I met with a young preacher today and he posed a question that made me do some reflection.   Over the next year he hopes to ask this question of a number of "older" colleagues in the ministry.  "What is the most important lesson I have learned in my years of ministry?"   I did not have to think long to format an answer in my mind.   The almost three decades of ministry have taught me a very important lesson.

Ready, Fire, Aim!

On Thursday evening, 19 May 2011, over forty adults gathered in the wonderful facilities of the Salvation Army in Mackay to see the launch of a new Christian Reformed Church in Mackay, a town which is listed among the ten largest growing regional centers in Queensland.  This meeting was organised by Ninette Nell and Dolla Marneweck, local residents of Mackay, in consultation with myself, Jack De Vries, representing the Christian Reformed Churches of Australia (CRCA), and Wayne Crouch, one of the pastors of Bray Park Community Church.   A number of table hosts prepared the hall, set up tables, and prepared a feast of all kinds of food.   Little did we anticipate the overwhelming positive response to this information meeting.

Imagine our churches as training centres where the gifts, passion and missional potential of every disciple could be realized? Imagine that the training of leadersordained, non-ordained, full time, part time and voluntary, all dedicated to expanding the Gospel impact in our communities. That is the vision of the CRCA – to multiply the number of well-trained persons lovingly dedicated to reaching people for Christ. The CRCA Training Workgroup was formed by Synod 2009 to encourage whole...

With gratitude to God and in answer to many of our prayers, we are pleased to announce the first gathering of people interested in seeing the establishment of a Christian Reformed Church in Mackay.   Invitations have been sent out to a growing number of contacts in Mackay.

Please pray for Peter and Nel Mechielsen as they seek God's will as to which ministry couple to forward the baton to when they retire at the end of June. They write: "We need our Father to lead us to them and for God to prepare their hearts to minister to the people at Langwarrin CRC."