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:...
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)
The climate is changing. According to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, 2019 was Australia's warmest year on record, with the annual national mean temperature 1.52 °C above average. There have been significant heatwaves in January and in December. This was Australia's driest year on record, with rainfall below average for most of Australia. Yet rainfall was above average for parts of Queensland's northwest and northern tropics. Much of Australia is affected by drought,...
Over a billion of animals and "hundreds of billions" of insects have been killed in bushfires throughout New South Wales this season, according to leading wildlife experts. In an ABC news report we are told that Australian wildlife has had to deal with four things: the incredibly fragile overheated periods before fires, the fire itself, the lack of habitat and food after the fire, and the invasion of foxes and cats in these burnt out areas. ...
For as long as I remember I love to be creative! I love building things. I think it started with popsicle sticks. One time while visiting my aunt in Holland she showed me a jewellery box I had made for her from these craft sticks more than 20 years earlier. I eventually used larger pieces of wood to craft furniture. I have dabbled in pottery and painting. In highschool I had aspirations to become an architect. ...
Many people have the idea that prayer has power! Perhaps you have heard it said that prayer can move mountains! Did not the Biblical writer James tell us that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective? (James 5:16) To illustrate this James goes on to tell us a story about a prophet in Israel's history: "Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and...
I usually take the stairs. I might be at a train station, the local mall, or the airport, if I have the option between taking an escalator or the stairs, I take the stairs. I might even take the stairs up several stories of a hotel where I am staying for the night. Why? Well I am told that taking the stairs can prolong your life, reduces your risk for heart disease, and is easy on...
