VOLUME 4 NUMBER 3 |JUNE 2010 atalyst ASSACCembl Y O F C on F E SSI N G C on G re G A TI on S W I T H I N T H E U N ITI N G C H urc H I N A U ST ral I A Resurrection Hope and the local church MICHAEL EARL PAGE 6 PLUS SIX PAGES OF LOCAL CHURCH STORIES Why we said ‘no’ to Brian McLaren’s Destroying the UCA Preamble confusing insight Marriage CHAMPION & CARTER • 9 MARK DEVER • 11 BILL MUEHLENBERG • 14 Editorial Local heroes In this edition of ACCatalyst. section of reports which feature ACC Michael Earl from Wesley Mission parishes hard at work. in Sydney examines why we can have Evangelising fruit pickers at hope—resurrection hope—when Merrigum, praise services in North things appear bleak and tough. Queensland, and how one local Without giving too much away, church at St George in Queensland Michael finds hope in changed lives faced the flood all go to show how of people touched by the good news ACCers are local heroes. in his local congregation. Or just normal Christians being That theme is taken up with an about their master’s calling. Cover illustration chromatika/istockphoto.com expanded ACCatalyst local church John Sandeman ACCatalyst is published by the Assembly of Executive Editor: Max Champion Email for ACCatalyst: Confessing Congregations Inc. Managing Editor: Peter Bentley catalysteditor@confessing congregations.com ABN 73 794 58 75 ARBN 128 00 785. Editor: John Sandeman ACCatalyst is available as a subscription only Incorporated in NSW. INC 988768. Office: Erskineville Rd, Newtown NSW ($35pa) or by becoming an ACC Supporting Liability of members is limited. Opinions 0 9550 5358 Member ($35pa concession or $60pa full) expressed in ACCatalyst do not necessarily Website: confessing congregations.com Printed by Brougham Press, Scoresby Rd, Bays- reflect the official views of the assembly. [email protected] water Vic. ISSN 835 073 Rubey the I have discovered the terrible truth life that our spirit needs. Isaiah 55 about my cat. Rubey is two-timing says “Come, all you who are thirsty, me. I never thought she would do it, two timer come to the waters; and you who but there you go. Almost daily she have no money, come, buy and eat! disappears off somewhere. Come, buy wine and milk with- She goes across the road and down out money and without cost. Why the lane but I don’t know where spend money on what is not bread, she goes from there. If she sees me and your labour on what does not watching her, she turns around and satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat comes back. what is good, and your soul will de- So what is she up to? Is she meet- light in the richest of fare….seek the ing with other cats? I doubt it, Lord while He may be found, call because she has never really thought upon him while He is near” much of other cats. It’s tempting at times to walk Is she looking for rats and mice? away from God and think we can It’s possible, but I suspect there is find fulfilment elsewhere. The world something else going on. Rubey is can look so attractive and promises going off somewhere and scrounging Hilary Sandeman happiness, fulfilment and purpose food. Somebody is feeding her, and in life. But its promises are empty. no doubt she goes there meowing We become like a cat sneaking off hungrily and pretending I don’t look down the road for a feed, only to after her. Cheeky, ungrateful cat. discover we are eating sawdust, or But I have to be honest and say worse, snail bait. God is the one who that I don’t really mind Rubey going gives us tuna, and fresh water and off and making friends. brushes out our tangles. It is Whoever is feeding her is clearly God who forgives our treating her well and Rubey always sin and transforms us comes home again. If someone was The Old Testament describes God and gives us purpose and giving her poison, or trying to harm as a jealous God who becomes angry loves us beyond what we her or trap her I would not be so when his people chase after idols. are able to comprehend. happy and I would do whatever I God knew that idols could not give And regardless of where we have could to stop her from going there. life or anything good to the people wandered or how often, God is will- But if she was determined to sneak who went to them. ing to accept us back! off, she would find a way. God is the only true source of the Robyn aCC NEws ACC chair visits the Hunter region The ACC Hunter cluster in NSW organised a full programme for the chair during a recent two day visit. On April 8th, Rev. Dr Max Cham- pion preached at the Sunday morn- ing service at Maitland UC which is the only ACC Congregation in the Hunter Presbytery. He was well received and made