Your Opinion Counts
Imagine our churches as training centres where the gifts, passion and missional potential of every disciple could be realized? Imagine that the training of leaders
ordained, 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 of life discipleship, life-long learning, and leadership development among our churches.
We kindly request all churches to complete our online survey. Your opinion matters. This survey will help the Training Workgroup set priorities as they serve local churches, area classes, and the denomination as a whole. Simply complete this survey online. We like to have the results of this survey by 4 June 2011 so we can discuss the results at our June meeting. If you have any questions about this survey, please contact Leo Douma (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) or Jack De Vries (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ).
Click here to complete the survey
About the author
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)
