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)
Success is more than a suburb in Western Australia. It is something that everybody wants to achieve! People measure success in terms of accomplishing specific results. It might be wealth, prestige, happiness, or power. When I think of the pastors I coach and the churches I partner with, I want them to be successful. But how do you measure success? What are the results we are looking for in a successful church? “But wait a minute,”...
I have a rule when using an axe: never chop a piece of wood on a rock. My grandson Jack knows this rule. And now he knows why. He admitted to me after a recent camping trip that he did something he knew he should not do. He used grandpa's small axe to chop some kindling wood. And he did it on a rock. The sharp steel edge on the axe was no...
I have learned the importance of consultation. Getting expert advice! In our recent annual leave in Canada we had ongoing issues with our Jeep. The engine light kept going on alerting us of some serious problem. A couple of mechanics that looked at the vehicle could not figure out what caused the engine alert. I eventually followed the advice of my mechanic son and brought the Jeep to a Jeep dealer. With their...
Prayer, we say, is our number one task! As churches we desire to be a church reforming to reach the lost for Christ, and we know this missional outcome must be begun and undergirded by prayerful dependence upon God. For this reason we make it our priority "to call upon God for such an outpouring of his Spirit that his people will be assured of his love through his Word, seek to please the...
I went back to where it all began. Full-time ministry, that is! I just returned from my annual leave in Canada, and while we were there on a Sunday we gathered for worship with the people from my first congregation. Things have sure changed. Not just the church, but the whole community. The country town had become an urban sprawl. The church building had been recently remodelled and updated. ...
