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)
Sometimes it pays to take a second look. Especially when you buy a used car. In my teens I bought a 1970 VW Beetle. It seemed okay at first glance. I had an after school part-time job at a VW dealership. When I showed my mechanic friends what I had bought, they all had a good chuckle. The engine was only running on two cylinders, not four. Perhaps I should have taken one of those mechanics...
I love watching a potter at her wheel giving shape to clod of clay. At first all you see is this clump of brown earth. Moments later that useless lump takes the shape of a bowl, mug, vase, or some other useful vessel. I tried my hand at pottery in highschool, but I soon realised that shaping clay was not my thing. But anything pottery still gets my intrigue and our cupboards at home prove this...
During the Great Depression of the 1930’s, there was a sheep ranch owned by a man named Ira Yates. Mr. Yates wasn't able to make enough on his ranching operation to pay the principal and interest on the mortgage, so he was in danger of losing his ranch. With little money for clothes or food, his family, like many others during the depression years, had to live on government subsidy. Day after day, Yates would watch his...
Shortly after the USA in 1917 joined the war in Europe, a magazine illustrator drew a picture featuring a stern-faced Uncle Sam pointing outward with his right index finger, his eyes glaring directly at the viewer. “I Want YOU for U.S. Army”. Four million of those posters were distributed around the states to recruit people to join in the war. More than two million Americans signed up as recruits to fight in France during the First...
A real tendency in life is to keep looking back. We tend to look back because we remember how life was different back then. Perhaps we have fond memories of yesterday and how great things were. With Mary Hopkins we sing, "Those were the days my friend .... We'd sing and dance forever and a day." Or we tend to look back with regret, for we remember our failures and struggles. With David of old...
