lifeline leadership get-together (10/08). Wow! A prophecy came our way before
we left that God was sending me (Brian) like an auditor while His fire (a la 1
Cor 3) burned up the rubbish in His church in Zimbabwe! How do you handle
that, I asked myself! Well.... A day at a time it turned out, as a stream
of things went belly-up (sort-of) and 
Loxley and I did lots of one-on-one stuff
with many people. We even got shafted in one area by a discontented former
leader, who we didn't know was angry at being replaced in a ministers'
fellowship by another leader. Sabotage wasn't too strong a word in that
situation! On top of that, we have simply run out of time to keep the
depth of reporting we have previously done for all our African ministry trips.
We
can't comment on the Midlands without mentioning Pieter Albasini! What a
man! Pastor of Gweru Baptist Church; Pieter and his wife Cheryl, would
give you the shirt of their back. Pieter played rugby for Zimbabwe not
that many years ago, and has now finally forgiven them for not selecting him to
go to the World Cup! But his approach to - ahem - office work is something
else! <<< Proof attached to the left. His desk
measures about 1 metre x 60cm! But Gavin in our church sourced a notebook
computer for him this time, so we are expecting a Damascus Road experience to
hit him anytime real soon now!
He has allowed LifeLine the use of their church hall several times for our (very successful) seminars in Gweru, and we are in real debt to him and his congregation.
Cosmos was a real blessing on the trip south. He and his wife, Chelesani, still oversee the AoG in Waterfalls, Bulawayo, when he is not travelling. >>>
<<<
Some amazing bits n pieces along the way - our dear friend Michael (Mick -
as in Crocodile Dundee Mick!) Allard - the artist does his own round of
"pastoral care" visiting some folks his family have known for many
years around Bulawayo. Well, he bowled me over introducing me to this lady
he calls on every week. She is.... wait for it...NINETY SIX!!!
The
Ministry Resource Centre in the Midlands is slowly getting underway - now that
we have a lot more books there (mainly thanks to Lynda Ward, Tabor College head
librarian). We hope to add a notebook and email connection this
year. Debbie Hudson will be spending time collating and planning there in October.
Roy Wilson has located a permanent secure room for it with the kindness of the
Dutch Reformed Church leadership. This is excellent news! Because it
is an easy walk from the main bus station in Gweru - where everyone comes in to
form the townships round the district. >>>
We came home tired but refreshed... to a healthy church! Our church family work so hard in our absence to carry the ministry load and release us to go. We are always very aware of that, and are extremely grateful. And intend to take some extended long service leave near the end of 2009, after another 6-week stint in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Jeremy and Debbie are joining us this time for nearly 4 weeks.
On the home front, we are seeing a growing number of people making contact through this website - from places as far away as Norway and Guinea Bissau! The world is changing rapidly into a global village for sure. And we love it! The years spent accumulating resources and learning how to collate them for access and distribution as requested is paying off now, 20 years later. And of course, recognising the power of well-directed humour, keeping up a flow of funny, apt illustrations of how crazy mankind really is without Christ (and even with Him!).
Turning 64, and seeing such a shift of ministry emphasis all over the place, makes life very exciting - even for old people!
April 2009: the gathering storm of the GFC (Global Financial Crisis - great buzzword that! - has focused our attention again on where the church should stand while our society becomes even more obsessed with bottom-line money-driven values. We have refreshed some very relevant and thought-provoking material by Graham Long in the RESOURCES section (under Corporatisation of the Church). Chuck Missler's (now 10years-old) article on Globalisation and its Consequences also rates a fresh mention. Sometimes a reflection in hindsight adds a clearer perspective to current issues.
And we have rearranged the material layout on the ever-enlarging Resources section, to make it easier to negotiate for the growing number of visitors. Got any suggestions to further improve it? Email us!
We leave again for Zimbabwe (Brian on April 15; Elizabeth on May 7). Your prayers are valued!