good contact with the local members. The minister, Rev. Mark Collins, commented that one member said “perceptive teach- ing on the importance of the resur- rection of the body”. On Sunday afternoon, Max met with members of the Hunter ACC cluster at Kotara, and presented the Scriptural case for the necessity of the resurrection of our bodies. On Monday April 9th, Max met with the CEO of the UCA Hunter Presbytery, Rev. Felicity Amery. At lunchtime Max spoke at an ecumeni- cal seminar, including members of Winner of ACC award: Jiyoung Kim. Wesley Institute photo by John Leung the ACC cluster, and several Baptists and a Presbyterian Minister. (Interestingly the Baptists present Pendlebury award win at this local gathering acknowledged they’re benefiting from UCA members who had left over previ- The winner of a new ACC-spon- treasurer. Her willingness to take on ous years). Max presented a good sored award for students at Wesley the treasurer’s role for Reforming challenge to those present, and Institute is music student Jiyoung Alliance, and then to continue with encouraged our common Christian Kim. He has received the inaugural a very difficult joint role with ACC fellowship by confessing Christ in Thelma Pendlebury award of $500. served us extremely well. times when things may even appear Jiyoung is married with two young Thelma’s evangelical witness to hopeless. children. Christ was transparent. Her unself- Thanks are especially due to Hunt- “I was born in a Christian fam- conscious humility in serving her er Cluster convenor, Alton Bowen for ily that has been Christians for 4 Lord was evident in the way in which all his organisational help, to Glen generations”, says Kim. “Even though she discharged her responsibilities and Marian Joyce who provided ac- I have attended Church since I was as treasurer. Thelma was a long- commodation for Max, to Margaret really young, my real Christianity serving member of Bexley Uniting Lewis for catering and to the local started when I was 5. At that time, Church (NSW), and wife of Dr Jim members at Maitland and the ACC I met Jesus personally at the Praise Pendlebury. Cluster for their hospitality. and worship Conference. “It was a gift of God that I could attend Chang Sin High school, which Gordon Moyes Award was built by an Australian mission- ary. At school, I concentrated on do- Jim Pendlebury, Thelma’s husband ogy students. It proved successful. ing evangelisation of non-Christian is involved in raising money for a The most recent recipient is Mr friends during the break. different Wesley Institute award: Andrew Jago, who was highly “I want to be a good music the Gordon Moyes Scholarship recommended by the WI Theology pastor(minister). Thank you so Gift Fund. This fund raises money Department. much. God bless You.” from corporations, churches and “Since its inception, the ‘global Kim’s award is named in memory individuals to finance an annual meltdown’ reduced the income”, of Thelma Pendlebury, whose stead- Theology Scholarship at Wesley says Jim Pendlebury. “If the Spirit fast faith, generosity of spirit, good Institute for Ministry and the moves you to provide a tax deduct- humour, and encouragement greatly Arts. The Trustees’ desire was to ible donation to the Gift Fund it enriched the members and national recognise Gordon Moyes’ contribu- should be sent to GMSF Gift Fund, councils of ACC and its predecessor tion to Wesley Institute and as an PO Box A70, Sydney South, 34. bodies as an executive member and encouragement to aspiring Theol- It will be gratefully acknowledged.” 3 cisale/istockphoto.com PubliC squarE by P seudo -M A x imus Deaths of the and toward the end of life are at risk same-gender relationships. The of arbitrary death. It is scary that the preface states ‘The work of the theol- innocents rights of helpless human beings can ogy panel was difficult, but certainly be disregarded. It is even more fright- congenial, but there was never a hint It’s best not to be too young or too ening that killing the vulnerable must from anyone on the panel that we old. That’s the conclusion to be drawn eventually desensitise our natural would ever come to one mind on this from two recent news items. aversion to the taking of innocent life. contentious subject’. Two examples A study recently published by the from the (87 page) report: Canadian Medical Association report- Diversity and The conservatives found the oppos- ed on a survey about death involving ing arguments ‘confused’ and their life-ending drugs in the Flemish area discipline exegesis ‘mistaken’, notwithstanding of Belgium, a nation where euthana- their ‘quasi-homiletical eloquence’.