Making Disciples Together in Queensland
Speakers came up from cooler parts of Australia to the sunshine state -- and it was a sunny day when over 60 church leaders and members came from near and far to the third Advance Together conference. This event was held in the beautiful facilities of Bray Park Community Church. After a time of worship led by the worship team of Bray Park, Murray Capill again gave the plenary address, challenging believers to be radical disciples. This time KJ Tromp, the pastor from the Nerang congregation, joined Ray Rus, Jonathan Vandenberg, and Jack De Vries as one of the elective speakers. One of those who attended the conference summed up the day beautifully: " The conference was excellent and I believe God was really at work here today." And God was!
Here are others are saying about the Advance Together gatherings:
- Very well done. May God bless you in Advance Together. Great, do it more often
- Fantastic initiative. I encourage you to facilitate these type of events where as a denomination (at a state level) get together to be trained. It helps develop a denominational understanding.
- Very encouraging. Gave direction and confirmation
- A very fruitful day. Going away very blessed and knowing the Lord is working everywhere
- Excellent. Really enjoyed the day.
- Very meaningful. Glory to God
- Great! Need more of it and need to share it with our church
- Love the idea. Inspiring, practical, worthwhile
- Overall worthwhile with some practical orientation
- Having people from across the whole church was good
- Again please! More please.
- So happy I came, glad our church group has been challenged together as disciples of Jesus
- Very well organised. It was all good.
- Thank you! So important for our church - the dialogue especially
- Was very helpful. I feel our church will follow up on what we've learnt
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)