January 2009: A brief update on the amazing spread of influence of Paul Young's book, the Shack... Paul was in Sydney in late November, and it was a challenging pleasure to hear him and Perichoresis' speaker, Dr Baxter Kruger from Mississippi USA (perichoresis.org), address some of the controversial accusations that have arisen from the book's themes. Go to our Resources - Under the Microscope section on the menubar for an in-depth interview with Paul Young - and some other analyses of what he is trying to say (including from several hostile critics)....
They also discussed at length the gender issues arising from the creation of humanity out from God's own nature in the form of Adam and Eve, masculine and feminine. Gordon Fee covered this ground somewhat on his 2003 Sydney visit, and we are happy to forward a summary of his (spoken) material on request.
We have loaded a 4-part series on the Development of a Healing Ministry in Local Church, which highlights the NT emphasis on the widespread nature of the gifts of healing God has put in His church for the benefit of both Christians and enquirers. Go there on the Resource page.
Barak Obama is now the President of the most powerful nation-state on Earth. May he govern wisely and use his power beneficially. May his actions live up to his inauguration speech - the man has a gift of oratory for sure! Full text attached... His cry of "yes, we can!" seems to have stirred something in the American psyche.
November 2008: our second 2008 trip into Zimbabwe and Mozambique couldn't have been more different than the one three months previous.... There were very few safety issues; but oh how the economic free-fall into poverty and chaos had accelerated! Took your breath away... Kefas accompanied Brian to contribute to the Lifeline Indaba (= gathering for serious issues to be discussed) at Gweru. This was the main reason for the trip and it was a real success. Ministry in Mozambique (and Sparrows' Nest orphanage and ministers' seminar in Nhamatanda in particular) was very profitable with requests to come into the inland next year and conduct further pastors and leaders' training series.
September 2008: The June-July Zimbabwe trip was a bit of a thriller! We arrived right in the middle of the Presidential election re-run and all the roadblocks, suspicion of foreigners, etc, that went with it. But, the ministry was extremely profitable and we are going back in October - despite the difficulties being experienced at this time. Peter (first time there) was a great help - especially with his practical do-anything skills! We have to be careful what we post publicly... If you would like a detailed update of that journey, etc, drop us a request by email and we will be happy to send it.
And next week (Oct 1), Kefas Makava and Brian are going back for a Lifeline Network Leaders Gathering - where the Network Leaders are coming together for three days in the Midlands for a time of prayerful review, discussion, and forward planning. Then Brian goes on to Mozambique again (Sparrows' Nest orphanage and pastors' training seminar), and Beira with Anacleto and the brothers and sisters there.
The other big issue that went public while we were away was Four Corners' investigation into the Latter Rain >> Immanuel >> BCF/MCF cult we belonged to for many years, and were booted out of in 1980. Chris Masters spent half a day at our house with his team, looking at background to the current leaders (especially Vic Hall, whom Elizabeth has known since before he started shaving, and I have known since he was 21). The Four Corners program started a firestorm on the Internet - the pain, anger, unresolved lives, etc, has filled several websites and blogsites.
We refrained from adding to them - trying to get a proper, balanced stance on the implications from what has surfaced. We have now put together something of our response to what's already in the public arena, and this is now listed under our "Under the Microscope" Resource section - and be warned; it's personal, messy, and has a fair amount of pain in it.
June 2008: Brian and Peter Brown are about to leave for a very intensive trip to Zimbabwe. Unfortunately, the Presidential election rerun will take place during their visit, and this has the potential to unsettle the planned itinerary. Your prayers would be greatly appreciated! Go here to download an itinerary of their travels and ministry engagements.
Our church's annual 3-day camp was a wonderful time of ministry. It was preceded by a widely participated in three-day fast, and the numbers attending the prayer meetings at the camp were way up on anything in previous years. Hilary and Darsh Williams spoke and ministered to many - this year we prayerfully targeted the growing numbers of under-30's in our church and the praise and ministry times reflected that. Many were baptised in the Holy Spirit, and great joy was over the three days!