theadvocate.tv DECEMBER 2018 IN CONVERSATION Finding Faith duo, Andrew Tierney “Perhaps we need to keep challenging ourselves about the and Tim Dunfield talk about their passion for writing power of un-deciding to open ourselves to an even bigger songs of worship and their debut album. PAGE 12 >> decision – an even bigger ‘yes’.” SIMON ELLIOTT PAGE 13>> 3 Holy secularism Christmas is not what it used to be >> 4 Royal Commission Scheme provides support for childhood abuse >> Photo: Shane Burrell Risanya can grow enough food to feed her family and sell at the market for an income, thanks to the support of good neighbours in Australia. Love your global 10 Asia Bibi freed Christian mother released neighbour from Pakistan’s death row >> Baptist World Aid Australia, in conjunction with A Just Cause, has launched a efforts leading up to the next new report: The Global Neighbour Index. The report examines: Is Australia a good Federal Election, where Baptists global neighbour?, taking seriously Jesus’ call to “love your neighbour as yourself”. around the country will organise electorate forums using the report as a guide to converse Committed to Against its most-developed peers, government and the broader “It is not often that we get to with candidates. Australia was ranked 11th out of community to participate influence the policymakers of The index uses ten indicators being honest, 20 overall in a report that graded responsibly in seeking change. our nation in such a specific and to consider complex issues such transparent and each country’s contribution to Rather than considering the way personal way,” Perth delegate as inequality, poverty, climate the United Nation’s Sustainable SDGs are being implemented in Karen Wilson said. change and conflict. It highlights above reproach. Development Goals (SDGs) and Australia, the report evaluates how “As we sat with Members of that Australia is good at trading outlined their strengths and areas well Australia is helping its less Parliament and had significant with developing nations (6th) requiring improvement. wealthy neighbouring countries. conversations, it was a proud and ranks highly in welcoming Baptist World Aid CEO John In September, Baptist moment for me to be able to immigrants from least developed BAPTIST CHURCHES Hickey believes that Australia leaders from around Australia, represent the collective view nations (5th). However, urgently WESTERN AUSTRALIA can do more to become a better including seven from Western of Baptists across Australia in needing improvement are global neighbour. Australia, gathered in Canberra standing for justice both in our carbon dioxide emission per “As a nation of significant at Parliament House to present nation and globally.” capita (18th), foreign aid (19th) capacity and long-standing the united voices of 140,000 Advocacy-focused Catalyst and global refugee share as wealth, Australia should act as Baptists on issues of social groups are growing across a proportion of Australia’s a leading role model addressing justice. They presented a copy Western Australia through new population (14th). global poverty through policy and of the The Global Neighbour and existing church partnerships practice,” John said. Index to each of the senators with Baptist World Aid. Church Author – Susy Lee The index is a part of Baptist and Members of Parliament groups will use the The Global World Aid’s strategy to influence they visited. Neighbour Index in advocacy 2 my view DECEMBER 2018 Who’s the nincompoop? I was riding my pushbike along the cycle path in Nightcliff the other day, I’ve heard that in times when to my surprise I saw a guy on a motorbike riding on the same path of conflict there are three towards me. “What a nincompoop,” I said to myself (or words that expressed a responses – fight, flee or freeze. In other words, go on similar meaning). the attack, run and hide, or be overwhelmed and paralysed. I thought, “Self, you should do As I thought about this, my that we are not that bad. In But I wonder if there is a forth something!” And so, I did. I waved mind drifted towards the current fact, there are so many good option? Befriend. After all, we my hands in a very animated social climate the Church finds news stories that we could are the ones called to go! Yes, it fashion, indicating that he should itself in. Are we really who they show them. Yes, God is at work is counterintuitive, but then so be on the road and not the path! say we are? Are our churches in the 21st century, He is still much of the gospel is. After all, evil prospers when good really institutions stuck in an transforming lives and the It makes you think. Mal Good men do nothing. However, as I archaic, patriarchal time warp, outcast has a home. If only got closer I realised that I was the irrelevant if not damaging to the they would come and see! Mal Good is the Lead Pastor nincompoop. Why? Because he rest of the 21st century? But then I thought back to my at Casuarina Baptist Church, was a police officer! If only they would not make encounter with the police officer located in the northern suburbs of Darwin. This incident reminded me their judgment calls from a and I realised something. It was that we can get things so wrong distance. If only they would me who made the judgment call when we make judgement calls take the time to get to know from a distance. It was me who from a distance. us, then they would realise got it wrong. The invitation to come I have three children – two girls and a boy, Finlay. He is two years old. He is at much. Then I think of all that the stage now where he loves to talk, and as with most two-year-olds, some of God has invited me to come and his words are difficult to understand, even for me. be a part of. Sometimes coming requires courage, discipline or leaving However, there are quite a few command ‘come’ made me think and told Jesus to invite him behind other things, but I am things he says with ease that of the way I respond to God’s onto the water. He made the reminded that when God invites everyone can understand, and command, or invitation to come. steps to come to Jesus, but us to come, it is always worth one of those words is ‘coming’. He I think of Matthew 11:28 and before reaching Him, he was it. We know that we can trust usually says coming in response Jesus’ invitation to all who are overwhelmed by the enormity of the One who calls us to come, to our beckoning, “Finny come weary to come and receive rest, the situation. because come is exactly what and choose a story” or “Finny and I see myself acknowledging So now every time my son He did for us. come brush your teeth.” He my fatigue and my desire for rest, calls out coming, I remind Samantha Good responds, “coming”, so eagerly, yet I am not taking any steps to myself of the guests who were Samantha Good is a cross- but usually he responds from the actually get closer to the One invited to the wedding banquet cultural worker with Global exact same place he was when who is calling. in Luke 14, but made excuses Interaction in Mozambique we called, and he has very little In Matthew 14, Peter not to come. I think of all they with her husband Ben and intention of actually coming. shows that he understood the missed out on because perhaps three children. Finlay’s standard response significance of being beckoned they were scared, or perhaps to the invitation, or even the by Jesus; he stood on the boat they loved their own plans too Unexpected changes ... I’d been looking forward to my flight from Perth to Sydney. Booked on a inconvenient time, and with no lovely large A330, my check of the seating plan showed a lightly occupied prearranged accommodation, plane with me comfortably seated in an aisle seat towards the front. the child was born in a stable. I guess they also muttered, “Don’t you hate it when things don’t go Making a final check on arriving but their plane was cancelled at least I’d get to play peekaboo to plan?” at the airport, I discovered the and they’d be arriving on a with the toddler, but he burst But they were wrong. Turns plane had been downsized to a substitute an hour later. My into tears at my first attempt. The out, that was the plan. It makes grubby little 737 and was now mood plunged again. mother glared at me. you think … completely full, though I still had A cramped flight and a long I reminded myself that an aisle seat towards the front. My wait at the airport lay ahead. I God often breaks through at mood dropped a notch. reminded myself to reduce my unexpected times. “Is this one of By the time I got to check in, fluid intake. Toilets on crowded them?” I asked. “Hardly likely.” Dr Brian Harris I was informed my seat had been tiny planes are in high demand. My mind moved to another Dr Brian Harris is the changed – I was now at the back. When I boarded, I discovered unexpected journey. From Principal of Vose Seminary My mood dropped further. it was even worse. A young couple Nazareth to Bethlehem, there and Pastor at Large for the Then I got a text from the with a child occupied the two was no cramped flight for that Carey Group.