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)
I never was really good at running! I had long enough legs, but as a youth, other than ice hockey, I did not do sports. And in hockey, I was the goalie, which meant I had to stay in the net. That was fine by me. My exercise equipment of choice is a cross-trainer otherwise known as an elliptical trainer. This is a stationary exercise machine used to simulate stair climbing, walking, or running. Again I...
I love going to the markets. Whether it is the Southbank markets on the Brisbane River, the Lawnton or Petrie Village markets near our home, or the iconic Eumundi markets on the Sunshine Coast, these markets are a wonderful way to spend a day, get a good bargain, buy some fresh produce, and mingle with crowds of people. If you are in Melbourne you can also visit the Soul Market. There you will find more than...
There are a lot of people who are concerned about gaps. Gaps in employment when people are suddenly laid off or lose their job. Gaps in wages, especially between men and women, where there is not equal pay for equal work. Gaps in education when you compare the standardized tests between students in one school or the next, one state or the next. In my woodworking days when I glued two pieces of timber...
Unlike many in my family, I don't need eye glasses to see well. For years, when we lived in Canada, every time you went to renew your driver's license you had to get your eyes tested. The results always came back positive. 20/20 vision is considered normal vision and the benchmark I always reached. Perhaps you know what I am talking about. You've been to the doctor and she sits you...
I love listening to the news! I want to know what is happening in the world. But more and more I question whether or not we can trust the news. There is so much talk about 'fake news'. Every newspaper, radio, and/or TV program have their own slant to the news. Is there news you can trust? What is news? Some people claim that the English word NEWS is derived from...
