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theadvocate.tv MARCH 2016 “We embarked upon a family adventure to Actor Joseph Fiennes on In Conversation make Easter more intentionally about the glory his new movie, Risen. PAGE 12 >> of God in Christ.” SCOTT JAMES PAGE 13>> 5 Easter What happened over the Easter weekend 2,000 years ago? >> 9 Ending slavery Baptist World Aid is aiming to write a different story for slavery >> Photo: Baptist World Aid Australia Baptist World Aid Australia has been working hard to let consumers know which companies are doing the most to protect workers modern day abuse. The truth behind our tech 14 Crazy days Gershon Nimbalker in the trillions. If anyone can companies to demonstrate any West Coast Eagles Chaplain afford to ensure they have an measures to address poverty Paul Morrison releases a ethical supply chain, it’s our big level wages. new album >> Over 50 electronics companies have failed to tech companies,” he said. Thermomix, NutriBullet and make the grade on forced labour, child labour and The report graded GoPro were amongst the worst, exploitation in the 2016 Electronics Industry Trends electronics companies from A to performing at D-. F on the practices and policies According to the report no report released by Baptist World Aid Australia. they have in place to mitigate company provided evidence that We are the risk of forced labour, child they had actively implemented stronger Smartphones, televisions, tablets, industry has not made sufficient labour and exploitation. The a living wage for their workers. computers, navigators, gaming progress in implementing grading reports on the levels of A living wage was defined as a when consoles and, now, wearable steps to protect workers. Of the visibility and transparency these wage that is sufficient for workers tech is everywhere. Brands like 56 companies assessed, none companies have across their key to ensure they can afford basic we work Apple, Samsung, Microsoft and received an A grade and the supply chain production phases: necessities for themselves and together. Google are all global household median score was C. raw materials level – extraction their dependants – food, water, names. Between them, they rake The report assessed many of minerals; inputs level – shelter and electricity – with a in hundreds of billions of dollars of the world’s most valuable smelting and refining and/or little left over for discretionary in revenue each year and have companies including Apple, component manufacturing; and spending or emergency savings. supply chains so vast that they Intel, Microsoft, Samsung final manufacturing. “The median C grade suggests BAPTIST CHURCHES employ millions of people from and Sony. Since the report’s release in workers remain overworked and WESTERN AUSTRALIA across the planet. Baptist World Aid Australia 2014, 64 percent of companies underpaid, working long shifts The products these Advocacy Manager Gershon showed some improvement, with little rest, and wages so low companies produce have Nimbalker said forced labour, however no companies have families struggle to make ends changed our lives and, in the child labour and exploitation improved their practices and meet. This lack of a living wage process, changed the world, sadly remain as significant problems policies enough to earn an was a top concern as it meant though, there is a dark side to our in the supply chain of the A grade. workers still would not be able to global tech addiction. electronics industry. Garmin and Dick Smith are afford the basics,” Gershon said. The report released in “This is the most valuable amongst the best performers February showed the electronics industry in the world, worth (B grade), and the only two }} Continued on page 8 2 my view MARCH 2016 Fads come and go As a teenager I worked in a men’s clothing store over the school holidays and We only have to look at the later on Saturday mornings. I learned some valuable lessons about leadership qualifications for leadership in while I was there. Timothy and Titus to see this, yet we seem to persist in looking to skills as primary. Skills are Men’s fashion then seemed to making the same old mistakes. The greatest tool we certainly necessary but they work on a 30 year cycle. Fads I have also seen people abandon have, apart from the obvious are secondary. come and go and many repeat. an idea only to come back to in the person of God Be the person God wants you Fast forward ten years and a it realising it had more benefit manifest through the Spirit, to be and then do the things you pastor near retirement age said than they appreciated the first is who we are. Character is believe God wants you to do and to me, as I enthused about a new time around. more important than the you will please Him. program, that he had seen it all Over the years I have been program. Great programs before. Now after 40 years as a asked what is the best tool for run by people not living as Ray Brown pastor I understand, as I have this or that. Usually people God wants them to will have Ray Brown is a recently retired seen several cycles of fads. are thinking about programs. little power. God is much pastor and board member The fact that we recycle ideas There is nothing wrong with more concerned with who of Baptistcare. is not automatically a bad thing. programs but we should we are than with what we Sometimes the cycle of change spend time ensuring that the do or where we serve. These keeps us fresh and enthused. ones we use are best fitted to things are important but Other times we find ourselves our situation. secondary to character. On living as if God exists … If asked, “do you believe in God?” would you quickly reply, “given this is a Christian calamity, God is still in charge. newspaper, no prize for guessing my answer is yes?” Sure, but let me push back That includes when death more challengingly, “do you believe in God and live as though God exists?” comes suddenly to someone who matters to us. Faith might soar at such a time, but could Why this start? Well increasingly moral failure. Given that this cheapest on Monday, lest you also crumple in a heap. many Christians are practical column is meant to ask some are needlessly wasting your What about moral failure? atheists. In other words, while uncomfortable questions, what pennies on reckless Tuesday Perhaps we think we are they insist that God exists, it difference is belief in God petrol purchases). I wonder if I immune to it ... though then appears to make little or no making to you in these areas? don’t need a bigger view. we probably aren’t Christian at difference in their lives. Take money. Jesus spoke Hardship gets a mixed all. After all, faith starts at the I recently re-read Philip about it a great deal, usually press. Don’t believe in God foot of the cross, in the place Yancey’s excellent book, Rumors saying what we’d prefer not to and when hardship comes the of much needed forgiveness. Dr Brian Harris of Another World. In it he suggests hear. It is a subject that occupies response range is limited. ‘I am I’m forgiven, to forgive ... and Dr Brian Harris is the principal four indicators that serve as a much of my thinking. Just so unlucky’ or ‘let me stoically to live as if God exists. Because of Vose Seminary and Pastor checklist on whether we believe yesterday I was tut-tutting that endure this’ are the most He does ... at Large for the Carey Group. enough to live differently. my wife filled the car with petrol common. But life transforming The list? Our response to on Tuesday instead of Monday belief in God dares to believe money, hardship, death and (the petrol price usually being that even in the midst of Sustainable growth I hope you survived the extreme heat we had recently. While I was able to seek make ‘God conversations’ a natural refuge in either the pool or somewhere air-conditioned, my garden bore the brunt part of every day or to pray as they of the heat and wilted quickly each day. drop their kids at school. To equip them to find ways to serve together as a family and to empower them As I hand watered one evening In my garden the most lasting, deeper rooted children. to read God’s Word together and during that hot week I was sensitive of the plants are the While they get a ‘watering’ once explore what it means. We should reminded of something my annuals – only there for a quick a week while at church, I should not make ‘too busy’ an excuse. If father once taught me … don’t flash of colour and then they die. be finding many ways to invest in we want to see our ‘perennials’ water too quickly or the plants The perennials are much longer them so their roots grow deep into grow, flourish and produce fruit we will develop surface roots lasting, deeper rooted plants. God. I don’t want them to have a all have to water and feed them to knowing that the water will They survive the heat and stress quick flash of faith and then watch develop those deep roots. How is only go down just a little. Water to produce flowers or fruit year that die away. your family growing? Sarah Parks slowly and the plants will send after year.

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