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)
There is an urgent need for us to raise up gospel workers in the CRCA. In a previous blog I clearly outlined the need that exists. To put it simply, over the next ten years we need to raise up 40 men to pastor our churches and to plant new churches in Australia. Currently we have 42 ministers serving our churches. Given these statistics where will these ministers come from? How can we effectively raise up in...
Church is changing! At least, church as you and I know it. Or have known it. As we draw close to the end of 2020 the fallout of the COVID pandemic has impacted churches, here in Australia and throughout the world. The church as we know it at the end of 2020 is much different from the church as we knew it at the start of year. Church in-person attendance was non-existent for months. Where restrictions...
Our world needs prayer! There is a cry for mercy in the midst of the COVID pandemic that God would bring healing and that the virus would end. Our home church (Bray Park , QLD) and many other churches are teaching on the topic of prayer, calling people to a greater prayerfulness. There is a sense of the urgency of prayer. From the viruses, floods, and fires, to world unrest, economic instability, and political uncertainty --...
It is always good to do a reality check! A reality check is when you recognize the truth about a situation, especially about the difficulties involved in something you want to achieve. From time to time it is good to personally do a reality check; it is also good to do that as a church (and as churches). In the lead up to the CRCA Triennial Synod in May 2021 I put our denomination through a...
Is God calling you? When was the last time you asked somebody that question? Perhaps you've never asked that question. But as churches and church leaders in the CRCA this is a conversation we need to be having with more and more people. We need to be talking with people about God's call on their lives. And we need to be having serious conversations with young and older men about the possibility that God might be...
