Lifted Up
Most everybody has heard of Amazon! Entrepreneur Jeff Bezos built Amazon from a small online bookseller to a retail giant. In a recent article in Foreign Affairs (January 4, 2015) Bezos stated: "Entrepreneurs ... benefit greatly from being willing to fail, willing to experiment. Good entrepreneurs tend to be stubborn on the vision but flexible on the details. Another quality is passion for the mission. The very best products and services are always built by missionaries. Such people wake up in the morning thinking about that idea, and they're doing that as they close their eyes at night."
church on Pakington Street called Lifted Up!
I saw this outreach in action. Early Saturday morning the marquees were set up. People rostered from the congregation came along and brought pastries. Tables were set up and the barista coffee machine plugged in. A banner was raised up inviting people to come and have a free coffee. The doors of the church were open. And people started to come. They shared a coffee, some baked goods, and engaging conversations with people from the church. About the author
Jack De Vries was hired on by the Christian Reformed Churches of Australia and began his work as Ministry Training Coordinator in January 2008. In 2012 this role shifted to that of Ministry Development Coach.
Jack came from Canada where he pastored three Christian Reformed churches: Alliston CRC, Alliston, Ontario(1983-87), a church plant: New Life Community Church, Pickering, Ontario(1987-95), and Bethel CRC, Listowel, Ontario (1995-2007). Jack is a graduate of Calvin Theological Seminary (Master of Divinity - 1983) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Doctor of Ministry - 2003) Jack and his wife Jeannie currently live in Petrie, a northern suburb of Brisbane in Queensland. They attend and are members of Bray Park Community Church. They have four adult children and seven grandchildren living in the USA and Canada.
In Isaiah 58:11 we read: "The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." Australia has seen times of drought and floods. There is another type of drought in Australia; there is a spiritual drought. But God promises to provide refreshing rain, a never ending supply of refreshing water. The water he provides will satisfy the needs of all Australians. As we take up the missional vision God has given us we extend the life changing invitation of Jesus: "Come! Whoever is thirsty, come, and take the free gift of the water of life!" (Revelation 22:17)
